[Senate Document 111-32]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


 
TRIBUTES TO HON. JUDD GREGG


                              Judd Gregg

                    U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE

                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES

                [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]





                                     Judd Gregg


                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                     Judd Gregg

                              United States Congressman

                                      1981-1989

                                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, 19
                    Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
                                                                     30
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                     33
                    Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
                                                                     17
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                     26
                    Corker, Bob, of Tennessee......................
                                                                     20
                    Cornyn, John, of Texas.........................
                                                                     28
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     24
                    Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
                                                                 22, 24
                    Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
                                                                     11
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                      5
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     29
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     33
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                     23
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                      7
                    Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
                                                                     34
                    Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                      6
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                      4
                    Shaheen, Jeanne, of New Hampshire..............
                                                                     15
                    Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
                                                                     31
                    Thune, John, of South Dakota...................
                                                                     21
                                      BIOGRAPHY

               A leading voice for fiscal discipline, U.S. Senator Judd 
             Gregg served three terms in the Senate and was the ranking 
             member of the Senate Budget Committee. When reelected in 
             2004, Senator Gregg received the highest number of votes 
             in New Hampshire history. He also served the Granite State 
             as Governor (1989-1993) and U.S. Representative (1981-
             1989).
               Senator Gregg is a national leader on fiscal policy, a 
             well-known budget expert, and a respected voice on health 
             care, economic, and financial regulatory issues. His 
             commonsense New Hampshire values have shaped some of the 
             most significant legislation that Congress has passed in 
             recent decades. Senator Gregg played a major role in 
             rescuing our country from the brink of economic collapse 
             as a chief negotiator of the Emergency Economic 
             Stabilization Act of 2008. He also was the lead sponsor of 
             the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and, along with the late 
             Senator Ted Kennedy, coauthored the No Child Left Behind 
             Act of 2001.
               Working across the aisle, Senator Gregg was a key 
             decisionmaker on several important issues. He championed 
             bipartisan efforts to address the Nation's looming 
             entitlement crisis, improve our health care system, and 
             revamp our complex and inequitable tax system. In March 
             2010, Senator Gregg also was appointed to President 
             Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility. This 
             bipartisan commission, which is modeled after legislation 
             first introduced by Senator Gregg and Senator Kent Conrad, 
             is responsible for developing recommendations that will 
             help balance the budget and achieve fiscal sustainability 
             over the long term.
               As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator 
             Gregg served as one of the principal negotiators working 
             to modernize our Nation's financial regulatory system. His 
             expertise on banking issues and derivatives reform 
             positioned him as a pivotal voice in the debate on 
             regulatory reform. Senator Gregg remains focused on 
             maintaining our Nation's position as the best destination 
             for capital and investment, as well as helping job 
             creators and families obtain affordable credit during 
             these challenging economic times.
               In New Hampshire, Senator Gregg is known as one of the 
             State's greatest champions of land conservation, as he 
             continues to build on a 30-year commitment to protect the 
             State's environment. To date, his efforts have helped 
             preserve more than 337,000 acres of sensitive land. As the 
             former chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, 
             and Pensions (HELP) Committee, he was also a major force 
             for promoting excellence in the higher education community 
             in New Hampshire, especially at the University of New 
             Hampshire.
               A New Hampshire native, Senator Gregg attended Columbia 
             University (A.B. 1969), received his J.D. in 1972 from 
             Boston University Law School and his LL.M. in tax law in 
             1975. He is married to Kathleen MacLellan Gregg. They have 
             two daughters, one son, and one granddaughter. Senator and 
             Mrs. Gregg are residents of Rye Beach, NH.
                               Farewell to the Senate
                             Tuesday, December 14, 2010

               Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of 
             myself and my wife Kathy to thank the people of New 
             Hampshire for giving us the great honor and privilege to 
             represent them.
               This is an extraordinary body, the Senate. It is filled 
             with wonderful people. I look around this room and I see a 
             lot of them, friends, people I have had the chance to work 
             with. I admire them immensely. I thank them for their 
             friendship. When people ask me about leaving the Senate, 
             and what is the thing I am going to miss the most, I 
             always say, it is the people, the people of the Senate, 
             because they are special, dedicated to making this country 
             a better place, dedicated to doing their jobs well, 
             dedicated to serving America.
               So I thank you for the great honor and privilege that 
             you have given Kathy and me to allow us to serve and 
             participate in this body with yourselves and your spouses. 
             I want to thank everybody else who has been so helpful 
             throughout our career, the folks here at the dais, the 
             staff, people in the Cloakroom, throughout this building. 
             I mean, there are so many people who make this Senate 
             work, people working in the furniture room, and people 
             working in the hallways, and our staffs, obviously.
               This is a special place filled with people who are 
             committed to making the Senate work. I thank them for 
             allowing Kathy and me to be part of that. I want to take a 
             point of personal privilege here and especially thank my 
             wife Kathy who is here today. You are not allowed to 
             acknowledge people, I know that, but I am going to violate 
             the rules. My wife is sitting right up there. Kathy.
               We have been married 37 years, and for 32 of those years 
             we have held elective office; nine major campaigns, 
             innumerable campaigns such as those for other people that 
             we have participated in. Through this whole intensity--and 
             we all know, who have participated in this process, the 
             intensity of the elective process in this Nation--there 
             has been a rock and a solid force in our family. She has 
             raised three extraordinary children, Molly, Sarah, and 
             Joshua, who have been exceptional in their own right and 
             have done exceptional things, even though they are still 
             young by our standards. Some of them think they are aging 
             a little bit, but they are still young.
               Their value system and their belief in this Nation and 
             their willingness to give of themselves to other people is 
             a direct expression of the values Kathy has given them; 
             sometimes a little overcompetitive on occasion, but that 
             has been one of her strengths also. We have been through 
             some hard times and some good times, and always she has 
             been there to basically be our lighthouse. So I express my 
             love and thanks to her.
               As an aside, I should say, Kathy told me I should not 
             walk back and forth like this. I have been doing it for 18 
             years. And she says it makes people sick who are watching 
             it on television. Like the famous time she called up, and 
             we were having a colloquy, and there were a bunch of us 
             talking and I am talking to, I think, Johnny Isakson. She 
             calls the floor staff and says, ``Go out and tell him to 
             turn around and face the cameras.''
               Bismarck, at the turn of the 20th century--of course, 
             Bismarck was one of the true great forces in Europe 
             throughout the late 1800s and into the 1900s--said that, 
             ``the defining fact of the 19th century was that England 
             and the United States spoke the same language.''
               What I think he meant was that the defining fact of the 
             19th century was that England and the United States had a 
             value system which believed in the individual, in liberty, 
             democracy, and markets. It was a value system that grew 
             out of the Scottish Enlightenment, people such as John 
             Locke, Francis Hutcheson, Adam Smith.
               In the 20th century, if you look at it, it was a test of 
             that value system against the other value systems which 
             had come up over the years, mostly totalitarianism. There 
             was a test of democracy against fascism, a test of 
             democracy against totalitarian socialism. And we won. We 
             won that test.
               The second big challenge of the 20th century was a test 
             of how you would create prosperity for people, a test of 
             markets versus communism, of markets versus, again, 
             totalitarian socialism. By the end of the 20th century, 
             there was no longer an issue. The American philosophy of 
             government had come to dominate the world--democracy, 
             individual liberty, and markets. The whole world was 
             moving in that direction. Now we are 10 years into the 
             next century, and we are challenged again. This time the 
             challenge is different: Substantive, significant. Maybe 
             not at the same level that the Soviet Union represented a 
             challenge, because they had the capacity to destroy us, 
             maybe not even at the same level of fights against Japan, 
             fascist Japan and fascist Germany. But the challenges are 
             huge and they will determine our future as a country.
               They basically, in my opinion, break into two primary 
             areas: The first is, of course, the threat of a terrorist 
             group using a weapon of mass destruction against us. We 
             must acknowledge that 9/11 fundamentally changed our 
             culture, changed our personality as a nation, and caused 
             us to realize our vulnerability. That threat of terrorism 
             is driven by a fanatical belief in a religious philosophy. 
             We should not deny that. We should acknowledge that. 
             Because in order to defeat that threat we have to 
             understand that.
               The second major thrust that I see as our concern as we 
             go forward is clearly of our own making. It is a positive 
             making, but it is still an issue for us, and that is we 
             have a nation which has always been extraordinarily 
             prosperous, where one generation has always passed on to 
             the next generation a better, more prosperous, and more 
             secure country. Yet today we are on the cusp of not being 
             able to do that again, because we have this population, of 
             which I am a member, called the baby boom generation, 
             which is taking our retired population from 35 million to 
             70 million people. As a result, we and the rest of the 
             world, and in Japan for that matter, because of this 
             demographic shift, find ourselves confronted with 
             governments which are struggling to figure out how they 
             are going to pay for our entitlement society. The way I 
             have sort of phrased it is that when a populist 
             government, a government that moves by election of the 
             people--when a populist government meets a massive 
             demographic shift in an entitlement society, you get 
             unsustainable debt. That is something we confront right 
             now and need to stand up to.
               Those two streams are our biggest concerns, or at least 
             my biggest concerns as I leave the Senate. How do we 
             defend ourselves against a fanatical movement, which has 
             an asymmetry base, which wants to do us harm--they are not 
             a nation state, we cannot find them easily--but wants to 
             do us harm and will do us harm if they have the capacity, 
             and will do it with a weapon of mass destruction? And how 
             do we deal with this shift in our society--this is driving 
             the populist movement, which is making our structure of 
             government unaffordable in many ways?
               America's greatness and our ability to address the 
             issues such as this comes from our people and from our 
             Constitution. It is that Constitution which embraces, 
             basically, the liberties that allow our people to create 
             prosperity and give this Nation its strength.
               Our freedom and prosperity is absolutely resilient. 
             There is no question about that. But government can either 
             be an enabler of that freedom and that resilience or it 
             can be a stifler of it. Whether we are going to succeed, I 
             believe, is whether we continue to assert the core values 
             which allow us to govern well, and they all basically 
             arise from our Constitution.
               I have the good fortune to sit at the Webster desk. 
             Daniel Webster was a Senator from Massachusetts. New 
             Hampshire, in an act of appropriate stealthiness, had the 
             desk designated to the senior Senator from New Hampshire 
             by statute in the 1970s. It is a great honor to have the 
             right to sit at this desk. Webster and Clay kept this 
             Nation together at a time when had it been torn apart it 
             would no longer have existed, because we had no Lincoln, 
             and we had no strength of the North to survive.
               Webster, in his speech on the Compromise of 1850, said:

               I mean to stand upon the Constitution. I need no other 
             platform. I know but one country. No man can suffer too 
             much. No man can fall too soon if he suffers on or if he 
             fails in defense of the liberties of the Constitution of 
             our country.

               At the center of our constitutional form of government, 
             which was designed by Madison and Randolph, which was 
             built on the concept that there should never be an overly 
             powerful branch of the government, at the center of this 
             government is the Senate. It is the cauldron of liberty 
             for our Nation.
               Why is that? Because it is the place where issues are 
             aired, people are heard, amendments are made, and no one 
             gets to shut down the minority until a supermajority 
             decides to do so. The rights of the minority are the 
             source of the power of our government. They are the source 
             of the power of our Constitution. They are the source of 
             the power of our liberty.
               This is the center, this institution is the center of 
             the rights of the minority. I have been in the minority. I 
             have been in the majority. It is almost irrelevant from 
             the standpoint of the importance of the role of the 
             Senate, because it is the Senate that gives voice to all 
             Americans, that does not allow us to shut out any American 
             or any thought process in America that is legitimate and 
             which can come to the floor of the Senate and make its 
             case.
               I have often wondered, what would this government be 
             like if there were no Senate? Well, it would be a 
             parliamentary government, for all intents and purposes, 
             lurching to the left, lurching to the right, and as a 
             result, in many ways, undermining individual rights, but, 
             more important, having no continuity of purpose or force.
               We play politics in this city and in this country 
             between the 40 yard lines, for all intents and purposes. 
             We are not a government that ever moves too radically left 
             or right. That is the way it should be. In this 
             institution, compromise is required. To govern you must 
             reach agreement. We are 300 million people obviously of a 
             diverse view. If we are going to govern 300 million 
             people, we must listen to those who have legitimate views 
             on both sides of the aisle.
               So as I leave this Chamber, I want to say this, simply: 
             It has been a huge honor to have the chance to serve here. 
             It is something that is the highlight of our career, 
             Kathy's and mine. We move on with reservations, we 
             hopefully move on to something equally interesting, but it 
             will never have the same status as being in the Senate.
               This, to me, is the ultimate job when it comes to the 
             governance of America. I simply ask you who stay here--and 
             I know this will be done--continue to carry the torch. 
             Understand that it is the Senate that is the center of the 
             liberty that leads to the prosperity our people expect. It 
             is the Senate that is the center of our Constitution.
               Thank you very much.
               (Applause, Senators rising.)
?

                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                     JUDD GREGG
                              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. ...
               There is no better Senator than Judd Gregg on either 
             side of the aisle. One indication of that is that the last 
             three leaders of Republicans in the Senate have asked him 
             to sit in on leadership meetings to get his wisdom and 
             advice. He doesn't say too much, but what he says we all 
             pay attention to. He has been the voice of our party and 
             we believe the voice of Americans who are concerned about 
             fiscal responsibility, spending, and too much debt. ...
               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. HARKIN. ... I would like to make a speech in praise 
             of another colleague who is retiring, on the other side of 
             the aisle, and who is a good friend and someone for whom I 
             have had not only great friendship but great respect, and 
             I have served with him a lot on our committees--Senator 
             Judd Gregg of New Hampshire.
               Senator Gregg can be a very effective and persuasive 
             partisan for the conservative causes he holds dear. He 
             also has a strong New Hampshire independent streak and is 
             willing to buck his party when he thinks it is wrong--for 
             example, when he voted against President Bush's Medicare 
             prescription drug benefit bill because it was unpaid for 
             and would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the debt. 
             Indeed, as ranking member and former chair of the Budget 
             Committee, Senator Gregg has been one of the Senate's 
             leading champions of fiscal discipline.
               I especially admire Senator Gregg's capacity for 
             reaching across the aisle, building bridges, and getting 
             important work done. On that score, he has represented New 
             Hampshire and the United States at his very best. This 
             quality has made him a standout member of the Health, 
             Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which I chair. 
             He forged a very productive working relationship with my 
             predecessor as chair, Senator Ted Kennedy. For example, he 
             played a key role with Senator Kennedy in crafting the 
             bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act, and a few years 
             later, I was proud to work with both of those New England 
             Senators again--especially Senator Gregg--to reauthorize 
             and improve the Americans with Disabilities Education Act.
               In 2008, Senator Gregg was a key leader in crafting and 
             forging bipartisan support for the Emergency Economic 
             Stabilization Act. Many have criticized the Troubled Asset 
             Relief Program, TARP, but facts are facts: TARP prevented 
             a total meltdown of our financial system. And almost the 
             entire $700 billion taxpayer investment has been or soon 
             will be paid back to the U.S. Treasury. In fact, just this 
             week, the Treasury booked a $12 billion profit on its 
             previous $45 billion investment in Citigroup.
               This year, Senator Gregg has played a key role on the 
             HELP Committee in bringing together Senators from both 
             parties to advance food safety legislation. Frankly, there 
             were many times when sharp policy disagreements threatened 
             the survival of that bill. But at every turn, Senator 
             Gregg played a constructive role in working through the 
             options, crafting bipartisan compromises, and keeping the 
             legislation on track to passage. I have nothing but 
             admiration and gratitude to Senator Gregg for his 
             leadership on the food safety bill, which, as you know, 
             passed the Senate. ...
               That is the first modernization of our Food and Drug 
             Administration inspection systems in 70 years. Again, I 
             wish to publicly thank Senator Gregg for hanging in there 
             over several years' period of time to make sure we kept it 
             on track from one Congress to another, up and down, but we 
             finally got it done. As I just said, I have the utmost 
             admiration and gratitude to Senator Gregg for hanging in 
             there and making sure we got the job done.
               As many of our colleagues will remember, several years 
             ago, Senator Gregg bought a $20 Powerball lottery ticket 
             and won $850,000. Again, we all want to go up and touch 
             him and see if it will rub off on us a little bit. To this 
             day, Senator Gregg is the only person I have ever known 
             who won a Powerball lottery ticket. Well, as we have often 
             said, that was Judd Gregg's personal good fortune, but it 
             has been our good fortune to have a Senator of his high 
             caliber and character in this body for the last 18 years. 
             During that time, I have placed great store by his 
             friendship and his counsel. Of course, that relationship 
             and friendship will continue, but I am sorry we are going 
             to miss him here in the Senate.
               I join with the entire Senate family in wishing Judd and 
             Kathleen the very best in the years ahead.
               I yield the floor.
                                              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. ...
               Senator Judd Gregg and Kathleen are stalwarts in the 
             Senate, with their 18 years of service. I worked very 
             closely with Judd on so many issues but most recently on 
             the Dodd-Frank bill, where we worked collaboratively on 
             this whole complex concept of derivatives. I was impressed 
             with his intellect, his grasp, his balance, and I think we 
             both pushed ourselves to think harder, to do better, and 
             to come up with a solution, frankly, that was much better 
             than I know I could have done individually. So I thank 
             Judd Gregg for what he did there and on so many other 
             things. ...
               To all of these colleagues and their families, my 
             deepest appreciation and my profoundest respect.
                                             Tuesday, December 14, 2010
               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would hope it is not the 
             intention of the senior Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. 
             Gregg, immediately after his farewell speech] to leave the 
             floor. The accolades our friend and colleague, the senior 
             Senator from New Hampshire, has just received from both 
             sides of the aisle are richly deserved. I would hope he 
             might be able to stay a bit longer so some of us have a 
             chance to comment on his extraordinarily distinguished 
             career.
               He has devoted his entire life to public service, always 
             served with a deep sense of purpose and with the 
             overriding conviction that we must leave America in a 
             better place than we found it, as he so articulately 
             expressed. He has worked tirelessly for the people of New 
             Hampshire and for all Americans, and he has been a truly 
             invaluable member of the Republican Conference. He is the 
             smartest guy in the room, usually the most strategic, and 
             as witty as they come. Yet even as Judd's national profile 
             has increased over the years as a result of his many 
             natural gifts, he never lost sight of where he came from 
             or the people he represents back home in New Hampshire.
               Judd grew up in Nashua in southern New Hampshire and was 
             introduced to the world of politics early on. In 1952, 
             when he was just 5 years old, his father Hugh Gregg was 
             elected Governor of the State. Judd went on to Phillips 
             Exeter Academy for high school in the mid-1960s and to 
             Columbia University after that, graduating with a degree 
             in English in 1969. It was an eye-opening experience being 
             in New York City, particularly in those years. Judd took 
             it all in. He jokes that his minor in college was subway 
             exploration.
               Even as he witnessed all the student demonstrations and 
             clashes with police on campus, he found time to dress up 
             as the school's mascot for a time, the Columbia Royal 
             Lion, working the sidelines at games. Judd returned north 
             to attend law school at Boston University and got his J.D. 
             in 1972 and then an LL.M. in tax law in 1975. Then he 
             returned to New Hampshire to practice law.
               Meanwhile, he began to venture into New Hampshire 
             primary politics, coordinating primary campaigns for 
             Ronald Reagan in 1976 and George H.W. Bush in 1980. It was 
             during this time that he really developed his conservative 
             principles. Over the years, he has stuck to those 
             principles, and the voters have rewarded him for it. He 
             has never lost a race--not one. Part of the reason Judd 
             wins is that he is not afraid to lose. He would rather 
             lose for the right reasons than win for the wrong ones.
               Over the years, he has become something of a political 
             legend in New Hampshire, and for good reason; he is the 
             first person in New Hampshire history to serve as 
             Congressman, Governor, and Senator. He was first elected 
             to Congress in 1980, where he would serve four terms, and 
             then, in what some viewed as a political gamble, he 
             followed his father's footsteps to run for Governor in 
             1988. He was elected and easily reelected in 1990.
               During his second term, New Hampshire, like the rest of 
             the country, faced a difficult recession. But faced with 
             pressure to raise the State's income tax or sales tax, he 
             cut government spending instead. The New Hampshire Union 
             Leader would later credit Judd as being able to manage the 
             State through the crisis far better than anyone expected, 
             and the Wall Street Journal ranked him ninth in its Good 
             Governor Guide for cutting spending and keeping a lid on 
             taxes during a serious budget crisis.
               In 1992, Judd decided to run for U.S. Senate on his 
             strong record on environmental protection and fiscal 
             discipline. He won a close race. Upon arriving in this 
             Chamber, Judd immediately set out to work for the people 
             of New Hampshire. I know one of the things he is proud of 
             in his nearly 17 years in the Senate is the work he has 
             done to protect more than 300,000 acres of land in New 
             Hampshire from development. He can also be justifiably 
             proud of the remarkable work he has done as a Republican, 
             the top Republican on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, 
             and Pensions Committee, and, most important from our 
             conference's point of view, on the Budget Committee, where 
             his knowledge and command of the issues always impressed 
             the rest of us. He was clearly the right man for the job. 
             When the budget came up, I think we would all agree on our 
             side of the aisle, when Judd stood up and had something to 
             say, everybody quieted down and listened. You can't say 
             that about all of us on every issue all of the time. We 
             recognized his talents from the very beginning.
               Just 2 years after arriving here, he was selected to 
             serve as chief deputy whip as well as cochairman of 
             Senator Dole's Senate agenda committee, a working group 
             tasked with developing and managing the Republican agenda 
             at that particular juncture. It was the first time in 20 
             years that a Senator from New Hampshire had served in a 
             Senate leadership role.
               He never hesitated to work across the aisle to get 
             things done. Judd understood that to make something happen 
             in this body, it happens between the 40 yard lines, and 
             that means both sides have to participate. He teamed up 
             with Senator Kennedy to coauthor No Child Left Behind. 
             Referring to that particular accomplishment, Judd once 
             said:

               I don't think any of us ever gave up our basic 
             principles ... Ted just understood that even though he had 
             strong beliefs ... he understood you had to legislate to 
             accomplish that. There was no point in just standing off 
             in the corner and shouting.

               History will remember that Judd also played a central 
             role in Congress' response to the financial crisis of 2008 
             which we all remember very well. With our Nation on the 
             brink of economic collapse, I was to select one person to 
             represent our point of view at that critical moment. The 
             choice was completely obvious, the one person we had who 
             everybody knew had no other agenda and would at the end of 
             the day do what was right for the country. So I made him 
             the top Republican negotiator on the Emergency Economic 
             Stabilization Act, now infamously referred to as TARP. His 
             top priority then and throughout the entire debate over 
             the effort was to ensure that the original package 
             protected taxpayers by including language in the bill that 
             stated all proceeds from the paybacks would go to reducing 
             the debt, and he did a fabulous job.
               It was because of Judd's principles, intelligence, 
             common sense, and ability to work across the aisle, as I 
             indicated, that I asked him to join my leadership team 
             after I was elected Republican leader. I have relied on 
             him heavily these last 4 years. Judd has been right in the 
             middle of every legislative debate we have had since I 
             have been in this position. He has never disappointed. He 
             has been so effective, in fact, that Senator Reid gave him 
             a couple of nicknames late in his career. First he called 
             him the ``see-if-we-can-mess-up-the-legislation guy.'' 
             After that, he described Judd as:

               Somebody who comes into a basketball game, not to score 
             points, just to kind of rough people up, just to kind of 
             get the game going to a different direction.

               I think Judd and I would both agree that is a heck of a 
             compliment. In fact, this is Senator Gregg's reaction to 
             those nicknames given to him by the Democratic leader: ``I 
             appreciate the Senator's comments. I take them as a 
             compliment. I have been active legislatively. That is, 
             obviously, our job.''
               It is funny how people see things differently. I never 
             saw Judd as a Bill Laimbeer-type player out on the court 
             just to rough people up. I always saw Judd--sticking with 
             the basketball metaphors for a moment--as the intelligent 
             point guard, as the ideas guy with the extraordinary 
             judgment, as the type of guy who could see the whole 
             floor, the big picture, and could make the unselfish play 
             that would win the game.
               Over the years, that is exactly what Judd did for our 
             team. He has been instrumental in our efforts to hold the 
             line, slow down or call out the Democrats these past 2 
             years in particular on an agenda that we viewed as deeply 
             harmful to our future. He has been an indispensable member 
             of the team. In fact, I am not sure where we would be now 
             without him, and sometimes I have wondered where we will 
             be a few years down the road without him. But he leaves 
             his example, and he leaves the knowledge he has passed on 
             along the years, and we will all continue to draw on that 
             in the years ahead.
               Judd was recently asked what the hardest thing about 
             being a Senator was, and he answered without hesitation. 
             The hardest thing was being away from his family. It is 
             another principle on which he never, ever hedged.

               I made a decision early on in my career which I've 
             carried throughout my career--that if the choice was 
             between being here and being with something that was 
             important to my family, I would be with my family. Maybe 
             my children feel differently, but I don't think I have 
             missed anything that was really critical in their 
             upbringing.

               Which brings us to Kathy, as Judd indicated, a wife of 
             37 years, a cherished member of the Senate family. We are 
             so grateful for Kathy's grace and patience with the 
             demands of public life, along with her important work in 
             education, promoting the arts, the environment, and 
             historic preservation, as well as her work in raising 
             awareness about child abuse. Somehow, she and Judd's three 
             children--Molly, Sarah, and Joshua--managed to put up with 
             Judd's three decades of public service, and we thank them 
             all for sharing Judd with us all these years in 
             Washington.
               One of Judd's greatest assets as a Senator has been his 
             profound love for this institution and his gratitude for 
             having had a chance to serve as a Member of it. He never 
             took this place or this job for granted. As he once put 
             it:

               From my first day in the Senate to today, I remain in 
             awe of this fabulously interesting place. When I'm on the 
             floor and I look around and take in its history, it never 
             ceases to hit me that this is the most successful 
             deliberative democracy in history. It's an honor to serve 
             there.

               To say that I tried to convince Judd to stay is an 
             understatement.
               But he knew it was his time to move on and to write the 
             next chapter in his life. While Senators come and go all 
             the time, I cannot help but note that when Judd walks out 
             of this Chamber for the last time, he will leave an 
             enormous void.
               So I will close, old friend and colleague, by saying you 
             certainly are going to be missed. We wish you well in your 
             future endeavors. Thank you for your service. You have 
             done an extraordinary job.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.

               Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I want to say a few words about 
             the Senator from New Hampshire as well.
               I have had the pleasure over the years of serving with 
             him and watching him and learning from him, as we did once 
             again today. It is always amazing at these going away 
             speeches that we learn things we did not learn about them 
             during the 18 years they served. So I appreciate Senator 
             McConnell's comments and some new insights there.
               I know Senator Gregg at one time moved from being the 
             chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
             Committee to being chair of the Budget Committee, and that 
             gave me the opportunity to be the chairman of the Health, 
             Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. For that I will 
             always be grateful, and I hope I have made good use of the 
             things he taught me when he was in that position.
               Over the years as we have watched Senator Gregg in 
             action in committee or on the floor we have all learned a 
             lesson or two about how to be a more effective Senator. 
             That is why when I look back on Senator Gregg's career, I 
             will always think of him as one of the best of my Senate 
             mentors. Over my 14 years in the Senate, I have learned 
             more from him than almost anyone else.
               I know no one knows better how this Senate operates and 
             the procedural details than the Senator does. If I were on 
             the other side of an issue and I saw Senator Judd Gregg 
             getting up to plead his case, I know I would feel a sense 
             of grave concern as I listened to him that would only 
             increase in strength and intensity. It is always a worry 
             for either side when he unfolds, if he might be on the 
             opposite side. But, on the other hand, if he is on the 
             floor to express support for my position, I would sit 
             back, relax, and watch him in action with great relish.
               He is a brilliant legislator and orator because he is 
             always one to follow the admonition of Rudyard Kipling to 
             ``keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and 
             blaming it on you.'' Once he had determined the right 
             thing to do and how to do it, he would very calmly come up 
             with a plan of action that made it happen, and then follow 
             his strategy step by step without ever wavering from his 
             plan.
               In all my years of public life, as an observer and a 
             participant, I do not think I have ever worked with anyone 
             quite like him. No one speaks better off the cuff than he 
             does. Even in a few casual remarks, his context and focus 
             showcase his natural talent for the art. He knows the 
             right words to say and how and when to say them for 
             maximum impact. That means more often than not he knew how 
             to present the perfect argument that could not be refuted. 
             Year after year, that great talent has shown itself on the 
             floor and in committee as he took a more and more active 
             role in our deliberations on a long list of subjects, 
             including but not limited to budget reform, education 
             reform, and entitlement reform. He has, for instance, been 
             a very strong supporter of the need for Congress to take 
             action to address the problems currently facing Social 
             Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. This has been most 
             recently evident as the ranking member of the Budget 
             Committee and an active member of the President's National 
             Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.
               To put it quite simply, during his service in the 
             Senate, he has been the younger generation's best friend, 
             as he has done everything he possibly could to ensure that 
             our children and grandchildren would have it as good as we 
             did--if not better.
               Senator Gregg has been a true leader on budget reform 
             issues for his entire public service career. One of his 
             greatest successes as the chairman of the Budget Committee 
             was the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act in 2005. It 
             was the first time in 8 years that the Congress took the 
             necessary steps to curb entitlement spending and began to 
             put our country's fiscal house back in order. In his own 
             words, Senator Gregg said the following on December 21, 
             2005:

               This bill represents a reduction in the Federal deficit 
             of nearly $40 billion over 5 years. Yes, there is more to 
             be done, but it is a step in the right direction ... It is 
             my hope that the Congress will continue the hard work we 
             have done here, by seeking to reduce the rate of growth of 
             government at every opportunity. By focusing on how to 
             make government programs work more effectively and at a 
             lower cost. And by making fiscally responsible decisions 
             about what kind of economic future we want to leave to our 
             children and grandchildren.

               As an accountant, Senate colleague, and his friend, I 
             could not have been more proud of the bold step Senator 
             Gregg took in addressing our Nation's deficit by drafting, 
             promoting, and ultimately enacting the Deficit Reduction 
             Act. We will miss his leadership on the Budget Committee.
               As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and 
             Pensions Committee, it was good to have a chance to see 
             how well he worked to get things done in committee. For 
             example, he worked well with Senator Kennedy on creating 
             and passing the No Child Left Behind Act. He was able to 
             bring together Senator Kennedy and President Bush to work 
             on a common goal for our Nation's children and our 
             country's future.
               What he was able to accomplish during those days has 
             made a difference and it will continue to do so for many 
             years to come. Because of the work he has been such an 
             important part of, countless Americans are living better, 
             more rewarding, and more fulfilling lives all over the 
             country.
               Needless to say, the people of New Hampshire were very 
             fortunate he was willing to serve in so many posts over 
             the years. I have no doubt his insights on the law and how 
             it affects the people back home come from his experience 
             on every level of our government.
               Since he first arrived in the Senate, with every trip 
             home his constituents would tell him how the changes in 
             the law were affecting them and their businesses and, if 
             they are like the people of Wyoming, they also gave him 
             some very valuable suggestions on what we could do in the 
             Congress to address their concerns. I always tell my 
             constituents to share their good ideas with me. It is my 
             secret weapon and it really helps me to make a difference. 
             I am sure it has been the same for him.
               I do not know what he has planned for the coming years, 
             but one thing I feel certain about: We have not heard the 
             last from Judd Gregg. That will be a good thing for all of 
             us, as well as the younger generation who is very 
             concerned about the legacy we are leaving behind for them. 
             As he has pointed out repeatedly, it would not be fair for 
             us to continue to spend their inheritance to such an 
             extent that they will be left with a huge deficit and an 
             economy so slow and weak that they will not have any 
             possibility of paying it off without a great deal of pain 
             and difficulty. They are counting on us to do the right 
             thing to ensure they have the same advantages and ability 
             to access the American dream we have had.
               There is an old Native American saying: We have not 
             inherited the Earth from our ancestors, we are borrowing 
             it from our children. If we follow this lead and use that 
             frame of reference as our guide, we will be able to ensure 
             their future will be as promising as they have every right 
             to expect and demand.
               As the end of the current session of Congress 
             approaches, I know I am not the first, nor will I be the 
             last to say thank you, Judd, for your willingness to serve 
             the people of New Hampshire and the United States for so 
             long and so well. Most of all, thank you for your 
             friendship and for serving as such a great resource for us 
             all during your service in the Senate.
               Before I close, I know I would be remiss if I did not 
             also say a quick thank you to your wife Kathy. As we both 
             know from serving in the Senate, there are a lot of late 
             nights, trips both home and abroad with little notice, and 
             a lot of other things we have to deal with because they 
             come with the job. Our wives never complain, but we both 
             know they have every reason to do so. They probably do not 
             because they know, as well as we do, we could not do what 
             we do without them by our side. They are our greatest 
             supporters, our best friends, our most trusted political 
             advisers, and the ones who always make sure we are heading 
             in the right direction.
               So while I am thanking you for your service, I think 
             Kathy deserves a word of thanks too. Together you have 
             been a remarkable team, and that is why New Hampshire is 
             so proud to claim both of you as their own.
               In the days to come, Diana and I will not be the only 
             ones who will miss you and Kathy. Fortunately, we know 
             where to find you--right near the ocean. We had so much 
             fun there when we had the chance to explore it with you 
             both earlier this year. The fishing was pretty good and 
             the scenery was just magnificent. Just let us know when 
             the fish are biting, and we will be there. Come to Wyoming 
             anytime. Good luck in your future. Thanks for all you have 
             done for us.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Hampshire.

               Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I am honored to be here on 
             the floor today to join Senator McConnell and my other 
             colleagues in recognizing the service Senator Judd Gregg 
             has provided to the people of this country, and for us, 
             importantly, to the people of New Hampshire.
               I have had the good fortune to know Senator Gregg since 
             I first got elected to public office. In the New Hampshire 
             political tradition, you learn to work together with 
             people on both sides of the aisle for what is in the best 
             interests of New Hampshire. Senator Gregg has been a fine 
             example of that tradition.
               I have enjoyed working with him over the years, and his 
             presence in the Chamber and the Senate halls will be 
             missed both by me and, as we have already heard, by the 
             rest of our colleagues. I think, as Senator Gregg was 
             giving his remarks, the number of Senators who were here 
             to say goodbye shows the respect and how much he will be 
             missed by all of our colleagues.
               Throughout my own public life, I have always appreciated 
             the civility and generosity Senator Gregg has shown me. 
             When I was elected to the State senate in New Hampshire, 
             it was then-Governor Gregg who swore me in for the first 
             time. When I was elected to the Senate, he was the first 
             Republican to call me, not just to offer his 
             congratulations but to offer his advice and help in 
             getting started in Washington.
               The Senator and I have followed similar paths to the 
             Senate, although his service has been longer than mine, 
             although we are the same age.
               So I will not say your service has been older than mine, 
             Judd.
               But I think that experience--both of us having served as 
             Governor, leading New Hampshire--has given us a much more 
             similar mindset than most people would expect. I think it 
             contributes to our concern about controlling the debt and 
             ensuring that this government is functioning in the best 
             interests of all of its citizens. I, again, appreciated 
             his commitment to addressing that debt for future 
             generations in his remarks this afternoon.
               While we have not always agreed on the best approach to 
             solve those problems, Senator Gregg's civility has never 
             wavered. Since coming to the Senate, I have noticed that 
             he extends that same civility and courtesy to colleagues 
             on both sides of the aisle. In a town that is not always 
             known for its good manners, Senator Gregg reminds us we 
             can disagree without being disagreeable.
               Senator Gregg, of course, is known for his expertise on 
             budgetary matters and his dedication to one of the gravest 
             issues that faces this country; that is, its rapidly 
             ballooning deficit. His expertise will not be easily 
             replaced, especially at a time when our Nation so urgently 
             needs a New Hampshire-style approach--strong, bipartisan, 
             and no-nonsense. It is a concern about the deficit that we 
             share, and I hope in some small way I can continue his 
             search for solutions to this challenge.
               What might be less known to people in Washington--
             although Senator McConnell mentioned it--is Senator 
             Gregg's passion for the preservation of open lands. He is 
             a conservationist in the fine Republican tradition of 
             Teddy Roosevelt, and he has helped preserve New 
             Hampshire's wonderful legacy of forests and lakes.
               For those of you who may some day visit the New 
             Hampshire statehouse, you will be surprised to see that 
             Senator Gregg appears in his formal gubernatorial portrait 
             in the mountains of New Hampshire, as I think is fitting 
             for somebody who cares so much about the environment.
               In 2001, when I was Governor and Senator Gregg was here, 
             we worked together to preserve the Connecticut Lakes 
             Headwaters. At more than 171,000 acres, it was the largest 
             contiguous block of land in New Hampshire in private 
             ownership, and with his leadership we were able to ensure 
             that future generations could enjoy the beauty of this 
             beautiful working forest and part of New Hampshire.
               As another well-known Senator--again, one that Judd 
             alluded to when he spoke--Daniel Webster once said, ``We 
             have been taught to regard a representative of the people 
             as a sentinel on the watch-tower of liberty.''
               In Congress and the Governor's office, in Washington and 
             in New Hampshire, Senator Gregg has served as that 
             sentinel. He will be missed. I join my colleagues and the 
             people of New Hampshire in wishing him and Kathy and their 
             whole family well in all of their future endeavors.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.

               Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, as I listened this afternoon 
             to Senator Gregg's farewell address, I thought about how 
             much all of us who have been privileged to serve with him 
             will miss his wisdom. But for me, the loss will be even 
             more intense, for there is no one to whom I have turned 
             more often for advice during the past 14 years than my 
             neighbor from New Hampshire--unless, of course, it was his 
             wife Kathy, who also gave very good advice.
               Judd's extraordinary knowledge of so many issues, his 
             keen insights into policy and politics, and his abiding 
             friendship have meant so much to me. I truly cannot 
             imagine a debate in this Chamber about the budget, 
             spending, entitlement programs, or taxes without his 
             leading it. Given his strong work ethic, his commitment to 
             the prosperity of future generations, and his unwavering 
             dedication to doing what is right, I am confident his 
             clear call for action on our fiscal crisis will continue 
             to be heard and to be influential in the debates ahead of 
             us.
               Raised in a family devoted to public service, 
             Congressman, Governor, and now Senator Gregg has always 
             been guided by the principle that the public interest is 
             paramount and the public's trust is essential. As a strong 
             voice for fiscal discipline and a champion of bipartisan 
             solutions, Senator Gregg has always upheld those 
             principles.
               Senator Gregg faced up to the looming entitlement crisis 
             and our inequitable tax system by introducing 
             comprehensive, bipartisan bills to address both concerns. 
             His sponsorship of legislation early this year to 
             establish a bipartisan commission on fiscal responsibility 
             brought to the forefront of the national debate our debt--
             a debt that America can no longer ignore.
               Senator Gregg's service on the President's commission 
             demonstrated his determination to present to the American 
             people an analysis of the tough choices we must face and 
             the means to return to fiscal sanity. As always, Judd has 
             been dedicated to one goal: ensuring that our country's 
             children and grandchildren inherit a just and prosperous 
             nation where the American dream can still be a reality for 
             millions of hard-working families. The idea of saddling 
             future generations with trillions in unpaid bills has 
             always been anathema to Senator Gregg.
               Although fiscal issues have been Judd's passion, the 
             soaring and unsustainable debt has not been his only 
             focus. For example, 2 years ago, Senator Gregg helped lead 
             a coalition that called for a bipartisan national summit 
             to develop an energy strategy for our country. He 
             recognized and warned against our overreliance on foreign 
             oil as a threat to our Nation that forces one energy 
             crisis after another on the businesses and families of our 
             great country. Senator Gregg has been a powerful advocate 
             for a common-sense, achievable energy policy that balances 
             increased domestic production, conservation, and the 
             development of alternative and renewable fuels. As his 
             colleague from New Hampshire mentioned, Judd's work to 
             preserve open space in New Hampshire has led to the 
             conservation and protection of more than 330,000 acres of 
             sensitive land, leaving a tangible legacy for future 
             generations to enjoy.
               Senator Gregg is also committed to strengthening our 
             national security. In 2005, I was honored to join with him 
             and thousands of people throughout Maine and New Hampshire 
             in saving the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which is, by the 
             way, in Kittery, ME, not Portsmouth, NH, but it was indeed 
             a joint effort. Standing together under Senator Gregg's 
             leadership, our two delegations, working with the people 
             of our two States, prevailed. In addition to saving the 
             shipyard, Judd has been in the forefront in strengthening 
             and modernizing it. Thanks to his efforts, the U.S. Navy 
             submarine fleet remains unsurpassed as our Nation's shield 
             and our sword.
               As chairman for years of the Homeland Security 
             Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Gregg recognized the 
             threat we faced from radical Islamic terrorism, and he 
             ensured that the resources were provided to help protect 
             our homeland, while eliminating funding that was 
             ineffective or extravagant.
               This is quite a career. Throughout his long and 
             distinguished life in public service, Judd Gregg has been 
             a champion of good government, an independent and creative 
             thinker, and a bipartisan problem solver. He has fought 
             for the public interests and has earned the public's 
             trust. I know that not only the people of New Hampshire 
             and Maine, who know him well, but people all across this 
             great country join me today in thanking Senator Judd Gregg 
             for his exceptional leadership, countless accomplishments, 
             and fierce dedication to our country and the State he 
             loves so much. We wish both Judd and Kathy all the best.
               Thank you.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.

               Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, during the 1980s, somehow 
             the Senate took a survey among themselves about who was 
             the most admired Member of the Senate, and according to 
             press reports, Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee was the 
             most admired Senator by both Republicans and by Democrats. 
             If such a survey were to be taken today, Judd Gregg would 
             certainly be at the top of that list for most of us. There 
             is not a better Member of the Senate.
               Much has been said about him, so I will say three things 
             quickly because there are other Senators who wish to 
             speak. First, Judd Gregg is of New Hampshire, not from New 
             Hampshire. Sometimes we say, Senator so-and-so is from 
             Tennessee or from New York or from South Dakota or from 
             Maine, but the Senator whose roots are where roots are 
             supposed to be is ``of'' his State. Judd Gregg sounds as 
             though he is from New Hampshire. He acts as though he is 
             from New Hampshire. He is from New Hampshire. He votes as 
             though he is from New Hampshire. The Old Man of the 
             Mountain, which was a rock up in New Hampshire, could be 
             seen by those who drove by it. The rock fell down a few 
             years ago and I thought: Well, maybe the best way to 
             replace it is to put Judd Gregg back up there because he 
             is of New Hampshire.
               Second, Judd Gregg is a very good politician. I know 
             that from direct experience. There is such a thing as the 
             ``Gregg machine'' in New Hampshire. Those who have the 
             temerity to run for President find that out. It was on the 
             other side of my efforts when I was there, and to give an 
             example, one day a reporter asked me, ``Well, Mr. 
             Alexander, what is the price of a gallon of milk?'' Of 
             course, I knew what a gallon of milk costs, but I made the 
             mistake of turning around to someone and asking, just to 
             make sure what it was. A press person overheard it, and 
             the next thing I knew, the ``Gregg machine'' had spread 
             that story all over the State that this fellow in a red 
             and black shirt didn't know what the price of milk was. So 
             they are a very intimidating, effective crowd in New 
             Hampshire.
               The third thing, the final thing I will say about Judd 
             is one reason I admire and like him so much is that I so 
             often agree with him. I agree with him on conservation 
             issues, on education issues, on fiscal issues, but 
             especially on his view of this body, which he expressed so 
             eloquently many times but especially in his remarks today. 
             Judd Gregg knows and understands that this body is the 
             citadel of the protection of liberty in our government. He 
             said that today. It is the place where we avoid the 
             tyranny of the majority. It is a place where the voices of 
             the American people are heard, where we have open 
             amendment and open debate. He has been an effective 
             advocate for that. He understands we are not just a 
             debating society, but that in the end, we are a governing 
             body; that the purpose of our 60-vote majority is to force 
             consensus and a compromise so we can act, so we can do our 
             job.
               Judd leaves a wonderful legacy. He has many friends 
             here. He will continue to have many friends here, this 
             Senator who is of New Hampshire, who is a pretty good 
             politician and with whom I so often agree. My special best 
             wishes to his wife Kathy, with whom I also agree. Thank 
             you.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.

               Mr. CORKER. Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate the 
             Senator from South Dakota allowing me to speak for about 
             60 seconds. I don't give long speeches on the floor. I 
             seldom use notes. I know Senator Gregg knows this, but I 
             have been here 4 years, and I can honestly say one of the 
             greatest highlights of my 4 years has been being able to 
             serve with Senator Gregg. I know of no one in the Senate 
             whom I hope to be remembered even close to as far as my 
             service. I know of no one whom I think creates a better 
             example for those of us in the Senate. I know of no one 
             whom I respect more than Senator Gregg. I know he knows 
             that. I know his wonderful wife Kathy knows that.
               I think, upon his departure, there will be a tremendous 
             vacuum. I think all of us understand what each of us is 
             going to have to do to try to fill a component of the 
             shoes of the Senator from New Hampshire or the example he 
             has set.
               So I just want the Senator to know he certainly has 
             raised my thinking as to what it means to be a Senator in 
             the Senate. Each of us have frailties and each of us have 
             strengths. There are always going to be occasions when 
             Senators cause us to rise because they inspire us. They do 
             things that are inspirational. There are always going to 
             be times when Senators disappoint us because we are human 
             beings, and that is the way human beings are. But I can 
             say that you, more than anybody in the Senate, have caused 
             me to want to be better more times than anyone and have 
             disappointed me fewer times than anybody in the Senate. I 
             will miss you. I wish you well, and I thank you for being 
             my friend.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Dakota.

               Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I also wish to join with my 
             colleagues today before I speak to the issue of the day 
             and express my appreciation to Senator Gregg for his great 
             service to this institution and to our country. I think it 
             is fair to say there is nobody quite like Judd Gregg. He 
             truly is one of a kind.
               I remember when I first got here, I thought he didn't 
             like me, and maybe he didn't like me, but I concluded that 
             part of that was just his serious demeanor. He is a guy 
             who means business. Once you get to know him, you not only 
             appreciate that side of his personality, but you also gain 
             an appreciation for the incredible wit and sense of humor 
             he also possesses. I have had the opportunity to 
             experience that on many occasions.
               I think what the institution is going to miss the most--
             he is certainly someone who cares a lot about this 
             country's future and the policies we put in place--is his 
             abilities, his great skill and his great talent. It will 
             be a real loss to the Senate because Judd Gregg has a mind 
             like a steel trap. He is able to analyze with great 
             effectiveness the issues of the day and to explain them 
             clearly. He is someone in whom I have tremendous respect. 
             He has been a great mentor, a great leader, and someone, 
             as I said before, we are going to miss around here.
               I can't say enough about how much I appreciate his 
             service and the service and the sacrifice his family has 
             made. He has served in public life for many years, both as 
             a Congressman, Governor, and a Senator. His wife Kathy, 
             similar to many of our wives, puts up with a lot of 
             things. Judd, similar to me and many of my colleagues, I 
             think, I would say probably married over his head or, as 
             one of my friends said, outpunted his coverage. We are 
             grateful to his family.
               We are going to miss the many contributions he has made, 
             but probably none more than the passion with which he 
             approaches this job and the passion with which he 
             approaches building a brighter and better and stronger and 
             more prosperous future for future generations. There has 
             been no clearer voice on the issue of fiscal 
             responsibility, no clearer voice when it comes to the 
             important task we have in front of us, to insist that we 
             take steps and we put policies in place that will make the 
             country stronger and better for future generations.
               So I wish to compliment as well my colleague from New 
             Hampshire. I have heard from folks from other parts of the 
             country. As someone who comes from the Midwest, I wish to 
             say how much I appreciate Judd Gregg, the incredible 
             contribution he has made, and I, similar to so many 
             others, will miss him greatly.

               Mr. DURBIN. I want to join my colleagues in wishing our 
             friend, Senator Judd Gregg, the best of luck as he 
             prepares for his new life beyond the U.S. Senate.
               I don't think it is any exaggeration to say that, 
             without the leadership and dogged insistence of Judd Gregg 
             and Kent Conrad, there would have been no Presidential 
             Deficit Commission.
               As a member of that commission, I want to say to Senator 
             Gregg, ``I will get you back for that one.''
               In all seriousness, serving on the Deficit Commission 
             was not an easy assignment. But I believe the commission's 
             work, and the way we went about our work, shows that 
             Democrats and Republicans can still reason together and 
             act together for the good of our Nation. I thank Senator 
             Gregg for helping to remind us of that important truth.
               You might remember a few years back when Senator Gregg 
             won about $850,000 in a Powerball payoff. A bunch of us on 
             our side of the aisle tried to convince him that he ought 
             to do what all big lottery winners do--quit his job. He 
             said no--there was more he wanted to do in the Senate.
               Judd and I served together in the House and the Senate 
             and, as I said, on the Deficit Commission. We're one of 
             the Odd Couples of Capitol Hill. He's Felix and I'm Oscar.
               We haven't agreed on a whole lot. But we have been 
             allies on some big, important fights. Judd was an 
             indispensable leader in the effort to finally give the FDA 
             the authority to regulate tobacco. His work on that bill 
             will save thousands of lives in America and around the 
             world and I am proud to have been his partner on it.
               I understand that Judd Gregg is the only person in New 
             Hampshire history ever elected Senator, Congressman, 
             Governor, and Councilor. Little-known fact: I think he was 
             also the model for the Old Man in the Mountain.
               When Judd claimed his Powerball winnings, he told 
             reporters, ``Even Senators get lucky sometime.'' I am 
             lucky to have worked with Judd Gregg in both the House and 
             the Senate for almost 15 years. We have had some spirited 
             differences--always will. But I respect him as an 
             independent-minded Conservative, a tough negotiator, and a 
             man who believes in public service.
               I wish Judd, Kathy, and their family the very best in 
             the next chapters of their lives.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, through three terms in this 
             Chamber, Senator Judd Gregg has been a consistent, 
             principled voice for responsible stewardship of the 
             taxpayers' hard-earned money. Though he and I have not 
             always agreed on the roles and responsibilities of 
             government, that has not diminished my admiration for his 
             principled stand on fiscal responsibility, a stand that 
             has at times brought him into conflict with Members from 
             both parties.
               Senator Gregg has been willing to cross party lines on 
             important issues throughout his tenure in the Senate. At 
             times that has been the result of his belief in limiting 
             deficits, as when he opposed the creation of the Medicare 
             drug benefit in 2003 without identifying ways to pay for 
             it. But he also supported last year the nomination of 
             Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. He has voted to 
             allow FDA regulation of tobacco. And he has voted to give 
             U.S. workers a higher minimum wage.
               Still, Senator Gregg will rightly be remembered 
             primarily for his advocacy of prudent spending. He 
             consistently has pressed for a detailed, bipartisan effort 
             to address the Nation's troubling fiscal situation. The 
             bill he worked on with Senator Conrad ultimately became 
             the model for the National Commission on Fiscal 
             Responsibility and Reform. While the success of the 
             commission is still unclear, it already is clear that 
             Senator Gregg's efforts have helped move the discussion 
             forward.
               I congratulate Senator Gregg on his distinguished 
             service, and I wish him the best of luck in wherever his 
             new endeavors take him.
                                           Wednesday, December 15, 2010
               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 bid farewell to 
             my colleague, a fellow New Englander and Banking Committee 
             member, the senior Senator from New Hampshire, Judd Gregg.
               It has been an honor and a pleasure serving with him in 
             this body for the past 18 years. As we both prepare to 
             leave the Senate this year, I would like to take this 
             opportunity to wish him and his family the very best in 
             the future.
               Throughout his tenure in the Senate, Senator Gregg has 
             been an ardent advocate for his home State of New 
             Hampshire, and a knowledgeable legislator. Time and again, 
             during floor debate and committee proceedings, he has 
             demonstrated his sharp intellect and deep knowledge of a 
             broad range of issues--particularly on economic and budget 
             policy.
               He is a deeply committed public servant, who has been 
             elected by the people of New Hampshire to serve them for 8 
             years in the House of Representatives, 4 years as 
             Governor, and as their U.S. Senator for the last 18 years. 
             In fact, they returned him to the Senate in 2004 with the 
             highest number of votes in New Hampshire history. It is 
             clear that his constituents have a great deal of faith in 
             this man, and during his time in Congress, he has 
             represented them and their values extremely well.
               As one would expect from a man of New Hampshire, Senator 
             Gregg has always demonstrated his independence, commitment 
             to hard work, and self-sufficiency. Yet he has also been 
             someone that has sought compromise and has been ready to 
             collaborate with those willing to tackle the difficult 
             problems facing our Nation.
               In 2001, he was one of the lead Republicans working on 
             the No Child Left Behind law to improve education across 
             the Nation for generations of Americans. In 2003, he and I 
             worked together with Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Lamar 
             Alexander, and Senator Susan Collins to craft the Keeping 
             Children and Families Safe Act, which updated our Nation's 
             laws to meet the serious problem of child abuse.
               Of course, improving education and ending child abuse 
             are issues on which both Liberals and Conservatives 
             broadly agree, so bipartisanship and collaboration on 
             these matters is easy.
               Of course, in the fall of 2008, our Nation was faced 
             with a nearly unprecedented economic collapse--and the 
             views of Liberals and Conservatives on how to respond 
             could charitably be described as divergent, at best.
               It was at that moment, when our Nation faced a calamity 
             of historical proportions, that Senator Gregg grit his 
             teeth and set to work, negotiating with me, Treasury 
             Secretary Geithner, Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke, and 
             others, to fashion a legislative response to the crisis.
               Despite the heavy criticism that came with being a party 
             to those discussions, he remained a key negotiator, and in 
             the end, the House and Senate approved the Emergency 
             Economic Stabilization Act. Today, our economy, though far 
             from recovered, is far better off than it would have been 
             without this bill and many of the institutions which 
             received assistance have repaid the Treasury with 
             interest.
               Let me be clear that was a bill that none of us ever, in 
             our wildest dreams thought we would have to write, or vote 
             to pass. However distasteful, it would have been wrong to 
             allow our financial system to go into full cardiac arrest, 
             with little chance of survival.
               The politically expedient route to take would have been 
             to walk away, vote against the bill, and join the pundits, 
             commentators, and bloggers who've said ``It never should 
             have passed, and we would have been fine without it 
             anyway.''
               But that wouldn't be leadership. That wouldn't be 
             statesmanship. And that isn't the type of legislator that 
             Judd Gregg is.
               I would also like to thank Senator Gregg for his work as 
             a member of the Banking Committee. He joined the committee 
             late in his tenure, but his deep knowledge of the economy 
             and expertise in financial matters was greatly 
             appreciated. He played an important role in helping to 
             craft what became the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and 
             Consumer Protection Act.
               Though he was a staunch opponent of some of the bill's 
             provisions, he didn't see that opposition as an impediment 
             to continuing to offer ideas and thoughtful debate in 
             order to shape the legislation into what he thought was a 
             better product.
               Yet, as fierce a partisan as Senator Gregg is, he is 
             also a consummate legislator. He knows that the people of 
             New Hampshire sent him here to work hard, and work with 
             the other Members of this body. He has shown that at the 
             end of the day, even if you work hard on something, you 
             may not be able to support it--but you will know that you 
             have done your best to advocate for your positions and 
             shape the debate.
               The Senate will miss his knowledge and work ethic, and I 
             hope that newly elected Members--of both parties--will 
             follow his example.
               I wish him, his wife Kathleen, his children, and 
             granddaughter, the very best.

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I have come to the floor 
             today to pay tribute to Senator Judd Gregg of New 
             Hampshire, who will be leaving the Senate at the end of 
             this session.
               Although I am happy for Judd and his wife Kathy, as they 
             set off on the next stage of their lives, Judd's 
             retirement represents a great loss for the U.S. Senate, 
             for the people of New Hampshire, for the entire Nation, 
             and for me personally.
               Simply put, Judd has been an outstanding public servant. 
             He has worked tirelessly and effectively on behalf of his 
             State, first as a Congressman, then as Governor, and then 
             as a Senator. The people of New Hampshire rewarded his 
             faithful service by repeatedly electing him by wide 
             margins. When he was reelected to the Senate in 2004, Judd 
             received the highest number of votes in New Hampshire 
             history.
               Judd has been a true leader in the Senate. Few Members 
             have the breadth of knowledge and insight that he holds on 
             the key issues that come before this body. Whether it be 
             the budget, education policy, or banking reform, he has 
             been at the center of the debate, and Members on both 
             sides of the aisle seek out and respect his judgment.
               I have come to know Judd best for his work on the Budget 
             Committee. He has been on the committee for all of the 18 
             years he has been in the Senate. He served as chairman in 
             2005 and 2006, after Senator Nickles retired, and has been 
             the ranking member ever since.
               I could not have asked for a better partner on the 
             committee. It has been a pleasure to work closely with 
             him. Our staffs have also worked very well together, which 
             is a testament to the leadership of Judd and the example 
             he set in his work with me.
               Judd has tremendous integrity. His word is his bond.
               Although we haven't always agreed on policy, Judd has 
             always upheld the highest standards of the Senate by 
             knowing how to disagree without being disagreeable. We 
             have had fierce debates over the years, but we have never 
             let that affect our ability to work together.
               Of course, the highlight of our work together came in 
             our legislative effort to adopt a bipartisan fiscal task 
             force to address the country's long-term debt crisis. That 
             joint effort was truly one of the most rewarding 
             experiences of my career in the Senate. I will never 
             forget the days we spent discussing the proposal during a 
             trip in 2006.
               While we were not able to pass our legislation in the 
             Senate, our effort resulted in the creation of the 
             President's fiscal commission. It has been an honor to 
             work alongside Judd in this fight. Like me, Judd cares 
             deeply about our Nation's fiscal future and understands 
             the danger of rising Federal debt. He has been a tenacious 
             advocate of fiscal discipline and putting the budget on a 
             sustainable long-term path.
               Judd is a true-blue fiscal Conservative. But that has 
             never stopped him from reaching across the aisle to work 
             with Democrats. In addition to working with me, Judd 
             teamed up with Senator Ted Kennedy in 2001 to coauthor the 
             No Child Left Behind Act. More recently, he teamed up with 
             Senator Wyden to write the first major bipartisan tax 
             reform legislation in decades, the Bipartisan Tax Fairness 
             and Simplification Act.
               Notably, Judd also played a key role in the bipartisan 
             negotiations that led to the creation of the TARP 
             legislation. TARP was widely criticized during this past 
             election season, but the results are now in, and it is 
             clear that the TARP Program was successful in stabilizing 
             the financial sector and helping to prevent the economy 
             from dipping into a full-blown depression. The success of 
             the program and the repayments now coming into the 
             Treasury can be attributed, at least in part, to Judd's 
             insistence on including provisions in the legislation to 
             protect American taxpayers.
               Finally, Judd's retirement means more to me than just 
             losing a great partner on the Budget Committee. I am also 
             losing a great friend. At a time when Washington is filled 
             with so much partisan rancor and disagreement, we need 
             more individuals from across the aisle to form friendships 
             like ours.
               Judd, I wish you all the best in your retirement. You 
             will truly be missed.

               Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, today I would like to join 
             with my colleagues in appreciation and admiration of 
             Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire.
               Judd is a native of New Hampshire and after practicing 
             as an attorney in Nashua, where he was born, he began a 
             devoted career of public service to his State. Before 
             coming to the Senate, Judd served as a member of his 
             State's executive council, as a representative, and then 
             on to become, as his father Hugh Gregg had been before 
             him, Governor of the Granite State.
               Judd was a successful and accomplished Governor. When he 
             left Concord to join the Senate, he left his State with 
             not only a balanced budget but a surplus as well. His 
             leadership and record of fiscal responsibility has served 
             as an example for our entire Nation to follow.
               His expertise on budgetary and fiscal issues has 
             benefited all his fellow Senators on the Budget Committee. 
             As both chairman and ranking member of the committee, Judd 
             put together both excellent staff and the resources 
             necessary to advance our goals of cutting spending, 
             balancing the budget, and reducing our Nation's debt. With 
             steps such as his successful sponsorship of the fiscal 
             year 2006 budget resolution, which reduced mandatory 
             spending for the first time in years, hard-working 
             American taxpayers have saved billions thanks to Senator 
             Gregg's efforts.
               Senator Gregg and I worked hard together in fighting to 
             reduce our government's burden on taxpayers and the 
             excessive spending that fuels it. We have both fought hard 
             for our government to take our financial future seriously 
             and to make the tough decisions necessary for it to be 
             secured for our generation and for many more to come.
               I would like to thank Senator Gregg again for his 
             leadership on these important issues, and his extensive 
             service to the people of New Hampshire. My wife Sandy and 
             I wish Senator Gregg, his wife Kathy, and their family all 
             the best.
                                              Sunday, December 19, 2010
               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak today to 
             recognize the departure of my good friend Senator Judd 
             Gregg. Senator Gregg has been a tireless advocate for the 
             people of his State and a devoted public servant. He will 
             most certainly be missed.
               Senator Gregg is a New Hampshire man through and 
             through. He was born in Nashua, NH, in 1947. His father, 
             Hugh Gregg, served as Governor of New Hampshire when Judd 
             was just 5 years old. Judd graduated from Phillips Exeter 
             in 1965 before going on to earn his baccalaureate from 
             Columbia University and his law degree from Boston 
             University School of Law.
               After finishing law school in 1972, Judd returned to 
             Nashua to commence his law practice, though it wouldn't be 
             long before he would answer the call into public service. 
             From 1978 to 1980, Judd served on the New Hampshire 
             Governor's Executive Council. Then, in 1980, he was 
             elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, 
             where he served for four terms. In 1988, he followed in 
             his father's footsteps and was elected Governor of New 
             Hampshire and was reelected in 1990.
               In 1992, after two successful terms as Governor, in 
             which he was able to balance the budget and leave the 
             State with a surplus, Judd was elected to represent New 
             Hampshire here in the U.S. Senate. And, after serving for 
             three terms, he is stepping down at the end of this 
             session.
               If one were to describe Judd's political philosophy, I 
             think they would have to say that he was for fiscal 
             discipline even when fiscal discipline wasn't cool. As 
             chairman and ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee 
             and senior member of the Banking Committee, his has always 
             been a voice of warning and restraint, even when restraint 
             wasn't the status quo around Washington. His knowledge and 
             expertise on these issues made him one of the most 
             respected voices in our debates over health care, economic 
             and fiscal policy, and financial regulatory reform.
               While Judd has always been a Conservative, he's never 
             let go of his independence, refusing to put party before 
             his principles. Everyone in Washington claims that they 
             are that way, but Senator Gregg is one of the few that has 
             walked the walk. That, more than anything, is why he has 
             won the respect and admiration of his colleagues on both 
             sides of the aisle.
               The State of New Hampshire has been well represented 
             here in the Senate and I know the people of his State are 
             grateful for Judd's service. It has been both an honor and 
             a privilege to have served alongside Senator Gregg. While 
             I am certain that Judd will be successful in whatever 
             endeavor he chooses next, I am even more certain that the 
             Senate will be a lesser place without him here.
               I want to wish Judd and his wife Kathleen and their 
             family the very best.
                                              Monday, December 20, 2010
               Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I wish to honor my colleague 
             from New Hampshire, Senator Gregg, who is retiring from 
             the U.S. Senate after serving 18 years in this Chamber and 
             serving 8 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
               Born and bred in New Hampshire, Judd has dedicated his 
             life to public service. Judd served on the Executive 
             Council of New Hampshire in 1978 before running for 
             national office. In 1980, he was elected to the U.S. House 
             of Representatives and was elected to three additional 
             terms before returning to New Hampshire. In 1988, Judd 
             became the Governor of New Hampshire, a seat formerly held 
             by his father Hugh. During his two terms as Governor, Judd 
             managed to balance the State's budget and left Concord 
             with a surplus. Following his tenure as Governor, Judd 
             returned to Washington in 1993 and has represented New 
             Hampshire in the Senate ever since.
               While working in the Senate, I have had the opportunity 
             to serve with Judd on the Banking Committee and the Budget 
             Committee, where he currently serves as the ranking 
             member. I have respect for the manner in which Judd has 
             conducted himself in the role of ranking member and the 
             Republican leader on the Budget Committee. I also admire 
             the fact that he always keeps our national deficit in mind 
             when making tough decisions, whether or not these 
             decisions are going to be popular.
               Judd has a long list of accomplishments to show for the 
             people of New Hampshire and the United States. His 
             leadership in the Senate will be missed, and it has truly 
             been an honor serving with him.
               I would like to thank Judd for his contributions to the 
             Senate and wish him well as he closes a chapter in his 
             life and begins another.
                                           Wednesday, December 22, 2010
               Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to join my 
             colleagues in paying a well-earned tribute to Senator Judd 
             Gregg, a fellow New Englander and one of New Hampshire's 
             much-admired icons of public service over the last three 
             decades.
               Senator Gregg has been immersed in public service his 
             entire life, beginning with his father's election as 
             Governor of New Hampshire in 1952 when Judd was only 5 
             years old. And through the years, he has amassed a record 
             of leadership at every level of government that is truly 
             remarkable. It comes as no surprise that Judd is the first 
             public servant from the Granite State ever to realize the 
             political trifecta of being elected to the three offices 
             of Congressman, Governor, and Senator. Serving others goes 
             to the very core of Judd Gregg's persona and DNA. It 
             always has and always will.
               Let me just say, at every step along the way, it has 
             been a privilege for me to witness Senator Gregg's 
             impressive trajectory in public life first hand. In fact, 
             it was during Judd's years in the U.S. House of 
             Representatives, where my husband, Jock McKernan, and I, 
             first got to know him as well as his wonderful wife Kathy. 
             And that friendship grew further during Judd's time as 
             Governor as both he and Jock were chief executives of 
             their respective States during the same period.
               Having served with Judd for nearly his entire tenure in 
             the Senate, I have been proud to work side by side with an 
             individual whose organizing principle behind public 
             service has always been driven by common sense, 
             pragmatism, and the imperative to forge solutions across 
             the aisle. Time and again, Judd has sought to bridge the 
             political divide to garner results, whether by tackling 
             our Nation's fiscal challenges, promoting land 
             conservation, or most notably, coauthoring the No Child 
             Left Behind Act of 2001 with the late Senator Edward 
             Kennedy.
               Indeed, Senator Gregg's rigorous intellect, financial 
             acumen, and budgetary expertise have earned him the 
             respect and admiration of his Senate colleagues from both 
             parties and made him one of the Nation's most well-
             regarded, leading champions of fiscal discipline and 
             accountability, and one of the most knowledgeable voices 
             and authorities in addressing our Nation's deficits and 
             debt.
               In fact, the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal 
             Responsibility and Reform, created by President Obama, is 
             modeled after legislation first introduced by Senator 
             Gregg, the former chair and current ranking member of the 
             Senate Budget Committee, and the current chair, Senator 
             Kent Conrad of North Dakota--both of whom are 
             commissioners. What a fitting coda for one of this 
             generation's stalwart guardians of our Nation's budget.
               Senator Gregg's service could not be more emblematic of 
             his overall approach to public service which has always 
             hewed to principle with a genuine desire to forge 
             solutions across the aisle. No wonder that earlier this 
             month, Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus wrote that in 
             ``both parties, there are too few Greggs, and too many of 
             them ... are leaving public office.'' I couldn't agree 
             more!
               Just as Senator Gregg has rightly earned national 
             acclaim as a fiscal steward and sentinel on behalf of the 
             American taxpayer, the heart of his leadership has always 
             remained with his beloved Granite State as well as our 
             region of New England. I well recall the ironclad 
             solidarity our two delegations have shared, particularly 
             in defending against efforts to close the Portsmouth Naval 
             Shipyard. Through each of the five Base Realignment and 
             Closure, BRAC, rounds from 1988 through 2005, we have left 
             no stone unturned to champion the cause of the U.S. Navy's 
             oldest and best shipyard--and to ensure that the BRAC 
             Commission recognized the legendary work ethic and world-
             class craftsmanship of a workforce that is second to none.
               Former Senate majority and minority leader, Senator 
             Robert Dole, with whom Senator Gregg and I both served, 
             once observed:

               As long as there are only 3 to 4 people on the floor, 
             the country is in good hands. It's only when you have 50 
             to 60 in the Senate that you want to be concerned.

               When Judd Gregg was on the floor the people of New 
             Hampshire and, indeed, the Nation knew that our country 
             was in tremendously capable and conscientious hands, and 
             we could not be more grateful!
               In thanking Senator Gregg for his immeasurable 
             contributions to this storied Chamber, I know I join all 
             of my colleagues in wishing him and his beloved wife 
             Kathy, Godspeed, as they embark on the well-earned, next 
             chapter of their lives.

               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it has been a great pleasure 
             and honor to serve in this body with Judd Gregg. He and 
             his wife Kathy have enriched our lives with their 
             friendship and their contributions to the work and 
             responsibilities of the U.S. Senate.
               Judd's leadership on the Budget and Appropriations 
             Committees have been especially important and worthy of 
             high praise.
               His sense of humor has helped make our service in the 
             Senate an enjoyable experience.
               I wish for him and his family all the best in the years 
             ahead.

               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. ...
               As a leading voice for fiscal responsibility, Senator 
             Judd Gregg will be deeply missed in the Senate.
               Throughout his long and distinguished career, with 
             unparalleled commitment to fiscal discipline, Senator 
             Gregg worked to address many pressing issues.
               Senator Gregg is a well-known budget expert and national 
             leader on the most critical issues facing our country in 
             recent years, notably health care, economic issues, and 
             financial regulation.
               His efforts to address the looming entitlement crisis, 
             the rising cost of health care, and the inefficient and 
             complex tax system are commendable and serve as an example 
             to all elected officials.
               In the Senate, Senator Gregg has also focused his 
             efforts on helping the United States maintain its position 
             as the leading destination for capital and investment in 
             the world.
               I appreciate the job Senator Gregg has done in his 
             position as the former chairman and current ranking member 
             of the Budget Committee.
               In 2006, Judd sponsored an amendment that strengthened 
             border security by providing resources to integrate 
             biometric databases as well as construction of new 
             stations and check points and tactical infrastructure for 
             immigration and customs enforcement.
               Unlike other similar proposals at the time, his 
             amendment was offset and did not add to the deficit.
               I will miss working with him in this Chamber, and I will 
             miss his friendship and support on the issues that matter 
             most to America.
               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. ...
               Judd Gregg, one of our Nation's foremost experts on the 
             Federal budget leaves us at the end of the year. As this 
             Senate comes to grips with the challenges of a rising 
             deficit and economic stagnation we will miss his firm hand 
             and thoughtful guidance. ...
               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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