On the recordJanuary 23, 2013
as we get started on this next Congress-- and I wish to congratulate the Presiding Officer for joining this Chamber. As someone who has had the opportunity to preside during my first 2 years in the Senate, I commend the Presiding Officer for those actions and look forward to working with you on a variety of projects. What I want to do today is continue a tradition that I actually inherited from one of our former colleagues, Senator Ted Kaufman of Delaware. Senator Kaufman, who had been a long-time employee of the Senate, came to this floor on a fairly regular basis during his time here to basically celebrate and acknowledge--in most cases--the tireless, unsung work of so many of our Federal employees. As we debate budgets, debt, and deficit, we oftentimes recognize we have to make extraordinary and difficult choices in cuts. In many instances, behind all of those cuts are Federal employees who do remarkable work in keeping us safe, providing services, and helping our country grow. Ted Kaufman used to come down here on a regular basis and celebrate some of those unsung heroes. I was proud to continue his tradition during the last Congress and look forward to carrying it on through another session. I start this next Congress actually celebrating two great Federal employees, I might add, who both happen to be Virginians who serve as excellent role models.…
