[Senate Document 113-29]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
TRIBUTES TO HON. KAY R. HAGAN
Kay R. Hagan
U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Kay R. Hagan
United States Senator
2009-2015
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2015
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Farewell Address......................................
ix
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Bennet, Michael F., of Colorado................
5
Boxer, Barbara, of California..................
11
Casey, Robert P., Jr., of Pennsylvania.........
9
Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware.............
5
Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois................
3, 5
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
9
Heitkamp, Heidi, of North Dakota...............
6
Hirono, Mazie K., of Hawaii....................
10
Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
8
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
3
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
7
Shaheen, Jeanne, of New Hampshire..............
9
Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan..................
12
BIOGRAPHY
Senator Kay R. Hagan and her husband, Chip Hagan, have
lived in Greensboro, NC, for more than 30 years, where
they raised their three children: Jeanette, Tilden, and
Carrie. After 10 years in the North Carolina State Senate,
Senator Hagan was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 by
North Carolinians seeking an active, effective leader who
would bring North Carolina ideas and values to Congress.
After coming to the Senate in January 2009, Senator
Hagan worked tirelessly for North Carolinians. She served
on four Senate committees that were integral to the needs
of the State: Armed Services; Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP).
Hailing from a proud military family, Senator Hagan was
committed to maintaining North Carolina's status as the
``most military-friendly State in the Nation.'' Senator
Hagan's father-in-law was a two-star Marine general, her
father and brother both served in the Navy, and her
husband, Chip, a Navy Vietnam veteran, attended Wake
Forest Law School with help from the GI bill. Senator
Hagan has two nephews who have served in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Senator Hagan regularly visited North
Carolina military bases and traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan,
and Kuwait to meet with North Carolina troops on the
ground and to Pakistan to meet with military personnel.
As the chair of the Senate Armed Services Emerging
Threats Subcommittee, Senator Hagan made it a priority to
ensure Federal policies work for our active duty military,
veterans, and their families. Legislation she cosponsored
ensures partisan budget battles will never again interfere
with funding for veterans' health care. In addition, she
backed a law to give necessary support to family
caregivers of veterans. Along with her North Carolina
colleague Senator Richard Burr, Senator Hagan fought to
get the families who were affected by water contamination
at Camp Lejeune the answers they deserve.
Senator Hagan understood that small businesses drive
economic growth in North Carolina and across the country.
She was committed to creating a better climate for
businesses to create jobs and grow. While traveling the
State as a Senator, she saw first hand the determination
and innovative spirit of North Carolina's small business
owners. As a member of the Senate Small Business
Committee, Senator Hagan supported legislation to put
North Carolinians back to work.
Senator Hagan focused on making her Senate office as
open and accessible as possible and ensured constituent
service was a hallmark of her office. She had five offices
across North Carolina to serve constituents--in
Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, and Greenville.
She also regularly hosted ``Conversations with Kay'' in
towns across the State. This provided an opportunity for
members of the community to talk with her directly about
their concerns and get help from her staff to navigate any
issues they had with Federal agencies. Every Wednesday the
Senate was in session, she hosted North Carolinians in her
Washington office for ``Carolina Coffee'' where
constituents could meet Senator Hagan and her staff over
coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Senator Hagan was a champion for education throughout
her career in public service. As a member of the Senate
HELP Committee, she worked to include her first piece of
legislation, the Financial Literacy for Students Act, into
education reform. The bill builds on her work in the State
senate by incentivizing States to incorporate financial
literacy into student curriculums for grades 6-12. Senator
Hagan also led a group of moderate Members to improve
education in public schools to ensure the United States
remained competitive in the global economy.
A mother of two daughters, Senator Hagan is proud that
the first piece of legislation she cosponsored in the U.S.
Senate was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which
reestablished a fair rule for filing claims of pay
discrimination based on race, national origin, gender,
religion, age, or disability.
Senator Hagan was also a leader in the successful fight
for justice for African American farmers--including more
than 4,000 North Carolinians--who were discriminated
against when applying for financial help in the 1980s and
1990s. Along with Senator Chuck Grassley, she introduced
bipartisan legislation to ensure these farmers received
their due settlements, and worked tirelessly with her
colleagues to right this wrong for our farmers.
Senator Hagan was born in Shelby, NC. A graduate of
Florida State University and Wake Forest Law School, she
worked at North Carolina National Bank (a predecessor to
Bank of America) for 10 years, becoming a vice president
in the estates and trust division. She left the bank to
spend more time with her children and was an active
participant in her Greensboro community, becoming involved
in local charities, and shuttling carpools to soccer
practices.
Senator Hagan got an early start in public service when
she helped her uncle, ``Walkin' Lawton'' Chiles, the
former Governor and U.S. Senator from Florida, paste
bumper stickers on supporters' cars. Senator Hagan and her
husband were both active in Guilford County Democratic
politics, and in 1992 and 1996, Governor Jim Hunt asked
her to run his gubernatorial campaign in Guilford County.
In 1998, Senator Hagan ran for the North Carolina State
Senate, where she served for 10 years and cochaired the
budget committee. She was named one of North Carolina's
``Ten Most Effective Senators'' three terms in a row by
the nonpartisan North Carolina Center for Public Policy
Research.
Farewell to the Senate
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Mrs. HAGAN. Madam President, it is with great honor and
gratitude that I rise to reflect on the last 6 years,
which have been some of the most rewarding and
transformative of my life, and to thank the people who
have been by my side as we worked to make our great State
and this great country even better.
First and foremost, I wish to thank the people of North
Carolina for allowing me to serve them in the Senate. Six
years ago you sent me to Washington to fight for the
priorities that make our State great, and I have put North
Carolina first every single day. I have been honored to
stand up for our teachers, our students, to fight for our
seniors, to help create a business climate that promotes
job growth, to build an economy that works for everyone,
and to make sure we keep our promises to our
servicemembers and to our veterans.
I am extremely proud of what we have been able to
accomplish, and I am forever humbled and grateful for the
opportunity to serve.
I also wish to thank my family; my husband Chip, who is
my rock, and my three children, Jeanette, Tilden, and
Carrie, and my two great sons-in-law, Will and Martin.
These past 6 years have been extremely full of exciting
milestones for the Hagan family. Since my term began, my
two daughters have both gotten married and they both had
babies. I have a 1-year-old grandson Harrison and a 1-
week-old granddaughter Christine. So when I said earlier
that these past 6 years have been transformative, I wasn't
kidding.
I also wish to thank my dad Joe Ruthven, who is one of
my most trusted advisers and a constant source of
inspiration for me, and his wife Judy, my stepmom, for all
of her love and support.
I wish to thank the Capitol Police here in Washington. I
don't think we recognize these people enough for the
incredible work they do to keep us safe.
And, of course, I wish to thank my unbelievably hard-
working staff whom I consider to be a part of the official
Hagan family. These folks are topnotch. Their commitment
to our State and the people we serve is unmatched. They
are passionate and compassionate, and I am so grateful to
have had them by my side over these last 6 years. I ask
unanimous consent that a list of their names be printed in
the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
Staff of Senator Kay R. Hagan
Michelle Adams, Ayo Adeyeye, Tyler Aiken, Natalia
Aldana, Stephanie Allen, Patrick Ayers, Devan Barber,
Micah Beasley, Caroline Brantley, Patrick Brennan, Nancy
Brenner, Emorie Broemel, Christopher Cannon, Angelo
Caravano, Bess Caughran, Marshall Cesena, Justin Clayton,
Molly Conti, Carrie Cook, Perrin Cooke, Travis Cooke,
Ashley Copeland, Kathryn Davidson, Curtis Davis, Andrew
Devlin, Sage Dunston, Ashley Eden, Brittany Ellis, Karen
Evans.
John Fain, Elizabeth Farrar, Sharon Fisher, Colleen
Flanagan, Margaret Freshwater, Amanda Gabriel, Tiffany
Germain, Jennifer Gradnigo, Mary Hanley, Simone Hardeman-
Jones, Mike Harney, Freddie Harrill, Jenny Hartsock, David
Hartzler, Christopher Hayden, Christina Henderson, David
Hoffman, Julie Holzhueter, Cristina Jacome, Jennifer
Johnson, Michael Jones, Rosemary Kennedy, Meenal Khajuria,
Crystal King, Catherine Kuerbitz.
John Labban, Tasmaya Lagoo, Stephen Lassiter, Samuel
Lau, Margaret Lawrynowicz, Caitlin Legacki, Jason Lindsay,
Travis Manigan, Elizabeth Margolis, Shaniqua McClendon,
Patrick McHugh, Will Medley, Kathryn Merrill, Forest
Michaels, Melissa Midgett, John Minor, Joyce Mitchell,
Amber Moon, Christopher Moyer, Sara Mursky-Fuller, Brian
Nagle, Adeline Noger, Thomas O'Donnell, Emily Osterhus,
Elizabeth Outten, Allison Parker, Tyler Patrick, Joseph
Peele, Roger Pena, John Pfeiffer, Benjamin Piven, Stanley
Purple.
Cierra Raleigh, Rikkia Ramsey, Hanna Raskin, Jean
Reaves, Ryan Regan, Matthew Rumley, Leo Schmid, Tatyana
Semyrog, Christopher Sgro, Lindsay Siler, Valarie Simpson,
Leland Slade, Hannah Smith, Tremayne Smith, Aaron Suntag,
Joshua Teitelbaum, Clayton Thomas, John Tillman, Karen
Wade, Brittany Wakefield, Muthoni Wambu, Brandy Warwick,
Timothy Webster, Alissa Sadie Weiner, Mesha White, Andrew
Wilkins, Johnnie Williams, Sue Wink, Margaret Winslow,
Abigail Youngken, Tracy Zvenyach.
Mrs. HAGAN. My staff knew how important it was to me
that my office be as open and as accessible as possible to
the people of North Carolina, and my team worked every
single day to help us reach that goal. Over the last 6
years, we held a townhall in each of the 100 counties
across North Carolina. In DC, we have held a Carolina
Coffee every Wednesday and we welcomed thousands of North
Carolinians to come visit us. We have also resolved more
than 36,000 constituent cases for the people of North
Carolina, from helping veterans access their benefits with
the VA to helping families struggling with high mortgage
rates to be able to stay in their homes, to helping small
businesses cut through the bureaucratic redtape.
While my North Carolina staff was there for the folks in
our State day in and day out, my DC team was helping me
fight for North Carolinians in Washington.
North Carolina is proud to be the most military-friendly
State in the Nation. As a member of a military family, it
is important to me to work every single day to keep our
State the most military-friendly State. My husband is a
Vietnam veteran. My dad and my brother served in the Navy.
My father-in-law was a major general in the Marine Corps.
I have two nephews on Active Duty. One is an F-15 fighter
pilot and the other one is a Navy seal. So when I say one
of my top priorities was ensuring Federal policies worked
for our veterans in Active Duty military, they are not
just words, it is truly a personal obligation.
That is why nearly 6 years ago, when Jerry Ensminger, a
retired marine, shared with me the story of his daughter
Janey, my heart broke for him. Janey died of leukemia at
the age of 9 because of contaminated water on the base at
Camp Lejeune. He dedicated his life to seeking justice for
his daughter and other Camp Lejeune victims. I found it
absolutely unconscionable that the Federal Government had
denied this man, who served our country, the answers he
needed after all he had been through. I wanted to do
whatever I could to help, and it was one of the greatest
honors of my life to work alongside my North Carolina
colleague Senator Burr to pass the Janey Ensminger Act, to
help Jerry and the servicemembers and families affected by
water contamination at Camp Lejeune and to give them the
answers and the health care they deserved.
It was also important to me that all Americans
remembered and understood the sacrifices made by our
military and their families. During my time in the Senate,
I had the opportunity to speak on this very floor about
some of the brave servicemembers from North Carolina, many
of whom made the ultimate sacrifice, and many of whom lost
their lives while trying to make the world a better place
and safer for the rest of us. I had the opportunity to
speak with many of their families and their stories were
both moving and heartbreaking.
I spoke with Terry Marquez, whose son Justin died from
small arms fire wounds he received while on foot patrol in
the Wardak Province in Afghanistan just 1 month after he
arrived in theater. He was only 25 years old when he died.
According to Justin's mom Terry, as Justin grew up in
the Army, he was like a fine wine, he just kept getting
better with age. He believed in protecting others. He
believed in making the world a better place. He believed
in standing up so that others might not have to. Justin
embodied the selflessness and courage that defines the men
and women of our armed services.
Shortly after sharing Justin's story on the Senate
floor, I invited his mother to be my guest at the State of
the Union Address. Her presence reminded not just me but
so many of the Senators that she met that night--and she
knew them all--how important it is that we uphold our
promises to the men and women who put their lives on the
line for each and every one of us. It has been an honor to
help be one of those voices for our servicemembers,
veterans, and their families in Washington.
As one of 20 women in the Senate, I have also enjoyed
being a voice for women and children. As women Senators,
we bring a unique perspective to the policymaking dialog.
We understand the issues facing women and families because
we have been there. Some of us are moms and some are
grandmoms. We know what it is like to balance that family
checkbook and simultaneously run the business and a
carpool, and to want the best possible future not only for
our children but for all the children throughout the
United States.
More important than that, the women of the Senate know
how to bridge the partisan divide to get the job done.
Together we passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the
first bill I cosponsored as a U.S. Senator. We kept
student loan rates from doubling. We pushed for
initiatives such as my newborn screening bill to ensure
that every child has a healthy start in life. I am proud
of the work we have done together to support our families
and to set this country on a path to a brighter future.
But the fact is we need a lot more of that in
Washington. If we are going to address the biggest
challenges facing our country, we have to break through
the political gridlock and confront these issues
together--head on, united; not as Republicans and
Democrats, but working together on behalf of the American
people. We need to work together to tackle the rising cost
of college that is putting higher education out of reach
for too many students and then burdening them with
unsustainable debt. We need to reform our education system
to ensure that every child has the tools and the
technology we have to have today and that we have to
understand and be an expert in that technology in order to
be successful in this competitive environment.
The economy is improving, but wages are stagnant. We
must find ways to ensure that Americans working full time
are not living in poverty.
We need to help middle class families get ahead and
ensure that working women are receiving the support they
need, whether it is fair pay, affordable childcare, or
time to care for new babies or seriously ill family
members. There is so much work to be done. It is my hope
these issues can be addressed in the 114th Congress, but
doing so is going to take cooperation from all 100 Members
of this body.
The men and women I have worked with during my time are
some of the most dedicated, passionate people I have ever
met. And though there are so many, I am only going to name
a few.
Barbara Mikulski was my first mentor, the dean of the
women. She walked me down the aisle to get sworn in. She
is one of the greatest advocates for women and for
families. I know that Patty Murray, the mom in tennis
shoes, is a dynamite negotiator. Mark Warner, one of my
2008 classmates, is a leader in seeking bipartisan
solutions. Susan Collins is a great friend and a proven
consensus builder. Chuck Schumer is a trusted adviser who
embodies what it means to be a fighter.
There are so many to name, and I love them all. I know
the Members of the Senate can make progress on these
issues that matter so long as we put politics aside and
work together.
One of my guiding principles is ``to whom much is given,
much is expected.'' Six years ago, North Carolinians gave
me an opportunity to be a voice in Washington, and I have
put North Carolinians first every single day. I urge my
colleagues to do the same--to remember who they are
fighting for, not who they are fighting against, to see
past the D or the R, to work together in a bipartisan
fashion as I have tried to do to move this country
forward.
Working with all of my colleagues and serving North
Carolina in the U.S. Senate is a huge honor.
God bless you all, and God bless the U.S. Senate. Thank
you.
I yield the floor.
(Applause, Senators rising.)
?
TRIBUTES
TO
KAY R. HAGAN
Proceedings in the Senate
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I would like to take a few
minutes to salute my colleagues who are departing the
Senate at the end of this year with the conclusion of the
113th Congress: Mark Begich of Alaska, Saxby Chambliss of
Georgia, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Kay Hagan of North
Carolina, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Mike Johanns of Nebraska,
Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana,
Carl Levin of Michigan, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jay
Rockefeller of West Virginia, Mark Udall of Colorado, and
John Walsh of Montana.
They have all worked hard, ceaselessly giving their
energy and considerable time and service to their
constituents, to their home States and to our country. I
want to thank them for their service and for their
kindness to me over many years in so many cases. In
particular, I want to say a few words about these
colleagues. ...
I have served with Kay Hagan on the Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs Committee and on the Armed Services
Committee. We have worked together on a number of
initiatives, including efforts to keep student loan
interest rates low. We traveled together to Iraq,
Afghanistan, and Pakistan in 2010. She has been a
tremendous advocate, especially for our military families
and for small businesses. ...
Along with all of my other colleagues who are leaving us
at the conclusion of the 113th Congress, let me thank them
for their service, their dedication to improving the lives
of Americans, and on a very personal level for their
friendship. I wish them all well.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Mr. DURBIN. I have some tributes here for my colleagues
who are retiring, leaving the Senate. It is a lengthy list
of tributes. ...
Kay Hagan, my colleague from North Carolina, has done an
amazing job. In her one term in the Senate, she really
made a name for herself when it came to public service.
She stepped up time and again and took tough votes. I know
it because as whip I asked her to take on some important
issues that would make this a better and stronger nation.
When Kay entered the Senate in those perilous days,
America was in crisis. The economy was in free-fall.
Millions had lost their homes to foreclosure. America was
fighting two wars--and though our military is the finest
in the world, many of its members were exhausted from
multiple deployments.
Six years later, we have made progress in all of these
areas. Historians will record that Senator Kay Hagan
helped to make America stronger and better.
Senator Kay Hagan comes from a family that knows a great
deal about serving and sacrificing for America. Her
maternal uncle, Lawton Chiles, was a Korean war veteran
who represented Florida in the U.S. House and Senate and
served as Florida's Governor. Her father-in-law was a two-
star marine general, her brother and father both served in
the Navy, and her husband is a Vietnam veteran who used
the GI bill to help pay for law school.
Senator Hagan first learned the ups and downs of
Congress--literally--by operating the Senators-only
elevator while interning for her uncle.
Senator Hagan is a former ballet dancer--a discipline
that demands great discipline and hard work. As a Senator,
she has used those same qualities to benefit her State and
our Nation.
She served 10 years in the North Carolina State Senate
and in those 10 years, she earned a reputation as a
commonsense hard worker interested in results, not
partisan fighting. As cochair of the State Budget
Committee, she increased the State's ``Rainy Day'' fund
and balanced five straight budgets. You heard that right--
five straight budgets. She also helped make record
investments in education, raised teacher pay, and
increased the minimum wage.
Here in the U.S. Senate, she has continued to be a
leader on education issues, most notably helping to lead a
group of Senators to start fixing No Child Left Behind.
With her family's military background, it is no surprise
that Senator Hagan has fought hard for military families
and veterans. She introduced another bill that is close to
my heart and that I will continue to work for. It would
prohibit for-profit colleges from using the phrase ``GI
bill'' in aggressive marketing efforts aimed at separating
veterans and servicemembers from their hard-earned
education benefits. And she led the successful effort to
provide health care to those affected by water
contamination at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, the
largest Marine Corps base on the east coast.
Kay Hagan will leave this Senate with a proud record of
dauntless accomplishment and I am proud to have had the
privilege to call her colleague. I thank her for her
friendship and service, and I wish her the best in all her
future endeavors.
Mr. COONS. ... As I close, I would also like to thank
those of our colleagues who will be leaving the Senate
after the New Year.
It is an incredible privilege to work in this Chamber
and to represent the people. Every day I am awed by the
dedication and talent of many of my colleagues, public
servants who come to work to fight for their States and
their government.
To those who are ending their service in the Senate,
know that I value your friendship and partnership. It has
been an honor to work with you, and I thank you for all
you have done for our Nation.
ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENT
Mr. BENNET. I ask unanimous consent that the tributes to
retiring Senators be printed as a Senate document and that
Senators be permitted to submit tributes until December
23, 2014.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, first let me commend my
colleague from North Carolina, Kay Hagan, who has been an
extraordinary asset in the U.S. Senate. She has shown
political bravery to the highest degree over and over
again, taking what she knew were the right votes even when
they were politically tough votes. I just listened to her
farewell address and I couldn't agree with her more, that
she put the people of North Carolina ahead of everything
else in terms of her service in the U.S. Senate. It has
been an honor to serve with her, to get to know her
husband Chip and her family, and I wish her only the best
for whatever her future undertakings may be.
Ms. HEITKAMP. Madam President, I rise today to honor my
colleague from North Carolina, Senator Kay Hagan, who is
departing from the Senate at the end of this year. Senator
Hagan has been a strong voice for North Carolina's
families, first during her decade in the North Carolina
State Senate and during her service here in the U.S.
Senate. Over the last 2 years, I have been consistently
impressed with Senator Hagan's compassion for and advocacy
on behalf of her constituents and her willingness to forge
the tough, bipartisan compromises that our country needs.
Kay actually first came to the Senate in the 1970s as an
intern in the Capitol, where she operated the elevator
that continues to carry Senators to and from the Chamber.
After finishing her college education and pursuing her law
degree, Kay became an attorney for North Carolina National
Bank and eventually became a vice president in the estates
and trust division.
Senator Hagan's business and banking experience has been
a tremendous asset during her time as a member of the
Banking Committee, where we serve together. Senator
Hagan's understanding of the housing finance system and
commitment to affordable housing was invaluable as she and
I worked together with a bipartisan group of committee
members to draft and advance legislation reforming the
system to make sure the American taxpayer is protected and
made whole. During the debate Senator Hagan used her
expert knowledge of the industry to craft a commonsense,
bipartisan solution. Our proposal makes sure taxpayers are
never left holding the bill again, while preserving the
30-year mortgage and supporting affordable housing--a huge
accomplishment.
Senator Hagan comes from a family and a State with a
rich military history. Her father and brother both served
in the Navy, and her husband, Chip, is a Navy Vietnam
veteran. She has diligently supported and honored
servicemembers and veterans as a member of the Armed
Services Committee. She visited North Carolina troops in
the Middle East to better understand their mission and
needs, and she helped found the Military Family Caucus to
raise awareness of the difficulties faced by those with
loved ones abroad. In conjunction with her work on the
small business committee, she introduced legislation to
reduce veteran unemployment by providing employers a work
opportunity tax credit for hiring a member of the National
Guard.
As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on
Children and Families, Senator Hagan has consistently
fought to make sure America's children have the education,
tools, and resources to build a better tomorrow. In fact,
Senator Hagan's first bill was on a subject very dear to
me--financial literacy. Far too many young Americans fall
victim to financial scams or take out too many loans
because they haven't been given an adequate education on
personal finances. Senator Hagan's legislation--which she
has pressed every Congress--would have helped States
integrate financial literacy into middle and high school
curriculums. That is the kind of commonsense legislation
Senator Hagan is known for and Congress should be passing.
Senator Hagan has been an outstanding public servant for
the people of North Carolina. Although I am saddened to
see such a well-respected female colleague depart from the
Senate, I know Kay will continue to be a champion for
North Carolina's families in the years ahead, and I wish
her all the best.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Mr. REID. Madam President, North Carolina's official
motto is a Latin phrase which means, simply translated,
``To be, rather than to seem.'' ``To be, rather than to
seem'' means don't talk about being a hard worker--be a
hard worker. Don't just pretend to be honest--be honest.
If you talk about being sincere, be genuine about it.
Senator Kay Hagan, a native of Shelby, NC, embodies her
State's motto. She is as genuine and honest as anyone
could be. It is no wonder that in 2008, when the country
was seeking change, the people of North Carolina elected
Kay Hagan to the Senate. From the moment she arrived, she
got to work. The very first piece of legislation she
cosponsored was the Lilly Ledbetter Act. Having worked as
a corporate executive, Kay is aware of the difficulties
working women face. This legislation was personal to Kay,
and she saw it through until completion. The daughter of a
veteran, Kay spent her time in the Senate creating sound
policies to protect and benefit members of the U.S. armed
services and their families. She has done this by virtue
of her position, not only as a Senator but as a member of
the important Armed Services Committee.
As a former executive of North Carolina National Bank,
Kay knows all of the challenges facing businesses in her
State and how women have a little different view of how
difficult it is to work their way through the corporate
world. She has fought tirelessly to create a better
climate for small businesses to create jobs and grow. On
any given issue, at any given time, Kay Hagan has
advocated her position and has done it well. She refused
to give up until meaningful solutions were discovered.
While I am sure Senator Hagan will take some well-
deserved time off to think about her future, I am
convinced that her service on behalf of the people of
North Carolina and the American people is not going to
end.
Senator Hagan has a lovely family. We all like Chip very
much. He is a Navy Vietnam veteran. She has three
children--Tilden, Jeanette, and Carrie. I wish her family
the very best as they transition into a new chapter of
their lives.
On a personal basis, no one has impressed me more as
being a hard worker. We are so disappointed that she is
now going to have to find different public service. I have
no inside information, but she could be back in this body.
I have no doubt the people of North Carolina are going to
miss her dearly.
I applaud Kay Hagan for serving the American people with
conviction, and I look forward to the great things she
will accomplish for North Carolina and our country in the
future.
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, back when I was in law
school, I tried to get an internship here on Capitol Hill,
with no luck. Senator Kay Hagan has a different story. She
first walked these Halls as an intern in the 1970s.
Her tenure here in the Senate has been too short, but
she has represented her constituents in North Carolina
with vigor and dedication. She has been a tireless
advocate for women and children and was a key ally in my
efforts to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in
2013. I have long felt that she has placed conscience
above politics. She has shown a willingness to take tough
votes on difficult issues, from LGBT rights to gun safety.
Senator Hagan comes from a strong military family. North
Carolina has one of the highest per capita enlistment
rates in the country, and Senator Hagan has understood
that behind every officer, behind every enlisted member of
the military, is a family that needs our appreciation and
support. She was an active partner in our efforts to
strengthen the National Guard, and she authored such
important legislative initiatives as the Hire a Hero Act.
After decades of public service, I know that North
Carolina can expect more service from Senator Hagan. I
wish her, her husband Chip, and their wonderful children
the best.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, as we wind down the final days
of the 113th Congress, it is a good time both to reflect
on the past and to look toward the future. I have been
very moved as I listened to the farewell speeches of our
departing Senators, and I wish I had time to pay tribute
to each one of them. They have all been wonderful
colleagues, and I enjoyed working with and getting to know
every one of them. I wish them all the very best in all
their future endeavors. They will most certainly be
missed. ...
Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, before this Congress ends, I
wanted to pay tribute to several of my colleagues who will
not be here when we convene next year. Some chose not to
run again, and others unfortunately lost their reelection
campaigns, but we will miss them all next year. I begin in
order of seniority. ...
Mr. President, Senator Kay Hagan spent 10 years serving
in the North Carolina State Senate before being elected to
the U.S. Senate in 2008. I have had the pleasure of
sitting next to Kay on the Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions Committee and working with her on issues such as
medication therapy management to help ensure our seniors
are taking the prescription drugs that help keep them
healthy and the Newborn Screening Saves Lives
Reauthorization Act that provides funding for the
screening of newborn babies for heritable disorders,
allowing them the earliest possible access to treatments.
Through her position on the Small Business and
Entrepreneurship Committee, Senator Hagan has pushed to
protect and grow North Carolina jobs. On the Armed
Services Committee, she has fought for North Carolina's
military families. I wish Kay and Chip well in the years
ahead. ...
Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, Senator Hagan and I came to
the Senate 6 years ago with a shared commitment to
bipartisan problem solving reflective of the independent
spirit of the States we represent. I am glad to say that
in Senator Hagan I found not only a strong partner in
policymaking but also a good friend.
Born in Shelby, NC, Senator Hagan got her start in
politics, as many of us do, at the State level. During 10
years in the North Carolina Senate, she built a reputation
as a committed public servant, and that reputation would
eventually propel her to the U.S. Senate.
In Washington, Senator Hagan has used her position on
the Senate Armed Services Committee to support the
military families stationed at Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune,
and other military installations in North Carolina. Thanks
to her efforts, Congress passed legislation in 2012 to
provide health care and compensation to military families
impacted by water contamination at Camp Lejeune. Also a
member of the Small Business Committee, Senator Hagan's
private sector experience has been a tremendous asset to
the legislative work of the committee.
I would like to wish the very best to Senator Hagan, who
I know is looking forward to the opportunity to spend more
time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I thank my colleague Kay
Hagan for her service in the Senate. Kay has spent every
day of her 6 years fighting for North Carolina's families.
Kay's father, brother, husband, and father-in-law are
all veterans. She has two nephews on Active Duty. Their
experiences--and the stories of thousands of North
Carolina servicemembers and veterans--have helped guide
Kay's work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, SASC,
where I have been privileged to serve with her.
As a member of SASC, I have seen first hand Kay's deep
knowledge and commitment to our servicemembers, veterans,
and military families--in North Carolina and around the
country. North Carolina, like Hawaii, has a large number
of servicemembers and veterans, and Kay has worked to make
sure our troops get the support they need while they are
in harm's way and when they get home.
Making sure veterans get the benefits they have earned
and are treated with respect is another area where Kay has
been a strong leader. She has worked to make sure veterans
are able to transition to civilian life and prepare for
college and career. Whether that means protecting veterans
from scams or making sure colleges are serving veterans
effectively, Kay has their back.
Kay also is a strong advocate for children and families.
She has worked on reauthorizing newborn screening
legislation to make sure illnesses are detected and
treated early. Just last week she got her bipartisan
newborn screening bill across the finish line, and it will
soon head to President Obama's desk.
On education, Kay has worked on financial literacy in
middle school and high school and turning around the
highest-need K-12 schools. She has fought for minority-
serving institutions and making sure job training and
college help adults earn an associate's degree or industry
credential as soon as possible.
As I was running for the Senate, I got a chance to get
to know Kay, and upon my election, she was very helpful in
showing me the ropes as a new Senator. The 20 Senate women
have regular bipartisan dinners where we leave politics at
the door, get to know each other, and relax. Kay is well
known for her tireless work on behalf of her constituents,
her graciousness as a host of Super Bowl parties, and her
indefatigable positive attitude that rubs off on the rest
of us.
I and the Senate sisterhood will miss Kay. However, I
expect that she will continue the spirited advocacy on
behalf of the people of North Carolina whatever she next
undertakes.
Aloha Kay and a hui hou, ``until we meet again.''
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to celebrate and thank
the 13 outgoing Senators who have worked tirelessly to
represent their home States in the Senate: Senator Mark
Begich, Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Tom Coburn,
Senator Kay Hagan, Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Mike
Johanns, Senator Tim Johnson, Senator Mary Landrieu,
Senator Carl Levin, Senator Mark Pryor, Senator Jay
Rockefeller, Senator Mark Udall, and Senator John Walsh.
I have worked side by side with these men and women for
years--some for decades--and witnessed first hand their
extraordinary commitment to public service and to the
people they so proudly represent.
Even when we didn't see eye to eye on every issue, I
always deeply respected and admired their service to our
Nation and their dedication to fight for what they believe
in.
It has been a privilege to serve alongside each and
every one of these extraordinary colleagues. I will miss
their leadership and their friendship, and I wish them all
the best as they embark on the next chapter.
Friday, January 2, 2014
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to my
dear friend and colleague, Senator Kay Hagan from North
Carolina.
Kay Hagan has quite a collection of hats. There is the
hat she wore as a lawyer in Greensboro. She wore one hat
as a banker, another as a State legislator helping to
write North Carolina's State budget. When she excelled in
each of these roles, the voters of North Carolina gave her
another hat to wear, as their U.S. Senator.
Kay Hagan joined us in January 2009, which was a
difficult time for our Nation's economy. With her
background in the banking sector and her knowledge of the
housing finance system, she got right to work on
rebuilding our economy, with a stronger foundation.
At the same time, she never allowed herself to be
distracted from the needs specific to her North Carolina
constituents. She recognized that North Carolina workers
and small businesses were being threatened by unfair trade
practices abroad, and she sought to address it.
She recognizes how vital military bases are to North
Carolina's economy and to its culture, so she worked to
protect them from cuts and closures. She was a leader for
military families who care for disabled children, seeking
to provide payments for them from the Survivor Benefit
Plan. It was Senator Hagan who stepped up to help families
at Camp Lejeune get access to health care, following one
of the worst cases of water contamination in American
history.
With two daughters of her own, Senator Hagan knows about
the demands of balancing child care with a career, and as
chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families,
she called attention to the need for paid leave. Senator
Hagan and I share important health care priorities: she
cosponsored a bill to improve the care of mothers and
babies by establishing higher quality standards for
maternity care through Medicaid and the Children's Health
Insurance Program. She has been a valuable ally on the
HOPE for Alzheimer's Act, which would help doctors detect
this disease earlier and provide more support for those
taking care of a family member with Alzheimer's.
I had the distinct honor of teaming up with Senator
Hagan earlier this year to help pork farmers get disaster
assistance after a deadly virus devastated their
livestock. We worked together to sound the alarm on
student loan debt and to try to stop interest rates on
Federal loans from rising.
We both come from States where hunting, fishing, and
wildlife are important components to residents' quality of
life. So I was pleased this past year to help Senator
Hagan push for her Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act, which
sought to expand access to Federal lands while taking
significant steps toward conserving the land we use for
recreation.
I deeply regret that I will not be able to work with
Senator Hagan in the next Congress. But knowing how dear
public service is to her, and how deeply that tradition is
established in her family, I have no doubt that she will
find new ways to serve the people of her beloved home
State, and our Nation.
Senator Hagan, thank you for your service and thank you
for being a wonderful friend. I wish you the very best of
luck in all your future endeavors.