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[Page S4963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO DR. CHRISTOPHER J. SCOLESE
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, just before the July recess, the Senate
confirmed the nomination of Dr. Christopher J. Scolese to serve as
Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, NRO. I doubt there is
any individual more qualified for the job. I supported the nomination,
but it was bittersweet because Chris has left his post as Director of
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Chris was the
longest serving Director in Goddard's illustrious history.
Chris is well-suited to run the NRO. To put the matter simply, he
knows how to put stuff into space and make it work. I will provide just
one example: the Terra mission. Chris was the project manager. Terra
was supposed to be a 5-year Earth science mission that has now lasted
20 years. Terra explores the connections between Earth's atmosphere,
land, snow and ice, ocean, and energy balance to further our
understanding of our home planet.
I know the NRO is headquartered in Virginia, but with Chris at the
helm, we Marylanders will consider it part of our State, just as we
consider the Wallops Flight Facility to be part of Maryland. I was down
at Wallops on April 17 for the successful commercial resupply services,
CRS launch to the International Space Station and I visited Goddard on
March 4 to discuss the impact of the 35-day government shutdown and the
budget picture going forward with Chris and the Goddard workforce.
Chris certainly has the academic credentials for the job. He holds a
bachelor of science degree in electrica1 and computer engineering from
the State University of New York at Buffalo, and he earned a master's
degree in electrical and computer engineering and a Ph.D. in systems
engineering from George Washington University. After Chris earned his
bachelor's degree, ADM Hyman Rickover personally selected him to serve
at Naval Sea Systems Command, NAVSEA, where he worked on the
development of instrument and multi-processor systems for the U.S. Navy
and the Department of Energy. I think anyone who could pass muster with
Admiral Rickover can handle just about anything, including running the
NRO.
Chris's stint in the Nuclear Navy from 1978 to 1986 was just the
beginning of a long, distinguished career in public service. In 1987,
he joined Goddard's Earth Science team and became Earth Science Program
Manager and Deputy Director of Flight Projects. Later, he moved to NASA
Headquarters as Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Science for 3
years before returning to Goddard where he rose to become Deputy
Director. Chris then returned to NASA Headquarters, first as Chief
Engineer and then as Associate Administrator, which is the top civil
servant at the Agency. He served as Acting Administrator from January
to July of 2009. He went back to Goddard, where he became Director in
2012.
I think. that moving over to the helm of NRO is a natural fit for
Chris since Goddard manages many of NASA's space telescope programs,
including the Hubble Space Telescope and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey
Telescope, WFIRST, that have a technology heritage from NRO's
satellites.
I have enjoyed getting to know and working with Chris over the past
several years. He developed great relationships with the Maryland
delegation and with local officials. He is a subject matter expert and
an excellent manager. He has an upbeat, amiable, and collegial
personality that brings out the best in the people who work with him.
Goddard employees from custodians and bus drivers to Nobel laureates
felt free to engage with Chris. He listens and relates to everyone as a
colleague. Former Dodgers' manager Leo Durocher famously said that nice
guys finish last. He didn't know Chris. Chris is a genuinely nice guy
who has come out on top, and deservedly so.
Chris instituted a culture of diversity and inclusion at Goddard, and
I am sure he will do the same at NRO. He is committed to inspiring the
next generation. He has a great interest in STEM and talking with
students. Goddard hosted over 500 interns every year while Chris was
Director. He routinely referred students and young adults whom he met
to Goddard's education director so they could learn more about working
at Goddard. He has been committed to early career professionals and
always included their voice in senior staff retreats. Above all, Chris
is a dedicated public servant with the accolades and awards to prove
it, including the 2018 American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics
Von Karman Award, the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive,
and the NASA Distinguished Leadership Medal, among many others.
Whenever we talk about public servants, it is important to mention
their spouses and other family members whose own sacrifices enable and
support that service. I would be remiss if I failed to mention Chris's
wife, Dianne, and their children: daughter Jenni and her husband Mark;
son Dan and his wife Maura and their daughter Maddie who is Chris and
Dianne's granddaughter; daughter Lauren and her fiance Ian; and
daughter Anna.
Chris may be from New York, and he may live and now work in Virginia,
but we Marylanders will always consider him as one of our own, and we
are grateful for his distinguished service to our Nation. I have no
doubt that he will be a superb NRO Director.
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