The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING MS. MELA LOUISE NORMAN
______
HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Monday, June 14, 2021
Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my staff to recognize an essential, founding member of my team, Ms. Mela Louise Norman.
In her time serving as my chief of staff, Mela has been an invaluable partner. No matter the situation, my office has been able to rely on her strong leadership and fierce advocacy for getting the job done. She has been a consummate professional, ably navigating the various issues we've faced with grace and dignity.
It's no exaggeration to say that our success over the past three years can be directly attributed to Mela's knack for finding talent. In fact, every single member that currently works on Team Slotkin in our D.C. office was interviewed and hired by Mela.
Now, as Mela gets ready to embark on her next chapter as Secretary Lloyd Austin's deputy chief of staff, I wanted to take a moment to recognize her on the floor of the People's House with tributes from the team that she has led for the past three years.
When asked to sum up the essence of Mela, most of my staff pointed to her strong work ethic and her ability to stay calm, cool and collected under pressure. They talked about her leading by example and seeing no job too large or too small. They also mention her deep compassion toward the people we serve and her thoughtful and skillful communication.
Those who were with us at the very beginning remember the chaos of setting up our freshman congressional office. They recall a moment of endless opportunities and seemingly endless challenges, requiring patience, discipline, and immense attention to detail.
As my staff will tell you, Mela dove into the role of chief--adding additional team members, implementing processes, and getting our office up and running in order to serve the folks who call Michigan's 8th district home.
When staff needed decisive action without a moment's hesitation, they attest that Mela was always there to execute. When staff in the district office and the D.C. office needed to circle up and hash out a way forward, Mela was instrumental in facilitating the conversation. And when our partners back home needed a reliable partner in dealing with the office, they praised Mela for building relationships that still bear fruit to this day.
For the younger members of my staff, particularly the younger women, they've learned from Mela by seeing her operate up close. On too many occasions to count, they saw her think, both on her feet and outside the box, in order to make the impossible seem possible. They mention her mentorship and professional development as instrumental in giving them the confidence to assert themselves in the workplace.
My staff also appreciated Mela's unique ability to jump in--at any level--to help the team. In three years, she guided our team through an impeachment inquiry, public town halls to explain the decision, a war powers resolution drafted in the wee hours of the night, an insurrection and a second impeachment. Every member of the staff remembers how Mela was in the trenches with them during every one of these key events.
When the COVID-19 pandemic turned congressional offices upside down last March, our office was able to nimbly adapt, thanks to Mela. One of our congressional fellows at the time appreciated how she spearheaded the transition from in-person work to telework in the span of a week, making sure that folks had the tools to do their jobs in order to avoid any drop-off in service to our constituents.
Lastly, my team has appreciated the culture of respect and cooperation that is instilled in every new addition to the team. More than one staffer talked about her metaphor of our office being in a boat--with each member rowing as hard as they can in the same direction. With Mela at the helm, we've been able to accomplish this in spades.
No tribute to Mela would be complete without mentioning her husband, Kurt. In the military, there is a tradition of honoring a retiring member's service as well as their family's sacrifice. To Kurt, who well understands this sentiment as an active duty service member in the U.S. Navy himself, I want to extend my deepest gratitude for his willingness to support Mela when we had an early morning prep session or a late night mark-up.
Madam Speaker, to say that Mela Louise Norman will be missed is an enormous understatement. Her record speaks for itself.
In the days and weeks ahead, I have no doubt that our team will be putting out the latest fire or handling the next crisis with the question: ``What would Mela do?''
In the meantime, we wish her all the best as she returns to her old stomping grounds at the Pentagon. On behalf of a grateful district and a grateful team, I thank Mela.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 103
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