ILW.COM - Thanks to Staffers in Fifth and Eighth Congressional Districts of Florida

[Congressional Record: September 13, 2000 (House)] [Page H7547] From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:cr13se00-151] THANKS TO THE MANY STAFFERS WHO HAVE ASSISTED IN THE FIFTH AND EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS OF FLORIDA The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum) is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I am here today because we are finishing this term of Congress, and while there may be other things for me, perhaps across in the other body, this is the last year that I will serve as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. I am very proud of the service that I have given, and I have enjoyed my service a great deal in this body. I have enjoyed working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to accomplish many things over these years that I have served from 1981 to the present, but none of that would have been possible without a very strong group of men and women who served on my staff. Now, we often talk about our committee staffs; but I am talking specifically about my personal staff; my staff both in my Orlando district office, and my staff here in my Washington office. There have been many, many people who have worked for me over those years; and in a moment I am going to enter into the Record some 99 of those staffers that I have at least documented, that I want to recognize because their hard work is what allowed me to provide this service first to the Fifth Congressional District of Florida and then to the Eighth Congressional District of Florida. I want to single out some in particular, though, because even though I would like to be able to talk about all 99, I cannot do that. I do not have time to, and no one would want me to; but some have been with me a long time and some have done admirable service. In my district office, Nancy Abernethy is a case worker who has been with me since the very beginning when I first began my service, the beginning of 1981; and throughout those years she has provided service to many constituents, particularly in immigration matters and about tax matters, that is above and beyond the call of duty in many cases. There are literally hundreds of people in central Florida today who have had service provided by Ms. Abernethy in resolving matters regarding immigration rulings and immigration concerns that they would not have had resolved in the way they did if she had not been there to act on their behalf. She still does that today. I have another lady who has been with me for many years, all but I think a couple of the years I have served, in that same district office, a case worker named Elaine Whipple. Elaine tirelessly served me for a long time working with senior citizens, particularly veterans, on issues concerning veterans affairs, but also on Social Security, giving service, finding answers to solutions to those Medicare problems for people with the various agencies of the government. These two women provided a perfect illustration of what can be done in the best of public service when you have people that are dedicated, who every day go to work regardless of whether I am sitting in the office or not, answering the phones, talking to people and providing them a conduit between the Federal Government and an agency that is far removed from them, and some real, everyday problems in their personal lives that need recognition and resolution. I have also had several other people that have really served extraordinarily well that I want to mention. The chiefs of staff who have served me over the years, Vaughn Forrest for many years, my very first chief of staff, did admirable work. We provided together a program for relief for Salvadorans, the people who were displaced off the farms there during their civil war where we lifted medicines and medical supplies down there that were donated privately, not a legislative agenda but something privately done, that the office did, that I am prouder of than any other thing that I have worked on since I have been in Congress; and much of that work was a tribute to Vaughn Forrest's effort as he did in many other cases. {time} 1715 Mr. Speaker, more recently Doyle Bartlett has been my chief of staff who was an early aide who came to work for me in my district office and who worked on to be a legislative staffer up here, and then later my chief of staff. And most recently John Ariale, who currently is my chief of staff, but was my district aide for many years, working to serve the public in the central Florida region tirelessly for a good number of years on my staff. Personal secretaries, personal assistants over the years both in Washington and in Orlando in the central Florida area have meant the difference in my life and in the ability for me to be able to serve. Fran Damron who came to Washington to start this process from Florida with me, but for unforeseen family circumstances might very well be in my employ today. Mary Lee Reed who still works part time for me, for many years worked in this Washington office as my right arm. Today Sue Lancaster in my district office who has been with me for many years, I could not do without really in many ways. She has tirelessly put time in program after program serving our constituents and working to allow me to serve better. Lisa Smith, who recently left my office in Washington, served many years here doing that job. And more recently Jin Sikora. I have had other staff assistants from Jane Hicks who served me a long time on the front desk here to Selma McKinzie, I should say the district desk in Florida to Selma McKinzie who served here and the list could go on and on. I cannot begin to name them all. Leslie Woolley was my first legislative director, the legislative is a critical staff as well to provide services in a personal staff office that we do not get from the committee staff on legislative matters. Many, many issues that Members of Congress have to face every day and votes they have to take on the floor, they have to be prepared for that. They would not otherwise be able to do because that does not come within the purview of the committees they serve on, but they are expected, we all are expected to respond and respond intelligently to make votes for these issues. I want to again thank these personal staff Members for all the work that they have done over the years. I do not think we pay enough tribute to our personal staffs. Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record: Staff Tribute (1981-2000) personal office staff Nancy Abernethy, Melissa Finn Aldrich, John Ariale, Marie Attaway, Michael Ballard, Doyle Bartlett, Paul Bernstein, Lynne Bigler, Julie Bordelon, Scott Brenner, Melissa Burns, Rachel Cacioppo, Sandra Carroll, Christina Cullinan, Fran Damron, James Derfler, Andi Dillin, Susan Dryden, Sarah Dumont, David Eisner, Debbie Feldman, Terri Finger, Vaughn Forrest, Kristen Foskett, and Teresa Fulton. James Geoffrey, Elizabeth Gianini, Shannon Gravitte, James Griffin, Michael Hearn, Mark Heidelberger, Jane Hicks, Mary Carlson Higgins, Judi Holcomb, Barbie Howe, Dawn Igler, Joe Jacquot, Kirt Johnson, Dana Hargon Jones, Vincent Jones, Josh Kane, Dirk Karaman, Karl Kaufmann, Susan Kessel, Anne Kienlen, Janie Kong, Sue Lancaster, Carolyn Lindsey, Patti Lockrow, and Linda Lovell. Gerry Lynam, Ellen Maracotta, Kevin McCourt, Selma McKinzie, Ferrall McMahon, Bob Meagher, Judy Merk, Dave Merkel, Helen Mitternight, Lisa Morin, Don Morrissey, Rufus Montgomery, Maureen Mulherin, Sophia Nash, Karen Nasrallah, Paula Nelson, Jaclyn Norris, Jennifer Paine, Clif Parker, Mari Parsons, Marissa Barnes Raflo, Mary Lee Reed, Therese Ridenour, Debby Roeder, and Tom Rosenkoetter. Clif Rumbley, Christy Russell, Ann Scarborough, Eythan Schiller, Karen Schwartz, Jenn Hargon Sikora, Ginny Smith, Lisa Weigle Smith, Teresa Smith, Yvette Sommers, Phil Squair, Janet Sterns, Marise Stewart, Pam Tabor, Jay Therrell, Laurie Thompson, Carl Thorsen, Chuong Tran, Steve Van Slyke, Linda Vogt, Tyler Wesson, Tina Westby, Elaine Whipple, Susan Williams, and Leslie Woolley. ____________________

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