[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2] [Senate] [Page 2176] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING GREGORY McCARTHY'S SERVICE TO THE DISTRICT Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, when I began serving on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the District of Columbia in January of 2001, my knowledge of the city's relationship with Congress was limited to someone who had lived here for only a few years. I quickly learned, however, not only the workings of the committee, but also the unique relationship between the District of Columbia and the Congress. One of the first people who helped me learn of this relationship and how to best serve the District was the energetic, dedicated chief advocate for DC Mayor Anthony Williams, Mr. Gregory McCarthy. Behind all of the big ideas, the hours of debate and the finely cut deals, there is the staff. The staff must work the long hours to merge the big ideas and the little details into policy and legislation that achieves the goals set forth by their boss. Gregory McCarthy was an exemplary staffer who did all of this and more. Gregory has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Nation's Capital to create policy that benefited the city, met the needs of the elected officials of the District of Columbia, and satisfied the oversight function of the Congress. While working in the Mayor's Office, he helped build the credibility of the city, from the Halls of Congress, to the many visitors to the capital city, to the bond rating agencies. And all the while, Gregory served as the best source for a history lesson on the District, the current status of a program, and the gauge of the Mayor on any issue that any member of the DC Appropriations Subcommittee could ask for. Gregory McCarthy exemplifies the public service that fuels a government which serves the people. It is this type of public service that benefits students in the District of Columbia especially. Through Gregory's hard work, he navigated the strong and varying positions of Members of Congress and local officials in order to create the first federally sponsored, private school voucher program. While I have been a tough critic of the program, I have always said that Gregory and the city represented the District's constituents well by seeking more school options, and through their tireless discussion and debate came a program that supports traditional public schools and public charter schools, as well as private school scholarships. Gregory's efforts to improve education for District residents have not been limited to elementary and secondary alternatives. Similarly, he has worked to authorize and fund college grants for more than 8,000 DC residents so that those who wish to pursue a degree of higher education may see their dreams become a reality. Gregory McCarthy shepherded these and numerous other programs through a frequently arduous District of Columbia appropriations process. The residents of the District have benefited greatly from his years of public service. When the year 2006 draws to an end, a new mayor will be elected and a new staff of dedicated public servants will work to improve this great city. As this new crew weaves their way through charted and uncharted territories, they will build on the positive relationships that Mayor Williams, Gregory McCarthy, and other members of the Mayor's staff have worked so hard to create. As Mr. McCarthy leaves the District of Columbia government for his next challenge, I offer him my congratulations and best wishes. From my own experience in working with him, I know that Gregory will succeed in whatever he pursues next. ____________________