[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13389]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         JAY EAGEN'S RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 21, 2007

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jay Eagen on 
the occasion of his retirement from the position of Chief 
Administrative Officer (CAO) of the U.S. House of Representatives, 
effective May 31, 2007.
  For the past 20 years, Jay Eagen has dedicated himself to serving the 
public through a variety of roles in the House of Representatives. He 
began his career as a Legislative Assistant in 1982 and a year later 
was appointed chief of staff to Rep. Steve Gunderson of Wisconsin. In 
1985, he joined the office of Rep. Bill Goodling of Pennsylvania first 
as his chief-of-staff, then as minority and majority staff director of 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce under Goodling's 
leadership.
  When Republicans assumed the majority in 1994, we were determined to 
professionalize the operations of the House, many of which currently 
exist within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer. In 1997, 
Jay was chosen to become the CAO. For the past 10 years, Jay Eagen has 
demonstrated what a commitment to the effective, transparent 
administration of the House will yield. Once he assumed the role of 
CAO, Jay quickly established an environment of financial stewardship 
and responsibility, which would yield eight consecutive ``clean 
opinions'' on the House's annual financial statements. A considerable 
achievement considering that previously those records were so poorly 
kept they could not even be audited.
  Although Jay was appointed and sworn in by Speaker Newt Gingrich, he 
always conducted himself as a steward of the institution, without 
regard to party or politics. He mastered that rare feat of catering to 
all Members, while being beholden to none. Members often sought Jay on 
this very floor to express their feelings on everything from the menu 
selections in the Members' Dining Room, to the preparations for such 
historic events as the passing, and subsequent lying in state in the 
Capitol Rotunda, of Presidents Reagan and Ford. Regardless of whether 
an ``R'' or ``D'' followed the Member's name, no issue was too large or 
too small for Jay to attend to. He personally took responsibility for 
countless requests, and worked with the staff of his organization to 
find a resolution to each one.
  Madam Speaker, in an institution where it is rare for Members on both 
sides of the aisle to agree, few will dispute the dedication that Jay 
Eagen has demonstated to this body over the past 20 years. Soon Jay, 
his wife Cathy, and their son Keiran will leave the Washington, D.C., 
area for the tranquility of Durango, Colorado. While Jay will likely 
welcome the change provided by his newly sylvan surroundings, those 
Members whom he has so capably assisted for these many years will 
acutely feel the loss of this tireless public servant.
  On behalf of the Members and staff of the House, I would like to 
extend my warmest wishes to Jay and his family in the months and years 
ahead as they embark upon the next chapter of their lives.

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