[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16219-16220]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING BRIAN MONKS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to Mr. Brian Monks of 
Huntingtown, NY, who graciously donated his time and unique talent to 
help create the beautiful and historic pen set for the United States 
Senate.
  In 2012, the Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms began designing a 
new pen set for use at the Presiding Officer's desk when the Senate is 
in session. The pen set was to be constructed using historically 
significant materials, including marble removed from the West Brumidi 
Corridor of the Senate side of the Capitol during its expansion in 
2001, and wood from a 120-year-old mahogany tree that was removed from 
the Capitol grounds in 2009. The Senate Cabinet Shop crafted the base 
and the pen holders using these historic materials. When the time came 
to construct the pens themselves from the same mahogany wood, the 
Cabinet Shop needed to look for outside assistance.
  This is when Mr. Monks stepped forward. He volunteered to expertly 
hand turn pieces of the historic wood into unique writing instruments 
for the new Senate Chamber pen set.
  Mr. Monks is the vice president of Underwriters Laboratories, and his 
home in Long Island has housed his wood working hobby for many years. 
He has earned a reputation as both an accomplished pen maker and a 
creator of fine hand crafted furnishings. His handiwork on the 
Presiding Officer's pen set debuted in the Senate in April 2012 and is 
now on display every time the Senate is in session.
  Mr. Monks's fine craftsmanship not only resulted in high quality pens 
for use by Senators serving as the Presiding Officer, but also 
contributed to the overall beauty and historical significance of the 
Presiding Officer's desk in the Senate Chamber.

[[Page 16220]]

  I join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in saluting Mr. 
Brian Monks for his artistic excellence, his spirit of volunteerism, 
and his generous contributions to the history and operations of the 
United States Senate.

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