[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18265]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO CHRIS COWART

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a staff member of 
the Senate Armed Services Committee who will be retiring at the end of 
this session of Congress. Her name is Christine Cowart, and for the 
past 6 years, she has served as the Chief Clerk of the Committee. She 
had previously served a term of 8 years as Chief Clerk under Senator 
Sam Nunn, and prior to that 2 years under Senator Barry Goldwater and 4 
years under Senator John Tower.
  I know that 14 years sounds like a lot of time to most people, but 
that barely scratches the surface of Chris' service to the Senate. In 
fact, Chris holds a special place in the record books. In an 
organization like the Senate, known for some long-serving members, 
Chris would fall within the top ten list of longevity for senators, and 
no member currently serving has been here in the Senate longer than 
Chris.
  The mere fact that she will be completing almost 41 years of service 
to the Senate is truly a remarkable accomplishment, especially in 
today's world where changing jobs has become the norm. And if that were 
all of her record, that would be amazing. But that is only part of the 
story. Chris made invaluable contributions to getting each of 41 of the 
51 total National Defense Authorization Acts we have done annually 
since 1961. As Chief Clerk, it was her duty to shepherd the Armed 
Services Committee's annual set of hearings, meetings, and briefings 
that lead up to the DOD Authorization Act each year. Her duties also 
included showing the ropes to new senators and new staffers alike.
  Chris took to heart the ideals of service she dedicated almost all of 
her adult life to service to her country and to the Senate. I remember 
Chris recounting how her father had escorted her here to the Russell 
Senate Office Building for her first interview with the Committee in 
the summer of 1972, shortly after she graduated from college. She said 
she didn't have any difficulty in deciding what to do after her father 
told her, ``Take the job.''
  Chris' father was a career Navy man, having flown maritime patrol 
aircraft for the Navy during World War II and thereafter. He instilled 
in Chris the value of patriotism and service to country that she so 
exemplifies in her life.
  During her service to the Committee, she served as mentor, confidant 
and advisor to the staff as they experienced weddings, divorces, births 
and deaths.
  Chris has been a rock for the Committee, and I know I speak for all 
of the members and staff when I say, ``Chris, thank you for your 
service to the Armed Services Committee, to the Senate and to the 
country. You have set a standard of dedication and professionalism for 
all of us, and we will miss you!''

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