Political Quotes

“Madam President, Team Wyden will shortly lose one of its stalwarts, but before John Michels of my Portland office takes his well-deserved retirement after two decades of service to the people of Oregon, I want to take just a few minutes to recognize his many, many contributions. John joined my office in the late 1990s through a work-study program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He had previously worked in construction, and he served as a jet engine mechanic in the U.S. Navy before coming to my office, so suffice it to say that he was no stranger to long hours and tough assignments. As a member of Team Wyden, John put his shoulder to the wheel to help other veterans when backlogs, bureaucracy, or red tape held up the care or the recognition they had earned. In his years of service, John has managed thousands of cases for Oregon constituents struggling with one Federal agency or another. John has also always been a practical soul and has a passion for tinkering and fixing things. He brought these skills to bear as our resident IT expert and computer whisperer in Oregon. Anybody who has worked in the government can tell you it can be tough.…”