RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF T.J. McGRATH AFTER NEARLY 27 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED CIVILIAN SERVICE; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 69
(Extensions of Remarks - April 29, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E493-E494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF T.J. McGRATH AFTER NEARLY 27 YEARS OF
DISTINGUISHED CIVILIAN SERVICE
______
HON. JOHN A. YARMUTH
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Monday, April 29, 2019
Mr. YARMUTH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the
outstanding service of T.J. McGrath on her retirement after nearly 27
years of distinguished public service, the past 10 years at the
Congressional Budget Office, most recently as its General Counsel.
T.J. was promoted to that position in late 2016, in recognition of
her dedication, ability, skillful work, and breadth of experience. In
that capacity, she has served as CBO's principal legal officer and an
integral part of the agency's leadership team. She has overseen CBO's
legal staff and their work, skillfully leading them in interpreting
legislative proposals and providing high-level analysis regarding
significant judicial decisions, scorekeeping guidelines, and relevant
budget laws. She has been a leader in making CBO's analysis more
transparent.
Moreover, since becoming CBO's General Counsel, she has worked
tirelessly, building professional relationships across the legislative
branch, focusing on creating a positive work environment at CBO, and
providing training so that employees have the skills they need to
interact more effectively. One example that encapsulates all three of
those efforts is bystander training. T.J. worked closely with the
Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to develop training to prevent
harassment in the workplace. The training provided participants with
practical tools for taking ownership of their work environment and
encouraged bystanders not to remain silent if they witness an incident
that might make someone feel uncomfortable. As a result of T.J.'s
efforts, CBO was the first agency in the legislative branch to receive
bystander training.
From 2009 to 2016, T.J. served as CBO's Deputy General Counsel. In
that position, she dealt with many operational matters and quickly
demonstrated her ability to develop practical solutions. She instituted
CBO's successful legal intern program, updated and refined CBO's
internal policies, served as lead attorney in cases involving the
Congressional Accountability Act, and worked closely with a Justice
Department attorney in a case brought in U.S. District Court. T.J. also
made valuable contributions to numerous reports, testimonies, and cost
estimates in just about every subject area covered by CBO, including
the economy, national security, and health care.
[[Page E494]]
T.J.'s service to the nation did not begin with her work at CBO. She
came to CBO from the Defense Department's TRICARE Management Activity
(now the Defense Health Agency), where she was an Associate General
Counsel, providing guidance to the Director and staff on policy and
legal issues involved in delivering quality health care to military
personnel, military retirees, and their dependents.
Although T.J. is retiring from civilian service, she will continue
her exemplary military career. For nearly 27 years, she has served as a
member of the Air Force's Judge Advocate General Corps. She first
served on active duty with assignments across the world, including in
Alaska, Korea, Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan. During that time, T.J.
defended the Air Force against tort claims, prosecuted criminal
offenses, taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy, commanded a cadet
squadron, and was a military assistant to the General Counsel of the
Department of Defense. Since transferring to the reserves more than 14
years ago, she has served in the North American Aerospace Defense
Command and United States Northern Command, the Air Force Space
Command, the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, and the Pacific Air
Forces. She remains active as a colonel in the selected reserves today.
Her colleagues in CBO and on the Hill appreciate her hard work, keen
insights, sense of humor, and steady hand. They will especially miss
her generosity with her time and knowledge, her patience, and
especially her kindness.
I know my colleagues join me in extending our thanks and appreciation
to T.J. for her service to our country. We wish her well in her future
undertakings and hope that the nation will continue to benefit from her
expertise and commitment.
____________________