[Senate Document 111-38]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


 
TRIBUTES TO HON. GEORGE V. VOINOVICH


                                           

                                 George V. Voinovich

                         U.S. SENATOR FROM OHIO

                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES



                                           
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George V. Voinovich
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                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                 George V. Voinovich

                                United States Senator

                                      1999-2011

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                            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:
                    Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
                                                                     18
                    Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
                                                                      3
                    Boxer, Barbara, of California..................
                                                                     11
                    Brown, Sherrod, of Ohio........................
                                                                     13
                    Brownback, Sam, of Kansas......................
                                                                     16
                    Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
                                                                     26
                    Carper, Thomas R., of Delaware.................
                                                                     16
                    Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
                                                                     22
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                     20
                    Cornyn, John, of Texas.........................
                                                                     21
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     17
                    Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
                                                                     17
                    Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
                                                                     24
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                      5
                    Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
                                                                      9
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                     10
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                      7
                    Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
                                                                     29
                    Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                      6
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                  4, 13
                    Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
                                                                     26
                    Voinovich, George V., of Ohio..................
                                                                      9
                    Warner, Mark R., of Virginia...................
                                                                      7
                                      BIOGRAPHY

               George Voinovich is one of Ohio's most distinguished 
             public servants. His career in public service dates back 
             to 1963 when he was appointed assistant attorney general 
             for the State of Ohio. He later served as a State 
             representative, Cuyahoga County commissioner, county 
             auditor, and Lieutenant Governor of the State of Ohio. In 
             1979, he was elected mayor of Cleveland, serving for 10 
             years, and in 1990 he was elected Governor of Ohio and 
             served for two terms.
               George Voinovich is the only person to have served as 
             chairman of the National Governors Association and 
             president of the National League of Cities. In 1998, he 
             was elected to the U.S. Senate and was reelected to a 
             second term in 2004.
               As mayor, George Voinovich helped turn Cleveland around 
             after it became the first major city to declare bankruptcy 
             since the Depression. As Governor, he led Ohio through the 
             early 1990s recession. During the Voinovich gubernatorial 
             administration, unemployment hit a 25-year low thanks to 
             the creation of 600,000 new jobs, due in part to such 
             initiatives as the Job Creation Tax Credit which helped 
             create or retain at least 163,000 jobs from 1993 to 1998.
               George Voinovich's leadership and dedication have taken 
             Ohio a long way. He has been guided by his own motto--
             ``Together we can do it!''--and the State of Ohio's 
             motto--``With God all things are possible.'' George 
             Voinovich didn't lose sight of those principles in the 
             U.S. Senate as he continued to make a difference for 
             people throughout Ohio, our Nation, and the world.
               Senator Voinovich has been called ``one of the most 
             humble and hardest working Members of the U.S. Senate'' 
             and he has received numerous awards for his work to 
             strengthen the business climate in Ohio and the Nation.
               As a former chairman and ranking member of the EPW Clean 
             Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee, Senator Voinovich 
             committed himself to the safe and secure growth of nuclear 
             power and made important strides in the nuclear 
             renaissance. Throughout his Senate career Senator 
             Voinovich called for a ``Second Declaration of 
             Independence'' from foreign sources of energy, prompting 
             the Akron Beacon Journal to editorialize that:

               Voinovich understands the need for an energy strategy 
             that operated on many fronts from renewable to nuclear 
             power to improved efficiency.

               Over the last decade, Senator Voinovich has been 
             actively involved in crafting America's foreign and 
             national security policies. He used his status as a 5-year 
             member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to 
             conduct oversight of U.S. foreign policy in the most 
             critical parts of the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan, 
             Iran, North Korea, the Balkans, and former captive nations 
             in Eastern Europe. Senator Voinovich played a leadership 
             role in strengthening and enlarging the North Atlantic 
             Treaty Organization (NATO) Alliance and was the only 
             Member of Congress in the room at the 2002 NATO summit in 
             Prague where membership was formally extended to Latvia, 
             Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and 
             Slovenia.
               Senator Voinovich has also carried the banners of 
             advancing U.N. reform, strengthening U.S. public 
             diplomacy, promoting lasting peace and stability in 
             Southeast Europe, and combating global anti-Semitism, 
             racism, and other forms of intolerance. His Visa Waiver 
             Program legislation was eagerly adopted, and is now 
             benefiting countries that support the United States and 
             are committed to fighting terrorism around the globe.
                George Voinovich's appreciation for those in the 
             trenches was bolstered by his experiences as Governor of 
             Ohio and mayor of Cleveland. During his 12 years as 
             Senator, including as chairman and ranking member of the 
             Subcommittee on the Oversight of Government Management, he 
             demonstrated that appreciation by getting into the weeds 
             of management challenges facing the Federal workforce and 
             learning details of arcane matters, such as security 
             clearance. Over the course of his Senate career, he held 
             more than 50 hearings and passed more than 25 pieces of 
             legislation to transform government management and the 
             Federal workforce.
               Throughout his Senate career, George Voinovich served on 
             the Committee on Appropriations, the Environment and 
             Public Works Committee, the Homeland Security and 
             Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), the Foreign 
             Relations Committee, and the Ethics Committee.
               Of all he has accomplished, George Voinovich counts his 
             family--his wife Janet, his three children and his eight 
             grandchildren--as his greatest gifts in life.
                               Farewell to the Senate
                            Wednesday, December 15, 2010

               Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to say 
             farewell to the Senate after 12 years. I would like to 
             take time to convey my heartfelt thanks to all of those 
             who have helped me during my time in the Senate and to 
             reflect briefly on the work we were able to get done, work 
             that I think made a difference for the people of my State 
             and our Nation.
               I also will share a few observations with my colleagues, 
             both those who are staying as the 112th, as well as 
             Senators yet to come. At this stage in my life, I look 
             back on my 44 years in public service and I cannot help 
             but thank God for the immeasurable blessings he has 
             bestowed upon me. Each time I walk the steps of the 
             Senate, I look up at the Statue of Freedom on the top of 
             our Capitol dome, and I think of my grandparents who came 
             to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs. 
             They could not read or write and spoke only a few words of 
             English.
               I have to pinch myself as a reminder that this has not 
             been just a wonderful dream. The grandson of Serbian and 
             Slovenian immigrants who grew up on the East Side of 
             Cleveland is a U.S. Senator. Only in America.
               Truly none of us should take for granted the economic 
             and political freedoms we have. My dad used to say the 
             reason we have more of the world's bounty is because we 
             get more out of our people because of our free enterprise 
             and educational systems. Mr. Gudikuntz, my social studies 
             teacher, said, ``A democracy is where everyone has an 
             equal opportunity to become unequal.''
               So during my final days in the Senate, I think of the 
             people in my life who have gotten me up the steps to this 
             hallowed Chamber: My wife of 48 years--Janet is God's 
             greatest blessing to me. She has never pulled or pushed 
             me, but she has always been at my side; my three children 
             on Earth, George, Betsy and Peter, and my angel in Heaven, 
             Molly, and my eight grandchildren, my siblings and their 
             extended families. It is not easy to have a father, 
             brother, or uncle in this business. The people of Ohio who 
             have facilitated my election to eight different offices, 
             who have stuck with me even though on occasion they have 
             not agreed with me, have my deep appreciation. I can never 
             thank them enough. I hope they know that every decision I 
             have made and every policy I have crafted, although not 
             always the easiest or most popular at the time, was aimed 
             to improve and make a positive difference in our lives. I 
             am very humbled to have been given the privilege to serve 
             them through the years.
               Here in the Senate, both in Ohio and in Washington, I am 
             so proud of what my wonderful staff has done for me and 
             the people of Ohio. I take fatherly pride in having had 
             the chance to touch their lives and see them grow. I also 
             think of our colleagues in the other Senate offices who 
             have helped and cooperated with them as we worked together 
             to solve our Nation's problems, meet challenges, and seize 
             opportunities. My colleagues and I should be most humble; 
             for all we are is a reflection of these wonderful, loyal, 
             hard-working individuals.
               I also thank all of you in this Chamber for the 
             courtesies you have extended to me. I miss my first 2 
             years when I presided over the Senate, the first one to 
             get to 100 hours in the chair. It was a wonderful time, 
             and thank you all for what you have done for me over the 
             years.
               The folks in the Attending Physician's Office have taken 
             care of me physically. Our two great Chaplains, Lloyd 
             Ogilvie and Barry Black, along with the wonderful priests 
             at St. Joseph's on the Hill have helped me grow 
             spiritually. I have to mention Jim Inhofe, hosting our 
             Bible study each week. He honored me by inviting me to a 
             codel to Africa this year. There is no one in this Senate 
             who has done more for public diplomacy for the United 
             States in Africa than Jim Inhofe.
               I have learned in my life that you cannot do anything 
             alone. So, of course, I think of my colleagues in the 
             Senate whom I have learned to know and respect. I have 
             been blessed to call them friends. The American people 
             have made it clear that they are not happy with 
             partisanship in Washington. But the fact is, there are 
             some great partnerships here, and those partnerships and 
             relationships result in action.
               I do not think many people outside Washington understand 
             that a lot gets done here on a bipartisan basis. Many 
             Americans think the only action in the Senate is on the 
             floor of the Senate. But much of the action in the Senate 
             is in the committees and meetings with other Members off 
             the floor, as well as through unanimous consent.
               Once a bill gets through committee, perhaps one or two 
             people might have a problem with it, but we work it out, 
             call them, go see them, it gets done. But it is never 
             reported in the paper about how we are working together on 
             so many pieces of legislation.
               I am proud of the contribution I have made to the 
             country in the area of human capital and government 
             management. The fact is, though, without my brother, Dan 
             Akaka--and he is my brother--the changes never would have 
             occurred. There is nobody who has done more to reform the 
             way we treat our Federal workers, to make us more 
             competitive and work harder and smarter and do more with 
             less than what Dan and I have tried to do over the years, 
             12 years of working at it. It is an area that is neglected 
             by most legislators because they do not appreciate how 
             important the people are who work in government. I call 
             them the A-Team. Any successful organization has to have 
             good finances and good people.
               I am also proud of my work in helping to relaunch the 
             nuclear renaissance, which will help deliver baseload 
             energy for America, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, 
             and reignite our manufacturing base in Ohio and in our 
             country. I could not have done this without Senator Tom 
             Carper, who has been both a friend and a colleague since 
             our days as Governors. Tom's leadership was key to 
             organizing our recent successful Nuclear Summit in 
             Washington, and Tom has taken the baton from me and will 
             carry nuclear energy to the finish line as part of the 
             future of America's energy supply, along with Mike Crapo, 
             Jim Risch, Lamar Alexander, and others.
               I also recall the passage of the landmark PRO-IP bill, a 
             bill to protect our intellectual property, by the way, the 
             last bastion of our global competitiveness. It was a 
             multiyear process that would not have succeeded without 
             the work of the business community and my friend, Evan 
             Bayh, whom I first met when we were Governors of 
             neighboring States.
               As many of you know, I have been an ardent champion for 
             my brothers and sisters in Eastern Europe, the Baltic 
             States, and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. As 
             such, I am proud to have led the effort to expand NATO and 
             increase membership in the Visa Waiver Program. These two 
             accomplishments would not have happened without the 
             bipartisan leadership of Dick Lugar and Joe Biden on the 
             Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the help of Joe 
             Lieberman and Susan Collins on the Homeland Security and 
             Government Affairs Committee.
               I pray that the bipartisanship that I have witnessed and 
             enjoyed in both foreign relations and homeland security 
             will continue. I must also acknowledge Senator Jeanne 
             Shaheen for her keen interest in Southeast Europe. We 
             traveled together to the region in February of this year, 
             and I am heartened that she has picked up the mantle on 
             our mission to ensure the door of NATO and European Union 
             membership remains open to all states in the Western 
             Balkans, which is key, I believe, to our national 
             security.
               I have also championed the cause of monitoring and 
             combating anti-Semitism, making it a priority within the 
             Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and 
             our State Department. The progress that has been made over 
             the years could not have happened without the leadership 
             of Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Chris Smith, and the 
             late Congressman Tom Lantos.
               One of the highlights of my career was the passage of 
             the global anti-Semitism bill, which created a special 
             envoy at the State Department to monitor and combat global 
             anti-Semitism. These are just a few examples of great 
             bipartisan work going on in the Senate. But much of the 
             time this is blurred because of the media's addiction to 
             conflict.
               Even though I do not agree with the bipartisan 
             resolution on extending the Bush tax cuts, I compliment 
             the President and leaders in Congress for sitting down and 
             working together to find a compromise.
               One of my frustrations after working so hard to find 
             common ground on significant issues over the past 12 years 
             has been that it does not happen often enough. The 
             American people know that even when members of a family 
             get along, it is difficult to get things done. So they 
             most certainly know that when we are laser focused on 
             fighting politicking and messaging, their concerns and 
             plight are forgotten, and nothing controversial gets done.
               There is a growing frustration that Congress is 
             oblivious to their problems, anxieties, and fears. 
             Frankly, I think one action leaders could take at the 
             beginning of each Congress is to assess the issues at 
             hand. What are the items that Republicans and Democrats 
             agree should get done to make our Nation more competitive 
             and make a difference in people's lives, and set a common 
             agenda. By setting collective goals, by an agreement from 
             leadership, I believe that will set the environment for 
             committee chairmen and ranking members for the year.
               Think about it. What kind of planning do we do? Most 
             successful corporations have 5-year plans: Where are we 
             going? What are our priorities? What are the things we 
             agree upon? Let's not spend time on those things where we 
             disagree.
               Additionally, an unacceptable amount of time is spent on 
             fundraising. It is my estimate that 20 to 25 percent of a 
             Senator's time is spent on raising millions of dollars, 
             and with it comes the negative fallout in terms of the 
             public view of Congress, bowing to contributions from 
             special interests. In addition to this negative 
             impression, the time spent raising money too often 
             interferes with the time we need for our families, our 
             colleagues, and, most important, doing the job the people 
             elected us to do. My last 2 years have been my most 
             productive and enjoyable because I have not had to chase 
             money at home and around the country. None of us like it, 
             but nothing seems to get done about it.
               Ideological differences aside, it is necessary for us to 
             have good working relationships if we are going to get 
             anything done for the people who elected us. I know it is 
             possible from my personal experience. As mayor of 
             Cleveland, I worked side by side with George Forbes, the 
             most powerful Democratic city councilman in Cleveland's 
             history. My entire city council was Democrats. George and 
             I first met when our children attended the Mayor Works 
             Program in the Cleveland Public Schools System. Who would 
             have guessed that we would become the tag team that turned 
             Cleveland around after it became the first major city to 
             go into bankruptcy?
               I was pummeled by the media on occasion in regard to who 
             was actually running city hall. My answer was, both of us. 
             Forbes and I worked together as friends and partners. One 
             of the great satisfactions when I left the job of mayor 
             was that USA Today highlighted both of us: The tall 
             African-American Democrat, Big George, and the short White 
             Republican, Little George, working together to bring about 
             Cleveland's renaissance.
               In Columbus, I found a worthy adversary when I was 
             Governor in Democrat Vern Riffe, who was speaker of the 
             house for my first 4 years as Ohio Governor. My office was 
             on the 30th floor of the building named after Riffe while 
             he was still alive and serving an unprecedented 22 years 
             as speaker.
               Well, every day when I went over to the Riffe Tower, I 
             had to genuflect before his bust. But, somehow, Vern and I 
             decided we were going to figure out how we could work 
             together and move Ohio forward and become good friends.
               Needless to say, folks, I was dismayed when I learned 
             this year that President Obama had held only a single one-
             on-one meeting with Mitch McConnell. One meeting. When I 
             was Governor, I met with Vern Riffe and Stan Aranoff, who 
             was president of the senate, every 2 weeks, developing 
             good interpersonal relationships and a trust which allowed 
             us to move Ohio forward, from the Rust Belt to the Jobs 
             Belt.
               I am hoping we have entered a new era in the 
             relationship between the President and leadership in 
             Congress. Our situation today is more critical than at any 
             time in my 44 years in government. How we work together 
             will determine the future of our country. We must also 
             recognize that if we diminish the President in the eyes of 
             the world, it is to the detriment of our Nation's 
             international influence and will impact our national 
             security. We are on thin ice, and we need the help of our 
             allies. They need our help as well.
               An example is the START Treaty. Although I have had some 
             reservations about it, they have been satisfied. It is 
             vitally important to get done this year or, alternatively, 
             we must make it clear the Senate will ratify the treaty as 
             soon as the 112th Congress convenes. To not do so will do 
             irreparable harm to America's standing with our NATO 
             allies and would be exploited by our enemies, particularly 
             those factions in Russia that would like to break off 
             communication and revert back to our cold war 
             relationship. There are plenty of them over there still 
             smarting from the fact that the wall went down, NATO 
             expanded, and we encroached on their area of influence.
               Two weeks ago Janet and I attended a farewell dinner 
             hosted by Mitch McConnell. Although I have had differences 
             with Mitch, I have to credit him with keeping the 
             Republican team together. There is no one more strategic 
             than Mitch, Jon Kyl, and Lamar Alexander. Still, I share 
             the concern of many of my colleagues that too often the 
             herd mentality has taken over our respective conferences. 
             At the dinner Mitch hosted, I shared with my Republican 
             colleagues what Ohio State University coach Jim Tressel 
             defines as success in his book ``The Winners Manual.'' 
             Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that 
             come from knowing I did the best I was capable of doing 
             for the group.
               Success is a team sport. Hopefully, this will become the 
             Senate's definition of success, because finding common 
             ground and teamwork is what it will take to confront the 
             problems facing our Nation.
               My colleague, Senator Chris Dodd, hit the nail on the 
             head when he said:

               It is whether each one of the 100 Senators can work 
             together--living up to the incredible honor that comes 
             with the title, and the awesome responsibility that comes 
             with the office.

               We do have a symbiotic relationship, and I am encouraged 
             that more and more of my colleagues understand that. I was 
             quite impressed with the fact that 60 percent of the 
             Senate representation on the National Commission on Fiscal 
             Responsibility and Reform supported the recommendations of 
             the chairmen, including Tom Coburn, Mike Crapo, Judd 
             Gregg, Kent Conrad, and Dick Durbin. As far as I am 
             concerned, they are true patriots.
               As our colleague Tom Coburn said just before the 
             commission vote:

               The time for action is now. We can't afford to wait 
             until the next election to begin this process. Long before 
             the skyrocketing cost of entitlements cause our national 
             debt to triple and tax rates to double, our economy may 
             collapse under the weight of this burden. We are already 
             near a precipice. In the near future, we could experience 
             a collapse in the value of our dollar, hyperinflation, or 
             other consequences that would force Congress to face a set 
             of choices far more painful than those proposed in this 
             plan.

               Here we are, in a situation where we are on an 
             unsustainable fiscal course caused by explosive and 
             unchecked growth in spending and entitlement obligations 
             without funding. We have an outdated Tax Code that does 
             not sufficiently encourage savings and economic growth, a 
             skyrocketing national debt that puts our credit rating in 
             serious jeopardy and should give all of us great pause.
               Fareed Zakaria posed questions that should haunt all of 
             us in Monday's Washington Post.

               So when will we get serious about our fiscal mess? In 
             2020 or 2030, when the needed spending cuts and tax hikes 
             get much larger? If we cannot inflict a little pain now, 
             who will impose a lot of pain later? Does anyone believe 
             that Washington will one day develop the political courage 
             it now lacks? And what if, while we are getting around to 
             doing something, countries get nervous about lending us 
             money and our interest rates rise?

               I believe the American people get it. They recognize 
             that our fiscal situation is in the intensive care unit on 
             life support.
               As I walk down the steps of the U.S. Capitol for the 
             last time, I pray the Holy Spirit will inspire my 
             colleagues to make the right decision for our country's 
             future and work together to tackle our fiscal crisis. You 
             have the future of our Nation and the future of our 
             children and grandchildren in your hands.
               I have already spoken too long. If my wife Janet were 
             here, she would be scratching her head. That is the signal 
             she always gives me. I got your signal, dear.
               But I would like to finish with a reading from ``One 
             Quiet Moment,'' a book of daily readings from the former 
             Senate Chaplain Lloyd Ogilvie which I read every day for 
             inspiration and proper perspective. Perhaps some of my 
             colleagues are familiar with his writings. This was his 
             election day admonition:

               May the immense responsibilities they assume, and the 
             vows they make when sworn into office, bring them to their 
             knees with profound humility and unprecedented openness to 
             You. Save them from the seduction of power, the addiction 
             of popularity, and the aggrandizement of pride. Lord, keep 
             their priorities straight: You and their families first; 
             the good of the Nation second; consensus around truth 
             third; party loyalties fourth; and personal success last 
             of all. May they never forget they have been elected to 
             serve and not to be served.

               Mr. President, I yield the floor.
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                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                 GEORGE V. VOINOVICH
                              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. ...
               Senator George Voinovich has been a mayor and a Governor 
             and a Senator, a strong voice in concerns of federalism. 
             Federal workers have George to thank for years of 
             attention to issues involving Federal employees that most 
             of us were too busy to pay as much attention to. ...
               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. With the close of the 111th Congress, the 
             Senate will lose to retirement one of our most seasoned 
             and respected Members on the other side of the aisle, 
             Senator George Voinovich of Ohio.
               Senator Voinovich and I have much in common. We are both 
             proud midwesterners. But here is what we really have in 
             common: My mother immigrated to America from what is now 
             Slovenia, the nation of Slovenia, and George's mother was 
             a first-generation American of Slovenian descent. Both of 
             us were--and I think we are the only two Senators ever--
             awarded the Golden Order of Merit by the Republic of 
             Slovenia, in part for our efforts to assist Slovenia in 
             its campaign to rid the world of landmines and to assist 
             the victims of landmines. We both care very deeply about 
             the success of democracy in Slovenia, a very small nation 
             that has set a powerful example of political stability, 
             economic reform, true democracy, and ethnic inclusiveness 
             in the Balkans.
               For nearly 4\1/2\ decades, George Voinovich has devoted 
             himself to public service at just about every level of 
             government--quite amazing--as a member of the Ohio House 
             of Representatives, Cuyahoga County commissioner, mayor of 
             Cleveland, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, Governor of Ohio, 
             and, for the last 12 years, U.S. Senator from the State of 
             Ohio. Across those 44 years of service, he has been 
             respected for his independence, his pragmatism, and his 
             insistence on putting ideology and partisanship aside in 
             order to accomplish important things for ordinary working 
             Americans.
               Another constant in the career of George Voinovich has 
             been his insistence on fiscal discipline and his 
             willingness to advance creative, tough-minded, 
             nonideological approaches to help government live within 
             its means. As mayor of Cleveland, he took a municipality 
             that had recently declared bankruptcy and turned it around 
             to become a three-time All-America City winner. As 
             Governor, he returned the State budget to balance despite 
             a bad economy. And for the last 12 years, he has been one 
             of the Senate's leading champions of fiscal conservatism. 
             By that, I mean true fiscal conservatism, which means a 
             willingness both to cut spending and to raise revenues as 
             necessary in order to bring down deficits and balance the 
             books. On that score, on matters of taxing and spending, 
             Senator Voinovich had the courage to break ranks with his 
             own party on many occasions.
               Our colleague Senator Voinovich has many accomplishments 
             in this body. I do not have time to mention them all, but 
             I know he is particularly proud of his work as chair and, 
             most recently, ranking member of the Clean Air and Nuclear 
             Safety Subcommittee of the Committee on Environment and 
             Public Works, wherein he played a key role in passing the 
             National Energy Security Act of 2009, which is helping our 
             Nation to lessen its dependence on imported petroleum.
               He is also deservedly proud of his long leadership in 
             the fight to preserve and protect Lake Erie and the other 
             Great Lakes--a cause that has been a constant throughout 
             his career in public service. Here in the Senate, he has 
             been a cochair of the Great Lakes Task Force, and he 
             introduced a bill that, when signed into law in 2008 by 
             President Bush, ratified the Great Lakes Compact to 
             protect these national treasures through better water 
             management and conservation--a singular accomplishment by 
             Senator Voinovich of Ohio.
               Senator Voinovich has achieved much during his 
             distinguished career in public service. I could use any 
             number of superlatives to describe his character and work: 
             sterling character, an honest individual, someone who, 
             when he gave you his word, gave you his word. To Senator 
             Voinovich, a handshake was a handshake. It was a 
             commitment, and he would never go back. But in my book, 
             the highest accolade is simply that George Voinovich is a 
             generous, sincere, decent person, dedicated to public 
             service, always determined to do the right thing for the 
             people of Ohio and the entire United States, a person 
             dedicated to true conservative causes he has championed 
             all his life.
               It has been a great honor to be his friend and colleague 
             for these last years. Our friendship, of course, will 
             continue. I wish George and Janet the very best in the 
             years ahead.
                                              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. ...
               To Senator George Voinovich and Janet Voinovich, thank 
             you so much for what you have done. George Voinovich has 
             been someone who has really tried to be the watchdog for 
             all Americans. He has also been an advocate for 
             infrastructure investment and for early childhood care and 
             education.
               To all of these colleagues and their families, my 
             deepest appreciation and my profoundest respect.

               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise again to recognize the 
             service of another great Federal employee. This is a 
             tradition that was started by our friend and former 
             colleague, Senator Kaufman, and I am proud to carry on 
             that tradition. But I want to first say that I appreciate 
             the remarks of the Presiding Officer (Mr. Reed) about our 
             colleagues who are leaving this body, and I share his 
             great respect for not only Senator Kaufman but all of the 
             colleagues who are leaving the body at the end of this 
             Congress. ...
                                             Tuesday, December 14, 2010
               Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute to 
             Senator George Voinovich who has served this Chamber and 
             the people of Ohio with honor over the past 12 years after 
             an already long career as a devoted public servant. George 
             has served in the Ohio statehouse, as Ohio's Lieutenant 
             Governor, as the mayor of Cleveland, as Governor of Ohio, 
             and as a U.S. Senator. That is quite a record of 
             accomplishment. When George walks out of the Chamber for 
             the last time, he will have served 44 years in public 
             service.
               Yet, in a career that has taken him from Cleveland to 
             Columbus to Washington and around the world, George has 
             always made time for his family, and no one was surprised 
             when in January 2009 he announced that he planned to 
             retire at the end of this year in order to spend more time 
             with Janet.
               George and Janet have been married for nearly half a 
             century and they have seen a lot together. George grew up 
             in the same working class neighborhood in Cleveland where 
             he and Janet still call home today. He attended Collinwood 
             High School, Ohio University, and Ohio State University 
             for law school. After practicing law for several years in 
             Cleveland, he began his political career in 1963 as an 
             assistant attorney general of Ohio. Three years later, at 
             the tender age of 30, George was elected to the Ohio 
             statehouse.
               The 1970s was a period of economic turmoil for many 
             American cities, and Cleveland was no exception. In 1978, 
             Cleveland became the first American city since the 1930s 
             to file for bankruptcy, and George, who was serving as the 
             State's Lieutenant Governor at the time, decided he needed 
             to do something to help his hometown.
               Mounting a challenge to the Democratic incumbent, Dennis 
             Kucinich, George overcame tough odds and won the race. 
             Determined to bring the city around and bring Cleveland 
             out of the economic ditch, George organized a series of 
             coalitions and public-private partnerships to bring 
             Cleveland back from the brink. More important, I think 
             George would tell us he helped restore confidence and 
             pride to the city.
               His motto was ``Together, We Can Do It.'' And they did. 
             He went on to serve as mayor for an entire decade and 
             helped close an ugly chapter in Cleveland's history. It 
             was a remarkable feat. Once called the ``buckle of the 
             Rust Belt'' and the butt of a lot of late night television 
             jokes, Cleveland underwent a renaissance under George's 
             leadership. It paid down a $110 million debt, added 
             thousands of jobs, brought new development and businesses 
             downtown, and saw struggling sports franchises transformed 
             into contenders.
               For George, it was never about him. He would never take 
             full credit for the growth and prosperity Cleveland 
             enjoyed or the fact that he was named one of the Nation's 
             top mayors. It was always about the people of Cleveland 
             working together to make the city they knew and loved 
             great again.
               George's outstanding work as mayor helped him win the 
             Governor's Mansion in 1990 where he served two terms. He 
             faced a fiscal mess in Columbus, too, and worked hard to 
             rein in spending. One of his signature achievements as 
             Governor was education reform, and in particular the 
             Cleveland school voucher program which provided thousands 
             of low-income students with the opportunity for a better 
             education and ultimately greater opportunities in life. 
             His record of success as Governor was deep and far-
             reaching. He helped restore Ohio's economy, balanced its 
             budget, and saw unemployment hit a 25-year low. For a job 
             well done, the voters of Ohio reelected George to a second 
             term as Governor in 1994 with a remarkable 72 percent of 
             the vote.
               Blocked by term limits from running again for Governor, 
             George ran for the U.S. Senate in 1998. He took the values 
             that earned him so much success in Columbus and Cleveland 
             to Washington. As a Senator, he has been at the forefront 
             of numerous important national debates. He has been a 
             leading advocate for an effective and efficient Federal 
             Government and for simplifying the Tax Code. He has been 
             involved in legislation to enhance America's 
             competitiveness around the world, to reform our energy 
             policy and to ensure America's strength and security.
               George has always had my respect and admiration for his 
             adherence to principle and for his straight-shooting 
             style. He always told you exactly what was on his mind.
               Today we honor our colleague and friend, George 
             Voinovich, for his nearly 4\1/2\ decades of public 
             service. We thank Janet and the entire Voinovich family 
             for sharing him with us, and on behalf of the entire 
             Senate family, I wish to thank George for his service and 
             wish him the very best in the years ahead. He will indeed 
             be missed.

               The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from 
             Arizona.

               Mr. KYL. Madam President, might I just add a word to 
             what the Republican leader has just said. As the 
             Republican whip, it is my job to visit with Senators about 
             their views on issues and votes that are coming up. I 
             didn't always like the answer George Voinovich gave me, 
             but I always knew that, as the leader said, it was a 
             principled response to a question that reflected his well-
             thought-out and deeply felt views about the role of the 
             government, issues on finance and debt, and generally from 
             his long experience as having been a public leader at the 
             State level, as well as the Federal level.
               So I join my colleague in paying tribute to an 
             incredible public service career and especially the time I 
             have enjoyed working with Senator Voinovich in the Senate.

               The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Ohio.

               Mr. VOINOVICH. Madam President, I would like to express 
             my appreciation to the minority leader and the minority 
             whip for all of the courtesies they have extended to me 
             over the last number of years. One of the things, Mitch, I 
             have enjoyed doing is getting to know you and Elaine. I 
             watched you become the leader. I think you have done an 
             outstanding job of keeping your team together. I 
             appreciate your willingness to answer all of my telephone 
             calls. Senator Kyl, the same with you. I can't tell you 
             how much I appreciated that, that we were able to keep an 
             open dialogue on many of the issues in front of the United 
             States of America.
               I wish to applaud the minority leader for reaching out 
             to the President. As you know, I don't agree with the 
             compromise on the tax situation, but I think it is 
             something that is important for the future of our country. 
             I have always found that when leaders get together and 
             spend time thinking about those things that bring them 
             together rather than those things that divide them, the 
             people of the State and the Nation benefit from it.
               So, again, thank you very much for your kindness to me 
             over the years, both of you.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, aside from a few college 
             football Saturdays each fall, Michigan and Ohio share 
             much. Both States are known for our manufacturing 
             strength. And both are known for the central role the 
             Great Lakes play in the daily lives of our citizens. Over 
             his 12 years in this Chamber, Senator George Voinovich has 
             demonstrated that these shared interests are far more 
             important than party labels.
               I have had the pleasure of working alongside Senator 
             Voinovich on these and other important issues. Since 2007, 
             he has been my cochair on the Great Lakes Task Force, and 
             he has brought just as much dedication and commitment to 
             that work as you would expect from an Ohioan, lover of our 
             lakes, and expert angler. Recently, the greatest issue 
             facing the Great Lakes has been the threat of invasive 
             species, and especially Asian carp, which could devastate 
             Great Lakes ecosystems if they make their way up the 
             Mississippi River Valley. His strong advocacy for 
             protecting the Lakes helped yield an important victory 
             just last month with passage of the Asian Carp Prevention 
             and Control Act, which added the bighead carp to the list 
             of species prohibited from import into the United States.
               Senator Voinovich was instrumental in helping ensure 
             passage of the Great Lakes Compact, which protects the 
             waters of the Great Lakes from diversion. He helped secure 
             more than $200 million in funding for cleanup of 
             contaminated sediments under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. 
             He has been my valued partner in introducing the Great 
             Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act, which would provide 
             important tools and funding to address a wide range of 
             environmental concerns on the Lakes. Senator Voinovich 
             also recognizes the integral role the Lakes play in our 
             States' economies, and so has been at the forefront of 
             efforts to promote shipping and commerce on the Lakes.
               In addition to his impressive legacy on Great Lakes 
             issues, Senator Voinovich has been a thoughtful and 
             effective advocate for our States' manufacturers. He and I 
             cochair the Senate Auto Caucus, and in this role, he has 
             done much to ensure that the domestic auto industry, the 
             backbone of American manufacturing, remains strong. He has 
             been a powerful voice in the Senate for ensuring that U.S. 
             manufacturers, including our auto industry, are able to 
             fully participate in overseas markets, just as foreign 
             companies are given access to our markets; his opposition 
             to unfair aspects of a proposed free trade agreement with 
             South Korea is just one recent example of that advocacy.
               It is no surprise that in his work on these issues, 
             Senator Voinovich has been motivated by the interests of 
             his State and our Nation, and not the desire to score 
             partisan points. He has throughout his time in the 
             Senate--and before, when serving as a mayor and Governor--
             demonstrated the ability to find areas of bipartisan 
             agreement, even when he faced political pressure to walk 
             the party line. To cite just a recent example: He was one 
             of a handful of Republicans to cross party lines and vote 
             for the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act, which provided 
             important new tools to help small businesses grow and 
             provide the jobs we need to get our economy going.
               On these and other issues, I have had the opportunity to 
             work closely with Senator Voinovich. I will miss him when 
             we return in January. He has been a powerful and 
             principled advocate for his State. The people of my State 
             have benefited greatly from his work on issues of common 
             interest between Michigan and Ohio. And I have benefited 
             greatly from his wisdom, friendship, and teamwork.

               Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would like to ask my 
             colleagues to join me today in recognizing the service of 
             a fellow Senator and friend, Senator George Voinovich. He 
             has spent over four decades as a public servant and has 
             been a tireless advocate for the State of Ohio.
               Senator Voinovich started his career in public service 
             in 1967 when he served as a member of the Ohio House of 
             Representatives. He then went on to serve as a county 
             commissioner, the mayor of Cleveland, and as the Governor 
             of Ohio. In 1998, he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
               Having worked extensively in local government, Senator 
             Voinovich understood first hand the importance of Federal 
             investment in infrastructure before he ever arrived in 
             Washington.
               Senator Voinovich has served with me on the Environment 
             and Public Works Committee since the 106th Congress, 1999. 
             Throughout his career, he has been a great advocate for 
             transportation. As the ranking member of the 
             Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee during the 
             111th Congress, he helped us ensure ongoing investment in 
             Federal highway, transit, and highway safety programs, and 
             the jobs that those investments create.
               In hearings, Senator Voinovich has frequently 
             highlighted the importance of investing in infrastructure 
             at all levels of government and often called on his 
             colleagues to support passage of a new long-term surface 
             transportation authorization at increased funding levels.
               He and his staff have contributed to the efforts of our 
             committee to draft a new surface transportation 
             authorization. Senator Voinovich's passion for these 
             issues was influential among his colleagues on the 
             Environment and Public Works Committee, and will help 
             guide us as we move forward on new transportation 
             legislation.
               During his service on the Environment and Public Works 
             Committee, Senator Voinovich has also been an advocate for 
             investing in America's water resources and protecting 
             water quality. I was also pleased to join him as a 
             cosponsor of the Clean Coastal Health and Public Health 
             Act, which helps to ensure our Nation's beaches are safe 
             for swimming and recreation.
               I am also grateful for his partnership in supporting 
             investment in America's ports, which are important 
             economic drivers in both Ohio and California, and are 
             vital to the national economy.
               Senator Voinovich's service on the Environment and 
             Public Works Committee will have a lasting impact both in 
             the State of Ohio, and across the Nation. I want to extend 
             my best wishes to Senator Voinovich and his family in his 
             retirement, and express my gratitude for his many years of 
             hard work and dedication to public service.
                                           Wednesday, December 15, 2010
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to say a brief word 
             about George Voinovich. I have watched him for many years. 
             He has an outstanding record. He is a Senator from the 
             State of Ohio who came to Washington with as many 
             credentials as anyone could have: a member of the State 
             legislature, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Ohio, 
             mayor of the city of Cleveland, and now a U.S. Senator. He 
             has a wonderful family.
               The thing George Voinovich brought to Washington a lot 
             of people don't recognize because of his quiet manner is 
             his work ethic. He gets up very early every morning and 
             works on what is necessary in the Senate. He studies the 
             bills. He is aware of the issues that are before the 
             Senate on any given occasion. Nothing gets past him. He 
             always is up to date on everything we are doing.
               I haven't agreed with Senator Voinovich on lots of 
             different issues, but he has a quality that we all need to 
             have: You never have to guess where he stands on an issue. 
             He will always tell you how he feels. That has been a 
             tremendous help to me. There have been occasions when his 
             vote has been so very important for, I believe, the 
             Senate, the State of Ohio, and certainly the country. He 
             always tells you how he feels, what he is going to do, and 
             once he makes up his mind, that is what he is going to do. 
             I admire him very much.
               I have had such good feelings about people coming from 
             Ohio. I had the good fortune to serve here with John 
             Glenn, a man we all know, one of America's all-time great 
             leaders. Ohio produces very good people, at least from my 
             experience in the Senate--Senator Metzenbaum, and now 
             Sherrod Brown with us. I will not run through a list of 
             everyone.
               I certainly want the Record to reflect, prior to Senator 
             Voinovich's final speech today, how much I respect him as 
             a legislator and as a person. I appreciate his friendship 
             and hope in the years to come we can still work together 
             on issues for the country.

               Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, as Ohio's junior 
             Senator, I wish to add my remarks, as well as I am able, 
             to the comments of Senator Voinovich (see farewell 
             address, page vii). He didn't talk much about himself and 
             his career, and I will do that for a moment.
               In his almost 50 years of public service, he always has 
             been his own man, whether as a State legislator, county 
             auditor, a county commissioner of Cuyahoga County, 
             Lieutenant Governor, mayor of Cleveland, Governor of Ohio, 
             and now his 12 years in the Senate. He has always been his 
             own man. He was rewarded in some sense when, as a 1958 
             graduate of Ohio University, the school created the 
             Voinovich School of Leadership in Public Affairs. It is 
             not often that a State university or any public entity 
             names something after someone still in office, 
             particularly something as prestigious as the Voinovich 
             School of Leadership. I have visited it many times. There 
             are always stimulating discussions that are uplifting to 
             the public discourse. I thank Senator Voinovich for that.
               No matter how high George Voinovich rose, he always 
             lived with his wife Janet and his children and 
             grandchildren nearby in Collinwood, OH, in the same house, 
             the same neighborhood in Cleveland, never forgetting where 
             he came from. That tells me a lot about him as a public 
             official.
               He likes to say, reflecting on our State's tremendous 
             potential, ``the rust is off the belt,'' as people used to 
             refer to Cleveland as the Rust Belt but now see it as so 
             much more. It is going to be the first place in the Nation 
             with a field of wind turbines on the fresh water of Lake 
             Erie. Clearly, this city has turned around. This is, in 
             some significant measure, due to the efforts of Mayor and 
             Governor and Senator George Voinovich.
               There are four things I particularly think of when I 
             think of George Voinovich. First is Janet. Janet often 
             travels back and forth with George, and I see both of them 
             on our flight from Cleveland to Washington. Janet has 
             always been at his side, whether as First Lady or as his 
             loving life's partner. The relationship they have is 
             inspiring to Connie and me and many others. We thank you 
             most importantly for that, George.
               Second, when I think about the career of George 
             Voinovich, I think of what he brought to this body--the 
             perspective of an executive, of a Governor and a mayor. 
             That is something many of us look to--Governor Shaheen, 
             now Senator Shaheen, and soon-to-be Governor Brownback. It 
             helps in our deliberations that someone has had the 
             experience as a big city mayor in challenging times, and 
             Governor of Ohio and, perhaps a less challenging time but 
             a challenging time nonetheless, from the perspective that 
             George Voinovich has brought as a chief executive coming 
             to the Senate, sharing those thoughts and ideas with 
             legislators.
               Third is Lake Erie. If you live in northern Ohio or in 
             the right places in Wisconsin and Minnesota and Michigan 
             and Indiana and Illinois and New York and Pennsylvania, 
             you think about the Great Lake you live near. In northern 
             Ohio there is an old story. I grew up about 75 miles from 
             the lake, and George grew up much closer. There is 
             something about people who have grown up within 10 miles 
             of Lake Erie. You can ask them wherever they are, which 
             way is north, and they always seem to know.
               From what he has done with Asian carp and his belief in 
             the importance of our greatest national resource, the five 
             Great Lakes, his commitment is always to maintaining the 
             pristine quality of that lake in terms of recreation, in 
             terms of drinking water, in terms of industry, in terms of 
             all the things that the Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie, 
             do for Cleveland and everything in between. George 
             Voinovich gets much credit for that.
               Fourth, George Voinovich is always elevating the 
             discussion about the quality of the Federal workforce. The 
             term ``public servant,'' unfortunately, doesn't mean in 
             the public's mind what it used to; partly deserved, 
             perhaps, because of some people's missteps or worse, but 
             mostly because people run campaigns against the 
             government, whatever the reasons there. The term ``public 
             servant'' is so important to George Voinovich, and he has 
             done more than just mouth the words and compliment 
             workers, which he has done often and deservedly. I applaud 
             him for that. He has played a major role in shining the 
             light on how we improve our Federal workforce. How do we 
             give them opportunities for advancement, how do we do 
             training, attract the right people to public service. I 
             still think we have a terrific public workforce. Whether 
             it is at the city, county, State, or Federal level, it is 
             of high quality. And, in the great majority of cases, that 
             is because of a few--and I say a very few--public servants 
             such as George Voinovich who have kept the public 
             spotlight on government service. I know Ralph Regula, the 
             Congressman from Canton who retired in 2008, has shared a 
             lot of those thoughts and ideas and continues to in his 
             retirement with Senator Voinovich.
               Whether it is his work on Lake Erie or his contributions 
             here, he has certainly made the Senate of the United 
             States a better place. He has made the United States of 
             America a better country. I thank him for that, as my 
             senior Senator.

               The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from 
             Kansas.

               Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to 
             my colleague. What a great gentleman. This is an august 
             body, a wonderful place, a delightful place to serve. It 
             has great issues before it. There are people who are 
             gentlemen and gentleladies in it who conduct themselves in 
             one of the highest regards and highest abilities. And when 
             I think of that, I think of George Voinovich. He is a 
             really good guy, a real gentleman in the Senate, and a man 
             who lives his faith, believes it, which is tough to do in 
             this body. It is tough to do in any position in life. Yet 
             he does it and has done it for over four decades in public 
             service to the people in the State of Ohio and the people 
             of the United States. That is quite a tribute.
               He and his wife I get to see often. When I think of the 
             expression ``two people becoming one,'' I don't know if I 
             could describe it any better than the Voinoviches, how two 
             become one.
               The smile is the same. The look is the same. The 
             attitude is just a wonderful togetherness that the two of 
             them live. At a time when marriages have a lot of 
             difficulties, it is great to see an example of somebody in 
             high office who has lived in public life for over four 
             decades and then has this oneness in their marital 
             relationship. I think they both have served in that 
             capacity, whether it is for their family or for the people 
             of Ohio or the United States.
               Living publicly the right way and living privately the 
             right way are both beautiful attributes and difficult 
             things to be able to get done, and it is great to be able 
             to see it happen. For that, I give great tribute to a 
             wonderful American, George Voinovich.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.

               Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, thank you very much.
               Mr. President, George Voinovich and I served as 
             Governors together for 6 years. He chaired the National 
             Governors Association, and he was good enough to let me be 
             his vice chairman. I got here and, lo and behold--in fact, 
             for a while he chaired a national dropout prevention 
             program called Jobs for America's Graduates. I was his 
             vice chairman. He chaired a subcommittee on the 
             Environment and Public Works Committee, the Subcommittee 
             on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, and I got to be his vice 
             chairman. So I am used to being his second banana. But I 
             love the guy, and I have learned an enormous amount from 
             him.
               He is one of those people who really, every day, tries 
             to say: What is the right thing to do--not the easy thing 
             to do, not the expedient thing to do, but what is the 
             right thing to do? He is the kind of person where we go to 
             the Bible study group that meets about every Thursday with 
             the Chaplain and some of our colleagues, and we are always 
             reminded by Barry Black that the Golden Rule is treat 
             other people the way we want to be treated. It is the 
             CliffsNotes of the New Testament, and George really 
             personifies that. He treats everybody the way he would 
             want to be treated.
               He is a person who focuses on excellence in everything 
             he has done--as mayor, as Governor, and here in the U.S. 
             Senate--and he is always looking for ways to do better 
             what he does and calls on the rest of us to do the same.
               Finally, this guy is tenacious. He does not give up. If 
             he thinks he is right and he knows he is right, just get 
             out of the way, and you know he is going to prevail.
               He has wonderful folks on his staff who are here with 
             him today, and we salute all of you. He knows how to pick 
             good people and turn them loose and really to inspire them 
             and us.
               I do not think Janet is here today. Maybe she is 
             watching on television. I hope so. But to her and their 
             family, thanks very, very much for sharing with us an 
             extraordinary human being.
               We love you, George.

               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. I rise today to honor Senator George 
             Voinovich, my colleague from Ohio who has served with me 
             in this body for 12 years. Senator Voinovich has had a 
             distinguished career in Ohio politics, spanning every 
             level of government. His work as a public servant began 
             when he was a bright young assistant attorney general, and 
             has taken him through the Ohio House of Representatives, 
             the mayor's office in Cleveland, the Ohio Governor's 
             Mansion and the U.S. Senate.
               Not only will Senator Voinovich be remembered for the 
             more than four decades of service to his fellow Ohioans 
             but also for his bipartisanship. He was never afraid to 
             put his beliefs ahead of party, opposing President Bush's 
             $750 million tax cut proposal in 2003, for example.
               I was especially proud to work with Senator Voinovich on 
             legislation to help ensure the United States' continued 
             dominance in the world aeronautics industry. Our bill, the 
             Aeronautics Competitiveness Act of 2007, increased 
             research funding, technology transfer, and workforce 
             development, all of which are vital to maintaining the 
             United States' competitive edge. I was also proud to have 
             served on the Foreign Relations Committee with him for 5 
             years, working to strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty 
             Organization, NATO.
               Senator Voinovich was known as the resident Senate 
             ``debt hawk'' and has long stood for fiscal responsibility 
             at the local, State, and Federal levels.
               It has been a pleasure to serve with Senator Voinovich. 
             As we depart the Senate, I know this body will miss the 
             presence of one of its more esteemed Members, and the 
             people of Ohio will miss one of their most dedicated 
             servants. I wish him and his wife Janet many more years of 
             happiness.

               Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell 
             to a number of our friends and colleagues who are ending 
             their service in the Senate. Their contributions are too 
             numerous to mention, therefore I would like to take just a 
             few minutes to highlight some of the memories of the 
             Senators I came to know personally.
               Some of the departing Senators I have served with for 
             decades. Others were here for only part of a term. All of 
             them worked hard for their constituents and our country. 
             ...
               I would like to pay tribute to my dear friend and 
             brother, Senator George Voinovich, as he prepares to 
             retire from public life after more than 40 years of 
             dedicated public service.
               Senator Voinovich's retirement is a sad occasion for me, 
             and it is difficult to put into words what Senator 
             Voinovich's friendship has meant to me over the years. 
             Senator Voinovich and I have worked so well together on 
             the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government 
             Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of 
             Columbia, for many years, where we have both had the honor 
             of serving as chairman. It has truly been a pleasure to 
             serve with him as we have addressed so many difficult 
             government management issues.
               Senator Voinovich's background as the Governor of Ohio 
             and the mayor of the city of Cleveland provided him with a 
             unique perspective on the Federal Government's management 
             and workforce challenges, and I believe his vast 
             experience made our subcommittee more effective. On a 
             light note, I know that one of Senator Voinovich's 
             proudest moments as Governor was watching his beloved 
             Cleveland baseball team reach the World Series for the 
             first time in over 40 years. I am sure that Senator 
             Voinovich will enjoy having more time to spend in his 
             hometown of Cleveland during his retirement.
               Senator Voinovich can take his grandchildren to see 
             parks, buildings, and other improvements he helped bring 
             about in Ohio during his time as mayor and Governor, but 
             there are few similar opportunities in Federal Government 
             oversight and management. The tough management issues we 
             have tackled seldom make front page news. But that is what 
             makes Senator Voinovich remarkable. He chose to focus on 
             the details of the government's toughest management 
             challenges rather than more glamorous issues.
               Like me, Senator Voinovich has always recognized that 
             the Federal Government's most valuable resource is its 
             workforce of dedicated men and women. I often refer to him 
             as the ``father of human capital.'' We have worked closely 
             together on a large number of workforce initiatives, with 
             the common goal of making the Federal Government the 
             employer of choice in this country. I am especially proud 
             of our work to reform the broken Federal hiring process. I 
             will keep fighting in Congress for our bill--the Federal 
             Hiring Process Improvement Act, S. 736. In the meantime, I 
             am pleased that our joint oversight on this issue has 
             spurred considerable progress in the executive branch.
               Senator Voinovich and I also worked together on an 
             amendment to last year's National Defense Authorization 
             Act, which included my Non-Foreign Area Retirement Equity 
             Assurance Act, along with several other Federal workforce 
             provisions. I cannot overstate how much Senator 
             Voinovich's support for providing retirement equity has 
             meant to the thousands of Federal employees in my home 
             State of Hawaii.
               Senator Voinovich simply has too many Federal workforce 
             accomplishments to discuss all of them today. However, I 
             would like to point out that he authored the Federal 
             Workforce Flexibility Act to modernize Federal human 
             capital planning, pay, and benefits; the Federal Employee 
             Student Loan Assistance Act; the Senior Executive Service 
             Performance Improvement Act; and many other important 
             bills that have improved the government's ability to 
             provide services.
               In addition to his focus on important workforce issues, 
             Senator Voinovich has worked tirelessly on complicated 
             management challenges. Our subcommittee has held a total 
             of seven hearings on reforming the security clearance 
             process. This work has been a tremendous success, 
             eliminating the clearance backlog, dramatically reducing 
             processing times, and improving investigation quality. 
             These improvements enhance our national security and help 
             the Federal Government hire the right people for the right 
             jobs.
               I am also proud of our work together in establishing 
             chief management officers at the Department of Defense and 
             the Department of Homeland Security. It is vital that we 
             maintain strong focus on management at these critical 
             departments. I could easily point to so many other things 
             that Senator Voinovich has accomplished during his Senate 
             service.
               I want to express my deep appreciation to Senator 
             Voinovich for his friendship and partnership over the 
             years. He has been a model public servant, and our country 
             is a better and safer place because of his work. I wish 
             Senator Voinovich, his lovely wife Janet, and his entire 
             family joy and happiness during his richly deserved 
             retirement.
               In closing, the end of this Congress is bittersweet, 
             with so many talented and dedicated public servants 
             leaving this institution. All of them made a lasting 
             impact on the Senate and on our country. Mahalo nui loa, 
             thank you, for all your work.

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment 
             to recognize our retiring colleague from Ohio, Senator 
             George Voinovich.
               George Voinovich has led a remarkable life of public 
             service, stretching across all levels of government. 
             Beginning in 1963, Senator Voinovich has made the people 
             of Ohio his priority, serving as an assistant attorney 
             general in Ohio, a member of the Ohio House of 
             Representatives, Cuyahoga County commissioner, Lieutenant 
             Governor of Ohio, mayor of Cleveland, Governor of Ohio, 
             and finally, U.S. Senator.
               Throughout his career, Senator Voinovich has been a 
             steady hand, guiding Ohio through difficult times. As 
             mayor, he led the city of Cleveland out of bankruptcy and 
             mismanagement through smart budgeting and pragmatic 
             governing. As Governor, he led Ohio out of a recession and 
             into more prosperous times, holding the State budget's 
             growth to its lowest level in 30 years and overseeing the 
             State's lowest unemployment rate in 25 years.
               As Senator, he continued his commitment to fiscal 
             responsibility, focusing on this country's exploding debt 
             and long-term challenges. Senator Voinovich also fought 
             for reform of our tax and entitlement systems as author of 
             the SAFE Commission Act and cosponsor of the Conrad-Gregg 
             Bipartisan Task Force for Fiscal Responsibility Act. 
             Warning about our Nation's fiscal crisis at a Budget 
             Committee hearing in 2009, he testified courageously:

               We must find a compromise and we must act now. Many 
             people believe that this generation of Americans will be 
             the first whose standard of living will be less than those 
             before them. Our failure to act now will guarantee that 
             they are right.

               With Senator Voinovich's retirement, the Senate is 
             losing one of its strongest and clearest voices on the 
             importance of fiscal responsibility today to keep our 
             country strong and growing into the future.
               I was also pleased to join with Senator Voinovich in 
             introducing the Truth in Budgeting Act. Our bill would 
             have put a stop to the fiscally reckless practice of using 
             trust fund surpluses to pay for tax cuts and other 
             spending priorities. Senator Voinovich always recognized 
             that our current fiscal policies are putting future 
             generations in the position of having to borrow trillions 
             of dollars to make good on our Social Security, Medicare, 
             and other commitments.
               I have always respected his commitment to principle and 
             his willingness to take independent positions, regardless 
             of popularity or political expedience. He has rejected the 
             knee-jerk partisan politics that unfortunately have taken 
             hold of Washington over the past decade, opting instead 
             for reasonable, levelheaded discourse. Always willing to 
             reach across the aisle, Senator Voinovich has spent his 12 
             years in the Senate being an honest broker and a true 
             public servant. He will be greatly missed.
               I wish a happy and healthy retirement to George and his 
             wife of 48 years, Janet, and congratulate him on an 
             outstanding career.

               Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in 
             appreciation and admiration of Senator George Voinovich.
               Senator Voinovich represents the great State of Ohio--
             and in some sense he has never left. He was born and 
             raised in Cleveland, earned a bachelor of arts degree in 
             government from Ohio University, and received a law degree 
             from the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State 
             University. After more than four decades of public 
             service, he and Janet still live in Cleveland with their 
             family.
               Before coming to Washington, Senator Voinovich 
             established a long record of service to the people of the 
             Buckeye State: as a member of the State legislature, a 
             Cuyahoga County commissioner, the Lieutenant Governor of 
             Ohio, mayor of Cleveland and Governor of Ohio. As mayor of 
             Cleveland, he helped turn around the local economy after 
             the city declared bankruptcy in the 1970s. As Governor, 
             George spearheaded economic recovery efforts after Ohio 
             fell into a recession during the early 1990s. He helped 
             reduce Ohio's unemployment rate to a 25-year low and 
             maintained the lowest budgetary growth levels in 30 years. 
             Along the way, he became the only person to hold the 
             highest leadership positions in both the National 
             Governors Association and the National League of Cities.
               The people of Ohio sent George to Washington to serve in 
             the U.S. Senate in 1998 and then reelected him 6 years ago 
             in a landslide victory. Senator Voinovich's policy 
             accomplishments reflect his dedication to maintaining 
             fiscal responsibility, enhancing national security, 
             increasing America's global competitiveness, and improving 
             the Federal Government's efficiency. His Mortgage Relief 
             Act of 2007 was the first piece of legislation to be 
             signed into law that aimed to lessen the impact of 
             America's foreclosure crisis.
               Senator Voinovich has also been a strong voice for 
             America's interests and values all over the world. He has 
             been a strong proponent of NATO expansion, U.N. reform, 
             and U.S. public diplomacy efforts. He has also spoken out 
             strongly against global anti-Semitism, racism, and other 
             forms of intolerance.
               Sandy and I wish all the best to George and Janet, as 
             well as their three children and eight grandchildren. And 
             we thank George for his many years of service in the U.S. 
             Senate.

               Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, when George Voinovich came 
             to the Senate in 1998, he brought with him a wealth of 
             experience as a State legislator, county commissioner, 
             mayor, and Governor. More important, he brought an 
             independent mind, common sense, and a commitment to 
             results.
               Through more than four decades of public service, he has 
             always been guided by the principle that a fundamental 
             obligation of government is to honor its responsibilities 
             to citizens. His goal has always been to ensure that those 
             in public office ``work harder and smarter, and do more 
             with less.''
               But Senator Voinovich is revered here and at home for 
             deeds, not words. As mayor, he brought Cleveland back from 
             bankruptcy and led its transformation into a three-time 
             All-America City. As Governor, he steered Ohio through the 
             recession of the early 1990s, turned a State budget in the 
             red back to black, and helped rebuild Ohio's industry and 
             infrastructure for the 21st century.
               From his executive background in local and State 
             government, Senator Voinovich knew that any government is 
             only as good as the people working for it. He has been a 
             strong advocate for improved government management, and 
             for recruiting, retaining, rewarding, and recognizing the 
             best government workforce.
               It has been my privilege to work closely with Senator 
             Voinovich on the Homeland Security and Governmental 
             Affairs Committee. He is devoted to protecting our Nation 
             and our people.
               Our committee's work was aided greatly by his leadership 
             of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, 
             and his conviction that government works only when it 
             ensures that the right people have the right resources to 
             get the job done. He has been instrumental in virtually 
             every major civil service issue for more than a decade and 
             has championed 17 pieces of legislation to transform and 
             improve our Federal workforce.
               Since coming to Washington, the ``Workforce Senator'' 
             has been a watchdog for the interests of the taxpayers and 
             of government employees. Early in his service, the Senior 
             Executive Service Performance Improvement Act and the 
             Chief Human Capital Officers Act recognized that the 
             Federal Government must compete if it is to attract the 
             best. In this Congress, the Federal Hiring Process 
             Improvement Act addressed the need to streamline 
             recruiting so that the right person can be hired at the 
             right time.
               And his efforts have been successful. A recent Federal 
             employee survey on the best places to work found that the 
             top three agencies--the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
             GAO, and NASA--are the agencies with the personnel 
             flexibilities Senator Voinovich worked to achieve.
               I know how deeply George Voinovich cares about the men 
             and women who serve as Federal employees because on many 
             issues we have fought together. In particular, I want to 
             recognize his role in pressing for pay for performance 
             reforms in our Federal workforce. If we want an effective 
             government, we must encourage excellence in our workforce, 
             as Senator Voinovich clearly understands.
               He has been an effective voice for fiscal discipline, 
             for comprehensive tax and entitlement reform, and for 
             enhancing America's competitiveness in a global economy. 
             All of these issues and so many more demonstrate his 
             commitment to honoring responsibilities and achieving 
             results.
               When Senator Voinovich announced early last year that he 
             would not seek reelection, the outpouring of tributes was 
             heartfelt and bipartisan. As one Ohio newspaper wrote, 
             ``Once he latches onto an issue, he doesn't let go until 
             he is satisfied with the outcome.''
               Senator Voinovich's determination, combined with wisdom, 
             experience, and decency, made him an outstanding U.S. 
             Senator and public servant. I thank George Voinovich for 
             his years of service and for his friendship, and wish him 
             and Janet all the best in the years to come.
                                              Friday, December 17, 2010
               Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, at the end of each session of 
             Congress, as is our tradition, we take a moment to say 
             goodbye and express our appreciation to those Members who 
             will be returning home at the end of the year. I know we 
             will miss them and the contributions they have made over 
             the years to the debates and deliberations they have 
             participated in on the Senate floor and in committee. One 
             retiring Member I know I will especially miss is George 
             Voinovich.
               If ever it could be said of someone that they have never 
             lost touch with their roots, it would be said of George. 
             George was raised on Cleveland's East Side, and he still 
             lives there. His dad was an architect, and his mother was 
             a schoolteacher. For his own part, until he was in his 
             teens, George was determined to be a doctor. As he grew 
             up, he found that he didn't get along very well with 
             science, so right about then his direction and his focus 
             changed. Fortunately for Cleveland and all of Ohio, George 
             then decided that someday he would run for mayor and for 
             Governor, which put him on the path that brought him years 
             later to the U.S. Senate.
               Those were big dreams for someone who up until then had 
             only his success as high school class president to show on 
             his political resume. That was also the time when his 
             fellow classmates voted him most likely to succeed. It 
             must have served as his inspiration because he proved them 
             right. Over the years George proved to be a success at 
             just about everything he set his mind to. That helped him 
             to accomplish just about all that he had predicted and 
             much, much more.
               As any observer knows, one of the constant themes that 
             runs through George's political career has been his 
             determination to be a good steward of the resources we 
             have been blessed to receive. It unsettles him to see 
             waste of any kind, especially when it comes to our budget 
             and the funds taxpayers all across the country send to 
             Washington to run our government.
               At each post he has served--mayor, Governor, and now, in 
             the Senate--people have looked to him for his leadership 
             and his willingness to make the tough choices that must be 
             made if we are to provide our children with a fair chance 
             to live their own version of the American dream. George 
             has warned us more than once that if we continue to spend 
             so much of our children's future resources, we will leave 
             them with a huge debt and an economy so weak and sluggish 
             as to offer them little hope of ever freeing themselves 
             from it. We ought to listen to him and take his advice--
             for our sake and theirs.
               George has been a remarkable public servant, and he has 
             served at many different levels of government throughout 
             his career. I know he would be the first to say he 
             wouldn't have been able to do all that without the person 
             he calls the greatest blessing he has received in life by 
             his side. That person is his wife Janet, who has been his 
             greatest source of support and guidance for 48 years. 
             Together they have made a difference wherever they have 
             been.
               In the years to come, I will always remember and admire 
             all you did as Governor of Ohio with such a perfect First 
             Lady by your side. I have a hunch you were such a great 
             vote getter because you had an advantage--a lot of people 
             voted for you because they were also voting for her.
               Looking back, we both served as mayors in our home 
             States. When we did we had to find a way to pay for 
             everything. That is why I always had an appreciation for 
             the way you examined every detail of each issue through 
             the lens of your background and how the people back home 
             would feel about it.
               Diana joins in sending our best wishes to you both and 
             our thanks and appreciation for all you have done for Ohio 
             and the Nation during your many years of public service. 
             Good luck in all your future endeavors. Keep in touch. 
             You'll be missed. It just won't be the same around here 
             without you.
                                              Monday, December 20, 2010
               Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to my 
             friend and colleague, Senator George Voinovich. Over the 
             past 12 years I have had the opportunity to work with 
             Senator Voinovich on many issues that impact our adjoining 
             States and this Nation. While working with Senator 
             Voinovich, I gained respect for his firm commitment to his 
             principles.
               Prior to our time together in the Senate, I only knew of 
             Senator Voinovich through his reputation as mayor of 
             Cleveland and Governor of Ohio. In these positions, he cut 
             spending, fought corruption, and created jobs. These 
             experiences taught Senator Voinovich how to make tough 
             decisions, and he never lost that quality here in the 
             Senate.
               Senator Voinovich also never forgot his roots. As a 
             child of Yugoslavian parents, the Senator never lost 
             interest in the Balkans, and through his work on the 
             Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he made sure that this 
             region was not forgotten by the U.S. Government. I also 
             worked closely with him on Department of Energy issues 
             because Ohio and Kentucky have neighboring DOE uranium 
             sites.
               Although Senator Voinovich accomplished many things in 
             his life, his greatest achievement has been as a father 
             and husband. George and his wife Janet have been married 
             for over 47 years. I wish him nothing but the best as he 
             embarks on a new chapter in his life.
                                           Wednesday, December 22, 2010
               Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to join in paying 
             tribute to my longtime good friend and colleague, Senator 
             George Voinovich of Ohio. In the U.S. Constitution, our 
             Founding Fathers made it clear that there is no one clear 
             path, background, or station in life that leads to serving 
             in the U.S. Senate. There is an age requirement and a 
             residency stipulation and no more. That said, if ever 
             there were a job description for being a Senator, it 
             occurs to me that a model example we should consider is 
             that of Senator George Voinovich.
               Senator Voinovich's depth and breadth of wisdom, 
             knowledge, and experience about making government work at 
             all levels which he has harnessed throughout his sterling, 
             four decade trajectory in public life recall what James 
             Madison wrote in The Federalist, No. 62, in advocating for 
             a higher age requirement for Senators than Members of the 
             House. Madison postulated that the deliberative 
             disposition of the Senate required a ``greater extent of 
             information and stability of character.'' I don't think 
             it's too far of a stretch to say that James Madison must 
             have had a Senator like George Voinovich in mind when 
             making this case.
               Before Senator Voinovich even stepped onto the floor of 
             the U.S. Senate he had already been Governor of Ohio, 
             mayor of Cleveland, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, county 
             commissioner, auditor, and a member of the Ohio House of 
             Representatives. With a wealth of insights to draw upon 
             through many years of public service, George has always 
             been a force with whom to be reckoned, someone whose 
             viewpoint and counsel are sought, and whose example is 
             worthy of being emulated many times over.
               My husband Jock, former Governor of Maine, and I first 
             got to know Senator Voinovich and his wonderful wife of 
             nearly 50 years, Janet, in the 1990s when Jock and George 
             were both serving as Governors of their respective States 
             and active in the National Governors Association. In 
             Ohio's State capital of Columbus, George was building on 
             his enormous success as mayor of Cleveland where he 
             inherited a stagnant economy, rejuvenated it through 
             fiscal discipline and acumen and public-private 
             partnerships, and forged a three-time All-America City 
             winner in the 1980s.
               George made similar, remarkable strides as Governor, 
             where, under his watch, unemployment hit a 25-year low and 
             600,000 new jobs were created. Many accolades were 
             bestowed upon George for his accomplishments at the State 
             level, and they were all well-earned to say the least. In 
             fact, he is still the only individual to serve as both 
             chairman of the National Governors Association and 
             president of the National League of Cities.
               There are many laudatory characterizations of Senator 
             Voinovich that have already been expressed by my 
             colleagues, and there are certainly some that come to 
             mind, especially as a highly regarded U.S. Senator--
             thoughtful, independent, principled, rigorous, courageous, 
             and pragmatic. With George, you always knew where he stood 
             on an issue and frankly where you stood with him. In an 
             institution whose very foundation is built upon trust and 
             forging relationships, George was someone you could count 
             on time and time again.
               To say that Senator Voinovich was a workhorse in this 
             Chamber from day one is an understatement to be sure. His 
             word is as good as gold--and as they say, you can take it 
             to the bank. If he shook your hand on a deal, that was all 
             that was required. The fact is, they don't make enough 
             legislators or public servants like Senator Voinovich 
             anymore. Like the Ohio State flag, the only one in the 
             United States not shaped like a rectangle, George has been 
             and will always be, one of a kind.
               I can tell this Chamber from firsthand experience, there 
             was no one you would rather be in the trenches with in the 
             Senate, especially when the stakes were high, than George. 
             I will never forget--and I know George won't either--how 
             we stood side by side as stewards of fiscal accountability 
             during the tax cut debate in 2003. We were certain that 
             reducing taxes and hewing to our budget concerns did not 
             have to be mutually exclusive--that we could champion 
             billions in tax cuts without jeopardizing our Nation's 
             fiscal future by proposing offsets.
               The fact is, once Senator Voinovich determined to chart 
             a particular course, he was not easily dissuaded--and 
             rightfully earned a reputation for being tireless and 
             relentless in his pursuits. His moral fiber, character, 
             and integrity can be traced back to being the grandson of 
             Serbian and Slovenian immigrants who crossed the Atlantic 
             from Croatia at the turn of the century. As a proud Greek-
             American whose parents emigrated from Greece, I see in 
             George the same stalwart work ethic so prevalent in my own 
             roots and culture growing up in Maine.
               Senator Voinovich once said that ``doing a good job at 
             running your government is the best politics,'' and that 
             ``people just want you to get the job done.'' For him, 
             these weren't platitudes worthy of a government class, 
             they have been truly organizing tenets that have shaped a 
             distinguished 40-year tenure of serving the common good 
             for Ohioans and the Nation.
               In the Senate, when others refused to reach across the 
             aisle, Senator Voinovich understood that doing so made the 
             system work, especially for those who elected us in the 
             first place--the American people. When political 
             scorekeeping and posturing have ruled the day, Senator 
             Voinovich has managed to transcend the short-term efforts 
             to jockey for position in favor of immersing himself in 
             the substance of the policy with the intention of 
             championing it or opposing it based on the facts, not 
             political sway or the temper of the times. The legacy of 
             George's clear voice of reason and brave vision in this 
             body will extend into the next Congress and for Congresses 
             to come. My only regret is that the Senate could use more 
             George Voinoviches, not fewer.
               For all of his dedicated public service to his Buckeye 
             State and this great land, undoubtedly, George will tell 
             you that his greatest achievement is his marriage of 48 
             years to his beloved wife Janet, their three children, and 
             eight grandchildren. I wish them all the best.

               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. ...
               George Voinovich came to the Senate after a 
             distinguished career that included service as Governor of 
             the State of Ohio and mayor of the city of Cleveland. He 
             has made a substantial contribution to the efficient 
             operation of our Federal Government as a leader of the 
             Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. I 
             appreciate his support of the effort that Senator Akaka 
             and I advanced, along with others, to make locality pay 
             available to Federal employees in Alaska and Hawaii 
             through the Non-Foreign Act of 2009. ...
               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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