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“TRIBUTE TO TERRANCE W. GAINER” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S3064-S3065 on May 15, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO TERRANCE W. GAINER
Mr. REID. Madam President, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary work of the Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance W. Gainer, who is retiring after a distinguished 47-year career in public service.
Mr. Gainer, whom many of us still call ``Chief,'' was sworn in as the 38th U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms in January 2007, continuing a distinguished career in law enforcement.
As the chief law enforcement and executive officer of the Senate, Mr. Gainer, successfully and--always with great respect for our institution--enforced the rules of the Senate, maintained security in the Capitol and Senate office buildings, and provided important services to Senators in our Washington, DC and State offices.
Mr. Gainer led a force of approximately 850 personnel, many of whom he knew personally, as he often visited their offices. Mr. Gainer always took the time to write personal notes to his employees during important milestones or events in their lives. He always was quick to pick up the phone to provide words of encouragement to employees who were in the hospital or condolences to those who lost a family member. His compassion is unwavering.
Mr. Gainer met challenges head-on during his leadership. Faced with government cutbacks and sequestration, Mr. Gainer guided the first major right-sizing of the Sergeant at Arms organization in many years. Through a combination of operational efficiency and reorganization, Mr. Gainer reduced the SAA's total budget by more than 11 percent over 4 years and reduced the number of employees by 100. At the same time, service outputs increased, and customer and employee satisfaction remained extremely high.
Mr. Gainer could be seen each year, donning a green necktie as he escorted the Prime Minister of Ireland around the Capitol on St. Patrick's Day, before celebrating his wife Irene's birthday that night--a fitting tribute to his Irish Catholic roots. He also considered his time spent with the Dalai Lama in the course of his job as very special.
Mr. Gainer greeted many visitors from around the world in his office that overlooks the west front of the Capitol, down the National Mall to the Washington Monument. He often relayed the story about putting a Chicago Cubs sticker in his office before a visit from President Obama, who is known to be a Chicago White Sox fan. The office, after all, is that of the Sergeant at Arms, he would remind the U.S. Secret Service agents with a grin.
While escorting the President during the annual State of the Union address, those who know Mr. Gainer best would recognize the tug of the ear or adjusting of his tie as a sign to his grandchildren watching from home.
Mr. Gainer, who grew up in a family of 10 siblings, began his law enforcement career as a police officer in the Chicago Police Department and rose through the ranks, including many years as an experienced homicide detective. An accomplished attorney, Mr. Gainer served as chief legal officer of that department before he entered the Illinois State government as deputy inspector general and deputy director of the Illinois State Police. He served at the U.S. Department of Transportation as Special Assistant to the Secretary before being appointed as Director of the Illinois State Police.
In 1998, Mr. Gainer moved to Washington, DC, where he served as executive assistant chief of police for the Metropolitan Police Department, and 4 years later was selected to be the Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. He then entered the private sector as a chief executive officer responsible for a multimillion dollar innovative law enforcement program supporting military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The following year, the U.S. Senate appointed Mr. Gainer as the Senate Sergeant at Arms.
His tenure in law enforcement in DC included the horrific fatal shootings of two Capitol police officers, the September 11 attack on the Pentagon, the discovery of anthrax and ricin in Senate mailrooms, and mass evacuations triggered by aircraft straying into restricted airspace. As second-in-charge of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, as Chief of Capitol Police, and as Sergeant at Arms, he spearheaded security during four Presidential inaugurations, including the historic swearing in of the first African-American President.
While serving as Sergeant at Arms, Mr. Gainer was appointed a Commissioner on the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, charged with conducting an independent assessment of the Iraqi Security Forces and reporting the findings to Congress. He also served with the Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security, which was created to advance the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute by assisting in strengthening security institutions.
Mr. Gainer served annually on the Blue Mass Committee, responsible for organizing the Blue Mass Service, which is held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Washington, DC, to pray for those in law enforcement and fire safety, remember those who have fallen, and support those who serve.
Born in Chicago, Mr. Gainer, the son of a milkman and a homemaker, is a decorated veteran who served in Vietnam and retired as a captain in the United States Navy Reserve. His degrees include a bachelor's degree in sociology, a master of science in management, a juris doctor degree, and an honorary doctorate of humane letters. He is married and has six children and 14 grandchildren. Of all his accomplishments, Mr. Gainer would tell you that his family is his greatest accomplishment of all.
Congratulations on your retirement from public service and we wish you the very best in your future.
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