    [Senate Document 109-26]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                        TRIBUTES TO HON. GEORGE ALLEN

                                  George Allen

                           U.S. SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA

                                    TRIBUTES

                               IN THE CONGRESS OF

                               THE UNITED STATES

                                   George Allen

                                     Tributes

                              Delivered in Congress

                                   George Allen

                            United States Congressman

                                      1991-1993

                              United States Senator

                                     2001-2007

                                Compiled under the direction

                                           of the

                                 Joint Committee on Printing

                                          CONTENTS

                 Biography.............................................
                                                                          v
                 Farewell to the Senate................................
                                                                        vii
                 Proceedings in the Senate:
                    Tributes by Senators:
                        Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
                                                                          4
                        Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
                                                                         15
                        Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York...........
                                                                         11
                        DeWine, Mike, of Ohio..........................
                                                                         12
                        Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                         12
                        Dole, Elizabeth, of North Carolina.............
                                                                         18
                        Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
                                                                          6
                        Frist, William H., of Tennessee................
                                                                         17
                        Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
                                                                          3
                        Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                         13
                        Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                         16
                        Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
                                                                         12
                        Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana................
                                                                         11
                        Martinez, Mel, of Florida......................
                                                                         15
                        Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
                                                                          5
                        Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                          4
                        Salazar, Ken, of Colorado......................
                                                                          6
                        Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
                                                                         17
                        Warner, John, of Virginia......................
                                                                          7
                                          Biography

                   Senator George Allen worked tirelessly in the U.S.
                 Senate to make Virginia and America a better place to
                 live, learn, work, and raise a family. A self-described
                 ``common sense Jeffersonian Conservative,'' Senator Allen
                 trusts free people and free enterprise.
                   Senator Allen set clear priorities during his term in
                 the U.S. Senate. He strengthened and supported America's
                 national defense and homeland security, increased the
                 competitiveness of Virginia and the United States for
                 investment and quality, good-paying jobs, advocated and
                 embraced policies to make America a leader in the
                 advancement of technology, and reduced the tax burden on
                 families and small business owners.
                   As a member of the influential Commerce, Science and
                 Transportation Committee, as well as the Small Business
                 and Entrepreneurship Committee, Senator Allen made the
                 creation of quality, good paying jobs in the Commonwealth
                 his focus. Because of his experience and work with the
                 tremendous high-tech presence in Virginia, Senator Allen
                 was appointed in 2001 to serve as chairman of the Senate
                 High Tech Task Force where he continued to advocate
                 policies to make America a leader in innovation from
                 nanotechnology to broadband to the education of future
                 engineers and scientists. In 2004, the Senate passed
                 Allen's Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act, legislation
                 which extends the ban on multiple and discriminatory
                 taxation on the Internet until October 31, 2007. The bill
                 specifically bans three types of taxes that unfairly
                 single out the Internet, including regressive taxes on
                 Internet access, multiple taxation (for example, by two or
                 more States) of a product or service bought over the
                 Internet, and discriminatory taxes that treat Internet
                 purchases differently from other types of sales.
                   Senator Allen also worked hard to secure America from
                 foreign threats. Given the global security challenges of a
                 post 9/11 world, Senator Allen brought his knowledge of
                 Virginia's defense industry and key military assets to
                 bear as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations
                 Committee--the Senate committee charged with the
                 consideration of treaties and the declaration of war.
                   Senator Allen also served as the chairman of the Foreign
                 Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs. As
                 a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Senator
                 consistently stood strong with the brave men and women who
                 served in our Armed Forces as they fought to protect our
                 freedoms around the world. Senator Allen introduced a bill
                 in Congress in 2005 to do more for the families of
                 soldiers killed in service of their country by raising the
                 death benefit for ``next of kin'' from $12,000 to
                 $100,000.
                   In 2005, Senator Allen was also appointed to serve on
                 the Energy and Natural Resources Committee where he worked
                 to reduce America's over-dependence on foreign oil and
                 shape a national energy plan that strikes a careful
                 balance between our environmental and energy security
                 needs for families and communities in Virginia and all of
                 America.
                   Prior to his election to the Senate, Senator Allen
                 served as the 67th Governor of Virginia from 1994 to 1998.
                 As Governor, he won wide recognition for educational
                 improvements such as the implementation of rigorous
                 academic standards and accountability. Several other
                 hallmarks of Senator Allen's tenure as Governor include
                 the overhaul of an outdated juvenile justice system, work-
                 oriented welfare reform, and the abolition of parole for
                 felons. Senator Allen is also widely credited with
                 bringing a record $14 billion of private sector investment
                 along with hundreds of thousands of jobs to Virginia
                 through the expansion and relocation of technology and
                 manufacturing companies.
                   Bringing the same innovative, constructive leadership to
                 Washington, Senator Allen was unanimously elected a member
                 of the Senate Republican leadership as Chairman of the
                 National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2002. In the
                 2004 election, under Senator Allen's leadership,
                 Republicans picked up four seats in the U.S. Senate.
                   Senator Allen holds a B.A. in history with distinction
                 as well as a law degree from the University of Virginia.
                 He and his wife, Susan, reside near Mt. Vernon in Fairfax
                 County with their three children: Tyler, Forrest, and
                 Brooke.
                                   Farewell to the Senate
                                 Thursday, December 7, 2006

                   Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, as the time for my departure
                 from the Senate draws near, on behalf of the greatest
                 blessings in my life, my wife Susan, and my children,
                 Tyler, Forrest, and Brooke, I wish to thank my colleagues
                 for their many courtesies and friendships forged during
                 these past 6 years. I offer a few concluding reflections
                 on our time here together, and the future of our Republic.
                   Our foremost senior statesman in Virginia, one who
                 served with particular distinction in this body--Harry
                 Byrd, Jr.--has observed that, with the exception of the
                 Presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, no
                 time in our Nation's history has been witness to more
                 problems and challenges of great magnitude than these past
                 6 years.
                   When I arrived here in January 2001, America was at
                 peace--or so we thought. And then on the bright, blue sky
                 morning of September 11, the skies suddenly darkened with
                 clouds of smoke from the Pentagon, and the horrific
                 collapse of the World Trade Center Towers. And our world
                 changed forever.
                   When I arrived in this body, accompanying a change of
                 Presidential administrations, our challenges were mostly
                 economic--or so we thought. Our prosperity was already
                 slipping, but most forecasts were for a mild downturn in
                 the economy. That changed on September 11 as well.
                   A cascade of other great challenges soon followed in
                 rapid succession--issues foreign and domestic, challenges
                 locally and nationally, threats manmade and disasters
                 decreed by nature.
                   Through all of these unprecedented storms, it was our
                 responsibility to make careful, prayerful decisions for
                 the safety, security and prosperity of the people of our
                 country.
                   I am particularly grateful to the people of the
                 Commonwealth of Virginia for the opportunity to serve
                 here--to give voice to their values and to fight for their
                 future in this, the world's most distinguished body.
                   We all understand and respect the will of the people--
                 the owners of the government--in our representative
                 democracy that brings us here and that may, at some point,
                 take us away.
                   Sometimes winds, political and otherwise, can blow the
                 leaves off branches and break branches off trees. But a
                 deep-rooted tree will stand and grow again in the next
                 season.
                   And, if Providence accords it the right climate and
                 nourishment, that tree will bear fruit for generations to
                 come, and give life to other trees.
                   I have been honored, first as Governor and now as
                 Senator, to be a part of important initiatives that have
                 borne fruit for the people of Virginia and America.
                   As Governor, we worked across party lines to accomplish
                 the honest change that Virginians had desired and
                 deserved. We abolished the deceitful, lenient parole laws,
                 brought truth to sentencing, brought violent criminals to
                 justice, and reformed our juvenile justice laws.
                   Today, the crime rate is down, and thousands of good
                 people are not victims of crime, have not lost loved ones,
                 have not had their lives shattered, because we stood
                 strong for truth and justice, and our reforms bore fruit.
                   We also brought high academic standards, accountability,
                 and new resources to Virginia's education system. We
                 stopped skyrocketing college tuition rates.
                   Our education reform initiatives quickly became models
                 for other States, and even for this body in enacting
                 education reform legislation for the Nation.
                   These reforms, too, are bearing fruit today. Virginia
                 students are learning more and performing markedly better
                 on both State and national tests. Our schools are no
                 longer engaging in social promotion.
                   And with investments in higher education from the
                 coalfields with Appalachian School of Law and School of
                 Pharmacy, to the Institute in Danville, to southwest
                 Virginia and Roanoke HEC's, to the Engineering School of
                 VCU, to new leading-edge research at Virginia Tech, George
                 Mason, Hampton and other universities we are equipping
                 young men and women to succeed in the ever more
                 competitive global marketplace.
                   And we replaced dependency with dignity by reforming
                 Virginia's welfare laws. Now, 11 years later, our welfare
                 rolls are still less than half of what they were when I
                 became Governor. Not only has that saved the taxpayers of
                 Virginia hundreds of millions of dollars--the far more
                 important impact is seen in the eyes of children who watch
                 with admiration and respect as their parents go off to
                 productive, rewarding jobs rather than sit at home,
                 collecting a check.
                   Nothing was more rewarding for me as Governor than to
                 help ignite Virginia's economic renaissance. We sent a
                 message to the world that Virginia was ``open for
                 business''--we lowered taxes, reduced regulations,
                 implemented prompt permitting, and recruited high-
                 technology companies like IBM and Toshiba, Micron and
                 Infineon--now Qimonda--Oracle's east coast campus, and
                 secured billions of dollars in investment in semiconductor
                 fabrication plants for world-class companies.
                   Before we recruited those companies 10 years ago, there
                 were no computer memory chips manufactured in Virginia.
                 Today, computer memory chips have replaced cigarettes as
                 Virginia's No. 1 manufactured export. We're not just the
                 ``Old Dominion'' anymore; now we're the ``Silicon
                 Dominion!''
                   When I came to the Senate, my goal was to use this
                 perspective and experience to continue and build on this
                 work. I wanted to bring to our national policies the same
                 emphasis on education and innovation--the same emphasis on
                 economic opportunity--the same emphasis on protecting the
                 safety and security of law-abiding people--the same time-
                 tested values--that had guided my governorship.
                   I have been able to do that, and I am grateful to many
                 of you for working in partnership with me on so many
                 issues that are vitally important for the lives and safety
                 and prosperity of our citizens.
                   Our time together has been full of challenge. But
                 despite the broken branches and shattered limbs and lives
                 of 9/11, America has stood strong like a live oak. We have
                 relied on our roots as a freedom-loving Nation. Out of
                 these stormy times has grown a new national sense of
                 urgency, resolve and mission. And this new spirit is
                 bearing fruit today, and will for many years to come.
                   Yes, the people of America have grown impatient with the
                 pace of this progress. It is not easy during prolonged
                 periods of national trial to sustain an attitude of
                 optimism and a sense of purpose. Our foes know this about
                 democracies, and they seek to exploit it. But they will
                 not succeed.
                   We Americans, of so many faiths and so many backgrounds,
                 share this spirit above all else: We believe in the
                 positive impact that each of us can achieve during our
                 time here on Earth. But our opponents have no such belief.
                 They fear human freedom, and glorify the extinguishing of
                 human life more than the fruitful living of it. They will
                 not succeed in this great struggle because they are only
                 destroyers, and the world belongs to those who create.
                   The God who gave us life, and who presides over the
                 affairs of all nature and all nations, endowed mankind
                 with a powerful spirit of creation, regeneration, and
                 renewal.
                   The attackers of 9/11 thought they would kill our
                 spirit, but they only rekindled it. And, despite one of
                 the most unsettled and challenging times in our Nation's
                 history, look at what we have to show for it.
                   Our economy is displaying unprecedented strength.
                 Unemployment is the lowest it has been in decades. Home
                 values are significantly higher than just a few years ago,
                 and the stock market is at a record high level. The tax
                 burden on our people is at a 20-year low, while Federal
                 tax revenues are at all-time highs, and inflation is under
                 control.
                   There has not been a single terrorist attack on American
                 soil since 9/11, and numerous major plots have been
                 foiled. The al-Qaida leadership has been decimated, and
                 instead of meeting the enemy here at home, we have taken
                 the fight to them in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq and
                 in locales that will never be known. Even with the world
                 at war against a lethal enemy of radical terrorist
                 organizations, Americans are safer today than on 9/11.
                   We must respectfully work with other countries in
                 intercepting finances, creatively collaborating in
                 counterterrorism efforts to thwart and defeat terrorist
                 activity throughout the world.
                   This war on terror has many fronts. And all of us are
                 deeply concerned about the lack of progress of the war on
                 the Iraqi front. Although our principles and strategic
                 goals have not changed, mistakes have been made and
                 progress has been too slow. We cannot continue to do the
                 same things and expect different results; we must adapt
                 our operations and change our tactics to meet the evolving
                 terrorist threat. And the Iraqi people and their leaders
                 must take control of their destiny.
                   Let us never forget, however, that our American troops
                 are liberators who have freed a people from a brutal
                 dictator and regime. In so doing, they and their families
                 have made great sacrifices not only for the freedom of
                 Iraqis, but for the security of Americans. They, more than
                 anyone, understand the consequences of failure in Iraq are
                 far too high. Leaving Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists
                 to launch new attacks will put America in mortal danger.
                 Our troops should come home as soon as possible, but they
                 should come home in victory--not defeat.
                   This global war on terror is still a work in progress,
                 and much of the work is difficult. But I will leave here
                 in the coming days with satisfaction that so many of the
                 crucial steps we took to meet the challenges of the post-
                 9/11 world have worked, and worked well.
                   The PATRIOT Act and other new and technologically
                 sophisticated counter-terrorism measures designed to
                 protect our homeland are working, and working well.
                   Our courageous men and women in uniform, an all-
                 volunteer military that is the most powerful fighting
                 force in the history of the world, is hard at work for us,
                 and working well.
                   We have also worked well on the domestic front. And I
                 take great personal satisfaction from progress achieved on
                 some major initiatives designed to make this a land of
                 opportunity for all--measures that will help secure a
                 future of expanding opportunity for our children by making
                 America the world capital of innovation.
                   One area of focus for me has been preserving the
                 Internet as a tax-free individualized opportunity zone.
                 The Internet is the greatest invention since the Gutenberg
                 Press for the dissemination of information and ideas, and
                 one of America's greatest innovations for economic growth
                 and jobs.
                   So far the Federal Government has taken the right
                 approach when it comes to the Internet--by basically
                 leaving it alone.
                   The American private sector is the best steward of the
                 Internet. We just need to leave it alone and let it
                 prosper as an engine for economic progress--and with your
                 help, that is what we have done. But the need for action
                 will return next year, and I hope you will extend Internet
                 tax freedom so that avaricious State and local tax
                 commissars are blocked from imposing an average 18-percent
                 tax on monthly Internet access bills.
                   We also made major progress in a realm few Americans
                 understand, but one that will transform their lives--
                 nanotechnology. Teaming up with my hard-working friend
                 across the aisle, Senator Wyden, we sponsored and you
                 approved legislation launching the National Nanotechnology
                 Initiative. This is the single largest federally funded,
                 multiagency scientific research initiative since the space
                 program in the 1960s, and the revolutionary technology it
                 yields may well rival the space program in its impact on
                 our society and economy.
                   You have heard me say many times on this floor that the
                 key to innovation is education, and that we need to
                 educate more scientists and engineers because they are the
                 ones who will design and develop the groundbreaking and
                 life-changing inventions, innovations, and intellectual
                 property of the future.
                   But today America is not tapping its full potential in
                 math, science, research and innovation. Only 15 percent of
                 those graduating from our engineering schools today are
                 women; only about 6 percent are African-Americans, and
                 about 6 percent are Latinos. That is simply not enough,
                 especially when we are competing with countries that have
                 literally six or seven times our population.
                   That is why I have worked with Senators in both parties,
                 Senators Alexander, Ensign, Bingaman, and others, as well
                 as the independent-minded Senator Lieberman--for the
                 National Innovation and PACE Acts, which will invest in
                 wide-ranging scientific education and research, induce
                 capable students with scholarships, provide incentives for
                 teachers and researchers, and take other steps to keep
                 America on the leading edge of science and technology.
                   That is why I have been the lead Republican co-sponsor
                 of the Partnership Access to Laboratory Science Act with
                 Senator Menendez, which will provide science education and
                 laboratory grants for students in rural and low-income
                 schools.
                   And that is why I have led the charge for legislation to
                 help remedy the opportunity divide at America's minority-
                 serving institutions--the HBCUs, Hispanic-serving
                 institutions, and tribal colleges. I am grateful for the
                 Senate's support for this initiative and hope it will very
                 soon become a reality.
                   All these initiatives I respectfully urge you all to
                 pass and stay with them until they become law. For my
                 part, I will continue to advocate for these incentives and
                 this major national commitment to make sure that the
                 United States is indeed the world capital of innovation.
                   Investing in education and innovation is vital for our
                 global competitiveness, and so is achieving energy
                 independence. In fact, not only is energy independence an
                 economic necessity; it's also a national security
                 imperative. Our dependence on Middle Eastern oil limits
                 our foreign policy options for addressing terrorism,
                 tyranny and related geopolitical issues.
                   We have made some important strides in accelerating the
                 exploration and development of American energy supplies,
                 including American oil, natural gas, clean coal and
                 nuclear power. And we have made notable progress in
                 hastening the research, development and deployment of
                 economically viable alternative and renewable sources of
                 energy. But here we must all agree that there is far more
                 to be done.
                   The bottom line is we need more energy explored,
                 produced, and grown in America, so that hundreds of
                 billions of energy dollars stay in America and are
                 reinvested in America's economy for American jobs,
                 American competitiveness, and American national security,
                 instead of having to worry about the whims of some
                 dictator in the Middle East, or some other hostile part of
                 the world.
                   There are so many ways that what we have done here
                 during the last 6 years has made a positive impact on the
                 opportunities facing citizens all across our country.
                   In Virginia, whether it is the major port expansion at
                 Craney Island, or funding for the Advanced and Applied
                 Polymer Processing Institute in Danville, or the effort to
                 assure that new development opportunities at Fort Belvoir
                 are matched by adequate transportation facilities; whether
                 it is educational research funding, or new resources for
                 roads and mass transit, or grants to make our communities
                 safer, in hundreds of ways we have been able to have a
                 major, positive impact on people's lives all across the
                 Commonwealth of Virginia.
                   We have also broken down barriers to opportunity. My
                 very first speech on the Senate floor was on behalf of
                 Roger Gregory's appointment as a Federal judge on the
                 esteemed Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that sits in
                 Richmond.
                   Judge Gregory had been nominated at the end of President
                 Clinton's term, but he did not get a vote, and to become a
                 judge he had to be re-nominated by President Bush. So my
                 first speech was to call on my Senate colleagues to rise
                 above partisanship, rise above process, judge Roger
                 Gregory as a person, and give him the fairness of a vote.
                   You did so, and as a result, Judge Gregory is serving
                 with distinction on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals,
                 the first African American to serve on that esteemed
                 appellate court.
                   For the good of our country, the Judiciary, and this
                 Senate, I urge you--regardless of the party in power here
                 and at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue--to end the
                 obstructionist practices that deny judicial nominees, or
                 other nominees, the fairness of an up or down vote, and
                 that deny the American people the accountability that the
                 advice-and-consent process should afford.
                   Miguel Estrada was a victim of this unfair
                 obstructionism, although a majority of Senators supported
                 his confirmation. Let John Bolton be the last victim of
                 these unfair, obstructionist practices.
                   Our Constitution provides a better way; let's follow it.
                   Finally, during these times of war, we are all keenly
                 aware of the sacrifice made by the men and women serving
                 in our Armed Forces and their families. Virginia is home
                 to more people serving in uniform than all but a handful
                 of States, and so when a loved one is lost, we feel the
                 pain very directly, very personally. A grateful Nation
                 must support the families of those who have fallen in
                 defense of our liberty. That is why I introduced a bill in
                 the first hours of the first days of this 109th Session to
                 increase the military death benefit from the paltry amount
                 of $12,420 to $100,000. I thank you for passing it, and I
                 thank the President for signing it.
                   At each step of the way, on this measure and so many
                 others, I have never worked alone. Always at my side, as a
                 partner--but even more as a gracious mentor, wise counsel,
                 constant encourager, occasional corrector, and unwavering
                 friend--has been our State's senior Senator, John Warner.
                   He has been the epitome of the Virginia gentleman, the
                 model of an honest, hard-working Senator, and most of all,
                 a true and loyal friend. I will leave here enriched
                 immeasurably by this latest and best chapter in our
                 partnership of several decades.
                   My friends and colleagues, as I prepare to take my
                 leave, I am humbled and so grateful for the tremendous
                 honor and privilege that has been accorded to me by the
                 people of Virginia. I am also full of gratitude for the
                 opportunity to serve with you and for the many courtesies
                 you have extended to Susan and me along the way.
                   I leave with many new and enduring friendships, with
                 some valuable lessons learned, with unrestrained optimism
                 about the potential of America, about our Nation's future,
                 and with pride in our accomplishments together.
                   My friends, don't let these challenging times along our
                 national journey divert your focus from what truly
                 matters.
                   The tree of American liberty is as strong as ever. Our
                 roots run deep to a wellspring of values as old as our
                 Republic, indeed much older still.
                   Four hundred years after our Nation's beginning at
                 Jamestown, we are still in the springtime of our life as a
                 Nation. Still planting seeds and bearing fruit. Still
                 growing and creating. Still inspiring and innovating.
                 Still providing light and hope for people around the world
                 seeking to escape the chains of tyranny, and embrace the
                 blessings of liberty.
                   Indeed, the sun is still rising on a bright American
                 morning!
                   And if we will keep the faith, no matter the challenges
                 or choices, generations to come will remember and think
                 well of us, for this: We never gave up. We never backed
                 down, and, we always stood strong for freedom.
    ?

                                          TRIBUTES

                                             TO

                                        GEORGE ALLEN
                                  Proceedings in the Senate
                                                  Tuesday, December 5, 2006
                   Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President . . . As we recognize, it is a
                 distinct privilege and high honor to serve our country in
                 any capacity, and certainly none higher than in uniform.
                 But it is especially important that we recognize those who
                 have given years of their lives, sacrificing their
                 families, their own time, to help make a better world for
                 all of us. I know of no capacity in which we serve our
                 country that has given those who have had this rare
                 opportunity to serve in the Senate anything more noble
                 than trying to shape a better world from this Senate.
                   These individuals who will leave the Senate, some on
                 their own terms, some on the terms of the election, but,
                 nonetheless, in their own specific way have contributed a
                 great deal to this country.
                   I take a few minutes to recognize each. . . .
                   Senator George Allen. We will miss footballs. Many of my
                 colleagues received footballs. He was a quarterback for
                 the Cavaliers at the University of Virginia and he could
                 throw almost as well as even a Nebraska quarterback.
                   Senator Allen, for a very young man, has a very
                 distinguished record of public service, serving as the
                 Governor of the great State of Virginia, serving in the
                 House of Representatives, serving in the U.S. Senate. I
                 served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with
                 Senator Allen for many years, and I will miss his ability
                 to say it clearly and plainly. And his leadership position
                 within the Republican majority, which he served so ably,
                 will be missed. . . .
                   Mr. President, in conclusion, it is not easy to put
                 one's self on the firing line and offer one's self as a
                 candidate for any office. It takes a certain amount of
                 courage and, I suspect, a little dose of insanity. But
                 nonetheless individuals who believe deeply enough to
                 commit themselves to a cause greater than their own self-
                 interests need to be recognized. Having nothing to do with
                 me or you or any one individual, but it is the essence of
                 our country, it is the very fabric of our democracy that
                 makes it all work and probably gives rise to, more than
                 any one reason, why we have been such a successful nation
                 for over 200 years--because people from all walks of life,
                 in every community, in every State, offer themselves for
                 office. Whether it is a mayor, a Governor, city
                 councilman, county official, a sheriff, these individuals
                 deserve recognition.
                   We all make mistakes. That is who we are. But in the
                 end, it is not unlike what Teddy Roosevelt once referred
                 to in his magnificent quote about the man in the arena.
                 And it is the man and the woman in the arena who change
                 our lives. It makes a better world that shapes history,
                 that defines our destiny. And for these individuals who
                 will no longer have that opportunity to serve our country
                 in the Senate, we wish them well, we thank them, and we
                 tell them we are proud of them and their families and wish
                 them Godspeed.
                   Mr. President, I thank you for the time and yield the
                 floor.
                                                Wednesday, December 6, 2006
                   Mr. REED. Mr. President, this is an opportunity to
                 recognize the service of several of our colleagues who are
                 departing from the Senate. To Senator Jeffords, Senator
                 Frist, Senator DeWine, Senator Talent, Senator Santorum,
                 Senator Burns, and Senator Allen, let me express my
                 appreciation for their service to their States and their
                 service to the Nation and wish them well. . . .
                   To all my colleagues who served and conclude their
                 service, let me once again express deep appreciation for
                 their friendship and for their service to the Nation.
                   I yield the floor.

                   Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, we are coming to the end
                 of the session and 10 of our colleagues are retiring. I
                 want to say a word about them . . .
                   Or George Allen. I remember vividly the first time I met
                 him, I campaigned for him in Virginia. He was 40 points
                 behind. I went back to Tennessee and I said, I believe he
                 will win, he is such a good candidate. We haven't heard
                 the last of him in public life. . . .
                   When the most recent class of Senators was sworn into
                 office nearly 2 years ago, in the gallery were three
                 women. One was the grandmother of Barack Obama. She was
                 from Kenya. One was the mother of Senator Salazar, a 10th
                 generation American. One was the mother of Mel Martinez,
                 the new Republican National Committee chairman, who, with
                 her husband, put her son on an airplane when he was 14
                 years old and sent him from Cuba to the United States, not
                 knowing if she would ever see him again.
                   In a way, each one of us who is here is an accident.
                 None of us knew we would be here. Each of us is privileged
                 to serve, and one of the greatest privileges is to serve
                 with our colleagues. We will miss them and we are grateful
                 for their service.
                   I yield the floor.

                   Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I see others who
                 wish to speak, and I will make a couple of brief comments.
                   In the comments of the Senator from Virginia [Mr.
                 Allen], his final couple of comments recalled for me a
                 statement made in the closing of the Constitutional
                 Convention in Philadelphia, when on the back of the chair
                 of the presiding officer was a sunburst. Someone opined in
                 that Constitutional Convention: Dr. Franklin, is that a
                 rising sun or is it a setting sun? And Franklin ventured
                 to say that with the birth of the new Nation, with the
                 creation of the new Constitution, that he thought it was a
                 rising sun.
                   Indeed, it is that hope of which the Senator from
                 Virginia has just spoken that motivates this Senator from
                 Florida to get up and go to work every day, and to look at
                 this Nation's challenges, not as a Democratic problem or a
                 Republican problem, but as an American problem, that needs
                 to be solved in an American way instead of a partisan way.
                   We have had far too much partisanship over the last
                 several years across this land, and, indeed, in this
                 Chamber itself. And of the Senators who are leaving this
                 Chamber, I think they represent the very best of America,
                 and on occasion have risen in a bipartisan way. It has
                 been this Senator's great privilege to work with these
                 Senators: Allen of Virginia, Burns of Montana, Chafee of
                 Rhode Island, Dayton of Minnesota, DeWine of Ohio, Frist
                 of Tennessee, Jeffords of Vermont, Santorum of
                 Pennsylvania, Sarbanes of Maryland, Talent of Missouri.
                   As the Good Book in Ecclesiastes says: There is a time
                 to be born and a time to die. There is a time to get up,
                 and a time to go to bed. There is a time for a beginning,
                 and there is a time of ending.
                   For these Senators who are leaving, it is clearly not an
                 ending. It is an ending of this chapter in their lives,
                 but this Senator from Florida wanted to come and express
                 his appreciation for their public service, to admonish
                 those where admonishment is needed when this Chamber,
                 indeed, this Government, has gotten too partisan, but to
                 express this Senator's appreciation for the quiet moments
                 of friendship and reflection and respect in working
                 together, which is the glue that makes this Government
                 run.
                   Whether you call it bipartisanship, whether you call it
                 friendship, whether you call it mutual respect, whatever
                 you call it, the way you govern a nation as large and as
                 complicated and as diverse as our Nation is--as the Good
                 Book says: Come, let us reason together--that is what this
                 Senator tries to be about. And that is what this Senator
                 will try to continue to do in the new dawn of a new
                 Congress. So I wanted to come and express my appreciation
                 for those Senators who will not be here, for the great
                 public service they have rendered.
                   Mr. President, I am truly grateful for their personal
                 friendship and for their public service.
                   I yield the floor.

                   Mr. DURBIN. . . . Senator George Allen of Virginia and I
                 have worked on a few measures together, including some
                 help for veterans who returned from the war in Iraq with
                 traumatic brain injury. . . .
                   I wish all of my colleagues who are retiring well as
                 they begin the next chapters of their careers.

                   Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell
                 to several of my friends here in Washington. Too often we
                 get caught up here in the back-and-forth of politics and
                 lose sight of the contributions of those with whom we work
                 every day. It is only at moments such as these, at the end
                 of a cycle, that we have a moment to reflect on the
                 contributions of our colleagues. And while we may not
                 always see eye to eye, this Senate is losing several
                 admirable contributors who have made many sacrifices to
                 serve our democracy. . . .
                   A number of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle
                 will be departing in January, as well. There is our
                 colleague from Virginia, Senator Allen, who wears, in my
                 opinion, the second best pair of boots in the Senate.
                 There is Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania, whose passion
                 is admirable and whose energy is always enviable. Also
                 leaving us is my colleague in the centrist Gang of 14 that
                 helped bring this Senate back from the abyss; Senator
                 DeWine of Ohio, who will head back to the Buckeye State
                 with my respect and admiration; and my friend Senator
                 Talent from Missouri, with whom I spent many hours in the
                 Agriculture Committee working to level the playing field
                 for America's farmers and ranchers. We will miss Senator
                 Chafee of Rhode Island's independence and his clear voice
                 for fiscal discipline in Washington. And we will miss
                 Senator Burns of Montana, who shares my passion for rural
                 America and who is headed home to Big Sky Country, back to
                 the Rockies that I know we both miss so much. . . .
                   America, when held to its finest ideals, is more than a
                 place on the globe or a work in progress. It is the
                 inspiration to those around the world and here at home to
                 seek out excellence within themselves and their beliefs.
                 It has been a pleasure to work alongside each of these
                 gentlemen, who have helped me as I have found my way,
                 sometimes literally, through the halls of the Senate, in
                 the pursuit of these greater ideals that we all share:
                 security, prosperity, and an America that we leave better
                 than when we arrived. These ideals will resonate here long
                 after we all are gone and another generation stands in our
                 place making the decisions of its day.
                                                 Thursday, December 7, 2006
                   Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I have had the privilege of
                 being here for the 28th year beginning shortly. I
                 calculated not long ago that I have served with 261
                 individuals. I am not about to try and review all of the
                 many magnificent friendships I am privileged to have
                 through these years. Indeed, if one looks at the rewards,
                 of which there are many serving in this historic
                 institution, the Senate, it is the personal bonds, the
                 friendships that we so firmly cement and that will last a
                 lifetime as a consequence of our duties of serving the
                 United States of America and in our respective States.
                   We are called ``United States'' Senators. I often
                 believe it is the first obligation, our Nation, the
                 Republic for which it stands.
                   For my colleague now of 6 years, George Allen, this will
                 be his last service as a Senator as this brief session
                 closes. I have said it before, I will say it again and
                 again, I rank him at the very top of the 261 Senators I
                 have been privileged to serve with these many years.
                   In fact, I have looked back at the history of Virginia
                 and would like to note for the record that my colleague,
                 George Allen, is one of only five Virginians to have
                 served in the Virginia General Assembly, as Governor, as a
                 Member of the House of Representatives; and as a U.S.
                 Senator--the first in more than 150 years of our State's
                 history.
                   Together, we have shared a long history of serving the
                 people of Virginia--I as a Senator and he as a Member of
                 the Virginia House of Delegates, House of Representatives,
                 Governor, and U.S. Senator. I remember participating in
                 his first campaign and all the successive campaigns.
                 George Allen served the Commonwealth of Virginia in public
                 office for 25 years. How well I know. I campaigned for him
                 when he ran for the State legislature, then for the
                 Congress, then for Governor, and he won those elections
                 handily. Then he ran for the Senate. It was a tough race.
                 Tough because he was up against a very able opponent, a
                 man whom I admire, a man with whom I have served with in
                 this Chamber. But the voters of Virginia--and therein
                 rests the final decision--sent George Allen to the Senate
                 where I believe he has served with great distinction.
                   I have been privileged to share the warmth and vigor of
                 this magnificent man with his lovely wife Susan and their
                 children, Tyler, Forest, and Brooke. What a privilege, a
                 joy for me to see them as they have grown nourished by the
                 love of two strong parents.
                   In 1981 he was elected to the Virginia House of
                 Delegates to the seat once held by his philosophical
                 inspiration, Thomas Jefferson. Throughout his career in
                 public office, George Allen has consistently been guided
                 by that same inspiration of smaller government and
                 individual freedom. He has also been driven by the
                 thoughts of two other leaders important to him; Ronald
                 Reagan who said ``If not us who, if not now when?'' and
                 his father who always told him ``The future is now.''
                   Throughout his career in public service George has
                 worked as an advocate of economic development, recruiting
                 companies to Virginia and espousing policies to create
                 jobs. As Governor, he oversaw the creation of 312,000 new
                 jobs in Virginia by making the Commonwealth a better place
                 to do business. He reformed the parole system to keep
                 repeat offenders off our streets and out of our
                 neighborhoods. His welfare reform set the stage for the
                 Congress to act to help people get back on their feet and
                 get back to work. He implemented the Standards of Learning
                 in our schools to make sure all of our children receive
                 the same quality education.
                   I remember well our first effort together when he came
                 to the Senate in 2001. As is often the case here in the
                 Senate, there had been some problems confirming a Federal
                 judge who was ultimately recess appointed in late 2000. We
                 came together and worked with the President to bring his
                 nomination back to the Senate and as a result, Judge Roger
                 Gregory was confirmed by the Senate to become the first
                 African American seated on the Fourth Circuit of the U.S.
                 Court of Appeals.
                   We were working partners. We shared everything--our
                 staffs work together, our wives work together--and we
                 crisscrossed this State from one end to the other over
                 those 6 years. When either George Allen or I felt, for
                 whatever reason, we could not keep an appointment
                 somewhere in the State, one would fill in for the other.
                   We were quite parallel in our thinking, the philosophy,
                 the things so important to Virginians, and I think to most
                 Americans, first and foremost the preservations of our
                 freedoms, a strong national defense, a right to work, to
                 hold a job and to compete fairly, to hold that job and to
                 advance, to have a system of health care that did not
                 serve only those more affluent than others but would serve
                 any individual who suffered from pain or the need for
                 medical attention.
                   We have joined together in countless efforts for
                 Virginia's communities; helping to fund museums, youth
                 centers, innumerable infrastructure projects, and research
                 at our colleges and universities. We also worked together
                 on the Teacher Tax Relief Act. I am very hopeful if we
                 pass this tax package, there will be a provision that
                 George and I worked on together for many years, to be
                 extended in statute; and that is, the Teacher Tax Relief
                 Act. I will never forget. I was down visiting a small
                 school. And as is so often the case, you are rushed
                 through, and the teachers and the principal want you to
                 meet as many students as you possibly can. It is always
                 quite interesting to do that.
                   I remember I was rushed into one class, and I think they
                 were first graders. They were all sitting on the floor,
                 and the principal said: You have a few minutes. So I
                 started talking away, and I asked the first graders: Is
                 there a question you might have? And this absolutely
                 magnificent little girl, who sat there riveted to every
                 word I spoke, looked up and said: Yes. My question is, how
                 much longer must we sit here until the Senator comes?
                 Well, you don't forget those things. And I had difficulty
                 answering the question, I was so taken aback. I felt I was
                 universally recognized, but it is not the case in the
                 first grade.
                   Then I was in another classroom, and for some reason I--
                 I went through basic engineering school, and I have always
                 been interested in pencils and writing instruments--and I
                 saw a pencil, a rather fancy one, and I picked it up, and
                 the teacher saw that I liked it, and she said: Take it.
                 Keep it. I said: Oh, no, I don't take any gifts or
                 anything. You know, we have rigid rules in the Senate, and
                 nobody is going to bribe me with a pencil. And she said:
                 Oh, please, please, please. It is not school property. I
                 said: Oh? She said: Yes. Senator, you must understand that
                 as teachers--and this is prevalent not only in Virginia
                 but it is prevalent all across the land, particularly
                 among teachers in the elementary grades--we have to take
                 part of our own salary to buy what we deem are the
                 essential tools that are needed to educate our students.
                   Well, I just could not believe this, because teachers
                 are not among the more well paid. So George Allen and I
                 fought for years to get the Teacher Tax Relief Act signed
                 into law. It is on the books, and we need to extend it,
                 and I am optimistic that will be done. But it simply says,
                 if you can establish that you took your own salary and you
                 bought school supplies which were necessary for teaching
                 and the profession you are in, you get a $250 above the
                 line deduction--a small amount of money, but a great sense
                 of satisfaction.
                   George has been a strong member of the Commerce and
                 Foreign Relations Committees seeking to make our Nation a
                 better place for business, ultimately creating more
                 economic opportunity for all Americans.
                   We joined together after the tragic events of September
                 11, 2001, to try to help the people of Northern Virginia
                 and indeed all America respond and recover.
                   We worked on behalf of the men and women of the Armed
                 Forces. How proud we are in the Commonwealth of Virginia
                 of the extensive number of bases and institutions of the
                 U.S. military which we are privileged to have. There is no
                 greater responsibility of the Congress of the United
                 States than its specific obligation under the
                 Constitution. As my great teacher and mentor, Senator
                 Byrd, so often has told me, that is to provide for the
                 care and the welfare, and to raise the armies and maintain
                 the navies that this Nation requires. George Allen has
                 been a partner with me as we have done those things for
                 these many years.
                   In life we go through a series of stages. We are raised
                 and nurtured by our parents, receive an education, raise a
                 family of our own, and serve in various careers. George
                 Allen and his family have been public servants to the
                 people of Virginia and America for the past 25 years. The
                 people have been fortunate to have such a dedicated
                 Delegate, Congressman, Governor, and U.S. Senator. I am
                 proud to have served with this man and to call him my
                 friend all these years. Therefore, I bid him a fond
                 farewell from this institution. But I look forward to
                 working with him as he goes on and accepts challenges
                 perhaps even greater than the ones he had in the years
                 that he so loved serving in this Chamber.
                   The people of Virginia spoke, and George Allen, with
                 great courage, took that decision and quickly said: I
                 understand. He accepted it and has gone on about his
                 business. . . .
                   In conclusion, over the years I have served with each of
                 these 10 Senators, each has not only been a trusted
                 colleague, each has also been my friend. I will miss
                 serving with each of them in the Senate but know that each
                 will continue in public service in some capacity. I wish
                 each and every one of them well in the years ahead.
                   Mr. President, I see a number of colleagues here anxious
                 to speak, and I have taken generously of the time the
                 Presiding Officer has allowed me to speak.
                   I yield the floor.

                   Mrs. CLINTON. . . . Finally, I also wish the very best
                 to my Republican colleagues who will leave the Senate at
                 the conclusion of this Congress. The Senate, at its best,
                 is a body that promotes bipartisanship, deliberation, and
                 cooperation, and the dedication to shared values. It has
                 been a privilege to work with my departing colleagues on
                 the other side of the aisle.
                                                   Friday, December 8, 2006
                   Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I have a few more minutes
                 before the 10:30 vote, and I take this time to say a few
                 words about some of my colleagues who are retiring. We had
                 a good bit of time yesterday devoted to their tremendous
                 contributions, and as each of us, the 100 of us, do know
                 each other pretty well, I have come to the floor to say a
                 few things about several of the colleagues I have had the
                 distinct pleasure of working with very closely. . . .
                   Mr. President, finally, I want to recognize the Senator
                 from Virginia, George Allen, for his service as Senator
                 and as Governor of his State. We have worked together on a
                 range of issues on the Energy and Small Business
                 Committees as well as on the historic antilynching bill.
                   To all of our retiring Members, I say thank you. Thank
                 you for your efforts on behalf of my State when you were
                 needed and thank you for your service to America.

                   Mr. KYL.  Mr.  President,  I  also  will  say  a  word
                 about a couple of my colleagues who are leaving, and I
                 will be brief. . . .
                   George Allen, a great colleague with whom I also served
                 one term in the House of Representatives, and whose
                 philosophy of ``freedom first'' is certainly one that I
                 share. I know we are going to miss George and his sage
                 counsel in the years to come. . . .
                   I know we all move on at some time and that none of us
                 is irreplaceable. But by the same token, these colleagues
                 of ours who will be leaving will be missed and they will
                 be remembered for their great service to the Senate, to
                 their States, and to the United States of America.
                   I yield the floor.

                   Mr. DeWINE. . . . Mr. President, I want to wish the best
                 to all of my fellow Senators who were defeated this fall
                 or who are retiring this year--Senators Frist, Santorum,
                 Talent, Burns, Allen, Chafee, Dayton, and Jeffords. They
                 are all good people and all good friends. I wish them
                 well. . . .

                   Mr. DODD. . . . Mr. President, today I pay tribute to my
                 departing colleagues who have, for a time, lent their
                 talents, their convictions, and their hard work to this
                 distinguished body. I may have had my disagreements with
                 them, but the end of a term is a time for seeing
                 colleagues not simply as politicians, but as partners who
                 have ``toiled, and wrought, and thought with me.'' Each,
                 in his own way, was distinctive; and each, in his own way,
                 will be sorely missed. . . .
                   Next, I would like to bid farewell to Virginia's George
                 Allen. As we all know, Senator Allen is the son of the
                 great football coach, George H. Allen. As a boy and young
                 man, Senator Allen lived all over America, wherever his
                 father's career took the family. But in the end, Senator
                 Allen fell in love with the State of Virginia, especially
                 its wealth of history. Describing his first law practice,
                 he said:

                   I was going to go into a partnership with someone in
                 Charlottesville in an old building built in 1814. Mr.
                 Jefferson played the fiddle there, allegedly . . . I lived
                 in it while renovating. I started my law practice and then
                 bought a log house out in the country, in the woods.
                 Charlottesville is where I wanted to take my stand.

                   In 1982, George Allen won election to the Virginia House
                 of Delegates--and Thomas Jefferson's old seat. In 1991, he
                 was elected to a term in the House of Representatives, and
                 2 years later, became Governor of Virginia, a post in
                 which he distinguished himself as an energetic executive.
                 As Governor, George Allen fought violent crime, reformed
                 his State's welfare system, and signed the standards of
                 learning education reform bill, which helped inspire No
                 Child Left Behind. In 2000, he was elected to the Senate,
                 where he served on committees including Commerce and
                 Foreign Relations.
                   In the Senate, George Allen made a name for himself on
                 technology issues, keeping the Internet free of taxation,
                 securing nanotechnology funding, and providing high-tech
                 grants to historically black colleges. It's also been a
                 pleasure to work with Senator Allen for several years on
                 our own legislation to enhance America's competitiveness
                 in the field of aviation by investing in aeronautics
                 research and a new generation of aerospace scientists. In
                 addition to his technology interests, Senator Allen was
                 also a strong advocate of balanced budgets.
                   George Allen is leaving the Senate, but we will remember
                 him for his affable demeanor and love of history. He was
                 fond of quoting Thomas Jefferson's 1801 Inaugural Address:
                 ``The sum of good government is a wise and frugal
                 government  which  shall  restrain  men  from  injuring
                 one  another but  otherwise  leave  them  free  to
                 regulate  their  own  pursuits of industry.'' George Allen
                 did his best to live and work by those principles, and as
                 he returns to private life, I wish happiness to him, his
                 wife Susan, and their three children. . . .

                   Mr. HATCH. . . . Mr. President, I rise today to honor
                 the Senate career of my distinguished colleague from the
                 State of Virginia, the Honorable George Allen. The
                 contributions he has made to Congress and this country are
                 significant, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for all
                 that he has given.
                   George has spent most of his career in public service. A
                 few years after earning his law degree, he served as a
                 delegate in the Virginia Assembly before becoming a
                 Congressman in 1991. He made a successful run for Governor
                 of Virginia and presided over 4 years of strong economic
                 growth and steady job creation. In 2001, he joined the
                 U.S. Senate, and I have been honored to call him my
                 colleague for the past 6 years.
                   George has been a tireless advocate for a smaller, more
                 efficient Government throughout his career. He helped lead
                 the way to enactment of the President's tax cut package in
                 2001 and 2003 and has been an articulate defender of the
                 progrowth tax policies that we have pursued over the past
                 6 years, including the reduction in capital gains and
                 dividend taxes, the repeal of the death tax, and the
                 reduction in the tax burden of our Nation's small
                 businesses, where so many of our jobs are created. These
                 were lessons he learned well from his days as a Governor.
                   He has done more than just pay lip service to the
                 importance of keeping taxes low: He has fought the good
                 fight as well. He introduced and worked hard to ensure the
                 passage of the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act,
                 legislation that prohibited taxes on Internet access or
                 taxation from multiple jurisdictions on goods bought over
                 the Internet.
                   Over the last few years, George has achieved an almost
                 legendary status with the technology community in this
                 country. In 2001, George was appointed to serve as
                 chairman of the Senate High Tech Task Force where he
                 advocated for policies to make America a leader in
                 innovation from nanotechnology to broadband to the
                 education of future engineers and scientists. So much of
                 the technology agenda being advanced in this country today
                 spawned from the efforts of George as the High Tech Task
                 Force chairman. If you were to meet with the top
                 executives of any technology company with a significant
                 presence in the United States, they would tell you what a
                 wonderful advocate George Allen has been for their company
                 and their industry. I have heard it time and again from
                 hundreds of executives.
                    George also has served our party well. His success as
                 head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
                 during the 2004 election cycle is a result of the
                 Senator's bedrock faith in his beliefs and his ability to
                 articulate that which he holds true.
                   So many times, politicians come to Washington with
                 strongly held convictions and a desire to do good and
                 instead take the more expedient path to reelection and
                 power. When it comes to George Allen's career, no one can
                 say he ever abandoned his belief in the virtues of a small
                 government and lower taxes. These are the very beliefs I
                 hold true as well, and I was glad to have him on my side.
                   At its heart, politics is a battle over ideas. Our
                 distinguished Senator from Virginia earned the respect of
                 us all for the pitched battles he fought to advance the
                 cause of freedom and economic growth for the United States
                 and the world.
                   Personally, I have admired George Allen for a long time.
                 In my opinion, his demeanor, his knowledge, and his drive
                 are all exemplary and worthy of emulation. Every
                 interaction I have had with George over the years has done
                 nothing but bolster my original opinion of him. He reminds
                 me more of Ronald Reagan than any national politician I
                 have met. That is a high compliment for a great statesman.
                 I would like to take this time to thank my friend, George
                 Allen, and to wish him, Susan, and the rest of the Allen
                 family the very best as he leaves this great institution
                 to take on new challenges.

                   Mr. MARTINEZ. . . . Mr. President, today I recognize the
                 service of Senator George Allen. The citizens of the
                 Commonwealth of Virginia and the American people are
                 losing a great patriot in the U.S. Senate. Senator Allen
                 will be leaving the Senate after 6 years of service to his
                 home State constituents and to this country.
                   He has been an important member of the Republican Party
                 and the Senate, always striving to better America's
                 defense and homeland security. He has worked to ensure
                 good-paying jobs for the people of Virginia, and to
                 guarantee that every person in Virginia receives a quality
                 education. It is disappointing that a strong leader like
                 Senator Allen is leaving the Senate; he will be missed.
                 Senator Allen was one of the people who helped convince me
                 to run for the U.S. Senate, and without his support and
                 his guidance, I might not be here today.
                   I wish my colleague from Virginia and his family all the
                 best, and thank them for the service that they have given
                 to our country. Thank you, Senator Allen. . . .

                   Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute
                 to the Republican Members of the Senate who will not be
                 returning in the 110th Congress. Senators George Allen;
                 Conrad Burns; Lincoln Chafee; Mike DeWine; Dr. Bill Frist;
                 Rick Santorum; and Jim Talent have served their
                 constituents with honor and distinction during their
                 tenure here in the U.S. Senate. All care very deeply for
                 this great Nation and I hope they will have continued
                 success in their future endeavors. . . .
                   Majority leader Bill Frist has run the Senate through
                 difficult and trying times and he has done it well.
                 Senator Mike DeWine, my neighbor to the north, has
                 represented the Buckeye State with great distinction and
                 has committed over 30 years of his life to public service.
                 Senator George Allen represented the Commonwealth of
                 Virginia in the U.S. Senate for 6 years, and he worked
                 closely with me to make America safer by helping usher
                 through important legislation to arm cargo pilots. Senator
                 Jim Talent has had a great career in Congress and wrote
                 the blueprint to the welfare reform bill of 1996. And
                 Senator Lincoln Chafee has continued the proud legacy set
                 forth by his father and my friend, Senator John Chafee.
                   Mr. President, I would like to again commend all of our
                 departing Republican Senators. I am proud of what they
                 accomplished here in the U.S. Senate. They will all be
                 missed, and I wish all of them the very best.

                   Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, Senator Allen has spent
                 many years working for Virginia.
                   He came to the Senate in 2000 after a strong record of
                 accomplishments as his State's Governor.
                   As Virginia's Senator, he has worked diligently to
                 protect our freedoms, preserve conservative values, and
                 help America remain the land of opportunity.
                   He was a strong supporter of the tax reforms of 2001 and
                 2003 that have resulted in the economic upswing our
                 economy is currently enjoying.
                   His work on the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act has
                 helped keep access to the Internet tax free.
                   He also worked to increase military benefits, including
                 legislation to increase the death benefits for families of
                 fallen troops from $12,000 to $100,000.
                   I have also worked with Senator Allen on the PACE Act.
                 Senator Allen understands that we must provide our
                 children with the education necessary for the jobs of
                 tomorrow. His work with the National Nanotechnology
                 Initiative will also help our country compete globally as
                 other countries continue to emerge. Senator Allen
                 understands that America must remain home to the best and
                 brightest.
                   I will miss working with him in this Chamber, and I will
                 miss his friendship and support on the issues that matter
                 most to America. . . .
                 UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT--TRIBUTES TO RETIRING SENATORS
                   Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the tributes to
                 retiring Senators be printed as a Senate document and that
                 Senators be permitted to submit tributes until December
                 27, 2006.

                   The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
                 ordered.
                                               Wednesday, December 27, 2006
                   Mr. STEVENS. . . . Mr. President, Senator George Allen
                 has served the Commonwealth of Virginia with honor and
                 integrity. George is a principled person, following
                 bedrock beliefs gained growing up in a strong family.
                   These principles have led George to promote and defend
                 freedom in this country and around the world. His
                 legislative accomplishments are aligned with this
                 philosophy.
                   Senator Allen's major accomplishments include the
                 Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act, the 21st Century
                 Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, increased
                 benefits for the families of fallen troops, funding to
                 upgrade telecommunications infrastructure for minority-
                 serving institutions, and greater protections for
                 intellectual property.
                   In all of this, Senator Allen has not forgotten who his
                 real boss is: the American people. He has always, and will
                 continue, to put the interests of this country above his
                 own. That is a true mark of a leader, and all Virginians
                 can be proud to have been represented by a man with
                 Senator Allen's character.
                   As many of his constituents, colleagues, and friends
                 know, Senator Allen closed much of his correspondence with
                 the words ``keep winning.'' Just like his dad, a Hall of
                 Fame coach who reached great heights and suffered tough
                 losses on the gridiron, we know George won't let this
                 setback define him. We all expect him to ``keep winning''
                 for Virginia.
                   Catherine and I wish him and Susan the very best. We
                 know we will hear more about this dedicated public servant
                 in the future. . . .
                                                    Monday, January 8, 2007
                   Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, it is an honor indeed to pay
                 tribute to a number of fine individuals who I am fortunate
                 to call not just my colleagues, but also dear friends:
                 Senators Bill Frist, George Allen, Conrad Burns, Lincoln
                 Chafee, Mike DeWine, Rick Santorum and Jim Talent. . . .
                   It has also been a privilege to serve alongside my good
                 friend and colleague, Senator George Allen. In the Senate,
                 George built on an already remarkable record of service to
                 the people of Virginia, where he served as a member of the
                 House of Delegates, a Member of the U.S. House of
                 Representatives and as one of the most respected and
                 successful Governors in the history of the Commonwealth.
                   As a Senator, George continued his common sense,
                 ``Jeffersonian'' style of conservative leadership. He
                 proved time and again that he is a tremendous ally of
                 Virginia's defense communities and military families. In
                 2005, George was a strong proponent of helping families of
                 fallen soldiers by raising the death gratuity for next-of-
                 kin from $12,000 to $100,000. And as a member of the
                 Commerce Committee, George Allen was the Senate leader in
                 working to maintain America's competitive advantage in
                 technology and innovation. George founded the Senate
                 Competitiveness Caucus to promote an agenda that ensures
                 that the United States continues to create high-paying
                 jobs and produce the very best engineers and scientists in
                 the world.
                   One of George's best attributes as a Senator was that he
                 did more than just talk the talk--George delivered real
                 results. He advocated for increased funding for math and
                 science education, in particular at historically black
                 colleges and other minority institutions. He has been a
                 leader in the Senate on improving health savings accounts
                 by increasing the amount individuals can contribute each
                 year to their HSAs, thus allowing them to save more money
                 for current and future health care needs. George also
                 secured more than $3.5 million in Federal funding for
                 cutting-edge nanotechnology research and development. And
                 he led the fight to ban Internet access taxes and make the
                 Internet tax moratorium permanent, as he understands that
                 saddling consumers with high taxes will stifle innovation
                 and expand the digital divide.
                   Throughout his career, George Allen has served the
                 people of Virginia with courage and distinction, and he
                 has provided a wonderful example for public servants who
                 follow in his footsteps. I wish all the best to George,
                 his dear wife Susan, and their three children. . . .
                   As these men--Bill Frist, George Allen, Conrad Burns,
                 Lincoln Chafee, Mike DeWine, Rick Santorum and Jim
                 Talent--conclude their service in the U.S. Senate, let me
                 say that I am so proud to have worked with individuals of
                 such character, strength, and intellect. Our Nation is
                 grateful for their many contributions. And as they each
                 will undoubtedly continue to contribute to our country's
                 greatness, their leadership and vision will be missed here
                 in the U.S. Senate.