TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL LAUREN A. HARRISON

On 2025-05-21, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL LAUREN A. HARRISON" in the Senate.

TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL LAUREN A. HARRISON

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S3055-S3056] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL LAUREN A. HARRISON Mr. KELLY. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a great American and an exceptional member of the U.S. Air Force, Lt. Col. Lauren Harrison. As an Air Force Senate legislative liaison officer from April 2023 to May 2024, Lauren performed her duties well and without reservation supporting the 118th U.S. Congress. Hailing from Puyallup, WA, and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Lauren has served in the Air Force for over 15 years. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated exceptional and unrivaled officership. She is a senior pilot with over 2,700 hours of flight time--1,200 of which are in combat. Lieutenant Colonel Harrison was formerly an E-3 formal training unit instructor pilot, where she developed highly-skilled and mission-ready aviators prepared to meet global challenges. Lieutenant Colonel Harrison distinguished herself through her professional character and dedication by serving this Nation in uniform as a Department of the Air Force legislative liaison to the Senate. In this role she advised the Department's senior leaders and helped develop strategic engagement opportunities to advance U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force priorities. Her leadership facilitated seamless collaboration on behalf of the Department of the Air Force across 62 congressional offices, serving as the principal Air Force liaison to 20 Senators and their respective staffs. She supported numerous engagements and delegations for 150 Senators, Congressmen, and staffers, including my own staff, to showcase Department equities in the United States and abroad. Most notably, Lauren spearheaded efforts across eight organizations, leading a 28-person team to successfully plan and execute critical briefings for key lawmakers. These briefings, including the Secretary of the Air Force Imperatives Briefings for Members of Congress and the China Threat briefing for new Senate Armed Services Committee Members, effectively communicated the Department's modernization and resource requirements to address pacing challenges abroad. Her efforts helped ensured the Department of the Air Force's support of the National Defense Strategy in our return to Great Power Competition. A skilled relationship builder, Lauren expertly conveyed Department of the Air Force positions on the Air Force Future Design. Responding to Senate staff feedback regarding the clarity of Air Force program messaging, Lauren drove a proactive collaborative effort to enhance communication with Congress. Working across six divisions, she organized a series of five targeted briefings for Armed Services Committee staff, fostering greater transparency and bolstering congressional support for the Department of the Air Force's modernization strategy and priorities. Finally, Lauren cultivated strong relationships with Members of Congress through insightful and consistent engagement. She organized 9 trips showcasing 26 defense installations to 3 Senators and 46 staffers, demonstrating transparency and building understanding of Department of the Air Force operations. Lauren's significant efforts led to 79 successful engagements between this governing body and senior Department of Defense officials, including the Secretary of the Air Force. All of these engagements helped U.S. Senators and their staffs understand defense equities and their impact on national security. Due to her direct involvement and stewardship, Members of Congress were able to make informed decisions and ensured the Department of the Air Force was properly resourced and funded. After serving in this crucial role and becoming a fixture on Capitol Hill, Lt. Col. Lauren Harrison will move on to attend the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies this summer, where she will learn to develop strategy and policy for the Air Force and the Nation. Lauren and her husband William, who is also a command pilot in the U.S. Air [[Page S3056]] Force, have together flown over 2,500 combat hours as Air Force aviators and have instilled a legacy of service for their children Lillian, Corrie, and Claire. They have sacrificed much as a family in service to our Nation. I am thankful for Lauren's service and her work with my office and the Senate over the past year on issues of vital importance to the defense of the United States. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has kept our country safe and strong. ____________________