Political Quotes

“I rise to pay tribute to a longtime member of my staff, Nicolaas Budde, who is departing my office after 15 years of service. Nic has been my systems administrator, responsible for keeping all of the technology in my personal and leadership Senate offices here in Washington and in our three State offices in good working order, among many other things. Needless to say, a key part of the job description for a systems administrator is the ability to be extremely patient with those of us who may not be as up to speed on the technology available to us. And I would say that there are very few people who are as patient and kind as Nic. From fixing a recalcitrant printer to setting up a new, high-tech studio for the Senate Republican conference, Nic always does what can often be frustrating and time-consuming work with a cheerful smile and a reassuring word. He comes to work every single day with a sunny and enthusiastic attitude, and he doesn't accept anything less than the best when it comes to serving South Dakotans and our fellow Americans. Nic grew up in Harrisburg, SD, and worked on both of my Senate campaigns as systems administrator while he was in college at Dakota State University in Madison, SD. For those who may not know, Dakota State University is the ``high-tech'' college in our State, and students who graduate from DSU often go on to prestigious jobs at technology companies and the like.…”