[Senate Document 113-13]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]








                                     Ben Nelson

                           U.S. SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA

                                      TRIBUTES

                                IN THE CONGRESS OF

                                THE UNITED STATES

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                                                    S. Doc. 113-13
 
                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                     Ben Nelson

                                United States Senator

                                      2001-2013



[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]






                      U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                           WASHINGTON : 2014












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                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Farewell Address......................................
                                                                    vii
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland...............
                                                                     14
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                      6
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                      8
                    Johanns, Mike, of Nebraska.....................
                                                                      5
                    Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota...................
                                                                     16
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     13
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                 10, 12
                    Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland..............
                                                                      7
                    Nelson, Ben, of Nebraska.......................
                                                                      9
                    Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                     10
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                  3, 17















                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Ben Nelson was born on May 17, 1941, in McCook, Red 
             Willow County, NE, to Benjamin and Birdella Nelson. He 
             attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, earning a 
             bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1963, a master's degree 
             in 1965, and a law degree in 1970.
               He entered law practice in 1970 and began a career in 
             insurance and politics. He was named the director of the 
             Nebraska Department of Insurance in 1975, and gained 
             political experience by serving as State campaign manager 
             for Democratic Presidential candidates in 1976 and 1980. 
             From 1980 to 1981 he served as president and chief 
             executive officer of the Central National Insurance Group, 
             and he served as chief of staff and executive vice 
             president of the National Association of Insurance 
             Commissioners from 1982 to 1985. His law career continued 
             in 1985 when he joined Kennedy, Holland, DeLacy and 
             Svoboda, one of Nebraska's prominent legal firms. He 
             served as Governor of Nebraska from 1991 to 1999.
               He was elected to the Senate in 2000, was reelected in 
             2006, but was not a candidate for reelection in 2012.
               Senator Nelson chaired the Senate Committee on 
             Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, 
             and served on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
             Forestry Committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee, the 
             Committee on Rules and Administration, and the Armed 
             Services Committee. He chaired the Committee on Armed 
             Services, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
               One of the first bills Senator Nelson cosponsored was 
             boosting production of ethanol and other renewable fuels. 
             Under his leadership Nebraska had moved to the forefront 
             of ethanol production, increasing production from 15 
             million gallons in 1990 to more than 300 million gallons 
             by the time he left office as Governor in 1999. Due to 
             this growth more than 4,300 Nebraskans were employed 
             directly or indirectly in ethanol production.
               As an advocate for fiscal responsibility, Senator Nelson 
             strongly believed that Federal spending must be brought 
             under control and that budget cuts should be based on 
             shared sacrifice, not politics. He successfully won a 5 
             percent cut in spending across the board on Capitol Hill 
             in the FY2011 budget.
               Among his other accomplishments in the Senate, he worked 
             to make disaster relief a part of the budget so that 
             producers do not have to turn repeatedly to emergency 
             measures to get help. His work on the farm bill brought 
             together his fiscal conservatism and his commitment to 
             American farmers. Senator Nelson authored legislation to 
             ensure farm payments go to farmers and ranchers, rather 
             than to people who do not farm. He also worked to cap crop 
             insurance payments to level the playing field for small 
             farmers while cutting subsidy spending for all American 
             taxpayers.
               As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee he 
             worked to ensure that U.S. armed services and military 
             personnel have the modern equipment, training, and 
             resources they need to protect their safety and succeed in 
             their missions. He advocated for Offutt Air Force Base in 
             Bellevue, NE, and U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), a 
             unified command center headquartered at Offutt, which 
             provides global security for U.S. national security 
             interests including space, cyberspace, global strike and 
             deterrence, and combating weapons of mass destruction. He 
             worked closely with STRATCOM officials to ensure the 
             command was successful in its mission.
               Senator Nelson's commitment to strengthening the U.S. 
             military went beyond active duty personnel with his 
             support to keep America's promise to its veterans. He 
             pushed to preserve access to health care for veterans and 
             expand the Veterans Administration's use of clinics to 
             provide quality care.
               Senator Nelson and his wife Diane live in Omaha. They 
             have four children and five grandchildren.
                               Farewell to the Senate
                            Wednesday, December 12, 2012

               Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to 
             thank the people of Nebraska. It is a tremendous honor to 
             have had the opportunity to serve the State for 20 years--
             8 as Governor and 12 as Senator. The people of Nebraska 
             are generous and hard working and it has been a true 
             privilege to represent them.
               I also want to thank my parents--Birdella and Benjamin. 
             Raising me in McCook, NE, they instilled in me the values 
             I have tried to embrace and which serve as guiding 
             principles for me in both public and private.
               I especially want to thank my family for their 
             unwavering love and support. As my colleagues know, public 
             service requires our families to sacrifice--sacrifice 
             privacy and sacrifice the ability to determine their own 
             schedule among many other things. So I sincerely thank my 
             wife Diane, our four kids and five grandkids for their 
             patience and understanding. While it is hard to walk away 
             from this body, I look forward to spending more time 
             together with family.
               As a public official the lens through which I have 
             always tried to view decisions is: How will this policy, 
             this vote, or this decision impact my community, my State, 
             and my country? This focus and advocacy for my home State 
             has resulted in both praise and criticism at various times 
             but I stand before you today proud of the accomplishments 
             achieved over the last 12 years and grateful for the 
             opportunities afforded to me by the people of Nebraska. 
             Arriving in the Senate in 2001 I recall thinking about 
             what one of my predecessors in this body, Ed Zorinsky, 
             used to say. Senator Zorinsky said that the biggest 
             problem in Washington, DC, is there are too many 
             Democratic Senators and there are too many Republican 
             Senators. There are not enough U.S. Senators. 
             Unquestionably my proudest moments in the Senate are those 
             efforts that were bipartisan and pursued by a collective 
             motive to get the best possible result while maintaining 
             the dignity of this institution.
               Probably the most straightforward example of this work 
             is the compromise achieved by the Gang of 14. As many of 
             my colleagues will recall, in 2005 there were several 
             judicial nominees presented to the Senate for its 
             consideration but which had not yet received an up or down 
             vote. The majority leader at that time, Senator Frist of 
             Tennessee, was considering what became known as the so-
             called ``nuclear option'' which would have changed the 
             Senate's rules so that the minority party couldn't 
             filibuster a judicial nominee.
               There was a great deal of concern about how this would 
             impact the Senate's long-standing tradition of majority 
             rule while recognizing minority rights--and what this 
             would mean to the way the Senate conducted its business in 
             the future. At that time, Senator Lott and I convened 12 
             of our colleagues--6 additional Democrats and 6 additional 
             Republicans. Together we met and exchanged ideas about how 
             to find a sensible way forward that would satisfy all 14 
             Senators such that each would agree the Senate was 
             dutifully carrying out its ``advise and consent'' 
             responsibility without unduly restraining the ability of 
             the minority to assert itself in instances when it found a 
             nominee truly and substantively objectionable or unfit to 
             serve.
               Ultimately an agreement was reached by this bipartisan 
             group. There was not a rules change, and in the midst of a 
             highly partisan environment, the Senate moved forward in a 
             positive way and I believe we did the right thing. Senator 
             Robert Byrd of West Virginia was a critical member of the 
             Gang of 14. In addition to his many accomplishments--
             everyone knew then and knows now that there is not anyone 
             more well versed in the history of the Senate or who was 
             more protective of it as an institution. I will never 
             forget after the agreement was finalized Senator Byrd said 
             that he was proud of the work accomplished and that we had 
             ``saved the Senate.''
               Hearing those words from Senator Byrd was undoubtedly 
             one of the proudest moments of my career. Besides Senator 
             Byrd, I have had the opportunity to serve with so many 
             public servants in this body, and I thank all of them. I 
             would start naming names, but I know I will leave someone 
             out. So I want to thank all present and past Members of 
             the Senate that I have worked with for the occasions we 
             have had to work together so closely.
               I also share the sentiment that many of my colleagues 
             have noted in their farewell addresses, and that is the 
             appreciation for the efforts of staff. Over the last 12 
             years I have worked with an incredibly dedicated and 
             talented collection of individuals. We call on our staff 
             to do a lot of work, often in a very stressful 
             environment. I thank everyone in my office back home and 
             at the office in DC for the work they have done on behalf 
             of the State of Nebraska.
               If I were to leave this body with one thought and hope 
             for the future, it would be this: Congress needs to change 
             its math, and by that I mean the Members of Congress 
             should be more concerned about addition and multiplication 
             and less involved in division and subtraction which seems 
             to overtake this institution at times. My hope is that in 
             the process of doing this, Congress and our Nation will 
             have a stronger desire to find solutions for the country's 
             greatest challenges more so than any effort to try to 
             drive our citizenry apart.
               With that, I will say one more time: Thank you to my 
             family, my staff, my colleagues, and most especially to 
             the people of Nebraska.
               I yield the floor.
?

                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                     BEN NELSON
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                              Monday, December 10, 2012
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise to honor our colleague 
             the senior Senator from Nebraska, Ben Nelson, upon his 
             retirement from the Senate. This will become effective 
             after the first of the year.
               For 12 years Ben has been a valued member of the 
             Democratic caucus and an exemplary Senator for Nebraska 
             and the country. His life in public service dates back to 
             his youth. He spent his college days serving his Nebraska 
             community in another way--as a lay minister. Eventually he 
             chose law over ministry and went to law school. He 
             attended law school at the University of Nebraska, where 
             he got his bachelor's and master's degrees.
               He spent many years practicing insurance law. He served 
             as director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance and as 
             president of the Central National Insurance Group. Then, 
             in 1990, he was elected Governor of Nebraska. Four years 
             later, he was reelected--with almost 75 percent of the 
             vote--to become the first Nebraska Governor in 20 years to 
             win a second term. So it was not a surprise when he ran 
             for the Senate in 2000. He won, even though President Bush 
             took Nebraska handily.
               It is easy to see Ben Nelson truly possesses the same 
             independent spirit as his Nebraska constituents. He served 
             his constituents with distinction in the Senate and, of 
             course, when he was Governor and as insurance 
             commissioner. He has always provided a strong voice for 
             fiscal responsibility, and he has been terrific for the 
             State's energy industry, agricultural sector, and even 
             tourism.
               Similar to many of his Nebraska constituents, Ben is an 
             avid hunter, fisher, and outdoorsman.
               As a sidelight, one of the things we learn as kids--and 
             as we get older it is something we must adhere to--is that 
             one should not be envious. Envy isn't something that is 
             very becoming of human beings, especially in an adult. But 
             I think if the truth were known, many Senators would be 
             very envious, as I am--and I would even think the Acting 
             President pro tempore would be--about that hair of Ben 
             Nelson's. I mean that is a mop of real hair.
               Often people call his office and they believe he has a 
             toupee, but it is his hair. He will pull it for you 
             anytime just to show you it is real. I mean, he has hair 
             like a 15 year old. So I have to acknowledge I am a little 
             envious of his hair, and I think, if the truth were known, 
             maybe others are as well.
               My wife has said on many occasions--and she tells me 
             this all the time--how handsome Pat Leahy is and she is so 
             glad he doesn't do a comb over.
               Anyway, Ben Nelson is an avid hunter, fisher, and 
             outdoorsman. He has bagged pheasants and turkey, and one 
             time, to the consternation of all of us, he decided he was 
             going to take Senator Schumer from New York hunting for 
             pheasants. He did that. Everybody survived it alive, and 
             Ben Nelson still boasts about that; that he was able to 
             bring Schumer back all in one piece. More important, the 
             people who went hunting with them all came back in one 
             piece. The story goes that Senator Schumer even shot a 
             bird or two.
               A lot of us have some trouble accepting that, but that 
             is what Ben says and I will take him at his word. He has 
             bagged all kinds of game birds--dove, quail, pheasants, 
             turkey--but he has also had the opportunity to hunt all 
             over the world and has bagged some of the most exotic game 
             that is possible for a hunter to hunt. He is the epitome 
             of a sportsman.
               Ben isn't just a great hunter, though. He is also an 
             accomplished practical joker and a wonderful singer. That 
             may surprise some people. In our caucus, I proved to 
             everyone that he could sing, and sing quite well. He 
             recorded a few years ago a song called ``Western Town'' to 
             raise money for visually impaired children. He was one of 
             a dozen Nebraskan celebrities to record songs for this 
             charity. I obtained a copy of this and played it at a 
             Democratic caucus a few years ago. It was a hit. He was 
             singing--it is his voice--and it was very good. Here is 
             how it goes:

               I'm from a western town in Nebraska. Don't know why I 
             left so long ago. All I know is this western town in 
             Nebraska lives in my heart and in my soul.

               He did a great job of that song, as he has done 
             everything since I have known him.
               I am sure Ben is looking forward to going home to the 
             western town--Omaha--where he lives with his wife Diane. 
             She is wonderful. She was a great First Lady and a 
             wonderful Senator's spouse. I like her for lots of 
             reasons, the smile she has, but also she makes some of the 
             best chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten. They have 
             four children and five grandchildren. As he departs for 
             Omaha, he will be sorely missed here in the Senate.
               He has always been a loyal and dedicated member of this 
             caucus, even when he was showing loyalty by questioning 
             the wisdom of the party sometimes. He is arguably the most 
             conservative member of the caucus. And while there are a 
             few things Ben and I disagree on, we agree on most 
             everything. Through the last 12 years he has been a valued 
             member of the team. He has made many of our 
             accomplishments possible through his dedication to country 
             first and State second. That is how it should be.
               Edwin Chapin, a North American preacher and poet, said, 
             ``No more duty can be urged upon those who are entering 
             the great theater of life than simple loyalty to their 
             best convictions.''
               Ben Nelson lives by his convictions, even though it may 
             put him at odds with his party or his constituents. His 
             highest duty is to country and his conscience.
               We had a retirement party a week ago tomorrow, and when 
             it was over, I grabbed Ben and we embraced. I care a great 
             deal about him. He has made some extremely difficult 
             votes, but he did it because it was the right thing to do. 
             His duty is to country and his conscience, and I repeat, I 
             have such high respect for Ben Nelson. I will miss him. I 
             have enjoyed working with him.
               I congratulate Ben Nelson on his career in public 
             service, including his service in the Senate, and wish him 
             the very best in his retirement.
                                           Wednesday, December 12, 2012
               Mr. JOHANNS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute 
             to my colleague Ben Nelson. In fact, when we visited with 
             each other last night, I said to Senator Nelson that I 
             have spent a significant part of my career following jobs 
             he had done. I was the mayor of Lincoln when Ben Nelson 
             was the Governor of Nebraska, I became the Governor of 
             Nebraska as he was completing his two terms, and then I 
             joined him in the U.S. Senate. Before all of that, I 
             worked with Ben as the Secretary of Agriculture.
               I can say from firsthand experience that Ben Nelson 
             always had the best interests of our State at heart. He 
             was enormously hard working. In fact, I don't hesitate to 
             admit for a second that when I came to the Governor's 
             office, I found the State to be in excellent shape. He 
             often joked about how he was tighter than three coats of 
             paint, and I think that is absolutely true.
               He tended to business, balanced the budget, and made 
             sure that money was set aside in the Rainy Day Fund 
             because we in Nebraska know there are going to be days 
             where it might rain. He did a great job as Governor. We 
             worked hand in hand on a number of issues when I was 
             Governor and he was a U.S. Senator. When we became 
             colleagues in the Senate, that working relationship 
             continued.
               I am very pleased to rise today and say to the people of 
             Nebraska that there was never a time where partisan 
             differences ever impacted or interfered with our ability 
             to work together. Senator Nelson was always looking for a 
             way to move the State forward and move our country 
             forward.
               I just wanted to come to the floor today and thank my 
             colleague Ben Nelson for his service. We appreciate 
             everything he has done. We wish the Senator the very best, 
             and I have a sense we are going to have an opportunity to 
             work together in future years.

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute 
             to and recognize the achievements of Senator Ben Nelson, 
             who, like me, will be leaving the Senate at the end of 
             this year. I consider Senator Nelson, who has represented 
             Nebraska in the Senate since 2000, a friend and an 
             excellent colleague.
               Senator Nelson has had a long and impressive career, 
             spanning both the private sector as well as State and 
             Federal Government service. After graduating from law 
             school at the University of Nebraska, Senator Nelson spent 
             roughly two decades working in the insurance industry, 
             both as a legal practitioner and in leadership roles at 
             the Central National Insurance Group, the National 
             Association of Insurance Commissioners, and the Nebraska 
             Department of Insurance.
               It was upon this impressive background that Senator 
             Nelson launched his career in public service when, in 
             1990, as a moderate Democrat, he was elected Governor of 
             Nebraska. As a testament to his dedicated service and 
             popularity, he was reelected to a second term in 1994 
             after garnering nearly three-quarters of the vote. 
             Nebraskans then sent him to the U.S. Senate in 2000. 
             Senator Nelson was reelected in 2006 in a landslide.
               Nebraska and my State of North Dakota share a great deal 
             in common. Both States are populated by residents who 
             value hard work and who possess an independent streak that 
             places pragmatism above partisan politics. Senator Nelson 
             is a product of his Nebraska roots--he brought those same 
             characteristics to Washington and, as a direct result, was 
             able to work across the aisle and within his party to 
             benefit his State in ways more partisan legislators likely 
             never could have done.
               Rural States such as ours also face unique challenges, 
             particularly those involving the agriculture industry, 
             which often go unnoticed by those who live in densely 
             populated areas. I have worked closely with Senator Nelson 
             over the years on farm legislation and know first hand his 
             passion for the industry and his drive to see family 
             farmers succeed. Nebraskans should be very proud of 
             Senator Nelson's hard work on the Agriculture, 
             Appropriations, and Armed Services Committees.
               I will greatly miss having Senator Nelson as a 
             colleague, but I also know that his wife Diane as well as 
             his children and grandchildren will be excited to have him 
             back home in Nebraska. My wife Lucy and I wish Ben and his 
             family many happy years ahead.

               Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to comment about 
             some wonderful men in the Senate who are retiring on both 
             sides of the aisle. Earlier today I spoke about my deep 
             affection and sorry-to-see-go friends Olympia Snowe and 
             Kay Bailey Hutchison, but I want to rise as the dean of 
             the women in the Senate to say some very special words 
             about very special men on both sides of the aisle. Because 
             when I came to the Senate, it was only Nancy Kassebaum and 
             me, and yet we worked on so many issues together. There 
             are really wonderful men here who supported me, supported 
             our issues, but really stood up for those States and their 
             communities. ...
               I wish to say goodbye to Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a 
             brother appropriator. We salute him for his work for the 
             people of Nebraska and the Nation. Using those committee 
             assignments on Appropriations, Agriculture, and Armed 
             Services, he looked out for rural communities and he stood 
             up for men and women in the military. I knew he took as a 
             personal responsibility the issues around our military 
             personnel--that they had the right pay, the right 
             equipment, and we protected their benefits. ...
               I wanted to be sure that the day would not end without 
             my acknowledging these wonderful people who have given a 
             big part of their lives to making this country a better 
             place. I want to, in the most heartfelt way--I am so sorry 
             we did not have a bipartisan dinner or party to be able to 
             express this. I would have liked to have been in the same 
             room, breaking bread with them, in order to be able to 
             tell them how much we appreciate them, across party lines, 
             across those lines that ordinarily divide us. They came 
             from different parts of the country, they arrived in the 
             Senate with different objectives, they will leave under 
             different circumstances. But I want to again let them know 
             that each and every one of them had a positive impact on 
             me and I think a wonderful impact on the future of this 
             country. So I wish them well. God bless and Godspeed.
                                            Thursday, December 20, 2012
               Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, with the retirement of 
             Senator Ben Nelson at the close of the 112th Congress, the 
             Senate will lose one of its most respected members, and a 
             distinguished career in formal public service will come to 
             an end. I use that adjective ``formal,'' because it's hard 
             to imagine Ben Nelson not finding new avenues for public 
             service as a private citizen in the years ahead.
               Senator Nelson and I come from neighboring States in the 
             rural, upper Midwest, and we have much in common. But we 
             differ in at least one respect: I come from the small town 
             of Cumming, IA, population 351; Ben comes from the big 
             city, McCook, NE, population 8,000.
               Senator Nelson is often described as one of the most 
             conservative Democrats in the Senate, frequently voting 
             with the minority party. I prefer to describe him simply 
             as the most independent Democrat in the Senate, a 
             progressive at heart who--like so many from our part of 
             the country--is also deeply imbued with respect for 
             traditional values and fiscal prudence.
               As we all know, Senator Nelson prides himself on 
             reaching across the aisle to get things done. He is a 
             pragmatist, not a partisan. He has never allowed ideology 
             or party to stand in his way of doing what he believes is 
             right for Nebraska and the United States of America.
               As my colleague on the Committee on Agriculture, 
             Nutrition, and Forestry, Senator Nelson has been a 
             passionate advocate for family farms and rural America, 
             and he has been a leading advocate for increasing the use 
             of clean, renewable biofuels in order to decrease our 
             Nation's dependence on foreign energy sources.
               As a member of both the Committee on Armed Services and 
             the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, no one has been a 
             stronger supporter of both active duty and retired 
             servicemembers.
               Ben Nelson has been a successful CEO of an insurance 
             company, a popular two-term Governor of Nebraska, and, for 
             the last 12 years, an accomplished and effective U.S. 
             Senator. He has been a wonderful hunting colleague of mine 
             on more than one occasion.
               Our friendship, of course, will continue. I wish Ben and 
             Diane the very best in the years ahead.

               Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. First, I want to thank my 
             colleague and neighbor Senator Harkin for his timely 
             remarks, and particularly for noting that we have been 
             hunting partners. As a matter of fact, that has been in 
             the news today. Not only has Senator Harkin noted our 
             exploits together, but in this morning's Washington Post 
             the senior Senator from New York noted that I have taken 
             him pheasant hunting in Nebraska as well. I am going to be 
             known not only for my hair but perhaps for hunting as 
             well, so I appreciate that.

               Mr. HARKIN. Would the Senator yield?

               Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Of course.

               Mr. HARKIN. The Senator has been a great friend. I 
             enjoyed hunting with my friend before, and I read that in 
             the paper before about Senator Schumer going out.
               Here is a real test for my friend from Nebraska: Aren't 
             I a better shot than Chuck Schumer?

               Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. He noted that he learned to 
             shoot at camp and that he was a marksman, so that is 
             probably a dispute I should not get in the middle of.

               Mr. HARKIN. No, the Senator doesn't want to get in the 
             middle of that.

               Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. I thank the Senator very much 
             for his kind remarks.
               It is, obviously, a difficult time to speak about 
             leaving the Senate, and I did that earlier. I leave with a 
             great deal of melancholy and with a lot of friends and a 
             lot of hope for the future of our country.

               Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take 
             a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at 
             the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th 
             Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New 
             Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North 
             Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison 
             of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, 
             Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of Indiana, 
             Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Jim 
             Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly to give 
             their constituents the best representation and give the 
             country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and 
             their experience. They are men and women who are committed 
             to the Nation, and they have every day in different ways 
             contributed to this Senate and to our great country.
               I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, 
             in so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for 
             listening to my points and for, together, hopefully, 
             serving this Senate and this Nation in a more positive and 
             progressive way. ...
               I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking 
             them for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for 
             their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they 
             depart, they have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is 
             our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, 
             and I hope we measure up to what they have done. If we do, 
             then we can go forward confidently.
               With that, I yield the floor.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, there are few issues we deal 
             with on the Armed Services Committee in which the stakes 
             are so high or the policy questions so complex as in 
             dealing with our Nation's strategic forces and 
             capabilities. The fearsome power of our strategic weapons, 
             the urgency of avoiding mistakes, the difficult strategic 
             calculations they require, the advanced technologies 
             involved, all of these combine to make strategic forces 
             complicated and of paramount importance.
               It has also been the signature issue for Senator Ben 
             Nelson during his service on the Armed Services Committee. 
             Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee since 2009, 
             Senator Nelson has long been one of the Senate's most 
             thoughtful voices on issues related to our nuclear 
             arsenal, space programs, missile defense, and other 
             strategic issues. As he prepares to leave the Senate, we 
             are losing an outstanding contributor to our Nation's 
             strategic thinking and decisionmaking.
               Certainly the presence of Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. 
             Strategic Command in Senator Nelson's home State give him 
             firsthand evidence of the importance of these issues. 
             Appropriately, he brings a commonsense Nebraska viewpoint 
             to our consideration of them.
               Senator Nelson's efforts were important to the Senate's 
             2010 approval of the New START Treaty, a significant step 
             forward in our nuclear arms reduction efforts. He made it 
             clear in that debate that he is a firm believer in the 
             need to ensure that the Department of Energy's nuclear 
             weapons laboratories are modernized and able to support 
             the existing nuclear stockpile so that we do not have to 
             return to nuclear testing.
               His commonsense approach has been especially noticeable 
             in issues involving management of the nuclear weapons 
             laboratories as they balance the science behind stockpile 
             stewardship and meet day-to-day problems with the deployed 
             nuclear forces.
               As chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, he has 
             helped ensure strong oversight of and support for the 
             development, testing, and deployment of effective 
             ballistic missile defenses, including the phased adaptive 
             approach to missile defense in Europe that is already 
             providing protection for our forward deployed forces, our 
             allies and partners against Iran's current and emerging 
             ballistic missiles.
               He has been an advocate for improving our deployed and 
             planned homeland ballistic missile defense capabilities, 
             including efforts to understand and correct the problem 
             that led to a flight test failure of the Ground-based 
             Midcourse Defense System in December 2010. In this regard, 
             he has supported rigorous and operationally realistic 
             testing of our missile defense systems.
               Of course, strategic issues are not Senator Nelson's 
             only concern. On the Armed Services Committee, before he 
             chaired Strategic Forces, he was chairman of the Personnel 
             Subcommittee, where he demonstrated a keen understanding 
             of the issues and a deep concern for the men and women of 
             our military and their families. He has been a tireless 
             advocate for the National Guard and for Nebraska's farm 
             families, and a fighter for working families across 
             America, advocating for a reasonable minimum wage and for 
             important workplace protections. He has been among our 
             most passionate voices for an end to the partisan gridlock 
             that has marked Washington, and the Senate, for far too 
             long.
               None of these issues is simple. All of them are vitally 
             important. Senator Nelson's thoughtful, careful 
             contributions have without question made our Nation safer, 
             made our military forces more effective, our use of 
             precious taxpayer dollars more effective. He has earned 
             the respect and affection of the people of Nebraska, and 
             he will be sorely missed on the Armed Services Committee 
             and in the Senate. Barb and I wish all the best for Ben 
             and Diane as they continue their efforts to serve their 
             State and our Nation.
                                              Friday, December 21, 2012
               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, at the end of each session of 
             Congress, as is our tradition, we take a moment to express 
             our appreciation and acknowledge the many contributions 
             each retiring Senator has made to the day-to-day work of 
             the Senate. We will miss them when the gavel brings to a 
             close the 112th Congress--especially Senators like Ben 
             Nelson who have made an important difference during their 
             service.
               Since he is from Nebraska, Ben is a neighbor to my home 
             State of Wyoming and he understands more than most the 
             inherent problems and challenges faced by rural America. 
             The people of Wyoming, Nebraska, and the West, have taken 
             on a rugged way of life and it shows itself in their 
             independence, their unique spirit, and their great love of 
             their community and their country.
               Ben's upbringing and his ties to his State of Nebraska 
             gave him an important understanding of the issues that 
             surround our rural way of life. He took an active role in 
             the Senate's work on agriculture and energy issues because 
             he understands how great a concern they are back home.
               Ben learned at an early age that he could make a 
             difference if he worked hard and dedicated himself to the 
             people of his State. It was a plan of action he put into 
             everything he has ever done in life.
               It helped him to make a successful run for Governor, 
             after which he decided to run for the Senate. He knew it 
             wouldn't be easy, and it wasn't, but when the votes were 
             counted he had won an important Senate seat and was headed 
             here to represent his beloved home State.
               Soon after he began his Senate career he cast a vote to 
             lower everyone's taxes. That took courage. In the years 
             since then, he has shown that he has a lot of that 
             important quality in abundance.
               Since we are neighbors and share an appreciation and 
             understanding of rural America and our unique way of life, 
             it shouldn't come as a surprise that we have a great deal 
             in common. We both love our great outdoors, and there are 
             places in Nebraska that are almost as beautiful as 
             Wyoming.
               We both love to hunt, and Ben has had some very 
             interesting opportunities to pursue his hobby all over the 
             world. My hunting has all taken place in Wyoming. Because 
             of our love of hunting and my great affection for fishing, 
             Ben and I cochaired the Sportsmen's Caucus. We have also 
             worked together on a number of issues related to the great 
             outdoors. They are matters that mean a lot to us and to 
             our constituents back home.
               Thanks, Ben, for your service and for your determination 
             to make the position of your constituents known here in 
             Washington. You have made a difference in many ways and 
             you can be very proud of your legacy of service. Thanks, 
             too, for your friendship. I have enjoyed coming to know 
             you. Whatever you have planned for the future, I hope you 
             continue to enjoy the great adventure of your life.
                                            Thursday, December 27, 2012
               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, as a Senator from a rural 
             State, supporting our Nation's farmers is something close 
             to my heart. Senator Ben Nelson shares that commitment, 
             and has been a longtime champion of legislation to protect 
             American agriculture and our Nation's farms in a rough 
             economy. Senator Nelson's work for rural communities has 
             benefited his home State of Nebraska, but his support of 
             agriculture has helped Vermonters, too. These are among 
             the legislative issues on which Senator Nelson has had an 
             impact since he came to the Senate in 2001.
               As a member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
             and Forestry, Senator Nelson has been an active 
             participant as we have tried to move the 2012 farm bill 
             through Congress, one of the most pressing pieces of 
             legislation before us today. He has fought tirelessly for 
             Nebraska's interests in that bill, as well as the 
             interests of the Nation's agricultural industry as a 
             whole.
               While he has worked on a number of legislative matters 
             in the last decade, I particularly appreciated Senator 
             Nelson's support for my effort to give the National Guard 
             a seat at the table of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a 
             former Governor. He understood that this multiyear effort 
             was done to recognize that the men and women of the 
             National Guard serve our country with unmatched loyalty 
             and that they and their families make sacrifices every 
             day. He recognized that they are indeed deserving of full 
             representation at the highest levels of the Pentagon. In 
             2010, Senator Ben Nelson was awarded the Harry S. Truman 
             Award for his commendable work with the Guard. Since the 
             National Guard has taken on an increased role in overseas 
             conflicts, Senators like Ben Nelson have stepped up to 
             give them the recognition and support they deserve.
               I commend Ben's loyalty to Nebraska and to economic 
             sustainability across the country. His dedication to 
             sustainable energy is rare in our modern political 
             climate. Rather than folding to the issues that divide us 
             and ignoring the future of our farms and environment, 
             Senator Nelson has taken a strong stance on controversial 
             and difficult issues and has managed to open the minds of 
             many of his colleagues with time, bringing people together 
             around the possibility of creating positive change. 
             Through it all, he has kept the needs of his State in 
             mind, even as he has worked to create a brighter future 
             for the entire country.
               Senator Nelson is an honest man, a level-headed public 
             servant, and a friend to many. True to his roots, he has 
             built a legacy in the Senate that will last after he has 
             moved on from the halls of the Capitol. I wish him the 
             best in his retirement from Congress.
                                              Friday, December 28, 2012
               Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute 
             to the Senators who will not be returning when the 113th 
             Congress commences next month. I have already spoken about 
             Senator Kyl and about Senator Inouye, one of the truly 
             great Americans and giants of this institution. At the 
             time of his death, Senator Inouye was just a few weeks 
             short of celebrating 50 years of Senate service. Only 
             Senator Byrd served in this institution longer.
               Turnover is a natural occurrence, but it's important to 
             acknowledge that the Senators who are departing have 
             served in the Senate for a combined total of 237 years, or 
             nearly 20 years per Senator, on average. Add Senator 
             Inouye, and the total is close to 300 years. That service 
             represents an enormous amount of expertise on issues 
             ranging from national defense and foreign affairs to the 
             Federal budget to energy policy. The departing Senators 
             will also take with them vast institutional knowledge and 
             bipartisan friendships and working relationships that will 
             leave a void we will need to fill. ...
               Mr. President, Senator Ben Nelson is a native Nebraskan 
             who earned his B.A., M.A., and J.D. degrees from the 
             University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He embarked on a highly 
             successful career in the insurance industry, working for 
             Central National Insurance Group of Omaha. In 1975 he 
             became Nebraska's State insurance director before going 
             back to work for Central National Insurance, first as an 
             executive vice president, and then as president.
               With regard to politics, Senator Nelson decided to start 
             at the top. In 1990 in his first run for office he was 
             elected as Governor of Nebraska. In 1994 he was reelected 
             with 74 percent of the vote. During his tenure, he cut 
             spending relative to the previous administration by 64 
             percent, promoted legislation to cut crime through the 
             Safe Streets Act and juvenile crime bill, advocated for 
             low-income families through the Kids Connection health 
             care system, enacted welfare reforms, and cut taxes for 
             over 400,000 middle-income Nebraska families. He was 
             forced to step down because of term limits, but then he 
             successfully ran for the Senate seat vacated by Senator 
             Bob Kerrey. While that race was close, he was reelected in 
             2006 with just under 64 percent of the vote.
               Senator Nelson is a moderate to conservative Democrat, 
             which is fitting given the conservative tilt of Nebraska 
             voters. For the past 12 years he has frequently reached 
             out to Republicans to try to get things done. For 
             instance, he was a member of the Gang of 14 that helped to 
             resolve the judicial nominations controversy in 2005. He 
             has worked hard to protect and promote the State's 
             agricultural interests, becoming a champion of ethanol and 
             farm-based alternative energy sources. He is a member of 
             the Armed Services Committee and has been at the center of 
             shaping our Nation's defense policies, securing a new 
             headquarters for STRATCOM, and a new Veterans 
             Administration hospital for Nebraska's veterans.
               Senator Nelson has always been true to his beliefs and 
             true to his word, and it has been a pleasure to work with 
             him. His desire to seek bipartisan compromise is a noble 
             one. He likes to quote Henry Ford, who said, ``Coming 
             together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. 
             Working together is success.'' Senator Nelson has always 
             heeded those words; we would be well served to do likewise 
             in his absence. ...
               Mr. President, these men and women who will be leaving 
             the Senate soon have made extraordinary sacrifices to 
             serve our Nation. We are fortunate that they have chosen 
             to spend significant parts of their lives in public 
             service. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude. Those 
             of us who will be in the Senate next month when the 113th 
             Congress convenes can best honor the legacy of our 
             departing colleagues by reaching across the aisle as they 
             have done so many times to forge bipartisan consensus and 
             solutions to our Nation's most vexing problems. The men 
             and women who will be leaving the Senate at the end of 
             this Congress understand that compromise isn't a dirty 
             word; it is the genius at the heart of our political 
             system. We will miss them.
                                              Monday, December 31, 2012
               Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I wish to recognize my 
             colleague Ben Nelson for his many years of distinguished 
             service and leadership on behalf of our country and the 
             people of Nebraska.
               It has been an honor to serve with Ben over the past 6 
             years. He is a true statesman and a champion for the 
             people of Nebraska. During his time in the Senate, Ben has 
             earned a reputation as a pragmatist who values problem 
             solving over partisanship, and I have admired his 
             sensible, commonsense approach to legislating.
               Ben seemed to be destined for public service from an 
             early age, winning his first election at the age of 17, 
             and he is known for his consistent record of putting 
             Nebraska first. No matter what the issue, Ben has always 
             stood up for his State and he has improved the lives of 
             people across Nebraska. At a national level he has been a 
             strong voice for fiscal responsibility and shared 
             sacrifice.
               Having grown up in a small town in Nebraska, Ben has 
             never forgotten his roots. While serving on the Senate 
             Agriculture Committee with Ben I saw first hand his deep 
             appreciation and respect for the farmers, outdoorsmen, and 
             rural communities that are vital not just to our economy 
             but to our way of life in the Midwest.
               He was instrumental in crafting both the 2008 and the 
             2012 farm bills, and he has been a clear and consistent 
             advocate for homegrown energy, leading the way on policies 
             to help our country achieve energy independence.
               He has also been a champion for our men and women in 
             uniform, helping to ensure that members of the Armed 
             Forces and our veterans receive the support they need and 
             deserve.
               Senator Nelson, it would be impossible to do full 
             justice to your legacy in a single statement. So instead 
             let me simply say this: The State of Nebraska is better 
             because of your leadership, and so is our country. You 
             will be missed in the Senate, but given everything you 
             accomplished before you were elected--as Governor of 
             Nebraska and as a successful businessman--I know in your 
             retirement you will continue to find ways to improve our 
             great country and work for the people of Nebraska.
                                             Thursday, February 7, 2013
                            ORDER FOR PRINTING OF TRIBUTES
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of 
             materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the 
             retiring Members of the 112th Congress.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
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