[Senate Document 110-21]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
110th Congress
2d Session S. Doc. 110-21
TRIBUTES TO HON. LARRY E. CRAIG
Larry E. Craig
U.S. SENATOR FROM IDAHO
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Larry E. Craig
United States Congressman
1981-1991
United States Senator
1991-2009
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2010
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
10
Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
3
Allard, Wayne, of Colorado.....................
13, 18
Bingaman, Jeff, of New Mexico..................
9
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
8
Corker, Bob, of Tennessee......................
13
Craig, Larry E., of Idaho......................
15, 18
Crapo, Mike, of Idaho..........................
14, 17
Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
5
Dorgan, Byron L., of North Dakota..............
26
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
24
Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin.............
8
Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
19
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
11
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
12
Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
23
Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
22
Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana................
12
Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
19
Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
13
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
20
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
13
Salazar, Ken, of Colorado......................
5
Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
24
Warner, John, of Virginia......................
22
BIOGRAPHY
Senator Craig was born on the family ranch near Midvale,
ID, which was homesteaded in 1899 by his grandfather. He
later served as the Idaho State president and national
vice president of the Future Farmers of America.
After graduating from the University of Idaho where he
served as student body president and was a member of the
Delta Chi fraternity, he pursued graduate studies before
returning to the family ranching business in 1971.
In 1974, the people of Payette and Washington Counties
sent Senator Craig to the Idaho State Senate, where he
served three terms before winning the 1980 race for
Idaho's First District congressional seat. He was
reelected four times before winning the U.S. Senate
election in 1990 and was reelected to the Senate in 1996
and 2002.
Senator Craig served as chairman of the steering
committee, a legislative think tank and action group for
Senate conservatives. He was the youngest Senator ever
elected to that position.
Senator Craig quickly rose to the fourth highest Senate
leadership position in his first term, when his colleagues
elected him chairman of the Republican Policy Committee.
He was reelected to that position in the 106th and 107th
Congresses. The committee is responsible for developing
policy positions for Senate Republicans.
A forceful advocate for commonsense, conservative
solutions to our Nation's problems, Senator Craig emerged
as a leader in the battle for the balanced budget
amendment to the Constitution, limited taxation, private
property rights, and greater accountability in government.
He has been recognized by national groups including
Citizens for a Sound Economy, Citizens Against Government
Waste, Watchdogs of the Treasury, and the National
Taxpayers Union Foundation for his votes to cut spending
and protect the taxpayer.
Senator Craig was a member of the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs, which he chaired during the 109th
Congress. He was also a member of the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources, where he served on the Subcommittee
on Energy, the Subcommittee on Water and Power, and the
Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests.
With his appointment to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, Senator Craig oversaw funding on the following
subcommittees: Agriculture; Energy and Water Development;
Homeland Security; Labor, HHS, and Education; Military
Construction and Veterans Affairs; and Interior and the
Environment. He was also a member of the Special Committee
on Aging, which he chaired during the 107th and 108th
Congresses, and the Committee on Environment and Public
Works, where he served on the Public Sector Solutions to
Global Warming, Oversight, and Children's Health
Protection Subcommittee and the Superfund and
Environmental Health Subcommittee.
In addition to his committee memberships, Senator Craig
sat on a number of caucuses that worked for issues
important to Idaho, including Air Force, National Guard,
Nuclear, Rural Health, Diabetes, Congressional
Sportsmen's, Congressional Potato, WTO for Farmers and
Ranchers, Senate Sweetener, Idaho Safe Kids Coalition
(honorary co-chair), the Western States Senate Coalition,
and Education Advisory Committee to the National Youth
Leadership Conference. He is a former co-chair of the
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and helped
to found and lead the CCAI, an institute working on
adoption issues.
The Idaho lawmaker was also on the board of directors of
the National Rifle Association, the Alliance to Save
Energy and the Keystone Center, and he co-founded and co-
chaired the Congressional Property Rights Coalition.
As a westerner and a former rancher, Senator Craig
played a leading role in the formation of natural resource
and energy policies, and he has gained a national
reputation as a stalwart against environmental extremism.
He is also one of America's foremost defenders of the
second amendment right to keep and bear arms.
He is married to the former Suzanne Thompson. They have
three children: two sons, Mike and Jay, a daughter, Shae,
and seven beautiful grandchildren.
TRIBUTES
TO
LARRY E. CRAIG
Proceedings in the Senate
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, Senator Pete Domenici, who
is retiring from the Senate this year after serving since
1972, once said to me that we don't say goodbye in the
Senate very well. As a matter of fact, we don't say hello
very well either. We have a little orientation program,
but we abruptly arrive and leave. We leave in the midst of
a lot of turmoil and discussion with very little time to
say goodbye. Yet in between that arrival and leaving, we
have very intense personal relationships. We virtually
live with each other. We see each other often for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We see each other more than
we see our families. So when there is a time for saying
goodbye, we look for ways to say it a little better.
There are five Members of our body, all of them
Republicans, who have announced their retirement for this
year. While I won't be speaking at length about them here
today, I want to recognize their service. I will do it in
the traditional way in the Senate, which is to start with
seniority. By ``seniority,'' I mean from the time I have
known them. ...
Senator Larry Craig has been in the Congress for a
number of years. He served three terms in the Senate. I
believe Senator Craig's great contribution is in the area
of energy. He and Senator Domenici have been a team in
advocating for nuclear power. They have been leaders in
the Senate in understanding energy and its details,
particularly over the last few years as issues of energy
and the environment have become the most fascinating and
important issues we have to deal with in many respects.
Senator Craig has made a great contribution.
I especially appreciate his courtesies. When I was just
elected to the Senate, I had worked here before as a staff
member many years ago, but I didn't understand what it was
like to be a Member. Senator Craig took a long hour with
me on the telephone just explaining to me about committee
assignments. I have always been grateful for that. ...
I say to all five of those Senators, we will miss them.
We are grateful for their service. I know people must look
at the Senate in many different ways.
Let me conclude by telling a story about how some
teachers look at it. We have a tradition in the Senate of
making a maiden address. It is kind of a funny name, but
we still call it that. We pick the subject of most
interest to us. My subject was to put the teaching of U.S.
history and civics back in its proper place in the school
curriculum so our children would grow up learning what it
means to be an American. There is not too much the Federal
Government can do about that, but what we were able to do
is to begin summer academies for outstanding teachers and
students of American history. One group of those teachers
was here in July, one from each State. I brought them on
the Senate floor early one morning. I took them to Daniel
Webster's desk, which is occupied by the senior Senator
from New Hampshire right here by me. I took them back to
that part of the Senate where Jefferson Davis' desk is,
occupied by the senior Senator from Mississippi, and told
them the story of how the marks in the desk are because a
Union soldier came in during the Civil War and started
chopping on it with his sword. His commanding officer came
in and said, ``Stop that. We are here to protect the
Union, not to destroy it.''
This Chamber is full of history, full of our country.
Anyone who stands on this floor and sees the engravings of
``In God We Trust'' or ``E Pluribus Unum'' and gets a
sense of what has happened here has respect for it. The
teachers had that respect. When we got to the end of our
visit, one teacher said to me, I think it was the teacher
from Oregon, ``Senator, what would you like for us to take
home to our students about our visit to the Senate
floor?''
I said, ``I hope you will take back that each of us
takes our position a lot more seriously than we take
ourselves. We understand we are accidents, that we are
very fortunate and privileged to be here, that each of us
reveres our country, and we respect this institution. I
can only speak for myself, but I think it is true of
Senators on both sides of the aisle that we get up every
day thinking first of how we can make a little
contribution before we go to bed at night that will help
the country be a little better off than it was in the
morning. That means serving in the Senate is a very great
privilege. I hope you will take that back to your
students. I don't know what they see on television or read
in the newspaper about the Senate, but that is how we feel
about the privilege we have to serve here.''
To these five Senators--Warner, Domenici, Craig, Hagel,
and Allard--we say goodbye. They are members of our
family. We appreciate their service. We know they have
believed it has been a very great privilege to serve in
the Senate. For us it has been a great privilege to serve
with them.
I yield the floor.
Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I wish to make a few
comments about some of our departing colleagues who will
not be joining us for the next session of Congress. They
are great colleagues, people whom I have enjoyed working
with in my 3\1/2\ years here in the Senate. They include
Senator Allard from Colorado, Senator Pete Domenici from
New Mexico, Senator John Warner from Virginia, Senator
Chuck Hagel from Nebraska, and Senator Larry Craig from
Idaho. ...
Senator Larry Craig from Idaho has been a champion for
agriculture and rural issues and for western values. When,
yesterday, we were able to pass the Payment in Lieu of
Taxes, Secure Rural Schools Act, on which Senator Wyden
and others had worked so hard, it was Senator Craig who
helped make sure at the beginning that payment in lieu of
taxes, which is so important to the presiding officer's
State and my State of Colorado, were, in fact, on the
radar screen of Washington, DC. Sometimes those issues
that are unique to the western part of the United States
are not heard in the Halls in this Capitol. Senator Craig
was an unrelenting advocate for making sure those western
issues were, in fact, not forgotten by those of us who are
here who have an ability to cast a vote.
I will miss my five colleagues. All of them are
Republicans who are departing. Many of them brought a true
spirit of bipartisanship and working together, which is
worthy of the emulation of many Members of the Senate who
will serve in this Chamber in the next Congress and in
many Congresses to come.
I yield the floor.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Mr. DOMENICI. At this time I would like to take some
time to talk about Senator Larry Craig and to thank him
for his service here in the Senate and for his service and
dedication to his home State of Idaho.
I have been fortunate enough to work with Senator Craig
on many of the same issues over the years. More often than
not we were on the same side of those issues. We worked
for many hours together on energy policy, and more
specifically, nuclear energy policy. In addition, the
States we represent, New Mexico and Idaho, are similar in
that they are both in the West, are largely rural, have
vast swaths of Federal land, and are home to Federal
research laboratories. These similarities between the
States we represent brought us together by way of common
interests on many of the same policy subjects.
Senator Craig and I served on the Appropriations
Committee together for many years. During that time, we
worked together to make sure the Departments of Energy and
Interior were taken care of in terms of funding. As many
of us know, Senator Craig comes from a strong agriculture
background. At times we had to try to fend off, as best we
could, efforts to change the Milk Income Loss Contract
Program. The changes to the program would have compromised
dairy producers from each of our home States. Dairy
farmers in New Mexico and Idaho knew that Senator Craig
was a formidable ally for their cause, and I thank him for
his help and support.
As chairman and ranking member of the Energy and Natural
Resources Committee, I have always admired Senator Craig's
command of public lands policy. He has been a great leader
on public lands issues throughout his career, and without
the leadership of Senator Craig, we would have never been
able to pass the healthy forests bill in December 2003. It
was also through his leadership we passed the Secure Rural
Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, which has
been so important to both our States. He led the
Republican side on public lands and forest issues as
chairman or ranking member of the Public Lands and Forest
Subcommittee from 1995 until 2007.
Some of our most important work together took place in
the nuclear arena. Senator Craig has done a tremendous job
of promoting nuclear power as a safe, reliable, and clean
source of energy. I appreciate his outstanding work on
nuclear matters, and I appreciate his support and
encouragement along the way for my efforts in this
important area.
Many people know that because of where we live and what
we do in our States, Senator Craig and I naturally work on
similar matters. That is as it turned out. I will talk
about some matters that have been very big for our country
that are not natural to our States.
First, I served with him on the Committee on
Appropriations for a number of years. We worked together
on energy policy and, more specifically, nuclear energy
policy. The States we represent are home to national
research laboratories.
As many of my colleagues know, Senator Craig comes from
a strong agricultural background. At times, we had to try
to fend off, as best we could, efforts to change the Milk
Income Loss Contract Program, called the MILC Program.
That sounds like something we should all be for. It turns
out that dairy farmers in New Mexico and Idaho knew
Senator Craig was a formidable ally when it came to
subsidies that would help some and hurt others. We were
generally on the hurt end because we were smaller States
that had that particular set of facts. We worked hard on
those issues. I learned to respect him greatly.
He led Republicans on public lands issues and forest
issues as chairman and ranking member of the Public Lands
and Forest Subcommittee from 1995 through 1997. This led
to the enactment of the healthy forest bill in December
2003--I was part of that with him--and the Secure Rural
Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act, which was
his. I am sure most of the thinking to put it together was
his. It was an absolutely stellar bill that got assistance
to schools across his State and other Western States that
lost some or all of their revenues for their schools
because of the curtailment of timber sales in the area. He
and the distinguished Senator from Washington worked
together to get this done.
Senator Craig and I have spent a great deal of time on
matters pertaining to nuclear power. Nuclear power is
making a renaissance in America. We will soon have many of
them built in the United States. We have more than any
other country in the world, but we only get 20 percent of
our electricity from nuclear power. Countries such as
France have gone way ahead of us and now have 75 to 80
percent. Other countries of the world have as well, since
America has made its bid, saying: We are going to change
our minds, for which I am very proud. I took the lead in
that, with Larry's help, and we have changed America. With
it has come a renaissance in nuclear power.
I wish him the greatest success in his retirement. I am
sure we will hear from him. He is too young to be quiet.
He will be doing something, and we will hear about it.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, as Senator Craig retires
from the Senate, I want to take a few moments to recognize
him and thank him for his work on behalf of the people of
Idaho. He devoted 18 years to serving the people of Idaho
in the Senate, following 10 years of service in the House
of Representatives. Senator Craig and I worked together in
two very different, very important areas: protecting civil
liberties and supporting America's dairy farmers. In both
cases, he was dedicated to the best interests of the
people of Idaho, and I am grateful for his efforts.
Senator Craig was a key member of the group of six
Senators--three Republicans and three Democrats, including
myself--who worked together to try to strengthen the
protections for Americans' privacy rights in the PATRIOT
Act reauthorization that we considered in the Senate
during the 109th Congress. His willingness to work across
party lines on that issue was commendable, and it was a
critical boost to our efforts. Senator Craig understands
the importance of protecting Americans' freedoms, and I
applaud his commitment to these issues.
I also thank him for his consistent support of dairy
farmers, another area where we frequently worked together.
Senator Craig and I shared concerns about the impact of
the Australia Free Trade Agreement on dairy farmers, on
the threat of unsafe importation of milk protein
concentrates, and on nonfat milk price reporting errors.
Once again on these issues, Senator Craig put the needs
of the people of Idaho first, and reached across the aisle
to protect hard-working dairy farmers. After 28 years of
service in Congress, Senator Craig is retiring from the
Senate, and I wish him all the best. His hard work and
dedication have made a valuable contribution to the Senate
and to the American people.
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I wish to join my fellow
Senators to honor a colleague and a friend, Senator Larry
Craig, who is departing the U.S. Senate at the close of
this Congress. I have enjoyed working with Senator Craig
over the last 20 years--first in the U.S. House of
Representatives and later in the U.S. Senate.
While in the Senate, I have had the great fortune of
serving with Larry on the Senate Energy Committee. He is a
revered advocate of energy, public lands, and rural
community issues. The two of us have stood together on
numerous issues--most notably energy--and I have always
believed that we could achieve any task because I had his
voice of reason and intellect by my side.
Senator Craig has shown the ability to keep a close eye
on issues that matter most to citizens back in Idaho,
while also looking out for all Americans. Whether the
issue of the day was rural schools, western ranchers,
public water, innovative forms of energy, and yes, even
wolves, Senator Craig has proven that he is up for any
challenge.
I would be mistaken to not mention the extraordinary
work Senator Craig has done as a member of the Senate
Veterans' Affairs Committee. His work has been
instrumental to ensure that all citizens who are part of
our armed services--including servicemembers, family
members and survivors of veterans--are provided the world-
class care and benefits they have earned. I thank him for
his relentless efforts to improve the lives of those who
have worn the uniform.
I thank the senior Senator from Idaho for his leadership
and contributions to public service for the people of
Idaho and all Americans. I honor Senator Larry Craig not
only for his length of service but more important his
quality of service. I wish him and his loved ones all the
best of health for many years to come.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I want to take just a few
minutes to speak about our colleagues who have announced
their plans to retire at the conclusion of this 110th
Congress. We obviously will miss them. There are five
individuals about whom I wanted to say a brief word:
Senators Allard, Hagel, Craig, Warner, and Domenici. They
have all brought their intelligence, principles, and
perspectives on the issues confronting our Nation. The
Nation is better for their efforts. ...
My longtime colleague on the Energy and Natural
Resources Committee, Senator Craig, has been a valuable
voice for Idaho for decades. He served in his State's
legislature for 6 years before coming to the House of
Representatives 28 years ago where he served for 10 years.
In 1990, he was elected to the Senate. We worked very
closely on issues important to energy and natural
resources throughout the West. He has been a leader in
many national policy areas, including aging and opening
trade to Cuba.
I have appreciated his contributions, particularly in
our Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where his
opinions have always been clearly expressed and his best
efforts are made to represent his State and the Nation.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today I wish to make a few
comments about some of our departing colleagues who will
no longer be with us next year. I have known some of them
for just a little while, others I have known for a long
time. And, to all of them I bid a fond farewell and mahalo
for their service to their State and to this country. They
are dear colleagues and friends of mine and I know that
even if they leave this fine establishment, our
friendships will continue long into the future.
The Senators that I am referring to are Senator John
Warner from Virginia, Senator Pete Domenici from New
Mexico, Senator Larry Craig from Idaho, Senator Chuck
Hagel from Nebraska, and Senator Wayne Allard from
Colorado. Please allow me just one moment to reflect on my
service with each of these valuable Members. ...
I would be remiss were I not to mention the retirement
of another of our colleagues, my friend Larry Craig.
Senator Craig and I served together on the Veterans'
Affairs Committee, which he chaired in the 109th Congress.
I will not forget Chairman Craig's willingness to bring
the committee from Washington to my home State of Hawaii,
to hear the concerns of Hawaii's veterans first hand.
Under his leadership, the committee held an unprecedented
series of field hearings on the needs of veterans living
in Hawaii, the Nation's only island State. My colleague
made this possible, and I will not forget his generosity.
Senator Craig and I have not always agreed, but I am
proud of the relationship he and I maintained as
counterparts on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. His
willingness to find workable compromises, and to work
with, rather than against, those with opposing views, are
both qualities in great need here in Washington. I wish
him well as he returns to his native Idaho. Surely he will
now be able to have more time with his wife, Suzanne,
their three children, and their seven grandchildren. I
wish him happiness and the best with his future endeavors.
...
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak today
regarding the retirement of my friend and colleague, the
senior Senator from Idaho. At the conclusion of this
Congress, Senator Larry Craig will end a political career
that has included over three decades of service to the
people of his State. I am sure many of my colleagues will
agree, Senator Craig's presence in the Senate will be
missed.
Senator Craig is a lifelong citizen of Idaho, having
been born in Council, ID, and growing up on a ranch in
Washington County. He attended college at the University
of Idaho and later served in the Idaho National Guard.
These close ties to his home State, I believe, informed
almost every decision he made while serving in Congress.
Larry's career in public service began in 1974 when he
was elected to the Idaho State Senate. Six years later, he
was elected to the House of Representatives, where he
served five terms. In 1990, he was elected to his first of
three terms in the Senate, where his devotion to the
people of Idaho continued.
During his time in the Senate, Senator Craig became
involved in a number of efforts to serve the people of his
State and the country as a whole. He has held prominent
positions on the Appropriations, Veterans' Affairs, and
Energy and Resources Committees. He also had a brief stint
on the Senate Judiciary Committee when I was serving as
chairman. Although his time on the Judiciary Committee was
short lived, Senator Craig was always an active member of
that panel, pursuing immigration reform to help the
farmers from his State and throughout the country and
vigorously supporting legislation to protect civil
liberties.
In recognition of these efforts, he was inducted into
the Idaho Hall of Fame in 2007.
Of course, no discussion of Senator Craig would be
complete without mentioning the Singing Senators, the now
famous barbershop quartet that featured Senator Craig
along with my good friends Trent Lott, John Ashcroft, and
James Jeffords. I think we all enjoyed the exploits of The
Singing Senators during their brief moment in the
limelight. Sadly, with the departure of Senator Craig,
there will be no Singing Senators left. I still have my
copy of their album, ``Let Freedom Sing,'' and I can only
hope that Larry will be taking home with him his copies of
the albums I have recorded. If not, I am sure I can dig up
some new ones for him.
Mr. President, I want to close by saying that I have
greatly admired Senator Craig for his devotion to the
people of his State and his efforts to improve our
country. I want to wish him and his family the best of
luck in any future endeavors.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, Larry Craig has a long
history of service to the people of Idaho.
In 1974, he was elected to the Idaho State Senate, where
he served three terms before winning the 1980 race for
Idaho's First Congressional seat.
He was reelected four times before winning a U.S. Senate
seat in 1990.
As chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, he
assured that the health care needs of our Nation's
veterans were addressed, and he helped increase the number
of claims processors to try to help veterans receive the
benefits they deserve, with fewer delays.
Throughout his career, Senator Craig has been a forceful
advocate for commonsense, conservative solutions to our
Nation's problems.
He has been a leader in the battle for lower taxes,
private property rights, and greater accountability in
government.
He has been recognized by national groups, including
Citizens for a Sound Economy, Citizens Against Government
Waste, Watchdogs of the Treasury, and the National
Taxpayers Union Foundation.
He is also one of America's foremost defenders of the
second amendment.
I wish Senator Craig well in his retirement.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENT
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent
that the tributes to retiring Senators that appear in the
Congressional Record be printed as a Senate document and
that Senators be permitted to submit such tributes for
inclusion until Friday, November 21, 2008.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Mr. LIEBERMAN. ... I offer thanks and best wishes to
other colleagues who are leaving--Senators Allard, Hagel,
and Craig.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Mr. CORKER. Madam President, there are a number of
distinguished Senators who are leaving this body this
year. I know there have been a number of tributes given to
all of them and their service. ...
Larry Craig of Idaho who, again, in the energy area,
has offered great counsel and made sure that wise
decisions were made in that particular committee--I honor
all of them. I wish them well. I think we are all better
having had the opportunity to serve with them.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise this morning to
recognize and pay tribute to several colleagues who are
concluding careers in the Senate. These gentlemen have
distinguished themselves. They have dedicated themselves
to representing their States and representing the best
interests of the Nation. ...
Senator Larry Craig, with whom I had the privilege to
serve on the Committee on Appropriations, is someone who
has vigorously defended his positions in the Senate. We
have disagreed more often than agreed, but our debates
have been both vigorous and civil. I can recall managing
the legislation, Senator Craig on the opposing side, with
respect to issues of guns and firearms. I recall a debate
that was vigorous, robust but principled. I appreciate
that effort and his service. ...
To these Members, I wish them well. I thank them
personally for their kindness to me and their
thoughtfulness on so many other occasions.
Mr. ALLARD. ... Also retiring is Senator Larry Craig
from Idaho, another westerner with whom I found a lot in
common. He and I both have strong agricultural roots. He
has been a very strong advocate of those issues important
to the West and his State of Idaho. Again, I have
appreciated working with him on national park issues and
public lands issues. He is a superb individual.
Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, as the 110th Congress comes to
a close this fall, a chapter in Idaho politics also comes
to a close. After serving in public office, first in the
Idaho State legislature from 1975 to 1981, then in the
U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1990, and
finally in the U.S. Senate from 1991 to 2009, my
colleague, Senator Larry Craig, is retiring from elective
office. Over the years, he has doggedly pursued
initiatives important to Idahoans and staunchly defended
western values.
Our colleagues in the Senate know about Senator Craig's
work over the years ensuring that the U.S. agricultural
community has the support needed to thrive and continue
ensuring our food security and playing a major role in the
global economy.
Our colleagues know about Senator Craig's consistent
stand on public lands, his unflinching defense of private
property rights and his reliable support of those who are
caretakers of this invaluable national resource.
Our colleagues know Senator Craig's stalwart defense of
our second amendment rights and his tireless call for a
balanced budget and lower taxes.
Our colleagues in the Senate know that Senator Craig
has, on a number of occasions, reached across the aisle to
promote bipartisan legislation.
Our colleagues in the Senate know and have depended on
the leadership exhibited over the years by a man with
humble beginnings, born in a small Idaho town, on a family
farm where he returned after college until the people of
Payette and Washington Counties elected him to represent
them in the Idaho State legislature.
What may not be so well known about the senior Senator
from Idaho is his commitment to adoption, to our youth, to
community service, to our veterans, and to our seniors.
Senator Craig's three children are adopted. Over the
years, he became a congressional leader in promoting
adoption and working on policy initiatives that help
adoptive parents and young children needing to find loving
homes. He also helped found the Congressional Coalition on
Adoption Institute.
Senator Craig did not only champion adoption in
Congress, he took a strong leadership role in the
Congressional Awards Foundation. This is an outstanding
program that encourages young people to set high goals, to
work toward them, and then when they have achieved these
goals, it gives this body the opportunity to recognize
their extraordinary accomplishments. The sense of
community service this program grows in young people
imparts a lifelong sense of civic duty and responsibility.
In short, it grows great Americans.
Speaking of great Americans, Senator Craig has been a
champion of veterans as well, prioritizing their changing
needs over the years and helping remind all of us that
when a man or a woman defends the United States of
America, that individual deserves to have this Nation care
for them in their return and in their time of need.
A believer in bringing Washington to Idaho, Senator
Craig has hosted over 300 townhall meetings since his
election to the Senate. He has also made national
priorities that involve Idaho and his priorities; namely,
Department of Energy and Defense operations and research
at the Idaho National Laboratory, the Mountain Home Air
Force Base, and Gowan Field for the home of the Idaho
National Guard.
Senator Craig has not only supported children, young
people, the military, and our veterans, he has also worked
to champion the cause of the aging, serving on the Special
Committee on Aging and keeping important senior issues at
the forefront of our legislative policy.
Senator Craig's public service demonstrates a rich
history of strong, conservative leadership, characterized
by an unapologetic defense of democratic ideals of private
property and personal liberty, woven together with an
abiding and proactive concern for those without a voice in
Washington. Idahoans across the State have come to know
they can depend on Senator Craig to defend their economic
well-being and their values.
It has been a privilege for me to serve with Senator
Craig during my time in the Congress. I wish him and his
wife Suzanne well as they enter this new chapter in their
lives.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I thank my partner and
colleague from Idaho, soon to become Idaho's senior
Senator, Mike Crapo. Mike and I have had a working
relationship and a friendship for literally decades, and
it is one I have greatly appreciated over the years
because of his consistent and wise counsel.
While I came to the Congress before Mike, Senator Crapo
was in the legislature during a period of time after I was
there, and so he brought with him, first to the House and
then to the Senate, the very similar experiences I had as
a State legislator. I highly recommend that to anyone who
wants to serve in the Senate, that they have that
experience on the ground in their home State in a way that
brings the reality of State governments and the Federal
Government together. Certainly, over the years Senator
Crapo has had that experience and has shared it with me.
Together, I think we have made a very valuable team for
our State.
There is another aspect of Senator Crapo I have so
highly regarded over the years, and certainly the
presiding officer from Colorado would appreciate it. There
is probably one single most valuable commodity in the high
deserts of the West--such as many parts of the Colorado
and the State of Idaho--and that is water. There is an old
phrase that many have heard over the years, which is that
whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.
And there is a lot of truth to that. Our States
historically have that in their background as we sorted
out our water problems and began to recognize these
phenomenally valuable commodities.
Mike Crapo, in his other life, spent a lot of time with
water law. I always said that when it came to water issues
here in Washington, while they best be fought out in the
State Capitol in Boise, I wanted Mike Crapo by my side as
we worked through water issues that were for our State and
certainly for the Nation. Not only does he know the law,
coming out of a high desert environment of the kind that
is in southern, southeastern, and southwestern Idaho, he
knows the reality. He knows the importance. He knows that
water is life and death. It is economy or no economy based
on its value. That is the kind of partnership we have had
over the years.
I will be replaced by Idaho's Lieutenant Governor, Jim
Risch. I am confident he will be elected, for a lot of
reasons. First, he is a highly competent person. Idaho
knows him well and respects him. He has served Idaho well
and he will serve us very well here. He will become the
junior partner of the soon-to-be senior Senator, Mike
Crapo. That team, that organizational effort, that
combining of forces on by far a majority of issues will be
held for Idaho's interests.
Mike and I rarely split our votes. When we do, we talk
about them, we know our differences and we understand
them. But we have realized over the years that the team
approach for Idaho and the Idaho delegation is very
important for a small State--small by population, at
least, certainly not small by geography. So the friendship
and the relationship I have had with Senator Crapo over
the years has been personally very valuable to me, but I
trust it has been very valuable to the State of Idaho. But
that kind of working, teaming partnership is going to
continue as I step down and Jim Risch is elected in
November to continue to work with Mike Crapo.
So I say to my colleague, Senator Crapo: Thank you.
Thank you for the kind remarks and the working
relationship and friendship we have had over the years.
And to the presiding officer, while he has not served
here as long as either of us, I would say to him that he
fits in immediately, because he is a westerner who
understands our issues, because they are his issues, and
we have already begun to work those kinds of partnerships
and relationships that are very valuable to the West, to
the public lands, and to the interests of our States'
people.
I thank the chair, and I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I came down here to pay a
tribute to our senior Senator from Idaho, Senator Larry
Craig, and you can see the caliber of man he is--he came
down and paid tribute to me. That is the way he is.
I want to add to my remarks by thanking Senator Craig
personally for his tremendous assistance to me. From the
very first day that I stepped foot on the floor of the
Senate--in fact, before that, when I was trying to get
elected to the Senate--Senator Craig was there to help.
And once I was elected, Senator Craig set about making
sure I could be successful.
As he has indicated by his gracious remarks, that is the
kind of man he is. He is a tremendous friend and he is a
tremendous advocate and he has the kind of principles and
values that have helped him to represent the people of
Idaho so well over the years. He has committed his life to
public service and has shown the people of Idaho and the
people of this Nation the kind of leadership we should
have in this country, fighting for those kinds of
principles that I have mentioned--whether it be private
property rights, a balanced budget, lower, smaller
government, protecting those without a voice, working for
the veterans, working for senior citizens, and his
commitment to working for our newest citizens of our
world, those who need adoption. The list goes on and on.
I want to personally thank you, Larry, for the
opportunity to serve with you here in the Senate, and to
tell you that I and all of us in Idaho will miss you and
look forward to continuing to work with you as you enter
this new chapter of your life.
Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the
absence of a quorum.
Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, while the Senator from Idaho
is on the floor, I made some comments earlier about the
pleasure of being able to work with him in the Senate. I
wish to also recognize the fine work he has done on
energy. We certainly appreciate his work on that.
Colorado is an energy-rich State. We have all forms of
energy, not only fossil fuels but also wind and solar and
geothermal. I think Senator Craig has been very sensitive
to those.
When working with the Senator from Idaho I felt like he
truly had the Nation's interest in mind. It has been a
pleasure for me to serve with Senator Craig, particularly
on the Appropriations Committee. The Senator brought in a
very competent staff and was himself extremely
knowledgeable.
As we leave this institution, I wish to thank the
Senator from Idaho for all the work he did to help me
along with legislation. What a privilege it has been to be
able to know Senator Craig and work with him in the
Senate. Also, I wish to recognize the Senator's hard work
in the Senate. ...
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, before the senior retiring
Senator from the State of Colorado leaves, let me thank
him for his gracious comments. We have been a very good
team and have partnered on a lot of issues over the years
because we have such common interests in mind. Our States
are very similar in so many ways.
The State of Colorado happens to have the hydrocarbons
we do not have, when it comes to gas and oil. But at the
same time, agriculture, water, and timber, tourism, and
all the great things many people attribute to the West are
embodied in the State of Colorado and certainly in the
State of Idaho.
But a very special thanks to Senator Allard for your
fine comments. The work the Senator has done on behalf of
his State is precedent setting. I hope--I know--the
Senator will be continually recognized for that.
Let me also say the Senator and his wife Joan have
become good friends of both my wife Suzanne and I. Those
are the kinds of friendships that build partnerships in
the Senate. I hope other Senators recognize the Senate
works well when Senators are friends and partners.
Now, we may have our disagreements along the way, and
there may be some disagreements between Democrats and
Republicans, but when the collegiality of the Senate
leaves, the Senate no longer works or works as well as it
should on behalf of our citizens. Certainly, the
collegiality between the Craigs and the Allards has been
long-standing and greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I would like to begin my
remarks this afternoon acknowledging four of our
colleagues who will be leaving the Senate along with me at
the end of this Congress, the 110th Congress, and then
make some additional comments. ...
Mr. President, the fourth Member of the Senate who will
be leaving along with me will be the senior Senator from
Idaho, Larry Craig. I have had an opportunity to work with
Senator Craig over the years on environmental issues,
energy issues, trade issues, agricultural issues. There
have been few who have been as forceful and important a
voice on behalf of those critical challenges to our
country.
Senator Craig, Senator Allard, Senator Warner, and
Senator Domenici all leave the Senate a better institution
for their service.
Mr. LEVIN. I rise today to pay tribute to my colleague
from Idaho, Senator Larry Craig. As the chairman of the
Armed Services Committee, I can particularly appreciate
the vital role played by the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Larry served as the chairman of that important committee
from 2005 to 2007, and the ranking member since then.
During his tenure, Veterans' Affairs has been challenged
by two ongoing wars and, more recently, by public
revelations of serious deficiencies in our system for
caring for our wounded warriors.
Helping our Nation's wounded warriors is a cause to
which Larry Craig is profoundly committed. He has fought
for our deserving and brave veterans by introducing bills
to improve educational opportunities and to expand
benefits for traumatic injuries. He helped make possible a
rare joint hearing between the Veterans' Affairs Committee
and the Armed Services Committee to look into the
situation at Walter Reed and help formulate the wounded
warrior legislation which passed through the Senate with
overwhelming bipartisan support as part of the Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.
While Larry Craig and I have often been on opposite
sides of policy debates, I admire his commitment to his
views and to the people of Idaho. In addition to the
Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Craig serves as the
ranking member on the Subcommittees on Interior and
Related Agencies, and Superfund and Environmental Health,
legislative areas of great concern to the citizens of
Boise, the ranchers of Midvale and the skiers of Sun
Valley. And today, I join my colleagues in thanking Larry
Craig for his service to his State and his country, and I
wish him and Suzanne the very best in the future.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, one of the great sticking
points for the Framers of the U.S. Constitution was how
small States would be represented in the new government.
In the end, the compromise that gave small and big
States equal representation in the U.S. Senate broke the
logjam, paved the way for ratification, and became one of
the most distinctive--and best--features of our democracy.
It has ensured that the interests of all Americans,
including those who live in remote or secluded corners of
the country, are felt in the halls of power. And,
throughout the life of our country, it has meant that men
and women who understood those interests and who could
communicate them with clarity and purpose would always
have a central place in the U.S. Senate.
For nearly two decades, Larry Craig has been that person
for the people of Idaho--a fierce advocate and an
effective legislator who understands the needs of his
State, and always delivered.
The grandson of a homesteader, Senator Craig was born on
a ranch north of Boise and attended public schools. He
graduated from the University of Idaho in 1969 and may
have been its most prominent alumnus before the world got
to know the current Governor of Alaska a few weeks ago.
After college, Senator Craig served in the National
Guard, worked as a farmer-rancher, and was elected to the
Idaho Senate in 1974. Seven years later, Idaho voters sent
him to Washington.
After a decade in the House, they sent him to the Upper
Chamber. And he has been fighting their battles here in
the Senate ever since.
One of his favorite targets over the years are the
western lands policies favored by big city
environmentalists but opposed by the native Idahoans who
cherish and live off the land.
He fought revisions of the Mining Act of 1872 and a
Clinton-era proposal to introduce grizzlies into Idaho's
Bitterroot Range.
Over the years, he's fought anyone who tried to impose
rules and restrictions on land use that natives oppose.
Those battles heated up in the wake of the Supreme Court's
2005 Kelo ruling. And over the last 3 years, he's fought
hard to protect the private property rights of farmers and
ranchers who have been left especially vulnerable by the
Court's Kelo decision.
Senator Craig took a lead role in the farm bill debate
over the last 2 years, making sure it included funds to
support specialty crop producers in Idaho, one of the
Nation's top producers of specialty crops, and about one-
third of the Nation's potatoes. And he played a vital role
in smoothing the way for the bill's final passage earlier
this summer.
As chairman of the Public Lands and Forests
Subcommittee, Senator Craig fought to reform the Nation's
Forest Service, which drastically reduced the timber
harvest on public lands during the Clinton administration,
cutting into the livelihoods of Idahoans in small towns
across the State.
For municipalities that couldn't recoup the losses from
lost timber revenue, Senator Craig reached across the
aisle and worked with Senator Wyden to find compensation
that helped them cope. It was a characteristic gesture of
bipartisan work, and one he's employed repeatedly over the
years.
He's been a strong defender of free trade.
As chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, he
sponsored a bill that would enable seniors to buy State-
approved long-term care policies.
And he has been a good friend to our Nation's veterans,
serving as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
A new tower at Boise's airport would not have been built
without Senator Craig's help. Neither would the new VA
clinic that opened in Caldwell just last year. In a long
Senate career, Senator Craig has fought with clarity and
conviction for Idahoans. Along the way, he has been a
friend of veterans, children seeking a home through
adoption, and thousands of American farmers and ranchers,
particularly those in the Pacific Northwest.
And, along with three other Senate colleagues who've
moved on, he entertained us as a member of the Singing
Senators.
With Senator Craig's retirement, the last of the Singing
Senators will have left the building.
And the people of Idaho will have lost one of their
greatest champions.
Mr. KYL. Mr. President, five colleagues on my side of
the aisle are retiring from the Senate at the end of this
session. They have served for many years, and I have come
to know each of them very well.
Senator Larry Craig and I served in the House together
until 1991 when Senator Craig moved to the Senate. I
joined him 4 years later. We represent Western States, so
we have had occasion to work together on issues that are
important to the American West.
In his position on the Energy and Natural Resources
Committee, he has defended property rights and stood for
the prudent use of our natural resources. He has also been
a strong advocate of Americans' second amendment rights.
And, as a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee-- for
a time the ranking member--he has worked to ensure that
veterans receive the benefits they were promised.
Senator Craig has held a number of positions among
Senate Republicans. He served as chairman of the
Republican Policy Committee, and he participated in the
musical effort of Senators Trent Lott, John Ashcroft, Jim
Jeffords, and himself--the Singing Senators.
After almost three decades in the U.S. Congress, Senator
Craig is now leaving public service. Idaho has lost a
great Senator who always looked out for the interests of
the State and its citizens. He has a great record of
accomplishment on which to reflect--numerous legislative
victories and, of course, one CD.
We will miss Senator Craig in the Senate, especially the
spirited remarks he so often delivered on the Senate
floor.
I wish Larry and Suzanne all the best and hope they have
many happy moments with their wonderful family.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the State of Idaho occupies a
very special place in my life's career. In the summer of
1943, during the height of World War II, I had the great
fortune to find a job with the U.S. Forest Service. I was
sent to Idaho, along with many other young men, to work in
the forests. We performed a wide range of duties, from
clearing trails to fighting forest fires.
After brief service in the Navy in the final year of
World War II, I attended college and at my first
opportunity, in the summer of 1947, I returned to Idaho to
once again work with the Forest Service, helping preserve
one of nature's greatest gifts--the mighty trees of the
West.
Those two summers of hard work trained and prepared me
to always respect those who labor with their hands.
Throughout my career in the Senate, I have enjoyed
working with Senators from Idaho, and sharing common
interests, such as forestry and preserving the great
outdoors, with those who represent that State. Senator
Larry Craig is one of those.
Through the years, I have found his perspective on
controversial issues, such as forests, mining and
agriculture, especially the potato and sugar-beet issues,
to be very valuable and informative.
Larry Craig and I also share an interest in the fine
arts. My hobby is painting in oil; his is drawing with
meticulous design. His creations are extraordinary in
their detail. I hope, as he leaves the Senate, he will
have opportunities to further utilize those exceptional
talents to create pieces of art to be enjoyed by others.
I wish him and his family well.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I rise to recognize the
service of a great public servant and an outstanding
leader.
Senator Craig has served his home State of Idaho for 18
years in the U.S. Senate. He has been a fervent leader to
the people of Idaho with unwavering devotion.
Senator Craig has sought to establish Federal policies
that respond to the needs and interests of Idahoans by
constructing strong, sustainable rural communities,
seeking access to adequate, affordable health care, and
developing natural resource and energy policies that
protect the environment and keep consistency with economic
growth.
Senator Craig's leadership in promoting economic
development and strengthening American agriculture has led
to the improvement of both agricultural studies and
programs. His resilient leadership has helped to foster
numerous programs in Idaho that will benefit agricultural
entrepreneurship and help to strengthen the partnership
between State and Federal groups. Senator Craig has truly
served the people of Idaho with distinction.
Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in
paying tribute to this magnificent Senator.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Mr. SPECTER. Larry Craig has made significant
contributions to the Senate during his three terms. He has
been a leader on energy, agriculture policy, and veterans
affairs. During the debate on immigration, he was a
forceful spokesman for a guest farmworkers program. When
we next take up important subjects, his leadership will be
missed,
I worked with him closely on veterans affairs where he
chaired that committee after I moved from chairman there
to chair the Judiciary Committee. His leadership on a
codel to the World War II battlefields in France over
Memorial Day 2006 was particularly noteworthy. Our visits
to U.S. cemeteries in France and inspection of the
Normandy beaches were memorable.
I was glad to see Larry finish out his full third term
after the incident at the Minneapolis airport. When I
heard the recording of the police officer's questioning
him, I immediately thought that there was insufficient
evidence of wrongful conduct. I heard the reports that he
planned to resign at the end of September 2006 and called
him to suggest that he modify his public statement to
allow for reconsideration of that decision. He did so, and
as the record shows, his legal challenges, well within his
rights, enabled him to stay through the conclusion of the
110th Congress.
Since that event, he has weathered the storm, conducted
himself with dignity on his official duties and made a
real contribution to the Senate. It was definitely in the
interests of his Idaho constituents and the Senate for him
to stay on and complete his term.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I appreciate having this
opportunity to wish Larry Craig all the best as he retires
and returns home to his beloved Idaho. I have enjoyed
having a chance to work with him on issues of concern to
the people of our States. He has been an important part of
the work we have done on many of the issues that have come
to the floor of the Senate and he will be difficult to
replace.
Ever since he first arrived in the Senate, Larry has
been a champion for the West and a strong and powerful
voice on the issues that concern the people of Wyoming and
Idaho. His dedication to making his home State a better
place to live and his determination to make a difference
in the Nation through his service in the Senate have made
him a force to be reckoned with for many years.
Larry has long Idaho roots that date back to his
family's arrival in Idaho more than a century ago. He was
born on the family ranch that his grandfather had
homesteaded back in 1899. The ranch has been the proud
home of the Craig family ever since.
Sometime during the days when Larry was a young man
growing up in Idaho, he was bitten by the political bug.
It got him started on the path toward what would be a
career of public service. Then, in 1974, Larry was elected
to the Idaho State Senate. It set him on a path that would
take him to the U.S. Senate.
Because of his background as a rancher and a farmer,
Larry knows the importance of the land and the need for us
to be good stewards of all the resources under our
control. After all, as we have heard so very often, when
it comes to the land, they aren't making any more of it.
That is why Larry has always been determined to ensure
that Idaho's natural treasures were well taken care of. It
is not an exaggeration to say that Larry has been the
guardian at the gate to ensure the Federal Government
didn't overstep its boundaries and overregulate the land
in Idaho during his watch.
His commitment to the land and to the people of Idaho
who rely on it for their livelihood particularly showed
itself during his service on the Energy and Natural
Resources Committee. He took full advantage of the
opportunity to work against any effort that would
adversely affect the ability of the people of Idaho to
make good use of their State's land. Also on his agenda
was the Endangered Species Act and the problems that had
come with its application. It was a fight Larry was
determined to win and he did more than just express his
concern. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work. The new
law he helped to write is not only more effective, but it
is also designed to minimize its impact on property
rights, employment, and our State and local economies.
In the years to come I will most remember Larry for his
ability to present his case with power and emotion
whenever he would speak in committee or on the floor.
Larry's speaking and his debating skills are second to
none. He has been called one of the most influential of
all the western Senators and his conservative style has
proven to be one of his greatest strengths.
Larry is probably best known for his work on immigration
and his support for the ability of seasonal workers to
come to the United States to work on our farms. He knows
the importance of developing solutions to tough problems
like immigration that do not hurt State economies or make
life harder for our family farms and ranches.
The habits that he learned on the family ranch have been
with him his entire life and that is why you will usually
find him hard at work in his garden. It is his favorite
activity when he is away from his office and it is one he
can share with his grandchildren. As the grandfather of
three children myself, I can identify with his interest
and the time he sets aside to be with his seven
grandchildren.
Speaking of his favorite hobby, he once said, ``My wife
knows she's not a golf widow or a skiing or a hunting
widow. She's a gardening widow.'' Larry is also a
tremendous artist. His ``works'' are widely prized and
collected.
Larry, I will be sorry to see you and Suzanne leave,
saddlebags flapping in the wind as you ride off into the
sunset. Now there will be time for all the things you have
been putting off for some day, for now there will be
plenty of some days for you to share with Suzanne. Diana
and I wish you all the best in whatever you choose to do
in the coming years. As we have found, the end of one
great adventure is only the beginning of the next. So it
will be for you. Good luck and God bless.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the order from September 27 regarding tributes to retiring
Senators be modified so that Senators be permitted to
submit such tributes for inclusion in a Senate document
until Friday, December 12, 2008.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.