[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.
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