[Senate Document 108-23]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






                                                           S. Doc. 108-23


 
                      TRIBUTES TO HON. JOHN EDWARDS


                                           

                                    John Edwards

                    U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA

                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES





                                           




John Edwards


                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                    John Edwards

                                United States Senator

                                      1999-2005

                                          a
                                           


                                           


                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing

                                Trent Lott, Chairman
                                           
                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Farewell..............................................
                                                                    vii
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Allen, George, of Virginia.....................
                                                                     15
                    Boxer, Barbara, of California..................
                                                                      5
                    Burns, Conrad R., of Montana...................
                                                                      4
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                      3
                    Daschle, Thomas A., of South Dakota............
                                                                     17
                    Dayton, Mark, of Minnesota.....................
                                                                      6
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     10
                    Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
                                                                     13
                    Frist, Bill, of Tennessee......................
                                                                      4
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                      7
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     14
                    Inhofe, James M., of Oklahoma..................
                                                                     10
                    Lautenberg, Frank, of New Jersey...............
                                                                      9
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     15
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                     18
                    Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
                                                                      6
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                     15
                    Sarbanes, Paul S., of Maryland.................
                                                                     18
                    Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama.................
                                                                      4
                    Stabenow, Deborah Ann, of Michigan.............
                                                                     13
                                      Biography

               Sworn into office on January 6, 1999, Senator John 
             Edwards emerged as a champion for issues affecting the 
             daily lives of regular people in North Carolina and the 
             Nation.
               Senator Edwards was a chief sponsor of the Bipartisan 
             Patient Protection Act, strong and far-reaching patient 
             protection legislation that passed the Senate in 2001.
               Senator Edwards's bipartisan accomplishments also 
             include a major investment in America's public schools, 
             strong antiterrorism measures, sweeping campaign finance 
             reform and legislation to fight corporate corruption.
               The News & Observer of Raleigh described Senator Edwards 
             as ``smart, disciplined, [and] hard-working with a down-
             home manner.'' The Wall Street Journal called him ``a 
             Senator who impresses colleagues in behind-doors 
             deliberations.'' The Washington Post said Senator Edwards 
             has ``the ability to think on his feet . . . master 
             complex issues and . . . communicate in plain language to 
             ordinary people.''
               Senator Edwards served on four committees: Health, 
             Education, Labor, and Pensions; Intelligence; Judiciary; 
             and Small Business.
               As part of his commitment to North Carolina, Senator 
             Edwards has been to all 100 counties in the State, from 
             Murphy (where he went to a college) to Manteo (where he 
             honored Andy Griffith). Every week that the Senate was in 
             session, he hosted Tar Heel Thursday, townhall style 
             meetings open to all North Carolinians visiting 
             Washington.
               Born in 1953, Senator Edwards grew up in Robbins, a 
             small town in the Piedmont. His father, Wallace, worked in 
             textile mills for 36 years. His mother, Bobbie, had a 
             number of jobs including working at the post office.
               A product of North Carolina public schools, Senator 
             Edwards was the first person in his family to go to 
             college. He worked his way through North Carolina State 
             University and graduated with an honors degree in textiles 
             in 1974. He earned a law degree with honors in 1977 from 
             the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
               He met his wife, Elizabeth, when both were law school 
             students at Chapel Hill. They married in 1977, and have 
             had four children. Their first child, Wade, died in 1996. 
             Their eldest daughter, Catharine, is a 2004 graduate of 
             Princeton University. The Edwards household also includes 
             a 6-year-old daughter, Emma Claire, and a 4-year-old son, 
             Jack.
                                      Farewell
                              Friday, November 19, 2004

               Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. President, life has a great way of 
             handing us moments that are bittersweet. I am sad today to 
             rise for the final time to represent the State of North 
             Carolina as their Senator, but I am also filled with a 
             great deal of joy because I will be heading home to the 
             place and the people and the family I love so much. I also 
             want to thank everyone who is listening and all Members of 
             the Senate and the staff who have been so extraordinary 
             about my wife Elizabeth for their prayers and their 
             support.
               Elizabeth and I and our family draw so much strength 
             from all of you. We are comforted by your words and your 
             prayers.
               We are grateful to the more than 50,000 people who have 
             sent e-mails and letters to Elizabeth. As Elizabeth's 
             brother said when he was asked about it, he would not want 
             to be cancer inside of Elizabeth's body, and I agree with 
             that.
               She is the love of my life and a woman of great 
             strength. I am sure she will be successful in this fight. 
             Both of us hope and pray that by talking about it in the 
             way that Elizabeth has, and with the grace and courage 
             that she has shown, it will help other women who are faced 
             with the same kind of struggle so they can avoid the same 
             kind of struggle.
               Sometimes when hardship comes, one feels alone, but 
             thanks to all of you and our family in the Senate, we know 
             that we are not alone. We are blessed to have the love, 
             affection, and support of our friends and our family, our 
             great staff in Washington, DC, in the Senate office and 
             back in North Carolina and our Senate offices there, and 
             also the staff in the Senate.
               Those who serve on the floor of the Senate who have been 
             wonderful friends and so much help and support for all of 
             us, we thank all of them. To Marty and to Lula, whom 
             Elizabeth and I adore, who have been wonderful friends to 
             us and have advised us and shown us our way around here, 
             we appreciate both of them. To the people in the Cloakroom 
             who have helped us and taken care of us for the last 6 
             years, and to the men and women--and I hope they will hear 
             my voice--who take us up and down the elevators, whom we 
             see as we go in and out of these office buildings and the 
             Capitol, who serve all of us and who are wonderful, 
             extraordinary people, I have to say, since I have come 
             back from the campaign trail, to a person they have spoken 
             their support and affection for Elizabeth and for our 
             family and what we are going through. I just want them all 
             to know how much they mean not only to us but to all of us 
             who serve in the Senate.
               And, of course, to all the men and women I have had the 
             privilege to serve with here in the Senate. To those who 
             think the men and women who serve in this institution do 
             not work hard, I wish they could spend 1 day here and see 
             how hard it is and how devoted everyone who serves in the 
             Senate is, and how much they want to do good things for 
             the country--whatever our disagreements are. We have many 
             and they are strong. The truth is, everyone here serves 
             because they love their country and they want to do good 
             things for their country.
               All of you, you keep us strong. You keep us going. You 
             remind us, in good times and in bad, when we work 
             together, everything is still possible here in America. It 
             is the North Carolina way. That is the way I like to look 
             at it. I have never loved my home State or my country more 
             than I do today. We have had some triumphs, we have had 
             some tragedies over the last 6 years. But one thing is 
             clear: I will never stop representing the people of North 
             Carolina, the values they represent and the values that I 
             grew up with there and the values I believe in. The truth 
             is, it is who I am.
               It is what I learned in Robbins, NC, growing up, 
             watching my father and the men and women who worked 
             alongside him in the mill for all those years. It is what 
             I learned from going to church, from going to our schools, 
             and from going to all 100 counties in North Carolina, 
             which I am proud to have done, and listening to the people 
             of North Carolina. It is what I learned when I shook the 
             hands of the people who came on Tarheel Thursday, which we 
             had when we were here in the Senate. I will never forget 
             you.
               I will never forget the first struggle we had in the 
             wake of Hurricane Floyd, hard-working people like Bobby 
             Carraway. He owned a restaurant in Kinston near the Neuse 
             River. It sat under 3 feet of water for days. He lost 
             everything. He and so many like him didn't want a 
             government handout, they wanted a hand up and a chance to 
             do what they were capable of doing and a chance to go back 
             to work, which is all he and his family had ever known 
             their entire lives. What we did then for so many, and this 
             year, too, in the western part of our State, which has 
             been hit by hurricanes and flooding, is we worked 
             together, we picked ourselves up, we dusted away the 
             disappointment, and we got back to work to make North 
             Carolina stronger.
               I will also never forget the men and women who worked at 
             Pillowtex. They did everything right. They took care of 
             their families. They went to work every day, some of them 
             for days and years, some of them for decades. They still 
             couldn't stop their jobs from moving overseas.
               I met one woman whose question I hear over and over--I 
             heard it over and over again as I traveled around the 
             country. She looked at me and said: What am I supposed to 
             do now? Have I not done what is right in America? I worked 
             hard, I raised my family, I was responsible. Now my job is 
             gone and what am I supposed to do?
               Together we fought to help her pay for health care and 
             get training for a new job but, most important, we fought 
             to keep North Carolina jobs in North Carolina where we 
             need them so badly. We stood up against tax breaks that 
             shipped our jobs overseas. We fought for fair trade that 
             gave our workers and businesses a chance to compete, and 
             represented the values we believe in.
               I will also never forget Dr. Clay Ballantine. He works 
             at Mission St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville, NC. Every 
             day he sees kids and adults and seniors who come in with 
             respiratory problems, problems with asthma. He told his 
             story as we fought the battle to protect the quality of 
             our air for our children and for our seniors.
               I will never forget the farmers and the men and women 
             who live in our small towns, our rural areas where I grew 
             up. That is who I am. The truth is, you are the heart and 
             soul of North Carolina. When our farmers were struggling, 
             especially our tobacco farmers, I am proud in the end we 
             were able to do something to help them, because they 
             deserve it. They have done so much for their towns and 
             their communities and for my State. They deserve 
             something, finally, to be done to help them and support 
             them. All of us together were able to do that.
               It also matters to good, hard-working people like Blythe 
             and Gwendolyn Casey. They have had a family farm for 
             decades. They did their part and they never dreamed they 
             would be close to retiring, mired in debt, debt they can 
             never recover from. Together we helped them and we 
             maintained family farms across our State of North 
             Carolina.
               I will never forget the mothers and the fathers, the 
             husbands and the wives, the brothers and the sisters who 
             wanted nothing but to make sure their loved one got the 
             care they needed in their darkest hour. Together with 
             Senator John McCain and Senator Kennedy, my friends and my 
             colleagues, two men for whom I have enormous respect and 
             affection, we went to work on something that matters--
             making sure you and your doctors could make your own 
             health care decisions, especially when they were important 
             to you and your family. It wasn't easy. There were 
             lobbyists all over this place from every drug company, 
             HMO, and big insurance company. They prowled these halls, 
             but we did it and we got the Patients' Bill of Rights 
             passed in the Senate. I have absolute faith that the 
             Senate will do it again and the President will sign the 
             Patients' Bill of Rights into law for all Americans.
               I will also never forget the brave soldiers I met in 
             Afghanistan on a dark night. They are so proud--they were 
             so proud and still are--of serving their country, going 
             after terrorists and Osama bin Laden. I will never forget 
             the thousands of men and women from Fort Bragg, Camp 
             Lejeune, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson, and Pope Air Force 
             bases, who were serving this country abroad and who were 
             serving the country at home, and whose families were there 
             to support them. I represented them and represented their 
             families and it was an extraordinary honor for me to be 
             able to represent them.
               It is simple for me. If you take care of us, if you 
             serve our country to protect the freedoms and ideals we 
             cherish, we should be there for you. Your country should 
             be there for you. That means health care and housing, it 
             means relief on your student loans, and help covering your 
             child care cost when your spouse has to go to work.
               The men and women who wear the uniform of the United 
             States of America are who we think of and pray for when we 
             look at our flag. The Stars and Stripes wave for them. The 
             word ``hero'' was made for them. They are the best and the 
             bravest, and we will always stand with you when you are 
             standing in harm's way. This is what we have fought for 
             together. It is something of which we should all be proud.
               We built on North Carolina's model to improve our 
             schools, to strengthen standards, to expand afterschool, 
             and to pay teachers more. We fought to strengthen security 
             at our ports and our borders, chemical and nuclear plants, 
             and to give our police and firefighters the support they 
             needed to keep this country safe. We fought to make 
             Washington live within its budget, to make sure Washington 
             did what most families in America do every single day, to 
             live within their means, and to restore fiscal 
             responsibility. And we fought to reward work--not just 
             wealth, work--and to ensure that the American dream stays 
             alive and available to every single American, no matter 
             where they live or who their family is or what the color 
             of their skin. This is the America we believe in. This is 
             the America we fought for.
               All my life I have fought for those who do not have a 
             voice. I did it before I came to the Senate. I have done 
             it here in the Senate. I will do it for the rest of my 
             life. It is what my life has been about: Fighting for 
             people who need someone to fight for them.
               I thank Senator Byrd for all of his guidance and for 
             showing me the ropes during the time I have been here in 
             the Senate.
               I want to take a moment and say a word about Senator 
             Reid, who has also been a great leader here in the Senate 
             and who I want to wish Godspeed in the important work in 
             front of him.
               Again, my thanks 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.
               I thank Senator McCain and Senator Kennedy for including 
             me in working on the Patients' Bill of Rights, two great 
             leaders in this Senate, two great leaders for the country, 
             two Americans that Americans do and should look up to and 
             respect.
               I thank my friend, my seatmate, Senator Evan Bayh, for 
             all the times we have spent together, working here on the 
             floor of the Senate, running together. He and his wife and 
             his family are great friends of ours. His friendship means 
             the world to me.
               I also thank my fellow Senate retirees Senator Breaux 
             and Senator Hollings. One thing I guarantee you: Our 
             accents will be missed here on the floor of the Senate. 
             Hopefully, there will be others who will be able to speak 
             the way we speak.
               I also want to say a word about my friend Senator Kerry. 
             I embarked a few months ago on a journey with Senator 
             Kerry, a fight, as we traveled across the country and 
             fought for the things in which we believe. We shared our 
             hopes for this country together. We worked hard to make 
             America stronger. I developed a very strong, close, 
             personal friendship with John Kerry during that time. John 
             Kerry is a good man and he is a good American. I got the 
             chance to see him when others didn't, when there were no 
             cameras around, when there were no crowds. This is a man 
             of strength and conviction and courage. He loves his 
             children. He has a beautiful family, by the way. He and 
             his wife Teresa and their kids became very close with my 
             family and our children.
               We feel an enormous affection for them and enormous 
             connection with them because we were engaged in what we 
             thought was a very important cause. It still is a very 
             important cause.
               But the reality is that John Kerry is somebody who has 
             loved this country his entire life. He stood up and fought 
             for this country his entire life. I am proud to have been 
             able to spend the last few months fighting alongside him 
             as he traveled throughout the country and the work that he 
             did not just in this campaign but for all the years he 
             served in this Senate before this campaign, and the years 
             he will serve from here on are important. Every day he 
             walks onto the floor of this Senate, the American people 
             will be better for it.
               He is my friend. He is my colleague. I trust him.
               I believe, of course, that he would have made a great 
             President, and I believe he has great work to do for this 
             country in the days and years to come. It is an honor for 
             me to be able to serve with him in this term.
               I also want to thank my staff. I ask unanimous consent 
             to have their names printed in the Record.
               There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 
             printed in the Record, as follows:

               Tracy L. Allen; Laurie G. Armstrong; William O. Austin; 
             Alexis Bar; Victoria Bassetti; Jared J. Bataillon; William 
             Beane; Austina L. Bennett; Crystal M. Bennett; David G. 
             Berard; Sonceria Ann Berry; Joshua L. Brekenfeld; Michael 
             D. Briggs; Erica Buehrens; Derek H. Chollet; Marilyn J. 
             Dixon; Charles R. Dorrier; Paul D. Dryden; Robert W. 
             Elliott.
               Justin E. Fairfax; Colette Forrest; Alice D. Garland; 
             Katherine L. Garland; Laura Godwin; Robert Gordon; Steven 
             K. Gryskiewicz; Wanda Haith; Peter Harbage Emma Harris; 
             Kate G. Heath; Robert Hines; Lisa Hyman; Morgan Jackson; 
             Stephanie Jones; Mildred J. Joyner; Jeremy Kyle Kinner; 
             Jeffrey I. Kovick; James R. Kvaal; Miles M. Lackey.
               Jeffrey Lane; Louise D. Learson; Lawrence (Andy) Magill; 
             Maureen Mahon; Sharyn J. Malone; Kenneth F. Mansfield; 
             Kathryn J. Marks; John J. Maron; Cory S. Menees; Heather 
             L. Messera; Sophie Milam; Blair B. Milligan; Joyce 
             Mitchell; Carlos A. Monje; Kevin A. Monroe; Robert Morgan; 
             Matthew L. Nelson; Elizabeth E. Nicholas; Ashley I. 
             O'Bryant; Sacha M. Ostern.
               Joseph W. Parry-Hill; Lauren Partner; Elizabeth Pegram; 
             Philip J. Peisch; Sarah L. Pendergraft; Anthony Petty; 
             Aaron S. Pickrell; Lesley Pittman; Sally Bussey Plyler; 
             Mary Margaret Propes; Hunter L. Pruette; Jacqueline F. 
             Ray; Karen A. Robb; David E. Roberts; Judith M. Rossabi; 
             David A. Russell; Craig J. Saperstein; Heidi Schneble.
               David G. Sewell; David L. Sherlin; Joseph L. Smalls; 
             Julianna Smoot; Joshua H. Stein; Michael Sullivan; 
             Jonathan Sumrell; Adrian Talbott; Noelle Shelby Talley; 
             Bradford T. Thompson; Cindy E. Townes; Brooke I. Turner; 
             Ann S. Vaughn; Jannice T. Verne; Rebecca Walldorff; Jewell 
             E. Wilson; Jessica F. Wintringham; Andrew A. Young; Lisa 
             E. Zeidner.

               Mr. President, we couldn't do the work we do here 
             without the support and help of all those who work so hard 
             with us every single day. You show up every day. You show 
             up every day, in my case as I saw it, with a simple 
             question: What can I do to make my country better? And you 
             did. Those of you who worked with me, I know that you did; 
             I saw it. I saw the hard work you did, and you will 
             continue to do it because you believe public service is an 
             important and noble calling. I thank you personally. I 
             thank you on behalf of the people of North Carolina and 
             the people of this country. I have seen the hard work you 
             have done, and it is important.
               This fight goes on.
               I will be home in a place I love, North Carolina, the 
             place that made me love America to begin with. I am going 
             to have God's gift--more time to hear the screen door slam 
             when my young kids run through the house after school. I 
             still have a couple of young kids, Emma Claire, who is 6, 
             and Jack, who is 4. I will be able to spend more time with 
             my older daughter Kate, who graduated from college and was 
             out on the campaign trail. I am very proud of her. I will 
             have more time to spend with my own parents and my family 
             and more time to be there for the woman I love and have 
             loved for a long time now, my wife Elizabeth.
               It is bittersweet knowing what we have accomplished. And 
             it is also bittersweet knowing what is left to be done. 
             There is so much work left to be done in this country.
               And in the end, I always think of North Carolina's own 
             Thomas Wolfe. He said:

               I believe that we are lost here in America, but I 
             believe we shall be found. And this belief, which mounts 
             now to the catharsis of knowledge and conviction, is for 
             me--and I think for all of us--not only our own hope but, 
             America's everlasting, living dream.

               Our job is making sure that no one--no one--is lost in 
             America; that that dream is everlasting. And together we 
             will continue to make it stronger and more alive for all 
             who grace our lives.


                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                    JOHN EDWARDS
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                             Tuesday, November 16, 2004

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute 
             to Senator John Edwards and acknowledge his dedication to 
             fighting for the middle class.
               Senator Edwards, the son of a mill worker, was the first 
             in his family to go to college. He then went on to law 
             school where he met his wife, Elizabeth. Following his 
             graduation from law school, he earned a reputation as one 
             of the best trial attorneys in the country, taking on the 
             causes of those who had suffered serious tragedies as a 
             result of the negligence or malfeasance of others.
               Elected in 1998, Senator Edwards has served just one 
             term in the Senate, but he made a mark in a number of 
             areas. First and foremost, he was a lead advocate for a 
             patients' bill of rights. From his background helping 
             families that had suffered injuries at the hands of our 
             health care system, Senator Edwards brought a passionate 
             understanding of the need to hold health insurance 
             companies accountable when their decisions led to serious 
             injuries or death. More important, he championed changes 
             in rules that would prevent these adverse outcomes in the 
             first place. His dedication to this cause paid off in 
             2001, when the Senate finally passed the Patients' Bill of 
             Rights.
               Senator Edwards also made a big contribution on 
             education policy. He was an early voice in favor of 
             education reform, and worked to provide additional 
             resources to help local schools achieve higher standards. 
             As a co-chair of the Senate Rural Education Caucus, I saw 
             first-hand his work to support funding to meet rural 
             school needs like the Rural Education Achievement Program 
             and to make certain that the unique challenges for rural 
             schools in complying with the No Child Left Behind Act are 
             recognized.
               Senator Edwards also, of course, distinguished himself 
             in running for President and serving as the Democratic 
             nominee to be Vice President. His concern about our 
             country fracturing into ``Two Americas''--one wealthy and 
             privileged, the other increasingly left behind--resonated 
             with millions of Americans.
               Senator Edwards is leaving this body. But I am confident 
             he will not turn his back on public service and look 
             forward to his continued contribution to our Nation's 
             political debate. Working with the Senator from North 
             Carolina has been a joy, and we wish him and his wife a 
             happy and healthy future.
                                            Thursday, November 18, 2004
               Mr. BURNS. * * * I served only one term with John 
             Edwards and Peter Fitzgerald. They, too, will be missed in 
             the Senate. Their contribution was huge. * * *
               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 or their service to 
             their country. We welcome them as we say goodbye to old 
             friends, old relationships that will never be forgotten.

               Mr. SHELBY. I first met John Edwards 6 years ago when he 
             came to the Senate. He is a very accomplished lawyer, a 
             very engaging person. He was the Democratic nominee, as we 
             all know, for Vice President of the United States. John 
             Edwards is a young man, a man with a lot of talent, and I 
             am sure we will hear from him in some respect, political 
             or otherwise, in the future as life goes on.

               Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, John Edwards came to the 
             Senate just 6 years ago. Yet he has won us all over as 
             friends for his sunny disposition, his positive attitude, 
             his intelligence, and his hard work.
               John can make anyone smile. He forms a personal bond 
             with nearly everyone he meets. No doubt this quality comes 
             from the fact that he always remembers his roots.
               The first member of his family to go to college, John 
             grew up the son of two textile workers, moving from town 
             to town.
               This upbringing shaped John Edwards. It instilled in him 
             a burning desire to improve the world and a strong 
             commitment to populist values.
               He became a lawyer. And with ardent trial advocacy, hard 
             work, and genuine concern for others, he scored astounding 
             success.
               A terrible tragedy--the death of a child--marked a 
             deciding point in his life. He did not let it destroy him. 
             Never forgetting the terrible pain, John turned tragedy 
             into triumph.
               He set out to change America for the better. A political 
             unknown, he faced long odds, but he overcame them.
               In the halls of the Senate, John has won new laws to 
             protect patients, increased funding for public schools, 
             and improvements to our banking system.
               He and Elizabeth, Catherine, Emma Claire, and Jack have 
             been delightful additions to our Senate family.
               And our prayers are with them as they strive to overcome 
             the difficulty of Elizabeth's recent diagnosis of breast 
             cancer.
               John Edwards has already played a vital role in American 
             public life. And whatever he chooses to do next, we wish 
             him and Elizabeth and their entire family all the best for 
             a bright future.
                                              Friday, November 19, 2004
               Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would like to make some 
             comments about our friends who are departing the Senate.
               I thank Senator Edwards for spending some time in this 
             Chamber. When you came in, we were faced with some tough 
             legal issues. We turned to you and you stepped up to the 
             plate. I appreciate that. I thought you did us proud--I am 
             not only speaking as a Democrat, I am speaking as an 
             American--on the campaign trail with the passion for 
             people. You are so articulate and you brought the economic 
             issues home to everyone. I think everyone is better for 
             it.
               You are right about Senator Kerry. I think he would have 
             made a great President. I think history will look at his 
             campaign and be kind to him because John Kerry had dignity 
             in his campaign. He stuck to the issues. The debates were 
             fantastic. I believe it served our President well. He had 
             to step up to the plate as well on many of the issues.
               Thank you very much.

               Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I want to associate myself 
             with the remarks of the Senator from California and her 
             regards and respect to the other retiring Members, 
             particularly Senator Edwards who has just spoken and has 
             distinguished himself so impressively over the last year 
             and a half in the service of our country by seeking the 
             Vice Presidency.
               I am proud of my State of Minnesota. They cast by a 
             majority over 100,000 votes for Senator Edwards and 
             Senator Kerry, reflecting the wisdom of voters in the 
             tremendous excitement of Senator Edwards and Senator 
             Kerry. But Senator Edwards, in my personal experience, 
             generated tremendous courage and enthusiasm in St. Paul, 
             MN, on Labor Day and on the Iron Range in Minnesota. He 
             has a very bright future in whatever future endeavors.
               I join my colleagues in expressing to his wife Elizabeth 
             our prayers for a speedy recovery. I think that will be 
             the result.
               I thank the Senator for his outstanding service and as 
             leader of our party and our country.

               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. * * *
               I wish to say a special word about John Edwards, for he 
             came to the Senate in a seat that was already held by an 
             incumbent Senator, and they said it could not be done. 
             They said a Democrat could not win in North Carolina. Of 
             course, John did and took the national stage by storm.
               I spent several days with him over the course of the 
             past several months in the campaign. I can tell you it was 
             a wonderful inspiration to see the amount of energy, 
             focus, discipline, and intelligence he brought not only as 
             a Senator but as a candidate for Vice President of this 
             great country.
               And then, of course, we all know the story of how on the 
             very day that John had to concede the election, along with 
             our colleague, the Senator from Massachusetts, his wife 
             told him that she had breast cancer. I want Elizabeth and 
             John to know that our prayers are with them and that we 
             are all sharing a great deal of optimism about her 
             complete recovery.
               I had the wonderful privilege of observing their three 
             loving children on the campaign trail--their daughter 
             Kate, and then, of course, the two young ones, Jack and 
             Emma Claire, as they would bounce with such boundless 
             enthusiasm on that campaign plane. * * *
               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. * * *
               Mr. President, I would also like to express my respect 
             to and admiration for the retiring senior Senator from 
             North Carolina, Senator John Edwards, who also spoke 
             earlier. We will miss his unique, skillful, and persuasive 
             voice in the debates here on the Senate floor. Time and 
             again we have seen his knack for taking complex arguments 
             and making them accessible and persuasive to ordinary 
             people. Time and again his skills have carried the day.
               I fully understand the advice uttered by one of my 
             Republican colleagues one time, when he said, ``Never 
             yield the floor to John Edwards.''
               Over the last year and a half, people in my State of 
             Iowa have gotten to know John and his wonderful wife 
             Elizabeth very well. As I have often said, John Edwards 
             was the only person to run for national office as a Vice 
             Presidential candidate who visited each one of Iowa's 99 
             counties. He has been all over our State, in our schools, 
             in our coffee shops, and in our living rooms. In fact, we 
             have often said in Iowa if it weren't for that southern 
             accent, you would think John was born and raised in Iowa.
               I can say that we on the Democratic side, we Democrats 
             in Iowa and all over the country, are proud of his race to 
             secure the nomination of our party, which he did not get, 
             which went to another of our colleagues, Senator John 
             Kerry. But we were proud of how John Edwards sought that 
             nomination. And we are doubly proud of his conduct as our 
             nominee for Vice President of the United States.
               He always comes across as just folks, which is what you 
             would expect from a person raised in very modest 
             circumstances, the first in his family to go to college. 
             That humble background was an enormous strength for John 
             Edwards. It is a strength we saw on that campaign trail 
             that allowed him to understand people and to communicate 
             powerfully with ordinary people. People responded in kind. 
             All over this country, people just plainly liked John 
             Edwards. They trusted him because he spoke to them in a 
             language they understood.
               But if Iowans and other Americans see just plain folks 
             in John Edwards on the campaign trail, Senators here have 
             been privileged to see a different side of him, hard at 
             work in this Senate. He has only been here one term. He 
             surely made his mark. He made his mark first by 
             challenging an incumbent Senator, and took on the Jesse 
             Helms machine in North Carolina, and he beat it. That is 
             no small feat in North Carolina.
               He made his mark here as lead co-sponsor of the 
             Patients' Bill of Rights, along with Senators Kennedy and 
             McCain. He managed the bill on the floor. He was the lead 
             negotiator in hammering out a bipartisan consensus on the 
             bill.
               He made his mark by sponsoring and passionately 
             advocating for a bill to speed up the approval of generic 
             drugs.
               As I said in my State of Iowa, John Edwards made his 
             mark and won people's hearts with his big smile, his 
             friendly manner, and his boundless optimism.
               He won our respect with a campaign that was always 
             positive. Even under provocation, even when stakes were 
             the highest in the final weeks of the campaign leading up 
             to the caucuses, John never wavered from his positive 
             message of hope and opportunity for ordinary Americans.
               We are proud of our colleague Senator Edwards, and we 
             know we will not hear the last of him as he leaves this 
             body.
               We say farewell to Senator John Edwards. I know and I 
             hope and I trust we will hear more from him in the future. 
             We wish him the very best. Of course, we all hope--and our 
             prayers are with him and with Elizabeth--for a full 
             recovery for his wonderful wife Elizabeth. We will miss 
             them both here. But our friendship endures, and I know 
             that Senator Edwards, Elizabeth, and his family will be 
             heavily involved in the course of our political life and 
             our Democratic Party in the future.
               I thank the Chair and yield the floor.

               Mr. LAUTENBERG. I talked before about Tom Daschle. I 
             also will discuss the rest of our colleagues who are 
             leaving the Senate.
               When the 109th Congress convenes in January, nine of our 
             current colleagues will not be here. I take a few moments 
             to pay tribute to them. Collectively, our colleagues have 
             served in the Senate for 144 years. We will miss them. * * 
             *
               The senior Senator from North Carolina, John Edwards, 
             has streaked across the political firmament like a 
             shooting star. Six years ago, he was a trial lawyer who 
             won a Senate seat in his first try at elected office and 2 
             weeks ago he was very nearly elected Vice President.
               John Edwards, like Tom Daschle, was the first person in 
             his family to graduate from college. His father worked in 
             the textile mills. His mother held several jobs, working 
             in a post office, running a furniture refinishing 
             business. After he graduated from the University of North 
             Carolina Law School, he put his formidable legal skill to 
             work for ordinary people as a trial attorney. He was good 
             at it. In 1997, he won the largest personal injury verdict 
             in North Carolina history, $25 million, for a 9-year-old 
             girl injured by a swimming pool drain the manufacturer 
             knew was faulty.
               John proved if there is injury or damage, take it to a 
             jury of your peers. Let them make the judgment regarding 
             careless operation of a piece of machinery or automobile. 
             The damage is incalculable in terms of a monetary value. 
             So John Edwards did what he ought to do. He protected 
             those who had recourse for terrible damages that they 
             incurred.
               John knew what it was like for that little girl's 
             parents I just talked about because he and his wife lost 
             their 16-year-old son. His name was Wade. He died in a car 
             accident.
               When he got to the Senate, John continued to fight for 
             working-class Americans, and despite being a freshman 
             Member, he was a principal author of a patients' bill of 
             rights bill, which passed the Senate in June 2001.
               He also fought hard for his constituents, securing more 
             than $250 million in disaster funds following Hurricane 
             Floyd in September 1999.
               I don't know what the future holds for John. One looks 
             at that face, and sees such a young man. He is only 51 
             years old, and to me that is like a child. But somehow or 
             other I do not think we have seen the last of him.
               Of course, his first task is to help his wife Elizabeth 
             get through her bout with breast cancer. We send our 
             prayers to both of them, for her quick and complete 
             recovery. He and Elizabeth have the good wishes and 
             prayers of each and every one of us here in the Senate. * 
             * *
               I close my remarks by noting that these men have made 
             remarkable contributions to our society, and all Americans 
             should be grateful. I would tell those who are retiring, I 
             retired 4 years ago, and I did not like it. So here I am. 
             Perhaps there is hope for any of them who want to rejoin. 
             If you want to come back, I am here to tell you it can be 
             done. Just make sure that you get to keep your seniority.
               Mr. President, I yield the floor and thank my colleagues 
             for their indulgence while I made my remarks.

               Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, let me say--this is probably 
             the first and only time I have ever said this--I have been 
             listening carefully to my friend from New Jersey, and I 
             agree with everything he said.
               I have had a chance to talk a little bit about some of 
             these people who are retiring, and at some length about 
             Senator Nickles, and I certainly appreciate the Senator's 
             remarks about him.

               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. * * *
               John Edwards, as well, is leaving the Senate. What a 
             remarkable 6 years. Short in some ways but rather 
             significant considering what he was able to accomplish. He 
             brought enthusiasm, optimism, and eloquence that won him 
             voters and supporters in his first effort to seek election 
             in the State of North Carolina. He was a powerful voice 
             for the Democratic Party throughout the Democratic 
             primaries. He was a powerful voice for our party this past 
             year as a Vice Presidential candidate. That is a rather 
             remarkable set of accomplishments in 6 short years.
               He distinguished himself, of course, by exceeding 
             expectations in many cases. He rose from a background of 
             modest means. As we have heard said, he became the first 
             in his family to go on to higher education, then law 
             school, becoming one of the most successful attorneys in 
             America, not only in his home State of North Carolina.
               He won difficult cases motivated by trying to see to it 
             that people who had little means to protect themselves 
             would have an advocate when he represented them in a court 
             of law.
               Here in this body he took a leading role on the 
             Patients' Bill of Rights. He brought a compelling and 
             compassionate message to America. He talked about two 
             Americas: the America of those who have, and those who 
             lack the good things in life, who lack the essentials and 
             basics. John spoke of the real moral values shared by 
             mainstream America. He is a young man whose voice will be 
             heard, I will predict, in the coming months and years.
               He spoke of our moral obligation to honor hard work, to 
             lift Americans out of poverty, expand health care, break 
             down racial and economic barriers, to enact fair tax 
             policies to make sure that all Americans pay their fair 
             share. He spoke honestly and directly about some of the 
             widening gaps in our society. America listened, paid 
             attention, and rewarded him their respect.
               I certainly believe he would have been an asset to his 
             country had he stayed in the Senate. I am sorry he is not 
             going to be here. He made the decision when he sought the 
             Presidency to leave the Senate. I believe John Edwards 
             would have made a tremendously fine Senator in the years 
             ahead had he stayed here. He has decided to take another 
             path. I am confident, as I said a moment ago, he will find 
             a way to continue to be heard.
               I also want to take a moment to express my best wishes 
             and those of my wife Jackie to his wife Elizabeth. America 
             knows and deeply appreciates Elizabeth. As we all heard a 
             few weeks ago, the family now faces a very different kind 
             of fight. I am certain I speak for everyone in this body, 
             across the country, regardless of their political views 
             and how they voted on election day, when they heard that 
             Elizabeth Edwards had breast cancer, every single person 
             in this country prayed to the dear Lord that Elizabeth 
             Edwards will be rid of this dreadful disease, and that she 
             and her young children will have years and years of good 
             health ahead.
               I am confident that will be the case knowing what a 
             fighter she is and what a fighter her husband is.
               We all wish them and their family nothing but the best 
             during this difficult time. * * *
               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.

               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. * * *
               And finally, Mr. President, the Senate is also losing a 
             champion for America's working families with the 
             retirement of Senator John Edwards. Senator Edwards is the 
             embodiment of the American dream.
               Raised in a small town in North Carolina by hard-working 
             parents--his father was a textile mill worker for 36 
             years--Senator Edwards learned the real American values of 
             getting a good education, of hard work, fairness and 
             playing by the rules.
               He was the first member of his family to go to college. 
             And after graduating from law school, he fought for the 
             values his parents taught him and by working for justice 
             on behalf of those who couldn't fight for themselves--
             working families and their children who were seriously 
             injured by irresponsible corporate actions.
               I was proud to work with Senator Edwards on the 
             Patients' Bill of Rights where he brought that same 
             passion to help working families by ensuring that doctors 
             and not HMOs make our medical decisions.
               I know Senator Edwards will continue to fight for 
             working families and be a national leader on these 
             important issues.
               I also want to wish his wife Elizabeth the best at this 
             difficult time. She is a strong, amazing woman and a 
             fighter like her husband, and the entire Edwards family is 
             in my thoughts and prayers.
               I am proud to have served with these great Senators and 
             I know that they will be remembered long after the tribute 
             speeches are given and the farewell parties end, because 
             of their leadership, their compassion, and their hard work 
             on behalf of all Americans.

               Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to take this 
             opportunity to honor our departing colleagues who are 
             leaving the Senate. Almost each new Congress a different 
             group of 100 men and women come 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. * * *
               Finally, I would like to acknowledge my retiring 
             colleague from North Carolina, Senator John Edwards.
               Senator Edwards was the first in his family to attend 
             college, working his way through North Carolina State 
             University and later earning his law degree from the 
             University of North Carolina. Afterward, John Edwards 
             established himself as a distinguished and successful 
             lawyer. These accomplishments alone are quite striking and 
             aptly demonstrate the intelligence and determination of 
             Senator Edwards.
               During his time in the Senate, Senator Edwards served on 
             four committees: Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; 
             the Judiciary; the Small Business, and Entrepreneurship; 
             and the Select Intelligence. He continually championed for 
             issues affecting the daily lives of regular people in 
             North Carolina and the Nation.
               I am sure Senator Edwards will find success in any 
             endeavor he now chooses to undertake, and I join with my 
             colleagues in wishing him the best.
                                            Saturday, November 20, 2004
               Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I rise to say goodbye 
             to several of my dear friends and colleagues with whom I 
             have had the pleasure to work in the Senate. * * *
               Madam President, we must also say farewell to a freshman 
             Senator who is now a household name in the United States. 
             No one who has met John Edwards can fail to like and 
             respect him.
               Senator Edwards rose from humble beginnings to come 
             close to being elected Vice President of the United 
             States. The first member of his family to gain a college 
             education, he went on to earn a law degree from the 
             University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He built a 
             hugely successful law practice before he entered public 
             service.
               Senator Edwards was a chief sponsor of the bipartisan 
             Patient Protection Act, strong and far-reaching patient 
             protection legislation that passed the Senate in 2001. He 
             has a long career ahead of him and will do well on 
             whatever path he takes.
               Finally, I want to let Senator Edwards know that he and 
             his wife Elizabeth are in my prayers every day.
               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. I ask everyone to pull out this week's People 
             magazine, if they have one--if not, get a copy of it--
             because that tells the story of John and Elizabeth 
             Edwards. The story is directed toward Elizabeth because 
             she has now been stricken with breast cancer, but it tells 
             in some detail about this wonderful family.
               He was the Vice Presidential candidate and is someone 
             who has tremendous ability. I am a trial lawyer. He is a 
             trial lawyer. He has made such a distinct impression on 
             the country with his oratorical skills. We know why he was 
             a great trial lawyer.
               People magazine is so filled with information and 
             inspiration. The last sentence in that People magazine 
             article talks about Elizabeth Edwards. She knew she had 
             breast cancer in the last week of the campaign. She did 
             not tell anybody, but she tells in this People magazine 
             article that was so well written that somewhere at a place 
             she stopped, they were having a cancer survivor program, 
             and one of them asked her: Are you a cancer survivor? She 
             did not answer but, of course, thought to herself, as the 
             article says: We'll see.
               We will see. We certainly hope for the Edwards family, 
             which has already had a lot of personal problems due to 
             the death of their 16-year-old son, we really do hope--all 
             of us, all Americans hope for Elizabeth Edwards, this 
             wonderful woman, to recover.
               I will miss John Edwards in the Senate. He only served 
             here 6 years, but he certainly left his mark as a great 
             Senator from the State of North Carolina. North Carolina 
             is going to benefit, however, from the defeat of the 
             Kerry-Edwards ticket because he is returning to North 
             Carolina.

               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
             service of Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.
               Because of his time on the campaign trail, Senator 
             Edwards's biography is well known to most Americans. He is 
             the son of a mill worker and was the first in his family 
             to attend college. Before coming to the Senate, John 
             fought for victims' rights against insurance companies for 
             more than 20 years in North Carolina. He enjoyed great 
             success in that career, but seeking to do more for the 
             people of his State, he decided to run for the Senate in 
             1998. John ran against, and defeated, an incumbent 
             Senator, Senator Faircloth. Immediately upon arriving in 
             the Senate, Senator Edwards began to make an impact.
               Only a few days after Senator Edwards was sworn in, I 
             asked him to help depose witnesses in the impeachment 
             trial of President Clinton. I wanted to make sure we had 
             the best, and I thought he was. It was John's career 
             experience that made him an ideal choice to assist in the 
             depositions, and he had recent experience working in the 
             trenches. In that pressure filled situation John won the 
             respect of all of his colleagues, both on this side of the 
             aisle and the other.
               From his seat on the Health, Education, Labor, and 
             Pensions Committee, Senator Edwards advocated for lowering 
             the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans by 
             improving access to generic medications. In 2001, he 
             authored the Patients' Bill of Rights which would have 
             guaranteed that people in HMOs and other insurance plans 
             get the health care they pay for. Unfortunately, this was 
             passed in the Senate but blocked by the White House. In 
             addition to serving on the HELP Committee, Senator Edwards 
             served on the Intelligence, Small Business, and Judiciary 
             Committees.
               As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Edwards 
             worked closely with me on a number of legislative efforts. 
             He was a co-sponsor of the Innocence Protection Act, the 
             National Amber Alert Network, and a strong voice on 
             judicial nominations. Senator Edwards has stood up to 
             efforts by this President to pack the courts with people 
             whose records do not demonstrate that they will be fair 
             judges to all who come before them, rich or poor, 
             Democrats or Republicans, or any race or background.
               In September 2003, Senator Edwards announced that he was 
             running for President. John ran a great campaign, raising 
             issues important to the American people. He frequently 
             referred to the division of America into two halves, that 
             of the haves and that of the have-nots. John focused on 
             the struggles of the middle class and many of the same 
             issues that he was a leader on during his time in the 
             Senate. Throughout the campaign, John was a positive voice 
             for our party, and he was an excellent choice as a running 
             mate for John Kerry.
               In an interview, John once said that he had an ideal 
             image of what a U.S. Senator should be. He said that ``I 
             think about a fiery advocate, someone who works 
             passionately for his constituents.'' For the past 6 years, 
             John has been exactly that. Be it health or education 
             reform, supporting farmers or North Carolina's economic 
             interests, John Edwards has been an incredible leader and 
             advocate for his State. I will miss John's friendship here 
             in the Senate. I know that he has a wonderful wife and 
             three beautiful children, and that whatever steps he takes 
             next that he will be just fine as long as he has their 
             support.

               Mr. DASCHLE. Today I would like to say a few words about 
             eight 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. * * *
               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. * * *
               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.

               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.
                                              Monday, December 20, 2004
               Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, in 1998, John Edwards was 
             elected to the U.S. Senate from his home State of North 
             Carolina to fill the seat once held by Senator Sam Ervin. 
             He had never before run for, or served in, public office. 
             From the time he received his law degree in 1977 until he 
             entered the Senate, he was an attorney in private 
             practice. For two decades John represented in court North 
             Carolinians who had been grievously injured or disabled 
             and had no one to speak up for them. He quickly made the 
             transition from the courtroom to the Senate Chamber, 
             however, because in both he has been guided by the same 
             unwavering principle: putting to work his formidable 
             talents and energy, along with his training, on behalf of 
             ``the people I grew up with.''
               John Edwards grew up in Robbins, NC. Robbins was a mill 
             town. John's father spent nearly four decades working in 
             textile mills; his mother worked in a number of jobs as 
             well. As David Broder once put it, his parents and their 
             friends and co-workers were people who ``earn their bread 
             by the sweat of their brow.''
               John was the first person in his family to go to 
             college. For the millions of Americans who were the first 
             in the family to receive a college education--and I count 
             myself among them--this has very special meaning. He 
             worked his way through school in 3 years, finding summer 
             jobs in the mills. He went on to study law at the 
             University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the 
             Nation's ranking law schools, and there he met, and soon 
             married, a fellow student, Elizabeth Anania. In his book, 
             Four Trials, which was published just this year, John pays 
             tribute to the men and women who have played some part in 
             his life, but none is more moving than his richly deserved 
             tribute to Elizabeth: ``I have spent many years trying to 
             live up to what she believed I could be, and I am the 
             better for it.''
               In the 108th Congress, John served on the Health, 
             Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; the Judiciary 
             Committee; the Small Business Committee; and the 
             Intelligence Committee--and also for a while on the 
             Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, where we 
             first had an opportunity to work together. These are 
             formidable, wide-ranging jurisdictions. In every 
             assignment he undertook, John fought for policies, as he 
             has put it, that ``reward work--not just wealth, work--and 
             (to) ensure that the American dream stays alive and 
             available to every single American, no matter where they 
             live or who their family is or what the color of their 
             skin.''
               Together with the senior Senator from Massachusetts and 
             the senior Senator from Arizona, John Edwards led the 
             successful effort in the Senate to pass landmark patients' 
             rights legislation, only to see the bill falter in the 
             face of implacable opposition from the White House. John 
             has been a forceful advocate for the thousands of North 
             Carolinians, and indeed Americans, who ``did everything 
             right,'' but were still powerless to prevent their jobs 
             from being swept overseas.
               When the 109th Congress convenes in January, John 
             Edwards will no longer represent his beloved State of 
             North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. He will be home in the 
             State he loves--``the place that made me love America to 
             begin with''--with the family he loves so dearly. Whether 
             in the Nation's Capital or in North Carolina, however, we 
             know that John will continue to do what he has always done 
             so well, fighting ``for those who do not have a voice, to 
             make sure that ``no one--no one--is lost in America, that 
             that dream is everlasting.'' He will be sorely missed in 
             this Chamber.