[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

                                          
                                          
                                          
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                              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.