Sherrod Brown

Mr. President, I rise today to honor my longtime chief of staff, my campaign manager in 2012, and a proud daughter of the Midwest, Sarah Benzing.

Sarah grew up in Neola, IA, a town of about 800 people. There were just 36 people in her rural high school in the Tri-Center Community School District.

Sarah was raised by her parents Nick and Diana Benzing, in a family of farmers, truck drivers, and union members: AFSCME, IAM, NEA, UAW.

And Sarah has brought those working-class values to everything she has done throughout an accomplished career serving the public.

It is become a bit of a cliche to say that someone never forgot where they came from. Not only has Sarah never forgotten her roots, they are woven into every decision she makes and every job she has done.

She has worked all over the country, from Iowa to Massachusetts to Virginia to, of course, Ohio, which she adopted as her second home. Sarah has put working people at the center of all she does.

So many of the people who have worked with her in this office have shared stories about what makes her such an effective and admired leader and mentor.

She has a unique ability to quickly grasp and cut to the heart of any problem and to pull the right people together and empower them to solve it. She is not just a boss; she is truly a manager. She sees people's strengths and elevates them into the right roles to accomplish things as a team.

As a manager, she has always been there to help, but she also knows when the best way to help is to push you to meet your own potential.

It is easy to get caught up in the day to day stress of running an office or a campaign, and to lose track of actually managing staff. Sarah never does. She takes the time to invest in people, and the office serves Ohioans better for it.

A testament to that is how many of the people she has worked with who remain close personal friends.

Sarah brings a warmth and approachability to the office that could probably only come from both a Midwesterner and from someone who began her career as an organizer. Around the office, staff call her the People's Chief. You are just as likely to find her chatting in the front office with the staff

assistants as you are behind a closed door with the legislative director.

Swapping recipes, chatting about pets, remembering details about people's lives and their families, Sarah makes time for everyone and gets to know everyone who comes through this office.

And she brings the joy. She never takes anything, including herself, too seriously, and she makes this job fun whenever and however she can. Cookie competitions, book club, potlucks, even a mock Iowa caucus, work is never boring when Sarah is in charge. And her enthusiasm is infectious.

Over a decade as chief, Sarah has also become a master of this institution. She knows how to get things done.

And all of that stems from her judgement and her internal compass, always seeing this job through the eyes of workers.

When we first began working on the multiemployer pension crisis more than 7 years ago, most people in this town didn't want to touch it. No one thought it was solvable, and they thought it was too politically risky. A lot of staffers in this building probably would have advised me against getting involved. But Sarah dove in.

And one reason is that she didn't just sit in Washington discussing the policy. She actually met the people. She spent time in Ohio talking with Rita Lewis and Mike Walden and so many of the Ohio workers and retirees whose retirement security--pensions they earned and paid into--was about to be ripped away.

And in no small part because of Sarah's skill and commitment, we got it done.

For the rest of their lives, 100,000 Ohioans will get checks in the mail every month from the pensions they earned because of the work of this office, led by Sarah Benzing.

That was emblematic of how Sarah approached this job. She didn't stay in Washington. She came to Ohio as often as possible, traveling all over the State meeting with workers and small businesses owners and local leaders all over the State.

She is an excellent listener, and so often, the result of those conversations was legislation or other actions that made a real difference in people's lives. She paid just as much attention to our staff in Ohio as those in DC.

Sarah also understood that to get things done for Ohio, we had to work with our colleagues, regardless of party. Sarah forged bonds with and is respected by chiefs on both sides of the aisle.

She knew how important it was for Ohioans that their Senators work together for our State. For the majority of my time in the Senate, our counterpart was Senator Portman. Sarah and Senator Portman's chief forged a genuine and productive partnership, working together on everything from strengthening trade enforcement to protecting Lake Erie to securing resources for Ohio.

Sarah's time as chief has spanned multiple Presidents, two impeachments, a global pandemic. And through it all, Sarah has had an uncommon steadiness about her leadership.

Sarah has been a steady and visionary leader for this office--and for Connie and me, an invaluable confidant and friend.

We first met Sarah not in Washington, but in Ohio. We sat around our kitchen table with Connie and John Ryan and our dog Gracie, who took to Sarah immediately. Sitting there over homemade chili, with Gracie sitting next to Sarah as she scratched Gracie's ears, talking about Ohio and the campaign ahead--and about our families and about Sarah's hometown and about our pets, as the conversation wandered--it was so clear that Sarah belonged.

She would move to Ohio a few weeks later. And over the years, Sarah gotten to know that kitchen table well. She has become part of--at times, it feels like the heart of--a big extended family. And we have gotten to know her family; she is so devoted to her husband Erik and her stepchildren Jay, Daona, and Noa.

Sarah, thank you for a life of service to our country and the people who make it work and for nearly 15 years of friendship.

Mr. President, today I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring our administrative team. Their hard work and dedication make our day-to-day operations possible.

They are the glue that holds our office together, from making sure staff have the technology they need to do their jobs, to making sure to ensuring that every day runs as smoothly as possible for staff and for the Ohioans who interact with our office.

Every single member of Team Brown depends on the administrative and operations team.

From the staff assistants who man the front desks, to the special assistants who oversee the interns, without your work, this office wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much or been able to do our best work for Ohio.

None of our work would be possible with our deputy chief of staff and longtime operations director, Mary Topolinski.

Mary joined our office at the beginning of 2009. From her first days on the job, it was clear that nothing fell through the cracks on Mary's watch. She was on top of everything. She was always thinking three steps ahead and had solutions even before problems arose.

Her job entailed more than anyone could ever realize, and she was always looking for new ways to help support the people who work here and the Ohioans we serve.

She always made sure staff was taken care of and had what they needed, whether it was straightforward or complicated. And no matter how long it took, Mary was there.

When COVID struck and launched our office into uncertain times and almost every policy and procedure went out the window, Mary handled it with grace.

She made sure the office kept running smoothly as we transitioned to remote work. She made sure everyone had the information and support that they needed to keep doing their jobs and that there would be no interruption in service for Ohioans.

Because of Mary, we were able to keep serving Ohio in a moment when they needed us the most. Our constituent phone lines stayed on. Casework continued. Our worked never so much as paused. It was a hard time for everyone and for staff, and Mary was a rock.

When we returned to the office, the same was true.

Her dedication to this body extended beyond even this office. Mary was always working to make the Senate a better place to work, serving on committees to put in place new systems and technologies to support the work of every office.

As the operations director, Mary navigated delicate situations, sometimes had to have tough conversations, and always made sure our work remained centered on the people we serve.

She did it all with grace and thoughtfulness and care for her colleagues.

For Team Brown, Mary always showed up. Her door was always open, and she was always ready to offer advice or support or to just listen.

Mary understood that this office is more than just a place people work; it is a huge part of our staff's lives, and they do their jobs better when there is comradery and a little fun.

She planned happy hours and office events and staff outings, making sure everyone felt welcome and enjoyed themselves. She organized book club and holiday parties and celebrations for birthdays and staff departures and special events in people's lives.

For 15 years, Mary made this office run, and she made it thrive. Mary oversaw a team spanning from DC to Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati. Together, they made our work for Ohioans possible.

Anourath Arounlangsy, our deputy administrative director and lead intern coordinator, took care of everyone on the team. Whether coaching an intern through a difficult situation or providing staff with support, he missed no detail. Anourath sees through every single task assigned and catches mistakes before they happen. He works hard every single day and is a joy to be around.

Nelson Richardson, our systems administrator, has the difficult task of managing equipment and troubleshooting technology for dozens of staff. He does so without getting flustered or

frustrated, remaining calm in every storm. He is a natural leader, often lending an ear and offering sound advice to younger staff. Nelson is mission driven and a public servant at his core.

Marcus Nowling is a Columbus native and graduate of Denison University. As a special assistant, Marcus essentially served as chief problem solver. One of his many jobs was getting out thousands of handwritten notes from the Senator to Ohioans. Marcus was always a delight to work with.

Constituents and guests ready to meet with our office are greeted at the front office by Erik Gomez and Lila Jarouche, our two DC staff assistants. They both organize U.S. Capitol tours for Ohioans visiting our Nation's Capital, get flags flown over the Capitol for constituents, have mentored interns, and answer hundreds of calls per week, among many other tasks.

Erik Gomez was a spring 2023 intern from Kent State University and was hired on that same semester as a DC staff assistant. He is passionate about public service and was named as a Top Staff Assistant on Capitol Hill last year.

Lila Jarouche is a recent graduate from the University of Toledo. She was selected as a fall 2023 intern and was also hired on as a full-time D.C. staff assistant where she excelled in constituent services, took on many legislative responsibilities, and generally excels in any task she is given.

Henry Binder and Bella Fletcher joined as special projects assistants and aided significantly in reviewing over 500 congressionally directed spending requests, had keen attention to detail, and worked diligently.

Dariah Williams, our State scheduler, began on Team Brown as a staff assistant, helping with constituent services, as well as special projects. Dariah's willingness to take on more and help the team however we needed expanded her role to State scheduling. Dariah cares deeply about Ohio and public service.

Helen Clark, a Cleveland staff assistant and intern coordinator, takes on every task given with gusto and has been called the beating heart of the Cleveland office. She wrote heartfelt congratulatory letters to constitutions. She handles detailed research and has a passion for bringing constituents and their families joy. Helen was key in planning our annual women's Conference and Propel Ohio events. Helen is a true public servant.

Playon Patrick is former intern turned staff assistant in our Columbus office. Playon excels at constituent services, particularly handling sometimes difficult phone calls. He has a keen eye for processes and has good ideas for making improvements.

As Cincinnati staff assistant, Willow Lopez was willing to take on anything given. She helped plan our annual women's conference as soon as she joined the office. Her attention to detail and care for the work made that event a huge success. As a former teacher, Willow also excelled at aiding in our intern program. Training and mentoring interns is a natural skill for her.

None of the work in our office would have been possible without Diana Baron, our director of scheduling.

Earlier this year, we celebrated her 25 years of service to the people of Ohio. She is an institution in this office and an invaluable resource to every department.

From making sure I could meet with every Ohioan possible, to making it all over our State to roundtables and plant tours and picket lines and speeches and events, Diana was behind the scenes making it happen. From navigating confusing vote schedules to getting staff the information they need to do their jobs, Diana gets it done.

She is a thoughtful colleague who makes a true effort to get to know everyone on our team, and turns coworkers into friends--not to mention a legendary baker, and an avid traveler.

And over her 25 years, as our team has changed, Diana's dedication to Ohio and her respect for this institution has remained steadfast. For that, we are grateful.

Mr. President, today I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Banking and Housing Committee staff. Their hard work and dedication took a committee that once fought only for Wall Street and transformed it into a body focused on the issues that matter most to the people we serve.

All the important work we have done on the Banking and Housing Committee over the last decade would not have been possible without the leadership of our staff director Laura Swanson.

Laura is a lifelong public servant, a brilliant strategic mind, and one of my most trusted advisers. She puts workers at the center of everything she does and she has since the very beginning of her career.

Laura joined the committee in 2011, working for her home State Senator, Chairman Tim Johnson of South Dakota.

When I became the lead Democrat on the Banking and Housing Committee in 2015, I brought Laura onto my staff, and she rose to staff director in 2019. Laura is the first woman to ever hold the top job on this committee for a Democrat, and she has done this job for 6 years, longer than any of the six most recent Democratic staff directors. She has strategized with me through every crisis, every markup, every hearing.

As a manager, Laura cares about the whole person. Her door is always open to staff. As often as people ask her for work advice, they ask for a book recommendation or talk about music together or tell her about a recent trip.

Laura is kind, decent, and humble. And she is a good listener, a quality that is all too rare in this town. In meetings, she invites everyone to weigh in so that the best decision can be made with all the information we have. When we are faced with the toughest problems, Laura always finds a way through.

When I became chair, Laura and I took the opportunity to finally bring the focus of this committee back where it belongs: the people who make this country work.

We brought the CEOs of the country's largest Wall Street banks to testify every year for the first time in history. Same with the CEOs of the credit reporting firms, which hold tremendous power over people's abilities to buy a house or get a job and are almost never held accountable.

We confirmed a diverse slate of nominees to important positions, including the first Black woman and first Latina woman to serve as Federal Reserve Governor; the first woman of color to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency; the first Black woman to lead EXIM; and more.

It is easy in this town to become angry or jaded or hopeless. Laura has resisted that and retained a refreshing eternal optimism. We owe it to those we serve to keep going. I will, and I know Laura will, too.

Thank you, Laura, for your 20 years of service in the Senate, 14 of those years on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. I am grateful to have spent 10 of those years working together and learning from you.

Elisha Tuku is a brilliant attorney and a thoughtful colleague. He has worked for the Banking and Housing Committee for more than a decade.

Elisha's colleagues describe him as ``the real deal.'' He has an unmatched, encyclopedic depth of firsthand knowledge about securities and the financial system. You can try to roll him with complicated lingo, but it won't work. It helps that he genuinely can't get enough of this stuff; he comes into work with Bloomberg radio in his headphones and leaves in the evening listening to financial news podcasts.

During negotiations of amendments or bill text, any time we needed to break through the legalese more quickly than should be possible, Elisha was there and got it done. When we would otherwise be stuck, he moves us forward.

Elisha works hard and thinks nothing of it. He is a dedicated husband and a wonderful father, while still making himself available to staff who need his help, day or night.

Elisha can get along with anyone, regardless of their political or policy views. He can make a friend in any setting. He genuinely cares about people and maintains connections over years and years.

In the Banking and Housing Committee offices, Elisha peeks his head

into colleagues' offices, greeting them after a weekend away, asking about knick-knacks on their desks, and sharing stories about his son. He is quietly generous; he sends his coworkers gifts when they become new parents, and then he sends holiday gifts for their children, never expecting anything in return.

Elisha's door is always open if people need a sounding board. The walls of his office are decorated with photographs he has taken while traveling. He has a quick wit and is always ready to go back and forth on a round of baseball trivia with me. Despite his love for the Yankees, I have to admit, he knows baseball.

We have been lucky to have him on staff for as long as we have. Thank you, Elisha, for your many years of public service and for helping to lead the committee staff.

Min Cheng came to the committee shortly after I became chairman in 2021 as the press assistant. In that role, and then as press secretary, she propelled the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee's digital presence into the future, designing a new logo, growing our social media following dramatically, and producing videos of our committee members' work to protect workers and their families' money. This summer she became the committee's communications director.

Min has always performed at the highest level in any role. She is thoughtful, creative, always calm, and a true talent in finding ways to explain the complicated topics this committee often grapples with. She has a gift for turning complex jargon into plain language, and she built strong relationships with journalists.

She is a quick learner and helpful sounding board who brings out the best in her colleagues. Min is also a good mentor to others on the communications team. And Min always brings an amazing, dry sense of humor to her work, a quick wit that cuts through some of the craziness of politics and lightens up the office whenever we all need it.

She also has a full life off the Hill that allows her to put her creativity to use. She is a talented musician--singing in a choir, playing in bands, and with her own solo music projects. Min married her husband Jack this fall. Min has a bright future, and I am excited to see where her talents and interests take her.

As oversight counsel, Mohammad Aslami helped lead our efforts to get talented, diverse nominees on the job in roles throughout our government that are crucial to protecting the public.

Shannon Bacon came on as an intern with the committee and was quickly brought on as a full member of the housing and transit teams. She has a real commitment to public service and a bright future.

Emily Blaydes came to us from a legal aid organization in Massachusetts, where she helped renters stay in safe, affordable housing. She has continued that good work on housing issues, including introducing the YIGBY Act during her several years with the committee.

Erika Calderon has spent her career in public service and leads the committee's work on consumer protection. A few years ago, while working in a previous office, she wrote and got passed into law a measure requiring carbon monoxide detectors in public housing, no doubt saving lives.

Homer Carlisle has worked for the committee for more than a decade, and was instrumental in negotiating and passing the bipartisan infrastructure law and ensuring it contained the strongest ever Buy America rules. If you are seeing the bridge in your town get repaired, new buses on the roads, or expanded terminals at your local airport, chances are, you can thank Homer. Homer has also taken on additional work in our personal office, taking the lead on holding Norfolk Southern accountable and working to make our railways safer.

From an intern in the Columbus office, to leading the committee's work on mortgages and single-family housing, Megan Cheney has been working with me to improve Ohioans' lives and lower the cost of housing for more than 13 years.

Over a decade ago, my office appointed Will Clayton to be a Senate page. Five years later, he interned in the Columbus office. He has pretty much been with us since, mentoring interns, assisting constituents, and helping everything run smoothly, both in our Washington, DC, office and on the committee staff.

Beth Cooper has worked on the committee staff for more than 15 years. It is not an exaggeration to say that her work on renters' issues, vouchers, and public housing has touched lives in every corner of Ohio and across the country.

I have seen firsthand that Ben Finfrock's work ethic is like no other, as an intern and staff assistant in our DC office, and as my driver and press assistant on the committee. Whenever we need him, Ben is up before the sun rises and here past dinner with no complaints.

Sunny Glottmann has handled issues related to the Federal Reserve at a crucial time and led our work on bringing down prices and creating an economy that puts workers first.

Ann Peterson worked in the Obama administration, became an accomplished lawyer, and returned to government service to make our markets work better for families that are saving for and investing in their future.

As climate change disrupts communities and industries, John Richards brought decades of experience on Capitol Hill and at the Department of Energy to lead our work on climate risk.

Phil Rudd has worked for the committee for over a decade. Phil has worked nonstop through weekends, evenings, and holidays to negotiate bipartisan agreement on the CHIPS and Science Act, every annual defense bill, and more.

We first brought Jeff Schroeder on as an intern, then again as a fellow--finally, we were lucky enough to hire him full-time last year. He managed a wide portfolio with a steady hand and deep policy knowledge.

Jonathan Tsentas is a sharp strategist and keeps a cool head during times of crisis. His decade of experience in the Senate served our office well this year.

Shanna Winters has worked on some big, historic bills in her time in Congress, including the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, legislation to curb the flow of fentanyl into our communities. She helped bring country music star Jason ``Jelly Roll'' DeFord to testify in support, helped secure a unanimous vote out of committee, and got the bill passed and signed into law within 1 year of introduction.

As a detailee from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Sean Young has been a core part of our team, writing hearing statements, conducting oversight, and managing a portfolio of important banking issues.

Serena Booth has used technical expertise and a consumer-first focus to lead the committee's work on artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies in financial services. Her future students at Brown University will be lucky to know her and to learn from her, just as we have been.