[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 21435-21436]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DAVE SCHWIETERT

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my commerce committee 
staff director, Dave Schwietert, who is leaving the Hill after almost 
16 years of service here in the Senate.
  Earlier in Dave's career, he worked for the late Senator Craig 
Thomas, and for the past 11 years, Dave has worked on my staff, serving 
his home State of South Dakota. He started with me as a staffer on the 
Environment and Public Works Committee when I first arrived in the 
Senate. After leaving the Environment and Public Works Committee, I was 
lucky enough to have Dave serve as my legislative director for 6 years. 
When I became ranking member of the commerce committee, Dave came over 
as minority staff director, a position in which he served 2 years 
before becoming majority staff director this year.
  Dave is the kind of staffer you always hope to get as a Member. He 
has a brilliant mind. His memory for the most arcane details of any 
policy is almost legendary. In fact, if you look up ``policy wonk'' in 
the dictionary, you probably would find a picture of Dave Schwietert--
and I say that with the greatest amount of affection. He has a deep 
dedication to his work. Over the years, I have relied on his intellect 
and dedication more times than I can count.
  Those aren't the only things that distinguish Dave as a staff 
director. One of the things I appreciate the most about Dave is his 
commitment to helping younger staff members develop their abilities. 
That is a great quality around here where oftentimes people have a hard 
time learning how to delegate and learning how to bring younger staff 
members along. His patience and his teaching ability are well known, 
and staffers who work under Dave come away with sophisticated 
analytical skills and a deep understanding of the issues.
  The commerce committee has had a lot of successes this year, most 
notably passage of two major pieces of legislation--the Surface 
Transportation Board reauthorization bill and the first long-term 
highway bill in a decade. Dave Schwietert was a key figure in each of 
those accomplishments.
  We have known for a long time that the Surface Transportation Board 
needed to work better, and Dave really has been working on this 
reauthorization since I first became a member of the commerce 
committee. This year we were finally able to get it done. Dave can 
leave the Senate with the knowledge that legislation he helped enact 
will permanently improve things for all those American farmers and 
businesses that rely on our Nation's rail system to get their goods to 
the marketplace.
  This year's landmark Transportation bill, which will strengthen our 
Nation's infrastructure and boost our economy for years to come, was a 
product of a tremendous amount of work on multiple committees. In the 
commerce committee, we developed the bill's extensive safety title, and 
Dave was once

[[Page 21436]]

again a key figure in that process. I am particularly proud of the fact 
that we managed to move from a party-line vote on the commerce title to 
strong bipartisan support when we were done. In fact, when it cleared 
the Senate, it was with 83 votes. Dave deserves tremendous amounts of 
credit for that. His ability to build consensus among Members and staff 
of both parties is a huge reason we were able to pass a long-term 
transportation bill this year.
  Another thing I always appreciated about Dave is his commitment to 
South Dakota. Like me, Dave is a proud South Dakota native. In fact, he 
comes from western South Dakota, Rapid City. I am a western South 
Dakota product. In fact, in South Dakota you are either East River or 
West River, and we both come from West River.
  Throughout his time on the commerce committee, he has never forgotten 
about the needs of South Dakota families, farmers, and businesses. It 
has always been forefront in his mind. I am grateful for that. I know 
there are a lot of South Dakotans who are grateful for the bills he 
helped pass. Dave's work will have a tremendously positive impact on 
South Dakota for many years to come.
  Mr. President, while it is difficult to overstate how much Dave will 
be missed around here, I am happy he has found an exciting new 
opportunity. It has been said that lightning never strikes twice, but 
as in so many other things, Dave breaks the mold on this one as well. 
In fact, he was struck by lightning not once, not twice, but three 
times while on a rock climbing trip, but that hasn't discouraged him, 
and I, for one, am grateful for that commitment and tenacity.
  My thanks also goes out to his wife Sandra, his son Evan, and his 
daughter Lauren for allowing me to keep their husband and father here 
many times late into the evening.
  I know I speak for a lot of people when I say that Dave will be 
deeply missed, but he should know he goes forward with respect and the 
gratitude of many and the warmest wishes for all his future endeavors.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hoeven). The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to engage in a 
colloquy with my great friend, Senator Heinrich of New Mexico.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________