[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 24188]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE SERVICE OF BARBARA BERGER

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I would like to honor a remarkable 
individual today on the occasion of her retirement from the U.S. Senate 
Recording Studio. Barbara Berger, or Barb, as she is known here in the 
Senate, is celebrating her last day of a career spanning 33 years. Barb 
has been here longer than any Senator save four. She has seen 320 
Senators come and go from this body and served under 13 Sergeants-At-
Arms. Not only has she seen many of us come and go, she has also 
witnessed the astounding technological transformation in media that has 
occurred in the past three decades. In 1972, when Barb began as a 
receptionist in the front office of the Recording Studio, radio and 
film were the only mediums of communication available to the Senate, 
and floor proceedings were not televised yet.
  I haven't been here as long as some of my colleagues, but over the 
past 7 years, Barb has been the gracious smile and distinguished and 
professional face of the Recording Studio. Her poise, civility and 
shining personality permeate the office and make working with them an 
absolute pleasure for me. Her institutional knowledge and memory and 
quiet authority provide me and all the staff and Members who work with 
the studio reassurance that our messages will be handled with care and 
expertise.
  American historian Barbara Tuch-
man said:

       Although I know we have already grown accustomed to less 
     beauty, less elegance, less excellence, yet perversely I have 
     confidence in the opposite of egalitarianism: in the 
     competence and excellence of the best among us. The urge for 
     the best is an element of humankind as inherent as the 
     heartbeat. It may be crushed temporarily but it cannot be 
     eliminated. We will always have pride in accomplishment, the 
     charm of fine things . . . As long as people exist, some will 
     always strive for the best. And some will attain it.

  Barb epitomizes this competence and excellence in her work, and 
beauty in her kind and graceful spirit. My staff and I will most 
certainly miss her and I wish her well in retirement.

                          ____________________