[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 25427]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO CLARA KIRCHER

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have been privileged to meet so many 
people in my 35 years in the Senate. One who will always stand out is 
Clara Kircher, who stayed with me in my office for over a quarter of a 
century, leaving as deputy chief of staff when she retired.
  She is a remarkable woman who, on her own, raised her family, giving 
them the best example of a strong, talented, and loving woman. She did 
the same in my office, mentoring so many, and showing by example that 
she could keep a 50- to 60-hour week and still go back to college.
  Marcelle and I consider her one of our dearest friends, and we were 
privileged to be with her when she was inducted into the hall of fame 
at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg, MD. I ask unanimous 
consent that the statement they made about her at that induction be 
printed in the Record as an example to everybody in the Senate family.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

           Elizabeth Seton High School Hall of Fame Induction

       Clara Smiley Kircher was born on May 3, 1945 in Washington, 
     D.C., the daughter of Ann and Golden Smiley. She grew up in 
     Mt. Rainier, MD, and attended Saint James Elementary School. 
     She was accepted into the first freshman class at Elizabeth 
     Seton High School in 1959 and graduated from Seton in June 
     1963. At Seton, she was a member of the Glee Club, Masque and 
     Gavel, basketball team, Future Nurses Club, Student Council, 
     Louise de Marilacs and Honor Society. She attended Saint 
     Joseph's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she majored 
     in business, from 1963-1965. She married Walter Kircher from 
     Riverdale, Maryland, at Saint James Church in April 1965. Her 
     Maid of Honor was Monica Kircher Brady, her best friend at 
     Seton since their sophomore year. Clara and Walter had five 
     children--Anne, Walter, Eric, Anthony and Aaron. Their 
     marriage ended in 1978, and Clara had to raise their five 
     children as a single parent.
       Clara went to work in the office of U.S. Senator Patrick 
     Leahy (D-VT) in October 1981. She served as the assistant to 
     the Chief of Staff and the Press Secretary. After twenty-six 
     years in the Senate, she retired in October 2007 as Deputy 
     Chief of Staff to Senator Leahy. While working for Senator 
     Leahy, she returned to college to complete her degree. In May 
     1996, she graduated summa cum laude from Bowie State 
     University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public 
     Administration. As Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Leahy, 
     Clara helped establish the Leahy Women's Economic Opportunity 
     Conference which is now in its 13th year. The Leahy Women's 
     Conference focuses on the career and business development of 
     Vermont women and is open to all women free of charge. Women 
     learn the skills of running their own business, writing a 
     financial plan, and sharpening their computer and personal 
     skills for a new job or career change. She was the intern 
     coordinator for the Leahy College Internship Program, which 
     offers young women and men the opportunity for a close-up 
     view of their government and the workings of a Senator's 
     office. Clara also served as the Chief Financial Clerk for 
     the Senate Judiciary Committee where she helped with the 
     administration of the Committee and prepared committee 
     budgets for Chairman Leahy.
       In November 2008, she temporarily returned to the U.S. 
     Senate to help start up the office of the newly-elected 
     Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). In March 2009, she went back to 
     her retirement life and is now enjoying time with her 
     children and eleven grandchildren. Two of her granddaughters 
     have followed their Grandmother's footsteps in attending 
     Seton. Clara Bannigan graduated in May 2009, and is a 
     freshman at Christopher Newport University studying music; 
     and Alice Bannigan is a sophomore this year.
       Clara and her family live in Bowie, Maryland, since 1971 
     and are members of St. Pius X Church. Clara is an active 
     member of the Seton Alumna and is proud to be a member of the 
     first graduating class of Elizabeth Seton High School, the 
     Class of 1963.

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