[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12761]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO TIM MITCHELL

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, one final matter. I would like to say a 
few words about Tim Mitchell, who has hit a significant milestone in 
his Senate career this week: 25 years of service.
  As the Democratic leader has noted on several occasions, Tim's love 
for baseball--and the Red Sox in particular--is hard to miss. How big a 
fan is Tim? Well, a few years back when the Sox won the World Series, 
the Democratic leader gave a shout-out to Tim when he offered the 
resolution honoring the team. ``[I]f it were in order,'' he said then--
which it wasn't, as Tim would be quick to note--``I would ask that . . 
. this resolution be passed with the name of `Tim Mitchell' on it. . . 
. I consider myself a fan of baseball,'' the Democratic leader 
continued, ``but I have never known a more rabid fan of a baseball team 
than Tim Mitchell, whom we depend on so very, very much to help us work 
through all we do in the Senate.''
  I have to say that this is an area where the Democratic leader and I 
absolutely agree. Tim has been a staple around here for a quarter of a 
century, working his way through some of the most difficult jobs in the 
Senate as part of the floor staff. To paraphrase Laura Dove, the 
Secretary for the majority, the work of Tim and his floor staff 
colleagues could be compared to that of a duck gliding through a pond. 
Above water, the duck appears to be moving through the pond 
effortlessly, but if you take a look below the surface, you will see 
its feet working--putting in difficult and often unrecognized efforts--
to keep it afloat.
  Tim certainly does so to keep this place afloat--coordinating with 
his majority counterpart Robert Duncan, sifting through heaps of 
paperwork, and putting in long hours that turn into late nights. Even 
on those late nights, Tim makes it a priority to not only make it home 
for family dinner but to prepare it too.
  Tim, from what I hear, it is takeout night at your house. I would 
imagine tonight's dinner will be a little more special than usual, and 
I know your wife Alicia and your son Ben couldn't be prouder. Your 
Senate family is proud of you, too, and we thank you for these 25 years 
of dedication and service.

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