[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 15] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 22272] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING THE SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF GRAHAM SCHNAARS ______ HON. BART GORDON of tennessee in the house of representatives Wednesday, December 15, 2010 Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Graham Schnaars for his contributions to the Sixth District of Tennessee while serving on my Washington, DC staff. As any member of Congress knows, our legislative achievements and successful constituent services programs would not be possible without a cadre of great staff working behind the scenes. They work long hours--often for little pay or recognition--and their service is simply invaluable to those of us who serve in this esteemed chamber. Throughout my 26 years in Congress, I have been fortunate to have many bright, able staff members with an interest in serving their country by working in this body. Today, I'd like to single out those who are serving my constituents as my tenure comes to a close. Graham comes to Capitol Hill from the field of engineering. He earned a BS from the University of Virginia and a Master's in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University. After working on structural engineering projects from Louisiana to Alaska, and fitting in time to complete a cross-country bike trip to raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity, Graham followed his interest in public policy to Washington, DC. He began his Hill career with an internship at the House Committee on Science and Technology, which played well to his engineering background and research skills. A native Tennessean himself, Graham volunteered to help my personal office staff handle the overwhelming volume of calls that came in during the health care debate this spring. When the staff put in extra time over the weekend to keep constituents up-to-date, Graham surprised us by showing up and volunteering his services. He surprised us even more by staying with us until the final vote was tallied near midnight. With his dedicated work ethic, firsthand knowledge of Middle Tennessee and stellar research skills, Graham's was the first name mentioned when a position opened on the legislative staff. As my legislative aide for agriculture, housing and Interior Department issues, Graham has been a valuable resource to me and to constituents with concerns in these areas. He has managed a difficult correspondence load and facilitated meetings with local interest groups on complex issues. In addition to being a snappy dresser, Graham has been a great member of the team. He has a wry sense of humor, a wonderful attitude and an eagerness to pitch in as needed. At times when the office has been understaffed during the final months of my term, he held down the fort for senior legislative staff--and brought in his now-famous spinach and artichoke dip to help us through. Madam Speaker, Graham has done stellar work for Middle Tennessee. He has a bright future ahead of him as a policy wonk, and I wish him all the best. ____________________