The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“TRIBUTE TO ROBERT PAQUIN” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S6910 on Dec. 8, 2016.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO ROBERT PAQUIN
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Robert Paquin is retiring after 40 years working as a dedicated public servant in Vermont and on Capitol Hill in Washington. Bob has committed his entire career to making the Federal Government a positive force in the lives of individuals and communities. He has accomplished much, particularly on behalf of our State of Vermont.
Bob, as Marcelle and I have always known him, was my longest serving staff member and is among the longest serving personal staff members in U.S. Senate history. He began in my Washington office in 1977 and then moved to Vermont to serve as one of my outstanding field representatives. He ended his congressional staff service 32 years later, in 2009, to take a leadership role at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, in the Obama administration.
On my staff in Washington, Bob worked on defense, foreign policy, and appropriations, and in Vermont, he supported my work on agriculture, conservation, energy, and environmental protection. He also helped to manage my Vermont offices and provided constituent services to countless Vermonters.
Bob brought Vermont values on conservation, sustainable and organic agriculture, dairy, and rural development to my work on many farm bills, affecting national agricultural practices, policy, and economics to this day.
Bob also helped to develop the Lake Champlain Special Designation Act of 1990, worked on its reauthorization in 2001, and supported my efforts every year to maintain sufficient Federal support for the Lake Champlain cleanup efforts. He worked day in and day out to nurture and grow important partner organizations in Vermont, including the Lake Champlain Basin Program, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, the Lake Champlain sea lamprey control program, and many more that have helped to leverage Federal investments in conservation and the cleanup of Lake Champlain.
I strongly believe that land conservation is an important part of the heritage of every Vermonter. Bob worked on the ground to help establish the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, the Nulhegan/
Conte National Wildlife Refuge and the Upper Missisquoi and Trout National Wild and Scenic Rivers. He also helped me as I fought for the addition of more than 100,000 acres to the Green Mountain National Forest, protection of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, and establishment and expansion of eight Federal wilderness areas in Vermont. He also worked on the delivery of Capitol Christmas trees from Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest to Washington, DC.
Time does not allow me to catalogue all of Bob's accomplishments while on my staff, but his greatest impact may have been his simple and honest interactions in helping thousands of Vermont constituents with problems and requests over so many years. Bob is known for his troubleshooting and advocacy for Vermonters in every corner of the State.
In 2009, I gave my highest recommendation to the incoming administration of President Obama for Bob to be appointed as executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Vermont. Bob has distinguished himself in that role--helping Vermont farmers recovering from Tropical Storm Irene, implementing new programs under the 2014 farm bill, assisting new Americans from the refugee community to start farms, supporting our dairy farmers through tough times, and nurturing his dedicated USDA staff across Vermont.
Robert Paquin has been a truly exceptional and dedicated public servant for Vermont and the Nation for four decades. I will continue to seek his advice, and Marcelle and I wish him and his wife, Theresa, all the best in the future.
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