U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed gratitude to Capitol workers, congressional staff, and law enforcement during a speech on the Senate floor. Thune emphasized the essential roles these individuals play in maintaining the operations of Congress.
"Mr. President, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, not one of us would last a day here in Congress without our staffs," Thune stated. He acknowledged various groups that contribute to the functioning of the Capitol, including those who clean offices, maintain buildings, issue ID badges, and manage press galleries.
Thune highlighted recent significant events at the Capitol such as President Carter's lying-in-state and President Trump's inauguration. He praised the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for their work on these occasions, specifically mentioning Senators Klobuchar and Fischer along with Mike Wagner and Julia Daniel.
The Architect of the Capitol, Tom Austin, received commendation for his team's efforts in preserving historic elements and preparing for events like inaugurations. "From building an inaugural stage – and then another inaugural stage once freezing temperatures forced the inauguration indoors – to setting up chairs...Tom and his staff worked tirelessly," Thune noted.
Jennifer Hemingway, Senate sergeant-at-arms, was recognized for her office's security functions during these events. The contributions of the secretary of the Senate’s office and Thune’s own staff were also acknowledged.
Thune extended thanks to the Capitol Police for their increased workload during these events and appreciated other law enforcement agencies like the Secret Service and National Guard for their involvement.
In closing, Thune honored Karen Paul, retiring after over 40 years as the first archivist of the Senate. Her work in creating archiving standards was described as crucial to preserving Senate records. "I want to thank Karen for her decades of work and her dedication to the Senate," he said.
Alerts Sign-up