[Senate Document 110-4]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




110th Congress                   SENATE DOCUMENT                    
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                      TRIBUTES TO HON. TED STEVENS


                              Ted Stevens

                        U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA


                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES



[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]



                                    Ted Stevens


                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                     Ted Stevens

                                United States Senator

                                        1968-


                          Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                            Joint Committee on Printing



                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
                                                                     42
                    Bond, Christopher S., of Missouri..............
                                                                     40
                    Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
                                                                     44
                    Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia 
                     ........................................
                                                             22, 27, 30
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                     28
                    Coleman, Norm, of Minnesota....................
                                                                     57
                    Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
                                                                     45
                    Crapo, Mike, of Idaho..........................
                                                                     45
                    Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
                                                                     34
                    Ensign, John, of Nevada........................
                                                                     46
                    Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
                                                                     48
                    Graham, Lindsey, of South Carolina.............
                                                                     50
                    Grassley, Chuck, of Iowa.......................
                                                                     35
                    Gregg, Judd, of New Hampshire..................
                                                                      8
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     10
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     50
                    Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
                                                                      7
                    Isakson, Johnny, of Georgia....................
                                                                     29
                    Kennedy, Edward M., of Massachusetts...........
                                                                     30
                    Lugar, Richard G., of Indiana..................
                                                                     53
                    Martinez, Mel, of Florida......................
                                                                     41
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                  3, 15
                    Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
                                                                     16
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                 13, 33
                    Salazar, Ken, of Colorado......................
                                                                     37
                    Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama.................
                                                                     54
                    Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
                                                                     37
                    Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
                                                                     36
                    Stevens, Ted, of Alaska 
                     .............................................
                                                     12, 17, 26, 28, 33
                    Vitter, David, of Louisiana....................
                                                                     54
                    Warner, John, of Virginia......................
                                                                     55



                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Ted Stevens' career in public service spans more than 
             six decades. During World War II, he joined the Army Air 
             Corps and flew support missions for the Flying Tigers of 
             the 14th Air Force. For his service, Stevens was awarded 
             two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Air Medals and the 
             Republic of China's Yuan Hai Medal.
               After returning home from the war, Senator Stevens 
             completed degrees at UCLA and Harvard Law School. In the 
             early 1950s, he practiced law in Alaska before moving to 
             Washington, DC, to work in President Eisenhower's 
             administration.
               Senator Stevens subsequently returned to Alaska and was 
             elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1964. In 
             his second term, Senator Stevens became the House majority 
             leader.
               Mr. Stevens was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1968. 
             Two years later, Alaskans chose Senator Stevens to finish 
             his term in a special election mandated by State law. He 
             has since been re-elected six times.
               Today, Senator Stevens is the senior member of Alaska's 
             congressional delegation, the senior Republican in the 
             U.S. Senate, and the longest serving Senator in the 
             history of the Republican Party. He serves as the Senate's 
             President pro tempore emeritus; vice chairman of the 
             Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; 
             cochairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; and 
             ranking member of the Disaster Recovery Homeland Security 
             and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee.




                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                     TED STEVENS
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                               Thursday, April 12, 2007
               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise to honor a 
             colleague and a friend, Senator Ted Stevens, who this week 
             becomes history's longest serving Republican Member of the 
             Senate. This is an outsized accomplishment for a man whose 
             name is virtually synonymous with the Nation's largest 
             State. Yet no one who ever crossed paths with Senator 
             Stevens is surprised that he has achieved it.
               The long list of things he has done for the people of 
             Alaska in the course of a remarkable 38 years in the 
             Senate traces an arc as vast as the State itself. His love 
             for that State and this country is legendary. This 
             milestone is merely an occasion to recall and retell that 
             legend. As the Republican leader, an admirer, and a 
             friend, I welcome it.
               It is a story that takes us back to a day when 
             transistor radios were new to the White House and 
             construction workers had just cleared a space in the Bronx 
             for Yankee Stadium. America was changing quickly, and 
             Theodore Fulton Stevens would take as much of it as he 
             could.
               Born in Indianapolis, he moved to Redondo, CA, as a boy 
             and learned to surf along the beaches of the South Bay. 
             His pioneering spirit took him to Oregon and Montana for 
             college and then to even more exotic places as an Army Air 
             Corps pilot in World War II. At 19 years old, he was 
             flying C-46 transport planes over the Himalayas and into 
             China supporting the legendary Flying Tigers. He left the 
             Army after achieving the rank of lieutenant and in 
             recognition of his bravery received two Distinguished 
             Flying Crosses and two Air Medals.
               A decorated war veteran in his early twenties, Ted 
             returned to California to resume his studies and later 
             enrolled at Harvard Law School. A consummate tough guy, 
             the man who would one day prepare for tough legislative 
             fights by donning ties that featured the Incredible Hulk 
             helped pay his way through law school by tending bar and 
             selling his own blood.
               After law school, Ted showed up in Washington to 
             practice his trade. He married a girl named Ann, and 
             together they set out on yet another adventure. With an 
             appetite for risk and a passion for service, Ted would 
             carve a life for himself and his young family out of the 
             vast expanse of the Alaska territory. He would devote the 
             rest of his life to helping people there achieve the same 
             rights and privileges that those in the lower 48 took for 
             granted. As a result of decades of work in the service of 
             that goal, the name ``Ted Stevens'' would one day be 
             synonymous with an area one-sixth the size of the entire 
             United States.
               He was there at the creation. As a young lawyer at the 
             Department of the Interior, Ted Stevens stood over a map 
             with President Eisenhower and traced out the borders of 
             the 49th State. He returned there in 1961, started a law 
             firm of his own, and soon won a seat for himself in the 
             Alaska House of Representatives. Four years after that, 
             Democratic Senator Bob Bartlett passed away, and on 
             Christmas Eve, the State's Republican Governor chose Ted 
             to replace him.
               Now, Ted Stevens wasn't well known outside his home 
             State, but curious folks in Washington could have found 
             this brief description of him in Newsweek. Here is how 
             they summed him up:

               Stevens is a 56" cigar smoker who hunts moose and 
             earned a reputation as a scrapper in the Alaska House of 
             Representatives.

               It was brief, but it wasn't far off. Ted didn't leave 
             his scrappiness in Juneau. He would bring it to 
             Washington.
               A story about the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
             illustrates the point. Ted was a first term minority 
             Senator at the time, but he was determined to find a way 
             to get this piece of legislation enacted into law.
               The story goes that Ted was carpooling into work one 
             morning with the Democratic chairman who could make it 
             happen, and he got him to agree to a vote on his amendment 
             that day.
               Well, the day passed without any action. They called the 
             bill up on the floor, and the thing went through second 
             reading, third reading, and then onto a final vote. No 
             amendment.
               Ted ran right up to the chairman and yelled at him right 
             to his face: ``You SOB, you promised me a vote!'' Hearing 
             the commotion, the Democratic leader, Mike Mansfield, came 
             over to chastise Ted. ``Nobody swears in this Chamber,'' 
             he said.
               But then Ted told Mansfield what had happened, and how 
             important the bill was to his State. Mansfield turned to 
             the chairman and asked whether the story was true. When he 
             found out it was, he took the bill back to a second 
             reading, offered the Stevens amendment in his own name, 
             and the amendment passed.
               This was just one of the major pieces of critical 
             legislation Ted has fought for on behalf of Alaskans. 
             There have been many others. Ted never tires of fighting 
             for the people of Alaska. But if you ask his staff, 
             they'll say he just never tires.
               His chief of staff, George Lowe, remembers his first 
             trip to Alaska with the boss. A staff assistant at the 
             time, George was a little taken back when he picked Ted up 
             at 6 a.m. and the Senator had already gone through the 
             briefing book he'd been given the night before, already 
             read the papers, and already been on the phone to 
             Washington for a couple hours.
               ``I needed a vacation after doing for 2 weeks what he'd 
             been doing for 38 years,'' he said.
               After Ann's tragic death, Ted met his beloved Catherine. 
             They would add a sixth child to Ted's brood, Lily, who 
             many of us remember running around the Senate as a little 
             girl.
               Catherine had to get used to Ted's tenacity early on. 
             The day after their wedding, he agreed to fill in for a 
             colleague on a trip to tout Reaganomics in China. She had 
             never let him live down that ``honeymoon.''
               As chief of staff, George says nothing's changed. He's 
             learned to put his Blackberry in the basement when he goes 
             to bed at night, or the boss would keep him up with e-
             mails.
               Ted will tell you he works so hard because there's so 
             much work to do. Alaskans don't have the benefit of 
             centuries of infrastructure and planning that much of the 
             rest of the country does. Of the giant State's more than 
             200 villages, only a handful had running water when Ted 
             came to the Senate. But largely thanks to him, roughly 
             half of them do now.
               He's tried to make sure that people on the outside 
             understand the challenges. And turning down an invitation 
             to Alaska from Ted Stevens isn't recommended if you ever 
             expect to appear before him at a committee hearing. An 
             entire generation of Federal officials has trekked up 
             there at Ted's invitation.
               Elaine and I have spent six of the last seven July 
             recesses at the Kenai River King Salmon Classic and, like 
             everybody else who's been there, we never leave without 
             being impressed by two things: the magnificence of the 
             scenery, and just how much of Alaska's progress is a 
             direct result of Ted Stevens.
               It starts at the airport: Ted Stevens Anchorage 
             International. It runs through the pipeline; the land 
             settlement claims; the double-hulled tankers that move 
             along the shore; and through all the homes in the remotest 
             reaches of Alaska that have radio and television because 
             of Ted. And it continues with his epic battle to open up 
             the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
               ``They sent me here to stand up for the State of 
             Alaska,'' Ted once said. That's just what he's done. And 
             Alaskans love him for it: on March 22, 2000, the Alaska 
             State Legislature named Ted Stevens Alaskan of the 
             Century.
               But he's done a lot more for the rest of us besides. 
             Thanks to a remarkable 35-year tenure on the 
             Appropriations Committee, no one has done more for the 
             U.S. military than Ted Stevens. Never one to deny or delay 
             materials or supplies to troops at home or in the field, 
             he's secured funds to continue funding the F-117, to 
             replace Air Force One, for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles like 
             the Predator and Global Hawk, and for a replacement Coast 
             Guard Icebreaker and the F-16 Program.
               He was instrumental in ensuring funds for early military 
             research on everything from breast cancer to AIDS.
               I remember asking myself when I first arrived in the 
             Senate whether Stevens was ever in a good mood.
               But I learned, as everyone else who knows him does, 
             that, like Hamlet, Ted Stevens ``speaks daggers but uses 
             none.'' And in this, ``his tongue and his soul be 
             hypocrites.''
               Those who weren't convinced of this changed their minds 
             during that sad week in September 2003, when we learned 
             about the death of Senator Gordon Smith's son, Garrett. 
             Senator Smith opposed Ted on ANWR, the biggest issue of 
             his life. And a lesser man might have held a grudge. Yet 
             it was Ted who arranged to fly himself and his colleagues 
             in the Senate to the funeral.
               They say the only way to have a friend is to be one. And 
             Ted's friendship with Senator Inouye is one of the great 
             models of bipartisanship this building has ever known. We 
             all know the two men call each other brothers. But some 
             might not recall that Ted has actually donated money from 
             his own political action committee to Senator Inouye's re-
             election campaign.
               How does Ted do all this?
               He's always looking forward. Thirty-nine years in the 
             Senate, and he doesn't reminisce. He hasn't slowed down a 
             bit. He plays tennis and enjoys fishing. He tries to get 
             in an hour at the Senate gym every day. And when he says 
             he's a fighter, he means it: his staff assures me he still 
             trains on a speed bag.
               When Ted got to the Senate, he had a motto: ``To hell 
             with the politics, do what's right for Alaska.'' Over the 
             years, he changed that motto, just slightly. Now it's: 
             ``To hell with the politics, do what's right for the 
             Nation.'' But in one of the most distinguished careers in 
             the history of this body, he's done both.
               The people of Alaska and this Nation are better for 
             having Ted Stevens around. We'd hardly know what to do 
             without him. And in appreciation of his friendship and his 
             noble service to State and country, I honor him today for 
             his historic achievement and wish him many more years of 
             good health and service.
               (Applause.)

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii is 
             recognized.

               Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I am a proud Democrat. Ted 
             Stevens is a proud Republican. People have said, how can 
             you two ever get together? Well, as the leader has 
             indicated, we call each other brothers.
               I know this is a violation of our party rules, but I 
             have contributed to Ted's campaign, and he has contributed 
             to my campaign. Last election was one of the most negative 
             and partisan ones that I have ever experienced. The issue 
             was Iraq, as it is today. Ted Stevens came up to me and 
             said: ``You know, this election is sending a bad message 
             to the fellows and the women in Iraq. We should send 
             another message.'' So he proposed that we do our very best 
             to pass the defense appropriations bill in a timely 
             fashion unanimously. The record will show that the 
             subcommittee came out and voted unanimously for the 
             defense appropriations bill. The full committee responded 
             by unanimously voting for it, and the Senate, for the 
             first time in history, voted 100 to 0.
               That is bipartisanship, Mr. President. We have 
             demonstrated that it can be done, and it has been done 
             many times. We have many things in common, but I think 
             more things uncommon. He represents glaciers; I represent 
             coconut trees. But we do have many things in common. We 
             fought in World War II--he in China with the Flying 
             Tigers, and I was in Europe fighting the Germans. We 
             represented territories. So we came in as new Members of 
             the Senate, and he and I have received the crown of being 
             ``pork men of the year.'' We are No. 1 in add-ons in the 
             U.S. Senate.
               Mr. President, I am proud to call Ted Stevens my 
             brother. I hope we can continue this brothership for as 
             long as we are here. We have just given him a new title: 
             the Strom Thurmond of the Arctic Circle.
               (Applause.)

               Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I want to join my colleagues 
             in recognizing Senator Ted Stevens upon this milestone of 
             his serving longer in this body than any other Republican 
             Senator. This is a significant moment and our former 
             President pro tempore of the Senate has set an impressive, 
             historic accomplishment.
               I think this is most significant not because we are 
             recognizing Ted Stevens for his length of service in this 
             body, but rather because we are recognizing what Ted 
             Stevens has accomplished in this institution as a U.S. 
             Senator. There are few individuals who can equal his 
             service and accomplishments as a true leader.
               As Alaska's senior Senator, his steadfast and tenacious 
             advocacy of his State and constituents is widely known. 
             His career transcends Alaska's transition from a frontier 
             and U.S. territory to an important and vibrant State.
               After earning his law degree at Harvard University, Ted 
             Stevens moved to the heart of Alaska, the Chena River and 
             Fairbanks, where he became a prosecutor and a U.S. 
             attorney in the early 1950s.
               Ted quickly became a leader in the statehood movement 
             and in 1956 he served his first assignment in Washington 
             as the Department of Interior's legislative counsel and 
             later Solicitor General. He later returned to Alaska and 
             was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives where 
             he became the majority leader and speaker pro tempore. In 
             1968 he was appointed to fill Senator Bartlett's seat in 
             the U.S. Senate. He was elected to retain that seat in 
             1970 and has been a part of this institution ever since.
               Ted is a forceful and dedicated advocate for the people 
             of Alaska. He has brought about significant economic 
             development, be it clearing the way for North Slope 
             petroleum development and the construction of the Alaska 
             pipeline, the upcoming natural gas pipeline, countless 
             small airports and aviation improvements, or overall basic 
             infrastructure. He has been a tenacious advocate for the 
             Alaskan fishing industry, including creation of the 
             Exclusive Economic Zone to allow the sustainable harvest 
             of the largest and most valuable fishery in the United 
             States. It is not by chance that the basic law governing 
             fisheries in this Nation is called the Magnuson-Stevens 
             Act.
               Like most Alaskans, Ted is a true sportsman with a rich 
             appreciation for the unique and special environmental 
             resources of his State. Men and women fishing on the Kenai 
             River or trolling off Cape Chacon or other waters need 
             just look next to them, through sunshine or inclement 
             weather, to see the senior Senator from Alaska fishing for 
             kings, or reds or silvers or halibut.
               Ted Stevens is an American Senator who has made 
             tremendous contributions to U.S. security policy and 
             defense posture since the 1960s.
               Ted Stevens left college to fight in the Second World 
             War. He served in the Army Air Corps and flew support 
             missions over the Himalayas to General Stillwell and our 
             forces in the China/Burma theater.
               Since 1981, Senator Stevens has served as either 
             chairman or ranking member of the Senate's Department of 
             Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The aircraft, the 
             ships, the missiles, the tanks and combat vehicles, and 
             the weapons systems that are manned by our dedicated men 
             and women in the U.S. Armed Forces have been developed, 
             procured and supported under Ted Stevens' steady and 
             pragmatic leadership. The training, pay and support of our 
             personnel have been carried out by programs that he 
             championed and shepherded through the Congress. The 
             ``operating tempos'' and readiness levels are items of 
             personal interest for him. He is a champion of research 
             and development to ensure our Nation's leadership is not 
             diminished, and that America remains prepared to take on 
             threats to its national security.
               As an appropriator, Ted Stevens has often focused on the 
             business of national defense. Like others, he has been a 
             champion of the ``top line'' for the defense budget, 
             seeking to ensure that national security remains a 
             priority and receives appropriate funding. He has also 
             dedicated long hours to ensuring that funds are not wasted 
             and that priorities are addressed.
               Finally, Ted Stevens should be recognized for his work 
             as a legislator in this body. Ted Stevens has authored and 
             championed legislation far too numerous to list. He has 
             left his mark on so many laws, policies, and programs that 
             benefit Americans across this Nation. For example, Ted 
             Stevens has played a leadership role in our national space 
             programs, and it was his personal effort that allowed NASA 
             to recover from the Challenger disaster in 1986. He helped 
             create the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
             and has been the sponsor or cosponsor of countless 
             significant pieces of environmental legislation. He has 
             championed remote sensing satellites that protect our 
             Nation from severe weather and is the author and foremost 
             supporter of our Nation's ocean exploration program.
               Ted Stevens has also left his mark on every piece of 
             telecommunications legislation over the past 20 years. He 
             has put forward legislation that provides for our airports 
             and air transportation systems, and terrorism 
             countermeasures. He is a strong advocate for the Coast 
             Guard and has overseen fleet, aircraft, and system 
             modernization during the 1980s and 1990s.
               Ted Stevens has been a leader on issues as diverse as 
             reform of U.S. civil service retirement programs, to the 
             rules governing the operation of the U.S. Senate. So often 
             it is Senator Stevens' style to be the workhorse and 
             moving force behind legislation, but to let others receive 
             the credit. He is a Senator who pulls up his sleeves and 
             works, and he is a man of his word.
               Ted is a dedicated family man--to his wife Catherine and 
             his daughter Lily, and his children from his first 
             marriage to Ann Stevens. Ted Stevens is a Senator who 
             lives every day to the fullest. He is tireless.
               So Mr. President, it is very appropriate that the Senate 
             convene here today to recognize and congratulate our 
             Republican President pro tempore, the vice chairman of the 
             Commerce Committee and the former chairman of the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee. We are here today to recognize 
             the length of his service and the accomplishments of his 
             Senate service.

               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
             my friend and colleague, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska. 
             Today, Senator Stevens has the distinct honor of becoming 
             the longest serving Republican Senator in this Chamber.
               I know of no greater patriot and lover of freedom than 
             Ted Stevens. Whether flying his C-47 with the Flying 
             Tigers in World War II, or serving in the Alaska House of 
             Representatives, Senator Stevens' life is a model of 
             heroism and personal integrity.
               Ted's tenure in the Senate has been equally impressive. 
             He chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee for 6 
             years, the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee 
             for 2 years, and served as the Senate President pro 
             tempore for 4 years. In each and every one of these high 
             offices, Ted served with dignity and distinction.
               As one who has had a stewardship over our Nation's 
             military for many years, there is no greater friend to our 
             men and women in the military than Senator Stevens. No one 
             in Congress has done more to make our Nation's military 
             the great institution it is today. We all rely heavily on 
             Ted's expertise on so many defense-related matters, as I 
             believe many in this body and throughout the Federal 
             Government do. He is the Senate's greatest asset with 
             regard to the needs of the military, and his knowledge 
             about defense issues has proven invaluable every time this 
             Nation has faced a crisis in the last four decades.
               Although Ted is not the tallest man in the Senate, my 
             colleagues and I all look up to the senior Senator from 
             Alaska. When he comes to work in his Incredible Hulk tie, 
             you know he means business and is ready to do whatever it 
             takes to ensure legislation which improves the lives of 
             Americans gets safely shepherded through the Senate.
               It has been my privilege to know and work with Ted for 
             many years here in the Senate, and even though he has been 
             described by some as gruff and grouchy, I have always 
             found him to be very helpful and patient. Take for example 
             a few months ago when I was meeting with several 
             constituents from Utah in my DC office. During our 
             conversations, we found that we needed some expertise that 
             only Ted could provide. I hurriedly called him at home in 
             Alaska without pausing to calculate the time difference. 
             Although it was midmorning where I was sitting in DC, it 
             was quite early in the morning in Alaska where a groggy 
             Ted Stevens courteously took my call, helped me with the 
             information I needed, and--I hope--promptly went back to 
             bed to finish his night's sleep. Ted has shown similar 
             types of courtesy and kindness to several Members of this 
             body and he has always proven able to balance the 
             delicate, yet competing, needs to maintain good 
             friendships and still move the work of the country forward 
             even when all sides are not in agreement.
               Ted's wisdom and his character have served as an example 
             to everyone he meets, and I am grateful for the 
             opportunity I have had to serve the people of the United 
             States alongside my dear, dear friend, Senator Ted 
             Stevens.
               So, from one old bull to another old bull, I would like 
             to thank my good friend Ted for his friendship and 
             leadership. Also, I would like to thank his wife Catherine 
             for her selflessness and willingness to share her husband. 
             The hours kept by a hard-working Senator are long and can 
             be very demanding on families, but Catherine has been 
             extremely patient and our Nation is grateful.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska is 
             recognized.

               Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am embarrassed but very 
             grateful to my friends, our leader, Mr. McConnell, and my 
             great friend and brother, Dan Inouye. Dan and I have been 
             here a long time. I was downtown with the Eisenhower 
             administration when he arrived in the House of 
             Representatives. I went home to Alaska after that 
             Presidency ended and never expected to come back. But I 
             did, and I am grateful for the outline of my service that 
             our Republican leader has presented in the Senate.
               I can only say two or three things. One is that I would 
             not be here now if it wasn't for a really understanding 
             family. My first wife was, and my current wife, Catherine, 
             has been supportive beyond anyone's understanding. It is a 
             long way to go home. I remember 1 year I flew home 35 
             times--1 day up and 1 day back, almost. But I have been 
             away from my family a great deal. I have 6 children and 11 
             grandchildren and they have understood my commitment to 
             the Senate. I do believe that it would be impossible to be 
             here without that type of support.
               I also have been privileged and ask that after my 
             remarks, I be permitted later to have printed in the 
             Record a list of the dedicated young Alaskans who have 
             come down and worked with me in various positions; also, 
             those who have worked with me at home. I have had a series 
             of distinguished chiefs of staff who have gone on to other 
             functions and have shown what training in the Senate can 
             do for a young person. I think over a dozen of my chiefs 
             of staff have gone through law school working full time in 
             my office and going to school full time. We sort of run a 
             separate adjunct of the Senate, and that is a law school 
             on the side, I think.
               I do believe I have had the honor of serving with many 
             great people. I served with the people who were here when 
             I came here--Senator Baker, Senator Mansfield, Senator 
             Scott, Senator Magnuson, Senator Dole, Senator Jackson, 
             Senator Cook, Senator Bible, Senator Bell, Senator 
             Hollings--there are so many.
               I remember the time when Senator McClellan, who was 
             chairman of the Appropriations Committee, took the whole 
             committee up to Alaska because he was tired of asking me 
             why I was seeking so much money. He decided to take the 
             whole committee up there. We traveled through the State 
             for 2 weeks. That doesn't happen now.
               I am surrounded by friends here on both sides of the 
             aisle, and I am still very honored to be here.
               Let me close by saying I really think I am here because 
             of the mentors I had in Alaska. Two publishers--Bill 
             Snedden, publisher of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and 
             Bob Atwood, publisher of the Anchorage Times--urged me to 
             come to Washington to participate in the Eisenhower 
             administration during our fight for statehood. I was lucky 
             enough to tie into former Senator Fred Seaton who was 
             Secretary of the Interior. I worked with him for a period 
             of almost 4 years and left Washington as the Solicitor of 
             the Department of the Interior, his reward to me for our 
             working together.
               I was also honored to follow a good friend, a friend I 
             got to know during the territorial days as we fought for 
             statehood, and that was Bob Bartlett. He was my 
             predecessor. He was, during the time we were fighting for 
             statehood, the delegate from the territory of Alaska as a 
             Democrat.
               I think our relationship was almost as close as the 
             relationship I have with Senator Inouye. He was a fine 
             man, a great and distinguished public servant for Alaska. 
             I am honored to hold what Alaskans call the Bartlett seat.
               I thank my colleagues again for the courtesy all have 
             shown me. I passed a milestone only because Strom made the 
             mistake of being a Democrat for two terms. I am honored to 
             have this recognition today.
               (Applause, Senators rising.)

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Brown). The majority leader 
             is recognized.

               Mr. REID. Mr. President, when I came to Washington, 
             Senator Inouye--I am sorry, Senator Stevens. They are like 
             brothers, and it is easy to get them mixed up--Senator 
             Stevens had already been here 12 or 13 years. He has a 
             distinguished service: 38 years in this Chamber, going on 
             15,000 votes, decorated pilot in World War II. But there 
             are a number of instances that I want to spread on this 
             record regarding Senator Stevens.
               First of all, he has a relationship that has already 
             been mentioned with one of America's great people, Senator 
             Dan Inouye. Dan Inouye, of course, is a Medal of Honor 
             winner. A gentleman describes who he is. But the 
             relationship between Senator Inouye and Senator Stevens, 
             when the history books are written, will be legendary. 
             They are friends, a Republican and a Democrat, who are 
             like a couple of brothers.
               They have traveled the world over many times, and the 
             relationship is something we should all recognize as being 
             possible in this Chamber. People of different parties from 
             different parts of our United States can become friends. 
             Party affiliation is secondary to their relationship.
               For me, the example they have set has paved the way for 
             the relationship Senator Ensign and I have. We are from 
             the same State, with totally different political 
             philosophies, but our friendship is, in our own minds, 
             comparable to that of Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye. 
             Thank you very much, I say to Senator Stevens and Senator 
             Inouye, for the example you have set for us.
               I also want to relate to everyone something that is 
             remarkable to me. I was serving in the House of 
             Representatives when Senator Alan Bible died. Senator 
             Bible served in the Senate for 20 years. He was a great 
             public servant from the State of Nevada and a dignified 
             Senator who, because of illness, left the Senate after 20 
             years.
               When he died, there was a plane available to take anyone 
             who wanted to go to the State of Nevada to his funeral. I 
             went, and the only other Member of Congress who traveled 
             to Nevada was Ted Stevens. It was a long way to Reno, NV, 
             where Senator Bible was buried, but Ted Stevens went. Why 
             did he go? Because on a very important vote to Senator 
             Stevens that made the difference between Senator Stevens 
             carrying the day or losing the day, Senator Bible stepped 
             forward, as Senator Stevens said, courageously, and voted 
             with this Republican Senator.
               Think about that: Senator Bible was long gone, hadn't 
             been in the Senate for many years. He died. But Senator 
             Stevens remembered Senator Bible doing something that he 
             thought was beyond the call of his democratic duty. And so 
             Senator Stevens and I took this lonely flight to Reno, NV, 
             to attend the funeral of my friend and Senator Stevens' 
             friend, Senator Bible. That speaks volumes about the kind 
             of person Senator Stevens is.
               One of the highlights of my congressional service has 
             been the ability to travel all over the world. It is part 
             of our obligation as Members of Congress to go see what 
             American interests are doing around the world. On one of 
             those trips, I signed up to go as a young Senator and was 
             led by the great John Glenn and Ted Stevens. It was a 
             memorable trip. I can remember--the Iron Curtain was 
             down--leaving Austria and going into Czechoslovakia. They 
             stopped the train. In came the KGB and other Iron Curtain 
             soldiers. They looked under the train, in the train, and 
             looked at all of us. We went into Prague, and in a little 
             diner-bar, that evening a man came in wearing a flight 
             jacket, a World War II flight jacket. Of course, Senator 
             Glenn and Senator Stevens had worn those flight jackets 
             representing the United States as they flew airplanes: one 
             a Marine, one a member of the Army Air Corps.
               The conversation that night with that man, who probably 
             was a KGB plant, as we talked later, developed into a 
             great conversation. We were able to be regaled with 
             conversations about Senator Glenn in World War II and 
             Senator Stevens in World War II flying airplanes for 
             America's interests around the world. I always will 
             remember that.
               Finally, I say to Senator Stevens, at this desk right 
             here, you watched me manage a few bills. We were able to 
             finish an appropriations bill. You thought I helped a lot. 
             So you gave me the distinct honor of giving me one of your 
             Hulk ties, which I still have.
               (Laughter.)
               We laugh and joke about that, but it meant a lot to me 
             that Senator Stevens thought enough of me to give me one 
             of his ties.
               So I say to Senator Stevens, at this important occasion 
             for you, of course, and our country, recognizing you, your 
             service in this body, the longest serving Republican in 
             the history of the Republic, I extend to you my 
             appreciation and my friendship.
               (Applause, Senators rising.)

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader is 
             recognized.

               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the junior Senator from 
             Alaska is on her feet. I wanted to make sure you saw her. 
             She will be seeking recognition.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The junior Senator from Alaska is 
             recognized.

               Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, it gives me enormous pride 
             to pay tribute to our senior Senator, to my senior 
             Senator, Mr. Stevens, and to listen to the comments, to 
             listen to the stories from so many of you as colleagues 
             and friends.
               For so many years--I think my whole life--I have grown 
             up hearing the stories about Senator Stevens, and to 
             understand how today--tomorrow, actually--he makes history 
             as the longest serving Republican Senator.
               What you all need to appreciate is that so much of the 
             history of Ted Stevens is also the history of the State of 
             Alaska. They are inextricably tied, and we know that. So 
             to be able to share that with his friends and colleagues 
             for so many years is so important.
               I truly appreciate the words of the Republican leader 
             outlining the history, the very storied military career 
             that Senator Stevens had, understanding how he went on to 
             be the U.S. attorney for the territory at the time, his 
             schooling through UCLA, through Harvard. Coming back to 
             the State of Alaska is where we all kind of pick up with 
             the history that is now legendary and is seen in so many 
             places.
               Someone mentioned the Ted Stevens International Airport. 
             We look around to so many of the monuments in the State, 
             whether it is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline that has been 
             delivering oil to the lower 48 for the past 25-some-odd 
             years--we look at those and we think: Ted Stevens.
               I don't know how many of you are aware of the history of 
             our State as it relates to our lands and knowing and 
             understanding that it was Ted Stevens who moved these 
             forward, whether it was ANILCA, our land conservation act, 
             the Native Claims Settlement Act, the effort to build the 
             Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act, 
             the Denali Commission--these are living legends, if you 
             will, through legislation that came about through the 
             dedication, through the persistence, through the urging of 
             Senator Stevens.
               We all want to believe, certainly, that we work on 
             behalf of the people we represent, but as we look to these 
             legislative victories, these legislative successes that 
             Senator Stevens has put in place over the years, I believe 
             that truly demonstrates his commitment to the people of 
             Alaska. When we think about providing the Native peoples 
             with title to their lands, when we think about the 
             educational challenges that face us in this enormous State 
             with geographic and rural challenges that we can only 
             imagine, when we think about how we provide health care in 
             a State such as Alaska, all we need to do is look to the 
             initiatives that have been put in place.
               Senator Stevens has always--always--kept Alaska first 
             and has been very selfless in his efforts to put his 
             State, to put the people of Alaska first.
               We lovingly call him throughout the State ``Uncle Ted.''
               And you chuckle, but I think it is fair to say. They 
             might not say it to your face, Ted, but behind your back 
             they are always calling you Uncle Ted, because I hear it. 
             They love it. The people of Alaska love it when you put on 
             your superhero tie, when you wear the Hulk tie, because 
             that is your signal that you mean business on behalf of 
             the people of the State of Alaska.
               You know, talk about people who have minds as sharp as a 
             tack, Ted will come up to me and we will be talking about 
             something and he will say, ``You remember back in 1973 
             when so-and-so said something to so-and-so?'' And I am 
             thinking, I was still in high school back then; no, I 
             don't remember that. But he has such a grasp of the 
             history and the facts. I appreciated his comment that he 
             doesn't reminisce, but he is not going to let go of the 
             factual background that has gotten us to where we are 
             today.
               Senator Stevens mentioned those who have worked for him, 
             and he and I have a unique relationship in that I was an 
             intern for him. I credit him as my first political mentor 
             here. Whether that means your staff will go on to succeed 
             both you and me, who knows, but I look to what you have 
             provided me as I have joined the family of the Senate 
             here. I could not have asked for a better mentor, a better 
             colleague to work side by side with as we move forward to 
             advance the interests of the State of Alaska.
               I know I will have you to work together with for years 
             to come, and I join my colleagues again in acknowledging 
             you on this truly historic occasion. I think it is fair to 
             say, as an Alaskan, I feel personally blessed to have you 
             and your leadership for our State and our Nation, and for 
             that I thank you very much.
               (Applause, Senators rising.)

               Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the list of family and Senate staff to which I previously 
             referred, be printed in the Record.
               There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 
             printed in the Record, as follows:
                                       Family
               My wife, Catherine Ann Stevens, my deceased wife, Ann 
             Cherrington Stevens, who left us due to our 1978 accident. 
             We have six children, Susan, Beth, Walter, Ted, Ben, and 
             Lily; and our eleven grandchildren, Susan, Ben, Augustus, 
             Theodore II (Ben and Elizabeth Stevens' family); Sally 
             Masako (Ted and Junko Stevens' family); Ann, Rachel and 
             Elizabeth (Walter and Debbie Stevens' family); Laura Beth, 
             John Peter, and Sara Ann (Susan and David Covich family).
                                    Senate Staff
                                   Chiefs of Staff
               Ron Birch; George Nethercutt; Tim McKeever; Rebecca Cox; 
             Bill Phillips; Greg Chapados; Lisa Sutherland; Mitch Rose; 
             Carol White; Dave Russell; George Lowe.
                           Former Staff in the Whip Office
               Susan Alvarado--one of the first professional female 
             staff assistants to leadership.
               Larry Burton--whip office.
               DeLynn Henry--long term scheduler.
                                   Staff Directors
               Appropriations--Steve Cortese, Jim Morhard; Commerce--
             Lisa Sutherland, Christine Kurth; Government Affairs--
             Wayne Schley, Al McDermott; Rules--Al McDermott; Ethics--
             Bill Canfield; Whip--Rebecca Cox; President Pro Tempore 
             Office--Jennifer Lowe; President Pro Tempore Emeritus 
             Office--George Lowe.
                                    Alaska Staff
               Barb Andrews Mee; Marie Nash; Edie Opinsky; Jim Egan; 
             Gloria McCutcheon; Ruth Burnett; Mike Dalton; Diane 
             Hutchison; Connie McKenzie.
                Current and Former Stevens' Personal Office Staffers
                             From 1969 to April 12, 2007
                               (*Current Staff Member)
                                          A
               Albrittain, Nancy A.; Alexander, David M.; Allen, 
             Dorothy M.; Alowa, Allen D.; Alvarado, Susan E.; Alvord, 
             Melanie A.; Andrews, Barbara A. (now Andrews-Mee); 
             Andrews, Christina; Angerman, Lillie; Arai, T. Juliette; 
             Aravosis, John G.; Arness, Peggy M.; Arnold, Susan L.; 
             *Arthur, Will.
                                          B
               Bahmer, Barbara A.; Bahmer, Gale O.; Bailey, Helen S.; 
             Baker, Bridget L.; Baker, Elizabeth Anna-Marie; Baker, 
             Laurie; Ballash, Heather L.; Banks, Gary S.; Barbagallo, 
             Nelly E.; Barnes, Mark; Bartosik, Curtis J.; Bass, Sandra 
             R.; Bates, Gwendolyn J.; Behm, Yvonne D.; Beighle, Jon J.; 
             Belcher, Janet B.; Belon, Valerie L.; *Bennett, Doris C.; 
             Bennett, Patricia A.; Bergstrom, Minta C.; Bertoson, Todd; 
             *Bertrand, Joel; Binns, Mahalia J.; Birch, Ronald G.; 
             Blackwell, Michelle; Blanchard, Virginia; Boatman, Robert 
             W.; Bolton, Jerry K.; Bookout, Cynthia R.; Bombeck, Tui; 
             Boone, Courtney; Bourassa, Phillippe H.; Boyer, Robert L.; 
             Brandman, Sonja; Brandt-Erichsen, Svend A.; Braniff, Mimi; 
             Brewer, Martha J.; Bridenbaugh, Kathleen A.; Briggs, 
             Michael G.; Britt, Gloria; Britt, Sharon M.; Brown, 
             Benjamin E.; Brown, Charlie L.; Brown, Lauren E.; Brown, 
             Sylvia H.; Bryant, Julie; Bullock, George D.; Bundy, 
             Elliot; Burnett, John S.; Burnett, Ruth E.; Burnett, 
             Suzanne; Burnett, Wally; Burton, Larry D.; Butzlaff, 
             Nathan B.
                                          C
               Cabaniss, Virginia Dale; Call, Kay L.; *Campbell, Nikki; 
             Carlisle, Margo D.B.; Carlson, Thomas L.; Castillo, 
             Florence A.; Causey, Janel (Anderson); Chaffins, Katherine 
             E.; Chapados, Greg; Chapek, Rebekah A.; Christian, Diana 
             F.; Christie, Monica A.; Chomski, Kathleen (Brown); 
             Ciccone, Christine M.; Cipra, Fredesvinda K.; Clancy, 
             Lynda E.; Clark, Jane B.; Clements, Barbara; Clements, 
             Charles; Cole, Brent; Collins, William L., III; Colver, 
             Jane D.; Comstock, Earl W.; *Connell, Elizabeth J.; 
             Covington, G. Dianne; Constantine, Janet A.; Cook, 
             Caroline W.; Cook, Cora J.; Corbin, Lelani; Corthell, Lisa 
             L.; Costello, Earle E.; Covington, G. Dianne; Cowen, James 
             S.; Cowen, Joseph D.; Cox, Rebecca (Gernhardt); Craddick, 
             Elaine L.; Craddick, Jan O.; Crawford, James M.; Crews, 
             Darcy L.; Crittenden, Benjamin R.; Crittenden, Evelyn M.; 
             Crittenden, Harriet C.; Crosley, Margy M.; Crossman, Sally 
             J.; Crow, Michelle (now Maher); Cullen, Ann P.
                                          D
               Dalton, Kathleen F.; Dames, Edna M.; Dames, John C.; 
             Daniels, Lorna; Darnell, Joseph; Davidge, Ric; *Davis, 
             Mark; Dearring, Barbara G.; *Demopoulos, Nicolia; Derr, 
             H.J.; Devore, Jon M.; Devore, Michelle (Butler); Dewhirst, 
             Mary K.; Dickey, H. Gen; Dietz, Suzanne; Dinneen, Mark K.; 
             Dittman, David; Dittman, Terry; Dixon, Karen G.; Donahue, 
             Helen S.; Doogan, Laura; Dow, Wendi; Drager, Philip J.; 
             Droege, Phillip; Dunbar, Henry T.
                                          E
               *Eames, Seth; Egan, James B.; Eklund, Nancy A.; 
             Elerding, Mary Jane; Elliott, Norman H., IV; Elwell, Dan; 
             *Engibous, Robyn; Evans, Ernest H.
                                          F
               Farr, Meghan; Farrell, Alycia; Fate, Julie Y.; Faunce, 
             Mary L.; Feind, Gena M.; Ferguson, John D.; Ferguson, 
             Pamela G.; Fessenden, Lori Ann; Fink, Joshua; Fitch, Karen 
             M.; Flanders, Barbara; Flannigan, Michael J.; Fradley, 
             Dennis C.; Franz, Joan L.; Fraser, Robert C.; Frazier, 
             Ernest M.; Freitag, Renee; Friehlke, Ann; Fromuth, Peter 
             J.; Fuller, Douglas S.; Fuller, Kimberly A.
                                          G
               Gallagher, Hugh G.; Gayman, Carol (Steiner); German, 
             Penelope S.; Gibson, Duane R.; Gilman, Bradley D.; Gilman, 
             Lisa C.K.; Gilman, Margaret; Gimm, Viola M.; Glasmann, 
             Michael J.; Godwin, Agnes C.; Goodman, Stuart A.; Gore, 
             Mary; Grane, Kimberly; Grant, Ian; Graves, Roger K.; Gray, 
             Louise A.; Green, Isaac A.; Greisen, David; Gregg, 
             Samantha C.; Griffiths, Leslie O.; Groseclose, Robert B.; 
             Gruenberg, Max F., Jr.; Gustufson, Carol.
                                          H
               Haggart, Richard G.; Halcomb, Patricia M.; Henry, Diana 
             L. (now Diana H. West then Diana H. Barnhart); Hall, Lisa 
             C.; Halvarson, Janet M.; Hansen, Paul G.; Hanson, Ingrid 
             C.; Harrison, Ardine; Haugen, Leif; Hayes, James; Hayes, 
             Lindsay; Hays, Dorothy A.; Hefke, Nancy L.; Hegg, Ruth E.; 
             Hegyi, Karen R.; Henry, Diana; *Henry, Martha DeLynn; 
             Henthorn, Deborah T.; Herman, Margaret G.; Hess, Carol 
             (Logan); Hess, Kelly A.; Hett, Susan Elaine; Hickling, 
             Elizabeth M.; Highbaugh, Rita K.; Hill, Cynthia L.; 
             Hilscher, Hilary J.; Hinkley, Jeanette (Nichols); Hobbs, 
             Mary Jo; Hodson, Lona M.; Hogan, John J.; Hozey, John; 
             *Hughes, Brian; Hultberg, Rebecca L.; Hutchison, Diane.
                                          I
               Iani, Frances S.; Irrigoo, Connie; Ivko, Terri L.
                                          J
               Jaehning, Leslie; Jeffress, R.D.; Jennings, Malin T.; 
             Jessup, Carolyn R,; Johansen, Gary L.; Johnsen, Krag A.; 
             Johnson, Louise L.; Johnson, Myrtle F.; Johnson, Rhonda; 
             Johnson, Robert W.; Johnston, Martha R.; Jolly, Claire 
             Anne; Jones, G. Kevin.
                                          K
               Kaplan, Gregory D.; Katongan, Adeline R.; Katz, John W.; 
             Keller, Kristen L.; Kelly, Ernest B., III; Kemppel, Denali 
             A.; Kerezy, John D.; *Kerley, Patrick J.; Kerttula, Anna 
             M.; Kidd, Margaret L.; King, Sara L.; Kirchoff, Scharine; 
             Kloster, Kendra; Konigsberg, Charles S.; Kozie, Michelle; 
             Kron, Stephanie A.; Kurth, Christine.
                                          L
               Lack, Jonathon H.; Ladd, Priscilla D.; Lahmeyer, Lillian 
             A.; Lahmeyer, Michelle E.; Landry, Jeffrey; Lang, Cheri 
             A.; Lang, Deborah S.; Langton, Michal; Lappi, Karen D.; 
             Larson, Dean M.; Larson, Michelle R.; *Laudenberger, 
             Theresa A.; Layton, Mark; Lawrie, Heather A.; *Leathard, 
             Scott; Lee, Claire K.P.; Leonard, Lindsay; Lewis, Irene 
             C.; Lock, Kathleen M.; Loewen, Reuben M.; Logan, Douglas 
             M.; Longnecker, Barbara A.; Louis, Claudia J.; Lounsbury, 
             Joel; *Lowe, George H., IV; Lowe, Jennifer (Mies); Lund, 
             Thomas R.; Lundquist, Andrew.
                                          M
               Macauly, Margie M.; Maculay, Gail C.; Magnusson, Lori 
             M.; Mai, Audra M.; *Maitlen, Brandon; Maloney, Wayne; 
             Martin, Bernadette V.; Martin, Guy R.; Mason, Paisley; 
             Matsuno-Nash, Marie; May, Terence; McAlpin, Jay A.; 
             McCabe, John T.; McClees, Charles J., Jr.; McCuthheon, 
             Gloria; McGuire, Lesil L.; McInerney, Anne E.; McInturff, 
             Janell A.; McKeever, Timothy A. McKenzie, Connie; McLeod, 
             Phillip W.; Menduno, F.M.; Messina, Gary S.; *Michalski, 
             Nathan; Miller, Alexis R.; Miller, Terrence B.; Mock, Lisa 
             C.; Moore, Elizabeth M.; Moran, Margaret A.; Moran, 
             Michael P.; Morgheim, Jeffrey S. Motley, Allison H.; 
             Motznik, Lavonne L.; Murdey, Phyllis M.; Murphy, Ann 
             Marie; Murphy, Lynne F. (now Hill); *Musgrove, John; 
             Musko, Tonja J.; Myers, Joanne.
                                          N
               Nelson, James B.; Nethercutt, George R., Jr.; Newman, 
             Kathryn C.; Nichols, Steven; Nicolet, Katherine L.; Niemi, 
             Celia B.; Nikzad, Cheri A.; Norton, Katherine H.; Nosek, 
             Peter C.
                                          O
               O'Hara, Kristina D.; O'Leary, Michael S.; Odom, Jane H.; 
             Odom, Milton W., III; Oliver, Lori Ann; Olson, Lori A.; 
             O'Keefe, Sean; O'Keefe, Shannon B.; Opinsky, Celine; 
             Opinsky, Edith M.; Osborne, Jason M.; Otierney, Daniel P.; 
             Oursler, Susan J.; Owletuck, George N.
                                          P
               *Palmer, Suzanne; Parker, Carole A.; Parsons, James; 
             Patton, Penny E.; Paxton, Matthew; Pence, Randall G.; 
             Perdue, Karen R.; Perles, Steven R.; Peterson, Darwin; 
             Peyton, Leonard James; Phillips, William D.; Pierce, 
             Rosemary D.; Pignalberi, Marco A.; Pillifant, Thomas H.; 
             Pinnolis, Barry R.; Plunk, Karen S.; Powers, Penny S.; 
             Pugh, Kristen; Pusich, Shannon M.
                                          Q
               Quam, Dana C.; Quinlan, Clarissa M.; Quisenberry, Jack 
             B.; Quist, Linda A.
                                          R
               *Raabe, Aprille; Radakovich, Keith K.; Raffeto, John C.; 
             Randall, William T.; Range, Kimberly D.; Rawson, Debra; 
             Raymond, Patricia A.; Reeve, Mary; Reeves, Katharine E.; 
             Rice, Eugenie A.; Richard, Ryan R.; Richards, Bonnie E.; 
             Richardson, Linda L.; Richmond, Kristen K.; Rickett, 
             Robert R.; Rideout, Anita; Rigos, Chris J.; Robbins, Jane 
             A.; *Robbins, Mark; Roberts, Laury; Rogers Candice; 
             Rogozinski, Janet L.; Roots, John; Rose, Mitchell F.; 
             Rosenquist, Jane S.; Rosenquist, Matthew; Rosenwald, 
             Cynthia M.; Rubinstein, Pamela A.; Ruff, Richard; Rugg, 
             William J.; Rushton, A. Lyell, III; Russell, David C.
                                          S
               Sandahl, Virginia; *Saunders, Aaron; Schabacker, Chris; 
             Schaefermeyer, Darryl J.; Schafer, Jennifer A.; Schemmel, 
             Cheryl A.; Schley, Wayne A.; Schneider, Mark; Schroer, Jo 
             Anne W.; Schultheis, Bruce E.; Schwartz, Judith A.; Scott, 
             Shirley A.; Seekins, Kerri L.; Seelbaugh, Patricia A.; 
             Shaftel, Douglas; Sharp, Amy R.; Shaver, Victoria L.; 
             Shaw, Douglas B.; Shepherd, Leslie C.; Sherbert, Eva M.; 
             Shore, Mary E.; Shoup, Sharon; Silver, Steven W.; Simpson, 
             Maryann; Slick, Sherrie A.; Slovikosky, Beverly A.; Smith, 
             Robert B.; *Sorensen, Ray; Southall, A. Doris; Spaan, 
             Michael R.; Sparck, Amy; Sparck, Michelle; Spencer, Mark 
             E.; Spils, Carol A.; *Spinelli, Lindsey; Springer, Mark 
             A.; St. Sauver, Beverly K.; Staser, Jeffrey B.; Stealey, 
             Katherine; Stealey, Mary L.; Stenehjem, Connie M.; Stengl, 
             Susan P.; Stepovich, Antonia M.; Stepovich, Laura M.; 
             Stepovich, Melissa M.; Stevens, Elizabeth (Engelken); 
             Steverson, Judith (Garnett); Stiefel, Justin; Stokes, 
             Robert C., III; Stone, Michelle A.; Stone, Sandra; 
             Sullivan, H. Paul, Jr.; Sumpter, Gerri; Sunne, Anne C.; 
             Sutherland, Lisa; Sutherland, Scott A.; Swan, Lulu; Sykes, 
             Gwendolyn;
                                          T
               Taft, Margo L.; Tanner, Patrick; Terlesky, Juanita S.; 
             Tess, Terry L.; Todd, James M.; Todd, Karen G.; Tony, Paul 
             D.; Trimble, Mary H.; Thompson, Pamela S.; Trump, Marsha 
             V.; Teeley, Sandra E.; Turner, Lewis N.; Tyser, Sue E.
                                          U
               Utter, Brian.
                                          V
               Vallet, Paul P.; Vaughn, Philip; Vanderjack, Andrew; 
             Verble, Saga O.; Von Gemmingen, Brett; Vrem, Lisa S.
                                          W
               *Wackowski, Steve; Wagoner, Norman B.; Wallace, John 
             Foster; *Waller, Karina; Weaver, Karen; Weaver, Robert C., 
             Jr.; Weddle, Aaron; Wahto, Heidi A.; Weddle, Justin; 
             Weidlein, Patricia M.; Weiss, Kelly S.; Webster, Patricia 
             S.; West, Jade C.; Wheeler, Ruth B.; White, Carol M.; 
             Wilken, Alan W.; Williams, Cynthia G.; *Williams, Kate N.; 
             Winn, Robert L.; Wold, Joanne; Wolek, Gail A.; Williams, 
             Anne M.; Wonder, E. Paul; Wesley, David H.; Wood, Sarah 
             A.; Woodrow, Shirley A.; Woodworth, Glen E.
                                          Y
               Yarmon, Joel; Yauney, James A.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Klobuchar). The Senator from 
             West Virginia is recognized.

               Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.

               Mr. BYRD. Madam President, Senator Ted Stevens is not on 
             the floor at the moment. I am going to wait, if I may. I 
             have the floor, do I not, Madam President?

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator does.

               Mr. BYRD. I am going to wait. I understand that Senator 
             Stevens is on his way. He will be here in a couple of 
             minutes. I will await the arrival, if the Chair will allow 
             me, of Senator Ted Stevens. I understand he is on his way, 
             and I want him to be present to hear what I am going to 
             say.
               Madam President, tomorrow, April 13, the very 
             distinguished senior Senator from Alaska, my dear friend, 
             Senator Ted Stevens, will become, if it is the good Lord's 
             will, the longest serving Republican Senator in the 
             history of these United States. It will mark his, Senator 
             Ted Stevens', 13,990th day as a Senator. Senator Stevens, 
             on tomorrow, if the Lord lets him live, will surpass the 
             late Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who served 
             13,989 days as a Republican Senator. Tomorrow, Senator 
             Stevens will serve, the good Lord willing, 13,990 days.
               This is a great honor and an important milestone in the 
             Senate career of our esteemed colleague, my friend, Ted 
             Stevens. I congratulate Senator Ted Stevens for this 
             monumental, historic achievement. As the longest serving 
             Democratic Senator in the history of the Senate, I, Robert 
             C. Byrd, welcome my friend, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, 
             into this most exclusive club. In fact, it is probably the 
             most exclusive club I know. There are only two of us, one 
             Democrat and one Republican, in it.
               I have served in this Chamber with Senator Ted Stevens 
             for nearly four decades. He came here in 1968. Senator 
             Stevens and I have served together on the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee since 1972. I was on the 
             committee a long time before that, but we, Senator Stevens 
             and I, have served together on the Senate Appropriations 
             Committee since 1972. During these years of service 
             together, we have developed a profound respect and 
             admiration for each other. We now share many memories, 
             both on and off the Senate floor.
               One of my favorite memories is a very special personal 
             one. I recall how Senator Stevens would bring his baby 
             daughter Lily with him to the Senate and carry her around 
             the Capitol in a basket. Over the years, I have become 
             very close to Lily as well as her father. Lily is all 
             grown up now. As a matter of fact, she will finish law 
             school this year. But Senator Stevens remains the proud, 
             loving father he always has been.
               A couple of years ago, when the Senate was working into 
             the late hours of the night and tensions were running 
             high, as they occasionally do around here, Senator Ted 
             Stevens took me by the arm and pulled me aside because he 
             had something he wanted to show me. It was an article that 
             Lily had written about the U.S. Capitol that had just been 
             published by the U.S. Historical Society, and he, Senator 
             Stevens, wanted to share it with me. I remarked at the 
             time how touched I was by this. It was a father's pride in 
             his child's accomplishment. I recall it now as a loving 
             reminder that the Senate is a family--the Senate is a 
             family.
               Senator Ted Stevens is a Republican. I am a Democrat. Of 
             course, we have had a few differences in our lives. We 
             have been here for a long time on this floor--right here 
             on this floor. But, actually, some of them became quite 
             heated. Senator Stevens, as you know, says what he thinks. 
             He is a man. He is a gentleman. He is a Senator. He says 
             what he thinks. Oh, here he is, right here on the floor. I 
             had to look around now to remind me he was there.
               Now, some of these things have become quite heated. We 
             both tend--Senator Stevens and I--to be strong-willed 
             persons, U.S. Senators, with different political 
             philosophies. And each of us is determined to represent 
             the best interests of his and my home State and the 
             people--the people--who send us here. So, naturally, at 
             times, we are going to disagree.
               But I feel I can say before God and man and Senators--I 
             feel I can say without fear of contradiction--that not 
             once--not once--have we allowed our political differences 
             to become personal ones.
               I have come to admire Senator Ted Stevens as a man of 
             immense integrity, high personal principles, and 
             unqualified honesty.
               I admire Senator Ted Stevens as a great American. He is 
             a patriot. He is a patriot whose devotion for our 
             country--this country, yours and mine--led him to join the 
             Army Air Corps during World War II, where he, Senator 
             Stevens, flew support missions for the Flying Tigers of 
             the 14th Air Force. For his service, Senator Stevens--he 
             was not a Senator then--but Senator Stevens, for his 
             service at that time, was awarded numerous medals, 
             including two Distinguished Flying Crosses. Let me say 
             that again. For his service, he was awarded numerous 
             medals, including--including--two Distinguished Flying 
             Crosses.
               In the 1950s, after graduating from Harvard Law School, 
             Senator Stevens began his long and remarkable career in 
             public service by serving in various positions in the 
             Eisenhower administration.
               Senator Stevens is also a great legislator. In our 
             nearly four decades in the Senate, Senator Stevens and I 
             have also worked together on numerous bills. We have even 
             cosponsored some together. This includes S. 880, the 
             Senate Family Leave Act, which is currently under 
             consideration in the Senate.
               I especially admire Senator Stevens for his work on the 
             Senate Appropriations Committee. During his years as 
             chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he was 
             bipartisan, cooperative, and respectful of everyone, just 
             the way the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, or 
             any Senate committee, ought to be.
               While noting that Senator Stevens has served as chairman 
             of the Senate Appropriations Committee, allow me to point 
             out that I have always been impressed by the similarity of 
             our careers.
               As I have already mentioned, I am the longest serving 
             Democratic Senator ever. Tomorrow, Senator Ted Stevens 
             will become the longest serving Republican Senator.
               Both of us have served as President pro tempore of the 
             Senate and President pro tempore emeritus.
               Both of us--Senator Stevens and I--have served as our 
             party's whip in the Senate. The ``whip'' is an old term. 
             When the fox hunters went out, and they brought the hounds 
             in, they used whips, and they knew how to use them. So 
             both of us--Senator Stevens and I--have served as our 
             individual party's--his is the Republican Party; mine is 
             the Democratic Party--each of us has served as his party's 
             whip in the Senate. The term ``whip'' goes back a long 
             way. It goes back to England and the House of Commons.
               Both of us--Senator Stevens and I--have chaired the 
             Senate Appropriations Committee, and each has served as 
             ranking member on the committee.
               Both of us have been honored with recognition as the 
             ``King of Pork''--the ``King of Pork''--while I am sure 
             the organization that gave us that title intended it to be 
             something less than a compliment.
               Madam President, I again congratulate this great 
             Senator, this fine legislator, this outstanding American 
             for his historic achievement. Senator Stevens is truly the 
             kind of man whom our country and this Chamber need.
               I close with a poem. I know it by memory. I am going to 
             read it into the Record:

             Not gold, but only men can make a Nation great and strong; 
               men who for truth and honor's sake, stand fast and labor 
               long.
             Real men who work while others sleep, who dare while 
               others fly. They build a Nation's pillars deep and lift 
               them to the sky.

               Madam President, for the record, I will yield the floor 
             soon, but for right now, I see on the other side of the 
             aisle three very distinguished Senators. I see Senator Ted 
             Stevens, I see Senator Cochran, Thad Cochran of 
             Mississippi. Now, we are not supposed to say these things 
             such as this--and I see the great Senator from Georgia, 
             Senator Isakson. By the way, let me tell my colleagues, 
             Senator Isakson comes over to my desk here every day I am 
             here and he takes the time to shake my hand. He does. He 
             takes the time to speak with me and to talk with me. One 
             day I may make a little speech on the Senate floor, God 
             willing, and I am going to talk about Senator Isakson. But 
             today, I salute my friend Senator Ted Stevens.

               Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, does the Senator yield the 
             floor at this time?

               Mr. BYRD. I do.

               Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I regret I wasn't here at 
             the commencement of the comments of the distinguished 
             Senator from West Virginia, but I am overwhelmed and 
             honored that he would make these comments, and 
             particularly that he would reference his relationship to 
             our youngest daughter Lily who has great love and 
             affection for Senator Byrd. We have come through a lot of 
             travails, each of us, during our times in the Senate, and 
             I have always found Senator Byrd to be a warm and great 
             friend in times of trouble and very gracious when in times 
             such as this. We could stand here and I would tell the 
             Senate some of the times I have spent with Senator Byrd, 
             including the time once in Britain when we gathered 
             together a group of British and United States members of 
             the British-American Parliamentary Conference and we 
             listened to Senator Byrd tell us about his life and some 
             of the things he had done as a child, and we listened to 
             him recite many of the great poems he knows. He has one of 
             the most prodigious memories I have ever known, and he is 
             the most gracious Member of the Senate. He always has been 
             very kind and helpful.
               I came here as an appointed Senator and took the 
             position of--we called it the Bartlett seat, Senator Bob 
             Bartlett's seat. Senator Byrd was very gracious to Senator 
             Bartlett as Alaska's first senior Senator, and he extended 
             greetings to me as Senator Bartlett's replacement, and 
             throughout these nearly 40 years he has been a great 
             friend. We have had differences of opinion, but we have 
             never had a disagreeable word between us. God willing, 
             that will never happen.
               So I thank my friend. He honors me, he honors my family, 
             and he honors the Senate by the remarks he made about the 
             Senate itself. We are a family. This aisle ought not to be 
             a canyon; it ought to be very easy to step across that 
             aisle and shake hands with a friend as I have just done. I 
             thank the Senator for what he has said and for giving me 
             the opportunity to be here when he said it.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia is 
             recognized.

               Mr. BYRD. Madam President, will the very able and 
             distinguished Senator from Alaska yield so I might say a 
             few words?

               Mr. STEVENS. I am happy to do so.

               Mr. BYRD. I thank the Senator, my friend, for what he 
             has said. I salute him, my friend. I wish Erma, my darling 
             wife, were here, sitting up in the gallery. We have rules 
             that we don't speak to the gallery, but I wish she were 
             here. She knew Senator Stevens. She knew Mrs. Stevens. She 
             knew us, my wife, and Mrs. Stevens, who is not here today, 
             but my wife knew us, Senator Stevens and me, her childhood 
             sweetheart, Robert C. Byrd, she knew we were friends, 
             Senator Stevens and I, the closest of friends. Now, when I 
             say the closest of friends, Senators know what that means. 
             That doesn't mean Senator Stevens and I go out together at 
             night and drink booze together or anything such as that. 
             We are the closest of friends. I don't have anything 
             against Senators or anybody else who wants to go out and 
             drink booze. I don't. I won't say what I have done in my 
             lifetime, but I know a little bit about what booze is. I 
             know what we are talking about.
               Senator Stevens and I are the dearest of friends. I 
             happen to be, through the Good Lord's will, in my 90th 
             year. I will be 90 in November, if it is the Good Lord's 
             will and I live to see the 20th day of November. I don't 
             mind talking out loud, because as Popeye the Sailor Man 
             used to say: ``I yam what I yam, and that is all I yam.''
               Now, Senator Stevens--I am not supposed to address him, 
             a colleague, like this, but I am going to do that with the 
             Senate's permission. This is not in accordance with the 
             rules. Senator Stevens, I want to say to you--I want to 
             say to you in the presence of Senator Cochran, who is a 
             Senator on the Appropriations Committee, along with 
             Senator Stevens and me--I know the right grammar, you 
             see--along with the Senator from Mississippi, and me. Some 
             might think I should say the Senator from Mississippi and 
             I.
               I am supposed to say it, because I am talking in a 
             different vein, but Senator Cochran serves on the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee with me. And he and I--in other 
             words, he, Senator Thad Cochran and I--serve on the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee together, and Senator Stevens has 
             at times been the chairman of that Appropriations 
             Committee. I was the ranking member. What I am going to 
             say, Senator Stevens and I--I am not supposed to talk in 
             the first person. We usually in the Senate talk to the 
             distinguished Senator from Alaska. I want to say to 
             Senator Stevens, though, in the Senate, he is my friend. 
             He knows that. Senator Stevens, I admire you. I respect 
             you. You are a great Senator from a great State. Under the 
             Constitution, he and I, as Senators, belong to the 
             greatest deliberative body in the world. I respect the 
             history of England and the House of Commons. That is a 
             great body. The House of Lords, that is a great body. But 
             the U.S. Senate is the upper House, the so-called upper 
             House, and it is the upper House. There are two Houses, 
             and the Senate is the upper House, because it used to be 
             up there in the old days, and so the Members referred to 
             the Senate as the upper House.
               Senator Stevens--I am going to speak to him as I 
             shouldn't--I know what the rules are, but I am going to 
             say to Senator Stevens directly this may be the last 
             time--who knows; it may not be--that I will ever speak to 
             him on the floor like this. Senator Stevens, I love you, I 
             respect you, and I admire you. I hope God will always 
             bless you and hold you in the hollow of his hand. In the 
             name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray and ask for the 
             forgiveness of my own shortcomings. Senator Stevens, you 
             are my friend, and we will let it go at that.
               Madam President, I am going to yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska is 
             recognized.

               Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, all I can say to my friend 
             is that I am already blessed by God to be your friend, and 
             I thank you very much.

               Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Whitehouse). The Senator from 
             Mississippi is recognized.

               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to be here to 
             hear the remarks of the distinguished Senator from West 
             Virginia, my good friend, and to join with others who have 
             honored and paid tribute to Senator Stevens on the 
             occasion of his reaching a milestone where he has served 
             in the Senate longer than any other Republican Member in 
             history.
               I had the privilege, when I was a new Member of the 
             House of Representatives after my election in 1972, to 
             observe Senator Stevens as he worked with Howard Baker as 
             the Republican leaders of the Senate and to come to 
             respect him and know him and then to join the Senate body 
             after the election of 1978. He has been a mentor and a 
             dear friend throughout my career in the Senate, and I can 
             say one could have no greater fortune than to serve in the 
             presence of Senator Byrd and Senator Stevens and others 
             who were the true leaders of the Senate when I was a new 
             Member.
               I have come to appreciate and respect them more as time 
             has gone on. I recall Senator Stevens becoming chairman, 
             after Senator Byrd had served as chairman, of the 
             Appropriations Committee. It was my good fortune to become 
             a member of that committee after only 2 years in the 
             Senate. I have appreciated the opportunity to work closely 
             with him ever since.
               Senator Stevens, of course, was our President pro 
             tempore. I don't recall a more diligent and hard-working 
             President pro tempore than Senator Stevens. He had some 
             big shoes to fill: Strom Thurmond, Jim Eastland from my 
             State of Mississippi, and Senator Byrd; and all were 
             dutiful. I recall Senator Stevens personally being there 
             every morning to open the Senate, usually a duty delegated 
             to others; and he probably presided personally over the 
             Senate as much as any person who has occupied that 
             position of responsibility.
               To be here today and to hear Dan Inouye talk about his 
             early recollections of their service together in the 
             Senate, and other Senators who have spoken on this special 
             occasion in the life of our Senate, has made me happy to 
             be here and to be able to observe and appreciate this day 
             in the history of the Senate.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is 
             recognized.

               Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I wish to tell a quick 
             story. I was in my office working and watching the 
             beginning of Senator Byrd's speech about Senator Stevens. 
             I was reminded that I had a picture of two fellows who 
             came up from Georgia to cook for the Senate at a barbecue. 
             It is a picture of Senator Stevens, myself, and those two 
             gentlemen. The reason I ran over here is to say this: When 
             I asked who the two gentlemen wanted to have their picture 
             taken with, they said Senator Ted Stevens. I think that is 
             a testimony to his reach, which is far beyond Alaska and 
             to my home in Georgia.
               Also, when I saw Senator Byrd speak, I knew he was 
             speaking about Senator Stevens, and I realized the 
             embodiment of history in the Senate that these two 
             gentlemen represent. To come and sit down as Senator Thad 
             Cochran came into the Chamber, I realized this 2-year 
             rookie of the Senate was sitting among greatness.
               My favorite book of all time is ``The Greatest 
             Generation'' because it tells true stories of those great 
             men and women who, in the most critical test in the 
             history of our country, defeated the Axis powers in 
             Germany and in the Pacific and saw to it that this 
             democracy continued. Senator Stevens fought bravely for 
             this country in the Pacific. As I was born in 1944, his 
             generation was seeing to it that I would have the 
             opportunity to live the life I have and one day actually 
             come to the Senate.
               Senator Stevens, I wanted to say, as a youngster in the 
             Senate, thank you for what you have done. You sacrificed, 
             and you have allowed me to be able to take advantage and 
             eventually come to the Senate. I pass those same 
             compliments on to Mr. Cochran and Mr. Byrd. These are 
             three great Americans with whom I am honored to share a 
             moment today. Congratulations.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia is 
             recognized.

               Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank Senator Cochran, I 
             thank Senator Stevens, and I thank the great Senator from 
             Georgia, Senator Isakson, for their kind words.
               I thank the Chair and I thank God we were here today. I 
             thank our Heavenly Father, especially, for this man, this 
             Senator, Ted Stevens, and for his service to our country 
             and to the Senate. I salute him as one of the great 
             Senators of my time--and I have been here a long time.
               I yield the floor.

               Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, tomorrow our colleague and 
             friend Ted Stevens will mark his 13,990th day as a 
             Senator. It is an auspicious occasion because he will pass 
             Strom Thurmond as the Senator who served longest as a 
             member of the Republican Party.
               I remember well when Ted Stevens came to the Senate in 
             1968. It seems like only yesterday. It is a great honor to 
             say we have served together here for more than 38 years.
               Ted was appointed to fill the seat of a true giant of 
             public service, Bob Bartlett, the architect of Alaska 
             statehood, who had passed away just before Christmas in 
             1968. I can't help but think all these years later that 
             Bob Bartlett would be the first to pay tribute to what his 
             friend Ted Stevens has accomplished as his successor in 
             the Senate.
               I admire many things about my colleague from Alaska, the 
             first and foremost being that he knows why he is here. He 
             came to the Senate 9 years after Alaska was admitted to 
             the Union, a State nearly a quarter the size of the 
             continental United States and encompassing some of the 
             most unforgiving geography and weather in the world. It is 
             a State of tremendous natural beauty and indomitable 
             spirit, but also enormous challenges brought about by its 
             immense size, its distance from the lower 48, and its 
             close proximity to the North Pole.
               Ted Stevens came to the Senate to fight for the State of 
             Alaska and the wonderful people who call it home. More 
             than 38 years later, his purpose continues just as clearly 
             and his determination just as strong. His skill and 
             passion in championing the people of his State are a 
             remarkable tribute to the bond he has formed with the 
             people of Alaska and his colleagues in Congress.
               In fact, Ted Stevens has given his entire career in 
             service to others and to his country. He is a true public 
             servant, a servant in the finest sense of the word. As a 
             member of the Army Air Corps, he flew with the Flying 
             Tigers of the 14th Air Force and earned two Distinguished 
             Flying Crosses. The slogan of the Army Air Corps in those 
             days was: We do the impossible immediately, but miracles 
             take slightly longer.
               That has certainly been true of his service in the 
             Senate, too. He has been a respected leader on military 
             issues and a strong defender of some of the bravest 
             workers in the world, our Nation's fishermen. We share 
             that love for fishermen and for the sea, as our two States 
             are defined by their relationship with the sea, its 
             bounty, its beauty, and its mystery.
               He has answered the call of public service in countless 
             ways time and time again. I saw his passion and 
             determination to improve the lives of Native Alaskans when 
             I traveled with him in his first year as a Senator to 
             visit remote villages in Alaska back in April 1969, and it 
             is the same passion and determination I see today.
               Ted, Walter Mondale, and I traveled over 3,600 miles 
             throughout the State visiting Anchorage, Pilot Station, 
             Arctic Village, and other villages. We traveled at times 
             by ski plane and even by dogsled.
               We were traveling with the Senate Subcommittee on Indian 
             Education, and I will never forget what we saw. There were 
             no Native Alaskan teachers and few spoke native languages, 
             making it nearly impossible for the schoolchildren to 
             learn, many of whom had never even heard English. We saw 
             villages where people had to walk 2 miles through frozen 
             tundra to find drinking water and other villages where 
             only 8 out of 100 Native Alaskans were graduating from 
             high school.
               I remember our subcommittee hearing in Fairbanks and the 
             Pilot Station teacher who told us that the warmest she 
             could ever get her classroom was zero degrees Fahrenheit. 
             Imagine children trying to learn when it is that cold in 
             the classroom.
               More than anything else, I remember Ted Stevens' 
             determination to improve the lives of the people and give 
             them the opportunity to build a better future. We were 
             able to pass legislation to improve water treatment 
             facilities in Native Alaskan villages and improve 
             education for the children as a result of that trip--and 
             none of it would have happened without Ted Stevens.
               I also feel a special closeness with Ted because in 
             addition to the many years we have served side by side, we 
             both share the same soft-spoken and gentle approach for 
             advancing our priorities and the many causes we care about 
             so deeply. I only wish he were a Democrat.
               I also pay tribute to Ted's wonderful wife Catherine. 
             She is an extraordinary woman, a person of enormous 
             kindness and compassion who has been so understanding over 
             the years of the demanding and often bizarre schedules we 
             keep in this Chamber.
               I have come to know her through her impressive service 
             to the Kennedy Center, where she has made such a great 
             impact on the Board of Trustees. This milestone is very 
             much hers as well. We know the innumerable sacrifices a 
             Senator's spouse has to make--especially those who make 
             their home on the farthest side of the continent.
               So I congratulate both Ted Stevens and Catherine Stevens 
             on this extraordinary milestone. Well done, my friends, 
             and best wishes for many more record-breaking days among 
             us.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Nelson of Florida). The 
             Senator from Alaska is recognized.

               Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, again, I am indebted to my 
             friend from Massachusetts. We have spent many times 
             together and, as he says, shared a great many goals. I am 
             very pleased that he would make these remarks. I think 
             that it sort of reminds me of a little bit of a little too 
             much ado about nothing, but I do appreciate him being 
             here. Thank you very much.
               As Senator Kennedy leaves, I should repeat something I 
             have told often, and that is, back in 1969, as a brandnew 
             appointed Senator, I joined Senator Kennedy and others in 
             going to the villages of Alaska. We found mold on the 
             hospital walls in Bethel. When we came back, we started 
             the process of replacing it, and it is a beautiful 
             hospital today.
               But we also went to the small villages. We went down to 
             Pilot Station, and we were walking through this little 
             village. All of a sudden, a little boy, baby boy, came 
             running out, had a top on, but he obviously had lost his 
             diaper.
               My friend scooped him up, unzipped his parka, and put 
             him inside. We walked around to find out where his home 
             was. We came to this nice, small, well-kept native cabin. 
             It was obvious that the mother was looking for her son.
               We went in and Senator Kennedy gave her the boy, and 
             there on the wall of that little cabin was his brother, 
             President Kennedy's photograph. It is a small world. I 
             will never forget it. Thank you.
               Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the 
             absence of a quorum.
                                                  Tuesday, May 15, 2007
                      STATEMENTS IN TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STEVENS
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the tribute to Senator Stevens in the Congressional Record 
             be printed as a Senate document and that Senators be 
             permitted to submit statements for inclusion in the Record 
             until June 1 of this year.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
                                                Wednesday, May 16, 2007
               Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, on April 13, 2007, my dear 
             friend and colleague Senator Ted Stevens became the 
             longest serving Republican Senator in the history of this 
             body. Today, I would like to pay tribute to my friend and 
             his more than 38 years of service to our Nation and the 
             people of Alaska.
               I have known and worked with Ted for over 34 years. We 
             have served together on the Appropriations, Budget, and 
             Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committees and 
             many others. Ted and I have been in the Senate together 
             for so long some of the committees on which we served no 
             longer exist. We have collaborated on more pieces of 
             legislation than I can remember and worked to resolve many 
             issues. Most recently, I was thankful for his hard work in 
             the effort to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and 
             increase the strategic security of the country.
               I am happy to say Ted has made the trip to New Mexico 
             and I to Alaska so we could appreciate the needs of each 
             other's home States. I have also had the pleasure of 
             taking several trips with Ted abroad, some more enjoyable 
             than others. One that stands out in my mind is the fact-
             finding trip we took to North Korea several years ago to 
             better understand the threat that nation poses to the 
             world. I don't believe many people can say they have 
             traveled there, even fewer can say they did it with Ted 
             Stevens. I am very thankful I can.
               I think it is safe to say Ted has had a remarkable life 
             and career. Born in Indianapolis, he has lived in 
             California, Oregon, and Montana--finally settling in his 
             beloved Alaska. During the Second World War, Ted left 
             college to join the Army Air Corps and became a decorated 
             pilot. After the war Ted attended Harvard Law School, 
             became a U.S. attorney, worked in the Department of the 
             Interior, started his own law firm, and was elected to the 
             Alaska House of Representatives. For most individuals 
             these accomplishments, all before he came to the Senate, 
             would have marked a full and successful life. However, for 
             Ted it was just the beginning and I believe this Nation is 
             lucky it was.
               After serving with Ted for so many years I know of no 
             one who cares more about the people of Alaska and this 
             Nation or serves either with more dedication and 
             distinction. I would like to personally thank Ted for his 
             friendship and hope to have the honor of serving alongside 
             him for many years to come.
                                                   Monday, May 21, 2007
               Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, look up Senator Stevens' 
             name in media reports and you will find a long list of 
             adjectives: tenacious, temperamental, scrappy, gruff, hot-
             tempered, tireless. And you will come across a long list 
             of nicknames: one of the Senate's ``old bulls'' for his 
             institutional knowledge; ``Uncle Ted'' to the people of 
             Alaska who are grateful for his aggressive advocacy for 
             their interests; pioneer for flying Army Air Corps 
             missions during World War II and migrating to our rugged 
             49th State after law school; a mentor to up-and-coming 
             elected officials; reportedly by his wife, a nutrition 
             enthusiast for his devoted consumption of greens and whole 
             grains; and in the case of his longtime friend, Senator 
             Inouye of Hawaii, ``my brother.''
               I would like to add a few adjectives of my own.
               First, Ted Stevens is an Alaskan. It is impossible to 
             think of Alaska without thinking of its senior Senator. 
             Alaska and Ted Stevens are inseparable. Anyone who knows 
             Senator Stevens knows he wakes up every morning fighting 
             for the people of Alaska and doesn't stop until he sleeps, 
             which apparently isn't much. Their commercial industry, 
             health care, electricity, water, transportation--even the 
             cost of rural mail delivery--all earn his scrutiny. He has 
             delivered again and again on policy to improve Alaskans' 
             quality of life.
               Second, and just as important, Ted Stevens is loyal. He 
             is loyal to the institution of the U.S. Senate. 
             Bipartisanship is natural for him. He understands that the 
             art of compromise is critical to getting things done. For 
             example, he is known to have helped reach a bipartisan 
             deal on how to conduct the impeachment trial of President 
             Clinton to minimize the partisan bickering that would have 
             sullied the Senate and made a tense time even more tense.
               He is more than willing to look across the aisle and 
             find kinship with people of like interests. His friendship 
             with Senator Inouye, a Democrat, is steadfast and 
             legendary. They have found plenty of common ground in 
             delivering good policy to the people of their uniquely 
             situated States. Despite what seems like a gruff exterior 
             sometimes, Senator Stevens has a reputation for extending 
             generous kindness to his colleagues, such as flying across 
             country to attend the funeral of a former Senator whose 
             vote had once been helpful.
               Senator Stevens' approach to policymaking is guided by 
             Rotary International's ``Four-Way Test,'' a copy of which 
             is framed on his desk in the Senate Chamber. The test 
             reads: ``Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? 
             Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be 
             beneficial to all concerned?''
               That four-way test was written in 1932, but like Senator 
             Stevens--and here are more adjectives--it is common sense, 
             inspirational, and timeless.
                                                Wednesday, May 23, 2007
               Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I seek recognition to 
             congratulate my friend Senator Ted Stevens on becoming the 
             longest serving U.S. Republican Senator in the history of 
             the Senate. He has had a long and distinguished career in 
             public service representing the State of Alaska in the 
             Senate for over 38 years, casting over 14,000 votes, and 
             never receiving less than 67 percent of the vote in any 
             election.
               My recollections of Ted Stevens, during the 27 years we 
             have served together in the Senate, focus on his 
             chairmanship of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, 
             where he has done so much to promote our national 
             security. For example, his management of the $87 billion 
             supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2003 
             earned him high praise by President Bush during the 
             signing ceremony.
               Ted's temper is generally misunderstood except by those 
             who know him well. He doesn't lose it, but he does use 
             it--and very effectively. However, it is true that on 
             occasion he makes Vesuvius look mild. I recollect one all-
             night session during Senator Howard Baker's tenure as 
             majority leader when Ted expressed himself in an unusually 
             emphatic way. As I recall it, the debate arose over 
             Senator Proxmire's comments about submitting vouchers for 
             travel expenses in Wisconsin on his contention that 
             Washington, DC, was his home base. That prompted a 
             reaction from Ted, who was aghast at the thought of 
             Washington, DC, being any Senator's home when he had the 
             majestic Alaska to claim as his home.
               Some thought that the middle-of-the-night incident might 
             have cost him a couple votes, which could have been 
             decisive, on his election for majority leader in November 
             1984, when the count was 28 to 25 in favor of Senator 
             Dole, but it was reliably reported that his loss occurred 
             because of the significant slippage in votes caused by the 
             tobacco interests.
               In any event, Senator Stevens has had a profound effect 
             on the Senate and the Nation in his roles as chairman of 
             the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, chairman of the 
             full Appropriations Committee, and as President pro 
             tempore.
               It is also important to note that Senator Stevens' 
             career in public service began even before he arrived in 
             the U.S. Senate. He is a distinguished veteran of the U.S. 
             Army Air Corps, having flown support missions for the 
             Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force during World War II, 
             for which he was awarded numerous medals, including two 
             Distinguished Flying Crosses. He had a strong academic 
             career, graduating from UCLA and Harvard Law School. In 
             the 1950s, he practiced law in Alaska before moving to 
             Washington, DC, to work in President Eisenhower's 
             administration. He subsequently returned to Alaska and was 
             elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1964 and 
             soon became majority leader. Finally, in 1968, he was 
             appointed U.S. Senator from Alaska and has represented his 
             State ever since with pride and devotion.
               His recognition as ``Alaskan of the Century'' is a real 
             tribute, and I have no doubt that when the passage of time 
             calls for the designation of ``Alaskan of the 
             Millennium,'' it will be Senator Ted Stevens.
                             TRIBUTES TO SENATOR STEVENS
               Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the deadline for Senators to submit tributes on Senator 
             Stevens for the Congressional Record be extended until 
             close of business on Monday, June 4, 2007.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
                                                 Thursday, May 24, 2007
               Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of 
             the true stalwarts of this institution--an indefatigable 
             legislator, a tireless advocate for his home State of 
             Alaska, a public servant with a lifetime of contribution, 
             and a treasured leader of this venerable Chamber, Senator 
             Ted Stevens who, this past April 13, 2007, became the 
             longest serving Republican Member of the U.S. Senate. Our 
             good friend and colleague has received countless well-
             deserved accolades for a tremendous milestone indeed.
               It is fitting that we pay tribute to an esteemed 
             lawmaker whose ongoing legacy and longstanding record of 
             accomplishment over a remarkable span of nearly 39 years 
             of service in the U.S. Senate stand as a testament to the 
             courage, vigor, and sense of duty he feels toward this 
             country and the issues and policies shaping it. Ted is a 
             force of nature, steadfast and resolute, in this time-
             honored body and in our Nation's Capital. His constituents 
             wouldn't have him any other way, and we wouldn't either.
               His legacy of achievement on behalf of Alaskans is as 
             large as the State they call home, and began even before 
             he entered politics when he first moved to Washington, DC, 
             to join the Eisenhower administration. While working for 
             the Secretary of the Interior, he was not only present at 
             Alaska's creation as a State in 1959, but was also 
             instrumental in helping advocate for statehood. As a U.S. 
             Senator, he was essential in championing the development 
             of the Alaskan pipeline which was critical to his State 
             and to the energy future of the country. He successfully 
             advanced Alaska's infrastructure and transportation 
             capabilities, especially vital to the State that is one-
             sixth the size of the entire lower 48. Alaska rightfully 
             commemorated Senator Stevens' indelible impact in these 
             areas with the dedication of the Ted Stevens Anchorage 
             International Airport in 2000. With a far-reaching litany 
             of accomplishments too numerous to mention, it comes as 
             little surprise that the Alaska State Legislature--where 
             he served as House majority leader in only his second term 
             in the mid-1960s would name him at the millennium, the 
             ``Alaskan of the Century.''
               The people of my State of Maine are especially grateful 
             to Senator Stevens for his landmark legislation that bears 
             his name--the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
             Management Act--our Nation's indispensable fisheries act, 
             which was reauthorized this past January and signed into 
             law. First as the chair, and now the ranking member on the 
             Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
             subcommittee handling fisheries issues, I had the pleasure 
             of working with full committee Chairman and now Ranking 
             Member Stevens throughout the process to help bring this 
             bill to fruition. From the 300-year-old fishing villages 
             in downeast Maine to remote Aleutian Island outposts, 
             Senator Stevens has always been bound by a commitment to 
             sustain both fish and fishermen.
               Through many Congresses, as both a chairman and ranking 
             member, Senator Stevens has spearheaded and done much to 
             shepherd improvements in the largely uncharted world of 
             telecommunications policy that have been historic and 
             consequential, and which will reverberate for generations. 
             On a personal note, I want to express my debt of enormous 
             thanks to Senator Stevens for his pivotal support in his 
             universal service fund reform bill of the e-rate program 
             which provides discounted telecommunications services to 
             schools and libraries. Senator Stevens has been a bulwark 
             catalyst on this initiative, and, as we recently 
             commemorated the 10th anniversary since its inception, I 
             couldn't help but recall with gratitude his crucial role 
             in the wiring of schools in my State and across the 
             country.
               It must also be noted that in an era of increasing 
             partisanship, Senator Stevens shares an unassailable bond 
             with the senior Senator from Hawaii, a Democrat, Daniel 
             Inouye, a friendship profoundly steeped in their mutual, 
             heroic tours of duty in World War II, which continues to 
             this day as a model example of collegiality, 
             bipartisanship, and comity that transcends politics.
               This decorated Army Air Force pilot in the storied 
             ``Flying Tigers,'' whose immense devotion to this land and 
             its people extends across six decades, is not one to move 
             to the side or step away when he is fighting for what he 
             believes in or on behalf of his State or in defense of his 
             country. That speaks volumes in explaining Senator 
             Stevens' well-known trademark as he prepares to debate on 
             the Senate floor and he dons his infamous tie emblazoned 
             with the Marvel comic book character, the Incredible Hulk!
               With hallmark humor, strength, and aplomb, how could he 
             approach his robust role any differently--a man whose 
             larger-than-life tenure in the public arena reflects the 
             enormity of his stunning and beloved Alaska, a State with 
             a name that means literally ``the object toward which the 
             action of the sea is directed.'' For more than a half 
             century, the action of the sea of public policy has always 
             found its way to this great American and still does 
             because he welcomes it, thrives on it, and seizes upon it 
             in the name of the Last Frontier State and to the benefit 
             of our Nation.
                                                   Friday, May 25, 2007
               Mr. BOND. Madam President, in April, Ted Stevens became 
             the longest serving Republican Member of the U.S. Senate 
             in our country's 230-year history. I join my colleagues in 
             congratulating the Senator and thanking him for his many 
             years of service and our friendship.
               Much has already been said about Senator Stevens' 
             sometimes grouchy and intimidating demeanor. But if we 
             look past the Hulk ties, the scowling countenance, the 
             vigorous defense of any and all attacks on Alaskan 
             priorities, and the cowed staff who fear that they have 
             fallen on the wrong side of our esteemed senior Senator, 
             we see another, more compassionate side.
               When I first arrived in Washington, DC, in 1987, my son 
             was entering first grade at the same time as Ted's beloved 
             daughter. Sam and Lily became fast friends, and so did 
             their parents.
               Ted and Catherine were very close friends of ours and 
             like godparents to Sam. Anyone who knows Ted well knows 
             how important his family is and the high value he places 
             on his children and their friends. He is truly a most 
             kind, gentle, and readily approachable father, uncle, and 
             godfather.
               His concern about others' children and family members is 
             equally heartfelt. As he exercises his many leadership 
             roles, Senator Stevens is always willing to take our 
             family obligations into account. He realizes how important 
             it is to schedule time for our families in the chaotic, 
             hectic life we lead in the U.S. Senate.
               In addition to the close personal friendship we have 
             enjoyed with the Stevens family, I have had the 
             opportunity to work closely with Chairman Stevens as a 
             member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
               As chairman, Ted is solicitous of the concerns of even 
             his most junior members. He is also a devoted friend of 
             his partner--sometimes ranking member and sometimes 
             chairman--Senator Dan Inouye.
               While there is never any doubt that he and Senator 
             Inouye control the Defense Appropriations call, Senator 
             Stevens is sensitive and receptive to the needs of other 
             Members to the greatest extent possible.
               He is a very passionate defender of the Appropriations 
             Committee, its prerogatives, and its responsibilities. Woe 
             unto the person who attacks the appropriations process or 
             the work that he does. One soon learns that such a 
             position is not one to be taken lightly. One had better be 
             prepared for a bruising fight.
               As President pro tempore, he was a faithful and 
             dedicated leader of the Senate. Now that he is--
             temporarily--out of that position, he continues a close 
             working relationship with his good friend and colleague 
             Senator Robert C. Byrd, the current President pro tempore.
               It is, indeed, an honor to have him as our leading 
             senior Republican in the Senate.
               The Senator's influence extends far beyond the Senate to 
             Alaska, the Nation, and the world.
               Many of the accomplishments of the Senate over the last 
             four decades bear the mark of Ted Stevens. He has been 
             tireless in his leadership to secure a strong military--
             and has funded a strong personnel system, the most needed, 
             up-to-date equipment and the most promising research. The 
             current strength and superiority of the U.S. Armed Forces 
             is due in no small part to Senator Stevens.
               He has also been a leader in the natural resources, 
             transportation issues, and climate change issues important 
             to all of America but that particularly affect his home 
             State.
               Ted is passionate about Alaska--its natural beauty, its 
             people, its needs and its fishing. Many of us have enjoyed 
             traveling to Alaska with Senator Stevens and discovering 
             first-hand the treasures it has to offer.
               The many roads, parks and buildings named for him are 
             but a hint of all he has done for the State. His 
             contributions are extensive and lasting, from improving 
             the infrastructure to safeguarding the wildlife and 
             natural resources Alaska has in abundance.
               Alaskans rightly dubbed the Senator the ``Alaskan of the 
             20th Century.'' I am sure Senator Stevens would remind us 
             that he is not done yet. Odds are he is a favorite to be 
             ``Alaskan of the 21st Century'' as well.
               It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve 
             with Ted Stevens. I look forward to many more years of 
             working together.

               Mr. MARTINEZ. Madam President, I wish to acknowledge an 
             esteemed colleague and his long and storied service to the 
             U.S. Senate. Senator Ted Stevens has given much to this 
             great country of ours. Born in Indiana, he spent his 
             college years in the West, his law school years in the 
             East, and made significant contributions in a place far 
             north of here. Yet he achieved much of this by heading 
             south, to our Nation's Capital. His career reflects his 
             dedication not only to Alaska but to all of America. He 
             has touched every corner of this country--and beyond. 
             Fighting in China during World War II, he served our 
             Nation valiantly as a member of the Army Air Corps where 
             he flew support missions for the Flying Tigers of the 14th 
             Air Force. Now, more than six decades later, he is still 
             serving our country.
               Following work as an attorney in Alaska in the 1950s, 
             Ted Stevens headed for Washington to work for the 
             Department of Interior under the administration of 
             President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It is worth noting that it 
             was President Eisenhower who signed Alaska into statehood 
             in July 1958. Not too long after Alaska found statehood, 
             he decided to return to the home he had made in the Last 
             Frontier. Soon, he was serving in the State house of 
             representatives--a body of which he became the majority 
             leader in 1964. While he may have initially found his way 
             to the U.S. Senate by virtue of appointment in 1968, he 
             soon had the weight of his State's voters behind him.
               Now serving his seventh term in office, Senator Stevens 
             has been a reliable supporter of his home State's 
             interests and has supported our country in many of its 
             most trying times. The institutional knowledge and wisdom 
             which Senator Stevens brings to the Senate benefits this 
             body greatly. All of us appreciate his work and 
             contributions to America. Be it as the former chairman of 
             the Commerce Committee, the former chairman of the 
             Appropriations Committee, a strong voice and dedicated 
             member of the Homeland Security Committee or for his work 
             on the Rules Committee--we thank him for his leadership, 
             past and present.
               Congratulations to Senator Stevens on becoming the 
             longest serving Republican in Senate history. His more 
             than 14,000 days in this body are a remarkable testament 
             to his hard work, staying power, and skills as a Senator. 
             I know the people of Alaska appreciate all that he has 
             done for them over these numerous decades. On behalf of my 
             fellow Floridians, I thank Senator Stevens for his service 
             to America and to the Senate.
                                                   Monday, June 4, 2007
               Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, last August, Ted Stevens 
             and Dan Inouye led a bipartisan group of Senators to China 
             for a parliamentary visit. Dan, of course, was accorded 
             great respect because of his winning the Congressional 
             Medal of Honor during World War II. But it was Ted Stevens 
             for whom the Chinese rolled out the red carpet. Ted had 
             flown with the Flying Tigers. He flew the first plane to 
             land in Beijing after World War II ended, and the top 
             Chinese leaders had not forgotten. They made more time for 
             our delegation than they had for any other recent group of 
             American visitors.
               No one in our group, of course, was surprised to learn 
             that Ted Stevens had flown risky missions and, for that 
             bravery, earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses. Ted 
             still has the cockiness, adventuresome spirit and attitude 
             that distinguish most pilots. And he has the love of 
             country that permeates those who fought in World War II. 
             We see both qualities every day in the Senate.
               For example, 2 years ago, when we were considering how 
             to maneuver through five Senate committees legislation 
             based on a National Academies report that would help 
             America keep its brainpower advantage, Ted was both 
             unconcerned about committee prerogatives and impatient 
             about getting the job done. ``Let's form a select 
             committee,'' he said many times. ``You be the chairman of 
             it.'' He said this even though he was then the most senior 
             Republican in the Senate and I was nearly the most junior. 
             The Senate never formed that select committee, but Ted 
             made sure the legislation passed because he thought it was 
             important for our country.
               I was Legislative Assistant to Senator Howard Baker in 
             1968 when Ted was appointed to the Senate. He hasn't 
             changed much in all that time, even though he is now the 
             longest serving Republican Senator. In his first year, he 
             was pushing amendments that would help Alaska Natives 
             maintain their fishing rights. This year, he is still busy 
             working on legislation creating additional rights for 
             Alaska Natives. And in the 38 years between, he has 
             snagged every dollar that comes within 50 feet for his 
             Alaskan constituents--and some dollars that were farther 
             away than that.
               Ted Stevens is, I would say, above all, an 
             institutionalist in the U.S. Senate. In other words, he 
             sees a unique role in our democracy for the Senate, and he 
             is one of a handful here who is determined to respect that 
             role and make it work.
               I suppose Ted will have opposition when he runs for 
             reelection in 2008. But, if he does, I wouldn't want to be 
             that person. Last week, walking side by side with him to 
             vote, I took the escalator when we got to the Capitol and 
             Ted literally ran up the stairs, two at a time.
               It would be hard to identify a ``More Valuable Player'' 
             in the U.S. Senate than Ted Stevens.

               Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to honor a 
             colleague and a good friend, Senator Ted Stevens, for 
             becoming the longest serving Republican Member of the 
             Senate. I am honored to serve in the Senate with this 
             great Republican.
               Ted Stevens' career in public service began long before 
             he became a U.S. Senator. He served in the U.S. Army Air 
             Corps during World War II, practiced law in Alaska, worked 
             in the Eisenhower administration, and served in the Alaska 
             House of Representatives where he eventually became 
             majority leader. He became U.S. Senator in 1968 and has 
             served the State of Alaska in the Senate for over 38 
             years. His longstanding public service career truly 
             demonstrates his devotion to this country.
               Just like his famous Hulk tie, Ted has a bullish 
             tenacity that has made him one of the most effective 
             Members in the Senate. He is a stalwart representative for 
             his State of Alaska. Representing a State over 4,000 miles 
             from the Nation's Capital, Senator Stevens has sacrificed 
             time with his six children and wife to serve in the 
             Senate. Coming from a large family myself, I appreciate 
             the strength and commitment his family has displayed over 
             the years.
               During my trips to Alaska, I always leave impressed by 
             the spectacular landscape and Ted Stevens' hard work in 
             his State. His work has helped many Alaskan towns receive 
             clean running water and has enabled many children to 
             receive a quality education. His persistence in the Senate 
             also has provided Alaska with oil pipelines, which have 
             brought tremendous revenue to Alaska and provided our 
             Nation with a safe, domestic energy source.
               Ted Stevens' work as a Senator has gone beyond the 
             borders of Alaska. During his 35-year tenure on the 
             Appropriations Committee, he has tirelessly persevered to 
             keep America ready and prepared. He has ensured our troops 
             have the good equipment, training, and pay they deserve. 
             His efforts have also ensured funds for military research 
             on some of our Nation's most pressing diseases.
               I thank Senator Ted Stevens for his leadership and 
             contributions to public service for the people of Alaska 
             and all Americans. I honor him not only for his length of 
             service but more important, his quality of service. I wish 
             him and his loved ones the best of health for many years 
             to come, and I congratulate him on his outstanding 
             achievement.

               Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, it is a great pleasure to 
             offer my heartfelt congratulations to Senator Ted Stevens 
             on becoming the longest serving Republican in Senate 
             history. While this is a milestone to celebrate, the true 
             cause for celebration is not Ted Stevens' decades of 
             service to his party or to this Chamber but his lifetime 
             of service to our Nation.
               It is a record of service that began long before Ted 
             Stevens came to the Senate nearly four decades ago, long 
             before his contributions in the Alaska Legislature in the 
             earliest days of statehood, long before he helped 
             establish our 49th State at the Department of the Interior 
             during President Eisenhower's administration. At just 19 
             years of age, with his country under attack and freedom in 
             jeopardy around the world, Ted Stevens joined the Army Air 
             Corps in 1943, flying support missions for the legendary 
             Flying Tigers. That courage to take the risks and that 
             willingness to step forward to meet the challenges are the 
             foundation of his character and of his service.
               I have been privileged to work alongside this Senator on 
             the Homeland Security Committee. On every issue we 
             confront, Ted Stevens demonstrates great knowledge and a 
             total commitment to protecting our Nation and our people.
               Alaska and Maine are separated by a great many miles, 
             but our two States have much in common, including 
             spectacular scenery, and rugged, self-reliant people. Our 
             States also share a connection to the sea that is central 
             to our history and our future. From the Magnuson-Stevens 
             Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976 to his 
             work to better protect marine mammals, Ted Stevens 
             demonstrates again and again a deep commitment to the 
             hard-working people who sustain countless coastal 
             communities and an abiding respect for the natural 
             resources that bless us all.

               Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I would like to honor an 
             esteemed colleague with whom I have had the privilege of 
             serving in this body for the past 9 years.
               As many others have already observed, Senator Stevens is 
             an institution in Alaska, the Senate, and in the United 
             States. Our President pro tempore, already the longest 
             serving Republican in the Senate, served our Nation 
             heroically in World War II and worked previously in the 
             Justice and Interior Departments. In the latter position, 
             Senator Stevens was an instrumental part of bringing 
             statehood to Alaska--the State of Alaska literally is 
             partly his creation.
               Senator Stevens and I share concerns about issues 
             important to America but particular to the Pacific 
             Northwest. Our States, with vast Federal land holdings, 
             play a key role in energy resource exploration and 
             development crucial to building viable and plentiful 
             domestic energy supplies. We share views on ensuring local 
             and State governments and communities have primacy in 
             handling matters of direct impact on them. Both Idaho and 
             Alaska are home to thriving indigenous populations, and we 
             both work to ensure that they have their voices heard in 
             Congress.
               Idaho and Alaska have other similar Pacific Northwest 
             resource and environmental issues. Senator Stevens shares 
             my care for and attention to these issues. He is an 
             advocate for work to restore salmon fisheries and rural 
             community development. I have had the pleasure to work 
             with him on promoting the Pacific Northwest Salmon 
             Recovery Fund and drinking water infrastructure needs for 
             rural Alaska. He is a tireless defender of the interests 
             of Alaskans and one of the greatest tourism promotion 
             resources for the State.
               I have always appreciated Senator Stevens' strong voice 
             and steady leadership in the Senate. He has demonstrated 
             an unwavering commitment to our military and against 
             terrorism. He understands the enemies we face here and 
             abroad and has spent many decades standing strong for his 
             convictions, relentlessly pursuing funding for a strong 
             military to defend our country and our heritage of liberty 
             and freedom.
               I admire Senator Stevens' strong history of 
             bipartisanship highlighted by his long friendship with the 
             senior Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Inouye. Their working and 
             interpersonal relationship stands as a testament to what 
             can be accomplished when we set party bickering aside and 
             focus on our jobs to which we were elected--helping 
             America remain the envy of the world.
               We share an alma mater, and I am pleased to call him a 
             colleague in the Senate. I am proud to honor the Senior 
             Senator from Alaska, in his 39th year of public service as 
             a Senator. Congratulations, and thank you for your 
             service.

               Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I wish to honor Senator Ted 
             Stevens of Alaska for becoming the longest serving 
             Republican Member in the history of the U.S. Senate. 
             Senator Stevens is a true leader in the Senate. Whether he 
             is making sure our soldiers have the best equipment in the 
             field of battle or developing dynamic legislation to 
             transform our Nation's communications laws, Senator 
             Stevens has always been a man of action.
               Service to the United States and to his home State of 
             Alaska has been Senator Stevens' lifelong mission. To put 
             his dedication to our country in perspective, Senator 
             Stevens has been a public servant for longer than I have 
             been alive. At no stage of his career has he ever shied 
             away from confronting the challenging issues of the day. 
             In 1943, at the age of 19, he left college to answer the 
             call of his country. Flying transport planes over the 
             Himalayas in support of the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air 
             Force, First Lieutenant Stevens proved himself as a 
             leader. In recognition for his service and bravery, he was 
             awarded several medals, including two Distinguished Flying 
             Crosses.
               Following the war, Ted Stevens returned to college where 
             he received degrees from UCLA and Harvard Law School. In 
             1953, he was appointed U.S. attorney for Fairbanks. Three 
             years later, he moved to Washington, DC, to serve in the 
             Department of the Interior for President Eisenhower. In 
             1964, Ted Stevens was elected to the Alaska House of 
             Representatives, and during his second term in office, he 
             became the majority leader. In 1968, he was appointed to 
             fill Senator Bartlett's seat in the U.S. Senate. In 1972, 
             he was elected to serve a full term in that seat, and, as 
             we know, the rest is history.
               During the last 38 years, Senator Stevens has done more 
             for the people of Alaska and the United States than most 
             could fathom. Always willing to address challenging issues 
             in a bipartisan fashion, Senator Stevens stands by his 
             principles and does what he thinks is right regardless of 
             which side of the aisle agrees with him. He led the charge 
             for Alaska's statehood and has made remarkable 
             contributions to the health and safety of the United 
             States. As a testament to their belief in Ted Stevens' 
             leadership, the people of Alaska have elected, and 
             reelected, Senator Stevens--never by less than 67 percent 
             of the vote in any election.
               When I came to Washington in 1994, it did not take me 
             long to learn who Ted Stevens was and to admire him as a 
             leader. When I joined the Senate 7 years ago, my 
             admiration for Senator Stevens grew. Who couldn't admire a 
             man who dons a Hulk tie when he prepares for large 
             legislative battles? On a serious note, since 2001, 
             Senator Stevens and I have worked closely on a number of 
             important issues. For example, in 2005 when Senator 
             Stevens became chairman of the Committee on Commerce, 
             Science, and Transportation, he recognized the need to 
             address how to maintain U.S. competitiveness in today's 
             global economy. I was honored that he selected me to chair 
             the Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation, and 
             Competitiveness. Through the work of this subcommittee, 
             Senator Stevens, myself, and others developed bipartisan 
             legislation to maintain and improve our country's 
             innovation in the 21st century. This legislation, the 
             America COMPETES Act, recently passed the Senate by an 
             overwhelming vote of 88 to 8. Senator Stevens' leadership 
             on competitiveness legislation serves as a good reminder 
             of how he has addressed important issues in a forward-
             thinking manner throughout his six decades of public 
             service.
               Addressing the Nation's competitiveness is just one 
             example of Senator Stevens' innovative thinking. When he 
             became chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
             Transportation, Senator Stevens recognized that our 
             communications laws were grossly outdated. Through a 
             series of hearings, listening sessions, and a desire for 
             bipartisan cooperation, Senator Stevens developed a bill 
             that would have encouraged competition in the 
             communications market and fostered an environment 
             conducive to future innovation. Although this bill did not 
             become law, I am proud to have worked with Senator Stevens 
             on this important piece of legislation.
               I greatly admire Senator Stevens. He sets an example, 
             for both Republicans and Democrats, of a successful 
             Senator. He is a leader, a man of his word, and someone 
             whom you know you can count on with nothing more than a 
             handshake. I look forward to working with Senator Stevens 
             for many years to come and would like to congratulate him 
             for a lifetime of accomplishments.

               Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, it is a pleasure to be a part 
             of this celebration of Senator Ted Stevens' service in the 
             Senate. For those of us who know him, it is more than 
             taking a moment to congratulate him as he becomes the 
             longest serving Republican Senator in the history of the 
             Senate. It is an opportunity to acknowledge all he has 
             done to stand up for the State of Alaska. It is also a 
             chance to take note of the example he provides of 
             leadership and the way he has always put the needs of the 
             people of Alaska at the very top of his work agenda in the 
             Senate. That is why, in 2000, Ted was named the ``Alaskan 
             of the Century.''
               Ted is a remarkable guy, and I don't think any Senator 
             is more tied to the day-to-day life of the States we 
             represent and the hearts of the people back home than he 
             is. There are a lot of reasons for that, not the least of 
             which is the certainty Alaskans have that the needs of 
             their State are in good hands because Ted Stevens is 
             championing their cause.
               Ted is one of our great environmentalists and it is a 
             philosophy he puts into practice every day in thought, 
             word, and deed. Whenever I think of him, I think of all he 
             has done and continues to do to protect and preserve the 
             natural beauty of Alaska. It is a wonderful State that I 
             have been privileged to visit at Ted's invitation. I have 
             always said that God saved some of his best handiwork for 
             Wyoming. Having seen Alaska, I think he did a good job 
             there too.
               If you ask me and those who have come to know him 
             through the years, we will tell you that Ted is a man of 
             action. He says what he means and he means what he says. 
             He works hard for the things he believes in, and in the 
             end, I don't think anyone is better at getting results. 
             That is because Ted knows it is a lot more important to 
             get things done than to get them said. You won't find him 
             content to just give speeches. After all is said, and said 
             with great force, Ted puts his time and effort where his 
             mouth is as he rolls up his sleeves and gets to work.
               Ted not only knows and loves the terrain of Alaska, he 
             loves showing it off too. That is why he puts so much of 
             himself into promoting the Kenai Tournament. This great 
             Alaskan tournament gives all who take part a chance to 
             enjoy the fantastic fishing of Alaska, but it is also a 
             great fundraiser that helps provide the funds that are 
             needed to restore and improve the habitat of the salmon in 
             Alaska.
               Here in the Senate, Ted has also worked quietly on many 
             bills that were drafted to preserve wild salmon. Whether 
             it is protecting his home State on the floor or promoting 
             it here and back home, Ted Stevens is the voice of Alaska.
               Another thing Wyoming and Alaska share is our rural 
             environment. Ted understands the unique needs of rural 
             life better than any Senator I know, and he has been a 
             tireless worker on transportation and communication 
             issues. He worked hard to preserve universal service so 
             people in both our States would have phone service at a 
             reasonable rate. That effort meant a great deal not only 
             to the people of our States but to those who live in other 
             rural areas across the United States as well.
               As I have come to know Ted, I have developed a great 
             appreciation for his ability to pick up on the nuances and 
             details of the issues we take up on the Senate floor. He 
             is a fast study, and he is not afraid of any issue, no 
             matter how complicated and complex it is.
               Another thing we all think of whenever we think of Ted 
             is that distinctive voice of his. His voice has the same 
             power that his words bring to the debate, and it is that 
             unique way of speaking of his that gets everyone's 
             attention and usually their agreement too.
               Through his years in the Senate, Ted has compiled an 
             incredible record for the people of his State. He has won 
             the hearts of Alaskans, and on election day, people from 
             all over the State make it a point to vote for him. He is 
             not just their Senator, he is also a bit of a superhero, 
             too.
               Speaking of superheroes, which are near and dear to 
             Ted's heart, in the comics, whenever Dr. Banner faces a 
             difficult challenge that requires superpowers, he turns 
             into the Incredible Hulk. On the Senate floor, if the 
             Incredible Hulk faced a challenge that required 
             superpowers of persuasion and reason, he would probably 
             turn into Ted Stevens.
               Congratulations, Ted. We are proud of the record you 
             have established in the Senate. Thank you for your 
             leadership, the unique strengths and abilities you bring 
             to our work, and most of all, thank you for the gift of 
             your friendship.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President. I am very pleased to help 
             recognize Senator Ted Stevens as the longest serving 
             Republican in the history of the U.S. Senate. Senator 
             Stevens has represented the Last Frontier for nearly 40 
             years, during which he has become one of the most 
             respected lawmakers and gentlemen in Congress. For a large 
             majority of his time in Congress, Senator Stevens served 
             with my predecessor, the late Senator Strom Thurmond, the 
             Senate's previous longest serving Republican. Now that the 
             record is broken, I am certain Senator Thurmond would be 
             pleased to know his good friend, Ted Stevens, will carry 
             on the great tradition of service to our Nation. I am 
             honored to serve alongside Senator Stevens and 
             congratulate him on this momentous occasion.

               Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I wish today to 
             congratulate Senator Ted Stevens on becoming the longest 
             serving Republican Senator in U.S. history. Senator 
             Stevens has served in the Senate for over 38 years, and 
             this milestone is a lasting tribute to his outstanding 
             record for the people of Alaska and for the people of 
             America. On a personal note, I have always enjoyed working 
             with Senator Stevens, and it has been a true privilege to 
             collaborate with him on some of the most important issues 
             facing our great Nation--including energy, health care, 
             and national defense.
               Senator Stevens' service to the United States didn't 
             begin when he stepped inside this Chamber; rather, his 
             service began decades earlier--during some of the most 
             harrowing days of World War II.
               Senator Stevens was part of the ``greatest generation'' 
             who fought and won that global struggle for freedom--
             flying a C-47 in the China/Burma/India theater. 
             Incredibly, over 1,000 of Senator Stevens' fellow airmen 
             died ``flying the hump'' and elsewhere in the Chinese/
             Burma/India theater--a sobering reminder of the high price 
             of freedom. For his heroic efforts, Senator Stevens later 
             received two Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air 
             Medals, as well as the Yuan Hai Medal awarded by the 
             Republic of China.
               After the war, Senator Stevens completed his education 
             at UCLA and Harvard Law School and then moved to Alaska, 
             which was then a U.S. territory. In the city of Fairbanks, 
             Senator Stevens practiced law for several years, until he 
             came to Washington, DC, to serve in the Eisenhower 
             administration and also to lobby for Alaska's admittance 
             into the Union--a mission that succeeded in 1959.
               When Senator Stevens returned to Alaska, he ran for--and 
             won--a seat in the Alaska House of Representatives and 
             later became House majority leader. Then, in December 
             1968, Governor Walter J. Hickel appointed him to fill a 
             vacancy in the U.S. Senate. In 1970, the voters of Alaska 
             ratified that choice by electing Senator Stevens to finish 
             that term in a special election and then reelecting him 
             six more times, always by overwhelming margins.
               Senator Stevens' achievements are legendary in this 
             Chamber--including, but not limited to, chairman of the 
             Senate Rules Committee, chairman of the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee, and President pro tempore of the 
             U.S. Senate--putting him third in line for the Presidency 
             from January 2003 to January 2007. For his many decades of 
             service, Senator Stevens has received and accepted 
             numerous honors--including having the Anchorage 
             International Airport named after him. Our entire country 
             has been enriched and improved by his hard work, 
             dedication, and leadership.
               I say this not as a distant observer but as an up-close 
             witness to his achievements. Back in 1993, when I first 
             arrived in the U.S. Senate, I was one of only seven female 
             Senators, and if the Senate was a men's club, then the 
             Appropriations Committee was its inner sanctum. There was 
             not a single woman on the Defense Appropriations 
             Subcommittee, but that is where I wanted to serve.
               I explained to Senator Stevens--who was then the ranking 
             member of the committee--that Texas has more Army soldiers 
             than any other State, more Air Force air men and women 
             stationed in Texas than any other State, and our defense 
             industry builds everything from fighter aircraft to Army 
             trucks to artillery systems to sophisticated electronics 
             equipment for the Pentagon. Therefore, it was absolutely 
             essential that a Senator from Texas serve on that 
             committee. After some careful thought, Senator Stevens 
             agreed and welcomed me to the committee. Since that time, 
             he has been a valuable mentor to me--not to mention a 
             passionate advocate for Alaska and America.
               And when I say passion, I really do mean passion. 
             Senator Stevens has been known to show dramatic 
             performances on the Senate floor, keeping wandering eyes 
             focused on the urgent issues that need to be addressed. 
             One day, during a markup in the Senate Appropriations 
             Committee, Senator Stevens, who chaired the committee at 
             the time, grew very animated and laid down the law. When a 
             frustrated senior Senator told Senator Stevens that 
             ``there was no reason to lose your temper,'' Senator 
             Stevens glared back and responded, ``I never lose my 
             temper. I always know exactly where I left it.''
               But if Senator Stevens has a temper, he also has a 
             compassionate heart. I will never forget when a group of 
             protestors gathered outside of the Appropriations 
             Committee conference to demand increased funding for 
             breast cancer research.
               One particularly agitated advocate got in Senator 
             Stevens' face and said, ``If men were dying of breast 
             cancer, you wouldn't think twice about increasing the 
             funding.'' Needless to say, those words made quite an 
             impact on Senator Stevens, but probably not what this 
             advocate anticipated.
               When Senator Stevens walked back into the conference, he 
             repeated the charge and then looked around at his mostly 
             male colleagues. He knew that at least six of them 
             suffered from prostate cancer. He also noticed that the 
             bill they were considering didn't fund prostate cancer 
             research. But thanks to the excellent suggestion of the 
             woman in the hallway, he was going to advocate breast 
             cancer research and prostate cancer research. Senator 
             Stevens was determined to become a leader on these issues, 
             and over time, that is certainly what he has become.
               For all of these reasons, and many more, it has been a 
             true honor to serve with Senator Stevens. I congratulate 
             him once again on becoming the longest serving Republican 
             Senator in U.S. history. I look forward to serving with 
             him for years to come.

               Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, Senate colleagues of Senator 
             Ted Stevens are grateful that a remarkable U.S. Senate 
             historical landmark provides us an opportunity to honor 
             one of the greatest Senators in history as he continues to 
             supply vigorous and significant leadership for our 
             country.
               We recognize, today, that Ted Stevens has served longer 
             than any other Republican Party Senator, and that record 
             for longevity of service will continue to mount with each 
             new day of Senate history.
               I would like to believe that the early schooling of Ted 
             Stevens at Public School No. 84 in Indianapolis was a 
             strong foundation for his later success. I enjoyed School 
             No. 84 for 2 years, a few years after Ted had progressed.
               Our lives came together again in 1976 when Ted chaired 
             the National Republican Senatorial Committee and I was the 
             Indiana Republican candidate against a three-term 
             incumbent.
               Under Ted's leadership, Jack Danforth, John Heinz, Jack 
             Schmitt, Malcolm Wallop, Sam Hayakawa, John Chafee, Orrin 
             Hatch, and I were elected: a class of eight freshmen 
             Republican Senators. The overall Senate count after the 
             1976 election was 61 Democrats, 38 Republicans, and 
             Independent Senator Harry Byrd, thus highlighting Ted's 
             recruitment achievement.
               But times changed, and Howard Baker became majority 
             leader after the Republican majority was established in 
             the 1980 election. When Howard retired 4 years later, five 
             Republicans sought the majority leader position in an 
             election procedure requiring the candidate with the lowest 
             vote to retire after each ballot. Senators Jim McClure, 
             Pete Domenici, and I retired in that order before Bob 
             Dole, another Senate lion, defeated Ted Stevens in a close 
             vote.
               All of us rejoiced when the GOP won a Senate majority 
             again and Senator Stevens became President pro tempore of 
             the Senate. In this role, he became even more vigorous in 
             boosting the Senate's institutional role and in underlying 
             the responsibilities of each Senator.
               Throughout his unfailing attention to overall Senate 
             duties, Ted has been a Senator for Alaska on every day of 
             every year. His legislative achievements that have boosted 
             Alaska are legendary and continue during each 
             appropriations cycle.
               Alaskans recognized Senator Stevens as the most 
             prominent Alaskan of the 20th century in a poll taken in 
             his State.
               He also led Alaskan and U.S. Senate attention to the 
             interests Alaska and the United States have in the Pacific 
             Ocean and in prominent Pacific rim countries such as 
             China, Japan, and Russia.
               I have been privileged to attend Aspen Institute 
             conferences with Ted and to participate in legislative 
             meetings with Chinese delegates that he has organized in 
             Washington.
               He has long been an advocate for health and physical 
             fitness. This encourages his friends to observe that he 
             has the opportunity to serve with us for many years to 
             come.
               I thank my good friend, Senator Ted Stevens, for his 
             personal thoughtfulness and for so many great experiences, 
             together, during his recordbreaking tenure in the Senate. 
             I look forward to many new opportunities to be with him 
             and to work with him for the benefit of our country.

               Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise to honor a 
             distinguished colleague, Senator Ted Stevens, who is 
             celebrating a major milestone--today becoming the longest 
             serving Republican in Senate history.
               Appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1968 and elected to 
             finish out the term 2 years later, Stevens has since been 
             reelected to the Senate six times, never receiving less 
             than 67 percent of the vote in any election.
               During his 38 years in the U.S. Senate, Senator Stevens 
             has been chairman of four full committees and two select 
             committees, assistant Republican whip, President pro 
             tempore, and President pro tempore emeritus.
               As one of the most effective Senators, Senator Stevens 
             has been an ardent supporter of our national defense, 
             serving as either chairman or ranking member of the 
             Defense Appropriations Subcommittee since 1980. A champion 
             of our Armed Forces, he has ensured that our service 
             members have the equipment, training, and pay necessary to 
             be prepared to take on those who threaten our national 
             security.
               Mr. President, I congratulate Senator Stevens on 
             reaching this historic milestone today. I am honored to 
             call Senator Ted Stevens my colleague but prouder to call 
             him my friend.

               Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge a 
             man who has dedicated almost 40 years of his life to the 
             service of his constituency. Senator Ted Stevens was 
             appointed to represent Alaska in the Senate in 1968 and 
             has done so in a way that the citizens of his State have 
             reelected him six times since. Senator Stevens is 
             currently the longest serving Senator in the history of 
             our party and a steadfast representative for Alaskan 
             conservative values.
               As a young man Senator Stevens served his country 
             honorably during World War II. A member of the 322d 
             Squadron, which flew support missions for the Flying 
             Tigers of the Army Air Corps' 14th Air Force, he is also 
             twice a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for 
             his heroism in aerial combat. Senator Stevens is in 
             excellent company as the first recipient of the 
             Distinguished Flying Cross was Captain Charles A. 
             Lindbergh, who also set a few records in his own time.
               I am especially thankful for the work Senator Stevens 
             has done to help aid the people of Louisiana. Through his 
             position as chairman in the last Congress and currently 
             vice chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and 
             Transportation Committee he has worked tirelessly on 
             important legislation to our State. Especially noteworthy 
             are the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
             Management Reauthorization Act, which included provisions 
             dedicated to the aid of the fishing industry in Louisiana 
             following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and his essential 
             support of legislation to get Louisiana its fair share of 
             Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas revenues.
               It has been an extraordinary experience to work with as 
             accomplished a legislator as Senator Stevens in my time in 
             the Senate. I thank him for his service to the citizens of 
             this great country.

               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about 
             my long-time great friend, advisor, and colleague, Senator 
             Ted Stevens of Alaska, who just became the longest serving 
             Republican Senator in the 218-year history of the U.S. 
             Senate.
               I have worked with Senator Stevens on a wide array of 
             matters, but none more closely than national security and 
             defense issues. Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye 
             exemplify that extraordinary group of veterans, largely of 
             World War II distinction and experience, who led the 
             Senate I joined 28 years ago. They found the time to teach 
             the new Senators, inspiring them to gain the experience to 
             someday take their places of responsibility in the Senate. 
             I owe a great deal of gratitude to that generation, and 
             particularly to Ted.
               He has loyally served the men and women of the Armed 
             Forces throughout his long Senate career, particularly 
             through his leadership positions on the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee.
               My good friend has compiled a remarkable record on 
             national security, ranging from complex issues of global 
             strategy all the way down to the very basic pay and 
             quality of life issues for the men and women in uniform 
             and their families. His own distinguished record in World 
             War II as an aviator provides special insights into 
             military matters.
               Military matters, however, are not the only field in 
             which the senior Senator from Alaska has invested his time 
             and passion. Senator Stevens has also fought hard to find 
             ways to meet America's energy needs, offering the 
             extraordinary resources of his own State to meet these 
             demands. I think back time and time again when Senator 
             Stevens has taken to the Senate floor urging his 
             colleagues to fully address America's demand for energy. 
             Dressed in his trademark ``Hulk'' tie, he was a sight to 
             behold and quite a force to reckon with. If only Congress 
             had listened to Mr. Stevens a decade or two ago, not just 
             limited to Alaska issues, but toward a broad world view on 
             energy, America might not be so dependent on foreign oil 
             today.
               Senator Stevens truly loves Alaska. I remember one codel 
             trip in particular. A few years back, Senator Stevens had 
             escorted a small group of Senators, making stops along the 
             way, up to Prudhoe Bay, one of the closest points to the 
             Arctic. Senator Symms, our former colleague from Idaho, 
             and I decided we had enough learning for the day. So, 
             unwisely, we chose to play hooky and dashed from the group 
             for an impromptu plunge in the frigid waters of Prudhoe 
             Bay while the other Senators looked on in disbelief. We 
             were quite a sight as we crawled ashore frozen to the 
             bone.
               Despite this experience, I am proud to say that Senator 
             Stevens hasn't held my rowdiness against me, as he has 
             invited me back to Alaska over the years.
               Ted Stevens is not only a great champion for Alaska, 
             American energy, and our Nation's armed forces, but he is 
             also a champion of the Senate. One of the most lasting 
             legacies he has had on this special body, and one of the 
             legacies he has imparted on me, is his remarkable record 
             of work with new Senators from both sides of the aisle. 
             Throughout many years, Senator Stevens has voluntarily 
             stepped forward to counsel new colleagues about the 
             history and intricacies of the legislative process in the 
             Senate.
               I am particularly indebted to him for helping me. 
             Therefore, Mr. President, it is my honor and privilege to 
             today congratulate my good friend, Senator Ted Stevens, on 
             becoming the longest serving Republican in the Senate. 
             Carry on, dear friend.
                                                  Tuesday, June 5, 2007
               Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I rise to join in this 
             body's hearty congratulations to our colleague from 
             Alaska, Mr. Stevens, as the longest serving Republican 
             Senator. The remarkable thing about Ted Stevens is not the 
             number of years he has served but the amount of service he 
             has put into those years.
               The Founders did a unique thing when they created the 
             Senate. They knew that democracy should both let the 
             majority rule most of the time but also protect minority 
             viewpoints from the tyranny of the majority. They created 
             a House of Representatives based on proportional 
             representation. Meanwhile, in the Senate, they gave every 
             State, large and small, exactly two votes. They then went 
             a step further, and created the Senate as a body that 
             operates by consensus. The result is a place where one 
             person with a good idea can impact the entire body.
               Ted Stevens is a living embodiment of the wisdom of our 
             Founding Fathers. He is precisely the kind of Senator they 
             hoped for: forceful, persevering, principled and 
             indefatigably devoted to his State's interests.
               Alaska is a unique State and Senator Stevens reflects 
             its style and unlimited potential exceptionally. In every 
             aspect, Alaska is a long, long way from Washington, DC, 
             and its unusual bureaucratic culture. We all benefit from 
             the independent, self-reliant spirit of Alaska that the 
             Senator brings, reminding us of the pioneer heritage of 
             the West. I am personally appreciative of the Senator's 
             hospitality when visiting in his home State. I thought we 
             had ``wide open spaces'' in Minnesota, but Alaska's are 
             certainly both wider and more open.
               When President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State, 
             William Seward, finalized the purchase of Alaska, it was 
             thought to be a folly. How blessed we all are as Americans 
             to have its abundant wilderness and natural resources as 
             part of our national experience.
               I have found that when people want to learn something 
             really important, they prefer an example to an 
             explanation. As I have tried to learn my way around this 
             institution, Senator Stevens has been a role model, an 
             example, and a friend. I thank him for his kindness.
               But even more I thank him for his service which has made 
             this Nation safer, stronger and freer for all. He makes 
             his great State and all his colleagues proud to say they 
             know Ted Stevens.
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