[Senate Document 109-27]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
From the Senate Documents Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
From the Senate Documents Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
S. Doc. 109-27
TRIBUTES TO HON. CONRAD R. BURNS
Conrad R. Burns
U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Conrad R. Burns
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Conrad R. Burns
United States Senator
1989-2007
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 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
Allen, George, of Virginia.....................
5
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
18
Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
7
Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York...........
12
Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
11
DeWine, Mike, of Ohio..........................
13
Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
13
Dole, Elizabeth, of North Carolina.............
20
Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
6
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
15
Frist, William H., of Tennessee................
19
Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
3
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
14
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
18
Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
12
Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana................
12
Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland..............
13
Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
5
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
4
Salazar, Ken, of Colorado......................
6
Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
19
Warner, John, of Virginia......................
9
Biography
Conrad Burns was born on a farm near Gallatin, MO, on
January 25, 1935, to Russell and Mary Frances (Knight)
Burns. Graduating from Gallatin High School in 1952,
Senator Burns enrolled in the College of Agriculture at
the University of Missouri. Senator Burns enlisted in the
U.S. Marine Corps 2 years later, serving through 1957.
During his term of service, Senator Burns was posted
throughout East Asia.
Following his military service Burns began working for
TWA and Ozark Airlines until 1962, when he became a field
representative for Polled Hereford World magazine in
Billings, MT. Named the first manager of the Northern
International Livestock Expo in 1968, Burns began his
career in radio and television broadcasting, reporting on
agricultural market news and establishing his reputation
as the voice of Montana agriculture.
In 1975, Burns founded 4 radio stations known as the
Northern Ag Network, which grew to serve 31 radio and
television stations across Montana and Wyoming when he
sold it in 1986.
Senator Burns began his career in politics when he was
elected to the Yellowstone County Commission, serving for
2 years before deciding to run for the U.S. Senate.
Conrad Burns became only the second Republican Senator
in Montana's history, defeating incumbent John Melcher in
1988, and was the longest serving Republican Senator in
Montana history.
On the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Burns
was able to bring in over $2 billion in Federal funds to
the State since he took office. He has been a champion of
a fiscally conservative government and a strong voice for
lower taxes to create new businesses and more jobs. He
expanded Montana's job base by establishing more balanced
trade with Canada and brought better education and health
care to Montanans by encouraging hi-tech investment in the
State. He pursued new markets for agricultural producers
while securing millions of dollars in grants for research
and marketing improvements.
As chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations
Subcommittee in the 109th Congress, Senator Burns had
jurisdiction over all the country's Federal lands and the
National Park Service. His love of the outdoors brought
him back to Montana several times each month and made him
a guardian of the State's vast natural resources. As a
result of his work in the Senate, over 70 rural Montana
communities have adopted enforceable drinking water
protection programs and funding became available to
safeguard acres of Montana through the Land and Water
Conservation Fund.
On the national level, Senator Burns criticized
America's dependency upon foreign oil supplies, calling on
Congress to ban imports from Iraq and increase domestic
production and research in fuel cell technology. He also
cosponsored a Senate bill to voluntarily arm airline
pilots to protect against future terrorist attacks.
In 1997, Senator Burns became Chairman of the
Communications Subcommittee, one of the major regulatory
posts in Congress. He has been praised as ``one of the
fathers of the modern Internet,'' standing for
deregulation, the roll-out of broadband in rural areas,
and new Internet and mobile phone technologies. He
authored section 706 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act
and in 1999 unveiled the ``Digital Dozen'' proposal of
telecom legislation. During the 107th Congress, Senator
Burns pushed his ``Tech 7'' agenda, which aimed to bring
greater security to the Internet, and during the 108th
Congress, Senator Burns unveiled his ``NexGenTen'' Tech
Agenda. At the start of the 109th Congress, Senator Burns
took helm as Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee and
rolled out his ``e-Eleven,'' Tech Agenda, 11 top priority
items to strengthen security and usher reform for 21st
century communication.
In 1967 Conrad Burns married his wife Phyllis. Their
daughter Keely was born in 1971, and 5 years later, in
1976, their son Garrett was born.
Farewell to the Senate
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I appreciate the words of my
friend from Florida [Mr. Nelson] as I rise today and say
my farewell to this body. I do it with some sadness, but I
do it with great pride. I do it with a great appreciation
for the Senate and for the people who serve here.
It has always been one of my personal honors and always
a privilege to serve the State of Montana and the country
for the last 18 years, and with such distinguished and
honorable men and women.
We have seen a lot of changes. I want to answer my good
friend from Florida before he leaves the floor: We have
seen some changes come over the body, and I would suggest
that we turn off that eye that surrounds this body, turn
it off and turn the Senate back into the debating body it
was once known for, with collegiality, because the best I
have ever seen the Senate operate is in executive session.
When you turn off the television and we get to the
issues--and we have some marvelous people, dedicated, on
both sides of an issue, who can argue the issue--some of
us who may not be as disciplined in that particular issue
as others could learn and vote more intelligently. I
suggest that, but I doubt that will ever happen, being
that it is already out in the public today. I thank the
Senator for his observation. We need to get back to the
great debates that were held on the floor of the Senate
many years ago.
It was back on January 3, 1989, when I was sworn in the
Senate. It was a proud day in my life and, of course, for
my wife and our family. I got to thinking during that day
that only in America could something like this happen. I
was fortunate and, of course, we had both my wife's
family, who are Nebraska folks, and my family, who are
Missouri folks, in attendance that day. They are just
folks, but they are emblematic of those people who were
born of the land and in the heart of America--ranchers and
farmers.
It was on the prairies of Missouri where I was born and
raised on a little old bitty farm of 160 acres--what I
call ``2 rocks and 1 dirt''--not a very good farm. But I
have fond memories of that place. I give thanks every day
that I was born to that family and in that old house that
still stands on that 160 acres. Of course, in my younger
years I gained most of my philosophy in life. I was born
of folks who weren't very wealthy, as you would define
wealthy. They were a product of the Great Depression and
the terrible droughts of the 1930s. They survived by hard
work and great pride. The values they passed on to most of
us in my generation were the love of this country first,
community pride and loyalty to that community, and honesty
to the core. Russell and Mary Francis were married 59
years on that day when I was sworn in. And I will tell
you, when they witnessed proudly their son sworn into the
most prestigious body in the world, only in America can
that happen. It is truly the miracle of our country. It
was also a proud day for all of our family.
I will say right now that we could not do well in this
body without the true support of a wife and family because
it is from that source that we draw our strength and, yes,
our wisdom, as long as they are by our side. Phyllis, of
course, and Keely and Garrett were all here. What
blessings God has bestowed upon me personally. One was
missing and that was Kate. God called her home back in
1985, but she remains in our memories and hearts forever.
Again, one cannot do this job without the support and
sacrifice of our family.
We have seen a lot of positive things happen in Montana.
Montana has just begun to grow in new directions. Montana
is a resource State, with timber, mining, oil, and
agriculture. But we have new opportunities now, and they
have opened. I am proud to say that it was me and my
office that led the way on most of those changes. It is
said that it is not bragging if you have done it. I was
fortunate enough to attract a staff that shared the same
vision of change, and change we did. Montana is not short
of visionaries. It was my privilege to know them, work
with them, and to move our State forward.
There is one thing about Montanans: They are not afraid
to dream. As you know, dreams never die; dreamers do. Our
colleges and universities now are national leaders in
research and development, agriculture, engineering, and
communications. We have telemedicine and distance learning
where none existed before. We have seen a real leap
forward in our infrastructure and transportation and rural
utilities. We have watched an elevated vocational
educational system grow. Tribal colleges on our seven
reservations are growing and now offer opportunities that
have never been available to our Native Americans in the
history of our State. More Montanans are working today and
own their homes than at any other time in the history of
our State.
I had the honor of serving with three Presidents, and
one could say four, as it was in the closing days of
President Reagan's term. They are all honorable men and
dedicated to this Nation. I know what it is like to be in
the minority, and I know what it is like to be in the
majority. One great statement was made: ``The majority is
more funner.''
I have enjoyed my work with some of the best men and
women in the Senate who represented both sides of the
aisle, from different regions of our country and diverse
cultures. I will miss them. But we have welded some
friendships that will last forever. The same could be said
of nations to which we have traveled and met national and
international leaders on all continents.
During my tenure here, we have witnessed the crash of
the Berlin Wall, freedom in the market base come to the
Eastern bloc in Europe, and the electricity that was in
the House of Representatives when a newly elected
President of Poland made his historical speech in a joint
session. I will tell you what: It brought joy, tears, and
pride to all of us in that Chamber.
Like every Member of Congress, I wept when two of our
Capitol policemen died on that summer day protecting this
Capitol and us who live and work here. Still, our hearts
go out to their families. They will never be forgotten.
I leave with many memories. I ask the Senate to return
to the deliberative and collegial body it was designed to
be. I know it has that ability because I have seen it
firsthand. But the challenges ahead are tremendous for
this Government. I can only list about six of them:
taxation, regulation, energy, health care, education, and
litigation. We must face those challenges if we are to
live in this free entrepreneurial and economic country. I
suggest that we don't just dwell on the national interests
first and all others separately.
Members of this body are just average men and women, but
they have the capabilities of rising to any occasion of
crisis. They are just average, but they also have a higher
degree of dedication to our country. I never
underestimated any Member of the Senate, and I regard them
as quiet heroes in a time of peace and in a time of
turmoil and even in the most stressful time in the process
of developing legislation that sets policy for our land.
I shall miss all of you. It has been my great privilege
to serve with you. As I leave, I say God bless you all.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
TRIBUTES
TO
CONRAD R. BURNS
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 Conrad Burns. The best thing we can say about
Senator Burns is he married a girl from Nebraska. His wife
Phyllis is from North Platte. Senator Burns represents
some of the best the West has to offer. He will be the
longest serving Republican Senator in Montana history. His
background is varied: distinguished entrepreneur,
broadcaster, and that which he is most proud of, a U.S.
marine.
I have had the honor of working with Senator Burns on a
number of bills and occasions, many related to agriculture
and the cattle industry. For Senator Burns's service to
our country, we thank him. We will miss him. ...
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 ...
My friend, Conrad Burns, who is retiring, was a marine,
an auctioneer, had his own radio program and TV program in
Montana. He would sometimes pick up hitchhikers on his way
in to work in the Senate--a pretty good surprise for a
government employee to be picked up by a U.S. Senator. ...
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. ALLEN. Mr. President, as the time for my departure
from the Senate draws near, on behalf of the greatest
blessing in my life, my wife Susan, and on behalf of
myself, I thank all of my colleagues for their many
courtesies and friendships that have been forged during
the past 6 years. I offer a few concluding reflections
about our time here together, as well as about the future
of our Republic. ...
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 Conrad Burns and I have served
on the Appropriations Committee and are friends from the
Senate gym where we get together every morning and find a
few things to laugh about. ...
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.
Mr. BYRD. ... Mr. President, the great State of Montana
is Big Sky Country. It is the land of open space, grizzly
bears, gray wolves, and ponderosa pines. It is a land of
vast grasslands and the magnificent Glacier and
Yellowstone National Parks. It is the land of Senator
Conrad Burns who will be leaving us at the end of this
session of Congress.
His service in this Chamber was the capstone of a
fascinating, multifaceted career. A marine veteran,
Senator Burns had worked for two different major airlines,
and had worked as a firefighter, a livestock fieldman,
commissioner of Yellowstone County, and an auctioneer.
He had also served as a radio announcer, a farm
broadcaster on the Northern Agricultural Farm Network. A
member of my staff grew up in Great Falls, MT. She
remembers, as a child, waking up very early on cold,
Montana mornings, going out to feed the horses, and coming
in to hear Senator Burns giving his ``ag'' report on
television, telling the people of Montana the price of
pork bellies, hard red winter wheat, and other
commodities.
With his boots, wide belt buckles, and folksy
mannerisms, few people would have expected that this
Montana cowboy would become one of the Senate's leading
experts in high-tech telecommunications.
During his service on the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation, Senator Burns embraced and
fostered new communications technologies. He chaired the
first interactive hearing on Capitol Hill and cofounded
the Congressional Internet Caucus. As chairman of the
Communications Subcommittee, he helped bring the Nation's
communications laws into the digital age as he helped
broaden the use of the Internet. Indeed, he has been
praised as ``one of the fathers of the modern Internet.''
To the relief of, perhaps, millions of American Internet
users, Senator Burns tangled with mass marketers to help
secure enactment of antispam legislation.
With his interests in telecommunications, he enhanced
911 services throughout the country and worked with
Senator Clinton in sponsoring legislation to upgrade
technology on cell phones.
On the Senate Appropriations Committee, he chaired the
Interior Subcommittee, and this is where I came to know
and appreciate him. As a Westerner, Senator Burns brought
an important perspective, as well as a wealth of
experience and knowledge to the diverse and difficult
issues that came up in the Interior Appropriations bill
that were important to his State, and to his region of the
country.
In 2001 and 2002, when I chaired the committee, it was a
pleasure to have Senator Burns serving as ranking member
of the Interior Subcommittee and to work with him and his
able staff. His dedication to duty, his willingness to
work in bipartisan fashion, and his always gracious manner
made my work infinitely easier. It was simply a pleasure
to work with and to serve with Senator Burns on this
subcommittee.
I must now say goodbye to my good friend and colleague.
I wish Senator Burns and his dear wife Phyllis happiness
and success as they now prepare for the next phase of
their lives.
In honor of and appreciation for the Senate's Montana
cowboy, who was at one time in his career an auctioneer, I
offer the following verse:
The Touch of the Master's Hand
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it was scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
``What am I bidden, good folks,'' he cried,
``Who will start bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar''--then, ``Two!'' ``Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three--'' But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, ``What am I bidden for the old violin?''
And he held it up with the bow.
``A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;
And going, and gone!'' said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried
``We do not quite understand
What changed its worth?'' Swift came the reply:
``The touch of the master's hand.''
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A ``mess of pottage,'' a glass of wine;
A game--and he travels on.
He's ``going'' once, and ``going'' twice,
He's ``going'' and almost ``gone.''
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.
--Myra Brooks Welch
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. ...
I would also like to pay tribute to nine other U.S.
Senators who will retire from the Senate in the coming
days. ...
Now, I would like to take a few moments to salute our
majority leader, Senator Frist, as well as Senators
Chafee, Burns, Santorum, DeWine, Jeffords, Talent, and
Dayton. Each and every one of these U.S. Senators has
served his State and his country with great distinction.
Without a doubt, I could speak at-length in honor of
each of these outstanding individuals. In light of time
constraints, however, and the fact that so many of my
colleagues wish to similarly pay tribute, I shall endeavor
to keep my remarks brief. ...
Now, Mr. President, I wish to say a few words about
Conrad Burns. Senator Conrad Burns has an impressive
record of public service, beginning with his service in
the U.S. Marine Corps from 1955 to 1957. Conrad has served
the great State of Montana with distinction in the U.S.
Senate since 1989.
I will never forget when his first campaign came along,
I was asked to go out and campaign with him. I
acknowledged I would do it. I didn't know him, so I went
on out to Montana. I had been in Montana in earlier years.
I had been actually an employee of the U.S. Park Service
and had been a firefighter out in Montana in 1943 and then
again in 1947, I think it was.
Most recently, in August I toured Malmstrom Air Force
Base with Senator Burns. On this tour, I saw firsthand the
love and pride that Senator Burns has for the people of
his State. As a senior member of the Senate Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee, he has worked tirelessly for
the men and women in the Armed Forces.
And old Conrad--he embodies all of those great qualities
of Montana. Talk about independence, he has it, and
robustness, and a thirst for life and laughter. It was a
sheer joy to campaign with Conrad Burns because wherever
he went, he would walk into a room and he would tell a
story, talk to his people.
He loves every square foot of that State. And I shall
miss him. I shall dearly miss Conrad Burns. We have to
have a few characters around here who do our duties and
accept our daily bread, and he is one. And you could go to
the bank on what he told you. He was never at a loss for
telling a story to cheer up a colleague. Whenever he felt
that colleague was a bit down, Conrad would cheer that
colleague up. He and his lovely wife and family will go on
to other challenges. ...
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.
Mr. CONRAD. ... Mr. President, I rise today to
acknowledge my colleague from Montana, Senator Conrad
Burns, who will be leaving this body after serving
Montanans for the past 18 years.
Since our States border one another, Senator Burns and I
have had the opportunity to work together on issues
important to our region and the Nation. Senator Burns has
been a strong advocate for the interests of his State.
In 2002, Senator Burns and I joined forces to create the
Bipartisan Task Force on Tribal Colleges and Universities.
One of the goals we set for the task force was to secure
adequate resources on the Federal level to support and
grow these valuable institutions. Senator Burns, as
chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, was
a strong advocate in helping the task force achieve this
goal. Under his leadership, the tribal colleges received
some of the largest increases in Federal funding since
their inception. This support has opened the door of
opportunity for thousands of American Indians.
During this past year, we have also worked together on
agricultural disaster assistance legislation. Because both
of our States have a strong agricultural sector in our
economy, this issue is very important to our constituents.
The support he has given to agricultural disaster
legislation in both the Senate Appropriations Committee
and the full Senate has been important to our efforts, and
I appreciate his strong support.
Senator Burns was also a valuable member of the ICBM
coalition. During these past years, he and I have worked
together to make sure our Nation has a strong military
deterrent to emerging world threats.
Since he arrived in Washington as a Senator only 2 years
after I did, we have watched the debates and policy
discussions in this body together for almost two decades
now. During that time we have seen economic ups and downs,
a major change in international power structure, and the
new challenges we face after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Again, Mr. President, I have appreciated the opportunity
to work with Senator Burns and wish him well as he leaves
the Senate.
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, Senator Conrad Burns has represented his
State of Montana for three terms. He has been a stalwart
on behalf of his constituents and his philosophy of
government. We thank him for his public service. ...
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. ...
Conrad Burns is a fellow westerner with whom I have
shared much and always enjoyed the humor that Conrad
brought to this body. ...
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. ...
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I want to say something
about my departing colleagues on the other side of the
aisle. ...
And to the departing Senator from Montana, who has a
voice about the same decibel level of my own, I wish him
well. Again, on the Committee on Commerce and on the
Committee on Appropriations we worked very well,
particularly on those issues that were important to
science and technology, new ideas, new thinking, but old-
fashioned values.
A lot is said about changing the tone, but when we hit
the right tone we also hit some pretty high notes. I thank
my colleagues and wish them well and Godspeed until we
meet again.
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. ...
I would also like to bid farewell to outgoing Senator
Conrad Burns of Montana. Conrad Burns is the longest
serving Senator in the history of his State, and he has
long been known for his plainspoken and blunt style.
Conrad Burns served as a marine in Japan and Korea, and
back home he made a name for himself as a livestock
specialist, auctioneer, and radio agricultural reporter.
He proved himself a canny businessman, as 1 radio program
grew into a network of 31 radio stations and 6 television
stations.
A passion for local politics led him to win a seat on
the Yellowstone County Commission. When he first ran for
the Senate in 1988, Mr. Burns was still a relative
political novice; but he was known throughout the State of
Montana for his successful business ventures, and he won
election over an incumbent. Senator Burns was reelected in
1994 and 2000.
Over 18 years in this body, Senator Burns built up a
record as an influential committee member, sitting on
Appropriations and chairing a Subcommittee on
Communications, as well as another on the Interior, with
jurisdiction over the entire National Parks Service.
Senator Burns has taken pride in securing resources for
his State, as well as in opening up the promise of
advanced telecommunications for all. He worked with
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon to pass the CAN-SPAM Act,
which combats unsolicited e-mail. Senator Burns has also
worked for Internet deregulation and broadband access in
rural areas, earning him praise as ``one of the fathers of
the modern Internet.'' That is quite an achievement for a
onetime cattle auctioneer.
Now Senator Burns is returning to his home State of
Montana, and I hope he and his wife Phyllis have many
years of happiness there. ...
Mr. HATCH. ... Mr. President, I want to pay special
tribute to my good friend and colleague from Montana,
Senator Conrad Burns, known by his staff, Montanans, and
myself as just Conrad. It is hard for me to imagine a more
down-to-earth Member of Congress than Conrad. His
straight-shooting analysis of the issues and his humorous
outlook on life made life around the Senate more
enjoyable.
Utahns in particular owe a debt of gratitude to Senator
Burns. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies, Senator
Burns worked with our delegation to meet many of Utah's
needs.
First and foremost, he oversaw a dramatic increase in
funding for the Payments-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) Program,
which provides funding for schools, roads, and public
safety services in rural communities in Utah where the tax
base is limited due to the predominance of tax-exempt
Federal land.
Chairman Burns also helped me to pass legislation which
expedites research and development projects on Bureau of
Land Management, BLM, land. Senator Burns also helped
provide funding for Sandy City, UT, to upgrade its
drinking and storm water infrastructure. With this
funding, Sandy City will now be able to prevent flooding
which has threatened the homes of many citizens in the
past.
Over the years, Conrad has been extremely helpful to
many Utah communities. He helped provide funding to
protect the Range Creek Rainbow Glass Ranch for
conservation purposes, to improve drinking water for the
citizens of Centerfield, Mayfield, Park City, and Eagle
Mountain, UT, to provide for the Sand Hollow Recreation
Area, and to increase the reach of the Bonneville
Shoreline Trail.
Conrad has also helped Utah and our country continue
down the path of energy independence and accelerate Utah
oil and gas production by helping to fund the Utah Oil and
Gas Leasing Internet Pilot Program.
Allow me to share just one example of how Senator Conrad
Burns is, and always will be, a man of the people. The
highway system around the Washington, DC, area provides
for express lanes for vehicles carrying passengers. A
regular feature of the Washington commute is lines of
passengers hoping to be picked up by drivers who are
driving their way. Much of the population of the high
occupancy vehicle express lanes is made up of single
drivers who have picked up these passengers, thus allowing
them to use the express lanes. For years, my friend
Senator Burns would pick up these riders in his less than
glamorous van. They would have great conversations
together along the way, and in most cases, the passengers
would not have the slightest idea that they had been
picked up and were now chatting with a U.S. Senator. And
knowing the junior Senator from Montana, I am sure that's
just the way he wanted it.
Senator Conrad Burns has been a great friend to the
people of Utah and a great friend to me. I will miss his
presence here in the Senate, and I wish him the greatest
of success in his future endeavors. ...
Mr. ENZI. ... Mr. President, the 109th Congress will
soon be drawing to a close. As it does, we will be casting
our final votes on the issues we will take up this year,
and saying goodbye to several of our colleagues who will
not be with us for the start of the 110th session of
Congress. I know I will miss them all for the creativity,
imagination, and firm resolve they have brought to the
consideration of the issues we have worked so hard to
address for the past 2 years.
One of our colleagues I know I will miss in particular
is Conrad Burns. Throughout my service in the Senate he
has been a remarkable friend, and the kind of person you
would want on your side if a battle on the Senate floor
was about to take place. For 18 years he has been a
remarkable Senator and a strong and effective
representative of the people of Montana. It just won't be
the same around here without him.
Conrad Burns is a true westerner--through and through--
and very proud of his western roots. He has always been
strongly committed and absolutely loyal to the United
States and to his home State of Montana. He showed his
commitment to each at an early age. First, his love of his
country showed itself when he decided to leave home and
join the Marines. Then, when his tour of service was
completed, he returned to Montana and began a career that
was going so well his employer wanted to transfer him to
another State where he thought Conrad would be more
effective. That is when Conrad's love for his home State
of Montana showed itself and he quit a promising career
rather than leave the State he loved so well.
Instead, Conrad set up the Northern Ag Network, which
grew from 4 radio stations to 29 radio stations and 6
television stations. Then, as things were going so well
with that project, he began looking for a new challenge.
He found it when he ran for Yellowstone county
commissioner and won. It was the start of a great
political career for him and the more the people of
Montana got to know Conrad Burns, the more they liked him.
Conrad then decided to run for the Senate and ever since
he came to Washington, Conrad has compiled quite a
remarkable record of service. He has made great decisions
for our country as he has watched out for the best
interests of the people of Montana. He has made a
difference on the local, State and national level. Here in
Washington, he has championed some amazing projects and
issues and there is a lot of legislation that bears his
mark for his having worked on it or supported it through
the years.
As we have watched Conrad roll up his sleeves and get to
work on any of a number of issues, he has always impressed
us with his understanding of complex issues and their
short-term and long-term implications for our society such
as the Internet and the development of modern
technologies. In fact, I don't think anyone knows more
about broadband and communication issues than he does. He
is probably the greatest expert in the Senate on those
matters and I know I will continue to seek his advice and
counsel about them when these or related issues come to
the floor in the months to come.
That is an impressive start, but it is not all you will
find when you examine Conrad's record of service. Conrad
has also been a hero to small businesses across the
country. He understands their importance and he is fully
aware that our Nation's small businesses are the backbone
of every State's economy and our national economy as well.
People around the country have come to know Conrad as he
exercised his strong and effective leadership on the
Appropriations Committee. He was always very careful with
the people's money to ensure it was effectively spent.
For my part, I will always remember Conrad as one of my
greatest mentors in the Senate. Thanks to him, I learned a
great deal about the hearings process and how it works. I
learned the importance of putting a hearing together that
would generate good ideas to solve difficult problems.
That enabled us to address the concerns of the ranchers of
Wyoming, Montana and the West and take a closer look at
the destruction caused by the fires in our States. As we
examined those issues during our hearings in Montana, I
got a chance to see how he handled the gavel and exercised
his leadership as chairman. That experience helped me to
plan and hold my own hearings and ensure a maximum amount
of participation and discussion.
Conrad has also been a good friend over the years we
have served together in the Senate. We have fished and
golfed together. We have worked together on issues of
concern to Wyoming, Montana and the West and we have voted
together. We have gone to quite a few sporting events
together usually to watch the Wyoming and Montana teams
play each other. I seem to recall that Wyoming usually got
the better of those encounters. I think Conrad may recall
those games differently, but I am pretty sure the Wyoming
teams always finished ahead of the others.
Our families have enjoyed each other as well. Our wives
are best friends in the western sense--not the Washington,
DC sense. Our kids grew up together and they have remained
close--even through those times when they were miles
apart.
Most important to me, Conrad has been my friend through
thick and thin--the good and bad--the wins and losses--and
the highs and lows of political life. Time changes so many
things in our lives, but one thing it never changes is a
friendship. Thankfully, those only grow deeper and
stronger with time.
As we say goodbye to Conrad Burns, I know I will still
be seeing him, hearing from him and spending time with him
now and again. Change is temporary, friendships are
permanent, and I know my family and I are looking forward
to continuing to share our lives with Conrad and his
family. We can't ever let change ``change'' that.
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.
Senator Conrad Burns and I have had a great working and
personal relationship over the last 8 years. He and his
wife Phyllis have become dear friends of my wife Mary and
me. I have enjoyed our time spent together both personally
and professionally. Conrad and I watched a baseball game
with our grandsons a couple of years ago in Montana.
Conrad and Phyllis also joined Mary and me at the Kentucky
Derby. I wish Conrad and his family all the best as they
start a new chapter in their lives. ...
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 Conrad Burns
has had a long and distinguished career in the Senate as
Montana's longest serving Republican Senator.
Since 1988, Senator Burns has represented his
constituents with honor in the Senate. He has made sure
that Montana's unique, rural economy is sustained through
his support of balanced trade, high-tech investments, and
small business.
Since serving as chairman of the Communications
Subcommittee in 1997, he has continually fought for the
rollout of broadband in rural areas and pushed for new
Internet and mobile phone technologies to help Montanans
participate in our global economy.
Senator Burns's love for the outdoors has made him a
steward of our country's natural resources. As chairman of
the Senate's Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I have
watched him work tirelessly to protect and provide for our
National parks and forests. Our natural resources are
being protected thanks to the work of Senator Burns. I
know he is looking forward to returning to Montana and the
great outdoors.
He has been an ardent supporter of making Government
more fiscally responsible and lowering our taxes, and he
was often an ally on issues.
His leadership and strong conviction to do what is right
will be sorely missed. ...
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, it is with great sadness
that I say farewell to a great friend and Senator, Conrad
Burns of Montana. His loss will be felt in Montana and
here in the Senate. Conrad is a man of the West and worked
hard to make sure those values were represented in the
Senate.
Senator Burns, a marine with a background in radio and
television and as an auctioneer, came to the Senate in
1988. He, his wonderful wife Phyllis, and their family
have become close friends with Catherine and me and to
Alaska. In fact, Conrad's daughter, Dr. Keely Burns, spent
time in Alaska after medical school working as a resident.
Conrad is a great auctioneer and fine fisherman who often
joined me in Alaska.
Conrad served with me on the Commerce, Science, and
Transportation Committee as well as the Committee on
Appropriations. During his time on those committees he
accomplished a great deal for Montana, the West, and our
Nation.
Conrad worked to ensure more than 70 rural Montana
communities have enforceable safe drinking water programs
and protected the Big Sky through the Land and Water
Conservation Fund. He authored section 706 of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996, a provision which ensures
advanced telecommunications are accessible in our schools
and classrooms. And as chairman of the Interior
Appropriations Subcommittee, he helped to secure funding
for the Bureau of Land Management to expedite land
conveyances in Alaska, which my State has pushed for since
statehood. He worked hard to bring infrastructure and high
tech to rural Montana. He worked to create E9-1-1
legislation for the Nation.
Conrad Burns is a hard worker, but he has an easygoing
way about him. Many Senators and staff know that he used
to pick up carpoolers on his way to work. Few probably
know about his protecting penguins in Antarctica. During a
trip to our research station, there was a group of us
watching penguins shuffling nervously near the water's
edge. Conrad got the group together to pose for a photo,
when suddenly all of the penguins jumped between us and
the edge of the water. Conrad just smiled and took the
photo, never mentioning the large killer whale that was
circling behind the Senators.
Conrad's humor is legendary and he can often spring it
on you when you least expect it. As President pro tempore,
I opened the Senate on my 80th birthday, dreading any
birthday greetings I might receive. The first Member
seeking recognition after the prayer was Conrad. Sure
enough, Conrad launched into a long speech about a great
American icon, a fighter, a scrappy character. I got more
and more uncomfortable in the chair, but Conrad knew
something I didn't--Mickey Mouse and I share a birthday.
Conrad knew I would think all this high-minded talk was
about me, but instead he was praising America's most
lovable cartoon character. That's Conrad Burns. A man who
loves to laugh, loves people, and loves his home State of
Montana.
We will miss the good Senator from Montana. ...
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. ...
For the past 18 years, Montanans were extremely
fortunate to be represented by Conrad Burns. There is no
question that Conrad delivered time and again for the
people of his State.
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee,
Conrad secured more than $2 billion in Federal funds for
Montana. And as chairman of the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Interior, he was a tireless advocate of
programs that benefit all Montanans, such as protecting
drinking water and defending his State's wilderness and
wildlife. Conrad also fought hard for Malmstrom Air Force
Base and Montana's military presence during the base
realignment and closure process in 2005.
As chairman of the Communications Subcommittee of the
Commerce Committee, Conrad fought for deregulation and new
Internet and mobile phone technologies. And he worked to
ensure that rural Montana communities have access to the
technologies that will keep them competitive in today's
global marketplace.
Throughout his time in the Senate, Conrad was a strong
proponent of Government accountability, fiscal
responsibility and lower taxes. He worked diligently to
decrease America's dependence on foreign oil. And he was
an early backer of the Medicare prescription drug benefit
that is now helping millions of seniors afford their
medicines.
Conrad's legacy will live on, across Montana, and in the
halls of the Senate, long after he has shut the door to
his office. He leaves behind an extraordinary record of
service to the people of his State. My warmest wishes to
my friend Conrad Burns, his wife Phyllis, and their
family. ...
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.