[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12931-12932]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      COMMENDING DAVID J. SCHIAPPA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 212 and for the clerk 
to read the resolution.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 212) commending David J. Schiappa:

                              S. Res. 212

       Whereas, David Schiappa has loyally served the Senate for 
     29 years, his entire professional career, starting in the 
     Senate in December 1984;
       Whereas, David Schiappa grew up in Maryland and graduated 
     from DaMatha Catholic High School, the University of 
     Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University;
       Whereas, David Schiappa rose through all the positions in 
     the Republican Cloakroom finally serving as either Secretary 
     for the Majority or Secretary for the Minority for the last 
     three Republican Leaders;
       Whereas, David Schiappa has at all times discharged the 
     duties of his office with great dedication, diligence, and 
     sense of service, thus earning the respect of Republican and 
     Democratic Senators alike, as well as their staffs; and
       Whereas, his good humor, storytelling ability, and easy-
     going manner have made him an invaluable member of the Senate 
     family: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate expresses its appreciation to 
     David Schiappa and his family and commends him for his 
     outstanding and faithful service to the Senate.
       The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
     resolution to David J. Schiappa.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the 
table with no intervening action or debate.
  Mr. REID. I object.
  (Laughter.)
  I will withdraw my objection.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 212) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.
  Mr. President, when I learned David Schiappa was going to leave, I 
had a brief conversation with him at the back of the Chamber. I am not 
very much for being emotional, but if ever there was a time I felt like 
shedding a tear, it was when I said goodbye to Dave Schiappa.
  ``Parting is such sweet sorrow,'' and it really is. It is from 
Shakespeare:

       ``Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.''

  And it really is.
  If you are looking for someone who is a true Washington insider, you 
need look no further than Dave. He was actually born in Washington, DC, 
and for a quarter of a century he has made the trains run on time in 
the Republican cloakroom. For 13 of those years he served as the 
Republican secretary. He has been the secretary, as the Republican 
leader mentioned, when the Republicans held the majority and the 
minority.
  Regardless of who controlled this Chamber, my observation was that he 
has always managed the floor with integrity and an even temper. He has 
been a real pleasure to work with. When Gary, his counterpart, wasn't 
around, I would go to Dave and ask him questions. I never had any 
concern about the answer because he would always tell me the truth. 
Sometimes I didn't like to hear the truth, but he was always very 
forthright and candid.
  No matter how bad things got on the floor between Members, Dave and 
his Democratic counterpart Gary Myrick were always looking for a path 
forward. Gary Myrick has been so important to this body, along with 
Dave.
  How these staff members love their jobs. I try to tell people about 
my staff, and about the Senate staff in general. They do this because 
it is public service. He has put in 20 years--longer than 20 years. He 
is 50 years old and moving on to another career. I understand his doing 
that for himself and his family.
  Gary Myrick has been my chief of staff. He ran my office. He loved 
this floor very much. This was always his dream job even though on 
paper he was a big shot by being the Democratic leader's chief of 
staff, but that is not what he wanted to do. He wanted to come to the 
Senate floor where he was raised in his employment. He knew this was 
the job that he wanted, and he told me that. I arranged things so he 
would come and be the secretary to the majority here.
  Gary Myrick and David Schiappa were literally always looking for a 
way forward. They sorted through what I wanted, what the Republican 
leader wanted, and what Members wanted. They didn't always arrive at 
the conclusion the Republican leader or I wanted because sometimes that 
wasn't possible, but they worked through long hard days--and even 
longer nights--as well as holidays and birthdays. He has a friendly 
demeanor--Gary is not nearly as friendly as Dave but is just as 
effective.
  They worked so well together. They are a team. Some day, when the 
history of this institution is written, they will have to talk about 
these two good men who made this place work through

[[Page 12932]]

some of the most difficult times this body has ever seen.
  He will be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike, and that is the 
truth.
  In all of the times we talked--and we talked about important things 
most of the time. I understand he and Gary have been working together 
since the 1980s, and they are supposedly great storytellers--one and 
all. They have been known to talk for hours on end. They would 
disappear, and when Gary came back, we would ask: What did you talk 
about? And Gary would say--and I want to make sure I get this right--
``I have no idea.'' But that was only a way of covering for both of 
them because they were so candid and forthright with each other. They 
always have been, and they would never ever divulge anything I was 
doing or going to do or anything Leader McConnell was going to do or 
had done. They were absolutely confidential in their communications 
with each other. That is how they trusted each other. So when Gary 
said, ``I have no idea,'' he knew every idea, but he wasn't going to 
tell me what they talked about.
  They are two such fine men. Even though there were difficult 
situations where they found themselves forced to talk, I am sure time 
passed quickly because they are such good people.
  I know David will be successful at whatever he does. I congratulate 
him and thank him for three decades of valued service to the United 
States Senate and to our country.
  I wish him, his wife Cheryl, and his children Aly and Mason--by the 
way, that is my middle name--happiness. I mean it when I say: Parting 
is such sweet sorrow.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am both saddened and heartened by the 
departure of Dave Schiappa from the Senate family.
  I share the sadness felt on both sides of the aisle that the Senate 
is going to lose a valuable, dedicated, and inspiring resource.
  I am heartened to know, without doubt, that Dave will move on to 
pursuits in which everyone around him will benefit from his productive 
presence. I am heartened to think, also, that his family might be able 
to see him a bit more often.
  Dave's work in the Senate involves a challenging schedule, often 
involving brutal hours. He is often here morning, noon, and night--and 
sometimes overnight--helping to ensure that the Senate operates. With 
Dave at the helm, the operations are smooth, predictable, and 
disciplined. When things go smooth, as they normally do with Dave 
around, rest assured that much of that is the direct cause of Dave's 
tireless work and devotion.
  Amazingly, with all of his tireless devotion, Dave always has a 
positive and uplifting disposition, and is always a pleasure to be 
around. Whether it is idle friendly chat, or discussions of Senate-rule 
intricacies, discourse with Dave always leaves you in a better place.
  As Leaders McConnell and Reid and many others have attested, Dave 
always tells you the truth and is a straight-shooter, whether you like 
it or not. He tells the truth to any Senator on the floor, no matter 
what side of the aisle. That is what has helped the Senate work 
smoothly for the many years Dave has been at the steering wheel on our 
side.
  Dave's tenure in the Senate began almost 30 years ago when he began 
working in the cloakroom. Since those earlier days, he has moved up the 
ranks to be one of the few people around here who understands all of 
the intricacies of the Senate, and he uses that understanding to help 
all of us and to make this place work. Dave is ending his illustrious 
Senate career with more Senate years under his belt than most Senators 
he works with on the floor.
  Dave Schiappa has been a true treasure for me, for the Senate, and 
for the American people. The Senate is losing a valuable resource, and 
I am sad to see him go. I, and I am sure all of my colleagues, wish 
Dave and his family all the very best, and I am confident that in 
whatever Dave chooses in his future endeavors, we will continue to see 
nothing but the very best from him.
  When people talk about America's best and brightest, they refer to 
folks like Dave who is truly one of our best and brightest.
  In addition to thanking Dave for his counsel, camaraderie, guidance, 
and hard work, I also would like to give sincere thanks to Dave's wife 
and family. They have endured the often-grueling schedule demanded by 
Senate hours, which for Dave often stretches well before and well after 
when the Senate is actually in session. We owe Dave's family an 
enormous amount of gratitude for the time demands that the Senate has 
placed on them.
  I am going to miss Dave Schiappa, as will the entire Senate as a 
collection of people and as an institution which Dave has nurtured and 
preserved.

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