The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE SERVICE OF MATTHEW HARMON
______
HON. JOE COURTNEY
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Monday, January 3, 2022
Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of Lieutenant Commander Matthew Harmon, United States Navy, during his service as a legislative fellow in my Washington, D.C., office last year. Throughout 2021, Matt has played a critical role in supporting my work on the House Armed Services Committee and representing the proud Navy community in eastern Connecticut.
As Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, I have the high honor of overseeing much of our Nation's Navy, Marine Corps, and various Air Force programs. The Navy's legislative fellowship program is an invaluable effort that benefits members of the House and Senate as we craft annual improvements to our nation's military apparatus with the insight of junior officers who, like Matt, bring real-world experience from military duty. This year, as our subcommittee considered how best to fund critical shipbuilding programs, bolster shipbuilding supply chains, and prioritize Navy and Marine Corps readiness across the INDOPACOM through the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, Matt provided critical insight and guidance into how our subcommittee could best provide the resources and platforms that our sailors and marines need to achieve mission success.
Matt has also seized initiative in a variety of areas beyond naval affairs. He worked tirelessly to scrub the Navy's budget request and used his Navy experience to identify funding gaps in the shipbuilding and conversion and research, development, test, and evaluation accounts. After identifying areas in which we could improve the Navy's posture and readiness through Congressional authorization, he was able to recommend substantive changes that resulted in the Seapower subcommittee's inclusion of top Navy priorities in the FY22 NDAA. He has also served as the staff lead for the Friends of Australia Caucus, of which I serve as co-chair, ensuring that the ties between our countries remain as strong as ever--particularly as our two nations begin a new era of partnership under AUKUS. At a time when America's and our allies' national security priorities are refocusing rapidly towards the maritime domain in the Pacific, Matt's work to facilitate communications with the executive branch of government and our Australian counterparts to recognize new opportunities in light of the enhanced relationship afforded by AUKUS will have a direct impact on the security of our Nation.
From his very first days with my office, Matt has been an adaptable and effective advocate for the needs of the second district of Connecticut. Starting his fellowship in a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, he adjusted quickly to more than unusual circumstances, becoming my office's first legislative fellow to initially onboard under fully remote circumstances while also joining my office's team in the same week of the January 6th riot. He has since acted as an invaluable, resilient asset on behalf of my office.
Matt's work ethic, diligence, intelligence, and first-hand experience as a Surface Warfare Officer made an immediate, memorable impact on my office. After travelling across the world with tenures on the USS Blue Ridge, USS McCampbell, USS Antietam and USS America, I am grateful for his family's tremendous sacrifice to our Nation and for landing in Washington for the current phase of their life. Though Matt's presence will be deeply missed by both my personal staff and Seapower staff, we have found solace in the fact that his expertise will remain within Congress as the Deputy Director of the Senate Navy Liaison Office.
Madam Speaker, as has also been the case for each of his predecessors that my office has had the opportunity to host, I have benefitted greatly from Matt's training, experience, and background. This recurring process that the fellowship program fosters, strengthens civilian-military understanding for future leaders of the greatest military in the world, which I believe is so important to our democracy. Our Nation is best served at sea and here on shore by officers and leaders of the highest caliber. Matt embodies such qualities and has a promising career ahead in continued service to our nation. To that end, I wish LCDR Harmon the best of luck in his new role and would further like to extend my sincerest well-wishes to Matt's family, namely, his wife Miki, their children RJ and Mia, Moogi and Mocha on their life chapters to come.
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 223(1), Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 223(2)
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