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[Page S6037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO MEL THOMPSON, GILDA LINTZ, KAY SHARP, AND CHAD TENPENNY
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President; I was first elected to the House of
Representatives in 1980 and then the Senate in 1996. I have enjoyed the
privilege of becoming the longest serving member of Congress in the
history of the Sunflower State and representing Kansans in Washington,
DC, for 40 years.
It has been an amazing ride, a great partnership in government and
many people have been a tremendous help to Franki and me. We want to
say a heartfelt thank you to all the friends we have made along the
way.
My first boss in public service was a true gentleman from Concordia
named Frank Carlson. Senator Carlson was the first person to hit the
political trifecta and serve our State as Senator, Congressman, and
Governor. The always modest Senator Carlson routinely said, ``There are
no self-made men or women in public service; it is your friends, family
and staff who make you what you are.''
Through the years I have repeated Senator Carlson's words on many
occasions, and I truly believe that Members of Congress are only as
good as their staff. Well, I have been blessed because, for four
decades, I believe that I have had the best staff both in Kansas and on
Capitol Hill.
While I could offer a long list of current and former aides who have
truly made a difference for Kansas and America, there are three unique,
humble, and accomplished individuals who deserve special recognition.
Mel Thompson, Gilda Lintz, and Kay Sharp have all served quietly and
effectively behind the scenes on my Kansas staff for nearly a quarter
century.
First, there is Mel Thompson who serves as my State agriculture
representative. Actually, Mel and I first worked together on the
Washington staff of First District Congressman Keith Sebelius in the
late 1960s and early 1970s. Mel has taught me a lot about agriculture
and even more about people. Nobody is better at listening to frustrated
farmers and ranchers and few know more about the complex and often
burdensome regulations offered by USDA and EPA. This incredible
knowledge and Mel's neighborly presence led to well-deserved
recognition by the Kansas Farm Bureau who honored Mel with a
Distinguished Service to Agriculture award. Mel has been a strong
advocate for me and, in fact, a brother.
Next, there is Gilda Lintz who serves as the district director in my
Topeka office. Gilda is what we call a casework specialist, serving as
the court of last resort when communication has broken down between a
Kansan and a government agency. Gilda has invested her heart and soul
into assisting veterans to obtain service awards or unrealized
benefits. Additionally, Gilda has led my service academy nomination
board that meets each October to identify the best and brightest
Kansans capable of graduating from our Nation's military academies and
defending our Nation. I call her ``golden.'' Thank you, Gilda, for
nurturing America's heroes. You are a true ``Kansas treasure.
I also want to recognize Kay Sharp who serves as my State casework
and outreach director. Kay joined my staff after a stint with Senator
Nancy Kassebaum and has been a steady and dependable rock in the
Overland Park office since 1997. Like Mel and Gilda, Kay is the
foundation of Team Roberts. Kay leads my state casework effort and has
helped countless Kansans obtain last minute passports, crucial IRS
refund checks, and meaningful social security disability payments. More
recently, like she did after 9-11, Kay worked after hours and late into
the morning on weekends to ensure Americans were able to re-enter the
country during COVID-related travel interruptions. Most of all, Kay is
someone who I could count on for frank advice and counsel. She always
gives you the unvarnished truth, and for that, I am grateful.
Finally, I want to say a word about my longtime State director and
now chief of staff, Chad Tenpenny. Chad has been out there riding
shotgun, covering all 105 counties, with me since my early days in the
Senate. We have covered almost every inch of the State, from the
Cimarron National Grasslands in Morton County to the eastern border in
Wyandotte County. The people of Kansas know and respect Chad and depend
on him as a direct link to the Federal Government. His steady
dependable leadership in the State has been a gift to me and to all
Kansans over the years.
As a proud U.S. Marine, where I learned that I could achieve more
than I ever thought I really could, I am constantly urging my staff to
``sprint to the finish line'' and ``take the Hill.'' Mel, Gilda, and
Kay have done a lot of sprinting and climbing through the years.
Together, we have made Kansas a better place, and for that, I am proud.
Semper Fi.
____________________
