[Senate Document 109-33]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
109th Congress SENATE DOCUMENT S.Doc 109-033
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TRIBUTES TO HON. RICK SANTORUM
Rick Santorum
U.S. SENATOR FROM PENNSYLVANIA
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] 33208.001
Rick Santorum
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Rick Santorum
United States Congressman
1991-1995
United States Senator
1995-2007
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Farewell to the Senate................................
ix
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
4
Allen, George, of Virginia.....................
5
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
19
Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York...........
11
Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
20
DeWine, Mike, of Ohio..........................
7, 11
Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
12
Dole, Elizabeth, of North Carolina.............
22
Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
6
Ensign, John, of Nevada........................
10
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
15
Frist, William H., of Tennessee................
20
Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
3
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
13
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
19
Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
11
Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana................
11
Martinez, Mel, of Florida......................
15
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
10
Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
5
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
4
Salazar, Ken, of Colorado......................
6
Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
18
Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
9
Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
20
Warner, John, of Virginia......................
8
...............................................
Biography
Rick Santorum served in the U.S. Senate from January
1995 through January 2007. During that time, he served as
a champion for Pennsylvanians both through his
accomplishments in the U.S. Senate and through his
leadership position as Republican Conference Chairman, the
party's third-ranking leadership position in the Senate.
As Conference Chairman, Senator Santorum directed the
communications operations of Senate Republicans and was a
frequent party spokesman. He was the youngest member of
the leadership and the first Pennsylvanian of such a
prominent position since Senator Hugh Scott was Republican
leader in the 1970s.
Senator Santorum was raised in Butler County, PA and
attended college at Penn State University. It was during
his undergraduate career that he became actively involved
in the political process as a campaign volunteer for the
late Senator John Heinz. Senator Santorum received a B.A.
in political science from Penn State in 1980 and went on
to earn an M.B.A. in 1981 from the University of
Pittsburgh. Later, he graduated with a J.D. from the
Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, PA. In 1990, at the
age of 32, Senator Santorum was elected to the U.S. House
of Representatives and made his mark in Congress as a
champion of government accountability and welfare reform.
In the 109th Congress Senator Santorum served on the
Agriculture Committee; the Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs; the Committee on Rules and
Administration; the Special Committee on Aging; and the
Finance Committee, of which he was the chairman of the
Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy.
Senator Santorum was prominent in the fight to reform
America's social welfare system by playing a major part in
the historic 1996 welfare reform law. The Senator believes
in giving recipients of Federal aid incentives to work
while providing funds for fatherhood and marriage
initiatives. Welfare reform, however, is only a part of
his broader vision to end urban and rural poverty by
strengthening families, communities, and the local
organizations that sustain them.
Senator Santorum was a leader in congressional efforts
to revive America's communities and empower citizens to
enjoy better lives. The most important of his initiatives
for community and economic renewal was the Charity, Aid,
Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Act, which passed the
Senate during the 108th Congress. Based on three
concepts--giving, saving, and fairness--the CARE Act
provides incentives for charitable giving, opportunities
for low-income families to build their individual assets,
and equity between faith-based and secular organizations
as they provide charitable social services. These renewal
programs will promote job growth, economic development,
affordable housing and higher education, and long-term
financial stability for Americans. Senator Santorum is
committed to further fostering this movement.
Also of legislative precedence to the Senator was the
belief that human life is sacred and must be guarded by
the law, science, and society. To this end, Rick Santorum
sponsored and fought for measures to protect the most
vulnerable among us and to ban a procedure known as
partial birth abortion. During the 107th Congress, Senator
Santorum successfully ushered the Born-Alive Infants
Protection Act through the House and Senate. Ultimately,
the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which recognizes
the basic rights of all children born alive, was signed
into law. In the 108th Congress the Senator's legislation
to end partial birth abortion won congressional approval
and was signed by President Bush.
The Senator is committed to the initiative to eradicate
global HIV/AIDS. He believes that the United States has an
obligation to provide funding to combat HIV/AIDS, and a
responsibility to extend debt relief to Third World
nations.
Senator Santorum was proud to represent Pennsylvania's
leading industry, agriculture, on the Senate Agriculture
Committee. He was a leading advocate for the
Commonwealth's 55,000 hard-working farm families and was
responsible for the creation of the Farmland Protection
Program. The Senator fought for the future of
Pennsylvania's dairy farmers, worked to provide a robust
crop insurance program for producers of all sizes, was an
advocate on behalf of Pennsylvania's disaster assistance
needs, and supported child nutrition programs that have
had a tremendous impact on Pennsylvania's children.
As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Aging and
chairman of the Finance Subcommittee on Social Security
and Family Policy, Senator Santorum was on the front lines
in the fight to save and strengthen Social Security and
Medicare. Furthermore, as the son of two Veterans
Administration employees, and as a former member of the
Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Santorum focused
on efforts to ensure that the American men and women who
serve in our military are treated with the respect and
honor they so richly deserve.
While Senator Santorum is proud of his accomplishments
as a lawmaker and public servant, he is most proud of his
role as a husband and father. Senator Santorum and his
wife, Karen Garver Santorum, are the parents of six
wonderful children: Elizabeth, John, Daniel, Sarah Maria,
Peter, and Patrick.
Farewell to the Senate
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, let me thank my great
friend and colleague from Nevada [Mr. Ensign] for his very
kind words. I thank him for coming to hear my last speech
on the floor of the Senate. I know there are many
listening who are applauding at this moment for that. But
I come here with a wonderful spirit. I have written on the
top of the page the same words that I wrote the night of
the election, and that is the word ``gratitude'' because
that is all I feel--an incredible sense of gratitude.
Mark Rodgers is my long-time friend and chief of staff,
now head of the conference. We were talking again this
morning about coming to work every day and walking up to
the Capitol Building every day for 16 years now and still
feeling that, wow, I work here--every day for 16 years. It
was such a gift, such an incredible gift to be blessed to
serve the people of the 18th District in the Congress,
southwestern Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County, and for 12
incredible years to be able to serve the people of
Pennsylvania here in the Senate.
So first and foremost, I want to thank who is most
responsible--and that is God--for this great gift he has
bestowed upon me and my family--to be able to serve the
greatest country in the history of the world and to serve
in a body that is, and hopefully will be, the greatest
deliberative body in the world. I think back to my dad,
when he came to this country, and my mom, who is a second
generation, and I think of how I grew up. It is amazing
what a great country this is and how God has bestowed upon
me and my family tremendous blessings. So I thank Him for
the opportunity he has given me to serve. We are all
called to serve. Some are frustrated because they don't
think they are in a job or a position in life where they
are doing what God has called them to do. God has blessed
me with the opportunity to do this and to serve in a way
that I hope he has called me to serve.
Second, I thank my family. Karen and the kids are
watching. They have suffered a lot and have sacrificed a
lot in 16 years. I was telling John the other day that it
is amazing how you think you are doing certain things
well, and then you have the opportunity to spend a little
more time doing those things and you realize how
insufficiently you did them in the past. A phrase from the
Bible is ringing in my ears, ``the scales falling off of
the eyes.'' In the last month or so, I have had a lot of
scales fall from my eyes--to see not just what the 2 years
have been to my family, which have been a tough 2 or 3
years, but the accumulation of 16 years in what is a very
difficult life. I know everybody here recognizes that
because you live it. They know how difficult this life is,
how public everything we do and say is or what we are
accused of. We think we understand how difficult that is
for our family, but I don't think we really do. I want to
say thank you to Karen, who I picture in my mind with this
T-shirt dress she wore and had stenciled on it ``Santorum
for Congress.'' She went knocking on doors in 1990, when
no one gave us a chance. We did the impossible. We were
able to defeat a 14-year incumbent who no one thought
could be beat. I would not have even come close to winning
that election but for her.
In 1994, it was the same thing. She went out with the
two children at home and she spent day after day--not
traveling with, no; she was giving speeches in her own
right and traveling all over the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, sacrificing. They continued to do that day
after day, year after year. I was a Senator, and I had
important things to do.
I tell stories all the time about debates that were held
on the floor of the Senate, when I would call Karen and
say I had to come back to this very place and say more.
There was never a hesitation. She served more than I did.
My children--none of them have known their father without
being in politics. I got married in 1990 to Karen, and
Elizabeth came along 11 months later. Their life has been
with their father in politics, in the public arena. They
have had to deal with that in both pleasurable ways and
some very painful ways. So I thank them for being without
their dad far too often. Even when they are with their
dad, I am not as attentive as I should have been. But I
think they knew and they shared in the endeavor because
they knew it was important for them and for our country.
So, hopefully, out of this experience they have been
given a sense of purpose, and they know more about what
life should be all about and that is to serve--serve God,
serve your family, serve your community, and to serve your
country. It is a great blessing. I thank them for the
opportunity they have given me, through their sacrifice,
to do that for the last 16 years.
I thank my mom and dad and Karen's mom and dad and
everyone in our family who has been supportive every step
of the way--sometimes wondering why I was doing this,
sometimes unable to walk to the end of the driveway and
pick up the paper for fear of what was going to be said
next about their son-in-law or son. But they stood with us
and fought with us and they comforted us. I thank them.
John mentioned the people who are here in this room, my
staff.
I ask unanimous consent to have printed a list of all of
the folks who worked for us over the last 12 years in the
Senate at the end of my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
(See Exhibit 1.)
Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I wish I could read all
these names, but there are a lot of names. These are
people who worked for me in my personal office in
Washington and in my offices across the State and the
people who worked here in Washington in my leadership
office at the Senate Republican Conference. John said it
so well. These are incredible people. I have had the
opportunity now in the last few days to sit and talk with
each one of my staff members to find out what they are
doing and to get any final thoughts they would have. One
after another, I have been amazed at the dedication,
intelligence, caring, and the commitment of service they
had to the people of Pennsylvania, or to the causes I have
attempted to do my best to fight for in the Senate. These
are incredibly talented people whom I have been so blessed
to be associated with and to work with.
I looked at the list of our legislative accomplishments
and I can say, yes, I worked on that, but on the autism
legislation, Jennifer Vesey wrote it, not me. She spent 16
months working with 15 offices. In fact, let me do
something at this point.
Mr. President, I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate
a message from the House of Representatives on the bill
(S. 843) to combat autism through research, screening,
intervention and education.
The PRESIDING OFFICER laid before the Senate the
following message from the House of Representatives.
S. 843
Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 843)
entitled ``An Act to amend the Public Health Service Act
to combat autism through research, screening, intervention
and education'', do pass with the following amendment:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
section 1. short title.
This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Autism Act of
2006''.
sec. 2. centers of excellence; improving autism-related
research.
(a) Centers of Excellence Regarding Research on
Autism.--Section 409C of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C.284g) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by striking ``autism'' and
inserting ``autism spectrum disorder'';
(2) by striking the term ``autism'' each place such term
appears (other than the section heading) and inserting
``autism spectrum disorder''; and
(3) in subsection (a)--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the
following:
``(1) Expansion of activities.--The Director of NIH (in
this section referred to as the `Director') shall, subject
to the availability of appropriations, expand, intensify,
and coordinate the activities of the National Institutes
of Health with respect to research on autism spectrum
disorder, including basic and clinical research in fields
including pathology, developmental neurobiology, genetics,
epigenetics, pharmacology, nutrition, immunology,
neuroimmunology, neurobehavioral development,
endocrinology, gastroenterology, and toxicology. Such
research shall investigate the cause (including possible
environmental causes), diagnosis or rule out, early
detection, prevention, services, supports, intervention,
and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
``(2) Consolidation.--The Director may consolidate
program activities under this section if such
consolidation would improve program efficiencies and
outcomes.''.
(b) Centers of Excellence Generally.--Part A of title IV
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``sec. 404h. review of centers of excellence.
``(a) In General.--Not later than April 1, 2008, and
periodically thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the
Director of NIH, shall conduct a review and submit a
report to the appropriate committees of the Congress on
the centers of excellence.
``(b) Report Contents.--Each report under subsection (a)
shall include the following:
``(1) Evaluation of the performance and research
outcomes of each center of excellence.
``(2) Recommendations for promoting coordination of
information among centers of excellence.
``(3) Recommendations for improving the effectiveness,
efficiency, and outcomes of the centers of excellence.
``(c) Definition.--In this section, the term `center of
excellence' means an entity receiving funding under this
title in its capacity as a center of excellence.''.
sec. 3. developmental disabilities surveillance and
research program.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``PART R--PROGRAMS RELATING TO AUTISM
``sec. 399aa. developmental disabilities surveillance and
research program.
``(a) Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental
Disabilities.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, may award grants or cooperative agreements to
eligible entities for the collection, analysis, and
reporting of State epidemiological data on autism spectrum
disorder and other developmental disabilities. An eligible
entity shall assist with the development and coordination
of State autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disability surveillance efforts within a region. In making
such awards, the Secretary may provide direct technical
assistance in lieu of cash.
``(2) Data standards.--In submitting epidemiological
data to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1), an
eligible entity shall report data according to guidelines
prescribed by the Director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, after consultation with relevant
State and local public health officials, private sector
developmental disability researchers, and advocates for
individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other
developmental disabilities.
``(3) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive an award
under paragraph (1), an entity shall be a public or
nonprofit private entity (including a health department of
a State or a political subdivision of a State, a
university, or any other educational institution), and
submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
``(b) Centers of Excellence in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Epidemiology.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, shall, subject to the availability of
appropriations, award grants or cooperative agreements for
the establishment of regional centers of excellence in
autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disabilities epidemiology for the purpose of collecting
and analyzing information on the number, incidence,
correlates, and causes of autism spectrum disorder and
other developmental disabilities.
``(2) Requirements.--To be eligible to receive a grant
or cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), an entity
shall submit to the Secretary an application containing
such agreements and information as the Secretary may
require, including an agreement that the center to be
established under the grant or cooperative agreement shall
operate in accordance with the following:
``(A) The center will collect, analyze, and report
autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disability data according to guidelines prescribed by the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, after consultation with relevant State and
local public health officials, private sector
developmental disability researchers, and advocates for
individuals with developmental disabilities.
``(B) The center will develop or extend an area of
special research expertise (including genetics,
epigenetics, and epidemiological research related to
environmental exposures), immunology, and other relevant
research specialty areas.
``(C) The center will identify eligible cases and
controls through its surveillance system and conduct
research into factors which may cause or increase the risk
of autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disabilities.
``(c) Federal Response.--The Secretary shall coordinate
the Federal response to requests for assistance from State
health, mental health, and education department officials
regarding potential or alleged autism spectrum disorder or
developmental disability clusters.
``(d) Definitions.--In this part:
``(1) Other developmental disabilities.--The term `other
developmental disabilities' has the meaning given the term
`developmental disability' in section 102(8) of the
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights
Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002(8)).
``(2) State.--The term `State' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and the
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
``(e) Sunset.--This section shall not apply after
September 30, 2011.
``sec. 399bb. autism education, early detection, and
intervention.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section--
``(1) to increase awareness, reduce barriers to
screening and diagnosis, promote evidence-based
interventions for individuals with autism spectrum
disorder or other developmental disabilities, and train
professionals to utilize valid and reliable screening
tools to diagnose or rule out and provide evidence-based
interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder
and other developmental disabilities; and
``(2) to conduct activities under this section with a
focus on an interdisciplinary approach (as defined in
programs developed under section 501(a)(2) of the Social
Security Act) that will also focus on specific issues for
children who are not receiving an early diagnosis and
subsequent interventions.
``(b) In General.--The Secretary shall, subject to the
availability of appropriations, establish and evaluate
activities to--
``(1) provide information and education on autism
spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities to
increase public awareness of developmental milestones;
``(2) promote research into the development and
validation of reliable screening tools for autism spectrum
disorder and other developmental disabilities and
disseminate information regarding those screening tools;
``(3) promote early screening of individuals at higher
risk for autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disabilities as early as practicable, given evidence-based
screening techniques and interventions;
``(4) increase the number of individuals who are able to
confirm or rule out a diagnosis of autism spectrum
disorder and other developmental disabilities;
``(5) increase the number of individuals able to provide
evidence-based interventions for individuals diagnosed
with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental
disabilities; and
``(6) promote the use of evidence-based interventions
for individuals at higher risk for autism spectrum
disorder and other developmental disabilities as early as
practicable.
``(c) Information and Education.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out subsection (b)(1),
the Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of
Education and the Secretary of Agriculture, shall, subject
to the availability of appropriations, provide culturally
competent information regarding autism spectrum disorder
and other developmental disabilities, risk factors,
characteristics, identification, diagnosis or rule out,
and evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of
individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other
developmental disabilities and their families through--
``(A) Federal programs, including--
``(i) the Head Start program;
``(ii) the Early Start program;
``(iii) the Healthy Start program;
``(iv) programs under the Child Care and Development
Block Grant Act of 1990;
``(v) programs under title XIX of the Social Security
Act (particularly the Medicaid Early and Periodic
Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program);
``(vi) the program under title XXI of the Social
Security Act (the State Children's Health Insurance
Program);
``(vii) the program under title V of the Social Security
Act (the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program);
``(viii) the program under parts B and C of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
``(ix) the special supplemental nutrition program for
women, infants, and children established under section 17
of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786); and
``(x) the State grant program under the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973.
``(B) State licensed child care facilities; and
``(C) other community-based organizations or points of
entry for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and
other developmental disabilities to receive services.
``(2) Lead agency.--
``(A) Designation.--As a condition on the provision of
assistance or the conduct of activities under this section
with respect to a State, the Secretary may require the
Governor of the State--
``(i) to designate a public agency as a lead agency to
coordinate the activities provided for under paragraph (1)
in the State at the State level; and
``(ii) acting through such lead agency, to make
available to individuals and their family members,
guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives;
providers; and other appropriate individuals in the State,
comprehensive culturally competent information about State
and local resources regarding autism spectrum disorder and
other developmental disabilities, risk factors,
characteristics, identification, diagnosis or rule out,
available services and supports, and evidence-based
interventions.
``(B) Requirements of agency.--In designating the lead
agency under subparagraph (A)(i), the Governor shall--
``(i) select an agency that has demonstrated experience
and expertise in--
``(I) autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disability issues; and
``(II) developing, implementing, conducting, and
administering programs and delivering education,
information, and referral services (including technology-
based curriculum-development services) to individuals with
developmental disabilities and their family members,
guardians, advocates or authorized representatives,
providers, and other appropriate individuals locally and
across the State; and
``(ii) consider input from individuals with
developmental disabilities and their family members,
guardians, advocates or authorized representatives,
providers, and other appropriate individuals.
``(C) Information.--Information under subparagraph
(A)(ii) shall be provided through--
``(i) toll-free telephone numbers;
``(ii) Internet websites;
``(iii) mailings; or
``(iv) such other means as the Governor may require.
``(d) Tools.--
``(1) In general.--To promote the use of valid and
reliable screening tools for autism spectrum disorder and
other developmental disabilities, the Secretary shall
develop a curriculum for continuing education to assist
individuals in recognizing the need for valid and reliable
screening tools and the use of such tools.
``(2) Collection, storage, coordination, and
availability.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the
Secretary of Education, shall provide for the collection,
storage, coordination, and public availability of tools
described in paragraph (1), educational materials and
other products that are used by the Federal programs
referred to in subsection (c)(1)(A), as well as--
``(A) programs authorized under the Developmental
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000;
``(B) early intervention programs or interagency
coordinating councils authorized under part C of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and
``(C) children with special health care needs programs
authorized under title V of the Social Security Act.
``(3) Required sharing.--In establishing mechanisms and
entities under this subsection, the Secretary, and the
Secretary of Education, shall ensure the sharing of tools,
materials, and products developed under this subsection
among entities receiving funding under this section.
``(e) Diagnosis.--
``(1) Training.--The Secretary, in coordination with
activities conducted under title V of the Social Security
Act, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations,
expand existing interdisciplinary training opportunities
or opportunities to increase the number of sites able to
diagnose or rule out individuals with autism spectrum
disorder or other developmental disabilities and ensure
that--
``(A) competitive grants or cooperative agreements are
awarded to public or nonprofit agencies, including
institutions of higher education, to expand existing or
develop new maternal and child health interdisciplinary
leadership education in neurodevelopmental and related
disabilities programs (similar to the programs developed
under section 501(a)(2) of the Social Security Act) in
States that do not have such a program;
``(B) trainees under such training programs--
``(i) receive an appropriate balance of academic,
clinical, and community opportunities;
``(ii) are culturally competent;
``(iii) are ethnically diverse;
``(iv) demonstrate a capacity to evaluate, diagnose or
rule out, develop, and provide evidence-based
interventions to individuals with autism spectrum disorder
and other developmental disabilities; and
``(v) demonstrate an ability to use a family-centered
approach; and
``(C) program sites provide culturally competent
services.
``(2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary may award one
or more grants under this section to provide technical
assistance to the network of interdisciplinary training
programs.
``(3) Best practices.--The Secretary shall promote
research into additional valid and reliable tools for
shortening the time required to confirm or rule out a
diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or other
developmental disabilities and detecting individuals with
autism spectrum disorder or other developmental
disabilities at an earlier age.
``(f) Intervention.--The Secretary shall promote
research, through grants or contracts, to determine the
evidence-based practices for interventions for individuals
with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental
disabilities, develop guidelines for those interventions,
and disseminate information related to such research and
guidelines.
``(g) Sunset.--This section shall not apply after
September 30, 2011.
``sec. 399cc. interagency autism coordinating committee.
``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a
committee, to be known as the `Interagency Autism
Coordinating Committee' (in this section referred to as
the `Committee'), to coordinate all efforts within the
Department of Health and Human Services concerning autism
spectrum disorder.
``(b) Responsibilities.--In carrying out its duties
under this section, the Committee shall--
``(1) develop and annually update a summary of advances
in autism spectrum disorder research related to causes,
prevention, treatment, early screening, diagnosis or rule
out, intervention, and access to services and supports for
individuals with autism spectrum disorder;
``(2) monitor Federal activities with respect to autism
spectrum disorder;
``(3) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding
any appropriate changes to such activities, including
recommendations to the Director of NIH with respect to the
strategic plan developed under paragraph (5);
``(4) make recommendations to the Secretary regarding
public participation in decisions relating to autism
spectrum disorder;
``(5) develop and annually update a strategic plan for
the conduct of, and support for, autism spectrum disorder
research, including proposed budgetary requirements; and
``(6) submit to the Congress such strategic plan and any
updates to such plan.
``(c) Membership.--
``(1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of--
``(A) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention;
``(B) the Director of the National Institutes of Health,
and the Directors of such national research institutes of
the National Institutes of Health as the Secretary
determines appropriate;
``(C) the heads of such other agencies as the Secretary
determines appropriate;
``(D) representatives of other Federal Governmental
agencies that serve individuals with autism spectrum
disorder such as the Department of Education; and
``(E) the additional members appointed under paragraph
(2).
``(2) Additional members.--Not fewer than 6 members of
the Committee, or 1/3 of the total membership of the
Committee, whichever is greater, shall be composed of non-
Federal public members to be appointed by the Secretary,
of which--
``(A) at least one such member shall be an individual
with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder;
``(B) at least one such member shall be a parent or
legal guardian of an individual with an autism spectrum
disorder; and
``(C) at least one such member shall be a representative
of leading research, advocacy, and service organizations
for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
``(d) Administrative Support; Terms of Service; Other
Provisions.--The following provisions shall apply with
respect to the Committee:
``(1) The Committee shall receive necessary and
appropriate administrative support from the Secretary.
``(2) Members of the Committee appointed under
subsection (c)(2) shall serve for a term of 4 years, and
may be reappointed for one or more additional 4 year term.
Any member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired
term shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. A
member may serve after the expiration of the member's term
until a successor has taken office.
``(3) The Committee shall meet at the call of the
chairperson or upon the request of the Secretary. The
Committee shall meet not fewer than 2 times each year.
``(4) All meetings of the Committee shall be public and
shall include appropriate time periods for questions and
presentations by the public.
``(e) Subcommittees; Establishment and Membership.--In
carrying out its functions, the Committee may establish
subcommittees and convene workshops and conferences. Such
subcommittees shall be composed of Committee members and
may hold such meetings as are necessary to enable the
subcommittees to carry out their duties.
``(f) Sunset.--This section shall not apply after
September 30, 2011, and the Committee shall be terminated
on such date.
``sec. 399dd. report to congress.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 4 years after the date
of enactment of the Combating Autism Act of 2006, the
Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of
Education, shall prepare and submit to the Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee of the Senate and
the Energy and Commerce Committee of the House of
Representatives a progress report on activities related to
autism spectrum disorder and other developmental
disabilities.
``(b) Contents.--The report submitted under subsection
(a) shall contain--
``(1) a description of the progress made in implementing
the provisions of the Combating Autism Act of 2006;
``(2) a description of the amounts expended on the
implementation of the particular provisions of Combating
Autism Act of 2006;
``(3) information on the incidence of autism spectrum
disorder and trend data of such incidence since the date
of enactment of the Combating Autism Act of 2006;
``(4) information on the average age of diagnosis for
children with autism spectrum disorder and other
disabilities, including how that age may have changed over
the 4-year period beginning on the date of enactment of
this Act;
``(5) information on the average age for intervention
for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
and other developmental disabilities, including how that
age may have changed over the 4-year period beginning on
the date of enactment of this Act;
``(6) information on the average time between initial
screening and then diagnosis or rule out for individuals
with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental
disabilities, as well as information on the average time
between diagnosis and evidence-based intervention for
individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other
developmental disabilities;
``(7) information on the effectiveness and outcomes of
interventions for individuals diagnosed with autism
spectrum disorder, including by various subtypes, and
other developmental disabilities and how the age of the
child may affect such effectiveness;
``(8) information on the effectiveness and outcomes of
innovative and newly developed intervention strategies for
individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other
developmental disabilities; and
``(9) information on services and supports provided to
individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other
developmental disabilities who have reached the age of
majority (as defined for purposes of section 615(m) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
1415(m)).''.
(b) Repeals.--The following sections of the Children's
Health Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-310) are repealed:
(1) Section 102 (42 U.S.C. 247b-4b), relating to the
Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research
Program.
(2) Section 103 (42 U.S.C. 247b-4c), relating to
information and education.
(3) Section 104 (42 U.S.C. 247b-4d), relating to the
Inter-Agency Autism Coordinating Committee.
(4) Section 105 (42 U.S.C. 247b-4e), relating to
reports.
sec. 4. authorization of appropriations.
(a) In General.--Part R of title III of the Public
Health Service Act, as added by section 3, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``sec. 399ee. authorization of appropriations.
``(a) Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and
Research Program.--To carry out section 399AA, there are
authorized to be appropriated the following:
``(1) For fiscal year 2007, $15,000,000.
``(2) For fiscal year 2008, $16,500,000.
``(3) For fiscal year 2009, $18,000,000.
``(4) or fiscal year 2010, $19,500,000.
``(5) For fiscal year 2011, $21,000,000.
``(b) Autism Education, Early Detection, and
Intervention.--To carry out section 399BB, there are
authorized to be appropriated the following:
``(1) For fiscal year 2007, $32,000,000.
``(2) For fiscal year 2008, $37,000,000.
``(3) For fiscal year 2009, $42,000,000.
``(4) For fiscal year 2010, $47,000,000.
``(5) For fiscal year 2011, $52,000,000.
``(c) Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee; Certain
Other Programs.--To carry out section 399CC, 409C, and
section 404H, there are authorized to be appropriated the
following:
``(1) For fiscal year 2007, $100,000,000.
``(2) For fiscal year 2008, $114,500,000.
``(3) For fiscal year 2009, $129,000,000.
``(4) For fiscal year 2010, $143,500,000.
``(5) For fiscal year 2011, $158,000,000.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 409C of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284g) is amended by striking
subsection (e) (relating to funding).
Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent
that the Senate concur in the House amendment, the motion
to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements
relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, we just passed the
combating autism bill that we have been working on for 16
months. I thank Senator Dodd for his tremendous work on
that. I thank all of the autism groups. I thank Jennifer
Vesey for the tremendous work she did and the hours and
hours and patience it takes to put together complex and
important pieces of legislation.
Later today, or tomorrow, we are going to pass the
abandoned mine lands bill. I would love to say that was
Rick Santorum, but it was Ashley Horning; it wasn't Rick
Santorum. She did all the work. I pretty much knew what
was in there, and I would negotiate the parts in
disagreement. That is what we all do. But on 90 percent of
the bills that most of us know about, we didn't hammer out
the details; it was done by folks who have the commitment
and vision and effort and work the long hours to make the
legislation possible. It is important that in Pennsylvania
now we will get $1 billion to clean up abandoned mines--it
is a tremendous contribution to the environment--our
miners will have health care coverage paid because, in
part, I had a terrific staff person. I can go down through
issue after issue and look at these accomplishments that
would be great to stand up and say that I did, but I had a
tremendous amount of help. I had incredibly talented,
gifted people who worked incredible hours.
What most people across America don't realize is how
hard our people around here work. They don't do it for the
money. They don't do it because they have some agenda to
accomplish. They do it because they want to improve
America, make America a better place. They want to leave
this place better than how they found it. They want to
serve because they love this country and they believe in
what will make this country better. They work long hours.
They don't get paid as much as they could make if they
wandered off the Hill. I will put my folks, both in
Washington and across the State, up against anybody. They
are sitting in the gallery and here along the railing.
They have given their all and I thank them. They served
the people of Pennsylvania. Looking at Kevin Roy over
there, I think of all of the earmarks--that is a dirty
word--that we were able to get to help the people in
Pennsylvania in so many ways. I look at work we did for
the nonprofit community and welfare and families, and
Melanie Looney and her team worked on that.
It has been an incredible group. Our Senate conference,
the message folks--it was awfully hard. Republicans are
not good on the old message issue. We don't follow our
talking points very well. We try. We try. We have a lot of
independent thinkers on our side. God bless them. They
always have a better way of saying things than what we
suggest or actually not even saying things, thinking of
things other than what we suggest. That is the beauty of
our party. We have a lot of diversity within our party.
We have some very talented people who work very hard,
not just a dry message to spin, but to try to move the
debate, try to get our causes articulated in a way that is
communicated effectively to people across America. They
worked hard. They built coalitions. They did their best,
and I thank them for their effort and the tremendous
service they have given our conference.
I thank the folks in my district offices. Most of those
folks have been with me 16 years. We don't have a lot of
turnover in our office. A lot of folks in Pittsburgh have
been with me 16 and others around the State have been with
me 12 years. They are dedicated people who go out and do
those security checks and veterans benefits and medals.
I will always remember one story that happened this last
year. There was a man, a World War II vet named Patrick. I
was at a ribbon-cutting for a VA facility in Oakland in
Pittsburgh. While I was there, we arranged a little medal
presentation to a veteran who had sought a medal and was
never given that medal. That is all I knew about it. I
showed up. There was this older gentleman sitting in the
front row. His name was Patrick.
Patrick was a World War II veteran who served in
Patton's army and was sent on a secret mission to try to
liberate a POW camp. In that mission, he was captured. He
was imprisoned for several months, I believe, in a German
POW camp. When he got out of the Army, he requested a POW
medal, but the paperwork didn't show he had been captured.
It was a secret mission, and it never appeared on his
military record.
For 60 years, Patrick fought to get his designation as a
POW. He never married. In fact, later in his life after he
retired from work, he became somewhat of a recluse because
he was kidded by some of his buddies about being a POW. It
affected him dramatically, so much so that one of his
friends and relatives contacted us to say: Is there
anything you can do? Could it possibly be true?
Ann Blocksidge in my office in Pittsburgh, wizard that
she is with these issues that she has been working on now
for 16 years, knew the places to call and put the records
together. We found out, yes, he was, and that was in one
place in one record and not in the same place as the other
record, and A didn't talk to B. So we were able to get him
his POW medal.
I remember pinning it on him. This older man walked to
the microphone. He said: There is one thing I want to say.
He said: I finally feel welcomed home.
It is a great story, but the folks in my office and
offices all over this Capitol do this every day because
they care, because the people call with impossible things,
and our folks do impossible things to help them.
I thank all of them for all the service they have done,
for doing what I ask them to do when they come into the
office: Treat every caller as if it is your grandmother
calling. If you treat every caller as if it is your
grandmother--hopefully they get along with their
grandmother--then things will be fine.
I thank my colleagues. This place gets a lot of
ridicule. It is very easy to criticize people in the
fishbowl. It is very easy to take shots at people for not
living up to expectations, and certainly we all do not
live up to expectations. But I think I can say without any
reservation that the men and women in this body are good
and decent people who are doing what they believe is best
for this country.
I know many people find that hard to believe because
they look at people and they have beliefs so diametrically
opposed to people in this Chamber. I certainly have
views--and have demonstrated that on many occasions on the
floor of the Senate--that are diametrically opposed to
many people in this Chamber. But in my heart, I never
questioned the integrity and the sincerity of the people
who articulated their opinions, that they were not
sincere. I believed that they were sincere and that they
believed it was in the best interest of the country. That
is what is supposed to happen here. Ideas are to be
debated, points of view are to be discussed, and the
prevailing thought of the day will move the country in
that direction.
I tell the people of America: There are very good people
here. There are people here on both sides of the aisle who
pray every single day for God's guidance. There are people
here today who, while we fight and argue, do so out of a
passion for doing what is right.
I thank my colleagues for the courtesies they have shown
me, and particularly my Republican colleagues for the
honor they have given me to serve in the leadership for 6
years. I know that was not an easy decision back in 2001
to elect someone who had a reputation of being somewhat of
a bomb thrower in the House and in my early Senate days to
a position of leadership in the Senate. They took a risk.
I hope they feel it has paid off.
It has certainly been a great blessing to me to have
been able to serve my colleagues in the capacity of
conference chairman.
It is an incredible group of people. I think of John,
who is my tennis partner. We played our first match after
I was defeated, and he beat me 6-love, 6-1. He thinks it
is because he played better, but I am just preparing for
other employment.
We have prayer groups here. One of the most important
things in my life over the past 12 years has been the
Senate prayer group, the Senate Bible study, and the
prayer breakfasts, the small prayer group with which I
have been involved. I don't know how people do it. I don't
know how people do this business without prayer, without
an understanding that there is something bigger than us
here, something that will help us, guide us, lift us up at
times when there seems to be no other reason to be lifted
up.
I thank all of those who prayed with me and prayed for
me. Lloyd Ogilvie, a Chaplain here for many years, and
Barry Black, our Chaplain now--they are prayer warriors
for all of us. I know they pray for us every day. I know
Lloyd still prays for us every day, and I know millions of
Americans pray for us every day. I thank all of them for
helping me through and helping us and helping our country
through these difficult times.
I thank our leader, Bill Frist, my first leader I served
under as a member of the leadership, Trent Lott, and the
leader I served under when I came to the Senate, Bob Dole.
Each and every one of them in their own way led
differently. But in the case of Senator Dole, he was a
larger-than-life figure to me, coming over to the Senate
as a 36-year-old Senator. He was on his way to run for the
Presidency. He took the time to be concerned about the
issues that were important to me. He put me on the
committees I needed to be on and gave me the opportunity
that I will never forget and certainly will always be
thankful for--to manage and work on the welfare reform
bill back in 1996.
Of all the things I accomplished in the Senate, there is
nothing I am more proud of than what we did in 1996 to
reform the welfare system and transition it so millions
and millions would fall off the rolls, find gainful
employment, and change their lives and the lives of their
families. I owe that to Bob Dole. He gave me the
opportunity to stand at that manager's chair for months in
my second year in the Senate and take on what I would
argue was the most important piece of legislation in that
session of the Congress, the Republican revolution.
I thank Trent Lott not only for his tutelage and
mentoring me in the time I have been here as a leader, but
for helping me in gaining leadership and being involved in
the leadership in the Senate.
I thank Bill Frist for his friendship. His coming in as
a leader when I was already in the leadership was a little
different. He didn't come in and point the finger and boss
us around, he came in to learn. He came in to engage, to
try to take the knowledge that was in the leadership group
and use it to build a stronger group. I appreciate that.
There is a humility in Bill Frist. It is a very
attractive quality and, I might also add, a rather rare
quality if one is in the Senate, but a very attractive one
and a very important one in Senators and leaders.
I thank, I guess finally, the people of Pennsylvania. I
was talking to Jim Towey. Jim is the new president of
Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. Jim is the former
director of the Faith-Based Office for the President. I
called him the other day. He said: You know, Rick, I have
been here--I think he said 6 months. He said: I really
like the State, like the area, good people. But the more I
study the State and the more I get the feel of
Pennsylvania, I have one question: It is not how did you
lose the election, but how did you get elected here twice?
I got elected twice because I had a lot of wonderful
people who campaigned hard, worked hard, and believed in
me and were able to maybe see past some of the differences
with me to give me an opportunity to serve here, and I am
eternally grateful.
It is an incredible State. It is one I got to know very
well and, obviously, got to know thousands of people. I
had the opportunity to serve them. I had the opportunity
to be scolded by them, reprimanded by them. But I always
understood they were my employers. I work for them. And
when you work for somebody, sometimes they are going to
tell you they don't like the job you are doing. And you
better act like someone who is an employee instead of an
employer or you are not going to find yourself as an
employee very much longer. Well, I tried to act like an
employee. But that doesn't mean I always had to agree with
my employer, and a lot of times I didn't. And maybe I
spoke up too often too loudly and too boldly on some of
the things that my employer didn't agree with. I hope they
respect the fact that it was a heartfelt disagreement and
that I did what I did and I said what I said because I
believed it was in their best interests, even though they
may not have thought so.
I respect the fact that I didn't win this election and
that the people of Pennsylvania made a different decision.
I had an opportunity to meet with my successor today in my
office and get a chance to talk with him about some of the
ins and outs of the Senate. He is a good man, and he will
do a good job. I hope the people of Pennsylvania will give
him and extend to him the same courtesies and trust and
cooperation that so many Pennsylvanians who didn't agree
with me on a lot of things but knew that it was important
to work together--such as our Governor, Ed Rendell, whom I
worked with as mayor and as Governor, as well as I did
with any Republican that I know--I hope that Republican
officeholders in Pennsylvania treat my opponent with the
same kind of respect and the same kind of cooperation that
Governor Rendell and I have had over the years.
That brings me to my colleague, Senator Specter. It was
very kind of Arlen to come and say a few words. He said
that we are not only colleagues in the Senate and,
obviously, colleagues from Pennsylvania, but we are
friends. I have to tell my colleagues, when I first came
to the Senate, I thought it was a very long shot that I
would be friends with Arlen Specter. All I had heard about
Arlen Specter was how prickly a character he is, how
difficult he is, sort of cold and tough. But he is a
pretty soft guy. He really is. He gets those
granddaughters around him and he just melts. No, he is a
good man. I don't agree with Arlen a lot, and of course
everybody knows that, but Arlen has been a good partner.
We have worked on a lot of things together. And even when
we disagreed, we understood and respected the disagreement
and didn't let it affect us, or certainly our
relationship, or if it was important enough to us and
important enough to the State and important enough to the
country, we worked hard to try to bridge those
differences. I think that is a good model. I recommend it
to my successor. I recommend it to all my colleagues.
This place doesn't have to be as personally
confrontational as it is. I say that as someone who was
pretty personally combative when I first came here. I know
that I have had some pretty strident debates on the floor
of the Senate, but I will tell my colleagues that in my
heart, it was never personal, it was always about what the
issue was about. And it is hard for a lot of people in
America who look at it in a culture that takes everything
personally--people have asked me why I have been so
comfortable and at ease with what has happened, and it is
because I don't take it personally. People disagree with
where I wanted to take this country, and that is fine.
They will have an opportunity to take it someplace else,
for now.
But I don't take it personally. I look at the empty
desks of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, and
I look at each and every one and I can see them all
sitting there, and I can't think of one that I would take
a disagreement with personally--and I have had
disagreements with virtually every one but all of them
have disagreed, hopefully without being personally
disagreeable. That is how this place works. It is the only
way it can work and be successful for America.
In closing, I want to say that I always come back to the
word ``gratitude.'' To God, to my family, to my
colleagues, to the wonderful people who have worked for me
and with me over the years, to the people of the 18th
Congressional District, to the people of Pennsylvania:
Thank you. Thank you. I don't know what I will be doing
next, but I cannot imagine that anything I do in the
future will rival the kind of blessings I have felt from
all of the folks whom I have mentioned. The relationships
and the wonderful accomplishments and the great spirit I
have experienced over these last 16 years are experiences
that I am eternally grateful for to all of those involved.
It has been a great blessing.
I thank my colleagues, I thank those who came and
listened, those who might be listening in other ways, but
I thank them, personally, for the great kindness they have
shown me. I leave a very happy and contented former
Senator from Pennsylvania who feels very blessed.
Exhibit 1
Senate Personal Office Employees
Aho, Robert W; Anderson, Thomas S; Armata, Andrew M T;
Baldwin, Todd A; Barbera, Vincent M; Barron, Bruce A;
Bashore, Keith E; Beresnyak, Allison M; Beresnyak, Thomas
E Jr.; Bernier, George M III; Bernstein, Luke M; Berry,
Donna A; Bertuola, Lawrence J; Beynon, Matthew E;
Bickhart, Robert G; Blocksidge, Anne M; Bonesso, Rozzanna
J; Bowman, Patricia Dianne; Bowser, Julia E; Boyd, Allison
J.
Bozzuto, Robert F; Bragg, Heather N; Broughton, Aaron
Michael; Brown, Brian T; Burkhalter, Colin J; Butler,
Timothy R; Caldwell, Stanley D; Calka, Courtney JO;
Carlson, Michael R; Carter, Andrew C; Castillo, Michael J;
Chapman, Elizabeth R; Christman, David R; Clater, Michael
D; Cognato, Christopher; Cognato, Michael H; Coleman,
Samuel E; Collins, Leah R; Conklin, Jennifer M; Coppolo,
Stephen D.
Corman, Jacob D III; Coulter, Kathryn A; Covel, Michelle
F; Crane, Rebecca H; Curry, Margaret K; Daniel, Kelly L;
Davidek, Jason E; Davis, Mary Elizabeth A; Davis, Virginia
L; Dermody, Brandon D; Devito, William J; Dick, John T;
Diehl, Samuel W; Dougherty, Kara A; Doyle, Lyda A;
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Evans, Andrea L; Faulk, Page C.
Faustino, Mary A; Feenstra, Paul A; Feller, Meredith L;
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Michael P; Greene, Charles M; Gresov, Winston G.
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M; Harbula, David Scott; Harvey, Marcus W; Hershey, Jill
E; Hershey, Michael S; Hoadley, Cassandra; Holcombe, Sara
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L; Kocan, Sheila T; Koutsiouroumbas, Athan; Kuklis, Joseph
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Maddox, Audrey C; Maguire, Erin K; Mahon, Emmet M;
Maines, Laura A; Martin, David; Martin, John E Jr.;
Mattei, Thomas J Jr.; Matthews, Shawnna Lee; Mcclard,
Melissa J; Mccoy, Ida M; Mccracken, David E; Mccree,
Michael R; Mcdonald, Robin V; Mcelwee, George S; Mcginley,
Christopher P; Mckeon, Meredith; Mcnamara, Kevin M;
Medina, Wanda I; Meyer, Christine M; Mihalke, Michael H.
Miller, Eric R; Miller, Jennifer L; Miller, Manda B;
Miller, Nicole M; Miller, William A; Mitchell, Anna K;
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Moore, Thomas; Moore, Zachery P; Morinigo, Nicholas;
Morton, Bylly Jo; Mullen, James G; Narcavage, Michael III;
Navin, Lawrence M; Ohara, Gerald J; Oshea, Joseph J;
Pallotto, Adam R; Palmer, Wayne D.
Park, Victoria P; Parrick-Cox, Susan; Patel, Kajal A;
Pavlik, Bonnie M; Peacock, Deborah A; Pearson, Tim; Perez,
Janet M; Petraglia, Amy W; Poteet, Paul W; Preate,
Alexandra V; Pugh, Jennifer S; Quinn, Christine Marie;
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Jeremy; Rhodes, Allison L; Riegel, Ellen J; Rockwell,
Russel A; Rode, Katherine R.
Rodgers, Lincoln R C; Roman, Lisa M; Romaniello,
Catherine M; Roscoe, Abigail; Rossi, Connie J; Rossman,
Eleanor T; Roy, Kevin F; Ryan, Maureen; Sailhamer, Brent
A; Salvesen, Erling R III; Sanborn, Alden R; Sanders,
Joseph E Jr.; Sarmir, Danielle; Scanlan, Tricia L;
Scaringi, M Anthony; Schmidt, Keith A; Schmidt, Michele E;
Sears, William P; Sechler, Michael W; Shaner, Mathias R.
Sharp, Crystal N; Sharp, Trudy R; Shelby, Melissa B;
Sheriff, Marie A; Shirk, Jamie E; Shott, Christine M;
Simodejka, Jill L; Sinha, Sushant K; Smith, Brian A;
Smith, Jacob W; Solfanelli, Matthew; Soroka, Suzanne M;
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S; Stawasz, Karen L; Stein, Peter J; Stephans, Elizabeth
L; Stolnacher, Patricia L; Stoltzfoos, Gerald D.
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Daniel J; Taylor, David N; Tekel, Adam R; Thompson, Holly;
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Randy; Valdes, Stephen G; Vanderpool, Kristen R.
Vesey, Jennifer L; Voinski, John A; Vulakovich, Randolph
P; Walker, Patricia B; Wall, Toni B; Walters, Christopher
F; Watson, D Dexter; Weaver, Chad A; Weber, David; Weiss,
Todd M; White, Jennifer S; Wiesenfeld, Michael A;
Williamson, N Kathy; Willis, Jessica R; Wittman, Anne E;
Wright, Erica Clayton; Wusinich, Maria T; Yanoshak, Erica
M; Younger, Anita.
Senate Republican Conference Employees
Amy Marie Adams; Jeff Hunt; Garrett Fahy; Joel Digrado;
Kate Harris; Shonda Werry; Cris Clapp; Melissa Seckora
Anderson; Elizabeth Keys; Barbara Ledeen; Chrissy Shott;
Sarah Berk; Mark Rodgers; Randy Brandt; Katherine
Gonzalez; Carlos Gonzalez; Lane Marshall; Cyrus Pearson;
Robert Traynham; Henry Peterson; Chris Angrisani; Laura
Gill.
Nick Schweich; Aaron Broughton; Tim Petty; Curtis
Swager; Nate Green; David Song; Michael Bleicher; Jen
Sweeney; Joy Schmidt; Eden Gordon; Susana Levenson; Eric
Miller; Chris Myers; Rebecca Cotton; Drew Cantor; Alex
Kaufman; John Rankin; Dan Ronayne; Eric Ruiz; Loredana
Vouto; Deidre Woodbyrne.
TRIBUTES
TO
RICK SANTORUM
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 Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania, one of the
leaders of the majority in the Senate the last few years,
came to the Senate in 1994 and helped shape a different
agenda. He believed fervently in the power of the
institution to change the world and felt deeply about
issues.
I served on the Committee on Banking with Senator
Santorum for many years and came to respect the junior
Senator from Pennsylvania. I have a high regard for his
ability to work through the big issues.
For service to our country, both the House and the
Senate, thank you, Senator Santorum. We will miss you. . .
.
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 Rick Santorum, Karen, and their six children whom
they home school, and his Italian heritage--which explains
a lot about his enthusiasm and vigor for the things he
believes in most strongly. . . .
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 Rick Santorum and I spent most
of our time on the floor of the Senate in hot debate,
disagreeing on almost everything. But we found some areas
of agreement, and one of them was the global AIDS effort.
I am glad that he joined as my partner in that effort. The
money that we secured will be spent around the world will
save lives and provide hope. . . .
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. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise to take a moment to
congratulate my colleague from Pennsylvania, Senator
Santorum, who spoke very eloquently about the world threat
that we face today. Rick Santorum is someone of great
passion. He is someone who is fearless. He is someone who,
frankly, does not care whether people agree with him or do
not agree with him.
I will say this: This Senate is going to be a lesser
body without Rick Santorum's great passion and his great
drive, his great creativity. He will take those attributes
out of this body, but I know that we will hear from him.
He will be vocal. He will be concerned. He will be
involved in whatever role he decides to assume after the
first of January.
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. . . .
Senator Rick Santorum has an impressive record of public
service. Subsequent to his service in local and State
government, he was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. In 1994, Rick was elected for the first
time to the U.S. Senate. From his first day in the Senate
until 2002 we had the opportunity to serve together on the
Senate Armed Services Committee. Throughout his time on
that committee, and since he left the committee, Rick
could always be counted on for his deliberate and reasoned
decisionmaking to ensure the best possible policies for
the men and women in the Armed Forces. Since 2001, Senator
Santorum has also played an important role in the Senate
leadership as Republican conference chairman. As
conference chairman, Senator Santorum has tirelessly
represented the Republican Party as the party spokesman.
There is no doubt in my mind that Rick Santorum's passion,
enthusiasm, and leadership will be missed here in the
Senate. . . .
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. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to
discuss a number of matters briefly. . . .
Mr. President, I regret the departure of my
distinguished colleague, Senator Rick Santorum. He has
been really a ball of fire in the U.S. Congress. He was
elected in 1990 to the House of Representatives, defeating
a long-term incumbent by literally going door to door in
his district in the Pittsburgh area.
He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994, reelected in
the year 2000, and has displayed admirable qualities--
energy, determination, confidence, and the pursuit of his
own personal values. There is no doubt that Senator
Santorum has espoused, articulated, and pushed causes he
deeply believed in which may not have been popular in many
quarters, but he was determined to undertake the pursuit
of those values because he believed in them so deeply. I
counseled him from time to time to save some of his
philosophy for December 2006.
A famous quotation about President Lincoln; he was asked
by a little boy, in effect: How do you serve, Mr.
President?
He said: I represent my true beliefs and values 90
percent of the time.
The little boy said: Well, what about the other 10
percent?
The famous statement by President Lincoln: So that I can
represent my true values 90 percent of the time.
It is not unknown in our body to occasionally defer some
of the more controversial positions. But Senator Santorum
didn't do that. He spoke his mind and he spoke his heart.
Those are rare qualities in public life and public service
and in politics. For that, I salute him.
On a personal level, Rick and I have had a superb
relationship, not only professionally, not only
politically, but also personally. A more devoted family
man could not be found. He has taken this turn of
electoral results philosophically and in a good spirit. I
have had some experience on the losing end of elections
and, having been there, I say that he has responded with
great class, with great style. His comment earlier this
week was: Tough on the family, tough on Karen, tough on
the children, but now they have their husband back, and
they have their father back. And he had a big smile and a
sense of satisfaction. He spoke to the caucus yesterday,
and he exuded confidence. He exuded personal pride in what
he had done. I join him in that. As a colleague, I
personally will miss him very much. I know that will be
the sentiment of this body, even those with whom he has
tangled in a rigorous way.
Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I am going to take a couple
minutes to talk about my great friend Rick Santorum.
Election night; a lot of emotions going on; no question my
heart was torn because my best friend in the Senate lost
the election that night. I was saddened simply from a
personal level, but I was also saddened for our country
because I believe Rick Santorum has served this country so
well. His integrity, his vision--so many things about this
man have really been extraordinary.
I have gotten to know a lot of the people around him,
his staff. It says a lot about him because of how many of
them are sitting in this room today. The quality of the
people he has around him says a tremendous amount about
him, as does the passion with which they served him and
the passion with which he serves the country.
I also came to know Karen and his six kids. They are
extraordinary people. Rick is a great leader of his home.
Just seeing the love and respect that Karen has for Rick
and that his children have for him as a father says a lot
about him as an individual as well.
I am going to keep this short. This is completely from
the heart. I can say with confidence that as a human
being, there have been maybe human beings as good who have
served in this Senate, but there have been no better. He
is that quality of a human being. His faith leads him to
that. I consider it a great privilege to have served with
him and to call him a friend over these last 6 years. I
know the friendship he and I share will be a lifetime
friendship.
Rick, this body will miss you greatly, but no one in
this body will miss you more than I.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to say to my good
friend from Pennsylvania [Mr. Santorum], before he leaves
the floor, what an extraordinary 16 years he has had
representing the people of his State and what a truly
outstanding Member of the Senate he has been and what a
moving farewell address I had an opportunity to witness.
Good luck, good friend, and Godspeed.
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. . . . 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. . . .
I also acknowledge that several of my colleagues will
not be with us after we conclude our business tonight,
tomorrow, the next day, or whenever we are going to
conclude our business here, colleagues with whom I have
served with a great deal of pleasure. My friend Rick
Santorum was serving in the leadership. We both served in
the House of Representatives. He was a great inspiration
to the Republican team here, and I know everyone, Democrat
and Republican, respects him for his commitment, values,
and ideals. . . .
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. . . . I also thank my good friend from
Pennsylvania, my friend who keeps the candy drawer over
there, Rick Santorum. Like so many who spoke about him
yesterday, I applaud Rick for his passion and his absolute
fearlessness in standing up for what he believes. I recall
being on this floor many nights late at night during the
debate over partial-birth abortion. Some nights it was
just Rick and me, and we closed this place. He got it
done. I thank him for that.
I also remember how Senator Santorum stood with Senators
Lindsey Graham and Sam Brownback to help me pass my unborn
victims of violence bill and see it signed into law. It
took several years to pass this legislation, and
Congressman Graham had been the sponsor and was the
sponsor of the bill in the House. I applaud his
determination to get this done. When it comes to foreign
policy issues, I share an interest in western hemisphere
issues with my friends Senator Norm Coleman, the chairman,
and Mel Martinez. Mel, thank you. Senator Coleman has
admirably served this body as chairman of the Western
Hemisphere Subcommittee. I sincerely enjoyed traveling
with him to Haiti. . . .
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.
I want to first recognize Senator Rick Santorum of
Pennsylvania, who has been a colleague of mine in this
body for 12 years. During that time he rose to No. 3 in
the Republican leadership, as chairman of the Senate
Republican Conference, and made a name for himself as a
young and energetic conservative.
Rick Santorum, the son of an Italian immigrant, earned a
law degree and an MBA and won election to the House of
Representatives at the tender age of 32. After two terms
in the House he won his first Senate election in 1994, as
well as reelection in 2000. Senator Santorum quickly
established himself as one of the faces of his party, a
testament to his strong principles and his communications
skill.
Throughout his legislative career, Senator Santorum has
been especially strong on anti-poverty measures. He served
as a floor manager for welfare reform in the mid-1990s. In
the Senate, he worked for African debt relief and funding
for the fight against AIDS, often collaborating closely
with his colleagues across the aisle. His efforts moved
Bono to declare him ``a defender of the most vulnerable.''
I was especially pleased to work with Senator Santorum
on the Combating Autism Act. When nearly 1 in every 166
children born today will be diagnosed with this
developmental disorder by the time they reach school age,
Government action is more necessary than ever. Senator
Santorum recognized that, and he helped me work for a bill
that, in the final version, would authorize $945 million
for autism research, screening, education, and services--
double the current level of funding. On poverty, AIDS,
autism, and many similar issues, Rick Santorum has been a
dependable ally.
Over his 12 years in the Senate, Rick Santorum dedicated
himself to a philosophy he described as ``healthy
families, freedom of faith, a vibrant civil society, a
proper understanding of the individual, and a focused
government to achieve noble purposes.''
Senator Santorum and I may not have always seen eye to
eye, but no one ever questioned his commitment to
principle. I wish him, his wife Karen, and their six
children all the best. . . .
Mr. HATCH. . . . Mr. President, I rise today to pay
tribute to my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania,
Senator Rick Santorum, who will soon be ending a very
distinguished and impressive career in the U.S. Congress.
In my 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate, I have
seen a lot of Senators come and go. However, it is hard to
think of anyone who has had more energy, more enthusiasm,
and who, in such a short period of time, has had a greater
impact on many important issues affecting our families and
our society, than has the junior Senator from
Pennsylvania.
After receiving advanced degrees in business and law,
Rick was elected to the House of Representatives in 1990
at the age of 32. He served two terms in that body before
running for the Senate. He distinguished himself as part
of the so-called Gang of 7 that helped uncover the House
banking scandal and called for reforms of the House.
The same year he was first elected to Congress, Rick was
married to his wife Karen, and they started their family
that now includes six children. As the father of six
myself, I know firsthand the challenges and joys that come
from having a large family. Rick has done such a marvelous
job balancing home life with public life with its
demanding schedule and its never-ending conflicts.
After winning election to the Senate in 1994, Rick
Santorum immediately began exerting leadership on issues
in several different legislative areas but notably in the
areas of health, agriculture, and welfare reform. Upon
winning reelection to his second term in the Senate, his
GOP colleagues validated his natural leadership by
choosing Rick to chair the Senate Republican Conference.
Although Senator Santorum is well known for his strong
defense of many conservative positions and his articulate
voice on many issues affecting the sanctity of the family,
it would be wrong to characterize him as a strict
partisan. I have seen many examples where Rick has reached
across the aisle to his Democratic colleagues and found
common ground on issues of importance to all Americans.
One notable example of this is on an issue that is also
very important to me--promoting charitable initiatives.
Several years ago, Senator Santorum teamed up with another
of our most distinguished and thoughtful colleagues,
Senator Joe Lieberman, to introduce the Charity, Aid,
Recovery, and Empowerment, CARE, Act. The CARE Act was
designed to address many problems faced by the charitable
sector of our Nation and to help them to better achieve
their goals of lifting up the impoverished among us and of
helping all of us better assist our fellow man in times of
need.
As an original cosponsor of the CARE Act, I saw up close
the tireless dedication and unending efforts that Rick
Santorum put into promoting this legislation, not just in
the Senate but with the White House. While this very
ambitious legislation has not entirely been enacted, Rick
can take a great deal of justifiable pride in the fact
that great strides have been made in achieving the goals
of the CARE Act. Moreover, he can take great satisfaction
in knowing that his colleagues in the Senate and the
House, policymakers in the executive branch, those who
serve so diligently in the charitable community, and
indeed concerned Americans from all walks of life, are
much more aware of the accomplishments and the needs of
the charitable sector because of the efforts of Senator
Santorum.
Mr. President, the junior Senator from Pennsylvania is
going to be long remembered in this body, and he will be
sorely missed. He will be remembered and missed for his
intelligence, his articulate voice, his courage, his
energy, and his leadership. I salute Rick as a fine public
servant as he enters the next stage of his life, and I
thank him for his dedication and for his hard work. I am
sure I am joined by all of our colleagues as we wish Rick
and his family the very best in the future. . . .
Mr. MARTINEZ. . . . Mr. President, today I commend
Senator Rick Santorum for his dedication to public service
and accomplishments as a legislator. Above all, I admire
the Senator's commitment to the people of his home State,
Pennsylvania, and to his family. Throughout his 12-year
tenure in the U.S. Senate, he relentlessly fought to pass
legislation benefiting the welfare of not only his
constituents, but Americans everywhere. In addition,
Senator Santorum has been a great advocate in the effort
to find a cure for the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and a
strong supporter of the war on terror. He has represented
the American people well.
As a colleague, I would also like to thank Senator
Santorum for his strong leadership as chairman of the
Senate Republican Conference. During his time in
Washington, Rick has always maintained the importance of
family, a value that I admire and share. He has also
provided valuable guidance to me in the past and will be
missed. I wish my colleague from Pennsylvania, his wife,
and children all the best in the future. Thank you for
your service. . . .
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, when I look back on the years I
was fortunate enough to have served in the Senate with
Rick Santorum, I think I will most remember him for his
strong and passionate belief in the principles he fought
for on the floor, the unwavering support he always gave
his friends, and the powerful way he expressed himself on
the issues that came before the Senate.
Whenever there was a problem ahead, it was always good
to know Rick was in your corner. In fact, Rick was one of
my first supporters when I was running for the U.S.
Senate. Everyone who runs for the Senate for the first
time has a great need for funds. I was no exception. Rick
gave me a check that I later noticed was not signed. I
needed the help and I would gladly have walked halfway
across the District of Columbia to get his signature to
make the document official, but when he learned that I
needed his endorsement on the check he had so generously
helped me obtain, he dropped everything he was doing and
came to where I was to sign the check for me.
In the years since my election, Rick has shown time and
time again that he is a thoughtful, genuine person on whom
I could rely. He has a great mind for politics and his
heart is with the people of Pennsylvania whom he has
represented so well. I have often relied on him for the
way he would quietly offer me his good advice, support me
when we took up issues that were big concerns of the
people of my State, mentor me on how to get things done
around here, advise me on procedure, and help me to
advance the causes that were common to the people of our
States. The people of his home State could not have had a
more active and effective advocate through the years, and
he will be very hard to replace.
As any observer would note, Rick's career has been
nothing short of amazing. At every step in his political
life, critics would tell him his vision was an impossible
dream. In response, Rick would take his case to the
people, and time after time he would prove the naysayers
wrong. That is because Rick knew the value of hard work
and he also knew the first law of politics--it is not
where you start, it is where you finish--and Rick made a
habit of finishing first.
When Rick ran for a seat in the U.S. House of
Representatives, he knew it was going to be a rough
campaign because he was battling a seven-term incumbent
who had a lot more money than he did. So Rick knocked on
25,000 doors and put together a grassroots effort that
included people from many different backgrounds who wanted
to work with Rick on a wide range of issues. In the end,
when the election was over and the votes were counted,
Rick had won. It was clearly Rick's personal touch and his
enthusiasm for the job that had been strong enough to
overcome every obstacle--even a shortage of financial
resources.
It wasn't long after that Rick was elected to the Senate
after another difficult campaign battle. Again, the
critics said it couldn't be done. Once again, Rick showed
them he could do it.
As soon as he arrived in the Senate, he continued to
fight for the principles he believed in, regardless of
what others predicted the outcome would be. He fought for
the tough causes without regard for the outcome because he
couldn't be silent when the rights of the unborn were
denied or a cherished principle was at stake. It was a
commitment borne of his deep and abiding faith. In fact, I
can't think of anyone who is a stronger man of faith than
Rick is. His faith is a great part of who he is, and it
forms the basis of his character.
I heard a story about the last campaign, about Rick and
a trip he and his wife were making so Rick could appear on
``Meet the Press.'' It was near the end of what had been a
long and difficult campaign and anyone else would have
been exhausted. Not Rick. He was fighting for a cause that
he believed in, and he was, once again, full of that
remarkable energy he called upon for all of his political
campaigns.
As they headed down the road toward Washington, Rick and
his wife talked about how hard the campaign was and how it
had affected them and their family. As they thought about
the battle that was still before them, they began to talk
about Rick's opponent and the toll the battle was
undoubtedly taking on him and his family as well. Without
hesitation, as they drove to Washington for the televised
debate, they took the time to pray for his opponent and
his family in the hope that God would bless them and give
them all the strength they would need to complete the
campaign. Then they would leave the matter to the voters
to decide. That is how strong a part of his life Rick's
faith is.
In the years to come, I think Rick will often come to
mind, standing with us on the Senate floor, taking on a
cause that has driven him to act. Rick is known as a
scrapper, but he is much more than that. He is a warrior,
the kind you want on your side when the going gets tough.
He is also a brilliant tactician, and if there is anyone
who can develop and implement a winning strategy on the
floor or in the field, that individual is Rick Santorum.
Rick has been a winner over the years because he knows
the value of a message--and how to effectively advocate
and present it. He is a great persuader as well, and he
has been a valuable part of many efforts to pass
legislation. He is someone who likes to get things done,
and that ability has been recognized here in Washington
and back home in Pennsylvania by members of both parties.
When it comes to a difficult bill, Rick has the
conviction, courage, and persistence to work through our
difficult process and get the job done. His defense of
life on the floor has made a difference and it will
continue to do so.
Rick knows that one person doing the right thing is a
majority. He knows that has cost him in the past, but he
will be the first to say that it has been worth it, and
people will see that in the long run it is all about
standing up for what you believe.
I have always believed that life is a great adventure
and God has placed us where he needs us, when he needs us
to be there. I know that God has special plans for Rick.
We haven't heard the last from him. There is another
battle, a greater cause for which he is needed, and I am
looking forward to seeing where God will see fit to place
him in the months to come.
Rick Santorum has been a great friend during the time I
have had a chance to come to know him. His expression of
his faith and all he has shared with us at our prayer
breakfasts will stay with me because they were a powerful
and memorable affirmation of his belief in God. I hope he
continues to weigh in on the issues that come before the
Senate. We can always benefit from the views and advice of
someone who says what he means and means what he says. . .
.
Ms. SNOWE. . . . Mr. President, today I honor a
principled legislator, a passionate advocate, and stalwart
son of Pennsylvania, Senator Rick Santorum, whose vitality
as a leader in both the House and Senate was exceeded only
by his exceptional dedication and extraordinary civic
contribution.
During his 16 years in both the House and the Senate,
Rick Santorum marshaled his experience and skills in
business and law to answer effectively and historically a
clarion call to public service. And the bedrock hallmarks
that have been the constant catalysts driving him are his
remarkable passion and enormous resolve.
In the Senate, an institution known rightfully and
constitutionally for deliberation, Rick's energy has been
refreshing and welcomed. Whether on the Senate Armed
Services or Finance Committees on which we both served,
Senator Santorum invariably infused policy debates with a
fresh, informed, and vibrant voice on a range of critical
issues, including national security, health care, economic
development, and combating AIDS. Indeed, Rick has been
passionate in aggressively fighting the global pandemic of
HIV/AIDS--a scourge that brings tragedy to millions of
men, women, and children across the globe. Throughout his
tenure in the Senate, Rick worked without regard to
political ideology or philosophy on this matter that truly
rises above partisanship because he recognizes that
compassion and humanism are ideals too large and important
to be constrained by political labels.
Finally, I well recall our legislative service together
in the House where Rick was a vital champion for change
and an indispensable force behind an agenda for reform. He
unquestionably engendered a transformative sensibility
that helped catapult Republicans into the majority.
Senator Santorum has dedicated his life to service to
others, and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so
in the future. Characterizing those achievements is his
steadfast integrity and allegiance to deeply held beliefs.
But for all of his accomplishments and the titles that
accompany them, those that bring him the greatest
satisfaction, that he treasures above all, are that of
husband and father. Rick Santorum has served his country
and the people of Pennsylvania well, and I wish him, his
wife Karen, and their children all the best.
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 Rick Santorum is a principled conservative who
is not shy to tell you where he stands. He has served the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania tirelessly for the last 16
years. Rick has always been honest and upfront, and his
passion will be missed. Rick and his wife Karen have six
wonderful children who all should be proud of how their
dad represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress. . . .
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 Rick
Santorum has a distinguished career serving the people of
Pennsylvania.
Everyone knows he is a hard worker who is defined by his
determination, commitment to a core set of values, and
unyielding optimism.
His strong leadership in the Senate led Senator Santorum
to be elected chairman of the Senate Republican Conference
in 2001.
I have had the opportunity to work on a number of
projects with Senator Santorum as the vice chairman of the
Senate Republican Conference. He joined with me in
supporting and organizing numerous leadership summits,
which gave us opportunities to reach new constituencies.
These summits have been outstanding, and their success was
due in large part to our cooperation and Senator
Santorum's leadership.
Throughout his tenure in the Senate, he has committed
himself to helping American families.
He believes profoundly in the dignity of all human life
and has consistently fought for measures that protect the
most vulnerable among us. He has supported initiatives to
strengthen and protect Social Security, provide access to
affordable health care, and stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Senator Santorum's passion and commitment to his work
are admirable qualities that will be missed. It has been
an honor to serve with him in the Senate. . . .
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, yesterday I was moved
by the emotional farewell of Senator Rick Santorum. He
said he still feels the thrill of coming to work in this
building every day. The energy he put toward his work in
this Chamber, I will remember as one of Senator Santorum's
most striking qualities.
Senator Santorum's enthusiastic direction of the
Republican conference rallied our majority. I believe he
jeopardized his own future in Pennsylvania by urging us to
think and act for the national good. Pennsylvania has been
served well during his time in Congress and so has our
Nation.
Rick's energy has been of great benefit to many
charities, and he has taken a special interest in helping
those affected by autism. His efforts on behalf of each of
these causes have been exceptional. And despite his many
commitments, Rick's dedication to his family and personal
convictions never wavered. Catherine and I wish Rick and
his family well. . . .
Ms. COLLINS. . . . Mr. President. In his eloquent and
touching farewell address delivered to this body on
December 6, 2006, Senator Rick Santorum began with one
word to describe his feelings as he concluded this phase
of his life. The word was ``gratitude,'' and it describes
the feeling I have for his 12 years of outstanding service
here.
Rick Santorum is a person of strong convictions--
convictions that are built upon a solid foundation of
faith, love of country, and devotion to the people of
Pennsylvania. But as he stood firm for his political
philosophy, Rick Santorum recognized the obligation we all
share to overcome our differences to work on behalf of our
citizens. He spoke his mind, but he acted from his heart.
Two issues in particular exemplify Rick's dedication to
meeting the real needs of real people. Like Maine,
Pennsylvania is a large rural State in which access to
home health care services is essential for our older and
disabled Americans. Home health has become an increasingly
important part of our health care system. The kinds of
highly skilled, and often technically complex, services
that our Nation's home health caregivers provide have
enabled millions of our most frail and vulnerable citizens
to avoid hospitals and nursing homes and stay just where
they want to be--in the comfort and security of their own
homes.
When Medicare payments for home health care were in
jeopardy, Rick Santorum joined me as an original cosponsor
of bipartisan legislation to restore funding, and he was a
key to its success. Throughout his Senate career, he has
been a compassionate champion of quality health care for
those in need. It is telling that his Senate career, which
included so much valuable work in this area, ended with
passage of his landmark bipartisan Combating Autism Act,
which will do much to improve the quality of life for
children with autism and their families.
The second issue I would like to highlight is education.
Rick Santorum has been a leader in making our schools
safer, and in strengthening math and science education.
But he also understands that quality education begins not
in Washington or in the State capitals, but in the
classroom. From my talks with teachers throughout Maine, I
know that a great many of them expend not just great
amounts of energy to educate our children, but often dig
deep into their own pockets to buy classroom supplies and
to advance their own professional development. The $250
tax deduction I authored in 2001 for educators who use
their own funds to cover these expenses would not have
become law without the strong advocacy of Rick Santorum
with his former colleagues in the House of
Representatives.
And, finally, when the Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee held hearings in early 2006
in response to the lobbying scandals in Washington, one of
our first witnesses was Rick Santorum, a long-time
advocate of lobbying reform. When our reform legislation
passed our Chamber overwhelmingly, Senator Santorum said
the Senate ``stepped up in a big way.'' The Senate stepped
up in large part because this person of high ideals was
pushing it along.
Mr. President, in his farewell address, Senator Santorum
stated that although he often disagreed--often
vigorously--with many of his Senate colleagues on the
issues, he never doubted the sincerity of their
convictions. Staunch advocacy tempered with respect for
the views of others is the hallmark of the Senate, and it
is a central part of Rick Santorum's legacy. I thank him
for his service, and wish him and his family all the best
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 goes without saying that it pulls at my heartstrings
to bid farewell to Senator Rick Santorum. On issue after
issue--tax relief, education, affordable health care,
national security--Rick has stood tall for Pennsylvanians
and all Americans.
Rick is a man of conviction, deep faith, and integrity--
qualities instilled in him growing up in Pennsylvania as
the son of an Italian immigrant. He doesn't beat around
the bush, and you never have to wonder where he stands.
His word is his bond, and he expresses his views with
great passion and expertise.
Since his early days in the Senate, Rick was an
inspirational leader. One of the qualities I admired most
about him as a legislator was that he never was one to
dodge the tough issues; in fact, he readily took the lead
on those issues and set out to find solutions to very
serious challenges. For example, he spearheaded the
passage of welfare reform in 1996, which to date has
helped more than 1 million Americans go from receiving
welfare checks to paychecks. Rick fought hard for No Child
Left Behind, and as a result, today math and reading
scores in Pennsylvania schools are on the rise. He also
fought hard to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access
to high quality, affordable health care. He is a strong
supporter of Federal cancer research, including increased
funding for breast cancer research. And he led the charge
to reform our medical malpractice laws to curb lawsuit
abuse and ensure that patients continue to receive the
critical care they need. Rick also recognizes that hard-
earned dollars belong to families and small businesses,
not Uncle Sam.
In addition, Rick was one of Congress's most dedicated
and knowledgeable Members when it came to developing
antipoverty initiatives. He was the driving force behind
legislation that would provide a tremendous boost to
charitable giving through a series of targeted tax
incentives aimed at helping the homeless, the drug
addicted, and the less fortunate in our society. And he
committed himself to working to eradicate the global HIV/
AIDS pandemic. In short, Rick Santorum is the embodiment
of what it means to be a compassionate conservative.
Rick was so attentive to the needs of those he
represented and always put Pennsylvania first. For
example, he helped secure $100 million to build America's
first ever coal to ultra-clean fuel plant in Pennsylvania,
which not only creates jobs but also provides more
affordable energy and benefits the environment. I often
joked with Rick that he should hold another title, the
``Mayor of Pennsylvania.'' It's no surprise that he made
it a point each year to visit all of Pennsylvania's 67
counties. On so many issues, Rick has been a principled
advocate for his constituents.
While Rick works incredibly hard, there is no question
that he is first and foremost a dedicated family man to
his wife Karen and their six children. It has been a
privilege indeed to work closely with Rick--sometimes
literally, as our offices were on the same hall. He is an
all-around class act, and with his numerous
accomplishments and exemplary record of service to his
constituents, he will certainly be a tough act to follow.
. . .
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.