Floor SpeechNeutral2024-12-18

TRIBUTE TO MAJOR MICHAEL MARFUT

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Context

On 2024-12-18, Senator Angus S. King Jr. (I-ME) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO MAJOR MICHAEL MARFUT" in the Senate. The speech addressed the environment and also covered foreign policy, defense. It referenced legislation including S7175, S7176.

Full Text

TRIBUTE TO MAJOR MICHAEL MARFUT

Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)] [Senate] [Pages S7175-S7176] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO MAJOR MICHAEL MARFUT Mr. KING. Madam President, today I wish to recognize MAJ Michael Marfut, U.S. Army, for his outstanding work on behalf of the people of Maine and the Nation as a 2024 Department of Defense Legislative Fellow serving in my Washington, DC, office. Over the past year, Mike has been integral in shaping my foreign policy and defense priorities. He helped secure several provisions in the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act--FY25 NDAA-- that will make our country stronger and safer. Mike led my staff in orchestrating important appropriations for the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He also helped lead an excellent congressional delegation to the Antietam Battlefield. His contributions to office morale and our collective work product are emblematic of his good character, competence, and strong work ethic. Throughout his tenure in my office, Mike demonstrated a level of professionalism and hard work I have come to expect--but not take for granted--from Department of Defense Legislative Fellows. Indeed, he follows a long line of accomplished military officers who have made impactful contributions to my office and U.S. national security policy. Over the course of the year, Mike prepared and advised me on wide- ranging and complex matters under consideration before the Senate Armed Services Committee. His attention to detail has served me well; Mike managed over 400 individual authorization and appropriation requests and over 600 markup amendments. He brought his operational and leadership expertise to assist me in the Strategic Forces Subcommittee briefings and deliberations which resulted in critical [[Page S7176]] funding authorizations and legislation. His fingerprints lay throughout the NDAA in the form of legislation and report language. Mike was my lead expert on matters of blast overpressure and military suicide prevention resulting in at least six provisions becoming law. He also served as the subject matter expert on cybersecurity certification requirements, ensuring important oversight matters were included in the NDAA. Furthermore, he helped secure important funding for advanced research impacting Maine from Aroostook to York County. In addition, he became my go-to lead for monitoring the horrific war in Ukraine and Israel where he provided clear-headed and thoughtful analysis and liaised with representatives from the White House, State Department, and Department of Defense to convey my positions and concerns. His candor and honest assessments provided critical insights during this fraught time in U.S. history, and our Nation is better because of it. On behalf of my colleagues and the U.S. Congress, I thank Mike for his dedicated service to my staff, the State of Maine, the U.S. Army, and the Nation. Part of what makes the U.S. military the greatest in the history of the world is that servicemembers like Mike dedicate their lives to service and sacrifice for their country. Major Marfut does not do it alone, so I also acknowledge the support of his family-- his wife Alexandria and his children, Maria, Audrey, Grace, and George. I wish them all the best in what I know is a bright future. ____________________

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TRIBUTE TO MAJOR MICHAEL MARFUT Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024) [Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 188 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)] [Senate] [Pages S7175-S7176] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO MAJOR MICHAEL MARFUT Mr. KING. Madam President, today I wish to recognize MAJ Michael Marfut, U.S. Army, for his outstanding work on behalf of the people of Maine and the Nation as a 2024 Department of Defense Legislative Fellow serving in my Washington, DC, office. Over the past year, Mike has been integral in shaping my foreign policy and defense priorities. He helped secure several provisions in the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act--FY25 NDAA-- that will make our country stronger and safer. Mike led my staff in orchestrating important appropriations for the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He also helped lead an excellent congressional delegation to the Antietam Battlefield. His contributions to office morale and our collective work product are emblematic of his good character, competence, and strong work ethic. Throughout his tenure in my office, Mike demonstrated a level of professionalism and hard work I have come to expect--but not take for granted--from Department of Defense Legislative Fellows. Indeed, he follows a long line of accomplished military officers who have made impactful contributions to my office and U.S. national security policy. Over the course of the year, Mike prepared and advised me on wide- ranging and complex matters under consideration before the Senate Armed Services Committee. His attention to detail has served me well; Mike managed over 400 individual authorization and appropriation requests and over 600 markup amendments. He brought his operational and leadership expertise to assist me in the Strategic Forces Subcommittee briefings and deliberations which resulted in critical [[Page S7176]] funding authorizations and legislation. His fingerprints lay throughout the NDAA in the form of legislation and report language. Mike was my lead expert on matters of blast overpressure and military suicide prevention resulting in at least six provisions becoming law. He also served as the subject matter expert on cybersecurity certification requirements, ensuring important oversight matters were included in the NDAA. Furthermore, he helped secure important funding for advanced research impacting Maine from Aroostook to York County. In addition, he became my go-to lead for monitoring the horrific war in Ukraine and Israel where he provided clear-headed and thoughtful analysis and liaised with representatives from the White House, State Department, and Department of Defense to convey my positions and concerns. His candor and honest assessments provided critical insights during this fraught time in U.S. history, and our Nation is better because of it. On behalf of my colleagues and the U.S. Congress, I thank Mike for his dedicated service to my staff, the State of Maine, the U.S. Army, and the Nation. Part of what makes the U.S. military the greatest in the history of the world is that servicemembers like Mike dedicate their lives to service and sacrifice for their country. Major Marfut does not do it alone, so I also acknowledge the support of his family-- his wife Alexandria and his children, Maria, Audrey, Grace, and George. I wish them all the best in what I know is a bright future. ____________________