Singing the Praises of Jennifer Wickre

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, as a fellow Oregon Ducks fan, an Oregonian, I am really grateful to be here today with my colleagues to honor an exceptional staffer, Jenn Wickre.

Jenn is a longtime, dedicated, and invaluable staffer for the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, on which I have had the honor of serving since I joined Congress in the beginning of 2012.

Jenn has been a tireless public servant, supporting members of the Science Committee in our efforts to craft and advance meaningful legislation.

I know her unwavering commitment, her expertise, and her bipartisan approach have really left an indelible mark, and we are honored to pay tribute to her exceptional contributions this evening.

Committee staff plays a crucial role in supporting the work of the committee. They are really essential to the functioning of the legislative process. I learned when I went from the Oregon legislature to Congress how important our committee staff members are.

Jenn has been working diligently behind the scenes, providing her valuable expertise, her research, and her assistance to help Members fulfill their responsibilities on the committee. She, like many of our staff, possesses specialized knowledge in policy and really plays a pivotal role in helping us understand complex issues.

Many of us who serve on the Science Committee are not scientists. We don't have that expertise. Our committee staff really helps us identify potential pitfalls, because we occasionally run into those, and develop effective strategies to achieve our goals. Her expertise and dedication have really contributed to the development of well-informed and evidence-based policy decisions, leading to more effective policymaking that benefits the American people.

I had the honor of traveling with Jenn on a bipartisan delegation to the Galapagos Islands in 2018. When you travel with somebody, you get to spend time together. We conducted oversight of NSF-funded research and observatories. The primary subject of the trip and a significant area of cooperation between the United States and each of the nations we visited was our scientific research enterprise.

The trip was noteworthy because it really gave a unique insight into the bipartisan cooperation that lay ahead. It was great to have Jenn on that trip. It was one of those Science Committee trips that you will never forget for the lessons learned and the relationships made.

In addition to her exceptional expertise, she has been a model of bipartisan collaboration. I have heard stories from her friends across the aisle about how she has continued to foster a culture of inclusivity, cooperation, and mutual respect, transcending political differences and working with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to achieve common goals. That is something we know we desperately need in this institution.

Her ability to find that common ground to build consensus was crucial to the passage of important legislation like the recent CHIPS and Science Act. Many have suggested this would not have been possible without her unwavering commitment to the underlying policy, which helped bridge divides and really led to significant results for our Nation's economy, research and technology sectors, and, of course, our scientific research enterprise.

Mr. Speaker, I am really honored to be able to join my colleagues in extending our deepest appreciation and gratitude from both sides of the aisle for Jenn's exceptional service to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and to the American people.

I thank Jenn for her unwavering dedication, kindness, and extraordinary contributions.

I can't end without saying: Go Ducks.

I know what a wonderful Ducks fan Jenn is, so I had to get that shout-out to my alma mater.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the opportunity to honor Jenn Wickre this evening.

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