[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO TERRANCE W. GAINER

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I rise today to recognize the 
extraordinary work of the Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance W. Gainer, 
who is retiring after a distinguished 47-year career in public service.
  Mr. Gainer, whom many of us still call ``Chief,'' was sworn in as the 
38th U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms in January 2007, continuing a 
distinguished career in law enforcement.
  As the chief law enforcement and executive officer of the Senate, Mr. 
Gainer, successfully and--always with great respect for our 
institution--enforced the rules of the Senate, maintained security in 
the Capitol and Senate office buildings, and provided important 
services to Senators in our Washington, DC and State offices.
  Mr. Gainer led a force of approximately 850 personnel, many of whom 
he knew personally, as he often visited their offices. Mr. Gainer 
always took the time to write personal notes to his employees during 
important milestones or events in their lives. He always was quick to 
pick up the phone to provide words of encouragement to employees who 
were in the hospital or condolences to those who lost a family member. 
His compassion is unwavering.
  Mr. Gainer met challenges head-on during his leadership. Faced with 
government cutbacks and sequestration, Mr. Gainer guided the first 
major right-sizing of the Sergeant at Arms organization in many years. 
Through a combination of operational efficiency and reorganization, Mr. 
Gainer reduced the SAA's total budget by more than 11 percent over 4 
years and reduced the number of employees by 100. At the same time, 
service outputs increased, and customer and employee satisfaction 
remained extremely high.
  Mr. Gainer could be seen each year, donning a green necktie as he 
escorted the Prime Minister of Ireland around the Capitol on St. 
Patrick's Day, before celebrating his wife Irene's birthday that 
night--a fitting tribute to his Irish Catholic roots. He also 
considered his time spent with the Dalai Lama in the course of his job 
as very special.
  Mr. Gainer greeted many visitors from around the world in his office 
that overlooks the west front of the Capitol, down the National Mall to 
the Washington Monument. He often relayed the story about putting a 
Chicago Cubs sticker in his office before a visit from President Obama, 
who is known to be a Chicago White Sox fan. The office, after all, is 
that of the Sergeant at Arms, he would remind the U.S. Secret Service 
agents with a grin.
  While escorting the President during the annual State of the Union 
address, those who know Mr. Gainer best would recognize the tug of the 
ear or adjusting of his tie as a sign to his grandchildren watching 
from home.
  Mr. Gainer, who grew up in a family of 10 siblings, began his law 
enforcement career as a police officer in the Chicago Police Department 
and rose through the ranks, including many years as an experienced 
homicide detective. An accomplished attorney, Mr. Gainer served as 
chief legal officer of that department before he entered the Illinois 
State government as deputy inspector general and deputy director of the 
Illinois State Police. He served at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation as Special Assistant to the Secretary before being 
appointed as Director of the Illinois State Police.
  In 1998, Mr. Gainer moved to Washington, DC, where he served as 
executive assistant chief of police for the Metropolitan Police 
Department, and 4 years later was selected to be the Chief of the U.S. 
Capitol Police. He then entered the private sector as a chief executive 
officer responsible for a multimillion dollar innovative law 
enforcement program supporting military operations in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. The following year, the U.S. Senate appointed Mr. Gainer 
as the Senate Sergeant at Arms.
  His tenure in law enforcement in DC included the horrific fatal 
shootings of two Capitol police officers, the September 11 attack on 
the Pentagon, the discovery of anthrax and ricin in Senate mailrooms, 
and mass evacuations triggered by aircraft straying into restricted 
airspace. As second-in-charge of the Washington Metropolitan Police 
Department, as Chief of Capitol Police, and as Sergeant at Arms, he 
spearheaded security during four Presidential inaugurations, including 
the historic swearing in of the first African-American President.
  While serving as Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Gainer was appointed a 
Commissioner on the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of 
Iraq, charged with conducting an independent assessment of the Iraqi 
Security Forces and reporting the findings to Congress. He also served 
with the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security, which was 
created to advance the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute by 
assisting in strengthening security institutions.
  Mr. Gainer served annually on the Blue Mass Committee, responsible 
for organizing the Blue Mass Service, which is held at St. Patrick's 
Catholic Church in Washington, DC, to pray for those in law enforcement 
and fire safety, remember those who have fallen, and support those who 
serve.
  Born in Chicago, Mr. Gainer, the son of a milkman and a homemaker, is 
a decorated veteran who served in Vietnam and retired as a captain in 
the United States Navy Reserve. His degrees include a bachelor's degree 
in sociology, a master of science in management, a juris doctor degree, 
and an honorary doctorate of humane letters. He is married and has six 
children and 14 grandchildren. Of all his accomplishments, Mr. Gainer 
would tell you that his family is his greatest accomplishment of all.
  Congratulations on your retirement from public service and we wish 
you the very best in your future.

                          ____________________