[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2258-2260]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             THANKING STAFF

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, before we wrap this up entirely, 
there is just a couple of people I want to thank. I particularly want 
to thank my ranking member, whom I refer to as my cochair, Senator Kay 
Bailey Hutchison, for her incredibly hard, smart, indefatigable 
commitment and pure determination to see this bill through. I could not 
have asked for a better partner on this bill or as a partner on the 
Commerce Committee. We work in sync. It doesn't mean we have to agree 
on everything, but it happens we usually do.
  I know, and our colleagues should know, this bill simply would not 
have happened without her hard work, without her negotiating skills 
everywhere, constantly. She was tenacious in getting a lot of deals 
done on what was the most contentious issue, slots. She was patient and 
she was fair. I want my colleagues and the whole world to know how much 
I admire her as a person and as a professional, and I am grateful she 
has applied her considerable expertise and legislative savvy to this 
effort.
  I also want to take a moment to tell my colleagues that I am very 
disappointed that Senator Hutchison has chosen not to seek reelection. 
She has been a model public servant--she is a model public servant--who 
has made a real difference in the lives of Americans. She has made 
Texas proud. The Senate will be worse off without her. The Commerce 
Committee will be worse off without her. The aviation world will be 
worse off without her. Most importantly, the people of Texas will miss 
her talent and her clear ability to represent their interests at the 
Federal level. She is amazing.
  I will reluctantly not begrudge her the opportunity to bring her 
considerable talents to her post-Senate life, which she fully deserves. 
But I have her as my partner in the Commerce Committee for 2 more 
years, and for that I am very grateful. We have 2 more years to team up 
and see what we can accomplish together and as a committee. We have a 
full agenda, and this bill is just the first of what I hope will be 
many joint successes in this Congress.
  I want to take a few minutes to thank the staff who have worked so 
incredibly hard on this bill. The issues we deal with are very 
difficult. Sometimes they are very boring. And sometimes they are just 
persistent. You have to scratch them all the time. They are always 
arcane. We would not be able to do our jobs without the assistance of a 
very dedicated and smart staff on both sides of the aisle.
  I am going to start with Senator Hutchison's staff first. I would 
like to thank Jarrod Thompson, Senator Hutchison's lead aviation 
staffer, who worked seamlessly with my staff. Such is not always the 
case in this body. The importance of his work on this bill cannot be 
overstated. He managed every issue in this bill with a calm 
professionalism that made a challenging process a lot easier.
  I would also like to thank her staff director, Ann Begeman, who is 
truly a gem--that is called a jewel. Ann has been nominated to be 
Commissioner on the Surface Transportation Board, and she is going to 
be a great asset to that commission. The committee will consider her 
nomination soon. Not trying to look ahead too far, I hate the thought 
of losing her, but she is going to make a fantastic Commissioner.
  Finally, I would like to recognize the work of Brian Hendricks, whose 
fierce tenacity was essential to getting this bill done. He was 
instrumental in quietly working away, constantly getting things done.
  For my part, I am fortunate to have a tremendous staff, too--in my 
State, in my personal office, and on the committee. I am genuinely 
lucky I have managed to hold on to a very talented group of people who 
each fundamentally appreciate it is a privilege to be in public 
service. If you don't have that instinct, you are not going to do a lot 
around here.
  The staff of the aviation subcommittee is truly exceptional because 
Gael Sullivan never seeks recognition. I want to spend a minute on 
giving him the enormous credit and recognition he deserves. Gael 
Sullivan has spent 10 years on the subcommittee and almost 20 years as 
a staffer on the Commerce Committee. He knows everything there is to 
know about aviation. He works enormously hard day in and day out, 
whether we are on the floor or just trying to solve a problem of a 
rural airport or a small community depending on Essential Air Service. 
Gael is here because he is absolutely dedicated to making a difference. 
He has been critical to every aviation bill that we have tried on this 
committee. His hard work has helped produce a safer and more efficient 
air traffic control system and a more secure aviation system.
  Working with Gael is Rich Swayze. Rich is an aviation expert as well. 
From his Ph.D. thesis on air service to his work at GAO, Rich has 
developed his aviation expertise and the committee and my Senate 
colleagues have benefitted from that. They may not know that, but they 
have. Rich has put countless hours into this bill over the last 3 
years. He has worked tirelessly on helping resolve the thorniest of 
issues, such as, for example, slots.
  Adam Duffy is the third member of my aviation team. Adam keeps the 
subcommittee running. Besides helping draft briefing materials for the 
bill and preparing points for the floor, he has done yeomen's work 
managing the paper--the amendments--and making sure I had what I 
needed. His is not a glamorous job at times, but sometimes those are 
the most important jobs of all.
  Finally, there is James Reid. James Reid, for many years, has been a 
senior adviser to me on Commerce Committee issues--both in my office in 
the Hart Building and at the committee--including aviation. He has been 
the deputy staff director of the Commerce Committee since I became 
chair, and I don't know what I would do without him--literally don't 
know.
  I have known James for many years. I know how smart he is. The 
tragedy of how things get done is that staff is never recognized for 
who they really are--the group who puts all of it together--and how 
funny he is. Now, it is an art form to get to the funny part, but he is 
one of the funniest people I know, and he has a good heart. I still 
marvel at the sheer skill he has. Whether it is working through the 
details of a vexing legislative dilemma or thinking through the best 
strategic maneuver to achieve success, James can do it all. I totally 
rely on him. I am so grateful for his willingness to sacrifice more 
lucrative opportunities, as so many of our staff are willing to do, to 
make the Commerce Committee work. I know the entire staff feels the 
same way I do.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Begich). The Senator from Texas.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I thank my colleague, Senator 
Rockefeller, for the wonderful words about myself, about both of our 
staffs, and suffice it to say, I think the leadership that comes from 
the top--Senator Rockefeller, as chairman of the Commerce Committee--
has put together a staff and a mandate for all of us such that we are 
going to be a productive committee, we are going to work together, and 
we are going to shoot straight. And that is exactly what our staffs do, 
and it is what we do.

[[Page 2259]]

  The reason we get along so well and have done so much is that we may 
not agree on every issue, but we try to help each other in a way that 
achieves the overall goal we both want. Then we have the room to differ 
on specific ways to get there. So it is a pleasure to be the ranking 
member of the Commerce Committee, and I do feel that I am a full 
partner. Even though I am not the chairman of the committee, I do feel 
like the vice chairman. So I thank the chairman.
  I think we have accomplished so much tonight. We haven't passed, on 
final passage, this bill, but the authorization bill that preceded this 
one was passed in 2007, and we have had 18 short-term extensions. The 
FAA runs our aviation system in this country. It is responsible for the 
safety, it is responsible for consumer protection, and it is 
responsible for managing the air traffic in this country and managing 
the fund that helps airports with infrastructure. So short-term 
extensions don't work in infrastructure and in the areas where there 
has to be long-term planning. We have been trying to start the process 
of the long-term planning for the next generation of air traffic 
control systems since 2007. Tonight, we have passed a major hurdle.
  The House is going along on the same track to pass an FAA 
reauthorization, and I believe we will pass the final bill, I hope, 
before the short-term extension runs out at the end of March. That will 
be our goal. I think because we have come together on this bill, we 
have a good chance of doing that.
  I think having the first major bill on the floor in this session of 
Congress was a big test, and I want to commend our leaders, Harry Reid 
and Mitch McConnell, for the way it was handled. Harry Reid let the 
process work. We had plenty of time for amendments. Senator McConnell 
was very helpful in ensuring that amendments were not an overload. 
There was no attempt to filibuster this bill. I think this is the way 
we ought to proceed for the next 2 years, and I think we have made a 
great start with this bill. People have had their say, they have had 
their debate time, and that, I hope, is the way the Senate will resume.
  I do want to say there were tough issues. The perimeter rule around 
Washington Reagan National Airport was the biggest sticking point, and 
it took a lot of give on all sides to assure that the relaxation of the 
perimeter rule, through exemptions, was done in a way that, I believe, 
will not hurt any of the stakeholders. I believe there is a balance. I 
believe we will have more western Senators and their constituents who 
will be able to have direct access to National Airport. I think we have 
done right by the airlines that are incumbent carriers at Washington 
National, and we have made room for new entrants into Washington 
National, but it was very difficult.
  I just want to single out a few people who made huge contributions to 
this success: Senator Kyl from Arizona and Senator Ensign from Nevada. 
They represented the western interests so well. They know aviation and 
they knew what we could do and we have made great progress.
  I will also commend Senator Wyden, from Oregon, and Senator Cantwell, 
who is going to be the new chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee in the 
Commerce Committee. They both represented the Northwest and Alaska very 
well. Senator Begich and Senator Murkowski also did so much to help us 
thread the needle that would be a balanced bill.
  Then there was Senator Warner, who also had a different interest and 
that was to protect his constituents from congestion around Washington 
National. I think we were able to accommodate the needs of the people 
who live around National Airport as well, through the leadership of 
Senator Warner. It took a lot of negotiation to get there. That is why 
this bill took several weeks to do.
  I am very proud and pleased that we have done this. I too want to 
recognize the staffs, without whom none of us could do the research and 
the detail work that is necessary. I will start with Senator 
Rockefeller's Democratic Commerce staff. Ellen Doneski runs the Senate 
majority on the Commerce Committee. She is a joy. She and Ann Begeman, 
who runs the Republican side, are truly colleagues who can shoot 
straight. There are never surprises. We trust each other. We don't 
always agree. The answer is not always ``yes.'' But the answer is 
straight. That is what you need when you are working together to 
achieve results.
  James Reid, on this bill--I didn't know he was funny because, 
frankly, there hasn't been much fun for the last 2 weeks. But I am glad 
to know that we have a personality trait that I am going to get to 
learn. But I did know he is smart. I did know he was very helpful in 
the capability to work things out with the many amendments and needs of 
all of our colleagues when it is a big bill.
  Gael Sullivan, Rich Swayze, Bruce Andrews, and Adam Duffy all helped 
in this effort.
  I thank the floor staffs from both sides. They are the ones who are 
sitting in front of us right now. They have been sitting in front of us 
about 9 o'clock every night that we have been on this bill. I thank Tim 
Mitchell, Gary Myrick, Tricia Engle on the majority staff. On our side, 
I know we couldn't do without Dave Schiappa, Laura Dove, Jody 
Hernandez, and all the cloakroom staff. Honestly, I have to say the 
floor staff makes the trains run on time. They also work things out 
sometimes so we do not even have to do it. I appreciate so much all 
that you all do. You are the wind beneath our wings.
  I thank, also, on our side Senator McConnell's staff, Scott Raab, who 
is the aviation Commerce Committee staff person. We appreciate his 
efforts to help us keep things on track for the leader.
  Then my own Senate Commerce Committee staff. This is why I want to 
say that we have a great Commerce Committee staff, some of whom will be 
leaving. This may be their final achievement. I am very pleased they 
are going to leave on such a high.
  Ann Begeman is the chief of our Commerce Committee staff. As the 
chairman pointed out, she has been given a great position, a promotion. 
She has been appointed to be a Commissioner on the Surface 
Transportation Board. She is going to do a great job. In fact, I think 
she is accusing us of holding up her hearing because we like her so 
much. But she is going to, in fact, have a hearing in the next couple 
of weeks. I know she will be confirmed because everyone who works with 
her knows what a great manager and a great leader she has been on our 
staff.
  I want to thank Brian Hendricks. Brian was described by the chairman 
as quietly effective--and we all started laughing on the back bench 
because Brian is a tiger. We need his brilliance and his tenacity in 
all of the major things we do on the Commerce Committee. In fact, Brian 
is going to be the new incoming Chief of Staff of the Republican 
Commerce Committee when Ann Begeman takes her new position at the 
Surface Transportation Board. He has earned this by leading us through 
some of the toughest times, not only this bill, where he was a help, 
but also taking the lead on the NASA bill that we also passed through 
our committee. The NASA authorization bill, that was passed through the 
Commerce Committee through the leadership of Brian Hendricks of all of 
us on the Commerce Committee, is saving America's position in space 
exploration. We could not have done it without Brian Hendricks. I will 
never forget the contribution he has made to America. He is going to be 
with us for a long time to come as well.
  Jarrod Thompson was the lead on this bill. As the chairman said, we 
could not have done it without Jarrod. He knows aviation backward and 
forward. There is not a question that was ever asked about what the 
rules were, what the law was, who was at every airport--he knew. He has 
been the aviation committee clerk through the relaxation of the Wright 
amendment restrictions around Love Field and DFW Airport. When we 
started on this bill and we got to the perimeter rule at Washington 
National, it was as though Jarrod Thompson had been through

[[Page 2260]]

this before. He knew what restrictions were and how you could ease them 
in a balanced way. It was in fact Jarrod who came up with the way 
forward when we were at a complete impasse at 9 o'clock last night. He 
is essential to our team as well.
  Nick Rossi, a very important part of our staff, is also getting a 
promotion. Susan Collins has stolen him from our staff to make him 
Staff Director at Homeland Security. We never argue when people are 
promoted. We will miss him very much because he has been an invaluable 
member of the Commerce Committee staff. He will do a great job running 
the Homeland Security Committee, the Republican side of that committee 
staff.
  Patrick Mullane is going to be moving over to the Budget Committee. 
He was a great help. He knows transportation backward and forward.
  Todd Bertoson is a great member of our team who is staying with us 
and will continue to contribute so much with his expertise in marine 
and ocean, which is another part of our Commerce Committee 
jurisdiction.
  I am very pleased we have been able to achieve a great bill that I 
know is taking us the next step toward the reauthorization bill that is 
going to put the FAA, our air traffic control system, our consumer 
protections, and our safety in the place where they ought to be.
  I thank the chairman for his leadership and I yield the floor.

                          ____________________