[Senate Document 111-22]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
TRIBUTES TO HON. ROBERT F. BENNETT
Robert F. Bennett
U.S. SENATOR FROM UTAH
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Robert F. Bennett
?
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Robert F. Bennett
United States Senator
1993-2011
a
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Farewell to the Senate................................
vii
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
3
Baucus, Max, of Montana........................
11
Bond, Christopher S., of Missouri..............
5
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
18
Carper, Thomas R., of Delaware.................
18
Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
12
Cornyn, John, of Texas.........................
16
Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
15
Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
6, 15
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
13
Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
17
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
19
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
8
Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
20
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
7
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
5
Warner, Mark R., of Virginia...................
7
BIOGRAPHY
Former Senator Robert F. Bennett has earned the
reputation among his colleagues, constituents, and clients
as a pragmatic problem-solver who seeks creative and
commonsense solutions to their issues.
Robert F. Bennett entered the political arena by
managing his father's Senatorial reelection campaign 49
years ago, in 1962. Wallace F. Bennett was a U.S. Senator
from 1951 to 1974. It was this experience that would later
inspire Mr. Bennett to seek public office.
In the meantime, he used his strong leadership skills
and lessons learned from working as a staffer on Capitol
Hill in several successful entrepreneurial pursuits. His
greatest triumph in the business world came when he was
CEO of Franklin International Institute, now known as
Franklin Covey. Mr. Bennett grew the business from 4
employees to more than 1,000, and it was listed on the New
York Stock Exchange.
In 1992, Mr. Bennett followed in his father's footsteps
and ran a successful campaign for the U.S. Senate,
carrying his businessman-like approach with him to the
Hill. He served as a senior member of the Senate Banking
Committee and a member of the distinguished Joint Economic
Committee, where he was at the center of national economic
policy discussions. He also served as the ranking
Republican on the Senate Rules Committee.
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee,
Senator Bennett strived to balance fiscal discipline in
government while representing the needs of his
constituents in the distribution of Federal funds. He also
represented the interests of the West as the ranking
Republican on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on
Energy and Water and a member of the Senate Energy and
Natural Resources Committee.
Senator Bennett was at the forefront of health care
reform. He cosponsored the Healthy Americans Act, the
first major bipartisan health care legislation in more
than a decade. His Healthy Americans Act guaranteed
quality, affordable, portable health coverage for every
American, cutting health costs by more than $1.2 trillion
over the next decade.
Mr. Bennett is a graduate of the University of Utah,
where he was student body president. He and his wife Joyce
are the proud parents of 6 children and have 20
grandchildren.
Farewell to the Senate
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, there once was a very
strong tradition in the Senate that every new Senator gave
a maiden speech, and in that tradition some Senators
waited as long as a year before they gave the speech.
Then, when the time came, the more senior Senators would
gather and take notes and then critique the newcomer on
how well he did.
Life has changed a good deal. I never gave a maiden
speech. I plunged right into the debate when I got here.
Now the tradition seems to be to give a farewell speech.
So I am grateful to my colleagues who will gather for this
occasion as I contemplate saying farewell to the Senate.
But I will warn them, this is probably not my last speech.
I intend to be heavily involved in the debate over whether
we pass a continuing resolution or an omnibus bill.
I have a history with the Senate, and it began when I
was a teenager as a summer intern. I remember sitting in
the gallery and watching Bob Taft prowl across the back of
the Senate, watching to make sure things were going
according to his desire. He had been the majority leader.
He had stepped down from that position because of the
cancer he had contracted, but he was still paying
attention to this body where he served with such
distinction.
Lyndon Johnson was sprawled out with his lanky frame at
the Democratic leader's desk, and I was watching from the
gallery, thinking what an extraordinary place this was.
Ten years later, I came back as a staffer, and I served
here. I was sitting in my cubicle in the Dirksen Building
when word came that John F. Kennedy had been shot in
Dallas. We didn't know whether he was dead. We all rushed
over to the Senate, where there was a ticker tape back in
the back lobby, to see what was happening. I rushed in
with the others to see what was there and then looked to
see whom I had jostled aside in order to get to see the
ticker tape. It was Mike Mansfield. I quietly withdrew,
realizing I had done something that was not appropriate on
that occasion.
I was here in Washington when Martin Luther King gave
his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. I was here as a staffer
when the historic civil rights bill of 1964 was passed and
was involved in the drafting of that bill at a very low
kind of level and the conflict that occurred on that
occasion.
Then I came back into government as the head of the
congressional relations function for a Cabinet-level
department. I worked with Senator Dirksen in trying to
pursue the Nixon administration's goals forward and ran
into a bright young Senator from Kansas with a sharp wit
named Bob Dole. I had the opportunity of working with
Dirksen and Dole and the others in that situation.
Watergate came along. I was given the dubious honor of
being called to testify by a young Senator from Tennessee
named Howard Baker. He assigned me to his staffer, who
grilled me for 3 hours under oath--a fellow by the name of
Fred Thompson.
There are great memories there. I did not realize I
would come back to the Senate myself, and as a political
junkie, what could be better? I was involved in the
debate, I had access to all of the activity, and they even
gave me a vote. It was a great time, a great opportunity,
and I have enjoyed it immensely and say farewell to it
with mixed feelings.
What have I learned out of all of this, both that past
history and my own history in the Senate? I will not bore
you with all of the things I have learned, but I have
picked out several I want to highlight here today.
One of the first things I learned is that this is,
indeed, an extraordinary place filled with extraordinary
people. And the caricature we get from the press and the
movies and other places that this is filled with people
who have self-serving agendas and very low standards of
ethics is simply not true. The Senate is filled with
people with the highest standard of ethics--we have a few
clunkers, I will admit that, but overall the highest
standard of ethics the American people could want.
If I may dip back into my history to give you this
example of how much better the present Senate is than some
of the older ones, I remember that when I was prowling the
halls in the circumstances I have described, I ran into a
friend who was distraught.
I said to him, ``What is the problem?''
He said, ``I am taking a group of schoolchildren through
the Capitol, and I sent a note in to a Senator to ask him
if he would come out and speak to them. And he did, and he
is drunk. I can't get him to stop and get the
schoolchildren back to the tour, and I don't know what to
do.''
You don't see that kind of behavior in today's Senate.
You don't see the kind of casualness toward personal
campaign contributions that existed. Why do you think,
when they built the Dirksen Building, they put a safe in
every Senator's office? It was to hold the cash that would
be brought into the office and handed to the Senator. And
that was a routine kind of circumstance.
One of the things I enjoyed about the renovation of the
Dirksen Building was being able to say to the Architect of
the Capitol, ``Take the safe out because we don't need it
anymore.'' I notice now that I started a trend. If I leave
no legacy other than this, it will be that the safes are
all coming out of the Dirksen Office Building, and I was
the first one to do that.
This is an extraordinary place filled with extraordinary
people who take their jobs very seriously and deserve the
kind of respect that too often they do not get. Everybody
says, when they leave this place, they will miss the
people. I certainly will. The friendships that have been
made here, the lessons I have been taught, and the mentors
I have had have all been a major part of it. I will not
name names because once I get started in that, I will not
be able to quit. But I do recognize the mentors I have had
in the leaders, in my senior colleague, Senator Hatch--and
I will tell a story about him--and the staff. These are
also extraordinary people who go to extraordinary lengths
to serve the country. We should acknowledge that and give
them the credit they deserve.
Senator Hatch gave me this piece of advice. We were
talking one night about an issue, and we were on opposite
sides. That didn't happen very often. Senator Hatch and I
don't confer in advance of a vote very often. We come to
our own conclusions, but, both being conservative
Republicans, we usually end up in the same place. On this
occasion, we were different. Orrin was giving me his full
court press. You have all been exposed to Orrin's full
court press on an issue.
Finally, he said to me, ``Bob, apply the driving home
test.''
I said, ``All right, what is the driving home test?''
He said, ``After this is all over and the lights go out
and you go get in your car and you are driving home,
thinking back on the day and the votes you cast, the
driving home test is, how will you feel driving home if
you cast that particular vote?''
I said, ``Orrin, that is some of the best advice I ever
got.''
I voted against him, and I felt great while I was
driving home.
In sum, that is one of the first things I learned. This
is an extraordinary place filled with extraordinary people
who are dedicated to the country, dedicated to doing the
right thing, and who uphold the highest ethical standards.
The next thing I learned is that there are two parties
and that there is a difference between the two parties.
There are those who say: Oh, there is not a dime's worth
of difference between the Republicans and the Democrats;
they are the same people who say we are all corrupt. There
is a significant difference. The Democrats are the party
of government. Going back to their roots with Franklin
Roosevelt, they come to the conclusion that if there is a
problem, government should solve that problem. The
Republicans are the party of free markets, and they come
to the conclusion that if there is a problem, it should be
left to the markets to solve it. And they are both right.
That is the thing I have come to understand here. There
are some problems where government is the solution--but
not always. There are some problems where free markets do
provide the solution--but not always.
The tension between those two has run throughout the
history of the Republic. You can go all the way back to
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton and the arguments
they had as to what the proper role of government should
be, whether it should be big government or little
government, whether you should have this or that kind of
power. It ran through the Constitutional Convention and
arguments that occurred there.
It is appropriate that those who believe in government
should have strong advocates on their side. Those who
believe in free markets should have equally strong
advocates on their side. And because I believe in free
markets, I am a Republican, and I have been happy to be a
Republican. I have been careful to stand up for those
things I believe, and I have compiled a record that many
of my friends on the Democratic side would consider fairly
miserable in terms of wisdom on voting. But let us
understand in the debate, as we go back and forth between
these two concepts, that we do not question the motives or
the patriotism of anyone on the other side--or within our
own caucuses.
I remember an event where someone on the Republican side
voted with the Democrats in a way that some on this side
felt was betrayal, and there was a sense of, let's punish
him, let's do this, that, and the other. Trent Lott taught
me this lesson. He said, ``No, the most important vote is
the next one. We are going to need his vote the next time.
And if we punish him for this last vote, we won't get
it.''
Yes, there is a difference between the two parties. Yes,
we disagree. But if we can disagree in an effort to solve
the problems of the country and be willing on occasion to
say maybe the other side is right, we will move forward.
Let me go back to the Civil Rights Act and that debate.
Barry Goldwater was the Republican standard bearer in the
year that was passed. Barry Goldwater and many of his
colleagues on the Republican side believed that the Civil
Rights Act was an unwarranted intrusion on personal
liberty, that you were entitled to pick your own
associations. And the Democrats--some of them--believed
the civil rights bill had to be passed to keep faith with
the 14th Amendment and government's role in securing
liberty.
Everett Dirksen stood in the middle of that fight. The
civil rights bill was written in his office. Lyndon
Johnson gets historic credit for it, as he deserves, but
within this body where the cloture vote determined whether
it would pass, the key figure was Everett Dirksen.
My father, with me as his chief of staff, was caught in
that pressure with the conservatives saying one thing, the
liberals saying another, and dad trying to decide which
way he would go. I remember a comment he made as he made
his decision--and he made his decision to go with Dirksen,
vote for the bill, vote for cloture. Being a businessman,
he had thought it through. He believed in free markets as
well as I do. But he made this comment which I have always
held onto as an example of the way you deal with this
challenge. He said:
You know, I thought about it, and many of these
companies that refuse to serve Black people are public
companies with their stock available on the stock
exchange. So what we are saying is, it is all right for
the Black person to own the company but it is not all
right for him to patronize it. That is unsustainable.
So on this occasion, he sided with the people who
believed in government to solve the problem. He voted for
the Civil Rights Act, and he got a challenger for his next
nomination and the toughest primary he ever had within the
party. He overcame that challenger, and he got his fourth
term.
I made the decision to act in concert with George Bush
and my leader, Mitch McConnell, and the Democratic leader,
Harry Reid, and the Republican standard bearer, John
McCain, to vote in favor of an act of government as
opposed to free markets when I supported the Toxic Asset
Relief Program (TARP). And I got a challenger as I sought
a fourth term, and I was not as successful as my father,
so my career was ended. My father never regretted his
civil rights vote. I don't regret my TARP vote because it
was the right thing to do.
For those who say, ``Oh, what a terrible thing it is
that your career has ended,'' I go back again to the old
Senate and a Senator named Norris Cotton, from New
Hampshire. Norris Cotton was a Republican. He used to tell
this story:
Three fellows were sitting on a bench in New Hampshire
in their rocking chairs contemplating what would happen
after they had died. The first one said, ``You know, after
I die, I want to be buried next to George Washington, the
Father of our country. I think it will be a great honor to
be buried next to Washington.''
The second one said, ``Well, that is fine, but I am more
loyal to our State. I want to be buried next to Daniel
Webster.''
OK. They rocked for a while, and they turned to the
third fellow and they said, ``What about you?''
He said, ``I want to be buried next to Elizabeth
Taylor.''
They said, ``But, Joe, Elizabeth Taylor is not dead
yet.''
He said, ``Neither am I.''
I appreciate the opportunity to give this farewell
speech and your willingness to come listen to it. But I am
not dead yet. The demographers are saying, within the next
three or four decades, the number of Americans over the
age of 100 will be in the millions. I intend to be one of
that number. I have loved being in the Senate. I have
loved the association. I have enjoyed hearing about the
issues and being in the arena to try to solve them.
I do not intend to leave the arena of public debate and
public affairs. I simply have changed venues. I am
grateful to the Senate and to all my friends for all the
things you have taught me. I view the Senate not as the
end of my career but as the education and preparation for
the next stage.
My father lived until he was 95, my mother 96. I only
have to beat the demographic laws by a very small
percentage to make my goal. I appreciate the opportunity
of being here and your courtesy in listening to me here
today.
TRIBUTES
TO
ROBERT F. BENNETT
Proceedings in the Senate
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, 16 Senators will retire
this year. There is a pretty big turnover in this body,
but that is a lot of Senators at once. We are losing an
enormous amount of talent, but, of course, we are gaining
a lot of talent with the new Senators.
I wish to show my respect for those who have served,
which I will do in a summary fashion because we are
talking about 16 individuals with very complex and
distinguished backgrounds.
One might ask, what are the characteristics of a
Senator? There are a lot of different answers to that,
depending on your background and attitude toward politics
and government. First, I have always thought that one
characteristic of almost every Member of the Senate is
that he or she probably was a first grader sitting in the
front row, hand in the air waiting to be recognized. This
is an eager bunch or you would not have gotten here.
Second, it is a group of risk takers. Most people who
end up in the Senate get here because a lot of other
people who wanted to be Senators were standing around
waiting for the right time to run. A lot of people who
were elected to the Senate seemed to have no chance of
winning at the time they decided to run, but the voters
decided differently, and here they are.
Third, we are almost all professional and congenial.
That is a big help. It is almost a requirement in an
organization of 100 individuals who spend almost all their
time with one another, who serve in a body that operates
by unanimous consent, when just one Senator can bring the
whole place to a halt, and whose job basically is to argue
about some of the most difficult issues that face the
American people. So it helps that almost every Member of
the Senate is an especially congenial person.
Back in Tennessee, people often say to me it must be
rough being in that job. They are awfully mean up there.
The truth is, I don't know of a more congenial group than
the Members of the Senate. We begin the day in the gym.
The next thing you know we are at a Prayer Breakfast, and
then we are at a committee hearing. Then we are on the
floor voting, and then we have lunch. It goes through the
day until 7 or 8 o'clock, or sometimes later. We live
together and we get along very well. We know and respect
each other.
Not long ago, the Presiding Officer (Mr. Udall of New
Mexico) and I were having dinner together with our wives.
We were lamenting the loss of families who know one
another, the way it happened when his father was serving
in Congress and when I first came to the Senate to work
for Senator Baker. And that's true. We've lost some of
that. Still, there is an enormous amount of affection and
good will here. You don't always get to be very close
friends in this job, but you get to be very good
acquaintances, and you learn to respect people for their
strengths.
Senator Domenici said, when he left, that we don't do a
very good job of saying goodbye here. That is true. As one
part of saying goodbye, I wish to say at least one good
thing about each one of the 16 retiring Senators. Much
more could be said about each, of course. Mostly, I am
going in alphabetical order.
I have known Senator Bob Bennett of Utah the longest.
We served together in the Nixon administration. I was in
the White House working with Bryce Harlow, and he was in
the Department of Transportation. That was in 1969 and
1970. What I will remember about Bob Bennett--and most
Senators will remember this about his legacy--are his
careful expositions of economic issues. He has a
background as an entrepreneur and businessman. He served
with distinction on the Joint Economic Committee. His
expertise in helping us better understand the economy has
been valuable. ...
It has been my privilege to serve with these 16
Senators. We thank them for their service to our country.
They have had a chance to serve in what we regard as the
world's greatest deliberative body; it is a special
institution. We will miss their leadership, and we hope
they will stay in touch with us because they are not just
retiring Senators, they are all our friends.
I yield the floor.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of
materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to
retiring Members of the 111th Congress, and that Members
have until Thursday, December 16, to submit such tributes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Mr. BOND. Madam President, I am humbled to follow my
great, good friend, the eloquent orator, the wonderful
Senator from Utah, Mr. Bob Bennett, a man who has been a
giant in this Senate, not only terms of height but of
intellect. We have followed his lead on many issues. I
know the Senate will miss him.
Mr. REID. Senator Bennett from Utah is a very dear
friend of mine. We have traveled around as Members of the
Senate, visiting places all over the world. His wife Joyce
is an accomplished artist. She is a flutist. She is well
known here and in Utah. Senator Bennett is a very
courageous man. What a disappointment he was not
reelected. I am not usually giving speeches for my
Republican colleagues, but it is a real loss to the
country that Senator Bennett will not return to the
Senate. He is a very courageous man. He represents the
ideals of the State of Utah. He is a very devout member of
his church. He is a person who calls his political issues
the way he sees them. His having been criticized for
supporting his President, a Republican President, on the
Toxic Asset Relief Program (TARP) is unfair. This was one
of the most important issues we faced in ages in this
country, and I think the proof is in the pudding. Of the
hundreds of billions of dollars--almost $1 trillion--that
were put out for that fund, all but $25 billion is paid
back and most of the economists say we will get more than
that back from some of the things that were invested in.
I admire the public service of Senator Bennett. It has
been outstanding. It meets the accomplishments of his
father who also served very well in the U.S. Senate. I am
going to miss him a great deal. What a wonderful human
being. He is an author. He has in the past been a very
successful businessman, and I think one of the most
accomplished legislators I have had the pleasure to deal
with. ... So I am grateful for the friendship of Senator
Bennett and Senator Dorgan.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in
recognizing Senator Robert Bennett of Utah.
I have had the privilege of working with Senator Bennett
since I entered the Senate in 1997, 4 years after Senator
Bennett began his Senate service. I have admired his
enthusiasm and dedication to serving the people of Utah
ever since.
It was clear that public service was in his blood. From
his election as student body president at the University
of Utah, to his time in the Utah Army National Guard,
Senator Bennett's priority for his entire adult life has
been serving the people of his home State.
His first taste of real politics came in the 1960s when
he helped his father Wallace Bennett win reelection to
this very Chamber. While he did not seek office himself
until almost 20 years following his father's retirement,
he worked in the private sector in Utah, deepening his
ties to the State and his devotion to the people of Utah.
I have had the privilege of working side by side with
Senator Bennett on the Appropriations Committee for many
years. I have seen his passion for service, his respect
for the Senate, and above all else, his love of Utah.
He has managed to stay true to the fiscal principles
that he gained as a businessman and CEO, while
understanding the need for compromise when it was required
of him for the sake of his State and the rest of America.
During his tenure here, Utah has become a premiere
destination of the West--he has worked for quality
education for Utah's children, fought to preserve its
natural landscapes, and paved the way for the development
of 21st century infrastructure back home.
Senator Bennett also made America proud in 2002 when he
helped the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics become one of
the most successful and safe Olympic games in recent
memory.
Of course, Senator Bennett and I have not always seen
eye to eye on many issues. But my respect for his beliefs
has always been deep. In 2008, when America was on the
brink of financial collapse, I was moved by his eagerness
to reach across the aisle to do what was right for Utah
and Illinois, alike. This has always been his character,
and the Senate will miss him for it.
Senator Bennett leaves us this month in the same way
that he has served here for almost 20 years: with dignity
and conviction. I am proud to call him a friend, and wish
him and his family all the best in the future.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to
our colleagues who are departing the Senate after
distinguished service on behalf of their States and on
behalf of the Nation. I have been privileged to work with
these individuals, to learn from them, to collaborate and
cooperate with them, and to, in some small way, help them
do what they have done so well--represent their States
with fidelity, with great effort, and to move the agenda
of the Nation forward. ...
Bob Bennett and I served together on the Banking
Committee. His thoughtful questioning and his deep
knowledge of the subjects were critical on so many
different issues. I remember when we were trying to get
the extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
completed so the markets--particularly the markets for
large properties--would not freeze up, he was instrumental
in getting that done. That is just one example of what he
has done throughout a career of public service to the
people of Utah and of this Nation. I wish him and Joyce
the very best as they continue to serve, as I am sure they
will, this Nation and their State of Utah. ...
To all of these colleagues and their families, my
deepest appreciation and my profoundest respect.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise again to recognize the
service of another great Federal employee. This is a
tradition that was started by our friend and former
colleague, Senator Kaufman, and I am proud to carry on
that tradition. But I want to first say that I appreciate
the remarks of the Presiding Officer (Mr. Reed) about our
colleagues who are leaving this body, and I share his
great respect for not only Senator Kaufman but all of the
colleagues who are leaving the body at the end of this
Congress. ...
Monday, December 13, 2010
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, we are losing through
retirement a number of our most distinguished Members.
None of them have I been closer to than the Senator from
Utah, Senator Bennett, and I am pleased he is here on the
floor today. He made his farewell speech last week, and
now I wish to speak about his farewell myself.
Over the last 18 years, I have come to rely on Bob's
counsel, and today I wish to thank him publicly and
personally for being so generous with his candid advice
and unfailing good judgment. I simply would not be where I
am today without the benefit of Bob's wisdom and
friendship, and I am deeply grateful for it.
Bob has always been a pretty low-key guy, and he has
always preferred working quietly in the background--both
rarities in politics today. But as with most everything
Bob does, there is a method behind his style. As Bob once
put it: ``In Washington, there are two kinds of Senators
... workhorses and show horses. I decided I would be a
workhorse.'' Then he went on to explain the difference. He
said:
Most of the show horses look in the mirror in the
morning and see a President looking back at them ... But
we haven't elected a bald President in this country since
[Dwight] Eisenhower [so] I look in the mirror and realize
I don't have the qualifications.
What Bob failed to point out, of course, is that he has
one of the longest resumes in the Senate. So I would like
to take a moment today to go through just some of the
things he has achieved in a very eventful life.
Born in Salt Lake City, Bob was the youngest of Francis
and Wallace F. Bennett's five children. Bob learned the
value of hard work from his dad and the importance of
faith from both his parents. The product of public
education, Bob graduated from East High School in Salt
Lake City and then went on to attend the University of
Utah, where he majored in political science and served as
student body president.
After college, he served 3 years as chaplain in the Utah
Army National Guard. By then, Bob's father had already
been a U.S. Senator for a number of years; and after his
service Bob joined his dad's Senate reelection campaign in
1962. It was a close race, but Bob's father was able to
win--and Bob himself was hooked on politics. After working
on the campaign, he wasn't much interested in returning to
Bennett Paint & Glass, so he packed his bags and moved to
Washington, DC.
After bouncing around a little as a press secretary in
Congress, a corporate researcher working on Federal
pension law, and chief administrative assistant for his
dad, he took a job as a lobbyist for J.C. Penney.
Now, in those days, lobbyists did not make as much money
as they do today. But Bob enjoyed the work and the
friendships he made, including his friendship with the
legendary Bryce Harlow. Bryce ended up becoming more than
a friend to Bob, he really became a mentor to him. And
when Nixon won the Presidential election in 1968, Bryce
pulled Bob aside and gave him some marching orders: ``If I
have to give up my cushy corporate job to serve this
administration,'' he said, ``so do you. Go get measured
for a suit, go over to the Department of Transportation.
Show up; you're going to be John Volpe's head of
congressional relations.'' And that is exactly what Bob
did. Bob will tell you he was proud of his work and
experience he gained at DOT. He says no department was
more successful. And he has all of the Presidential pens
to prove it.
At the end of 1971, Bob was ready to leave government
and start something new. So he bought the public relations
firm Robert Mullen Company and soon unwittingly found
himself right in the middle of the Watergate scandal. What
Bob didn't know when he bought the firm is that it doubled
as a CIA front and that one of its employees had organized
the break-in at the center of the Watergate investigation.
The unwanted attention ruined Bob's new business and
completely changed the course of his career.
Howard Hughes was one of Mullen's clients at the time,
and he asked Bob to work for him directly in California.
Looking for a fresh start, he took the job, and left
Washington for the west coast. After that, Bob found
success running a company that made day planners and
organizers. Under his leadership, the company went from 4
employees to over 1,000 employees and more than $80
million in sales. And then, in 1992, with Utah Republican
Jake Garn retiring from the Senate, Bob decided to fulfill
his lifelong dream and follow in his father's footsteps by
running for the Senate. After a tough primary, he beat his
Democratic opponent and won the election by a 15-point
margin. And since entering this Chamber, he has been a
central player in some of the most significant legislative
efforts the Senate has undertaken over the last two
decades.
A staunch conservative with a track record of finding
common ground on some of the toughest issues, Bob played a
central role in the bailout of the Mexican Government
during the peso crisis in the 1990s. For his efforts,
President Clinton praised him as ``a highly intelligent,
old-fashioned conservative who quickly grasped the
consequences of inaction and would stick with us
throughout the crisis.'' Around the same time, he was also
instrumental in the passage of legislation related to the
confidentiality of medical records.
As someone who has always worked hard to build
relationships with Democrats, I knew I could always rely
on Bob to find out the pulse of Democrats on an issue. And
Democrats could turn to him too. Here is what Senator Reid
once said about Bob: ``There is no more honorable Member
of this body than Bob Bennett.''
Bob and I have found common cause over the years, among
other things, in our defense of the First Amendment. I
remember being in the trenches together over the flag-
burning amendment, which we both opposed. Both of us, of
course, also strongly oppose any desecration of the flag.
But we agreed that an amendment to the Constitution was
not the way to go. In the end, we prevailed. We thought it
was a worthy fight to ensure that Congress didn't place
any qualifiers on the First Amendment.
Over this time, Bob became one of my most trusted
colleagues, and that is why, when I was elected Republican
leader, I asked him if he would serve as one of my
advisers. He is smart and levelheaded, a proven leader, a
successful entrepreneur, and when he speaks everyone
listens. In addition, he has a remarkable gift of
persuasion. Far from the floor is where Bob does his best
work. It is a trait he learned from his dad.
As Bob once put it:
Building a consensus, building relationships where
people will trust and do things for you is the hardest
work of the Senate, and when it comes to fruition ... it's
also the most rewarding work in the Senate.
Bob decided long ago to do his best to stay out of the
nasty political fights that occur from time to time in
Washington. That is one of the reasons you don't ever see
him on the Sunday shows. Bob knows that most of the time
the media is just looking for that gotcha moment. He is
more interested in focusing on what is best for his
constituents, whether it is in this Chamber, in committee,
or back home.
In addition to Bob's role in leadership, he served as
the ranking member of the Rules and Administration
Committee, as the chairman of the Joint Economic
Committee, as the senior member of the Senate Banking
Committee, as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on
Energy and Water Development and on the Senate
Appropriations Committee. He has been involved in nearly
every major issue that has come through this Chamber over
the past two decades. He has worked hard to fix our
economy and health care system, simplify the tax code,
reform entitlement programs, and strengthen America's
national security at home and abroad.
But Bob will tell you his most important job is being a
husband. And of course today we also pay tribute to Joyce,
who has played such an active role in the life of the
Senate family over the years. We will miss them both.
Together, they have raised six children and in nearly 50
years of marriage, they have certainly seen a lot.
When asked about his legacy, Bob has pointed out that it
was always his hope to live up to his own father's example
of integrity and hard work. Bob, we know that if your dad
were here today, he would be so proud of all you have
accomplished not only in this Chamber and for our country,
but also as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. So
it is with a sense of gratitude for all that he has meant
to the Senate and to me personally, that I pay tribute to
Bob Bennett. It has been an honor to serve with him, and
most important to call him a friend. On behalf of the
entire Senate family, I want to thank Bob for his service.
He will be missed, and we wish him all the best in the
next chapter of his life.
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I too want to say a couple of
words about Bob Bennett. We are deeply impressed with his
sense of integrity and his commitment to working for
basic, sound principles. I might say he made a big
impression on me when he came to my office--I think on his
own, but maybe he was appointed to do so--to help find a
way to make the Senate more relevant and to find ways to
change the Senate rules to address some of the frustration
a lot of Senators have. People who are watching may
wonder, gosh, why do Senators think they are not relevant?
I must say that a lot of Senators feel they want to get
something done quickly and they are sometimes frustrated
with the actions of another Senator who doesn't quite have
the same idea. I was impressed with Bob's attitude. He
talked to me and asked, ``What can be done, Max? What
ideas do you have?'' It was very refreshing. I remember
thinking at the time that this will be difficult, and I
told him it would be difficult. I didn't tell him how
difficult I thought it would be. But I was impressed with
his freshness and his desire to help adjust the Senate
rules.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to
honor a friend and colleague, Senator Bob Bennett, who
will be moving on from the Senate after 18 years of
service to the people of Utah.
Bob has had a long and impressive career. Out of
college, he served for several years in the Utah National
Guard and worked as a congressional liaison for the
Department of Transportation. Turning next to the private
sector, he worked for 20 years in public relations and
later in the technology field. He put that experience to
good use once elected to the Senate, using his high-tech
know-how to chair the Senate Special Committee on the Year
2000 Technology Problem, serve on the Senate Republican
High-Tech Task Force, and work on issues from broadband
infrastructure development to cybersecurity.
Utah and North Dakota have many things in common. Both
are largely rural States with unique needs that often go
unrecognized by those who live in densely populated areas.
Senator Bennett should be proud that he has been a vocal
and consistent supporter of funding for Utah's farmers and
ranchers, veterans, rural health care institutions,
military installations, and roads, highways, and mass-
transit infrastructure. I know that Utah has many reasons
to be grateful for what Bob Bennett's hard work on the
Appropriations Committee has brought to the State over the
years.
During his time here, Senator Bennett and I have worked
closely on a number of important issues, especially those
related to our national defense. As an important member of
the Senate ICBM Coalition, Senator Bennett has worked with
me to ensure that our Nation preserves both its fleet of
Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and the
infrastructure required to keep them operational for years
into the future. Senator Bennett is also a member of the
Senate Tanker Caucus, which has vocally and consistently
pushed for the Department of Defense to quickly and fairly
select and procure a next-generation aerial refueling
tanker to replace the aging KC-135. His advocacy on this
issue has been key in the work of the caucus.
Finally, of course, and I think most important to Bob,
he is a dedicated and outstanding family man. Though I
know he will be missed here in the Senate, the new time he
will have to spend with his wife Joyce and his six
children will certainly be counted among his many
blessings. My wife Lucy and I wish Bob and his family many
happy years ahead.
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, it is always a bittersweet
moment when the end of a session of Congress draws near
and it becomes time for us to say goodbye to those of our
colleagues who will be returning home at the end of the
year. We know we will miss them when the next session of
Congress begins not only for their many contributions to
the day-to-day work of the Senate but for their friendship
and the good advice they have provided to us for so long
as we deliberated issue after issue on the Senate floor.
I can't think of anyone who better fits that description
than Bob Bennett. Bob was born in Utah, a member of a
family who was very active in their community and the
government. Bob was therefore blessed with some great role
models early on in his life. He soon found he had a talent
for business and a great understanding of the needs of
businesspeople all over the State and around the Nation.
Because of his insights and his ability to promote his
good ideas and products, he took his company from a 4-
person shop in 1984 to an $82 million company just a few
years later with more than 700 newly created staff. With
today's economy we can really appreciate that--that is a
lot of jobs.
From there he decided to take on the challenge of a run
for the Senate. As we all know, that first run for the
Senate is never easy as it takes more than the vote of a
community to make it happen. You have to take your case to
every corner of the entire State. That means putting a lot
of miles on your car and getting to know people from every
city, town, and neighborhood.
It wasn't an easy bid for office that brought Bob to
Washington. But, in the end, he proved to have what it
takes to be a successful candidate. He had a vision for
the future of Utah and the United States, a willingness to
work hard, and a sense of humor. He took his job and the
position he holds of Senator very seriously, but he was
never one to take himself too seriously. In fact, he sees
his job principally in terms of what he can do to help the
people of Utah who elected him.
That is why, when he arrived in Washington, he
immediately established a reputation as one of the
Senate's most influential and sought after conservatives.
Like me, he learned at a very young age that it was better
to be a workhorse than a show horse because there is no
limit to what you can do if you don't care who gets the
credit. Bob never cared about getting his share of the
credit; he was always too busy working on the next issue
and helping to form another compromise agreement to make
sure things continued to get done.
Bob has left quite a legacy of achievement during his
service in the Senate and a big pair of shoes to fill for
those who will follow him. The media knows him not for an
assortment of catchy one liners but for his ability to
provide easily understood, readily accessible explanations
about what was going on in the Senate--and why. No one has
a better, clearer understanding of the inner workings of
the Senate than Bob does. He has been such a valued
resource, in fact, that many of us have sought him out
more than a time or two just to get his take on things.
One of the things I will most remember about Bob is his
love of gadgets. He was the first Senator to drive a high-
mileage, low-emissions, gasoline-electric hybrid car. His
interest stemmed from his awareness of the importance of
conserving energy and the need to pursue solutions to our
transportation problems that would make good and wise use
of our resources.
He was also a leader in encouraging the Senate to tackle
a very thorny issue--Social Security. Social Security is a
lot like the weather: we all complain about it, we all
know something needs to be done about it, and we are all
sure we will know the right solution when it appears
magically on the Senate doorstep. That wasn't what we
should do, as Bob saw it. Then again, he was never one to
shy away from getting the conversation started on just
about anything.
In addition, as fellow small businessmen, we both took a
great interest in proposals that were offered by both
sides that would have caused problems for other small
businessmen who were trying to do what they do best--make
a profit and create more jobs. Thanks to Bob, our small
business community had a champion in the Senate who was
willing to take a stand against efforts to make owning and
running your own business more difficult than it already
is.
Those are just a few short snippets of Bob's record and
the great success he has been able to achieve for his
constituents and for our great Nation. During his service
in the Senate, Bob was not only a part of our Nation's
history, he helped to write a new chapter of it every day.
Before I close, I want to thank Bob for the great gift
of his friendship. It has meant a great deal to me ever
since that first day that Diana and I drove our van into
Washington from Wyoming, unsure of what the future held
for us but excited to begin this great new adventure in
our lives. Bob made a difference for us from the first
time we met him and Joyce, and we will always be grateful
for that. We are very proud of them both and the
difference they have made over the years in our lives and
so many more. Thanks to their efforts together, the future
will be a lot better and a more hopeful place for our
children and our grandchildren.
I don't know what you have planned for the years to
come, but one thing I am certain of--we haven't heard the
last from you. That is a good thing. You have proven to be
a great success at so many things. You have always been an
important addition to our debates and deliberations, and
you will be missed. It is good to know you will never be
more than a phone call away.
Good luck in all your future endeavors, my friend. Keep
in touch with us, and we will keep in touch with you. God
bless.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the order for the printing of tributes be modified to
provide that Members have until sine die of the 111th
Congress, 2d session, to submit tributes and that the
order for printing remain in effect.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to
a friend and longtime colleague, Senator Bob Bennett who,
like me, will be departing from the U.S. Senate in just a
couple of weeks. I would like to take this opportunity to
wish Bob, Joyce, and the rest of his family the very best
as he leaves the Senate and embarks on this new chapter in
his life.
Since he was first elected to this body in 1992, Bob has
well served the people of Utah as their Senator. Bob comes
from a long line of individuals dedicated to public
service, and it is no surprise that he himself decided to
go down that path. Bob's grandfather, Heber J. Grant, was
the seventh president of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. Bob's father, Wallace
F. Bennett, represented the State of Utah in this very
Chamber between 1951 and 1974, serving alongside my
father, Tom Dodd.
Throughout the time that I have known and worked with
him, I have always found Bob to be receptive to the ideas
of others and careful and deliberate in his own evaluation
of complex policy questions.
Of course, that is not to say that Bob Bennett isn't
also a determined partisan. Indeed, throughout his three
terms here, Bob has been one of the Senate's most
consistently conservative voices. But despite that, Bob
has frequently reached across the partisan divide to seek
out areas of common ground and mutual interest with
Democrats.
That willingness to engage and cooperate with colleagues
has perhaps been most evident in his work on the Senate
Banking Committee. Throughout our years of service
together on that panel, Bob and I have frequently been
among the first to reach out across the aisle and search
for solutions to the challenges facing our Nation's
financial services sector. From our work together during
the savings and loan crisis, to passage of legislation
that provides a safety net for our economy in the event of
a devastating terrorist attack, we have achieved some
important results.
Bob chaired and I served as vice chairman of the Y2K
Committee, to ensure the integrity of our Nation's
financial services sector. More recently, in fall 2008,
when the global financial system was on the verge of
collapse and our country was standing at the precipice of
an economic depression, Bob took a significant political
risk by supporting the Emergency Economic Stabilization
Act, which established TARP. I realize that this was an
incredibly difficult vote for Bob and every other Member
of this Chamber at the time.
But I am convinced that without elected officials who
are willing to cast those kinds of tough, yet necessary
votes, this country would be a very different place.
So I would like to once again thank Bob for his 18 years
of service in this body and for his willingness to listen
to and work with colleagues with whom he hasn't always
agreed. I would like to once again wish Bob and his family
the very best as he leaves the Senate this January.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in
appreciation and admiration of Senator Bob Bennett.
Senator Bennett understood the perspectives of America's
small business owners. After all, he was one of them. As
CEO of Franklin International Institute, Bob grew the
company from 4 employees to over 1,000. During his tenure
the firm became one of the best-known providers of time
management seminars and products, and became listed on the
New York Stock Exchange.
Reducing obstacles for small business owners has been
one of Senator Bennett's top priorities in Washington. In
his first 6 months of service, he took to the floor to
identify three ways the Federal Government was growing at
the expense of the entrepreneur. Those three obstacles--
increased regulation, increased taxation, and increased
difficulty in capital formation--remain challenges to job
creators today, and Bob has never stopped voicing their
concerns.
Senator Bennett was elected to the U.S. Senate from his
beloved State of Utah, which his father, Senator Wallace
Bennett, represented for many years. By the time I was
elected to the Chamber, Senator Bennett had already been
one of the ``wise ones'' in his own right for many years.
I have long admired Bob's sincere appreciation and respect
for the traditions and history of the Senate--to which he
and his father have both contributed tremendously.
Throughout his service here in Washington, Bob's family
has helped keep him grounded--all 6 children and 20
grandchildren. Sandy and I wish the best for Bob and his
wife Joyce.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in these closing days of the
111th Congress, the Senate will be saying farewell to one
of our most seasoned and accomplished Members, respected
on both sides of the aisle, Senator Robert Bennett of
Utah.
Certainly no one in this body doubts Senator Bennett's
staunch conservative values and principles, especially on
fiscal and regulatory issues. But, throughout his 18 years
in this body, Senator Bennett has been a consensus
builder, willing to reach across the aisle in order to get
important things done for the people of Utah and of the
entire United States. Clearly, this thoughtfulness has
caused him to lose favor with the more extreme wing of his
party, for which he paid a price during the primary
election this year. I know I am not alone in mourning the
loss of one of the Senate's most thoughtful conservatives.
For example, he partnered with Senator Ron Wyden of
Oregon in advocating a legislation to provide universal
health insurance coverage.
In response to the financial crisis of 2008, as a senior
member of the Senate Banking Committee, he supported the
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. Senator Bennett was
widely criticized by those on the right, as was I for the
same vote by critics on the left. But he can take great
pride in it, because facts are facts: the Troubled Assets
Relief Program prevented a total meltdown of our financial
system. Almost the entire $700 billion taxpayer investment
has been--or soon will be--paid back to the Treasury. In
fact, just this week, the Treasury booked a $12 billion
profit on its previous $45 billion TARP investment in
Citigroup.
I have been proud to call Bob Bennett my friend for the
last 18 years, and I count myself fortunate to have served
with him on the Appropriations Committee. He is a
gentleman, a bridge-builder, a person of rock-solid
character and integrity.
I join with the entire Senate family in wishing Bob and
Joyce the very best in the years ahead.
Mr. CARPER. Before Senator Harkin leaves the floor, let
me say I am so pleased that I was literally able to be
here on the floor and hear you talk about our colleagues.
What a wonderful thing to do, to single out Democrats and
Republicans and to reflect upon their service to their
States and to our country. I had to mention that. ...
You mentioned Bob Bennett. He and I served on the
Banking Committee for a number of years. In the end, he
lost his seat I think because of his willingness to do
what we were rewarded for in Delaware, and that is to
reach across the aisle and find ways for Republicans and
Democrats to do things together. We will certainly miss
him.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to my
distinguished colleague from Utah, Senator Robert Bennett,
who will be retiring from the Senate at the end of the
111th Congress.
I have worked with Bob since coming over to the Senate
in 1998. I have also had the privilege of serving on the
Senate Energy and Banking Committees with Bob. In fact, we
sat next to each other for years in the Banking Committee.
He is a man of integrity and devotion. As a young man,
he worked as a staffer on Capitol Hill and moved on to
become a successful entrepreneur in Washington, DC. In
1992, he followed in his father's footsteps and was
elected to the U.S. Senate. Over the course of his three
consecutive terms in the Senate, Bob has fought hard for
our shared conservative values of fiscal discipline,
securing our borders, and energy independence.
Bob has served the people of Utah proudly as their
Senator. His leadership on the Banking Committee and in
the Senate will be missed.
I am honored to know him and to have worked with him. I
would like to thank Bob for his contributions to the
Senate and to the country we both love. I wish him and his
family the best in all of their future endeavors.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I would like to take a
few minutes to pay tribute to the 16 Senators who will be
departing this body at the end of the year.
I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve
alongside each of these Senators as colleagues and as
friends. All served their States with distinction and gave
their constituents strong voices in the world's greatest
deliberative body. Senators Evan Bayh, Robert Bennett, Kit
Bond, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, Roland Burris, Chris
Dodd, Byron Dorgan, Russ Feingold, Carte Goodwin, Judd
Gregg, Ted Kaufman, George LeMieux, Blanche Lincoln, Arlen
Specter, and George Voinovich each left an indelible mark
on the Senate, and I wish them well as they take on new
challenges and opportunities into the future.
I would like to speak briefly about a few of the
Senators I knew best and served with in committees to
recognize their contributions and accomplishments and
share my fond memories of them and the legacies they will
leave behind.
For nearly two decades, Senator Bob Bennett has
honorably served the people of Utah.
His career in the U.S. Senate has been marked by his
commonsense solutions to many of the most pressing issues
facing our country.
Before serving in the Senate, Bob was a successful
entrepreneur as the CEO of Franklin International
Institute. Under his leadership, the business grew from 4
employees to more than 1,000 and was listed on the New
York Stock Exchange.
Bob brought his past experiences running a successful
company with him to the Senate. His business sense was
certainly an asset that informed his decisions as a U.S.
Senator and made him an effective advocate for businesses,
large and small, who keep our economy strong. Being a
former business owner myself, I valued his pragmatic
perspective and ability to get things done.
As a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee and a
member of the distinguished Joint Economic Committee, Bob
has been a leader in many national economic policy
decisions.
In addition, while serving as the ranking Republican on
the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and
Water, he has worked to address the critical funding needs
our country faces on a wide range of energy- and water-
related issues.
I am proud to have served with Bob for so many years,
and his leadership and kind manner will be sorely missed
in the Senate. ...
In conclusion, the departing Senators' contributions,
their dedicated service, and the issues they championed
will be remembered long after their final days in the
Senate.
I believe I can speak for my fellow Senators when I say
that we will all miss our departing friends.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, when the 111th Congress
draws to a close, we will bid farewell to 16 colleagues
who have collectively given more than 200 years of service
to our Nation through their service in the Senate. These
include seven of the Senate's most experienced Members.
People like Chris Dodd and Arlen Specter who have each
served five terms in the Senate. Kit Bond who has served
four terms and Bob Bennett, Byron Dorgan, Russ Feingold,
and Judd Gregg, who have each served three terms in this
Chamber. ...
Bob Bennett, one of the most thoughtful among us, who
draws wisdom from experience as an entrepreneur as well as
from public service, will not be among us. I learned much
from Senator Bennett during the period that he served as
counselor to the Republican leader and I served as vice
chair of the Senate Republican Conference. ...
It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with each
of the people who will leave this Chamber when we adjourn
sine die. Each has made substantial contributions to their
States, to the Nation, and to the Senate during their time
here.