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August 7, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextMs. LUMMIS. Madam President, I am honored to speak today about a remarkable man who has given decades of service to Wyoming and to our Nation: Tucker Fagan.
alongside five siblings by parents who instilled in him a strong work ethic. His father, a firefighter, taught him to master whatever job he held, to be accountable no matter what, and to always keep a sense of humor along the way. That lesson would define his career.
After college, Tucker enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in the late 1960s and was assigned to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne as a missile launch officer. It was quite a change from New York City, but the Cowboy State would soon become home, and if you see him today in his wranglers, boots, and hat, you would never guess he wasn't born to it. During his time at F.E. Warren, he mastered every detail of the missile system, from circuit breakers to hydraulic lines. That expertise caught the attention of senior military leadership during the height of the Cold War, and he was assigned to help develop a comprehensive war plan for national security.
Chiefs of Staff selected him to lead the nuclear warfare branch. There, he became the Nation's foremost expert on our war plan, ready to walk through it at a moment's notice. At one point, he knew the exact location of every nuclear site in the world by latitude and longitude. Let me say that again: by latitude and longitude. His work also helped shape what we now know as the “nuclear football,” the case of critical information kept always within reach of the President.
terms drew the notice of President Ronald Reagan. In one briefing, after Tucker described his role as the expert on our war plan, President Reagan turned to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and said, “We go to war, this is the guy I want to talk to.” It is hard to imagine a greater compliment.
After 30 years of distinguished service, Tucker retired at F.E. Warren, the place he had come to call home. Wyoming's gain was significant. Gov. Jim Geringer recruited him to serve the State, and it was around that time that I first came to know him. As CEO of the Wyoming Business Council, Tucker helped make our State one of the most business-friendly in the country, working closely and effectively with the legislature. Like so many others who have spent time in a room with him, I was struck by how he could command attention, spark real debate, and still be one of the kindest gentlemen you would ever hope to meet.
When I ran for Wyoming's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, I asked Tucker to join my campaign. He agreed, and after we won, I asked him to serve as my chief of staff. He accepted on one condition: that he remain in Wyoming. Being a Cheyenne girl myself, I understood completely. It was an unconventional arrangement, but it worked perfectly. For my entire tenure in the House, Tucker served as my chief of staff, trusted adviser, and friend. He also led my Service Academy Selection Committee, helping identify Wyoming's best and brightest for appointment to our Nation's service academies, work he continues as I serve in the U.S. Senate.
reelection and came home to Cheyenne. Tucker on the other hand, continued to find ways to serve Wyoming. He has been a longtime supporter of Cheyenne Frontier Days and was inducted into its Hall of Fame, quite an achievement for a man who had never ridden a horse before coming to Wyoming. He even officiated my daughter's wedding, somehow managing to work in a Mick Jagger reference, and it could not have gone any better. I have yet to find something Tucker cannot do, and believe me, I have tried.
Tucker remains active in the community to this day. This August, he will be inducted into the Air Force Missileers Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to a career defined by expertise, dedication, and service.
New York to Cheyenne all those years ago. If it were a lottery, we would have won the jackpot, though Tucker, ever modest, would likely just credit his father's advice: work hard, know your job, and never let anyone outwork you. Those of us who know him understand that his impact goes far beyond that. If he ever writes a book about his life, I will be first in line, asking for an inscription.