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“CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF MARZETTE ``MARZY'' BEDFORD-BILLINGHURST, LONGTIME FEDERAL EMPLOYEE AND CIVIL SERVANT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the in the Extensions of Remarks section section on page E43 on Jan. 24.
The Department provides billions in unemployment insurance, which peaked around 2011 though spending had declined before the pandemic. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, claimed the Department funds "ineffective and duplicative services" and overregulates the workplace.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF MARZETTE ``MARZY'' BEDFORD-BILLINGHURST,
LONGTIME FEDERAL EMPLOYEE AND CIVIL SERVANT
______
HON. STENY H. HOYER
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a woman who has contributed so much to this Congress and this country: Marzette `Marzy' Bedford-
Billinghurst. After more than 3 decades in federal service, she recently began her well-earned retirement. As someone who has had the privilege of working closely with Marzy in the past, I can personally attest to her virtues as a sharp, dedicated, and generous federal civil servant and American. She deserves recognition for her many deeds in service to this Nation.
Our work together began back in 1988 when Marzy joined my legislative staff. As my Senior Legislative Assistant, she quickly became an indispensable advisor on a broad range of issues. From formulating and drafting key legislation to taking meetings with constituents and stakeholders, Marzy approached every part of the job with admirable enthusiasm and poise. She brought that same work ethic to the House Committee on the District of Columbia in 1993. Although we were sad to see Marzy leave our team, we knew she would always go wherever she was able to make the biggest difference in the lives of her fellow Americans. Indeed, that's what took her to the Department of Labor in 1995.
As an important official in DOL's Women's Bureau, Marzy was at the forefront of the effort to create more equitable and inclusive workplaces for women across the Nation. She helped advance initiatives addressing everything from sexual harassment to gender, wage, and pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Marzy also understood that faithful service to the federal government requires one to hold it to the same principles of equality, justice, and freedom that underpin our entire democracy. That's why she pushed DOL to create designated rooms in its headquarters where mothers could breastfeed and pump in privacy. Marzy's unyielding devotion to her crucial work earned her dozens of awards and honors over the years--including Vice President Al Gore's Hammer Award and, most recently, DOL's Distinguished Career Service Award. Anyone boasting such an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades could rest easy knowing they did far more than their fair share to leave their country better than they found it. Marzy's commitment to service, however, extended beyond her career.
Throughout her decades working for the federal government, Marzy continued to devote much of her spare time to bettering her community. Between 2005 and 2012, for instance, she served as a House Manager for the Sacred Heart House Temporary Homeless Shelter for Women and Children in Denver, supporting women and families in need face-to-face. She also has served on the Board of Directors of the Denver chapter of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). After Hurricane Katrina devastated numerous communities in 2005, Marzy stepped up and volunteered to help with relief efforts for 30 days as part of a DOL delegation to the Federal Emergency Management Administration. Marzy made all these contributions through her work and her volunteering while simultaneously raising 2 incredible sons, Kahler and Cameron, with her husband Mark. If that weren't enough, her neighbors also entrusted her to serve as the captain of their local Democratic precinct and as their delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. They recognized what I and everyone else who has had the pleasure to know Marzy have seen: she is a person of integrity--someone who will always stand up for what is right.
That will remain true even as Marzy begins her retirement from federal service. I have no doubt that she will continue to help those in need, strengthen her community, and speak up for the principles she devoted her career to promoting. I often say that dedication and reliability are the 2 most critical traits in our federal civil service. Marzy exemplifies both. She has inspired many to follow in her footsteps and serve our country. Although the many friends and colleagues Marzy has made over the years will surely miss her guidance and expertise, I know I speak for all of us in wishing her and her family well as she begins this exciting new chapter. She has my thanks as well as the gratitude of this House and the American people. May Marzy enjoy a happy and satisfying retirement. She has earned it.
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