[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16562]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DEBORAH A. KAPANOSKE

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I wanted to say a few words in tribute 
to a longtime Senate employee who is retiring this month after 35 years 
of service. Debbie Kapanoske has served as my office manager in 
Washington for my entire tenure in the U.S. Senate; going on 14 years--
but she has been in the Murkowski family much longer. Debbie became 
correspondence director for Senator Frank Murkowski in 1993. She was 
subsequently promoted to office manager and continued in that role 
until 2002 when Senator Frank Murkowski resigned from the Senate 
following his election as Governor of Alaska. That left Debbie the 
responsibility of closing one office while simultaneously opening 
another, and that is no small juggling act. In fact, I understand that 
the experience led Debbie to swear that she will never close another 
office again. Before joining the office of Senator Frank Murkowski, 
Debbie served in the office of the Senator Bob Kasten of Wisconsin as 
correspondence director.
  Debbie is highly respected among her fellow administrative managers 
in the Senate. She is one of many unsung heroes without which Senate 
offices could not run. I have often remarked that she is the best 
office manager I have ever had. So today let me take this opportunity 
to thank Debbie for her service to the Senate and in particular for her 
23 years of service to Alaska. Over the years, Debbie has mentored 
scores of staff members first in my father's office and now in mine. 
And, while they aren't here today to say it personally, I know that she 
has played a special role in all of their lives. So let me close by 
thanking Debbie for all that she has done, but more importantly for the 
powerful impression she has left on all who have worked with her and to 
wish Debbie and her husband, George, well in retirement.

                          ____________________