RECOGNIZING SENATOR LUMMIS' SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE

On 2026-06-11, Senator Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING SENATOR LUMMIS' SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE" in the Senate.

RECOGNIZING SENATOR LUMMIS' SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 99 (Thursday, June 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 99 (Thursday, June 11, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2755] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING SENATOR LUMMIS' SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENT COMMITTEE Ms. LUMMIS. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the outstanding group of dedicated Americans whose work is often unseen but whose impact will be felt by generations. As my time in this Chamber draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the responsibilities I have been privileged to carry on behalf of the people of Wyoming. Among them, few have felt more consequential or more personal than nominating young men and women across Wyoming to our Nation's service academies. Institutions like West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy do not simply train officers; they forge the character of those who will one day defend the freedoms we hold so dear. To have a hand, however small, in sending Wyoming's sons and daughters through those gates has been one of the true honors of this office. For years, I have relied on the help of Dr. Joe McGinley, Dr. Joe Schaffer, Val Rodekohr, Senator Tara Nethercott, Representative Tom Lubnau, Rt. Col. Tucker Fagan, and Ziggy Polinauskas to help select and prepare young people from every corner of our State to serve in America's armed forces. The work of governing is often loud. Debates are televised, and our votes are recorded, but some of the most meaningful work done in service to this country happens quietly, in conference rooms and community centers by people like my nominations committee who will never see the spotlight. They may not earn widespread recognition, but history will feel the work they do in the careers of the leaders this committee has helped shape, in the units they will lead, and in the country they will serve. I will be forever grateful for my committee's counsel, their expertise, and their unwavering commitment to Wyoming and our Nation's future. They are truly a part of what makes Wyoming so special, and I could not be prouder to have worked alongside them. ____________________