Recognizing Dr. Benjamin Talus and His Service to the House of Representatives

Floor Speech

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Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Dr. Benjamin Talus for nearly three years of outstanding service to the constituents of New York's 12th Congressional District.

Ben's career in the Capitol began as a House Page in 2009, where he was one of the last Pages to serve the House. A native of the Philadelphia suburbs, Ben's career has taken him far and wide, providing him with diverse experiences that helped cultivate his sound political judgment I have come to rely on daily

Ben returned to DC in 2010 to pursue his bachelor's degree in foreign service at Georgetown University. In 2013, he interned for Hillary Clinton as she transitioned out of her role as Secretary of State and back into private life. This experience earned him a communications role with the Clinton Foundation following his graduation in 2014. In this role, he staffed former President Bill Clinton, riding alongside the Secret Service at events across the country.

Directly advising one of the most powerful women in the world wasn't the most rewarding part of his tenure at the Foundation, however. It was where Ben met his future wife, Allie Gottlieb. Together, they went on to move to Miami where they worked together to send former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala to Congress.

After Congresswoman Shalala's victory in 2019, they relocated back to Washington, where Ben served as Senior Policy Advisor until 2021, when he joined my team as my Foreign Policy Advisor.

Ben dutifully supported my role as the most senior Jewish Member of Congress, advising not only myself, but also other Members looking to his foreign policy expertise. In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, Ben has been working around the clock, fielding calls from other Members, stakeholder groups, and myself as we work to respond to the crisis. Ben's deep, complex understanding of the Jewish community and my district have been indispensable, and I could not be more grateful to have had him by my side during this difficult time.

Ben's time in my office was marked several personal milestones--he married Allie, earned both a master's and a doctoral degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins, and adopted Teddy, his Lagotto Romagnolo puppy that is often the topic of office discussion.

While his departure will be a profound loss for the House and my team, I'm pleased he won't be going far as he is moving to New York for his next chapter in the private sector. I look forward to seeing all he will accomplish, and most importantly, seeing Teddy enjoy Central Park as Ben practices his agogo in the meadow.

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