Laken Riley Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, for the past 8 years, I have benefited from the service, hard work, and loyalty of my communications director and deputy chief of staff Tom Brandt.

Tom has worked in three congressional offices and is well-known and respected in the Senate by reporters, staffers, and my colleagues. His career as a staffer on Capitol Hill is concluding, and I am sad about that; but he will continue serving the American people as he pursues one of his other passions, and that is a passion for space exploration and NASA.

I want to express my gratitude to him for his service to the people of Kansas and to me. Tom is from Oakland Park, KS, and comes from a long line of Kansans. He embodies Kansas values of hard work, determination, and generosity, and I know he learned these traits from his role models, his parents Carl and Nancy Brandt.

You have raised a great son, and I thank you for that.

His career on Capitol Hill began in Missouri Senator Roy Blunt's office, first in the House and then in the U.S. Senate. He earned Roy's trust early on as a driver. That is how we often meet some of our best members of our staff. And he, too, maintained a relationship with Roy during his tenure here in the U.S. Senate. I asked Roy to tell me something about Tom, and he said:

Tom Brandt came to work for me in the House and was such an asset that I asked him to join our Senate press team. Tom always understood how to take advantage of the moment and the value of a clear message. I know Senator Moran and his office will miss Tom when he leaves as much as we did.

Tom's career took him to work on various campaigns and, eventually, back to Capitol Hill where he worked for Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins during her time as the House GOP conference vice chair.

It was in her office that Tom was able to first pursue his passion for NASA. Lynn provided me with some thoughts, in her words, that she wanted to share about Tom:

Tom is one of my all-time favorite co-workers.

When I asked her--this is me talking now--when I asked her whether I should hire Tom Brandt, she said: He is the best I ever hired.

He is hardworking, honest, intelligent, kind and funny. Tom has a deep appreciation for his home State of Kansas and served it extremely well in his time in my office.

That is Lynn Jenkins speaking.

But, in many ways, it was his penance, as you see Tom is perhaps the worst kind of traitor a native Kansan can be--he chose to attend college at the University of Missouri. Tom's interest in NASA and space policy is lifelong.

Again, Congresswoman Jenkins speaking.

Years ago, when he worked as my communications director, he requested to handle my office's space legislative portfolio. Given I represented a district with no NASA presence and didn't serve on any committee of jurisdiction, no one [in our office actually handled that topic.] In response, my Chief of Staff told Tom, ``Sure, go for it, but it never comes up.'' Tom did take it and immediately reached out to NASA staff. Soon after, he set up my office's first of many interactions with NASA.

That is the end of Lynn Jenkins' quote.

After working in the House and private sector, Tom began working in our office in 2017. It became evident to me early on that one of Tom's greatest strengths is his ability to quickly build friendships and collaborations. He can quickly put folks at ease with his warm smile and personality. I always thought that smile, he was smirking at me every time I saw him. I got accustomed to that smile as something much better than a smirk.

He will take the time to talk with frustrated constituents to assure them they have been heard and that he will do his best to help. And Tom always follows through on his promises.

The relationships he formed over the years expands from everyone-- House Members, U.S. Senators, staff in both places--and these relationships have aided Tom in his work.

Early on in his time in my office, he took a trip to Taiwan and established relationships with officials he met in the Taiwanese Government, and he maintained those relationships after returning home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan generously offered to send face masks and personal protection equipment to the United States. Tom reached out to his individual friends he had made, and he asked them if any of that equipment could be sent to Kansas to help the hospitals that were in desperate need. Tom's request resulted in Taiwan sending 100,000 surgical masks to Kansas.

In a moment of great need, Tom found a way to bring help and aid to the people of his home State.

In his role as communications director--I expected a lot of press to be sitting in the Gallery, but I see none. In his role as communications director, Tom has been a steadying hand helping me untangle my own thoughts and express my positions in a way that is more clear and winsome.

When I have had to speak after taking an unpopular stand or something that had caused me to be misunderstood--either on policy or legislation--Tom always had my back, advocating for me and my positions, even when he had to face the anger of those who disagreed.

He has helped clear the way for tough but important legislation. I would highlight one, the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act that was born out of our investigation into the abuses of gymnasts and other American athletes.

He has shown compassion toward veterans suffering from illnesses as the result of their service, and we worked together to pass the PACT Act to help those who had encountered Agent Orange and burn pit victims.

And he has always shown grit and determination, working through the night on many occasions, helping me find exactly the right words to say to express my position to my constituents and the world.

As an Eagle Scout, Tom lives by the Eagle Scout motto: ``Be prepared.'' He is always prepared with the right answer and for the tough questions from reporters, like the time a reporter reached out to see if ``Senator Jerry Moran was playing golf with Vice President Pence.'' Tom, in all his wisdom, responded, ``Mike Pence golfs?''

Again, he has the gift to communicate.

While I congratulate Tom on his new job at NASA, his absence will be felt not only by me and by our team but by his many friends and colleagues on Capitol Hill.

Tom, we will miss your communications and policy expertise, your humorous quips and one-liners, your loyalty to the Kansas City Chiefs and Red Friday, and, above all, your friendship and passion for making the world a better place for Kansans and Americans.

I will miss, Tom, our nearly daily walks as I come over here to vote. It is a difficult job to be a comms director for a Senator who almost always shies away about visiting with reporters. Thanks for helping me explain my errors and celebrating our accomplishments. You had no responsibility for the errors and a great deal to do with the accomplishments.

Thank you for doing your job so well--pretty good for a Mizzou grad.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source