[Senate Document 111-5]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
TRIBUTES TO HON. NORM COLEMAN
Norm Coleman
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
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Norm Coleman
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Norm Coleman
United States Senator
2003-2009
a
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Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
6
Bennett, Robert F., of Utah....................
11
Brownback, Sam, of Kansas......................
30
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
31
Chambliss, Saxby, of Georgia...................
12
Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
17
Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
15
Cornyn, John, of Texas.........................
39
Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
6
Ensign, John, of Nevada........................
32
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
33
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
27
Inhofe, James M., of Oklahoma..................
28
Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota...................
3, 21
Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
17
Lugar, Richard G., of Indiana..................
17
Martinez, Mel, of Florida......................
8
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
3
Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
40
Murray, Patty, of Washington...................
27
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
19
Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
36
Thune, John, of South Dakota...................
24
BIOGRAPHY
A passion for change and getting things done has defined
the life of Norm Coleman from an early age. It has led him
from campus organizer in the 1960s, to a prosecutor in the
1970s, to solicitor general of Minnesota in the 1980s, to
mayor of St. Paul in the 1990s, to U.S. Senator for
Minnesota in the 2000s.
Growing up in a large Jewish family in Brooklyn, NY, he
often said that most of his preparation for a life in
politics came from sitting around the huge Coleman family
kitchen table. Full-throated debate on the issues of the
day and mutual goodwill were always on the menu.
In college at Hofstra University on Long Island, Norm
was student body president and a student activist deeply
involved in the antiwar and civil rights movements. He
went to the University of Iowa Law School where he also
served as student body president and graduated with high
honors. And then, drawn by a job opportunity in the Office
of Minnesota's Attorney General, he headed north to take
his first professional job.
He spent 17 years in the Attorney General's Office,
prosecuting cases all over Minnesota and getting involved
in a wide variety of public policy matters, including drug
abuse and civil rights.
In 1993, as a Democrat, Norm Coleman was elected mayor
of St. Paul, defeating the endorsed candidate of the
Democratic Farmer Labor Party.
One of his very first actions as mayor was the rejection
of a proposed contract with city workers because it
included a huge unfunded retirement benefit liability. His
action was controversial, but it saved St. Paul taxpayers
tens of millions of dollars.
When he took office, the capital city was experiencing a
serious economic decline and increase in crime and other
social problems. He set out to reform city services, put a
lid on property tax increases, and established public-
private partnerships. His formula was ``hope plus
confidence equals investment.'' He wanted to prove to the
local business community that city government was a
reliable partner in their shared goals for the city. His
efforts paid off, with more than $3 billion of private
investments in St. Paul. In 2002, then-Mayor Coleman
received the U.S. Conference of Mayors' highest award
recognizing excellence in public-private partnership.
An era of rapid change and economic improvement took
hold in St. Paul. Eighteen thousand new jobs came to the
city. A new science museum was built. The State's largest
software developer, Lawson Software, moved its
headquarters to downtown St. Paul. Harriett Island Park
and the land adjacent to the river were rehabilitated,
reconnecting the city to its greatest natural asset: the
Mississippi River. Increased community involvement in St.
Paul schools and law enforcement also brought measurable
improvements. And finally, Mayor Coleman engineered the
return of a National Hockey League franchise to Minnesota.
The nationally recognized Xcel Energy Center is now one of
the premier entertainment venues in America and home to
the NHL Minnesota Wild. Often called the ``House that Norm
Built,'' the Xcel Energy Center figured in the national
political scene as home to the 2008 Republican National
Convention, where John McCain officially received his
party's nomination for President.
In 1996 Mayor Coleman made a major change. Frustrated
that the Democratic Party he had been a part of from his
youth had assumed the role of defenders of the status quo,
he switched to the Republican Party because he felt it
held the best opportunity to bring about job growth,
quality education, and greater public safety. In 1997 he
was reelected mayor as a Republican, with 59 percent of
the vote.
In 1998 he ran for Governor and narrowly lost to
Independent candidate Jesse Ventura in a three-way race.
At 8 a.m. on the day after the election, he was back at
his desk in St. Paul.
Shortly after his term as mayor ended, he entered the
race for one of Minnesota's seats in the U.S. Senate. He
engaged in a close and hard-fought campaign with incumbent
Senator Paul Wellstone, who tragically perished in a plane
crash 11 days before the election. Former Vice President
Walter Mondale replaced him on the ticket. In one of the
largest turnout elections in the country, Norm was elected
with over 1.1 million votes and a 2-percent margin of
victory.
Norm Coleman was sworn in as a U.S. Senator on January
7, 2003. After taking office, he quickly gained a
reputation as a productive and thoughtful legislator,
willing to work with Members of both political parties to
get things done for Minnesota and the Nation.
During the campaign, Norm Coleman promised to be a
strong advocate for Minnesota's rural and agricultural
communities, and that is a covenant he kept. Upon taking
office, he secured a seat on the Senate Agriculture
Committee. Minnesota owes one-third of its overall State
economy to agriculture, and Senator Coleman was tireless
in going to bat for the needs of Minnesota's producers,
defending the farm bill, ensuring agriculture disaster
relief, and promoting rural economic development. He
played a key role both in helping to write the 2008 farm
bill and in breaking the political impasse that had been
stalling the bill's progress.
Senator Coleman brought Minnesota's commitment to
renewable fuels to the U.S. Senate. Minnesota is a
national leader in ethanol plants, biodiesel plants, and
wind energy projects. As co-chairman of the Senate Bio-
Fuels Caucus, Senator Coleman led efforts to expand
renewable fuel initiatives, including the establishment of
the first ever national Renewable Fuels Standard, as well
as tax incentives for a range of renewable energy
technologies.
Senator Coleman was a member of the Homeland Security
and Government Affairs Committee, where he led the
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI). During his
first 4 years in Congress, Senator Coleman served as
chairman of the subcommittee, an assignment once held by
Harry Truman and rarely occupied by a freshman Senator.
After the Senate majority switched in 2007, Senator
Coleman continued to lead the subcommittee as the ranking
minority member, maintaining a productive relationship
with subcommittee chairman Carl Levin. As a direct result
of Senator Coleman'S leadership of PSI, the subcommittee
identified more than $80 billion in waste, fraud, abuse,
and potential taxpayer savings. The subcommittee also
conducted a historic and groundbreaking investigation into
allegations of abuse and misconduct related to the U.N.
Oil-for-Food Program. Specifically, the subcommittee
uncovered how Saddam Hussein was able to manipulate the
U.N.'s program to generate billions of dollars of illegal
cash. Additionally, Senator Coleman led a 3-year
subcommittee investigation into the security of our
Nation's ports, examining the threat of nuclear terrorism
and assessing various programs to secure, detect, and
interdict nuclear and radiological materials domestically
and abroad.
Senator Coleman also served as a senior member of the
prestigious Senate Foreign Relations Committee. There he
worked hard to ensure that America remained a powerful
force for democracy and compassion in the world.
Understanding the importance of having an effective and
credible United Nations, he tirelessly led the fight for
reform to ensure the United Nations was adequately
equipped to face emerging global challenges. He was also a
leader in fostering exchanges of people and ideas through
such initiatives as the Peace Corps and student exchanges,
and in boosting America's role in fighting global AIDS.
As chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the
Western Hemisphere, and as ranking member of the
Subcommittee on the Near East and South Asia, Senator
Coleman worked to foster closer ties with our hemispheric
neighbors as well as conduct oversight of the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Coleman's first bill to become law (P.L.
108-220) ensured that servicemembers returning to the
United States for rest and recuperation would no longer be
required to pay their own airfare. He also worked to
improve reintegration for National Guard and Reserve
members, and to reorganize our Nation's intelligence
services.
Senator Coleman was also a member of the Senate Small
Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. A strong believer
in the power of the free market and individual initiative,
Senator Coleman was a firm and vocal advocate for
commonsense government regulation, low taxes, affordable
health plans, and entrepreneurial incentive. This
committee assignment allowed Senator Coleman to turn that
philosophy into real and meaningful policy.
Eager to tackle the challenges confronting the
increasing number of baby boomers approaching retirement,
Senator Coleman was selected to join the U.S. Senate
Special Committee on Aging, which looks out for the
interests of America's seniors. Norm Coleman was a
critical vote in the passage of legislation to create the
Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit.
Norm Coleman cared deeply about issues related to
children. He was selected to co-chair the Congressional
Coalition on Adoptions. In addition to assisting hundreds
of Minnesota families with complex international
adoptions, Senator Coleman passed legislation to encourage
teen adoption by modifying the rules for college financial
aid. He also passed the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act to
offer hope and resources to families faced with this
heartbreaking condition.
Throughout his time in the U.S. Senate, Norm Coleman
continued to work hard for the needs of his State,
personally visiting each of Minnesota's 87 counties and
dispatching his staff to each of Minnesota's 853
municipalities. In the aftermath of the 2007 collapse of
the I-35W bridge in Minnesota, Senator Coleman was part of
a bipartisan, bicameral effort to fund and rebuild the
bridge in remarkably rapid fashion. Norm Coleman worked
tirelessly to provide disaster relief to Minnesota farmers
affected by flood and drought, mitigated the impact of the
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for those crossing
Minnesota's border with Canada, and permitted the
construction of a Critical Access Hospital in Walker, MN.
Norm Coleman's voice and commitment to conservative
values and causes will continue in the future. His belief
in the free market, lower taxes, fiscal responsibility and
a strong national security will lead him to support causes
and efforts that will help restore confidence in center-
right conservative principles and ideals.
Senator Coleman and his wife, Laurie, presently have two
children, Jacob and Sarah. Their first son, Adam, and last
daughter, Grace, died in infancy.
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TRIBUTES
TO
NORM COLEMAN
Proceedings in the Senate
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. ... I wanted to say something about Norm
Coleman. Last week he made a difficult decision. He had
the right to pursue a legal challenge, but he did what was
right for Minnesota. Norm was my Senate colleague for 2
years. We often worked together on issues for Minnesota,
and we all wish him and his family the best. ...
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, it was a politician from
Kentucky who introduced the expression ``self-made man''
into the lexicon. But even Henry Clay didn't follow as
unlikely a path as Norm Coleman did to the U.S. Senate. As
Norm puts it, he never even knew a Republican or a
Lutheran before he left home for college.
Yet this middle-class son of Brooklyn became one of the
best Senators the people of Minnesota have ever known. And
he has always made sure to give them all the credit, even
when the voters would have excused him for taking a little
credit of his own.
Another great American politician said the U.S.
Constitution was ``the work of many heads and many
hands.'' Norm's always had the same attitude about his own
career. He is grateful for the opportunities he has had.
He gives it everything he has. Then he is grateful when
his efforts on behalf of others succeed, which is more
often than not.
The day he got here he was asked how it felt. He had a
simple response. He said he was humbled by the
opportunity. ``I believe that what I can do well, my
gift,'' he said, ``is to serve people, and now I have this
incredible opportunity to serve as a U.S. Senator.'' Six
years later, on the day he conceded defeat, his first
impulse was again to thank others. He thanked his staff
for the long hours and hard work they had put in on his
behalf. And he said he would always be grateful to and
humbled by the people of Minnesota who had given him the
honor to serve, and even more grateful for the patience
and understanding they showed over these last several
months.
It wasn't the outcome he wanted. It wasn't the outcome
that his Republican friends and colleagues in the Senate
wanted. But we couldn't have expected anything less from
Norm Coleman than the class and graciousness he showed in
the closing act of this phase in his career as a public
servant.
As I said, Norm came to be a Republican Senator from
Minnesota by a rather unusual route. He was a campus
activist in the 1960s, and a rather prominent one at that.
After college, Norm earned a scholarship to the University
of Iowa Law School and came to love the people and the
place.
From there, he went on to Minnesota to serve in the
Minnesota Attorney General's Office. Later, he would use
his talents as chief prosecutor for the State of
Minnesota, and then as mayor of St. Paul, first as a
Democrat and then as a Republican. In what has to go down
as one of the more remarkable feats of bipartisanship in
American politics, Norm has the distinction of serving as
the 1996 co-chairman of the Committee to Reelect Bill
Clinton and the 2000 State chairman for George W. Bush's
campaign.
As a big-city mayor, Norm didn't disappoint. He showed a
real knack for bringing business and government together.
He led a downtown revitalization effort, created thousands
of jobs, brought the National Hockey League to St. Paul
and fought to keep taxes low. He left office with a 74-
percent approval rating after two terms that a local
magazine called ``by almost any measure ... an unqualified
success.''
In 2002, Norm was still thinking about how he could
serve on the State level when he got a call from the
President asking him if he would run for the Senate. He
accepted the challenge and then he fought a tough and
principled campaign against our late beloved colleague
Paul Wellstone before Paul's tragic death shortly before
the end of that tumultuous campaign. Norm grieved with the
rest of Minnesota at Paul's passing, defeated his
replacement in the race, and was sworn in 2 months later
as Laurie, their children, Jake and Sarah, and Norm's
parents, Beverly and Norman, looked on. Laurie summed up
the day like this: ``It's incredible to think that he has
this opportunity.''
Norm didn't waste a day. An instant hit at Republican
events across the country, he kept up the same torrid pace
in the Senate he had set in his come-from-behind win the
previous November. He pushed legislation that benefited
Minnesotans and all Americans, and he never let up.
Norm spoke the other day about some of his
accomplishments here. He mentioned a few areas in
particular, including U.N. oversight, working with
Minnesota farmers, and his work on energy independence.
But he said his best ideas came from the people of
Minnesota.
He was being humble. In a single term, Norm put together
a remarkable record of results. On energy and
conservation, he played a key role in establishing the
renewable fuels standard. He helped pass an extension of
the tax credits for wind, biomass, and other renewable
fuels. He secured loan guarantees and tax incentives for
clean coal power; protected fish populations; and
supported conservation programs to protect Minnesota's
lakes, rivers, and woodlands.
He led major anticorruption efforts, including a
groundbreaking exposure of fraud at the United Nations. He
exposed more than $1 billion in wasteful Medicare spending
and uncovered serial tax evasion by defense contractors.
Norm was also instrumental in passing the Conquer
Childhood Cancer Act which increased funding for childhood
cancer research.
The proud son of a World War II veteran, Norm has been a
true friend to all veterans. The first piece of
legislation he introduced was a bill requiring the
Pentagon to cover the travel expenses of troops heading
home from service abroad. Norm worked on a bipartisan
basis to establish the first-ever national reintegration
program for returning troops. And he worked hard in the
early years after 9/11 to strengthen homeland security.
Norm Coleman's service in the Senate has been marked by
the same high level of distinction that has marked
everything else he has done in three decades of public
service. Today we honor our colleague and friend for that
long career that we hope is far from over. And we
punctuate an incredibly hard-fought campaign that some
people thought might never end.
In the end, it didn't turn out the way many of us had
hoped it would. But none of us was surprised by the
graciousness with which Norm Coleman accepted the verdict,
and all of us can celebrate the 6 years of dedicated
service he gave to the people of Minnesota.
After another setback some years back, Norm Coleman said
that real defeat isn't getting knocked down. It is not
getting back up. And I have no doubt that this is not the
last we will hear from Norm Coleman. He already has a
legacy to be proud of. But it is a legacy that is still
very much in the works. More chapters will be written. And
they will bear the same strong hand and commitment to
people and principle that he has shown in every other
endeavor of a long and distinguished career.
In private conversation Senator Coleman often talks
about resting on the truths of his faith. It is an untold
Washington story--the glue of faith that holds this city
together. So as I say goodbye to Senator Coleman, I would
like to do so with words from the Torah that he knows
well:
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face
shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His
countenance upon you, And give you peace.
And on behalf of the entire Senate family, I want to
thank Norm for his service. We will miss him.
I yield the floor.
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, first let me associate
myself with the remarks of the Republican leader, Senator
McConnell, relative to our colleague Norm Coleman. I
enjoyed serving with Norm. We worked together on a number
of issues during our service in the Senate. I was actively
supporting his opponent Al Franken in the Minnesota race.
I thought, as Senator McConnell noted, that Senator
Coleman showed extraordinary grace in conceding after the
latest Minnesota Supreme Court decision. It was a relief
to all involved and to the people of Minnesota to have two
Senators representing them here in this Chamber. I wish
Senator Coleman the very best in his future endeavors and
again thank Senator McConnell for his remarks which I know
speak on behalf of all Senators from both sides of the
aisle.
Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, in 1998, Norm Coleman
ran for Governor of Minnesota against the son of one of
the most revered Members of this body, Hubert Humphrey,
who was also a former Vice President of the United States,
and a noted wrestler, Jesse Ventura, who was elected
Governor.
In 2002 Norm Coleman ran a campaign against Paul
Wellstone, a beloved Member of this body who was
tragically killed in an airplane crash a week or so before
the election, bringing into the race a former Vice
President of the United States, a former U.S. Senator and
Ambassador, Walter Mondale. The whole country watched and
was riveted by that race during that last week. Norm
Coleman won that race.
This past year, Norm Coleman was a participant in a race
that also riveted the Nation. He was opposed by a well-
known TV personality, Al Franken, now a Member of this
body. The race went on for 2 years, with much publicity.
Then it went on for another 8 months after election day.
If Norm Coleman could have found some way to make the
2000 Presidential election Bush v. Gore v. Coleman, Norm
would have been a participant in every single one of the
most spectacular political races of the last decade.
Norm and I arrived in the Senate on the same day in
2003. We not only were Members of the Senate family, which
we often talk about here and which extends to both sides
of the aisle, we were Members of the same class, and are
good friends.
My wife, Honey, and I got to know Norm and his wife,
Laurie the mother of their two children. We know of his
love for his family and of his deep religious faith. Each
of us in the Senate has enjoyed the good humor and cheer
and civil relationship that Norm has had with his
colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans.
But most memorable--and the Republican leader spoke of
some of this--is Norm Coleman's record of service to our
country: chief prosecutor for the State of Minnesota,
mayor of St. Paul, Senator.
He has been a strong, eloquent, effective voice for the
center of this country--an independent voice of the kind
our country and the Republican Party needs to attract and
represent and continue to bring the center into our party
and into our political process.
The political campaigns of Norm Coleman have been more
spectacular than those of any of us in the Senate. But the
public service chapters of his life have been equally
impressive. As this door closes, I am confident new ones
will open.
When I was Governor of Tennessee, my chief of staff, a
former Marine, came in and said to me during my last
years: ``Governor, I would like to say to you that people
remember the last thing you do.'' And I had no idea why he
said that to me, but I never could get it out of my mind,
and I think it is pretty good advice.
People will remember the last thing Norm Coleman did in
this campaign. He proved to be determined and courageous
and, in the Minnesota tradition, a happy warrior in
attempting to make sure that every Minnesota vote counted
in the race, which was decided by just a few votes.
But then, when the Minnesota Supreme Court made its
decision, he immediately was gracious about accepting the
rule of law and the court's decision and stepping aside
and congratulating Al Franken.
That is the picture of Norm Coleman that most
Minnesotans and most Americans will remember. That may
have been the last thing that Norm did in this race, but I
am sure it is far from the last thing he is likely to do
in public life.
Norm Coleman, after those three spectacular races,
deserves an easy, humdrum, conventional political race
someday. And Minnesota and the Nation can hope we will
deserve and have many more years of Norm Coleman's public
service.
Madam President, I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
I see my colleague from Florida.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from
Florida.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Thank you, Madam President.
Madam President, I am here this morning to speak about
my good friend and former colleague, Norm Coleman.
Norm and I first met when I was Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development and Norm had been the mayor of St.
Paul--I had been the mayor of Orange County, FL--and
immediately we established a bond. We kind of spoke the
same language, if you will. We understood each other. We
had both been involved in the milieu of urban politics as
well as the challenges and responsibilities of being a
big-city urban-center mayor.
I remember our discussions about the problems of the
cities and about the opportunities. Norm had been very
successful in creating a new arena for the hockey team in
St. Paul, and this was, I know, a tremendously proud thing
for him, an accomplishment he had.
Little did I know our paths would again cross here in
the Senate. I remember being in Miami at a radio station
and there was a TV monitor on the screen during the
election of 2002, and I remember it was a debate between
Norm Coleman and former Vice President and Senator Walter
Mondale. I remember being detained there watching him and
thinking what a tough spot he landed in, what a
complicated race it had been through the tragic death of
Senator Wellstone, and how proud I was of him, of this
fellow whom I did not know that well but whom I had met on
a couple of occasions, and he was handling himself quite
well. It turned out he was successful in that race.
Then, only a couple years later, we were reunited here
in the Senate as colleagues. We both immediately found one
another on the Foreign Relations Committee. Norm, at that
time, was the chair of the Western Hemisphere
Subcommittee. I found in Norm someone who was uncommonly
knowledgeable about the Western Hemisphere and carried out
those responsibilities with a great sense of urgency.
Norm and I traveled in Latin America together. We
traveled to Chile and to Colombia and perhaps a couple of
other places where we conducted meetings trying to advance
the U.S. agenda, promoting the rule of law, fighting
against narcotrafficking that is such a blight upon our
cities and our communities, and trying to improve the
conditions of democratic rule in the region.
I have no doubt that if Norm Coleman were in the Senate
this week, he would have been side by side with us as we
have watched closely the events in Honduras and have tried
to promote a reasonable, fair, and democratic outcome to
that country's troubled current moments.
He was the original sponsor of efforts to build stronger
relations with our neighbors to the south. I had the
opportunity, as I said, to travel with him. Part of our
traveling took us to Colombia where a tremendous challenge
lies ahead for the people of that country as they fight
for the rule of law and against the narcoterrorists in
that country. I remember our meeting with President Uribe.
Norm was also very committed and concerned about a
stable Middle East, about advancing the peace process in
the Middle East, but also about the security of Israel. He
was a very strong voice for a strong United States-Israel
relationship. He was a clear voice on the need for us to
not allow Iran to develop a capability that is nuclear and
that would invite the opportunity for Iran to carry out
the stated wishes of destroying the state of Israel. He
was a friend of Israel.
He was also a friend of Cuban freedom. I remember when
Norm was first in the Senate. He came to the Senate 2
years before I did. During that time I was still Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development. I heard that Norm
Coleman was traveling to Cuba. I said to Norm: ``As you
travel to Cuba, as a now-sitting Senator, I hope you will
remember there is a large and growing dissident movement
on that island, and they deserve the same recognition you
would have given to Lech Walesa or Vaclav Havel had you
been traveling to Eastern Europe in the 1980s.
Norm heard my voice and sought the opportunity to meet
with the Cuban dissidents while he was on the island. This
came as a great surprise to his host because the Cuban
Government frowns upon visiting dignitaries meeting with
anyone who would present the potential for a democratic
opposition to a country that has not known democracy now
for half a century.
But, in any event, Norm Coleman met with them, and not
only met with them but while in Cuba made some very strong
statements about the need for a democratic solution to the
Cuban situation, about the need for the people of Cuba to
have an opportunity to live in freedom, and he spoke
highly about the dissidents. Needless to say, that was the
last time Norm Coleman was invited to visit Cuba by the
Cuban Government. But I knew then I had found a friend who
clearly understood the difference between freedom and
oppression and who would clearly stand on the side of
freedom.
Norm, as has been expressed here this morning, with
great grace and courage fought through a very difficult
election, and that is in addition to the ups and downs of
all that went on in the recount and the legal challenges
that followed.
Norm, with great grace, moved aside. When the time was
right, and when the legal challenges had been exhausted,
he did so with the grace and dignity that is the hallmark
of Norm Coleman.
Norm and Laurie are my friends. I wish them the very
best as they go forward in their lives. I know they will
find other opportunities to be of service to the people of
Minnesota and to the people of the United States, and I
might daresay also to the people of Florida because Norm
has a great affection for my State, where he has spent a
lot of his time--I would daresay particularly in the cold
and bitter months when maybe it is a little more pleasant
around my neck of the woods than it would be in Minnesota.
But we always welcome Norm to Florida. We hope he will
continue to visit us frequently, where he has a multitude
of friends and a multitude of people who love him, who
appreciate him, and who thank him for his great service to
our Nation and our State, and who thank him for the great
concern he has demonstrated about people who are
oppressed, as well as those who seek to live in freedom
and peace without threat from their neighbors.
Madam President, I thank you and yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Utah.
Mr. BENNETT. Madam President, I am pleased to join with
my colleagues in making some comments about our former
colleague, Norm Coleman. I welcome Senator Franken to the
Senate. I welcome him to his service here and congratulate
him on his victory. But it would come as no surprise that
Senator Coleman will be sadly missed.
I had the experience of serving with him on the Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee where he
served as the chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigation. This is a subcommittee that has an
interesting history. It has the history of some
demagoguery if you go back into the past. It also has a
history of some accomplishment of the various Senators who
have served there. I think it unusual that a freshman
Senator would serve in that capacity and serve as if he
were not a freshman but a seasoned veteran. He took over
that assignment and went after a number of areas of
controversy, and pursued a number of difficulties, and
with a persistence that served him and the Senate very
well.
So with all of the things we have heard about Norm
Coleman--his intelligence, his grace, his willingness to
work hard and at the same time do so with a sense of class
about him--I add my tribute to his ability to take on a
difficult assignment and follow it through.
I wish him and his wife and his family well in their
activities now. I will not go through the resume the
Republican leader has established for us. I simply add my
voice of gratitude for the opportunity of serving with
Norm Coleman and my best wishes for him in his future
activities. He is a young and vigorous enough man that I
think we will hear far more from him in the years ahead.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call
the roll.
The bill clerk called the roll.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from
Georgia is recognized.
Mr. CHAMBLISS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent
that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it
is so ordered.
Mr. CHAMBLISS. Madam President, I rise to speak this
morning for a few minutes about my dear friend, now former
Senator, Norm Coleman, from the great State of Minnesota.
Norm was a very unique individual in the Senate. He grew
up in New York, was educated in Iowa, and wound up living
in Minnesota. He was a student leader in undergraduate
school as well as in law school, so his leadership
qualities were certainly recognized early on.
Norm grew up in an era right behind me, which was the
era of big rock bands, and Norm was right in with the
majority of the crowd of young folks back then and, in
fact, was a roadie with a rock band for a while. He spent
his 20th birthday at Woodstock. We used to joke about that
a lot in some of our conversations.
After law school, Norm obviously settled down in the
State of Minnesota where he joined the Office of the
Attorney General and eventually became the State solicitor
general. He prosecuted any number of cases in both of
those offices. He became the mayor of St. Paul, MN, in
1993, and, boy, did he ever take over a town that was
headed south and bring it back to be a totally revitalized
community in a way in which, frankly, I have never seen.
When you talk to the people of St. Paul today and you
ask them about what Norm Coleman did for the downtown area
of St. Paul, a smile immediately comes to the faces of
those residents. He created thousands of new jobs and
brought in more than $3 billion worth of new development
to the city. The one thing St. Paul residents, as well as
Minneapolis residents, will tell you today about Norm
Coleman from the standpoint of his legacy as mayor is that
he brought the hockey team back to Minneapolis-St. Paul,
and that has had a tremendous economic influence on that
community.
I think it is a real tribute to Norm and his leadership
that after being elected as a Democrat in 1993, he became
a Republican in 1996, and then ran for reelection as mayor
in 1997 as a Republican, and was again elected mayor of
St. Paul. Norm ran for Governor of Minnesota in 1998, and
as a testament to the character, the integrity, and the
dedication as a public servant, when he lost that race for
Governor, he was still mayor of St. Paul, and the day
after that election, he was back in his mayoral office at
8 a.m. taking care of the business of the people of St.
Paul.
I was very privileged to know Norm in a way other than
just being a colleague. We were very close personal
friends. Having been elected together, individuals within
classes tend to hang together from time to time, and Norm
and I enjoyed many social moments outside of this Chamber,
as well as many strong professional moments inside this
Chamber. I will have to say that as chairman of the
Committee on Agriculture, of which Norm was a member,
there was no harder working member of that committee for
his constituents, no more dedicated individual to
agricultural interests in his State than was Norm Coleman.
In fact, during the farm bill debate last year, Norm
pounded on me every single day during the course of that
farm bill debate about some issue that was of particular
interest to his State. It may have been talking about some
issue relative to ethanol, some issue relative to the
issues surrounding corn, wheat, or sugar beets, but
whatever it was, Norm was just a hard-working, dedicated
man when it came to making sure his constituents'
interests were protected in that piece of legislation
which was so vitally important to the State he
represented.
I had the opportunity to travel with Norm many times in
the State of Minnesota, and he likewise traveled in my
State. I remember very well going to the Minnesota State
Fair with Norm. While we were there, we visited with some
of his corngrowers whom I have gotten to know on a
personal basis as a result of my relationship with him.
I will never forget that because coming from a cotton-
growing State where we produce a fiber that is used in the
manufacture of clothing, the folks in Minnesota have
developed a way to produce a piece of cloth from
byproducts of corn and ethanol production. They gave me a
shirt that day. It was a red shirt. They hadn't quite
perfected this procedure at that point in time. I had a T-
shirt on underneath the shirt I had on, and I immediately
took my shirt off and put that red shirt on. It was hot as
it could be that day. When we got back to the hotel that
night, I took that shirt off, and I had this pink
undershirt on as a result of having that shirt on. The
corngrowers have reminded me of that. We have had a good
laugh about that ever since.
Norm is just one of those guys who not only was a
dedicated professional Member of this body, but he is a
good guy. He is one of those individuals who folks on both
sides of the aisle had, first of all, respect for as a
Member of this body, but also from a personal standpoint
Norm was easy to get along with, easy to work with, and he
wanted to do what was in the best interests of Americans.
I think his work on the Foreign Relations Committee,
particularly with respect to his investigation of the
fraudulent activities ongoing at the United Nations, is
unparalleled with respect to any investigation I have seen
take place during my years in the Senate. He uncovered an
awful lot of fraud and abuse.
As a result of Norm's dedicated work and his dogged
determination, some changes have been made. Were Norm to
have come back to the Senate, there is no question he
would have continued to pursue that issue, and we will
continue to receive benefits from Norm's investigative
measures that were undertaken at the United Nations.
I think Norm's reputation as a fighter and as a strong
advocate for Minnesotans is reflective in the way he
handled his election. He fought hard in his election. It
was very much an uphill battle. A lot of us had tough
elections last year, but nobody had a tougher one than
Norm on a day-to-day basis. But he wanted to make sure the
people who voted for him, the people who supported him and
worked hard in his election all across the State of
Minnesota had their just due, and he wanted to make sure
he could look every Minnesotan in the eye and say: ``I did
everything I could do to make sure this election was
fairly conducted and to make sure that every single vote I
could possibly get was counted.''
At the end of the day, when the election was finally
decided, once again, in his very professional way, he
conceded and decided, as some of us have to do in politics
from time to time, that it is time to move on.
We are going to miss Norm Coleman in this body. We are
going to miss his family. Laurie and my wife are very dear
friends. They communicated from time to time both while
the two of them were in Washington as well as while they
were in their respective States. We will miss that
personal relationship. His daughter Sarah and his son
Jacob are two very fine young people and certainly are
reflective of the fact that they have been raised by two
very good parents.
So to Norm Coleman I simply say we will miss you in the
Senate. We are not going to let him go away, though. I
still talk to him on a regular basis and will continue to
do so and will seek his advice, his counsel on any number
of issues because this is a man who has served the public
just about all of his adult life. He has done so in a
professional way and in a way that all of us wish to
emulate.
Congratulations to Norm, and good luck on whatever road
life now takes him.
With that, I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Maine
is recognized.
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I enjoyed hearing my
colleague's comments about our friend Senator Norm Coleman
because I share the same sentiments. I rise today to speak
about the extraordinary service of this extraordinary
individual.
When I became the chairman of the Governmental Affairs
Committee in 2003, a freshman Senator took over the
position that I had held as the chairman of the Permanent
Subcommittee on Investigations. During the next 6 years, I
came to know Senator Norm Coleman as an energetic,
farsighted, and committed public servant, but most of all
I came to know Norm as a dear friend.
As chairman, and later ranking member, of the PSI, Norm
demonstrated unfailing leadership and extraordinary
dedication. Working with his colleague from across the
aisle, Senator Carl Levin, Norm enhanced the PSI's
reputation as the Senate's premier investigative
subcommittee. He undertook many complex and important
investigations.
Under this team's leadership, the subcommittee was
successful in ferreting out waste, fraud, and abuse to the
tune of $14 billion. I remember particularly well an
investigation that exposed tax cheats in Medicare and in
defense contracting.
Another success resulting from Norm's leadership was his
highly successful and courageous Oil-for-Food
investigation. Norm's investigation uncovered billions of
dollars of fraud in this program operated by the United
Nations. Norm was focused, determined, and undeterred in
his pursuit of the facts, in his pursuit of the truth.
Norm's abiding concern for upholding the public trust is
rooted in his background. As a former prosecutor, he is a
champion of the rule of law. As a former mayor, he
understands the concerns of State and local government. As
a Senator, he always worked hard for the people he
represented and for the people of this entire country.
These traits were evident in his service as a member of
the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Norm's hard work ensured that the Special Inspector
General for Iraq Reconstruction had the resources and the
authority necessary to do his work effectively. Norm's
keen insight into local government was invaluable during
our extensive investigation into the failed response to
Hurricane Katrina. His critical insight helped to shape
reform in many areas, ranging from our intelligence
agencies, to the postal service, and government
contracting.
Norm was also a passionate advocate for educational
opportunity. His support for strengthening the Pell Grant
Program demonstrated his belief that the benefits of
higher education should be available to everyone with the
determination and the desire to pursue more education.
In fact, the only quibble I have with Norm's public
service dates back to his tenure as mayor of St. Paul. His
success in bringing professional hockey back to Minnesota
was certainly commendable, but it was based, as I
understand it, on the flawed premise that Minnesota is the
hockey capital of the United States. The people of Maine
know better, of course, but this was typical of Norm's
pride in his State.
The past election brought great disappointment, but it
also revealed character. Norm ran a vigorous, honorable
campaign, under very difficult circumstances. He never
betrayed his constituents, nor compromised his principles.
When the final court decision went against him, he
graciously conceded defeat. In fact, I had the opportunity
to talk with Norm right after the supreme court in
Minnesota ruled against him. I was struck, once again, by
his determination to do what he felt was best for his
State, even though it was not best for him. I was also
touched by his commitment, once again, to his constituents
and to moving on and ensuring that they had two Senators
representing them. He was not bitter. He was not hurt. He
was at peace. He was at peace because he knew he had
served the people of his State to the best of his ability
and with all his heart and tremendous intellect.
It has been a true honor to serve with Norm Coleman in
the Senate, and the American people--not just the people
of Minnesota--are better off for his service. It has been
a joy to develop our friendship--a friendship I will
always cherish and always continue. I will miss serving
with Norm day to day, but I know I will see him many
times.
I wish Norm and his wonderful family all the best in the
years to come.
Mr. KYL. Madam President, I join my Republican
colleagues in thanking Senator Norm Coleman for his
service in the Senate.
As a valued member of my whip team, Senator Coleman was
devoted to solving problems in a practical and nonpartisan
way. I could always expect from him a serious and
interesting view of an issue and could count on him for
good advice. His thoughtful and unique perspective, as
well as his talent and high energy, will be missed.
Senator Coleman ran a fine campaign and was a consummate
gentleman throughout the long process of determining the
winner of his seat.
I join my colleagues in wishing him all the best in his
future endeavors, and know that he will remain an
important voice in our party.
Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, the Senate will continue
to benefit in the years ahead from the service and example
of Norm Coleman as a U.S. Senator.
He brought to the Senate a seriousness of purpose and a
high level of energy which he used to help shape national
policies and successfully address many important
challenges faced by our country.
I enjoyed working with him and playing tennis with him.
He brought to his service in the Senate a strong and
determined commitment to solve the problems facing our
country, especially as they affected farmers and workers
in his State of Minnesota.
Norm Coleman's leadership will be missed in the Senate,
but we will continue to benefit from his example and his
contributions to this body for many years to come.
Mr. LUGAR. Madam President, I am pleased to join with
other Senate colleagues in honoring a loyal and talented
friend, Norm Coleman. For the past 6 years, it has been my
privilege to serve with him in the Senate. During that
time, we have worked together on many issues, and I have
witnessed with admiration his character and his dedication
to the United States and to the people of Minnesota.
As a former mayor of Indianapolis, I was very pleased to
welcome another former mayor to the Senate in 2003 when
Norm took his seat after an election that was decided by
fewer than 50,000 votes. We talked frequently about our
experiences in Indianapolis and St. Paul, and we shared
many perspectives on domestic policy because of this
common bond. He was devoted to principles of good
government that deeply informed his service in the Senate.
It also was clear to me that Senator Coleman had an
extremely strong commitment to constituent service that
was stimulated by his service as a mayor. He understood
that serving his constituents was a 24-hour-a-day job, and
he threw himself into the task of serving all Minnesotans.
I am especially sad to see Norm leave the Senate because
he has been an outstanding partner in the work of the
Foreign Relations Committee. I encouraged him to join our
committee in 2003, and he played a prominent role in our
work from the day he arrived. For 6 years, I sat with Norm
through hundreds of Foreign Relations Committee hearings
and meetings. He was one of the most active members of the
committee, and he could be counted on to bolster our
debates and our efforts to achieve quorums. I greatly
benefited from the opportunity to exchange ideas with him,
to compare perspectives on our witnesses, and to develop
common approaches to problems.
His impact was especially profound as chairman of the
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee from 2003 until 2006. He
traveled frequently to Latin America and quickly developed
an expertise in the region. He was an effective advocate
for Plan Colombia, and he was one of our first leaders to
recognize how important it was to ensure that Colombians
had alternatives to economic and energy dependence on
Venezuela. He performed important oversight of the Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the Peace Corps, and U.S.
policy toward Haiti. Senator Coleman was the lead
organizer of the U.S.-Chile Caucus, a group that allowed
Senators to engage with Chileans to discuss issues of
mutual interest.
Senator Coleman developed expertise that went well
beyond Latin America. In April 2004, I chaired the
Senate's first hearing that looked into the troubled Iraq
Oil-for-Food Program. Senator Coleman took the lead from
there, and as chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations, he conducted an extensive, 2-year
investigation into corruption and mismanagement related to
the Oil-for-Food Program. Many of his conclusions were the
basis of legislation that he and I introduced in 2005--the
United Nations Management, Personnel, and Policy Reform
Act. Senator Coleman also was a passionate and informed
advocate for U.S. programs to combat HIV/AIDS and a
careful student of Middle East politics.
I know how much Norm was stimulated by the daily
opportunities of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
and he made the most of them. Had he prevailed in his 2008
reelection bid, he would have been the second-ranking
Republican on the committee.
Senator Coleman leaves the Senate after 6 years having
established lifetime friendships. It was a special
pleasure for Char and me to spend time with Norm and his
wife Laurie at Aspen Institute events, giving us the
opportunity to know much more about their family and life
outside the Senate.
I will miss his good humor, his hard work, and his
personal friendship. I have no doubts that he will
continue to serve the United States and his fellow
Americans in new ways, and I look forward to witnessing
all that he will achieve in the future. I join the Senate
in wishing him the best as he and his family move on to
new adventures.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call
the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it
is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Madam President, I don't know much about the
State of New York or the city of New York. I do know there
is a high school there called James Madison High School,
which has some pretty prominent graduates: Senator Bernie
Sanders of Vermont, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, and
Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota. I believe Ruth Bader
Ginsburg, a member of the Supreme Court, also graduated
from that high school. I am sure there are others.
My message to Norm Coleman is that I have been involved
in close elections. I lost an election for the Senate many
years ago by 524 votes. I won one not too many years ago
by 428 votes. So I have some appreciation for what Norm
Coleman and his opponent, Al Franken, went through.
My thoughts during the past 8 months have been directed
toward the difficulty they have had in their lives as a
result of that close election. One of my elections--the
one I won by 428 votes--took 6 weeks. I cannot imagine one
taking 8 months. It was a hard-fought campaign. Almost 3
million people voted, and it was decided by 312 votes.
I appreciate, as I think do the people of Minnesota, the
Senate, and the country, Norm Coleman not taking this to
the Supreme Court or a higher court. He could have done
that. That speaks well of him.
Norm has a lot of fans, of course, in the State of
Minnesota, but he is also a friend of a close personal
friend of mine from the State of Nevada, Sig Rogich. Sig
Rogich and I have been very close personal friends for a
long time. He is a man of accomplishment. Having been born
in Iceland, he came to America and was raised in
Henderson, where I was raised. Actually, he is a wealthy
man now, a very prominent businessman. One of Norm's
biggest supporters around the country is Sig Rogich; he
has a great pedigree. He was part of the Tuesday team of
famous media developed for Ronald Reagan. He worked in the
White House for the first President Bush. He is a very
personal friend of the first President Bush and also is
well known and was part of the second Bush team and knows
him very well. My understanding of Sig Rogich's
relationship with Norm Coleman is that they are friends.
That speaks well of both of them, that they have such
high-quality friends.
Norm Coleman's relationship with me--me being a Democrat
and he being a Republican--was always very good. We spoke
to each other often. He was always very courteous and
always a gentleman with me. I never heard him say a
negative word about me. I cannot ever recall saying
anything negative about him. To show that he did do some
legislation that I watched very closely, one piece of
legislation he did was one that would allow people, when
filing their income tax return, to designate part of their
return to go to the National Guardsmen or Reservists,
those who lose their jobs as a result of going into combat
and their families are having trouble making the grade.
The few dollars they get from the military doesn't make up
for what their house payment is and everything. This would
allow money to be put into an administrated fund to go
toward the families of these people fighting overseas. I
thought so much of that legislation that I have sponsored
it. It is working its way through the Senate, and it is a
fine piece of legislation. I acknowledge that I
plagiarized this from Norm Coleman. It came from his
friend and my friend, Sig Rogich.
I wish Norm and his family the very best. Recognizing
that these campaigns come to an end, he is a relatively
young man, and I am sure with his educational background
and his notoriety in Minnesota, he will have a bright
future.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call
the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent
that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it
is so ordered.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, I am here today to speak
about Senator Coleman, who was my colleague for my first 2
years in the Senate. As everyone knows, last week the
Minnesota Supreme Court issued its ruling on the outcome
of last November's Senate election. As I did this week, I
congratulate Al Franken for his hard-earned and long-
awaited election victory. He has had a good first week in
the Senate, and we all welcome him. But I do wish to take
this time to talk about Norm Coleman.
First of all, after 6 months without having a second
Senator, Senator Coleman made a very difficult decision,
and he did it with such grace. He could have appealed that
decision. He could have gone to Federal court. It was his
right. But he made a decision which he felt was best for
the State of Minnesota, and the country.
I wish to talk a little bit about what it meant to me to
have Norm Coleman as a colleague in the Senate.
When I first came to the Senate, Norm had been a Senator
for many years, and he was very gracious to me. He reached
out with his staff. We basically got along from the moment
I started to the end of his term as a Senator. We worked
very hard at that. When we had disagreements, we talked
them out and our staffs would talk them out because we
felt the most important thing was that we represent the
State of Minnesota.
Each one of us knows Norm in our own way, but I think
all of us agree this is someone who cares so much about
his family, his wife Laurie, and their two children, Jacob
and Sarah. Theirs is a family that has known tremendous
tragedy. Two of their children died in early infancy from
a rare genetic disease. While Norm doesn't talk about this
much, his reverence to life and his devotion to family are
very clear.
Second only to his family has been his dedication to
public service. It has literally defined his adult life.
Maybe it was sheer destiny that he found his way to the
Senate. After all, he is a graduate of James Madison High
School in Brooklyn, which is also the alma mater of two of
our Senate colleagues--Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders.
Norm hit the ground running in politics, and he has not
stopped. In college, he was a student activist, and in law
school, he served as the president of his class.
Immediately after getting his law degree, he joined the
Minnesota Attorney General's Office, recruited by my good
friend, legendary Attorney General Warren Spannaus. Norm
was in the Attorney General's Office 17 years, most of
that time doing criminal prosecutions, ultimately rising
to the position of solicitor general for the State of
Minnesota.
In 1993 Norm was elected mayor of St. Paul at a time
when the city, especially its downtown, was suffering
economically. During his 8 years as mayor, he worked to
turn St. Paul around. Building public-private
partnerships, he redeveloped the industrial riverfront
into a recreational green space. A new Minnesota science
museum was built overlooking the Mississippi River. Most
famously, he brought hockey back to Minnesota, securing a
new National Hockey League franchise that moved into the
new arena. Hockey is very important in Minnesota.
In 1998 Norm was narrowly defeated in a three-way race
for Minnesota Governor. The winner, of course, was Jesse
Ventura--something not many people across the United
States expected to happen. I think Norm once said that not
everyone can say they lost to a candidate whose previous
career highlight was being killed by an alien creature in
the movie ``Predator.'' But he took it in stride.
In 2002 Norm was elected to the Senate under tragic
circumstances. Just days before the election, my good
friends Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila and their
daughter Marcia and members of their staff were killed in
a tragic plane crash in northern Minnesota. Norm became
the Senator. Like Paul, Norm took his duties very
seriously, and I could see that in my 2 years in the
Senate. He cared deeply about the work he did in foreign
relations, some of which people never really talked about,
never made the front page of the newspaper, but it was
something he cared deeply about.
Together we worked on several issues in our State which
were of key importance, legislation to benefit our State.
The most dramatic example of this spirit of cooperation
was our response to the sudden collapse of the Interstate
35W bridge into the Mississippi River on August 1, 2007.
Thirteen people were killed and 150 were injured, many
with severe and permanent injuries. Literally, our cities
came to a stop. For our State, out of this unprecedented
disaster, this public trauma was something to which they
immediately responded.
I still remember when Senator Coleman and I came in the
very next morning--we flew in with the Secretary of
Transportation, Mary Peters--and there were already
billboards up, literally 12 hours later, directing people
where to go with the traffic and how to get buses to get
to where they had to go. As I said that day, a bridge in
America should not just fall down, but when one does fall
down, we rebuild it. In the 72 hours immediately following
the bridge collapse, Norm and I worked together to secure
$250 million in emergency bridge construction funding.
Representative Jim Oberstar led the way in the House.
Approval of this funding came with remarkable speed and
bipartisanship. Capitol Hill veterans tell me it was a
rare feat, aided by unity among Minnesota's elected
leaders across the aisle, across the political spectrum. I
am pleased to report that just 13 months after that
collapse, Minnesota drivers were able to drive over a safe
new 35W bridge and eight-lane highway. That is just 13
months after the collapse.
While the bridge is the most visible example, Norm and I
had many other opportunities to work together on issues
that mattered to the people in our State.
There was another Minnesota disaster in August 2007 when
severe flooding hit the southeastern corner of our State.
We worked on this together, along with Congressman Walz,
to ensure a rapid, effective response by Federal agencies
to help communities, businesses, and families in need.
We worked together on the Agriculture Committee. We both
served on that committee. We succeeded in passing a new
farm bill that was very important to our State.
We worked together with a bipartisan group of Senators
on energy legislation, to move forward in unity.
We worked together in securing Federal funds for the
security costs of the Democratic and Republican National
Conventions, along with our colleagues in Colorado. I
still remember standing before this Chamber saying that I
stood tall to obtain the funding to protect the security
of the Republican leadership from across this country. We
did that together.
We joined to secure educational benefits owed to our
National Guard and Reserve troops returning from active
duty overseas. We are so proud of our National Guard in
Minnesota. The Red Bulls have served longer in Iraq than
any other National Guard unit in the country. And Norm and
I worked together to make sure we expanded the Beyond the
Yellow Ribbon Program to help those Guard and Reserve who
really have no base to go home to but go home to little
towns across our State. We worked on that together.
Our State has a proud tradition of electing both
Democrats and Republicans to office. They expect us to
work together. From the very beginning, Norm and I knew
that was part of our duty to the people of our State, that
was part of our obligation, no matter if we disagreed on
issues, that we were going to work together.
So today I acknowledge my former colleague, Norm
Coleman, for the strength he has shown during this long
campaign, for the grace he showed last week when he made
that difficult decision, and for the fine work he did for
the people of Minnesota.
Madam President, I yield the floor. I suggest the
absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call
the roll.
The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent
that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it
is so ordered.
Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I would like to join some of
my colleagues who have spoken previously in reflecting
upon the service of our colleague, Norm Coleman. As we all
know, the election process in Minnesota has come to a
conclusion. We have welcomed his successor to the U.S.
Senate. But I also want to make some remarks about Senator
Coleman's years of distinguished service in the Senate and
my recollections of his service to the people of Minnesota
and our country.
Obviously, all of us come here motivated to do different
things. We all have reasons we want to be in public
service, things we want to accomplish. Senator Coleman
came from the State of Minnesota, having been in an
executive position where he served as mayor of St. Paul.
He accomplished some wonderful things for the State, not
the least of which was bringing hockey to Minnesota. That
is something any of us from that region of the country
know was greatly appreciated by the citizens of his city
and his State.
Norm and I came to the Senate under different
circumstances. I recall having traveled around the country
with Senator Coleman as we were campaigning together in
2002 trying to come to the Senate and having that
opportunity to get to know him. When you travel with
somebody on an ongoing basis, you get to know them not on
a superficial basis, but you have a chance to really get a
glimpse into the soul of people when you are in certain
circumstances, when you are in tough campaigns. Certainly,
Norm was no stranger to tough campaigns.
As it turned out, in that 2002 election Norm was elected
to the Senate. I lost my election in 2002 and didn't come
here until a couple of years later. But during the course
of the campaigns, and then having served with Norm--
representing a neighbor State in South Dakota--we shared a
lot of common interests. Whether it was agriculture or
renewable energy or the economy in our States and trying
to create jobs in the Upper Midwest of this country, Norm
was somebody who, more than anything else, cared about
results.
There are so many instances here where we get drawn into
debates in the Senate and the partisan lines get drawn and
a lot of ideology comes into play. Obviously, that is part
of the process as well. But the bottom line was that Norm
cared about getting things done for the people of
Minnesota. I think that was the kind of can-do attitude he
brought to his job as mayor and to all the other areas of
public service in which he was engaged during the course
of his career in public life.
But coming to the Senate, I am sure, had to have been
frustrating at times because this is a place where
sometimes it is very difficult to see the result and the
outcome of your efforts. Norm was someone who was focused.
He was intent upon getting things done, getting things
accomplished, and I think during his service here he did
some great things for the people of Minnesota and for the
people of this country.
I think Norm would tell you that in coming to the
Senate--and I would tell you the same thing--he can now
look back on some of the things he was involved in getting
done, such as being involved in the big debates over the
confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts or Justice Sam
Alito--these were big debates in which we were all
involved in seeing good people nominated and ultimately
confirmed to be on the Supreme Court. We worked in areas
that were specific to our States--again, agriculture,
renewable energy, putting energy policies in place that I
think will drive America's future in terms of trying to
lessen our dependence upon foreign sources of energy and,
obviously, trying to bring more economic opportunity to
this country by promoting the energy sources we have right
here, particularly in places such as the Midwest where we
can produce biofuels and wind and other forms of renewable
energy.
Those are the kinds of issues Norm was committed to
because he understood the profound impact they had on the
citizens of his State of Minnesota. I also think sometimes
around here people tend to--as we all do because we all
are elected to represent constituencies--sometimes feel
pressured to make votes that might be more political. But
I have seen Norm Coleman time and again come in here and
make votes--sometimes tough votes--that he thought were
the right ones for the future of this country. That, too,
is a quality that sometimes is lacking and can be rare in
public life.
So I just wanted to express my appreciation for having
had the opportunity to serve with Norm Coleman in the
Senate. He is someone who I think was a tremendous
reflection upon the State of Minnesota, the people of his
State; someone who was intent upon doing the right thing
for the future of this country; and, frankly, someone who,
in my view, brought an authenticity and a genuineness to
this body and to this world of politics in Washington, DC,
which sometimes is lacking in those qualities. He was
sincere, he was genuine, and you knew exactly where he was
coming from. With Norm, what you saw was what you got.
I was pleased to have had the opportunity not only to
serve with him in the Senate and to call him a colleague,
but more important than that to call him and Laurie and
their family friends, because that is something that is
also rare in Washington, DC. Sometimes the Senate can be a
lonely place, and when you develop a friendship of the
type and depth that I have with Norm, I find that to be
something I will always treasure and remember.
I also know Norm will continue in whatever he chooses
to do next to serve the people of Minnesota and the people
of his country because for him it wasn't about the
position or the title, it was about the difference he
made, and he is making, and I know he will continue to do
great things for this country. Whatever he chooses to do
next, it will be with an eye toward how he can make a
difference and contribute in a positive way to furthering
and improving the quality of life for the people of the
State and the people of this country.
Mr. President, I thank Senator Coleman for his years of
dedicated and distinguished service, and I wish him all
the best as he begins the next chapter in his life in
continuing his service to Minnesota and our Nation.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the tributes to Senator Coleman in the Congressional
Record be printed as a Senate document and that Senators
be permitted to submit statements for inclusion until
Friday, August 7, 2009.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I wish to speak in honor of
the service of my good friend, Senator Norm Coleman.
Senator Coleman was among the more thoughtful and
intelligent Senators that I have known. His presence in
this Chamber will be sorely missed.
Senator Coleman came to the Senate with more insight
into the lives and needs of his constituents than most
obtain after years of service in Congress. He was elected
mayor of St. Paul, MN, in 1993. Of course, at that time he
was a Democrat, but I don't hold it against him. He
eventually realized the error of his ways and was
reelected as a Republican in 1997. He became the most
popular and well-known mayor in Minnesota, mostly because
he shared something in common with Minnesotans: a love of
hockey.
In 1993 the Minnesota North Stars became the Dallas
Stars, leaving the State of Minnesota without a franchise
in the National Hockey League. Norm shared the view of
probably every Minnesotan that this was just not right.
Honestly, how can you have an NHL without a team in
Minnesota? Due in large part to Mayor Coleman's lobbying
efforts the NHL awarded St. Paul an expansion franchise in
1997, the Minnesota Wild.
You would think that bringing hockey back to Minnesota
would be enough to get him elected to any office he wanted
in the State. But, as many have observed, the people of
Minnesota are unpredictable. In the 1998 gubernatorial
election, in a race that grabbed the attention of many
people throughout the country, Norm finished just 3
percentage points behind Jesse Ventura, whose pre-Governor
career was, to put it lightly, a colorful one.
Though this result had to be difficult for Norm, I think
we all ultimately benefited from the outcome of that race.
Norm was elected to the Senate in 2002 and immediately
became known for his thoughtful demeanor and his
dedication to the people of Minnesota. He was a loyal
Republican, but he was also willing to work with those in
the opposing party to help the State of Minnesota and the
Nation as a whole. He supported President Bush, but, as
should be expected of any loyal supporter, he was not
afraid to express his disagreement or offer his advice
with regard to changes and reforms. Indeed, I think
Republicans and Democrats alike have had a good working
relationship with Senator Coleman because, as many have
noted here today, he was more concerned with getting
things done and being true to his convictions than he was
about being political and towing the party line.
Mr. President, while I welcome Senator Coleman's
successor, I must admit that I was disappointed when I
heard of the final decision of the Minnesota Supreme
Court. Obviously, I don't like seeing the number of
Republicans in the Chamber go down. But, more important, I
am sad to see the Senate lose such a vibrant and
intelligent voice. Indeed, I think his views and
statements on the legislation being considered by the
Senate this year would add greatly to the debate.
I want to wish Senator Coleman the best of luck in his
future endeavors. While I am sure that he will be a
valuable asset for any effort with which he becomes
involved, I am more certain that he will be missed here in
the Senate.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I wish to pause for a moment.
I know we are on the bill, and I am most anxious to
proceed with the Defense authorization bill, having served
on the committee since 1994 and before then in the House.
It is imperative now that we get as robust a bill as
possible.
Before doing that, let me mention one thing because I
haven't yet spoken about this. I have been watching
several of our colleagues come to the floor to speak about
a great Senator, Norm Coleman, who is no longer seated in
the Senate but who is a remarkable character.
A good friend of mine, Paul Weyrich, who recently died,
wrote an op-ed piece, and it is called ``The Workhorses
and the Show Horses.'' He talked about so many of the
Members of the House and the Senate who are out there just
to make themselves look good. They are the ones who are
show horses. Then there are the workhorses. We talk about
someone such as Norm Coleman, who was always there and
getting deeply involved in issues, many of which are not
popular issues if you are using them to run for
reelection. I am thinking of a close friend, a mutual
friend of ours named Ward Brehm. Ward Brehm and I have
been working together for a long time on some things in
Africa, as the Chair is aware, and he was talking about
being from Minnesota and how much involved Norm Coleman
got in various international affairs issues that don't
have any votes behind them, but he was willing to do it.
Every time you turned around, he was willing to do things
that other people weren't willing to do.
I remember several years ago when he and I met with a
delegation from Burundi and Rwanda and the DRC. This was a
group that was over here in conjunction with the National
Prayer Breakfast. He and I always worked together during
the time that we had the National Prayer Breakfast. We
would get these people to come all the way over here from
different countries, but we kind of concentrated on
Africa. I remember him standing there talking for a long
period of time--keep in mind he is a Jew. I was never real
clear where in New York he was from--I think the Bronx or
someplace. But anyway, he was very strong in the Jewish
community, and I am not. I am on the Christian side. But
we would always get together and talk to them about Jesus
and talk to them about loving God. And then when he would
pray--at the end of these things, we would offer a prayer,
and he would end up giving a prayer in Hebrew--an amazing
guy.
At the National Prayer Breakfast African dinner 2 years
ago--I had sponsored the dinner that was for all the
Africans who had come over for the Prayer Breakfast and
stayed for the African dinner--he was a major player in
that. So these are things people didn't know about Norm
Coleman.
The idea is scripturally based; it is Acts 2:42. It is
kind of a genesis of these weekly Prayer Breakfasts in the
Senate. On Wednesday mornings, we had a Prayer Breakfast
and about 20 or 25 Senators showed up every Wednesday.
Norm Coleman was the chairman of that and was always in
these groups. But he was also one who was helping us in
forming these same groups with members of Parliament from
all over Africa. He was a tireless worker in that effort,
which was not something out there to get any votes.
I talked to him the other day, having gone through this
election and then the 8 months or so, whatever it was, in
recounting and all of that. I told him that many years ago
I was mayor of Tulsa, and I did a pretty good job, I
thought. I was supposed to win hands down. Someone came
out of obscurity and because of a set of circumstances
that should have gotten votes, not lost votes, I had lost
unexpectedly on that Tuesday.
Well, we had scheduled our Tulsa Mayor's Prayer
Breakfast the next morning. Bill Bright, who died not too
long ago, came by as the speaker. Keep in mind, here he
was the speaker at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast the
morning after I lost the election. He gave the most
brilliant speech. I remember how he said it and the words
he used. He said: ``A lot of times we think in terms of
what is happening to us today, looking at our own careers,
but,'' he said, ``God is still up there and there is a
plan for all of us.'' He said in a very clear way that I
thoroughly understood, the day after I lost the election I
wasn't supposed to lose, that God opens a window and he
closes a door and that window is going to be bigger. I can
tell you right now I wouldn't be doing what I am doing
today if it had not been for that.
So I would just say about my friend, Norm Coleman, God
has a plan in mind for you, Norm, and it is one we will
look back someday and say perhaps this is the best thing
that could have happened to you. In the meantime, we love
you, Norm, and God bless you.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I commend the
extraordinary career of Norm Coleman. Norm began his
public service as a prosecutor for the Minnesota State
Attorney General's Office, working his way up to chief
prosecutor before eventually serving as solicitor general
of Minnesota. In 1993, he became mayor of St. Paul. During
his tenure as mayor, Norm worked faithfully to revitalize
the city, even securing a National Hockey League franchise
for St. Paul. In 2002, at the urging of President Bush,
Norm ran for U.S. Senate. He was the challenger in a
close, hard-fought race, and his ultimate victory was an
exciting one.
I am proud to have served alongside Norm in the Senate.
He was an excellent comrade in the fight against partial
birth abortion and worked hard to prevent waste and fraud
at the United Nations. Known for his willingness to work
with both parties, Norm fought for tax cuts, renewable
energy, and prescription drug benefits for seniors. He
worked for the passage of legislation improving rural
health care, increasing funding for Pell Grants and
securing our ports.
He leaves an impressive record as testament to his
service in the Senate, but his presence here will be
missed. Though the outcome of last fall's election ended
differently than I had hoped, I know great things are in
store for Norm. He has much more to offer our great
country. I wish Norm, his wife Laurie, and their two
children, Jacob and Sarah, all the best as they embrace
the new and exciting opportunities before them.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to my
distinguished colleague from Minnesota, Senator Norm
Coleman.
I've worked with Senator Coleman since 2002 when he was
elected U.S. Senator of Minnesota. Norm is a man of
integrity and patriotism. He has dedicated most of his
adult life to serving the people of Minnesota. While he
served in the Minnesota Attorney General's Office for a
large portion of his career and eventually became
solicitor general, he is highly praised in the city of St.
Paul for his successes as mayor. His vision and execution
to revitalize the city of St. Paul became a benchmark for
success in local governing. Because of his accomplishments
as mayor, he gained higher approval ratings in Minnesota
than most politicians in Washington ever receive in their
entire careers.
During his tenure as U.S. Senator, Norm was a leader in
strengthening our homeland security and national defense.
He consistently supported and sponsored measures that
provide our troops with the important tools they need to
defend our freedoms overseas and fought to make sure they
receive the proper care and services as they return home.
Additionally, Norm remained a strong voice for alternative
fuels and energy independence. The Commonwealth of
Kentucky and I are thankful for his diligence in promoting
clean energy.
He always fought for what he believes is best for
Minnesotans and for America. While we are sad to see him
go here in the Senate, we are grateful for his
contributions. I am honored to know him and to have worked
with him. I wish his wife Laurie, his children, Jake and
Sarah, and him the best in all of their future endeavors.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute
to our former colleague, Norm Coleman.
Norm once said, ``It is easy to criticize, particularly
in a political season. But to lead is something altogether
different. The leader must live in the real world of the
price that might be paid for the goal that has been.''
Norm Coleman is a leader. Norm or, more important, his
character endured one of the most difficult elections in
the history of the Senate, and came out standing taller in
the eyes of many. It is not easy to lose. But it is so
much harder to maintain your dignity in the face of
defeat, which Norm has done.
Having spent most of his life as a Democrat, Norm is
what we would call a ``late bloomer.'' I also started out
as a Democrat and voted for Jimmy Carter in 1976. In 1996,
Norm realized that the path of the Democratic Party was
paved for other people, not him. He joined the Republican
Party to share in our vision to keep taxes low, reform
education, and grow jobs.
Norm more than adhered to this vision while in the
Senate; he became a powerful voice on these issues. He
also established himself as a fierce advocate for
renewable energy. Norm fought for tax incentives that
would strengthen the development of renewable energy
across our country. He saw renewable energy as the key to
greater national security and economic stimulus.
Norm also introduced legislation that would wean our
Nation off our dangerous reliance on Middle Eastern oil by
placing a greater emphasis on increasing renewable fuel
infrastructure and alternative fuel technologies. His
legacy will continue to thrive as we move our country
closer to energy independence, through innovation, not
government handouts.
Norm's leadership did not end at the shores of our
Nation. He established himself as a true voice in foreign
policy issues by exposing the corruption that was rife
throughout the U.N.'s Oil-for-Food Program and becoming a
fierce advocate for our servicemen and women.
However, all of this pales in comparison to the legacy
that he will leave in Minnesota. Throughout his entire
Senate career, he never lost track of the voices of his
constituents and the promises he made to them on the
campaign trail.
His greatest legacy, perhaps, will be bringing hockey
back to Minnesota. Minnesota will enjoy the fruits of his
labor for years to come.
I consider Norm a friend and someone whom I respect and
admire.
Norm, we will miss you dearly. I wish you much success
in the future knowing that great things lie ahead of you.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I appreciate having this
opportunity to join my colleagues in expressing our great
appreciation of the many contributions Norm Coleman has
made to the work of the Senate and the future of our
country during his service here. He is quite a remarkable
individual, and I know I am going to miss seeing him on
the Senate floor and working with him on issues of concern
to the people of Minnesota and my constituents in Wyoming.
Ever since Norm's political career began, it was clear
he had a mind of his own and, like the old adage about
baseball umpires, he was going to call them as he saw
them. That meant taking each issue as it came, carefully
studying what was proposed and its consequences, and then
making up his own mind on how he thought he should vote.
His independent streak and his determination to be true
to his principles, his commitment to the people of
Minnesota, and his internal compass transcended party
politics and kept both sides guessing as to how he would
vote on any given issue.
I remember the first time I met him, shortly after his
election to the Senate. It turned out we had some things
in common. For starters, early on in our political
careers, Norm and I both served as mayors, so we had an
appreciation for the demands that are made upon local
officials.
Norm was elected mayor of St. Paul. I was elected mayor
in my hometown of Gillette, WY. We both had some tough
challenges to deal with as our communities felt the aches
and pains of growth and we were fortunate enough to put
together a good team who helped us to deal with the needs
of the people who were counting on us to solve some pretty
vexing problems.
Looking back, Norm was able to compile quite a record,
and he became a very popular mayor. His administration
promoted policies that helped to spur an increase in the
number of jobs in the St. Paul area. He also helped to
oversee a downtown revitalization that came at a time when
many other similar areas across the country were
downsizing and becoming a shadow of their former selves.
He also managed to help engineer the return of
professional hockey to Minnesota. The presence of the
Minnesota Wild soon became a source of great pride to the
people of his State. He was able to do all of that and so
much more without increasing property taxes. That was the
result of careful planning, and it understandably earned
him the respect and admiration of his constituents.
Then, with a key election approaching, Norm was giving
some thought to his political future. There were a lot of
rumors as to his next run for office, but the people of
Minnesota made it clear that they wanted him to run for
the Senate, so Norm began what was to become a very
difficult and emotionally charged race. When it was all
over, Norm Coleman had defeated a Minnesota political icon
and was sworn in to represent the people of his home State
in the Senate.
Ever since that day, Norm has been working to serve the
people of Minnesota and do whatever was in their best
interests. Always focused on getting results, he supported
the President when he agreed with him, and he never
hesitated to speak up when he felt there was another way
to get things done that ought to be taken up as part of
the mix.
Of all his accomplishments during his service here in
the Senate, there are two that I will always remember. The
first was a fact-finding mission we took along with
several of our colleagues to Africa to determine what we
could do as a nation to help combat the AIDS epidemic
there. For both of us our visit turned out to be a great
cultural shock. There were barriers of all kinds we had to
deal with--language, customs, and technology. All of the
things we take for granted here are virtually nonexistent
there. The lack of any regular distribution of the written
word, like a community newspaper, makes getting the most
basic of information to the people an incredible
challenge.
When we returned to the United States we joined with our
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to develop a program
that has been producing tremendous results for the past
few years. The great strides that have been made have not
eliminated the disease, but they have greatly increased
the quality of life there. Our efforts have also helped to
make people more aware of what they can do to ensure they
don't get AIDS, or if they are already infected, what they
must do to avoid transmitting the disease to anyone else.
We both learned from that experience the truth of the
old adage--you may not be able to save the whole world,
but you can always make a good effort to save part of it,
and the results we have achieved in Africa and the lives
we have saved will be part of Norm Coleman's legacy of
service in the Senate.
Another part of the change he brought that will be felt
for many years to come is the leadership he showed as the
chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. In 2006 Norm led
the effort to determine how safe and secure our Nation's
ports were. The results of his investigations were
unsettling and soon became the subject of headlines across
the country.
Norm wasn't looking for headlines, however. He was
looking to craft a workable solution to the problem, and
he did when the Senate approved a program that authorized
the use of pilot technology to screen incoming cargo
containers for their contents. As a result of his efforts,
people all across the country will be better protected
from those who might wish to do us harm. Thanks to Norm,
that once open door has now been closed.
Norm will not be a part of this current Congress, but
his impact will continue to be felt for some time to come.
He was a tireless worker for Minnesota, and although I
don't know what the future holds for him, I have every
confidence that we haven't heard the last of Norm Coleman.
He has been and will always be an individual of vision and
action. That is a combination that can't help but produce
results, and I am certain he will continue to set new
goals in his life and achieve them--one after the other.
Good luck my friend, and keep in touch. We will always be
interested to hear from you and to benefit from your take
on our work in the Congress to make Minnesota and the rest
of the Nation a better place for us all to live.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and pay
tribute to my good friend and colleague, an extraordinary
public servant and tireless advocate for the people of his
cherished State of Minnesota, Senator Norm Coleman. I want
to express my most sincere gratitude for his longtime
friendship and my enormous admiration for him and his
impressive litany of accomplishments. Although I am
saddened by his departure from this esteemed Chamber, I
know with utmost certainty that Senator Coleman's
exceptional contributions to Minnesotans and the American
people will continue well into the future.
I am proud to say that Senator Coleman and I served
together over his 6 remarkable years in the Senate, and I
would like especially to express my immense gratitude for
his pivotal role on the Committee on Small Business and
Entrepreneurship over that span of time, where I served
first as chair and now as ranking member. Senator Coleman
was always a reasoned and passionate voice on the
committee, and his indelible impact is indisputable.
Whether it was our work together on the Small Business
Health Fairness Act of 2005, the Small Business Disaster
Response and Loan Improvements Act of 2006, or a number of
other measures and issues, Senator Coleman, true to the
founding tradition of the U.S. Senate, continually
addressed the concerns of his constituents, while at the
same time making the best decisions for this Nation.
I especially recall our joining forces over winter 2006
when natural gas and home heating oil prices had
skyrocketed in Maine, Minnesota, and numerous other cold
weather States, turning a crucial problem of years past
into an urgent crisis that required immediate
congressional attention. With the level of funding
allocated in the budget, States could not maintain the
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, an
initiative I have long championed which provides vital
funding to our country's low-income families and elderly.
Recognizing both the plight of Minnesotans and all
affected Americans from the beginning of this crisis,
Senator Coleman and I, among others, battled to shed light
on this emergency early by calling for the passage of a
bill to provide additional LIHEAP funding to States.
Senator Coleman was an instrumental catalyst in our
successful effort to pass this bill to the benefit of
countless Minnesotans, Mainers, and other untold Americans
across this land. And for that, I will be forever
grateful!
With a career in public service of more than 30 years,
begun in 1976 when he was chief prosecutor for the
Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Senator Coleman
possessed an unfailing determination to advocate on behalf
of the people of Minnesota that has never faltered or
waned. Prosecuting cases around the State while further
developing a growing concern for community issues, Senator
Coleman was eventually named Minnesota State solicitor
general. And his outstanding trajectory of leadership was
just taking off, for it was then--in 1993--that Norm
became mayor of St. Paul, during which time, with his
hallmark optimism, he steered the course of the capital
city through a transformational revitalization effort.
And so it came as no surprise that Norm Coleman, after
he was sworn in as a U.S. Senator, hit the ground running.
And let me say from the outset, Senator Coleman's was a
welcomed voice in an era of increasing partisanship,
especially at a time when ideology has been held in
greater value by many of our Nation's elected officials
than service to the American people, when too often the
slogans and sound bytes of campaigning never stop, and the
governing all too frequently never begins, and where
public disenchantment with politics runs high. Senator
Coleman's desire to look beyond this regrettable status
quo, embracing instead the long-held tenets of
collaboration and cooperation, could not have been more
central as our Chamber sought to enact laws to genuinely
improve the lives of Americans.
As I reflect on my friend's illustrious tenure in the
Senate, I cannot help but recall in instance after
instance on imperative matters of far-reaching consequence
how Senator Coleman was able to transcend party politics
and seek solutions and results for the betterment of his
State and country. For example, Senator Coleman, along
with Senators Durbin and Lincoln, was a leading proponent,
supporting the Small Business Health Options Program Act
or the SHOP Act which would once and for all finally level
the playingfield for American small businesses and the
self-employed and allow them to pool together nationally
to receive a host of new, affordable, and quality coverage
options.
Norm, like the rest of us, understood all too well that
health insurance market reform and coverage policies in
the SHOP Act must be included in broader health reform
legislation. We will miss his voice as the health care
debate moves forward and as we strive to build a consensus
on landmark health care legislation. But make no mistake,
Senator Coleman was integral in helping lay the foundation
for achieving meaningful and sustainable health care
reform.
Placing his country and constituents above political
expediency, Senator Coleman and I joined together in
support of passage and eventual enactment of the Fair
Equity Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing pay
equity in America and protecting victims of wage
discrimination into law. We have labored to extend key,
renewable energy tax credits to expand the indispensable
State Children's Health Insurance Program or S-CHIP. We
stood side by side in the fight to allow Medicare to
negotiate lower drug prices, and we joined together to
help block proposed cuts in Medicaid. I want to thank
Norm, who has truly been a stalwart soldier in arms, for
his resolve and will on a cross section of issues that
have defined his term in the Senate as a model of
governance that ought to be more prevalent.
In that vein, I cannot convey enough what a privilege it
was to serve in the Republican Main Street Partnership
with Senator Coleman--an organization that my husband,
Jock, formerly chaired. Founded in 1998 to promote
thoughtful leadership in the Republican Party and to join
with individuals, organizations, and institutions that
share centrist values, the partnership has unfortunately
witnessed a decline in our ranks in recent years. But the
message and impact of the organization are intrinsically
connected to our capacity to truly achieve bipartisanship
and garner results on behalf of those who elected us, and
Senator Coleman embodied that ethos with integrity and
distinction.
In fact, Senator Coleman characterized the Main Street's
message well when he said, ``This isn't about marching to
a single tune. This is about being able to listen and work
with like-minded colleagues, bring those perspectives, and
hopefully play a role in the resolution of things that,
bottom line, are good for the people of Minnesota.'' Well,
his actions not only aided Minnesotans, but also Mainers
and Americans of every stripe and background across this
great land.
And yet, despite all of his exemplary achievements, his
greatest accomplishment is undeniably his wonderful family
and the love and devotion he has for his wife Laurie, and
their two children, Jacob and Sarah. So, it is with a
profound honor that I join with his family, and his many
friends, in praising Norm for his tireless stewardship of
the common good and phenomenal commitment to public
service, and for a tenure that enfolds his legacy into the
rich, long-standing Senate tradition of Minnesota.
And so to my colleague and good friend, Norm, let me
say, you have been a shining example of bipartisanship and
comity that transcends politics, and you will be sorely
missed. As you embark on this next chapter and as you
consider your next endeavors be they public or private, I
urge you, in the immortal words of the poet Alfred Lord
Tennyson, ``to strive, to seek, to find, and not to
yield.''
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in
appreciation and admiration of Senator Norm Coleman. Norm
has been a faithful public servant to the people of
Minnesota, a principled leader, and a good friend. He made
a difference here in Washington, and I feel privileged to
have served with him in the U.S. Senate.
Norm and Laurie arrived in Washington at the same time
as Sandy and me. We experienced many of the same
challenges and adjustments that freshman Senators face,
and we encouraged each other by facing them together. Norm
and I found we shared a common approach to solving
problems, and partnered to advance legislation whenever we
could.
Norm said his best ideas came from the people of
Minnesota, and they can be proud of what he achieved in
Washington. Norm supported conservation programs to
protect his State's lakes, rivers, and woodlands. He had a
real heart for children, especially those suffering from
cancer or waiting to be adopted into loving homes. He was
a champion of private-sector initiatives in alternative
energy, including clean coal, wind power, and biomass
technologies. Norm exposed fraud at the United Nations,
waste in the Medicare Program, and tax evasion by defense
contractors. He voted to put John Roberts and Samuel Alito
on the U.S. Supreme Court. Norm consistently supported our
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and he believed in their
mission.
Some of my strongest memories of Norm were formed during
our trip to Iraq in January 2008, about a year after
President Bush announced our surge of forces there. Norm
had joined many Senators in supporting the surge, despite
the political risk that support entailed. He understood
that the strategy and leadership of General David Petraeus
was America's best chance to succeed in Iraq.
Norm and I, along with Senator Johnny Isakson, visited
Baghdad together. We had dinner with General Petraeus and
Ambassador Ryan Crocker, and discussed how we could
facilitate political reconciliation in Iraq. We met with
General Ray Odierno to discuss the new mission of
population security, as well as the progress they were
seeing in reducing violence and U.S. casualties. We toured
a marketplace in western Baghdad, where U.S. and Iraqi
forces had helped bring back shopkeepers and their
customers by driving out insurgents and terrorists.
During our visit, I got to see the Norm Coleman that
Minnesotans know very well. At Maverick Security Station
in Baghdad, I saw Norm honor troops who hailed from the
Twin Cities and throughout his State. At a meeting with
Iraqi civilian leaders, I saw him offer encouragement to
Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds working to build a free and
democratic nation in the heart of the Middle East. And
wherever we traveled, I saw his easygoing manner, his wry
sense of humor, and his appreciation of the honor bestowed
on him by his fellow Minnesotans.
Norm ran a tough race for reelection last fall, a race
that lasted far longer than the Minnesota winter. He
mounted a legal challenge based on a clear principle: no
Minnesotan should be disenfranchised. As chairman of the
National Republican Senatorial Committee, I was proud to
support Norm as he pursued his case in the courts. And
once the courts had spoken, I respected the grace with
which he conceded the race, and the optimism he has shown
for his own future, and that of our country.
Norm accomplished much in Washington, but I think he
remains proudest of what he achieved closer to home. After
Minnesota's hockey team moved to my home State of Texas
back in 1993, Mayor Norm Coleman of St. Paul led the
effort to bring the National Hockey League back to the
Twin Cities. Since the first puck dropped in 2000, the
Minnesota Wild have sold out every game they have played,
and every fan owes a debt of thanks to Norm Coleman.
I too am thankful for Norm Coleman, because he set a
good example for all of us. He never let public service go
to his head. He always put his faith and family first. He
fought hard to keep his seat, but never failed to keep his
cool.
I wish Norm and Laurie the very best, as their journey
together continues.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I honor and bid farewell
to my friend and our colleague, Senator Norm Coleman of
Minnesota. Norm and I served together for 6 years in the
Senate and on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He
also served on the Agriculture, Aging, Homeland Security,
and Small Business Committees. He has a legislative record
of which he can be proud.
As our colleagues know, I have long enjoyed my work with
Native people. Norm, throughout his tenure, was a
steadfast friend of American Indian, Alaska Native, and
Native Hawaiian people and a strong advocate for the
interests of the tribes in his home State of Minnesota.
His voice will be missed in the U.S. Senate on these
issues.
As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Norm pushed for drastic reforms in
our Nation's emergency response and recovery capabilities
in the wake of the failed response to Hurricane Katrina.
He was diligent and steadfast in his desire to protect our
country and deeply engaged in efforts to increase
protections for our Nation's critical infrastructure.
I will remember Norm as one who had a love and
appreciation for my State of Alaska. On several occasions
he enjoyed the beauty of Alaska while seeking his prized
king salmon on the Kenai River. Norm further extended his
Alaska ties by hiring Jennifer Mies Lowe, who is married
to my former chief of staff, George Lowe. Jennifer served
Senator Stevens for many years before moving to Senator
Coleman's office as his chief of staff.
Norm has a long record of public service fighting for
Minnesotans. He served as mayor of St. Paul before being
called by the people of Minnesota to come to the U.S.
Senate. I expect that we have not heard the last of him.
In closing I would like to wish Norm, his wife Laurie,
and children Jacob and Sarah the very best. Norm, thank
you for your service to the Nation, the Senate, and
Minnesota. I know Norm and his strong sense of service to
his country, and while I will miss him in the Senate, I
look forward to his next opportunity to serve.