[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 13287-13288]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO NICK GEALE

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, I am pleased today to praise the 
service of Nick Geale, who was until July the director of oversight and 
investigations on the minority staff of the Senate Health, Education, 
Labor and Pensions--HELP--Committee, of which I am ranking member. In 
July, Nick was confirmed by this body as a member of the National 
Mediation Board, where he will surely continue his hard work, 
thoughtful deliberation, and fair application of the law on behalf of 
workers

[[Page 13288]]

and employers in the railroad and airline industries.
  Nick joined the HELP Committee in 2009 under the previous ranking 
member, Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming, for whom he first served as 
oversight and investigations counsel before becoming director of 
oversight and investigations. I was fortunate that he agreed to stay 
when I became the Ranking Member and appreciate his service. In his 
role here, Nick investigated waste, fraud, and abuse in government 
programs and agencies, often working with agency inspectors general and 
the Government Accountability Office in that capacity. He also led the 
HELP Committee's investigations into the implementation of Federal 
programs and to ensure proper enforcement of Federal laws. He 
thoroughly evaluated and advised the HELP Committee on the President's 
nominees and assisted the HELP Committee's staff in policy matters and 
hearings.
  Nick came to the HELP Committee from the U.S. Department of Labor, 
where he served as an attorney to the Solicitor and then as counsel to 
the Deputy Secretary under the leadership of Secretary Elaine L. Chao. 
In both those roles, he assisted the agency in implementing labor 
policies for the more than 180 laws under its jurisdiction and helped 
manage the Department's 15,000 employees. Nick also has a distinguished 
academic background. He graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna 
College in 1996 and received a J.D. from Georgetown University Law 
Center in 1999.
  Maybe more important than noting his worthy accomplishments in public 
service is to note his character and his attitude toward his work, the 
taxpayers he served, and the colleagues he worked alongside. Nick 
worked hard to ensure that every taxpayer is treated fairly. With his 
practical experience in labor and employment matters, litigation, and 
alternative dispute resolution, Nick has been an eloquent and effective 
help to the committee. His dedication and friendship to those he worked 
with, on both sides of the aisle, is a testament to the character he 
has and will continue to have as he transitions to this next phase of 
his career.
  I thank him for the passionate service on behalf of the HELP 
Committee, the U.S. Senate, and the American taxpayer. I wish him the 
best in his service on the National Mediation Board.

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