[Senate Document 108-22]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






                                                           S. Doc. 108-22

 
                     TRIBUTES TO HON. THOMAS A. DASCHLE



                                  Thomas A. Daschle

                     U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA

                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES




                                           

                                           

             [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T7206.001
             

Thomas A. Daschle


                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                  Thomas A. Daschle

                              United States Congressman

                                      1979-1987

                                United States Senator

                                      1987-2005

                                          a
                                           


                                           


                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing

                                Trent Lott, Chairman
                                           
                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Farewell..............................................
                                                                     ix
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
                                                                     35
                    Allen, George, of Virginia.....................
                                                                     44
                    Boxer, Barbara, of California..................
                                                                     25
                    Burns, Conrad, of Montana......................
                                                                      3
                    Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
                                                                      5
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                     40
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                      9
                    Dayton, Mark, of Minnesota.....................
                                                                     25
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     36
                    Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
                                                                     42
                    Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois................
                                                                     19
                    Edwards, John, of North Carolina...............
                                                                     24
                    Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin.............
                                                                     40
                    Feinstein, Dianne, of California...............
                                                                     23
                    Fitzgerald, Peter G., of Illinois..............
                                                                     18
                    Frist, William H., of Tennessee................
                                                                 12, 18
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                     32
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     46
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     43
                    Johnson, Tim, of South Dakota 
                     ........................................
                                                          3, 13, 14, 15
                    Kohl, Herb, of Wisconsin.......................
                                                                     41
                    Lautenberg, Frank, of New Jersey...............
                                                                     26
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     16
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                      8
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                 19, 47
                    Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
                                                                     31
                    Nickles, Don, of Oklahoma......................
                                                                     23
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                     44
                    Sarbanes, Paul S., of Maryland.................
                                                                     21
                    Sessions, Jeff, of Alabama.....................
                                                                     39
                    Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama.................
                                                                      9
                    Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan..................
                                                                     41
                                      Biography

               Tom Daschle was born on December 9, 1947, in Aberdeen, 
             SD, where he grew up in a working family as the eldest of 
             four brothers. He became the first person in his family to 
             graduate from college when he earned a political science 
             degree from South Dakota State University in 1969.
                After serving 3 years as an intelligence officer in the 
             U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command, he spent 5 years as 
             an aide to South Dakota Senator James Abourezk.
                Tom Daschle is married to Linda Hall Daschle and is the 
             father of three children: Kelly, Nathan and Lindsay.
                                Congressional Career
                In 1978, Daschle returned to South Dakota to run for 
             the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected and 
             served until 1986 when he ran for the U.S. Senate. After a 
             close race, Daschle became the junior Senator from South 
             Dakota. He then moved on to become senior Senator and 
             Democratic leader.
                                 Legislative Record
               Probably nothing better characterized Tom Daschle's 
             Senate priorities than his annual ``unscheduled driving'' 
             tour, when he traveled across his home State of South 
             Dakota in his car with no staff and no schedule. He 
             stopped at Elks clubs, cattle auctions, health clinics, 
             schools, cafes, police stations or anywhere else that 
             people gather, to hear what was on their minds. He made a 
             point of traveling to each of the State's 66 counties 
             every year.
               The visits, he said, reminded him where he came from, 
             and why he was in Washington--to put the priorities of 
             America first. As a respected and accomplished leader in 
             the Nation's Capital, Daschle put South Dakota values on 
             the national agenda.
                In 1978, Daschle was elected to the U.S. House of 
             Representatives, where he served four terms and was 
             quickly made part of the Democratic leadership.
               In 1986, Daschle won his first Senate race in a hard 
             fought contest with incumbent James Abdnor. In his first 
             year, he was appointed to the powerful Senate Finance 
             Committee, an unusual honor for a freshman. In 1988, then-
             Senate Democratic Leader George Mitchell named Daschle the 
             first-ever co-chair of the Democratic Policy Committee, 
             making him the first South Dakotan ever to hold a Senate 
             leadership position.
                To enhance his State's economy, Daschle also became the 
             first U.S. Senator to hire a full-time economic 
             development director. He was also one of the first Members 
             of Congress to establish a toll-free telephone line that 
             connected South Dakotans to his Washington, DC, office.
                In 1992 and 1998, South Dakotans re-elected Daschle to 
             the Senate by overwhelming margins. In 1994, he was chosen 
             by his colleagues to succeed the retiring Senator George 
             Mitchell as Democratic leader. In the history of the 
             Senate, only Lyndon Johnson had served fewer years before 
             being elected to lead his party. In addition to the 
             leader's post, Daschle also served as a member of the 
             Senate Agriculture Committee. He also served on the 
             Veterans', Indian Affairs, Finance, Ethics and Rules 
             Committees.
               Throughout his career, Daschle has been a tireless 
             fighter for working families in South Dakota and across 
             the country. At the same time, he has demanded fiscal 
             discipline from Congress and the White House. He pressed 
             to give family farmers and ranchers a fair chance to 
             compete, and worked to ensure that rural communities had 
             access to quality education and health care. A champion of 
             veterans, Daschle led the fight for full funding of 
             veterans' health care and enacted legislation to treat and 
             compensate those affected by exposure to Agent Orange and 
             ionizing radiation. He also enacted legislation to 
             increase Indian housing funding and bring clean drinking 
             water to Native Americans in South Dakota, and led the 
             national effort to fully fund the Indian Health Service. 
             In the telecommunications age, Daschle led efforts to 
             ensure that rural America had access to the latest 
             technology.
               As Democratic leader, Daschle pressed his fellow 
             lawmakers to cut taxes for working families, pay down the 
             national debt, and shore up Social Security and Medicare 
             for future generations. Daschle also introduced a 
             comprehensive legislative plan, South Dakota First, which 
             ensured that South Dakota's concerns would be at the 
             forefront of the national agenda. Daschle's plan would 
             help South Dakota expand economic opportunity, strengthen 
             rural communities, promote lifelong learning, keep 
             families healthy, and preserve the Black Hills.
               Shortly after negotiating the historic 50-50 power 
             sharing agreement in the 107th Congress, Daschle became 
             the Senate majority leader. He steered the Senate, and 
             helped steer the Nation, through some of the greatest 
             challenges in recent history: the terrorist attacks of 
             September 11, 2001, and the anthrax attack on his office. 
             In the weeks that followed, Daschle worked with the 
             bipartisan leadership to enact landmark legislation to 
             respond to the terrorist threat and stabilize the Nation's 
             economy.
                                Daschle on Agriculture

 Wrote the 1985 Emergency Farm Credit Act to aid farmers during the 
depths of the farm crisis, and wrote major provisions of the Disaster 
Relief Act of 1988, 1989 and 1993 to help farmers rebound from the 
devastating effects of natural disaster.

 Authored key provisions of the Omnibus Trade Act to help increase 
overseas markets for agricultural products.

 Worked to ensure that future agricultural programs and policies 
improve farmers' incomes; give farmers the flexibility to plant for the 
marketplace, not the government; minimize red tape; and increase the 
emphasis on value-added agriculture.

 Authored key provisions of the 2002 farm bill and ensured its 
enactment.

                           Daschle on Economic Development

 Was one of the first Senators to create an economic development 
division in his Washington office.

 Authored and passed legislation creating the Northern Great Plains 
Rural Development Commission to expand development in the five Upper Great 
Plains States.

 Delivered clean water to rural communities throughout South 
Dakota, including three of the world's four largest water projects.

                               Daschle on Health Care

 Led a bipartisan effort to support meaningful, enforceable patient 
protections for millions of Americans under managed healthcare plans.

 Authored several important bills to expand health services in 
rural areas.

 Authored and passed legislation to protect seniors' health 
security by regulating the sale and marketing of Medigap policies to guard 
against fraud.

 Introduced legislation to prevent companies from canceling retiree 
health benefits without notice.

 Enacted legislation to prevent and treat fetal alcohol syndrome.

 Fought to expand health coverage for pregnant women and children, 
and to allow those over 55 to buy Medicare coverage.

                                 Daschle on Veterans

 Authored and passed the Agent Orange Act of 1991. Led the fight to 
secure health care and disability compensation for Vietnam veterans 
suffering from exposure to Agent Orange. He also passed legislation 
addressing birth defects in children of veterans exposed to the defoliant.

 Was instrumental in passage of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement 
Act of 1994, which guaranteed priority health care and authorized payment 
of disability compensation to Gulf War veterans suffering from undiagnosed 
war-related illnesses.

 Led the fight for full funding of veterans' health care.

                             Daschle on the Environment

 Was the principal author of the reformulated gasoline provision of 
the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. As a result of the provision, 30 
percent of the gasoline sold in the United States is now reformulated with 
clean-burning oxygenates, thus reducing smog and various cancer-causing 
emissions.

                          Daschle on Native American Issues

 Authored successful legislation to authorize housing and expand 
education and health facilities on Indian reservations.

 Brought clean drinking water to South Dakota reservations and 
other rural communities.

 Led the fight to guarantee health coverage to Native Americans 
through the Indian Health Service.

 Led the fight for reform of Indian trust account management.
                                      Farewell
                              Friday, November 19, 2004

               Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, like the distinguished 
             Senator from Illinois [Mr. Fitzgerald], I take a couple of 
             minutes this afternoon to come to the floor to express in 
             the most heartfelt way, as he just has, my profound thanks 
             for the opportunity I have had to serve in the Senate.
               I congratulate him on his successful career and wish him 
             well in all of his endeavors.
               I would like to begin where he ended--by thanking my 
             family: my wife Linda, my mother, my daughter Kelly, and 
             Eric; our son Nathan, and Jill; and our daughter Lindsay.
               I thank my staff. I actually believe--and I am sure each 
             of our colleagues shares this view--that I have the finest 
             staff the Senate has ever assembled. They have served me, 
             they have served this institution, they have served the 
             people of my State, and they have served this country with 
             remarkable professionalism, dedication, loyalty, 
             patriotism, and commitment in ways that nobody could 
             possibly register.
               I thank the people of South Dakota, most importantly, 
             for the opportunities they have given me to live my 
             passion for these past 26 years. No Senator has ever been 
             more grateful, more fortunate than I.
               I thank my colleagues for their friendship and their 
             loyalty, their support, and the remarkable strength they 
             have given me each and every day.
               I congratulate the man on my left, Harry Reid. No Senate 
             leader has ever had the good fortune I have had to have an 
             assistant like the man from Searchlight. He is a 
             profoundly decent man who loves his State, this 
             institution, and his country. If friends are relatives 
             that you choose for yourself, then he is my brother.
               I thank Dick Durbin and congratulate him and Debbie 
             Stabenow and Byron Dorgan and Hillary Clinton for their 
             willingness to take on the leadership roles in the 109th 
             Congress. I will say that this Senate and the caucus could 
             not be served better.
               I congratulate especially Chuck Schumer for taking on 
             what may be one of the most challenging of all leadership 
             positions. I know that he will serve us well.
               I can remember so vividly 10 years ago when I was 
             elected leader by one vote. I came to the Senate very 
             nervous and filled with trepidation, but I recognized that 
             we had a job to do. I wanted to use the power I had been 
             given wisely, recognizing that it was entrusted to me so 
             we might make the lives of all people better.
               Shortly after I was elected leader, I was asked to come 
             to dinner with a good friend of mine, a man in his 
             eighties, whose name was Reiners, from Worthing, SD. Dick 
             was a farmer, had been one of my strongest supporters, 
             most loyal and dedicated friends, one of those people we 
             can all identify with. He asked me to come to dinner that 
             night and I went out to his farmhouse. We had dinner. I 
             asked him for advice. He paused and he looked at me and he 
             said, ``There are two things I will hope for you. One is 
             that you never forget where you came from. Come home. 
             Remember us.''
               And then he pointed to some pictures on the wall that I 
             recognized very readily. They were pictures of his 
             grandchildren. He said, ``You have held each one of those 
             grandkids, as have I. Give them hope. Every day you walk 
             onto the Senate floor, give them hope.''
               We hugged each other and I left. Later on that night, I 
             got a call in the middle of the night that Dick Reiners 
             had passed away. I never, ever, have been given better 
             advice in all the years before or since and I remember it 
             now.
               We come to this body with great goals, and our challenge 
             is to stay focused on those goals, to never lose sight of 
             them in the daily challenges and the battles we take on as 
             we come to these desks.
               Two touchstones, in particular, have helped me remember 
             my goals.
               The first touchstone is this desk, the leader's desk. 
             You pull open this drawer and you see the names of all the 
             leaders carved in it. It is a constant reminder that we 
             are part of a continuum, a continuum that makes us the 
             heirs and the guardians of a miracle. That miracle is 
             democracy--a government founded on the ideal of freedom.
               We have sworn to protect that ideal. We have a 
             challenge, as we sit at these desks, to do what soldiers 
             have done for 200 years. We either have to fight for this 
             freedom or work at it. In more than 30 wars, 1 million men 
             and women have given their lives for that freedom, and our 
             job is to work at it as if we have given our lives, too--
             every day. We have to protect and defend that freedom and 
             we must pass it on to future generations undiminished.
               My second touchstone is a practice I acquired many years 
             ago, making it a habit to get into my car and drive 
             without a schedule to all the counties of South Dakota. 
             There are 66 of them. I do it to be energized, to refresh, 
             to touch the land, to watch the sunsets and the sunrises, 
             the majestic beauty of my State. But more than anything 
             else I do it to be inspired, and to remember how what we 
             do here touches the lives of those I represent.
               It is an amazing feeling to drive from one county to the 
             other and to see the results of our work in this body. I 
             am honored and very grateful that there is not one county 
             in the State of South Dakota that has not been touched by 
             our work and our efforts these years I have been here, 
             touched in ways large and small.
               We now are an energy-producing State, which means a lot 
             to me. People said that would never be possible. We have 
             little oil, very little natural gas, no coal--but we now 
             produce 400,000 gallons of fuel a year that otherwise 
             might be imported. We passed farm legislation that is 
             truly giving our farmers and ranchers hope for a better 
             future.
               My State suffers from poorly distributed water. Our 
             challenge has always been to find a way to take the good 
             water and get it to those locations where they have none. 
             One of the most emotional experiences I have ever had was 
             to watch a family turn on a tap for the first time and cry 
             and embrace each other and pass around a glass and look at 
             it and say ``thank you.''
               I am honored to have been a part of creating a new 
             future for Indian students who had long ago given up any 
             hope of graduating in a traditional way, but who now can 
             walk through the doors of tribal colleges with a true 
             sense of fulfillment and optimism that they only dreamed 
             of just a few years ago.
               The joy of walking into a town and talking to people and 
             being embraced by total strangers who tell you that you 
             saved their lives because of something your staff did, 
             recognizing that if it had not been for you, perhaps there 
             would be no life to save. What an honor. What a sense of 
             gratitude.
               As leader, I have been privileged to meet some of the 
             greatest leaders of our time. I believe that Nelson 
             Mandela would probably rank in a class by himself. Vaclav 
             Havel, Lech Walesa, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, presidents 
             and kings: I have been inspired by them--but not as 
             inspired as I have been by people who are not well known:
               Carolyn Downs, who runs the Banquet in Sioux Falls, SD, 
             touching lives every day and giving them hope.
               Louie and Melvina Winters on the Pine Ridge Reservation, 
             who had absolutely nothing to their name and took a burned 
             out trailer house, rebuilt it, and have literally saved 
             the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of children who 
             had no other place to go, whom they found on their 
             doorstep when the word got out that somehow they were the 
             ones to whom children could turn.
               Chick Big Crow, who witnessed the death of her daughter, 
             only to make the lives of young people on Pine Ridge 
             richer with her steadfast determination to build a Boys 
             and Girls Club.
               And there are those like Elaine, who gets up at 4:30 in 
             the morning to go to work. She's 77 years old, with $900 a 
             month in Social Security and $900 a month in drug bills. 
             She works at McDonald's to be able to pay for the rest of 
             her living expenses, and says she is proud to do so.
               And Mary Ann, who works three jobs, has a blood disease 
             and no health insurance. She says: ``I want you to know 
             something, Senator Daschle. I'm going to make it. I'm 
             going to make it, but I would like a little help along the 
             way, if you can find a way to remember me.''
               They are the heart and soul of America, and they need us 
             now maybe more than ever before.
               We are each given a number when we come to the Senate. I 
             think it is a wonderful tradition. And I have always been 
             so proud of my number. My number is 1776, the year of our 
             Revolution.
               I think of that number not just because of its unique 
             nature, but it reminds me every day that we are still part 
             of an American revolution.
               As a nation, we are making monumental decisions about 
             what kind of country this will be.
               Will we use our powerful might as a force just for 
             vengeance and protection against those who would destroy 
             us, or will we use it for progress the world around?
               Will we recognize that power is not just our arms, but 
             our wisdom, our compassion, our tolerance, our willingness 
             to cooperate not just with ourselves but with the whole 
             world?
               Will we honor the uniquely American ideal that we are 
             responsible for passing onto our children a future that is 
             better, or will we forfeit the promise of the future for 
             the reward of the moment?
               These are questions that we will continue to face.
               Several months ago, I came to the floor and gave a 
             speech at this desk expressing the hope that regardless of 
             how the election turned out, we could continue mightily to 
             search for the politics of common ground.
               I am proud of those times in this body when we showed 
             our very best.
               I am proud of that moment on the Capitol steps when we 
             joined hands and sang.
               I am proud of the effort we made after September 11 to 
             come together to pass legislation that our country so 
             desperately needed, not just for what it said, but for the 
             message it sent.
               I am proud of that moment, on October 15, when we were 
             the target of the greatest biological attack in our 
             Nation's history and again we came together.
               I am proud of those moments when we found common ground 
             on campaign finance reform and the farm bill and the 
             Patients' Bill of Rights, highways, measures that in some 
             cases have not yet become law but demonstrated that here, 
             collectively, with common will, there is common good.
               I know we can continue to find common ground because we 
             have found it in the past, as those instances have 
             demonstrated.
               If I could leave this body with one wish, it would be 
             that we never give up that search for common ground.
               The politics of common ground will not be found on the 
             far right or on the far left. That is not where most 
             Americans live. We will only find it in the firm middle 
             ground of common sense and shared values.
               Ten years ago, my wise friend pointed to his 
             grandchildren and asked me to give them hope. Linda and I 
             now have two beautiful grandchildren. I implore my 
             colleagues to give my grandchildren, Henry and Ava, hope; 
             give all the children and grandchildren of this Nation 
             hope.
               Let us treasure and protect the great freedoms that we 
             have inherited, and let us always promise and commit that 
             we will pass them on undiminished.
               I said a moment ago that one of my touchstones is my 
             unscheduled driving. I make notes constantly on these 
             trips. A couple of days ago I was telling my colleagues 
             about how I had been looking through the notes of a trip I 
             made a few years back. I noted I had met with some tribal 
             leaders, and met with a businessman who was trying to find 
             a way to provide childcare for his family as well as his 
             employees. I met a couple who wanted to tour the White 
             House. At the end of all my notes, I made the comment: 
             ``Everything was worth doing.''
               The same could be said for my service here. It has had 
             its challenges, its triumphs, its disappointments, but 
             everything was worth doing. And I am grateful for every 
             moment.
               I love history, and there is wonderful history about the 
             relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. They 
             were rivals, but they respected each other. And that 
             respect grew as they left office and began correspondence 
             that today is some of our most treasured writing.
               In one letter to John Adams, Thomas Jefferson wrote, ``I 
             like the dream of the future better than I like the 
             history of the past.'' So it is with me. I have loved 
             these years in the Senate, but I like the dream of the 
             future.
               It is with heartfelt gratitude to the people of South 
             Dakota, with great respect and admiration for my 
             colleagues, and with love for this institution and the 
             power it has to make this Nation even greater that I say 
             farewell and look to the future with great optimism, with 
             hope and anticipation.

                                          a

                             Saturday, November 20, 2004

               Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, nearly 26 years ago, I 
             arrived in Washington as a newly elected Congressman with 
             an urgent desire to help the people of my State but not 
             nearly as much knowledge as I wanted about exactly how to 
             do that.
               Having good ideas and getting those ideas enacted into 
             law, as my old friend Paul Wellstone used to say, are 
             often two very different matters. I decided to call on 
             some of my heroes--men who were serving in Congress then 
             who had contributed greatly to the life of our Nation and 
             whom I admired. One of those men was Claude Pepper. 
             Another was Mo Udall. Both shared their time and wisdom 
             generously with me and gave me advice that has guided me 
             all these years.
               In 1988 Mo Udall wrote a wonderful book entitled Too 
             Funny to be President. I recommend it to anyone, 
             especially those who have the privilege of serving in 
             elected office in our great democracy. The ability to see 
             humor in one's own circumstances and to share a good-
             natured laugh with others is essential if you are going to 
             last long in public office.
               Mo Udall dedicated his book ``to the 3,000 members of 
             Congress living and dead with whom I served for nearly 
             three decades.'' As I prepare to end my own nearly three 
             decades in Congress, I, too, am deeply grateful to all of 
             the Members of Congress living and dead with whom I have 
             had the privilege of serving and from whom I have learned 
             so much.
               The list of such Members is long. In addition to my 
             early mentors, Claude Pepper and Mo Udall, it includes 
             Members who were gone long before I was born, but whose 
             legacy is still felt today--giants like Webster, Clay, and 
             Calhoun.
               It includes Senators such as Margaret Chase Smith, who 
             had the courage to take on the red-baiting and bullying 
             Senator Joe McCarthy in 1954 in her famous ``Appeal to 
             Conscience'' speech not far from where I stand now.
               The list includes two Senators who first inspired me to 
             pursue a life in public service--John and Robert Kennedy--
             and it includes their brother and my friend, Senator 
             Edward Kennedy, one of the finest, most capable Senators 
             America has ever produced.
               The list also includes earlier Senate leaders--men such 
             as Lyndon Johnson, the ``master of the Senate''; Mike 
             Mansfield, one of my personal heroes, who showed that 
             progress and bipartisanship are not mutually exclusive; 
             and Howard Baker, a master of the art of principled 
             compromise.
               The list of those who have inspired me includes George 
             Mitchell and Bob Dole, the two leaders who taught me the 
             most about this job.
               It includes my fellow South Dakotan, George McGovern; 
             Mark Hatfield, who offered to resign from the Senate 
             rather than cast a vote he could not square with his own 
             conscience; and Jim Jeffords, who showed the world that 
             one person can change history. It also includes Paul 
             Wellstone, the soul of the Senate; Robert Byrd, as 
             eloquent and determined defender of our Constitution as 
             has ever lived; and many others.
               Today, I would like to say a few words about eight 
             additional Senators with whom I have served these last 
             historic 6 years, all of whom will be leaving when this 
             Congress ends.
               Senator Nickles, Senator Campbell, Senator Fitzgerald, 
             and Senator Miller, it has been a privilege to work with 
             each of you. You have each sacrificed much to serve our 
             Nation and I am sure you will continue to serve America 
             well in the years to come.
               Six Democratic Senators are leaving at the end of this 
             Congress. Among them is our friend, the senior Senator 
             from Louisiana.
               I was joking with another friend recently that the good 
             thing about John Breaux retiring is that maybe now he will 
             finally be able to loosen up a little.
               John's ability to make us laugh even in tough times is a 
             gift we have all treasured. Another gift of John's is his 
             ability to find workable compromises on even the most 
             difficult issues. He really is a master of the art of the 
             compromise.
               A couple of years ago, I read a newspaper article in 
             which John talked about what he might do if he ever left 
             the Senate. He pointed out that Huey Long had actually 
             served as Louisiana's Senator and Governor at the same 
             time. I thought when I heard that that maybe John would 
             never leave the Senate; he would just diversify. 
             Regrettably, he is leaving now.
               I know that serving as Ambassador to France has always 
             been high on John's list of post-Senate dream jobs. I 
             understand that a few years back, John asked President 
             Clinton, ``Do you think I could handle France?'' to which 
             President Clinton replied, ``The question is whether 
             France could handle you.''
               Whatever John Breaux decides to do next, I have no doubt 
             that he will continue to find ways to serve the people of 
             Louisiana and America. And I know he will have a heck of a 
             good time in the process. John and Lois are special 
             members of our Senate family, and we wish them all the 
             best in the future.
               We also say goodbye to John Edwards.
               I think it is probably no coincidence that John Edwards 
             holds Sam Ervin's old seat in the Senate. Like Sam Ervin, 
             John has a brilliant legal mind and a deep love of 
             justice.
               In 2001, the first bill Democrats brought to the floor 
             after we retook the majority was the Patients' Bill of 
             Rights. I couldn't believe my luck: My first bill as 
             majority leader--the Patients' Bill of Rights and I was 
             able to tap as floor leaders Ted Kennedy and John Edwards. 
             It was like looking down the bench and seeing Babe Ruth 
             and Willie Mays. You just knew the Patients' Bill of 
             Rights was finally going to pass the Senate. And it did--
             in large part because of John Edwards's remarkable skill 
             and deep personal commitment.
               I think one of the great lines in American literature is 
             the line near the end of ``Death of a Salesman'' where 
             Willie Loman's wife Linda says her husband wasn't famous 
             or powerful, but he was a good man to whom respect must be 
             paid. That same conviction is what has motivated John 
             Edwards's whole life: The belief that there is dignity and 
             worth in every person, including people who work hard 
             every day in mills, and factories, and farms.
               In his race for the Democratic Presidential nomination 
             with John Kerry as our party's Vice Presidential nominee, 
             John Edwards brought a sense of hope and optimism to 
             millions and millions of Americans.
               John and Elizabeth Edwards both won places in our hearts 
             immediately, and our hearts and prayers are with them and 
             their wonderful children today as Elizabeth continues her 
             recovery from breast cancer. We look forward to spending 
             many more happy years with them. We also look forward to 
             the good work we know they will do for our Nation in the 
             years ahead.
               The best way I found to stay in touch with the people 
             who elected me was to drive through every county in South 
             Dakota every year and just talk to whomever I ran into 
             about whatever was on their mind. Bob Graham found an 
             equally effective way of staying in touch with average 
             Floridians. He calls them workdays. He would spend a day 
             working in another job.
               This year, he worked his 400th workday. He spent that 
             day the same way he spent his first workday 30 years ago: 
             as a teacher. That is appropriate because, in fact, Bob's 
             entire career has been a living lesson in public service.
               A while back, I was looking over the list of Bob's 
             workday jobs and I have to tell you, I am amazed! Think 
             about all the things he has done: NASA payload specialist, 
             firefighter, bagel maker, bulletproof vest maker, pea 
             picker, phosphate miner, Air Force Special Operations 
             gunner, circus worker elf!
               Clearly, it wasn't lack of other career options that has 
             kept Bob in the Senate for 18 years. What has kept him 
             here is simple. It is his love of Florida, and of this 
             country. It is a sense of responsibility that he inherited 
             from his father and that has animated his whole life.
               Bob Graham is a Moderate with a capital M. And he is one 
             of the nicest people you could ever meet. But when it 
             comes to the people of Florida, when it comes to doing 
             right by America, strengthening America's economy, 
             creating good jobs, investing in children, and standing up 
             for America's veterans and military families, Bob Graham 
             is a fierce fighter. And when it comes to protecting our 
             Nation from terrorism, he is a heavyweight fighter. 
             America is safer today because of his courage and 
             tenacity.
               I suspect the only people who could possibly be sadder 
             about Bob's retirement than the members of our caucus are 
             the people who make those Florida ties! We wish Bob and 
             Adele the very best of luck in all their future endeavors.
               Another remarkable Senator who is retiring this year is 
             Fritz Hollings.
               I used to joke with Fritz Hollings that he is the real 
             reason C-SPAN first started its closed-caption broadcasts. 
             Fritz's deep Charleston accent, like the man himself, is 
             an American classic.
               When you look inside Fritz Hollings's desk on the Senate 
             floor, you see the names of giants: John Calhoun, Huey 
             Long, Russell Long, Wayne Morse--courageous men who never 
             hesitated to speak their minds. Fritz has earned the right 
             to stand with those legends.
               He was 36 years old when he was elected Governor of 
             South Carolina. As Governor, he wrote the book on 
             governing in the New South. He raised teacher salaries, 
             invested in education and training, and laid the 
             foundation for South Carolina's economic transformation 
             from an agrarian State to a high-tech, high-wage State.
               One of the amazing things about Fritz Hollings is how 
             often he has been able to see the future before others--
             not just on matters of race, but on issue after issue.
               He was the first Deep South Governor to acknowledge the 
             existence of widespread hunger in his State. He was also 
             the first southern Governor to understand that you can't 
             create a modern economy simply by cutting taxes, you have 
             to invest in education and training.
               He has been a relentless advocate of balanced budgets 
             and fiscal discipline since long before they became 
             political buzzwords. In 1984--years before Ross Perot 
             uttered the words, Fritz Hollings made deficit reduction a 
             central plank in his Presidential bid.
               He has been fighting for fair trade, and against the 
             export of American jobs, his entire career. He has been 
             calling for a long-term, comprehensive energy plan since 
             before the first OPEC oil crisis in 1973. He wrote 
             America's first fuel-efficiency standards--in 1975.
               He was in the forefront of the movement to protect 
             America's oceans in the early seventies. He saw the future 
             of telecommunications before a lot of Americans knew what 
             ``surfing the Internet'' meant. He was pushing for 
             increased port and air security before September 11.
               If some people have occasionally found Fritz a little 
             difficult to understand, I suspect it was not so much 
             because of his wonderful Charleston accent but because he 
             was so often ahead of his time.
               Now Fritz and Peatsy are moving home to live full time 
             in their beloved South Carolina, but they will always have 
             a special place in the Senate family. We wish them the 
             very best.
               I have to be honest, Mr. President, it was not my wish 
             to depart with these fine Senators. But it has been my 
             honor and a joy to serve with them, and one that I will 
             remember all the days of my life.


                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                  THOMAS A. DASCHLE
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                            Thursday, November 18, 2004
               Mr. BURNS. * * * In 1986 Tom Daschle came to the Senate. 
             My neighbor from Aberdeen, SD, and I both learned a little 
             bit here. He was much more successful than I, reaching 
             into leadership of his party. We had a lot of common 
             friends in South Dakota. I will be sorry to see Tom 
             Daschle leave the Senate. But he has left big tracks here. 
             There are fond memories on issues that we agreed on and 
             issues that we did not agree, but we did not do it being 
             disagreeable. * * *
               As to all of these men, I want to say you do form 
             relationships here, and there is a certain bond that 
             attracts us all, as we learn that even though you may be 
             on the same side of the aisle or the opposite side of the 
             aisle, one could always agree or disagree without being 
             disagreeable. That is what makes the Senate a special 
             place.
               We will miss all of these men, but I am looking forward 
             to those who take their place as, there again, new 
             relationships will be developed, a new bond dealing with 
             the old challenges of a free society, with those who love 
             the Constitution and love this country who were prepared 
             to die for it and would if asked to do so today. No one 
             doubts the depth of their patriotism nor their service to 
             their country. We welcome them as we say goodbye to old 
             friends, old relationships that will never be forgotten.

               Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, it is with great sadness 
             that I rise to bid official farewell to one of my best 
             friends and to one of the greatest Senators ever to grace 
             this body, Tom Daschle of South Dakota.
               Not surprisingly, I am sure I have known Tom longer than 
             anyone here. I vividly remember his first campaign for 
             Congress in 1978, the same year I ran for the South Dakota 
             House of Representatives for the first time. We were two 
             young candidates, almost the same age, recent graduates, 
             the same year, of South Dakota colleges. While we were 
             running for very different offices, I felt an immediate 
             bond with him at that time.
               Tom's first race for Congress was in many ways 
             predictive of the career that would follow. He was then, 
             and still is, the hardest working, most focused person I 
             have ever met in any sphere of my life. That year he 
             knocked on more than 40,000 doors, personally asking South 
             Dakotans for their vote. I can tell you, knocking on 
             40,000 doors in the middle of a South Dakota winter is a 
             real challenge.
               Tom looked so young he was once mistaken as the paperboy 
             at one of those doors--a woman asked how much money she 
             owed him. I have a photo I cherish to this day of Tom and 
             me together during that first campaign, both of us looking 
             like we were 14 years old. It makes you wonder how anyone 
             voted for either of us at that time.
               I remember watching the election returns coming in for 
             Tom's campaign that evening and it didn't look very good, 
             frankly. In fact, when I went to bed that night I was 
             almost certain he had lost. It was only when I woke up 
             that I found Tom was only behind by 50 votes with a 
             recount certain, and as it turned out, he was certified 
             the winner officially by 14 votes out of 130,000 votes 
             cast. Who would have dreamed that such a close victory in 
             South Dakota would have been the beginning of such a 
             distinguished career?
               In the intervening years, I watched with admiration 
             while Tom's career advanced in the House of 
             Representatives. He was a natural leader, and I do not 
             believe that many who knew him were surprised, in 1986, 
             when he decided to run for the Senate, taking on the same 
             man who, 6 years previously, defeated Senator George 
             McGovern, an institution in our State.
               It was far from an easy race, but Tom prevailed in the 
             end, and his leaving his House seat opened it for my 
             election that year as well. It was the culmination of 
             those two elections which led to an extremely close 
             working relationship but also to a very close friendship.
               I have spent the last 18 years working side by side with 
             Tom Daschle. I cannot imagine a better partner with whom 
             to work. He is, as I mentioned earlier, the hardest 
             working person I have ever known. He is also the most 
             patient person I have ever known, as well as unfailingly 
             generous--qualities that served him very well as Senate 
             Democratic leader, an extremely demanding job.
               There have been fewer than 2,000 Senators who have 
             served our Nation in this body, but there never has been 
             one who cared as much or worked as hard for his home State 
             as Tom Daschle. I can list his many and varied 
             accomplishments but I would be here for hours and that 
             would not serve the purpose of this farewell. It was the 
             Greek philosopher Plato who said, ``The measure of a man 
             is what he does with power.'' And it is that test that so 
             clearly shows the character and the humanity and the 
             values of Tom Daschle. Tom never used the power that he 
             had attained for self-aggrandizement. He used it to build 
             a better South Dakota, and a stronger America.
               He has always realized that our country works best when 
             people have an opportunity to live up to their own 
             potential, when our children are not shackled by poverty 
             and lack of education, when our people who need a helping 
             hand are given one, and when our older Americans are able 
             to live out the balance of their lives with dignity. The 
             truth is, if it weren't for Tom Daschle and his untiring 
             work, there are children who would not be educated and 
             families who would not be housed and vulnerable people who 
             would be uncared for.
               Tom Daschle's priorities and values have been the 
             priorities and values of his strong family and his devout 
             faith.
               It was Jesus Christ who said:

               Inasmuch as ye have done unto one of the least of these, 
             my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.

               And no matter what level of accomplishment and power Tom 
             Daschle attained, he never forgot the ``least of the 
             people'' who Christ referenced.
               While we will no longer have Tom Daschle to lead us in 
             this body, we are both instructed and warmed by the 
             example he gave us during his 26 years in his 
             congressional career. He and his wife Linda have made an 
             extraordinary team and will always be among the closest of 
             friends to my wife Barbara and me. I will never serve with 
             a man I admire more than Tom Daschle, and it is with very 
             great sadness that I say goodbye to his presence in this 
             body. But more than anyone I have ever served with, or 
             ever will serve with, he has given glory and meaning to 
             the term ``U.S. Senator.''

               Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, there is an old Chinese curse 
             that says, ``May you live in interesting times.'' A Senate 
             equivalent of that saying could very well be: May you lead 
             the Senate in interesting times. If so, the Senate 
             leadership of Senator Tom Daschle would certainly qualify. 
             He led the Senate with a very quiet integrity during some 
             of the most difficult times in American history.
               In 1994, Senator Daschle became Senate Democratic leader 
             by a single vote. No sooner had he become Democratic 
             leader than he was forced to deal with the Republican 
             revolution of 1994, including House Speaker Newt Gingrich 
             and his short-lived ``Contract With America.'' I never 
             read it, never signed it, and was not a disciple of it.
               While he served as the Democratic leader for nearly a 
             decade, there was a period of 17 months in which he went 
             from minority leader to majority leader and back to 
             minority leader.
               He was the Senate Democratic leader during the first 
             impeachment of an American President in 131 years. He was 
             the Senate Democratic leader on September 11, 2001, when 
             America experienced the worst terrorist attack in the 
             history of this great land. One month later, a 
             bioterrorist attack on his Senate office in the Hart 
             Building exposed 20 of Tom Daschle's staffers to deadly 
             anthrax spores.
               As the Senate Democratic leader, Mr. Daschle has had to 
             deal with three different Republican leaders. During these 
             turbulent circumstances, he remained reassuring and 
             inspiring. Tom Daschle's soothing personality and his 
             mild-mannered demeanor were comforting under very trying 
             circumstances.
               Looking back, it seems strange that many people once 
             considered this likable, soft-spoken young man to be too 
             likable and too soft spoken to be an effective Senate 
             leader. I am pleased and proud to say that we were wrong. 
             I say ``we'' because many people will recall that I 
             initially opposed his candidacy for Senate Democratic 
             leadership. But after Tom Daschle was elected leader, I 
             was impressed as I found him to be an engaging man with 
             whom to work, a most interesting man, a leader who has a 
             way of putting other people at ease, even in troubled as 
             well as in pleasant times.
               He was always working to seek a consensus. He was always 
             listening. He was one of the best listeners I have ever 
             met during my 46 years in this body.
               Even in the Senate's darkest moments, he retained his 
             sense of optimism, always preferring to see the glass as 
             half full rather than half empty. And that optimism was 
             infectious. Therefore, 2 years later, it was my pleasure 
             to nominate Tom Daschle for reelection as Senate 
             Democratic leader. In nominating him, I announced: I was 
             totally wrong about this young man. He has steel in his 
             spine, despite his reasonable and modest demeanor.
               As a former Senate leader myself, I can say that a 
             Senate leader who can bring together and develop a 
             consensus on tough controversial measures must have the 
             patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon.
               As a former Senate Democratic leader, I want to express 
             my gratitude to Mr. Daschle for the service that he 
             rendered to this Chamber, to our Nation, and to our 
             political party.
               During the interesting times in which he led the Senate, 
             Senator Daschle was always working for the common good. 
             Because of his principled--let me say that again--because 
             of his principled opposition to the Bush administration, 
             critics denounced and demonized him as an obstructionist. 
             If placing the national good over blind obedience to any 
             President makes a Senator an obstructionist, then let me 
             say that our democracy--indeed, all democracies--need more 
             Tom Daschles.
               Senator Daschle stayed above it all, as he refused to 
             engage in the gutter politics of his opponents. He always 
             retained and maintained the dignity that has characterized 
             him as a man and as a Senator. But then this mild-mannered 
             South Dakota Democrat, the only South Dakotan ever to be 
             elected to the Senate leadership, has always served the 
             people of his State and the people of our Nation proudly 
             and honorably, with diligence, sincerity, and distinction.
               His entire career in public service has been based on 
             standing up for the common good. He has been a true friend 
             of rural America, especially America's farmers. Among the 
             many measures he promoted to benefit American farmers, 
             Senator Daschle pushed the development and the 
             commercialization of alternative agricultural products.
               He was an aggressive advocate of health issues, having 
             authored legislation that expanded health services in 
             rural areas.
               As a veteran himself, having served as an intelligence 
             officer in the Strategic Air Command of the U.S. Air 
             Force, Tom Daschle was a powerful advocate for American 
             veterans. In 1991, he won his 11-year struggle for 
             legislation to assist Vietnam veterans suffering from 
             exposure to Agent Orange.
               I am sorry that I must now say goodbye to this decent 
             man and this outstanding Senator, especially in such 
             circumstances. And he is a decent man. He was always good 
             to me. He was always listening. He always listened to 
             whatever I had to suggest to him--always listened and 
             always tried to be helpful. So many times he spoke good 
             words concerning me. He was always asking about my wife 
             Erma: How is your wife? How is your wife Erma?
               But as anyone involved in politics knows, political life 
             has its defeats as well as its victories, its sorrows as 
             well as its joys, and we must accept them as they come, 
             always looking forward, not backward, and knowing that the 
             future will present other opportunities to serve our 
             Nation.
               I hope that Senator Daschle will continue a life of 
             public service because our Nation will always need men of 
             his background and experiences but, most important, his 
             wisdom, his integrity, and his optimism.
               Let me say on behalf of Erma and myself that we are so 
             grateful to Senator Daschle and his lovely wife for their 
             many courtesies extended to us, their many kindnesses 
             which we will never forget. I am confident that despite 
             the happenings of November 2, Senator Daschle still sees 
             the glass as half full rather than half empty.
               And so my wife Erma and I extend our best wishes to 
             Senator Daschle and his wife Linda in all of their future 
             endeavors.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, that is not why I came to the 
             floor, although it relates to why I came to the floor this 
             afternoon because I came here to pay tribute to a dear 
             friend, our Democratic leader, Tom Daschle of South 
             Dakota. This sadness is only tempered by the belief that 
             Tom Daschle will continue to play a vital role in our 
             Nation's public life in the future.
               Tom Daschle has had a distinguished career as a 
             legislator on behalf of the interests of the people of 
             South Dakota and all of the people of our Nation. He has 
             fought for a fair share for the farmers of his State and 
             for farmers around the country. He has been in the 
             forefront of rural health, veterans' health, a fair tax 
             system, and a very broad range of other issues.
               He has been as a leader of the Democrats in the Senate, 
             both as majority leader and minority leader, through one 
             of the most difficult periods of the Senate's history 
             where Tom Daschle has made his mark. He has been a 
             remarkable leader. As a principled and tireless advocate 
             for the issues he believes in, he has led by example. On 
             countless difficult and contentious issues, he has led by 
             carefully listening to all sides. Time and time again, on 
             complex and challenging legislation, he has led by 
             tireless negotiation and by building consensus. And, where 
             appropriate, he has been able to organize Democrats to 
             insist on our rights as a minority in the Senate.
               It is, indeed, a bitter irony of the most recent 
             election that Tom Daschle, who is a legislator to the 
             core, and a man of compromise and soft-spoken wisdom, a 
             seeker of dialog, solutions, and consensus, was 
             caricatured as an obstructionist. In the time-honored 
             tradition of Senate leaders of both parties, he stood tall 
             when principle required it. In reality, though, it was Tom 
             Daschle's style to reach across the aisle, time and time 
             again, in an effort to legislate in the Nation's best 
             interest. Often he worked closely with the Republican 
             leader in some of the Senate's finest and most difficult 
             hours.
               In the face of a very difficult impeachment trial that 
             tested this Senate, in response to the September 11 
             terrorist attacks, and when he himself was targeted in the 
             anthrax attack, as in countless other instances, Tom 
             Daschle demonstrated his talent for calm, inclusive, and 
             wise leadership.
               As this session of Congress ends in the next few days, 
             the people of South Dakota will be losing a vigorous, 
             effective, and committed Senator. Democrats in this body, 
             indeed, all Senators, will be losing a great leader. And 
             all Americans will be losing a voice of reason, judgment, 
             and wisdom. I will be losing a friend and a confidante. 
             Tom Daschle is a beautiful human being and a nonpareil 
             leader. His good nature will enable him to overcome this 
             momentary defeat so that the contributions he makes to 
             public life will soon flower in a different place.

               Mr. SHELBY. Tom Daschle will be leaving us. He served 
             this Nation well. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an 
             intelligence officer. He served as a staffer, and then he 
             was in my class in 1978 as a Member of the House of 
             Representatives. That is where I first met Tom and worked 
             with him and respected him. Sometimes we would be on other 
             sides of the issues, but nevertheless, I always thought in 
             his dealings with me and others he was a very honorable, 
             decent person.
               He is a relatively young man. He served us well, I 
             thought, as majority leader. He was always fair and 
             upfront with us. He will go on to good things, I am sure. 
             I wish Tom and his wife Linda the best.

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I want to take some time 
             today to pay tribute to one of my closest and best friends 
             in the U.S. Senate, our Democratic leader, Tom Daschle.
               It is hard to put into words how much I will miss 
             Senator Daschle when he leaves the Senate at the end of 
             this session. Senator Daschle and I were both first 
             elected to the Senate in 1986. He immediately became a 
             friend, and that friendship has only grown stronger over 
             the years. Senator Daschle had already served South Dakota 
             in the House of Representatives for many years when he 
             came to the Senate, so he was able to help show me the 
             ropes when I first arrived in Washington in 1987. His 
             advice and counsel were given freely. But what really drew 
             me to Tom were his genuine delight in seeing and greeting 
             friends, staff and colleagues; his selfless passion for 
             serving the people of South Dakota; and above all, his 
             wonderful, self-effacing sense of humor. Put simply, 
             Senator Daschle was able to take on issues very seriously 
             without taking himself too seriously.
               Over the years, we have served together on the 
             Agriculture, Finance and Indian Affairs Committees. We 
             have fought side by side in numerous battles to serve the 
             interests of the people of the Dakotas.
               On the Agriculture Committee, Senator Daschle was a 
             tireless advocate for the interests of the Northern Plains 
             producers we both represent. We fought together for 
             targeted farm assistance to ensure that scarce Federal 
             dollars for commodity programs would most benefit average 
             size family farms. We fought together against 
             concentration in the agriculture industry. We fought 
             together against unfairly traded imports of Canadian 
             grain. We fought for disaster aid time and time again. And 
             we joined to make sure a new farm bill was enacted in 
             2002.
               It is safe to say that without the active leadership and 
             support of Senator Daschle, we would not have had a new 
             farm bill in 2002. And if we had not written the bill in 
             2002, I firmly believe that mounting budget pressures 
             would have made it virtually impossible to write good 
             legislation in 2003 or 2004. So family farmers all across 
             this country, many of whom might not ever have heard of 
             Tom Daschle, have lost a champion.
               On the Finance Committee, Senator Daschle fought 
             passionately for better health care for all Americans. We 
             fought together to strengthen the Medicare Program and 
             improve payment rates for rural health care providers. We 
             fought to preserve the Medicaid Program, which provides a 
             health care safety net for the most vulnerable among us. 
             We fought to create the State Children's Health Insurance 
             Program, which expanded health coverage for children who 
             otherwise would have no insurance. And Senator Daschle 
             again and again took the lead on trying to reform our 
             health care system to make health care affordable and 
             accessible. So average workers all across the country who 
             worry about losing their health coverage or skyrocketing 
             health costs have lost a champion.
               And Senator Daschle took a special interest in working 
             on behalf of Native Americans. He has fought to bring 
             attention to the terrible epidemic of fetal alcohol 
             syndrome among Native Americans. And he has led the fight 
             to secure increased resources for the Indian Health 
             Service to help end the health care rationing that occurs 
             on too many reservations. He also has been a strong 
             proponent of the tribal colleges. His efforts have helped 
             put a college education within reach of many Native 
             Americans who might not otherwise get the opportunity. 
             Finally, Senator Daschle stood up and gave a voice to the 
             thousands and thousands of individual Indians seeking a 
             full accounting of their trust assets and fought to make 
             sure that the Federal Government fulfilled its trust 
             obligation. So Native Americans all across the country 
             have lost a champion.
               As Democratic leader, he continued to work on all these 
             issues. And because he was leader, he delivered real 
             results for real people, time and again. That was 
             especially the case when it came to causes important to 
             South Dakota. Senator Daschle tirelessly used his clout to 
             ensure that South Dakota's interests were protected.
               But Senator Daschle's role as a Senator and as a leader 
             cannot be summed up in a simple listing of the causes and 
             issues he championed, often without fanfare or great 
             recognition. The job of leader has often been compared to 
             herding cats. It is not easy, but Senator Daschle did an 
             outstanding job. Senator Daschle was a strong leader--and 
             a great Senator--because he didn't just listen to people, 
             he heard their concerns. He didn't just propose 
             compromises, he built consensus. It took enormous 
             patience, great flexibility, strong persuasive skills--and 
             a liberal dose of good humor and humbleness. It also meant 
             that much of what Senator Daschle accomplished was done 
             quietly behind the scenes. Too often, he did not get the 
             public credit he deserved for the painstaking hours he 
             spent building consensus and moving issues forward to 
             benefit the American people. Instead, he quietly stepped 
             back and let others take credit.
               You cannot be successful as a Senator, and especially as 
             a leader, if other Senators cannot trust you. Senator 
             Daschle may at times have left our colleagues on the other 
             side of the aisle frustrated by his mastery of Senate 
             rules and political tactics. But they always knew he was 
             someone they could deal with in good faith. They always 
             knew they could trust his word. And they always knew he 
             would work hard to achieve the result he had committed to.
               At the end of the day, that is the ultimate measure of 
             Senator Daschle's values--the values he and I learned 
             growing up in the Dakotas. He was honest, fair and hard-
             working. He gave credit to others. And he genuinely 
             respected his colleagues and enjoyed their company. South 
             Dakota, the Senate, and the Nation are losing a true 
             champion, in every sense of the word.
               As Senator Daschle goes on to other things, my wife Lucy 
             and I wish all the best to Tom and his wife, Linda.

               Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I would like to say a few 
             words about the man from whom I have stood across this 
             aisle the past 2 years--Tom Daschle.
               Tom, as we all know, is a good and decent man. He has a 
             big heart for the people of South Dakota, for every Member 
             of this body, and for all of the American people.
               He has devoted his life to public service--from serving 
             as an intelligence officer in the Air Force to serving 
             four terms in the House to serving three terms in the U.S. 
             Senate.
               That is seven times Tom Daschle has been reelected 
             statewide in South Dakota.
               Tom has been such a successful leader because he has 
             always put others first. This selflessness, this 
             sacrifice, is the quality that I admire most about Tom.
               Every year Tom returned to South Dakota for an 
             ``unscheduled driving'' tour. He would travel without 
             staff or a schedule--going wherever the road and the 
             people of South Dakota would take him.
               This driving tour helped him travel to each of South 
             Dakota's 66 counties--which he did every year.
               But, most important, it was his way of staying in touch 
             with the people who sent him time and time again to 
             Washington to represent them.
               Tom has served as the Democratic leader for 10 years 
             now. And those have been no easy 10 years for the Senate 
             or for America.
               The Senate itself has switched hands and back again. And 
             we have helped lead the Nation through wars and recession 
             and the horrific September 11 attacks.
               But throughout this Congress and throughout his career, 
             Tom Daschle has handled his job with grace and dignity. 
             And I have always seen in him a gentle, yet stirring 
             passion.
               I wish Tom and Linda and their family all the best in 
             the many years to come.

               Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay special 
             tribute to a group of men and women who have served over 
             the past 26 years as staff for Senator Tom Daschle in the 
             State of South Dakota. I join my colleagues in providing 
             the most heartfelt appreciation for the public service 
             career of Senator Daschle and that appreciation extends to 
             the work of his South Dakota staff.
               The people of South Dakota have benefited greatly over 
             the years from the work of Senator Daschle's staff. These 
             men and women worked tirelessly behind the scenes on 
             behalf of South Dakota constituents. They served as the 
             eyes and ears for Senator Daschle, maintaining contacts in 
             South Dakota communities, attending meetings on projects 
             and sitting down with individual constituents to discuss 
             matters of importance.
               Some of Senator Daschle's staff provided over two 
             decades of dedicated service to the people of South 
             Dakota. Their long hours of service, many of them spent 
             driving on country roads, sitting in coffee shops or 
             walking through drought-stricken corn and wheat fields, 
             underscored Senator Daschle's commitment to serve the 
             people of South Dakota.
               Senator Daschle's South Dakota staff truly reflect the 
             tireless work ethic, dedication, and professionalism that 
             he has exemplified to all the citizens of our State. 
             Whether attending economic development outreach meetings, 
             sacrificing holidays and weekends to travel with Senator 
             Daschle across South Dakota, or tending to the many 
             casework issues facing our constituents, Senator Daschle's 
             South Dakota staff has done a superb job.
               It is my hope that these valued members of Senator 
             Daschle's South Dakota staff recognize the importance of 
             their work and the great appreciation that many in South 
             Dakota hold for them for their great service.
               Senator Daschle's current South Dakota staff includes:

               Beth Smith, Betty Daschle, Jody Jordan, Maeve King, and 
             Virginia Newquist in the Aberdeen office; Ace Crawford, 
             Armon Gaddy, Dorothy Christensen, Jackie Heier, Georgeann 
             Johnson, Rose Larson, and Sheila Lane in the Rapid City 
             office; Bill Idema, Gene Dwyer, Jeff Wilka, Jenn Dolan, 
             Mark Gerhardt, Mary Peters, Michele Seaton, Nicole Deak, 
             Stephanie Devitt, Stephanie Koster Hoyme, Steve Dick, and 
             Steve Erpenbach, Senator Daschle's State director, in the 
             Sioux Falls office.

               The work of Senator Daschle and his staff will be 
             remembered by South Dakotans for many years to come. I 
             want to thank them for their work and service and wish 
             them all the very best.

               Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay special 
             tribute to a group of men and women who have served over 
             the past 26 years as staff for Senator Tom Daschle here in 
             Washington, both in his personal office and those who 
             served him as Democratic leader in the Senate for the past 
             10 years. Every Member of the Senate understands that our 
             success rests, in part, with the men and women we choose 
             to work with us on a daily basis in our offices. I join my 
             colleagues in providing the most heartfelt appreciation 
             for the public service career of Senator Daschle and that 
             appreciation extends to the extraordinary work of his 
             staff here in Washington.
               The people of South Dakota, members of the Senate 
             Democratic Caucus, and the institution of the Senate have 
             benefited greatly over the years from the hard work and 
             dedication of Senator Daschle's staff. These men and women 
             worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Whether it be his 
             personal staff or his leadership staff, every single 
             person has been dedicated to making our State a better 
             place to live, and to making our Nation safe and secure.
               Some of Senator Daschle's staff provided over two 
             decades of dedicated service to the people of South Dakota 
             and came with him to join his leadership staff. Their long 
             hours of service underscored Senator Daschle's commitment 
             to lead our caucus and to serve the people of South Dakota 
             and this Nation unselfishly. Senator Daschle's staff truly 
             reflect the tireless work ethic, dedication, and 
             professionalism that he has exemplified to all the 
             citizens of our State.
               While each and every member of Senator Daschle's staff 
             is dedicated, committed, and hard-working, I think three 
             long-serving members of his Washington staff should be 
             recognized separately. Those senior staff members are Pete 
             Rouse, who served in Senator Daschle's leadership office 
             as chief of staff, Nancy Erickson, his deputy chief of 
             staff in the Capitol, and Laura Petrou, the chief of staff 
             in his personal office. All three of these dedicated 
             individuals served the State of South Dakota and the 
             Senate Democratic Caucus unselfishly and with distinction.
               It is my hope that all of these valued members of 
             Senator Daschle's staff recognize the importance of their 
             work and the great appreciation that many in South Dakota 
             hold for them for their great service.
               Senator Daschle's current personal and leadership staff 
             in Washington includes:

               Aaron Fischbach, Amber Danter, Bart Chilton, Brad 
             Wolters, Brendan Hilley, Brian Hanafin, Chris Bois, Chris 
             VandeVenter, Chris Wagner, Christiana Gallagher, Chuck 
             Marr, Cindy Harris, Clint Highfill, Danny Franklin, 
             Darcell Savage, Denis McDonough, Grant Leslie, Jane 
             Loewenson, Jeff Nussbaum, Jennifer Duck, Jeri Thomson, 
             Jessica Leonard, Jessica Scheufele, Jim Oleske, Joan 
             Huffer, Jody Bennett, Jonathon Lehman, Kate Knudson, Kate 
             Leone, Kelly Fado, Lara Birkes, Larkin Barker, Laura 
             Petrou, Lisa Thimjon, Liz Dahan, Mark Childress, Matthew 
             Varilek, Michelle Singer, Molly Rowley, Nancy Erickson, 
             Nancy Hogan, Nick Bauer, Nick Papas, Pat Griffin, Pat 
             Sarcone, Pete Rouse, Phil Schiliro, Phillip Assmus, Randy 
             DeValk, Reid Cherlin, Sam Mitchell, Sarah Feinberg, Ted 
             Miller, Tim Mitrovich, Todd Webster, Tom McIntyre, and 
             Wizipan Garriott.

               The work of Senator Daschle and his staff will be 
             remembered by South Dakotans, and all the Senators and 
             staff who have served with them, for many years to come. I 
             want to thank them for their work and service and wish 
             them all the very best.

               Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to 
             submit the text of the attached resolution by the South 
             Dakota Farmers Union commemorating 26 years of service by 
             U.S. Senator Thomas A. Daschle.
               There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 
             printed in the Record, as follows:
              A Resolution Commemorating 26 Years of Service by United 
                          States Senator Thomas A. Daschle

               Whereas, Senator Tom Daschle has distinguished himself 
             as more than a reliable friend to South Dakota Farmers 
             Union and the cause of family-based agriculture, but more 
             so as a true hero to our cause; and,
               Whereas, Senator Daschle performed his duties faithfully 
             to better the lives and opportunities of all South 
             Dakotans, and conducted exemplary public service to South 
             Dakotans with the assistance of his highly resourceful, 
             talented and dedicated staff in his offices in Washington, 
             D.C., Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Aberdeen; and,
               Whereas, Senator Daschle championed the cause of ethanol 
             since his first campaign for the U.S. Congress, and is 
             chiefly responsible for its emergence as America's answer 
             to energy independence because of his relentless pursuit 
             of government support for its production and marketing; 
             and
               Whereas, Senator Daschle earned his reputation as 
             America's most important Member of Congress for the 
             advancement of legislation important to South Dakota 
             Farmers Union, the National Farmers Union and family-based 
             agriculture because of his sincere interest in promoting 
             America's rural economy and because of his generous nature 
             and approachability to all citizens seeking his assistance 
             in Washington, D.C.; and
               Whereas, Senator Daschle wisely used his influence and 
             leadership powers to the benefit of South Dakota, 
             resulting in unprecedented cooperation from urban states 
             to help advance the causes and unique, critical needs of 
             rural states and agriculture in the form of federal funds 
             and programs for agriculture, disaster aid, health care, 
             education, energy needs, air transportation, highway 
             maintenance, railways and water development; and
               Whereas, Senator Daschle's powerful resources and status 
             as Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader gave 
             South Dakota unprecedented influence to pass legislation 
             which was of the greatest benefit to all South Dakotans, 
             especially to rural communities, farms and ranches; and,
               Whereas, Senator Daschle was responsible for the 
             allocation of unprecedented federal funds to South Dakota 
             throughout his tenure in the United States Congress, and 
             that Senator Daschle's last term ended with victories for 
             South Dakota, including his quest to produce $2.9 billion 
             in disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers, against 
             the longstanding resistance and indifference of the 
             majority party in Congress and the White House; and,
               Whereas, Senator Daschle's great influence and power on 
             behalf of South Dakota and rural America will be missed in 
             the unfinished battles for a Renewable Fuels Standard, a 
             mandatory Country of Origin Labeling law, fair trade 
             policies which are not predatory to South Dakota 
             agriculture, sufficient drought relief, rural water 
             development and a progressive agricultural agenda which 
             supports a strong rural economy, as well as the fights to 
             preserve social security and Medicare, lower prescription 
             drug costs, and make health care coverage affordable and 
             available to all Americans;
               Now, therefore, we resolve that the Delegates of the 
             89th Convention of South Dakota Farmers Union commends and 
             highly appreciates the lifetime dedication and service of 
             Senator Thomas A. Daschle to improve the economy and the 
             quality of life in South Dakota and throughout the United 
             States.
                                              Friday, November 19, 2004

               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, when the Senate concludes its 
             business in the coming days, the congressional career of a 
             remarkable man will come to an end. After 26 years of 
             representing South Dakotans as their voice in Washington, 
             Senator Daschle will be leaving the Senate.
               His story is a classic one. As a young man from 
             Aberdeen, SD, Tom Daschle graduated from South Dakota 
             State University and immediately began 3 years of service 
             in the Air Force of the United States. After his service, 
             he got an early introduction to Washington as he went to 
             work for Senator Abourezk, eventually returning to South 
             Dakota to work out of the Senator's State offices.
               Tom was elected to Congress in 1978 and went on to serve 
             four terms in the House of Representatives before being 
             elected in 1986 to the Senate.
               After the resignation of George Mitchell in 1994, 
             Senator Daschle won a very tight race for minority leader. 
             I was proud to have supported him at that time. Nineteen-
             ninety-four was a difficult year for our party and we had 
             some serious soul searching to do. Tom displayed the 
             strong leadership that was necessary to take Democrats in 
             the Senate forward. That is why, after that first tight 
             election for leader, he was reelected unanimously as 
             leader each time thereafter. He has always been a man who 
             radiates optimism and hope, making him an excellent face 
             for our party.
               I have known Tom since he first came to this body in 
             1986. I closely followed his Senate race against James 
             Abdnor, and I was impressed by him. A few days after Tom 
             won that race, he and his wife Linda joined my family in 
             Vermont for Thanksgiving dinner. When they came to the 
             farm, my mother said to me, ``That is the nicest young man 
             I ever met.'' Well, she was right. Tom is a man of deep 
             resolve and strong character.
               The Nation saw that character exhibited in the days 
             following September 11. Senator Daschle showed the country 
             the importance of setting labels aside when he publicly 
             embraced President Bush. In the face of that terrible 
             tragedy, America united behind our leadership.
               Only a few short weeks later, Senator Daschle and I were 
             both targets of anthrax attacks--some of which killed 
             several people--in letters addressed to the two of us. I 
             know that the attacks brought home the reality of 
             terrorism to both of us, but also to the Senate community 
             as a whole.
               In the ensuing years, Senator Daschle continued to show 
             resolute leadership in the Senate, routinely reaching 
             across the aisle even when those on the other side of the 
             aisle were at their most partisan.
               On more than a few occasions, Senator Daschle and I have 
             joined together to work on a variety of national 
             legislative efforts. Together, we advocated for expanded 
             benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserve. 
             Senator Daschle has shown courage and resolve in holding 
             the line against the President's most objectionable 
             judicial nominations. We worked together on tort reform, 
             combating corporate crime, and efforts to help off-duty 
             police protect Americans. Those are just a few of the 
             initiatives on which we collaborated.
               But during that time, he has also been a strong voice 
             for South Dakota on those issues important to his 
             constituents. He has fought for improved health and 
             education for Indians. He has led efforts to expand health 
             services in rural areas and to prevent companies from 
             canceling retiree benefits without notice. He is well 
             known as a champion for ranchers and farmers in South 
             Dakota. In fact, he made sure their voices were always 
             heard. He worked to ensure they had drought aid, but also 
             he worked to do what a true South Dakotan would do: He 
             wanted to make sure they could compete on a level 
             playingfield.
               Despite a well-run campaign and putting forth his best 
             effort, Senator Daschle was not reelected to the Senate 
             this fall. The morning after election day, he gave a 
             speech before his supporters in Sioux Falls. He finished 
             that speech by recalling two memories. The first was of a 
             magnificent Washington skyline sunset he witnessed one 
             fall afternoon leaving his office in the Capitol. The 
             second was watching the Sun rise at Mount Rushmore with 
             his family, and the warm, sweet optimistic feeling 
             inspired by that sunrise. Tom said that, seeing both, he 
             likes sunrises better. I agree. For the past 18 years with 
             each daily sunrise, he sought to bring hope and optimism 
             to this body. He has worked to better his State and his 
             country, to ensure our children and grandchildren have a 
             brighter world in which to live. He is a remarkable friend 
             and colleague, and I thank him for his service to this 
             institution.
               If I can be very personal, in my 30 years in the Senate, 
             I have not known a more honest and more decent Senator 
             than Tom Daschle. I believe that part of our Senate fabric 
             and our Senate conscience leaves with this special person.

               Mr. FITZGERALD. I will miss people like Senator Byrd and 
             Senator Thurmond and all the others, the leaders with whom 
             I have had the privilege to serve.
               Senator Trent Lott was the majority leader when I 
             entered. For a period of time, Tom Daschle was the 
             majority leader. Now Senator Frist is the majority leader, 
             and soon Senator Harry Reid will be the minority leader. 
             Each one of those individuals is remarkable, in my 
             judgment. They have always been gentlemen of the highest 
             order, and they work very hard. They are very good at what 
             they do in representing their perspectives. They are good 
             and honorable people whom our country is lucky to have.

               Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, what we just heard on the 
             floor of the Senate captures the essence of this 
             remarkable body, the leadership, which dictates the 
             character, which dictates the fabric of the body that all 
             of us have the real privilege of participating in.
               I know several Members want to speak, so I will be very 
             brief. I take a moment to pay tribute to a truly 
             exceptional leader with whom I have had the honor to serve 
             alongside, and whom I have had the opportunity to serve 
             with over the last year. We first began working together 2 
             years ago, when I suddenly became majority leader of the 
             Senate. Oftentimes, we have been on the opposite side of 
             issues. But I want to say how much I deeply respect his 
             abilities and his judgment as a Senator, as Democratic 
             leader, and as a person.
               This environment is fiercely competitive, and as 
             leaders, both he and I are thrust into that competitive 
             environment. Yet Senator Daschle has always, without 
             exception, handled each and every situation in that 
             competition with class and with honesty, with integrity, 
             with forthrightness, and with true grace.
               Clearly, I have had the opportunity to learn from him 
             much more than I could have ever possibly given him in any 
             way. I was the beneficiary of that each and every day. 
             From that very first day that I became majority leader, he 
             has treated me in that position with respect and with that 
             very same grace. For that, I will forever be grateful.
               I wanted to pay tribute to Senator Daschle and close 
             with one reference. The great Daniel Webster once remarked 
             that the Senate is a community of equals, of men of 
             individual honor and personal character. Indeed, Senator 
             Tom Daschle is no exception. He is the epitome of that and 
             a great credit to this venerable institution. On behalf of 
             all of our colleagues, I wish all the best for Tom and 
             Linda and their entire family in the years ahead.

               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, all of us in the Senate 
             have just had an opportunity to hear an extraordinary 
             speech by the outgoing Democratic leader. We are indeed in 
             a very tough and competitive business. On the other hand, 
             when we enter this Chamber, we take on public 
             responsibility and have the obligation to deal with each 
             other in a civil and forthright manner. I think Senator 
             Daschle has always met that standard. We all admire his 
             work here. He is one of the longest serving leaders in the 
             history of the Senate. We wish him well in the coming 
             years. He can look back on his extraordinary career here 
             with great pride.

               Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, you can learn a lot about a 
             person by the way he handles winning, and you can learn 
             even more about someone by the way he handles and accepts 
             defeat. Tom Daschle does not know that I know this, but I 
             saw an e-mail he sent recently to someone on his staff.
               Tom Daschle was concerned about a man with whom he 
             talked one day late in the campaign when he was calling 
             undecided voters in his home State of South Dakota. The 
             man was not rich or powerful. He was just an average South 
             Dakota citizen.
               This man used to work for the government. He received 
             many awards at his work. This is what Tom Daschle wrote in 
             that e-mail:

               One day, the man started to suffer extreme stress and 
             even depression. The psychiatrist told him he had to 
             retire from his work . . . under a medical discharge. 
             Afterward, (the government) denied him a medical 
             retirement. They said it can only be for physical reasons.
               He was denied medical access and retirement pay. He has 
             since also had a heart attack. He asked me for help in 
             getting a medical retirement. I told him we would be happy 
             to try and would follow up.

               Tom Daschle in his e-mail went on to say:

               Could you have someone contact him and look into this? 
             It just doesn't seem right.

               The date on that e-mail was November 8, 6 days after the 
             election, 6 days after what had to be one of the most 
             heartbreaking losses in his life.
               The reason Tom Daschle got into politics in the first 
             place, the reason he ran for leadership positions in the 
             Senate, and the reason he worked his heart out for this 
             job was never to get rich or to get attention. He tried to 
             bring power to help the powerless, the average person, the 
             people to whom life had given some unfair breaks.
               Even now, until the minute he has to relinquish his 
             power, Tom Daschle is using his power to help people who 
             still look to him as their last best hope.
               Golda Meir once famously told a political rival: ``Don't 
             be humble. You're not that great.''
               But Tom Daschle is great enough and good enough to be 
             truly humble. He will never talk about all the people he 
             helped, all the people to whom he has given hope, but I 
             can tell you there are people all across South Dakota and 
             all across America whose lives are better because Tom 
             Daschle was in the Senate.
               ``It just doesn't seem right''--that is what Tom Daschle 
             wrote in that e-mail, and it just doesn't seem right that 
             we are going to have a Senate without Tom Daschle to keep 
             fighting for what is all good and decent about America.
               My consolation is that I know Tom and Linda and their 
             family will find another noble way to continue serving 
             this Nation, defending the values we cherish and making 
             life better for people who need a champion.
               Someone noted that this is a cruel business, and it is. 
             There are three ways to leave the Senate. Two of them are 
             not very good. In this situation, we have seen a man who 
             has given 26 years of his personal life to South Dakota 
             and to the Nation, and he made a decision a year ago to 
             retire. In the past year, I am sure there would have been 
             a succession of tributes, dinners, schools, and highways 
             and bridges being named after him and maybe statues and 
             plaques commissioned. But instead, he stood for election. 
             He had the courage to stand again. Although he did not 
             succeed, I hope the people of South Dakota realize that he 
             was a man who loved them throughout his political life and 
             those of us who were honored to call him a friend and a 
             colleague love him and will miss him.

               Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, when the 109th Congress 
             convenes this coming January, the Senate will be a poorer 
             place for not having Tom Daschle among its Members.
               By nature, Tom Daschle is a South Dakotan to the core, 
             born and raised and regularly returning to his hometown of 
             Aberdeen, with a population today of not quite 25,000. He 
             was the eldest of four children in a family who knew the 
             meaning of hard work and family. He went to college, the 
             first in his family to do so, at South Dakota State 
             University, some 150 miles from his home. When his 
             colleagues elected him Democratic leader, Tom Daschle 
             asked an old friend back in South Dakota, as he told us on 
             the floor only a few moments ago, for advice, and was 
             promptly told: Never forget where you came from.
               That was something Tom Daschle knew without being told. 
             If he had set out to forget where he came from, he could 
             not have done it. The unscheduled driving tour that he 
             made every year around South Dakota was a kind of 
             pilgrimage. It did not create his close ties to South 
             Dakota and its people; rather, it reflected them. As an 
             editorial published on November 6 in Tom's hometown 
             newspaper, the Aberdeen American News, noted, ``Personal 
             stories abound of how Daschle and his staff have been able 
             to get things done for the average South Dakotan.''
               The editorial concluded with a tribute worth quoting:

               On behalf of all the thousands of people you have 
             helped, we would like to offer you our deep gratitude and 
             respect. With quiet dignity, you fought for the State that 
             raised you and which still so obviously holds a special 
             place in your heart. Thanks, Tom, and good luck.

               If by nature Tom is a South Dakotan, by choice he is a 
             public servant. After receiving his college degree in 
             1969, he served 3 years in the Air Force Strategic Air 
             Command, one of the relatively small number of Members now 
             serving in the Congress who served in the military in that 
             period. And he has remained a forceful advocate for 
             veterans throughout all his years in public office.
               He entered the House of Representatives after a vote so 
             close that it took a recount almost a full year, and Tom 
             became known as ``Landslide'' Daschle.
               Following his service in the House in 1986, he was 
             elected to the Senate. In his 18 years in this body, Tom's 
             agenda for action on behalf of the people of South Dakota 
             has focused on health care, education, the outdoors, 
             security and safety, economic opportunity, and rural life. 
             Any State would be doubly fortunate to have an agenda and 
             an advocate as dedicated and skillful as Tom Daschle.
               By temperament, Tom Daschle is a Democrat in the 
             fundamental meaning of that word--respectful of others, a 
             scrupulous listener, seeking consensus in the middle 
             ground on complex and controversial issues.
               Time magazine has accurately described his instinct for 
             courtesy, reputation for humility, a willingness to 
             compromise, and a sense of Midwestern civility.
               Tom Daschle's steadiness and reasonableness made him 
             especially well-suited to assume the responsibilities of 
             majority leader in that painful period when the country 
             was dealt successive hammerblows by a recession, the 
             crisis in the capital markets, and, above all, the tragic 
             attacks of 9/11 and their aftermath.
               While others shouted at fever pitch, Tom Daschle never 
             raised his voice because it is not in his temperament to 
             do so. His calm manner was profoundly reassuring to 
             worried Americans, as was the strength of his resolve.
               In the end, it is Tom Daschle's own words that tell us 
             all we need to know about him.
               They explain why he is so respected around his State and 
             here in the Senate. His November 3 statement to the people 
             of South Dakota who support and love him speaks again and 
             again of gratitude--gratitude for the opportunity to 
             serve, gratitude to his family, gratitude to his devoted 
             staff, gratitude to the State that is his extended family. 
             It speaks of belief--in our people, in the future, in what 
             can be accomplished by people working together. It speaks 
             of work--of work yet to be done. And it speaks of hope.
               On November 3, Tom compared the sunset over the Mall 
             with the sunrise over Mount Rushmore and concluded, 
             ``Having seen sunsets and sunrises, I like sunrises 
             better.''
               There is no question of Tom's public service having 
             ended; the only question is the direction it will now 
             take. Tom Daschle has honored Teddy Roosevelt's dictum 
             that ``Far and away the best prize that life offers is the 
             chance to work hard at work worth doing.''
               It has been my privilege to work with so dedicated and 
             honorable a public servant, a dear friend. I like to think 
             that our work together on behalf of the people of this 
             great country will continue as we move on into the future.

               Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I wish to join my colleagues 
             in complimenting Senator Daschle for his years of service. 
             I did not really know Tom Daschle when he served in the 
             House. I have had the pleasure of serving with him for the 
             last 18 years in the Senate. Many of those years we were 
             both in leadership, and I will just say our relationship 
             has always been very good.
               Having the pleasure of working with Tom Daschle and 
             Harry Reid, both for whom I have great respect, many times 
             we were political adversaries, but we were always friends. 
             We never had a heated exchange, maybe elevated on 
             occasion, but we always were friends and we could always 
             shake hands at the time we might have somewhat of a heated 
             discussion. We would always remain friends, and he 
             continues to be my friend to this day.
               I compliment him for his many years of public service to 
             his State of South Dakota, for his service in the House of 
             Representatives, his service to the Senate, and his 
             service as the Democrat leader. He is a very competent 
             individual, speaker, and representative of his viewpoint, 
             and he happens to be my friend. I wish Tom Daschle and his 
             wife Linda all the best for the future.

               Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am going to be very 
             brief. For many of us who knew Tom Daschle and know Tom 
             Daschle, we never thought this day would come. We never 
             thought Tom would really be defeated in an election. I 
             thought a lot about that. Why? I mean, this man is such a 
             good man. He is such a good friend. He is a good leader. I 
             do not know anyone who cares more about their State and 
             who has worked harder.
               He talked about the State's energy sufficiency, and it 
             was Tom Daschle's sheer will of support to develop an 
             ethanol industry for the State. I know because I tangled 
             with him year after year because from a California 
             perspective this was not such a good idea; from a South 
             Dakota perspective, it was. For Tom, his State always came 
             first.
               I thought he was unbeatable. He is for the little 
             people. I remember being in the State. I remember hearing 
             him talk about the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the 
             state of the people in Pine Ridge and how deeply he felt. 
             When he feels very deeply, his voice gets that quaver and 
             it drops low.
               This is a very hard day for many of us. As I went down 
             the aisle to embrace Tom, two people said this really is a 
             tough business. And, in fact, it is a tough business.
               I also want to say that Tom Daschle was a great leader 
             for our caucus. Many of us on many days watched him 
             convince, cajole, push, and bring us together when we had 
             to be together. We watched him on the Senate floor in the 
             middle of the night, early in the morning, late in the 
             day, always gracious, always patient, always articulate. 
             We never had to worry about Tom Daschle's integrity or his 
             credibility.
               I still wonder, how could he be beat? This is such a 
             good man, such a good leader, such a good State 
             representative. For me and my husband he was a personal 
             friend. When Dick was in Washington, early in the morning 
             he would run with Tom and they would talk about all kinds 
             of things. The run was always a good one and my husband 
             would come home and always say what a great guy Tom 
             Daschle is.
               I think for all of us we wish him all the best. For me, 
             I do not believe this man has reached his potential yet. I 
             think he still has enormous gifts to give to this Nation, 
             to his State, and I believe he will, perhaps in a 
             different way. Perhaps we will see him come back in a 
             different form. For Tom Daschle, these 10 years were very 
             special years and for us we were so privileged because we 
             had an opportunity to be led by a good man, by a great 
             friend, and by a great leader.

               Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. President, I first join the voices of 
             my friends and my colleagues in talking about our dear and 
             great friend, Tom Daschle, with whom I had the privilege 
             to serve for the last 6 years, and to be led by for the 
             last 6 years. I have never known a better human being or a 
             better public servant than Tom Daschle. He is a good, 
             honest, decent, and honorable man. The Senate will miss 
             him. The country has benefited from his long and 
             extraordinary service.
               My thanks to my leader, to our leader, Senator Daschle, 
             for the work he has done and the leadership he has shown 
             and the grace and strength and courage he has shown in 
             leading in very difficult times, as others have said. He 
             is a good and decent man and we all look up to him and 
             respect him.

               Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would like to make some 
             comments  about  our  friends  who  are  departing  the  
             Senate. * * *
               I want to finish my remarks by saying Tom Daschle is a 
             man of great courage and compassion and wisdom, quiet 
             leadership. I think today as we listened to his remarks, 
             his farewell to the Senate, we saw his goodness, we saw 
             his intelligence, and as my senior Senator said, it is 
             tough to imagine people wanting something different than 
             what Tom Daschle offered them. But that is what it is 
             about. It is about elections.
               I say that Tom Daschle will go down as a great leader of 
             this Senate, as a man who put issues ahead of his own 
             personal gain. I think he is a role model for each and 
             every one of us. He is a class act.
               I say to him and Linda, Godspeed. I know that in future 
             years you will be very much on the scene because you have 
             so much to offer. You have such a sense of history and 
             such a sense of the future. It is bittersweet. But it is 
             an honor to have known Tom.
               Thank you very much.

               Mr. DAYTON. * * * I want to join my colleagues in 
             expressing my highest personal regard for Senator Daschle. 
             It is, like others, a hard time for me. It was very hard 
             in the next day after the election to hear the results in 
             South Dakota. I have always had and will continue to have 
             the greatest respect for the democratic process in this 
             country. It is the ultimate and appropriate judgment of 
             the people. I felt that way even when I disagreed with the 
             verdicts they rendered.
               I must say to the very slightest of majority, the voters 
             of my neighboring State in South Dakota, with all due 
             respect to them and their rightful judgment, that in my 
             humble opinion you were wrong. You cannot fully understand 
             the extraordinary leader, the superb public servant, and 
             the phenomenal human being you had in Tom Daschle as your 
             Senator, and as all of us in his caucus knew we had in our 
             Democratic leader.
               What makes it so hard is he has been taken away from us 
             despite our wishes, and taken away from the country. And 
             it is very hard. It is hard, frankly, to hear all the 
             false praise of someone who went beyond the boundaries of 
             comity, of bipartisanship, of deserved respect for a 
             leader, who campaigned against Tom, who violated the 
             boundaries of his own State and disparaged him; and, most 
             recently, the comments of the incoming chairwoman of the 
             Republican Senate Campaign Committee which were untrue, 
             unwarranted, and just plain foul. Tom Daschle has too much 
             decency to say so.
               That was the irony in and the indecency of those 
             remarks. They were directed after the election, after the 
             victory against the most decent man I have ever met in 
             politics, Tom Daschle. He is a gentleman in the very best 
             sense of that word: strong in his principles, firm in his 
             convictions, fierce in his dedication to serving the 
             people of South Dakota and their best interests, but a 
             gentleman in his decency, his personal respect and the 
             senatorial courtesies he extended to every one of his 
             colleagues.
               But Tom, being the man he is, would not want me to end 
             on such a note. So I will not. I end by thanking him, 
             thanking him for his leadership over the last 4 years, 
             from the time during which I have been privileged to serve 
             under his leadership, for mentoring me, giving me the 
             opportunities I have had in committee assignments, to 
             listening to me and offering his astute guidance and 
             experience and wisdom. I thank him for showing me by his 
             living example every day and every night in the Senate 
             what it means to be a great Senator, what it entails, the 
             dedication, the hard work, the hours, the travel; what it 
             means when you can do what Tom Daschle has done for his 
             State to save people's lives, to improve people's lives, 
             create new opportunities for young and old, what he has 
             done for his country, what he has done for people who are 
             not his constituents who cannot even thank him and won't 
             be able to vote for him. But that did not matter because 
             he had the opportunity and he seized the opportunity to do 
             things that benefited their lives.
               Thank you, Tom Daschle. Thank you for being a superb 
             leader. Thank you for being a great Senator. Thank you for 
             being a phenomenal human being. I wish you well.

               Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, we could not help but 
             note the sadness we all experienced as our friend and 
             leader, Tom Daschle, made his goodbye speech. As usual, 
             when Tom Daschle spoke, it had meaning, substance. He 
             certainly had that as he closed his chapter here--I hope 
             not his book, just his chapter.
               He talked about things he cared about and people he 
             cared about and what it is that drove him to take this 
             job. Everyone knows how difficult a task being a leader in 
             the Senate is. It is not always realized outside this 
             Chamber how hard one has to work to please so many, to 
             sacrifice so much in terms of personal life.
               Tom Daschle, our leader, distinguished Senator from 
             South Dakota, outstanding leader--not just for this side 
             of the aisle but the entire country. He lost an extremely 
             tough, close race a couple of weeks ago.
               Tom Daschle is the stuff of which so many of our lives 
             in the Senate are made.
               It is a sad day. It is not just a sad day for me, who 
             treasured the friendship I had with Tom Daschle, listened 
             carefully to his words and followed, for the most part, 
             the directions he portrayed for all Members here, it is a 
             sad day, obviously, for Tom Daschle's family; it is a sad 
             day for the Senate and a sad day for everyone in this 
             great country of ours.
               I said Tom is the stuff of which so many of our lives 
             are made. It is quite hard to see in this place of 
             splendor the route so many Members took to get here. There 
             is a substantial difference in age between Tom Daschle and 
             me but I had a similar experience. I was the first in my 
             family to go to college. My parents were hard-working 
             people. They did not work on a farm but they worked in the 
             store. They worked in the mills. My father worked in the 
             silk mills of Patterson, NJ, a factory town.
               What was the legacy they imparted? It was to work hard, 
             to believe in America, to believe in yourself. Try to 
             achieve a degree of respect and dignity. That is what my 
             father did for me, even after I had enlisted in the Army 
             and he was on his deathbed from cancer. The messages were 
             all profound: work, study, learn.
               He took me into his factory one time and said: You must 
             never work like this, so dirty, so dusty, so noisy, so 
             dangerous. He knew it was dangerous, that there were 
             chemicals in the weaving of that silk fabric to keep it 
             from growing too brittle, to keep the machinery oiled. It 
             took my father, his brother, their father, at very young 
             ages.
               When we hear Tom Daschle talk about his background, how 
             his parents worked to provide him with not the funds but 
             the incentive to make something of his life, to give 
             something back to America, we know Tom Daschle is a model 
             for so many to follow, with that commitment to decency and 
             honor.
               It is a sad day when we reflect on what happened in Tom 
             Daschle's last race. He wanted to be here. We wanted him 
             to be here. Tom has been an effective leader for us for 10 
             years. The Republicans threw everything they could at him, 
             including some $20 million in that race, including some 
             insults in recent days. And then to not permit the man to 
             leave with grace and hold his head high--no, called him an 
             obstructionist.
               I know when the shoe is on the other foot what happens, 
             when the minority has to fight like the devil to keep from 
             being rolled over by the majority. We saw it when we were 
             in charge. How I miss those days when we were in charge. 
             The Republican Party, the minority party, they did their 
             filibustering. They did their obstruction. They did the 
             things needed to protect the interests they thought served 
             their constituents, their States, and their country.
               It was ungracious when the Republican side could not 
             find enough of their Members to sit here out of respect. I 
             remember being here when Bob Dole left and I could not 
             wait to sit in my chair and salute his contribution to 
             America and to this body, because, although Bob Dole could 
             disagree with you, he was always interested in the well-
             being of the country. You saw it from the result of his 
             service to country and the military.
               I do not know why, in the closing days, some element of 
             comity, some element of grace, some element of respect for 
             a human being could not have gotten some of our friends 
             out of their offices to come down to the floor. You saw 
             the applause. The applause that I paid most of the 
             attention to was from the people who work back here, the 
             people who saw Tom Daschle at work every day. They know 
             what he meant to them personally, to this country, to this 
             institution. That is why they stood and applauded so 
             vigorously. You saw Tom's colleagues standing here, hating 
             to let go, hating to let him leave the room. They did it 
             with their applause and their hugs, their glances, and 
             their tears.
               So we are sorry that the Tom Daschle segment of service 
             to this country and to this body is over. As usual, as 
             always, there was a characteristic graciousness in his 
             departure, in acknowledging that he had lost the race. 
             Everyone here has some sense of how painful it could be, 
             especially being leader of the party, especially when they 
             threw everything in the book at him that they could pick 
             up.
               It is not going to be easy to forget Tom Daschle. We are 
             going to miss him. He had wonderful service to country. He 
             served as an intelligence officer in the Air Force for 3 
             years. He won his first race. Many cited the chronology of 
             his climb to leader of the Democratic Senate. He carved 
             out a national reputation. People knew who he was, but he 
             never forgot his South Dakota constituents.
               We heard him talk about them. He talked about traveling 
             to each of the State's counties every year as an 
             unscheduled driving tour, where he stopped at the local 
             clubs, the Elks Club, the cattle auctions, the health 
             clinics, schools, cafes, police stations, or any other 
             place where people could gather to hear him talk about 
             what was on his mind, and to listen to them talk about 
             what was on their mind.
               Tom has been an effective legislator. His aim: to help 
             his constituents, help his country, help those who were 
             less fortunate across America. He fought hard for small 
             farmers in his State.
               We did not always agree. Those of us who come from an 
             urban environment disagreed with some of the votes he 
             took. But he always remembered from whence he came. He 
             fought hard for the people that he believed in, for Native 
             Americans from his State, veterans exposed to Agent 
             Orange. I joined him in that fight because I always 
             believed anyone who had any remote contact, no matter how 
             remote or how short a period of time, with Agent Orange 
             should be treated as any other veteran or any other 
             soldier who had a wound because we know what Agent Orange 
             has done to so many who have served so well, so loyally in 
             a war we could not agree on, much like what we are seeing 
             now in our country. And we had to respect his insistence 
             that we remember these people, the seniors, and the people 
             in the rural parts of the country where the economy has 
             never really been robust.
               Nature always takes its toll. But Tom insisted we fight 
             back, that we make sure the farm community continued to 
             exist in this country so we could produce the nutrition 
             that is so vital--the products we all use so regularly.
               And Tom is so young looking, soft spoken, self-effacing, 
             and fundamentally decent. He was actually mistaken for a 
             paperboy one time. But beneath that wonderful exterior, 
             that almost placid view of things, there was a spine of 
             steel. He could get up and fight hard and fight for the 
             issues. His leadership for us--and, believe me, it was not 
             easy. It is not easy on the Democratic side, it is not 
             easy on the Republican side, I am sure, to pull everybody 
             together because each of us has differences that come from 
             our geography, from our State, from the culture within our 
             States. But the fact is, Tom could get us together on the 
             most difficult issues, not always 100 percent, not always 
             in victory, but always with vigor and always with 
             commitment.
               Tom has devoted practically all his entire life to 
             public service. We are going to miss his leadership, his 
             counsel, and his friendship.
               In my closing comments to him I said: We are saying kind 
             of so long but hopefully not really goodbye. We want to 
             hear from Tom Daschle. I have made a plea to him that he 
             stays involved with the public interest. I hope he is 
             going to do that. Tom will have many offers for commercial 
             development and to make lots more money, but he feels an 
             obligation down deep, as I would think most of us or all 
             of us do here, to try to do something that counts.
               I encourage him and his great wife Linda to get through 
             this difficult period. It is not easy when you are the 
             leader to lose a race. It is never easy, but it is 
             particularly difficult when you have had leadership 
             responsibilities.
               So my message to Tom is: Tom, keep that spine of steel. 
             Keep that interest that you have in the well-being of our 
             society, in the belief that America can recover from all 
             kinds of difficulties, some of the worst that we are 
             facing right now. It is not just the war, as painful as 
             that is.
               I have a display in front of my office of young faces, 
             of people, many of whom are in their teens, late teens, 
             18, 19. I enlisted in the Army when I was 18. I did not 
             realize then I was such a baby. I realize now that 18 is 
             so, so young. But I have those photographs there as 
             reminders about what the price of this war really is. It 
             is not just the financial side, which is enormous. It is 
             not just the humiliation side, which is enormous, the 
             humiliation because we failed to have the appropriate 
             intelligence, intelligence to tell us even most recently 
             how difficult Fallujah was going to be. We underestimated, 
             and as a consequence the costs are heavy. In the last 
             week, we lost two people from New Jersey. There are now 
             over 1,200 who have died in the course of that fight.
               But again, Tom Daschle, and I think all of us here, have 
             to continue to fight for what is right. We can endure our 
             differences here. I will tell you what we cannot endure. 
             We cannot endure the bitterness that exists across the 
             dividing line here. We cannot endure the vitriol that is 
             constant in this room of ours. We cannot endure the anger 
             that exists. We have a cause that is greater than all of 
             us.
               I am not saying it all comes flowing this way, but I am 
             saying it is unpleasant. It is now 22 years since I 
             arrived in the Senate. I remember different days. I 
             remember days when you could disagree and still be able to 
             say hello without grimacing when you saw one of your 
             colleagues. Lord willing, I hope Tom Daschle taught us 
             some of that, with his graciousness, his characteristic 
             willingness to listen and to understand and get back to 
             you when a problem existed.
               So, Mr. President, I am going to yield the floor, but I 
             do want to talk about our other colleagues who are 
             retiring in a few minutes. There are a lot of good people 
             here on both sides of the aisle.

               Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, while the Senate 
             is holding in abeyance for the final omnibus 
             appropriations bill that the House is getting ready to 
             file sometime tonight, I want to take the opportunity to 
             pay tribute to our retiring Senators: Tom Daschle, Fritz 
             Hollings, Don Nickles, John Breaux, Ben Nighthorse 
             Campbell, John Edwards, Peter Fitzgerald, Zell Miller, and 
             Bob Graham.
               I wish to make a speech about each one of these Senators 
             who has become a dear friend, in some cases, over the 
             years, such as Fritz and Peatsy Hollings, who took special 
             interest in me as I came to the Senate and made sure I got 
             on his Commerce Committee, which has been just an 
             extraordinary experience with him as chairman, as well as 
             with the present chairman, John McCain. * * *
               There is a special part in my heart for Tom Daschle. We 
             came to the Congress together in 1978. Among the freshman 
             class in the House of Representatives that year, we knew 
             Tom as ``Landslide'' Daschle. He won his race for Congress 
             by 14 votes. Of course, he says that was a big percentage 
             of the total vote in South Dakota at that time.
               We saw him grow over the years into a great Democratic 
             leader, both minority and majority leader of the Senate, 
             and we saw the pressure that Tom was under.
               Who here would not remember exactly where you were and 
             what you were doing on September 11, 2001. We were in a 
             leadership meeting only a few feet from here on the West 
             Front of the Capitol watching the television of the World 
             Trade Center, and had tried to resume our meeting when 
             someone burst through the door and said: The Pentagon's 
             been hit.
               We leapt to the window looking west across the Mall in 
             the southwest direction of the Pentagon and saw the black 
             smoke rising.
               People went their separate ways. I leapt to a telephone 
             to try to get word to my wife because we had just moved 
             into an apartment overlooking the southwest corner of the 
             Pentagon.
               That day I remember so vividly seeing the Constitution 
             at work, because as I came back into the room and saw the 
             people pouring out of the majority leader's office, under 
             the orders of the Capitol Police to get out of the 
             building, evacuate immediately, I saw the security people 
             of the Capitol Police take Tom in a different direction to 
             an undisclosed location where he, along with the rest of 
             the congressional leadership, was to be sequestered as a 
             protection of this constitutional government and its 
             continuity.
               Tom grew a lot in those ensuing days. That was in the 
             morning, sometime right after 10 on September 11. I 
             remember that evening, as dark fell, Members of the House 
             and the Senate of all parties on the East Front steps of 
             the U.S. Capitol holding hands and singing ``God Bless 
             America'' to demonstrate in what little way we could that 
             those who sought to strike us down were going to see the 
             resolve and the unity of the Government of the United 
             States.
               I could keep going on about Tom, but we heard his 
             comments today. Of course it is with a heavy heart that we 
             see Tom leave this Chamber. It is under circumstances that 
             I hope we never see replicated.
               There has to be civility in this body. There has to be a 
             mutual respect. There has to be a respect for the truth. 
             There has to be respect for the dignity of individuals and 
             their families. Have we lost our compass? Have we lost our 
             anchor? Have we lost our sense of human beings?
               This Senator can do something about that, as I have 
             tried in the past, by the way I conduct myself with regard 
             to my relationship to other Senators in wanting to treat 
             others as I would like to be treated. Now that the 
             fractiousness and the divisiveness of this highly 
             partisan, highly ideological, rigid time of debate is 
             behind us, it is my hope this Senate can start to come 
             together for the good of the people, even as we approach 
             another election time. It is for the sake of the Nation 
             that we must do this. * * *
               So for all of these names I have mentioned, in the great 
             poem ``Ulysses,'' he says, ``I am a part of all that I 
             have met,'' and I am a part of all these great Senators. I 
             am much richer for it and for having been their friend.

               Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in these final working days 
             of the 108th Congress, as so many speakers before me have 
             said, we are saying farewell to a number of our retiring 
             colleagues. I intend to speak about a couple of them this 
             evening and will have more to say about some of the others 
             tomorrow.
               A most painful farewell will be to my good friend 
             Senator Tom Daschle. I do not know that I have heard a 
             more heartfelt, soul-searching, and inspirational speech 
             about what a Senator should be, ought to be, and must be 
             than the speech given by our great leader Senator Daschle 
             earlier this evening.
               As I sat and listened to that speech, especially when he 
             talked about Dick Reiners, my mind went back to 1978 when 
             I was just a second-term Congressman from the State of 
             Iowa and I was asked to go campaign in South Dakota for 
             this young guy running for the House whose name was Tom 
             Daschle. His former employer, Senator Jim Abourezk, came 
             to Iowa to campaign for me and asked me to reciprocate. 
             Because I had been active in some farm issues and 
             agricultural issues, he asked me to campaign in South 
             Dakota, and I did.
               I struck up a friendship with Tom Daschle at that point 
             that endures to this day and will endure forever. So I 
             would go out and campaign for him and then he would come 
             and campaign for me and I would campaign and we would go 
             back and forth from Iowa to South Dakota. Of course, we 
             shared a common border up at Sioux City. Much of Sioux 
             Falls's television comes into Iowa. Much of Sioux City's 
             goes into South Dakota. So we have shared kind of a common 
             area there of constituents, constituencies over all these 
             years.
               So it is a painful farewell to my good friend Tom 
             Daschle. These days, there are fewer and fewer bipartisan 
             agreements in this body. But I sense today that there was 
             bipartisan agreement about Tom Daschle. We respect his 
             decency, his fairness, his courage and leadership, his 
             extraordinary capacity for hard work. I cannot imagine a 
             more difficult job in the Senate than being leader of the 
             Democratic caucus. We have all heard Will Rogers's quip 
             that he belonged to no organized party, he was a Democrat.
               Those independent, hard-headed habits flourish within 
             our caucus. For the last decade, Tom Daschle's amazing 
             skills and unlimited patience have brought us together as 
             a team. That is an accomplishment of which he can be very 
             proud.
               The President of the United States, it is said, has the 
             persuasion of power. But the leader of our Senate 
             Democratic caucus has only the power of persuasion. I 
             cannot imagine anyone more persuasive than Senator Tom 
             Daschle. He has always been willing to talk with us, 
             accommodate us whenever possible, to do whatever it takes, 
             however long it takes, to forge a consensus and move us 
             ahead. We are grateful. I am grateful for his leadership, 
             his diligence, for his grace that he has unfailingly 
             brought to this job as our leader. I cannot emphasize 
             enough this fairness and this underlying grace of this 
             wonderful human being. Unfailingly fair to all.
               When Democrats were in the majority, Majority Leader 
             Daschle was respectful of the rights and the prerogatives 
             of our Republican minority. Conversely, as our minority 
             leader, he has steadfastly defended the rights and the 
             prerogatives of the Democratic minority. In the heat of a 
             partisan campaign, some have labeled this 
             ``obstructionism,'' but that characterization is 
             incorrect. The duty of the opposition party is to present 
             compelling alternatives, and to do so fairly, 
             forthrightly, and within the rules of the Senate. The duty 
             of the leader of our opposition is to protect the rights 
             of the minority so that our voice and our votes can be 
             heard; so that we can speak out and offer a different way, 
             a different path. That is our duty as opposition. Senator 
             Daschle protected the rights of the minority, so important 
             in our country, not just in the Senate, but important for 
             us as a country.
               If there is one thing that is pervasive in our 
             Constitution and our Bill of Rights, it is just that; it 
             is the protection of the minority so the minority can be 
             heard. That is so the minority's voice and votes will be 
             counted. That is exactly what Senator Daschle has done. 
             There is not one hint of obstructionism. What he has done 
             is to protect and enhance the rights of the minority, and 
             he did it with skill and persistence, with fairness and 
             with grace.
               Over all these years of service with Tom Daschle in the 
             House and in the Senate, I have always respected how he 
             fought and advocated for his constituents in South Dakota. 
             No one has fought harder in the House and in the Senate 
             for the revitalization of rural America than Tom Daschle. 
             No one has fought harder to bring health care and good 
             schools and economic opportunity to Indian country. No one 
             has fought harder to increase the income of family farmers 
             and give them a fair shake in the marketplace.
               Another jewel in the crown of Tom Daschle's legacy is 
             the emerging ethanol industry in the United States. Since 
             Tom arrived in Congress in 1978, he has been a relentless 
             champion of ethanol. He mentioned that in his farewell 
             speech today. I know he was a relentless champion because 
             I was there, too, during those early years. People said 
             those of us who were advocating the expanded use of 
             ethanol didn't have a chance against big oil. But Senator 
             Daschle persevered. He used the 1990 Clean Air Act to put 
             in place policies that gave birth to the ethanol industry 
             in our country. He continued to promote tax incentives and 
             a renewable fuel standard to advance ethanol and to move 
             our country toward energy independence.
               No doubt about it, Senator Daschle's leadership on 
             ethanol brought us to where we are today in the production 
             of this renewable and clean fuel in America. His 
             leadership on ethanol will be greatly missed in the 
             future.
               It has been a privilege to serve in this body with Tom 
             Daschle. I will miss him as a colleague. I will miss his 
             leadership, that fairness, that gentleness of nature, but 
             that steely determination to make sure that our views and 
             our votes were counted; that steely determination to make 
             sure that people who live in small towns in rural America 
             are not forgotten, that their interests are protected 
             here. I will miss him as a friend. Oh, I am not going to 
             lose contact with Tom and Linda. My wife and I will 
             continue to count them as good friends. But I will miss 
             him as a friend here in the Senate.
               As Tom Daschle said today, he has always been an 
             optimist. I have never known Tom Daschle to ever utter a 
             pessimistic word. For him the sunrise was always better 
             than the sunset. So the Sun rises on a new chapter in Tom 
             Daschle's life. That Sun is going to be bright. It is 
             going to be bright because of who Tom Daschle is, what he 
             is. So there are going to be some new days and important 
             chapters ahead written in the life of Tom Daschle. Both 
             Ruth and I wish Tom and Linda and his family the very best 
             in the years ahead.
               We will continue to look forward to his input into the 
             political life of America and into the common wheel that 
             binds us as a country.
               I thank the Chair and yield the floor.

               Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues 
             in saying thank you to a great Senator, a great American, 
             a wonderful leader, and a dear friend, Senator Tom Daschle 
             of South Dakota. In Hawaiian we say, mahalo nui loa. 
             ``Mahalo'' means thank you; ``nui'' means large; and 
             ``loa'' means wide. It is used to convey profound and deep 
             gratitude. I want to say mahalo nui loa to Tom Daschle for 
             his great service to our country and to the Senate as an 
             institution.
               During his 26 years in the House and Senate, Tom Daschle 
             has epitomized the ideal that we can disagree without 
             being disagreeable. His prairie optimism and can-do 
             attitude served his constituents well and served our 
             Democratic caucus well.
               I have always marveled at the fact that despite his 
             responsibilities as majority leader and Democratic leader, 
             Tom Daschle always kept the needs and interests of South 
             Dakotans as his top priority. He never lost sight of the 
             people back home. Perhaps that is best reflected by his 
             annual ``unscheduled driving'' tour, when he drives across 
             his home State, visiting every county, with no staff and 
             no schedule, just Tom, stopping to visit his constituents 
             and hear what is on their minds.
               As Senator Daschle has said, these visits remind him of 
             where he came from, and why he came to Washington--to put 
             the priorities of America first. For that, and for so much 
             more, I say mahalo nui loa, Tom Daschle. Godspeed. God 
             bless Tom and his wife Linda.
               This comes from me and my wife Millie. Aloha.

               Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I know the hour is getting late 
             and others want to be heard, but I briefly want to express 
             some thoughts about our colleagues who are leaving this 
             wonderful body. Today we have heard some very compelling 
             speeches, particularly the one given by my good friend, 
             Tom Daschle of South Dakota, our Democratic leader.
               I was pleased to see so many of our colleagues remain on 
             the floor to listen to the departing Democratic leader. 
             The words he expressed about his State, his staff, his 
             colleagues, his feelings about the country, and the 
             future, are instructive. I know it can sound repetitive 
             when people hear us talk about our colleagues this way, 
             but I think it is important for the public to note that 
             while they might hear only about the bickering, the part 
             that you do not often see is the deep respect, affection, 
             and caring that goes on among the Members of this body. 
             This affection comes despite the differences that exist in 
             red States and blue States, or being strongly conservative 
             or strongly liberal.
               There is this weaving of a common denominator through 
             each and every one of us, particularly after years of 
             common service in this remarkable institution we call the 
             Senate. There is a deep and abiding respect for those who 
             have come here, those who have served here, those who have 
             tried to make a difference for our country.
               It may seem like it is inside discussion, but I hope the 
             public understands how deeply felt these comments are 
             about colleagues who will no longer have the pleasure of 
             spending each and every day in this Chamber, but whose 
             friendship and collegiality will continue in the years 
             ahead as we encounter each other in different walks of 
             life. * * *
               Mr. President, I want to share a few thoughts about our 
             Democratic leader.
               I mentioned at the outset of these remarks that I was so 
             deeply moved and impressed today by the words of Tom 
             Daschle. I hope all of our colleagues, if they were not 
             here, will read his remarks. It was about as good a speech 
             as I have heard given in this body in a long time. It laid 
             out some pretty important standards for all of us to keep 
             in mind, particularly those of us serving here--the notion 
             of hope that he talked about; the notion of not forgetting 
             where you come from no matter how important you think you 
             are at any given moment; to remember your staff; to 
             remember the people who helped make us successful and who 
             deserve great credit for their tireless contributions; 
             remembering people who work in the Senate, arrive here in 
             the wee hours of the morning to make these buildings 
             operate; and remembering his constituents and his family. 
             It was as eloquent a farewell address as you are ever 
             going to hear in the Senate.
               Tom Daschle, of course, has served with me in the Senate 
             since 1987. He has served as Democratic leader for the 
             past decade. He has been a very able leader and spokesman 
             for our party and our beliefs on the Senate floor or on 
             national news programs.
               Anyone who has observed Tom Daschle over these past 18 
             years knows he is generally not one to raise his voice. 
             But beneath his gentle demeanor and soft tone and human 
             decency is a fierce determination to do what is right for 
             both his constituents in South Dakota and the American 
             people. His service to the people of South Dakota has been 
             outstanding.
               I noted earlier that Senator Paul Sarbanes of Maryland 
             quoted some editorials from newspapers of South Dakota 
             talking about his service to their State over these past 
             26 years in the House and the Senate.
               As a Senator from our Nation's third smallest State in 
             terms of area, I am somewhat spoiled by the ease with 
             which I am able to meet with my constituents. Tom, on the 
             other hand, has represented a State of over 77,000 square 
             miles, smaller I might add than the State of the Presiding 
             Officer of Montana, but nonetheless daunting if you come 
             from a State such as Connecticut which is so much smaller. 
             You have counties in your State of Montana which are 
             larger, I think, than the State of Connecticut.
               Each year Tom set aside time to drive to each of the 66 
             counties in the State alone in his car with no staff, just 
             arriving in town, seeing people and talking to them 
             regardless of the lofty position he held here on the 
             Democrat side of the aisle. He always took that time out 
             each year to go back to reconnect with the roots of South 
             Dakota and to meet with his people at home. That is one of 
             the reasons why he never was confused by the title of 
             ``leader.'' He was always very firmly planted on the 
             ground and why he would fight as leader not only for our 
             national issues but for State issues.
               He was completely understanding of other Senators who 
             would come to him and talk about the needs in their own 
             States. Because he was so rooted in understanding of his 
             own constituent needs, he was deeply sympathetic to other 
             Senators as they lobbied on behalf of matters that were 
             important to their constituencies.
               He championed legislation to provide disaster relief for 
             farmers, expand health care services in rural areas, 
             expand health care to Native Americans, and the list goes 
             on.
               In his role as Democratic leader, Tom Daschle has stood 
             for the values that are the bedrock of our Nation, such as 
             a strong middle class, a foreign policy that keeps America 
             strong by working with our allies, fiscally responsible 
             economic policies that invest in critical national 
             priorities such as jobs, education, and health care.
               During President Clinton's term he helped advance the 
             agenda that created over 22 million new jobs in our 
             Nation, the longest period of economic expansion in 
             American history.
               Over the past 4 years, he has led our party's efforts to 
             return to more responsible policies that can make our 
             Nation stronger both at home and abroad.
               On a personal level, I will miss Tom Daschle very much. 
             I am the individual who lost to him by one vote 10 years 
             ago. I remember that day very well as we competed to 
             become Democratic leader. Many people assume when anyone 
             goes through a battle like that, an intense battle of some 
             24 days, that it may cause a permanent divide in a 
             relationship. We quickly got over that. I certainly did, 
             and Tom did. He reached out to me directly, invited me to 
             be part of a circle that would help shape positions within 
             our party. He is a gracious human being. We have become 
             very good friends, and we will retain that friendship.
               I would be far less than candid with my colleagues or my 
             constituents if I didn't tell you I will miss this man 
             very much. He is as decent a human being as I have ever 
             known in my life, in public or in private life. He is a 
             good, good man. Whatever he does, he will bring great 
             integrity, great honor, and great decency to any endeavor 
             that he becomes involved in.
               I look forward to many years of good friendship with him 
             and Linda. I wish he and his family the very best in the 
             years to come.
               I apologize for taking this extra time. It is important 
             that the public hear Members talk about each other, even 
             those who disagreed on matters, that they understand why 
             this institution works more than 230 years after the 
             Founders created it.
               I, as a Senator from Connecticut, take unique pride in 
             the Senate because it was Roger Sherman and Oliver 
             Ellsworth, both of Connecticut, who offered at the 
             Constitutional Convention the idea of the Senate 
             representing small and large States. Arguing over a 
             unicameral system, Sherman and Ellsworth said, how about 
             having a second body with equal representation, regardless 
             of the size or the population of the State. As a result, 
             this institution was created. It has been a great place 
             that has served our Nation for so long and I am confident 
             it will in the future.
               We have been blessed by the participation of those who 
             are leaving. All of us wish each and every one of them the 
             very best in the years to come.

               Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Dodd for 
             his comments. My relationship and experience with Tom 
             Daschle was a man who was a straight shooter. Every time I 
             asked him something, I got a legitimate answer. If he 
             committed to do something to help me, he did it. He was a 
             gentleman at all times. We never had a harsh word. We may 
             disagree--and we did disagree over policies, we all did--
             and debated and argued and fussed, as we do in this 
             Senate, but there is something special about this body.
               Senator Dodd, a son of a Senator himself, has deep 
             connections and many years here and understands it better 
             than most. It is important that we recognize the humanity, 
             the skill, the dedication of each Member of the body, 
             whether we agree politically, whether we are in the same 
             party, and we recognize that.
               Senator Dodd, thank you for the comments. It means a lot 
             to the body, as does your leadership.

               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I congratulate the 
             distinguished Senator from South Dakota, Mr. Daschle, on 
             his remarkable career in the U.S. Senate.
               Soon after he was elected to the Senate, in 1986, my 
             wife, Rose, and I had the pleasure of taking a trip to 
             Russia with Tom and his wife, Linda. We thoroughly enjoyed 
             their company; and, in spite of the difference in party 
             affiliation, I have had a feeling of respect and 
             appreciation for the Democratic leader ever since.
               We have served together on the Agriculture Committee and 
             worked to help farmers solve their problems. I have 
             admired his dedication to the Senate and his intensity of 
             motivation as the opposition leader. He has been a very 
             effective leader, and I wish him and Linda much happiness 
             and satisfaction in the years ahead.

               Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I am pleased to pay tribute 
             to Senator Tom Daschle, who has served South Dakota, and 
             the Senate, with dignity and devotion during his tenure in 
             this body.
               I am proud to have worked with him on a wide range of 
             issues over the years, but perhaps most of all I thank him 
             for his work and leadership to reform the U.S. Army Corps 
             of Engineers. This is a fight that will go forward in the 
             next Congress, where we will build on Senator Daschle's 
             hard work and commitment to this important issue.
               I also want to take a moment to recognize Senator 
             Daschle's leadership, as both majority and minority leader 
             here in the Senate. He has led the Democratic caucus, and 
             the Senate as a whole, through a time of great change and 
             many difficult challenges: through a closely divided 
             Senate, through the tragedy of 9/11, and through the 
             anthrax attack on the Senate, which so personally affected 
             both of our offices. Through all of this, Senator Daschle 
             has inspired us with his dedication and ability to work 
             through tough problems, to guide the policies of our 
             party, and to provide steady leadership when we needed it 
             most.
               Finally, I also want to extend my thanks to many of 
             Senator Daschle's staff, who were especially helpful to my 
             office over the past 12 years, and in particular, were so 
             thoughtful and generous with their time in the wake of the 
             anthrax attack on our offices. It is often the case that a 
             Senator's staff reflects the personality of the Senator 
             for whom they work, and I believe that is certainly the 
             case with Senator Daschle and his staff.
               I thank Tom Daschle for his leadership and his service 
             to South Dakota and our country, and I wish him all the 
             best as he moves on to begin a new chapter in his 
             distinguished career.

               Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I honor the long and dedicated 
             service that Tom Daschle has given to our country. He has 
             been a true leader throughout his life in public service, 
             and South Dakota and the entire Nation are better off 
             because of his efforts.
               For 29 years, South Dakota has been fortunate to have 
             Tom Daschle represent their interests--first as a Senate 
             staffer, then as a Member of the House of Representatives, 
             and finally as a U.S. Senator. He has worked tirelessly to 
             make sure that the people of South Dakota have a strong 
             economy, access to quality, affordable health care, and 
             the highest quality education system. He has worked with 
             unfailing determination to enhance the quality of life in 
             rural communities across South Dakota and the Nation. 
             Throughout his service, Tom has always kept the interests 
             of his State and his constituents as his top priority.
               Tom Daschle has been a wonderful leader for South 
             Dakota, for the Democratic Party, and for all Americans. I 
             deeply respect and applaud his lifelong commitment to 
             public service, and his leadership and his friendship will 
             be missed by many in the Senate. I know he moves on to the 
             next phase of his career as a happy and wise man who will 
             continue to make important contributions to our country 
             long after he leaves the Senate. He is a true patriot who 
             has always served and will always serve his country. I 
             want to thank Tom for his dedication and his service, and 
             I wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

               Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to 
             some of my colleagues who will be leaving the Senate at 
             the end of this session.
               I particularly want to pay tribute to a great Senator, 
             someone whom I am proud to call a friend, our leader, Tom 
             Daschle.
               Senator Daschle is truly one of the giants in the 
             history of the U.S. Senate and it has been a privilege to 
             serve with him for the last 4 years.
               Tom Daschle has given his entire life to public service. 
             After serving in the Air Force, he came to Washington to 
             work for South Dakota Senator James Abourezk. A few years 
             later, he won election to the House and later won three 
             terms in the Senate.
               Senator Daschle has been through some tough elections 
             and tough battles on the floor of this Senate. But he has 
             always conducted himself with grace, integrity and respect 
             for his opponents. He has been a leader in the Senate on 
             health care, veterans benefits, ethanol, agriculture and 
             rural development and has fought hard for the people of 
             South Dakota.
               He is known all over South Dakota for his down-to-earth 
             manner and the personal relationships he has with his 
             constituents.
               Every year, Tom Daschle would go on a driving tour of 
             all 66 counties in South Dakota, stopping in at diners, 
             bowling alleys, Elks clubs and feed stores. He would talk 
             to his constituents on a one-on-one basis and really feel 
             the pulse of different communities.
               Therefore, when he debated an issue here on the Senate 
             floor, he knew first-hand what his constituents thought. 
             He represented them well, the way our Founding Fathers 
             would have envisioned a model Senator.
               He was also a great leader. He worked with all members 
             of our caucus and did the hard work to develop a consensus 
             on many difficult issues. And he was always willing to 
             listen.
               Tom Daschle would work across the aisle to get things 
             done for his State and the country. I remember how he rose 
             to the occasion after September 11 and worked hand in hand 
             with President Bush to protect our country, rebuild New 
             York and keep the airlines from going bankrupt.
               If you were trying to get something done here in the 
             Senate, you always wanted Tom Daschle on your side.

               Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to take this 
             opportunity to honor our departing colleagues who are 
             leaving the Senate. At almost each new Congress a 
             different group of 100 men and women comes together from 
             different backgrounds and political philosophies, 
             representing different interests and constituencies, but 
             through all our differences, we develop respect and 
             admiration for each other. Many times we step across the 
             aisle and work together on legislation and oftentimes 
             genuine friendships are created. As I pay tribute to these 
             departing Senators, whether they have been here one term 
             or seven, they are a remarkable group and we thank them 
             for their honorable service. * * *
               I would like to pay tribute to a respected colleague who 
             is leaving the Senate after a long and distinguished 
             career. Senator Tom Daschle worked hard for 8 years as a 
             Member of the House of Representatives and for 18 years as 
             a U.S. Senator, to represent the interests of voters 
             across the State of South Dakota.
               As the leader of his party for the past 10 years, 
             Senator Daschle has proven himself to be a capable 
             legislator and moreover, an advocate for his State's and 
             party's interests. During the 108th Congress, Senator 
             Daschle served on three committees: Agriculture, 
             Nutrition, and Forestry; Finance; and Rules and 
             Administration; and today he serves as the senior Senator 
             and the Democratic leader of the Senate.
               Influenced by his formative experiences during the 
             Vietnam war as an intelligence officer in the Air Force, 
             Senator Daschle worked hard to serve the interests of 
             veterans across this great country. His most notable 
             achievement in this field was the enactment of legislation 
             securing benefits for those soldiers exposed to Agent 
             Orange.
               During his tenure, Senator Daschle also developed a 
             reputation for being a shrewd legislator on issues related 
             to agriculture and South Dakota's farming community. He 
             was always apprised of even the most minute issues at 
             stake and thus ensured that all of his constituents were 
             represented at the negotiating table.
               Senator Daschle fought tirelessly for his beliefs 
             throughout his time in the Senate. I wish Senator Daschle 
             and his family the very best in the years ahead.
                                            Saturday, November 20, 2004

               Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I rise to say goodbye 
             to several of my colleagues, dear friends and colleagues 
             with  whom  I  have  had  the  pleasure to  work  in  the  
             Senate. * * *
               I wish Senator Tom Daschle well as he moves on to new 
             challenges. As his party's leader in the Senate he was 
             smart and determined. Tom is an exemplar of the American 
             story. He grew up as the eldest of four brothers and 
             became the first in his family to graduate from college, 
             with a political science degree from South Dakota State 
             University.
               He then served 3 years as an intelligence officer for 
             the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command.
               He secured a job as an aide to South Dakota Senator 
             James Abourezk. From there, he rose to the highest job in 
             the Senate, Senate majority leader.
               Tom Daschle married Linda Hall and they are the parents 
             of three children. He is proof that hard-working Americans 
             can make a difference.
               Madam President, I will miss all of my colleagues. As we 
             take the opportunity to go forward in a new Congress, we 
             will make new friends, but we will never forget the old 
             ones.

               Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I want to share my views, as 
             did Senator Hutchison and others, about our colleagues who 
             are leaving for new adventures in life.
               I wish all the best to Senator Hollings. We will miss 
             his booming voice. We will miss Senator Edwards, Senator 
             Graham of Florida, and Senator Daschle. We will also miss 
             John Breaux, a man we know will enjoy life with his good 
             common sense and sense of humor. He is a good friend.

               Mr. REID. There is no way I can, on the Senate floor in 
             the few minutes I am going to take, convey to my 
             colleagues and the people within the sound of my voice the 
             feelings I have about Tom Daschle. He and I came to the 
             Senate together 18 years ago. We served in the House of 
             Representatives before that. The last 6 years we have 
             worked together daily. There may be a day or two that went 
             by without our talking but they were rare. We spoke even 
             during the time we were on break. We have virtually been 
             together every day. The only time we really did not spend 
             a lot of time communicating is when he was in South Dakota 
             and I was in Searchlight. Our BlackBerrys would not work. 
             My BlackBerry now works in Searchlight. His still does not 
             work in South Dakota.
               Tom's legislative record is certainly there. It is 
             apparent. He has done wonderful things for the State of 
             South Dakota and this country. I could, but it is really 
             unnecessary, explain what he has done for the farmers, the 
             environment, the military, including the veterans, but 
             what I can try in a very inadequate way is to express to 
             him, through this manner, the things I have tried to say 
             personally to him in the last couple of weeks, and that is 
             express my appreciation to him for the opportunities he 
             has given me.
               Tom Daschle is a totally unselfish person. I can 
             remember about 6 years ago when I was selected by my peers 
             to be assistant leader I went to Senator Daschle and said: 
             What is this job going to be? He said: Whatever you make 
             it.
               I took him at his word, and this job is what I thought 
             the assistant leader or the whip should be. I could never 
             have done what I have done and had the good fortune of 
             being in the places I have been and had the freedom to do 
             things on this Senate floor but for the support and 
             authorization of Senator Daschle.
               I do not think I have ever raised my voice to Senator 
             Daschle. We both grew up with three brothers. We are the 
             first to really go to school of any depth in our families. 
             I have learned a lot from Senator Daschle.
               As I have told everyone, I am not Tom Daschle and I am 
             going to be a different kind of person in the new duties I 
             have beginning at the first of the year.
               I told Tom Daschle earlier this week that earlier this 
             year I lost my best friend. His name was Mike O'Callaghan. 
             He was someone who taught me in high school. He taught me 
             how to fight in the ring and in other places. When I went 
             to law school, he helped me. He was a disabled Korean 
             veteran but he gave me part of his pension money to help 
             me through tough times in school. I was allowed to take 
             the bar before I graduated from law school. I was married 
             and had two children, was desperate for money. I came back 
             to Reno and there was Michael O'Callaghan. That was in the 
             fall of 1963. He gave me a $50 bill. I had never seen one 
             before but he gave that to me. He knew I was desperate for 
             money.
               Then I held a few offices, and as a very young man I ran 
             for Lieutenant Governor. People kind of thought I was 
             going to win that. He moved back from California to Nevada 
             to run for Governor because there was no Democrat to run 
             sitting for Lieutenant Governor. They knew O'Callaghan had 
             no chance, but he did. He became the Governor of the State 
             of Nevada.
               I am trying to paint a picture for this man and how 
             close he was to me. He was so good to me, able to give me 
             advice and counsel. He told me what I needed to hear, not 
             what I wanted to hear, and I did not make a decision 
             important in nature unless I discussed it with my friend 
             Mike O'Callaghan.
               He went to church early one morning this summer and 
             died. It was a very painless death. He went to church 
             every day. He was a devoutly religious man, and somebody 
             whom I have missed more than words can describe.
               I told my friend Tom in his office a day or two ago that 
             he was now my Mike O'Callaghan, that I have somebody I 
             will call just as I did my friend Mike, that I will call 
             him often. He said: That is fine. You could not call me 
             too many times.
               So Tom Daschle and I have developed a relationship that 
             can best be described as two brothers. I have three 
             brothers, one of whom is dead. So Tom replaces my brother 
             Dale. I will call Tom and I will talk to him when I feel 
             it necessary, knowing he will continue to give the advice 
             and counsel to me that he has for the last 6 years.
               There are additional things I would like to say, but I 
             will suffice to say that for the 22 years I have known Tom 
             Daschle, which has culminated in the 6 years of intense 
             personal contact where we have dealt with the problems of 
             the country and the world in great depth, that there will 
             never be an opportunity and an experience like that again. 
             I am grateful to Tom and to his wonderful wife Linda for 
             their friendship and Tom's service to our country.

               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am grateful for this 
             opportunity to say a few words about our friend and 
             colleague, the distinguished minority leader, Senator Tom 
             Daschle.
               Tom's commitment to public service, on behalf of the 
             people of South Dakota and America, is an example I hope 
             more citizens will follow. He served here as a Senate 
             staff member before being elected to the House of 
             Representatives in 1978. South Dakota is one of just seven 
             States with a single House member, which required Tom to 
             run a statewide race. That was familiar territory for him 
             when he ran for and won his Senate seat in 1986. Tom is 
             one of 49 Senators who previously served in the other 
             body, experience which I believe enhances their service 
             here and makes the Senate more effective in serving all 
             Americans.
               Yesterday, our colleague Senator Durbin said that it is 
             hard to imagine the Senate without Tom Daschle. Some might 
             merit that compliment because of the sheer length of their 
             tenure. Tom merits it because of the presence he quickly 
             established, both as a Member and as a leader in this 
             body. He was only 2 years into a second term when his 
             fellow Democrats elected him their leader by just one 
             vote. Only Lyndon Johnson became his party's leader more 
             quickly.
               Tom's 10 years as Democratic leader included periods as 
             both majority and minority leader. Those positions, 
             especially in a narrowly divided Chamber, are each very 
             challenging and each very different. Tom served in each 
             post with class and determination, unifying his caucus and 
             working to achieve their agenda. Needless to say, we have 
             not agreed on every element of that agenda. But in this 
             political world, it is really a compliment to say that Tom 
             effectively and skillfully used whatever tools were 
             available to fight for what he believed and for what his 
             caucus wanted to achieve. Even when we were at 
             loggerheads, when it seemed like the irresistible force 
             was meeting the immovable object, civility has always 
             marked Tom Daschle's presence in this body, as a Senator 
             and as a leader.
               I was gratified to hear Senator Daschle's comments on 
             this floor yesterday and a few things really stood out. 
             First, I was struck by the fact that his number in the 
             chronological list of U.S. Senators is 1776. Tom offered 
             the valuable reflection that he is, as we all are, part of 
             the broad sweep of American history, from the American 
             revolution to the 108th Congress and into the future.
               Second, Tom asked a very important question, whether our 
             power comes just from military might or also from wisdom, 
             compassion, tolerance, and willingness to cooperate. 
             Everyone who serves in this body should maintain that 
             perspective.
               Third, Tom spoke of what he called the politics of the 
             common ground. Individual Senators, as well as the two 
             political parties, have certain bottom-line issues, 
             certain fundamental principles or positions on which they 
             just find little room to give. But on others, and I 
             sometimes wonder whether this list is longer than we might 
             think, we must practice the politics of common ground. 
             Reminding us of that was, by itself, an act of leadership 
             by the minority leader.
               And finally, he told us of a note he wrote on one of his 
             famous unscheduled driving trips across his State. He 
             wrote, ``Everything was worth doing.'' Each of us who has 
             worked alongside Tom Daschle, whether on the same or 
             opposing sides, knows that this is his approach to, and 
             attitude about, public service. That sets a good example 
             for us all.

               Mr. McCONNELL. We cannot conclude the 108th Congress 
             without a sense of sadness. There are many--in fact there 
             are too many--great Senators who are leaving this 
             institution. I have already had an opportunity to express 
             my goodbyes to Senator Nickles, Senator Campbell, and 
             Senator Fitzgerald.
               I also wish a happy and healthy future to our colleagues 
             across the aisle, Senator Daschle, Senator Breaux, Senator 
             Hollings, Senator Bob Graham, Senator John Edwards, and 
             Senator Zell Miller. Each of these men has made a lasting 
             contribution to this marvelous institution.

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