[Senate Document 113-5]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]











                                   Scott P. Brown

                         U.S. SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS

                                     TRIBUTES

                               IN THE CONGRESS OF

                               THE UNITED STATES



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                             U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                                     WASHINGTON : 2014





                                                      S. Doc. 113-5
 
                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                   Scott P. Brown

                                United States Senator

                                      2010-2013





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                      U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

                             WASHINGTON : 2014













                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing




















                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Farewell Address......................................
                                                                    vii
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland...............
                                                                     13
                    Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
                                                                      3
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                      4
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     12
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                 10, 11
                    Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     15
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                      6
                    Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland..............
                                                                      5
                    Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
                                                                     14
                    Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                      9
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                     17


















                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Scott P. Brown was born on September 12, 1959, in 
             Kittery, ME. He graduated from Wakefield High School, 
             Wakefield, MA, in 1977 and went on to earn a BA from Tufts 
             University in 1981 and a JD from Boston College Law School 
             in 1985. He has served in the Massachusetts Army National 
             Guard from 1979 to the present, attaining the rank of 
             colonel and serving in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps.
               He began his career in public service as an assessor and 
             then a selectman in the town of Wrentham. He was a member 
             of the Massachusetts State house of representatives from 
             1999 to 2004 and the Massachusetts State senate from 2004 
             to 2010. As a State legislator he advocated for children's 
             and victims' rights, never voted for a tax increase, and 
             worked to promote environmental and good government 
             initiatives.
               He was elected to the U.S. Senate in the January 19, 
             2010, special election for the seat previously held by 
             Senator Ted Kennedy. He took the oath of office on 
             February 4, 2010, and served until January 3, 2013. He 
             served on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee 
             on Veterans' Affairs, the Homeland Security and 
             Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Committee on Small 
             Business and Entrepreneurship.
               Scott Brown is a free-market advocate who believes 
             America's strength as a nation derives from the ingenuity 
             and hard work of its people. He believes in a culture of 
             family, patriotism, and freedom.
               In the U.S. Senate he fought for lower taxes, less 
             government spending, and pro-growth polices that will put 
             people back to work. He approached each piece of 
             legislation in an independent manner, always looking for 
             ways to work across the aisle and get the country moving.
               He lives in Wrentham with his wife Gail. He has two 
             daughters, Ayla and Arianna.
                               Farewell to the Senate
                            Wednesday, December 12, 2012

               Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I rise to give my closing 
             floor speech for this session of the Senate.
               From the date of my swearing in on February 4, 2010, 
             until the last day I serve in this great Chamber, which is 
             1 month shy of 3 years serving, I still say and believe 
             that, aside from my marriage to my wife Gail of 26 years 
             and the birth of my two children, Ayla and Arianna, 
             serving in the greatest deliberative body for the 
             Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the people's seat, has 
             been the greatest honor I ever had in my life. I thank the 
             people of Massachusetts for that opportunity. To think 
             that someone such as myself, whose parents were married 
             and divorced 4 times each, who lived in 17 houses by the 
             time he was 18 and was subjected to various forms of abuse 
             growing up, still has the honor to serve in one of the 
             greatest deliberative bodies, as I said, in the world, is 
             something I will not soon forget.
               To the young people sitting here and who may be 
             watching, take it from me that in this country, even when 
             it seems that you are fighting against all odds, anything 
             is possible for you. There are no obstacles that cannot be 
             overcome so do not give up, and always follow your dreams.
               As I have said before, people have no business in 
             politics unless they respect the judgment of the voters. 
             If you run for office, you have to be able to take victory 
             or defeat in a gracious manner. I do respect the judgment 
             of the voters. I accept their decision in this election 
             with the same attitude and sense of appreciation I held 
             when I arrived in this Chamber almost 3 years ago.
               When I was sworn in, I was the 1,914th Senator accepting 
             the oath of office by signing the book right up at the 
             clerk's table. There were many Senators who served before 
             me and there will be many Senators who will serve after my 
             service is over. That my name is listed among them is very 
             humbling.
               To all the people of Massachusetts, I greatly appreciate 
             the confidence you placed in me for the past 3 years in 
             allowing me to represent you in the Senate. To my 
             colleagues, I thank you for the courtesy and friendship 
             you afforded me during my time here. When I arrived, I 
             promised I would read the bills, see how they affected 
             Massachusetts, see how they affected our country, our 
             debt, and our deficit, and I would vote in an independent 
             manner based on the merits of that issue rather than 
             political partisan politics. I am proud I kept that 
             promise to be independent. I am proud my voting record has 
             identified me as the second most bipartisan Senator in the 
             Senate, as referenced by Congressional Quarterly, and that 
             I was named as the least partisan Senator in the Senate by 
             Washingtonian magazine.
               It was that independent and bipartisan approach that 
             provided me with an opportunity to stand with the 
             President at the White House on three separate occasions 
             in the past 2 years to see bills I had either sponsored or 
             played a key role in securing their passage signed into 
             law. I was honored to work with my colleagues--many who 
             are here today and many who are listening--on both sides 
             of the aisle on legislation that was signed into law to 
             move our country forward, including the STOCK Act to ban 
             insider trading by Members of Congress--I know the 
             Presiding Officer [Mrs. Gillibrand] played a key role in 
             that as well--the hire a hero veterans bill to help our 
             veterans who are fighting for jobs actually have 
             opportunities to be hired by employers who are looking for 
             those heroes; the crowd funding legislation which will 
             help young entrepreneurs get access to new capital and 
             create jobs, something I hope the SEC will immediately 
             come up with a rule on so these people can start creating 
             jobs and raising money; legislation to reform Wall Street, 
             where I was the deciding vote to strengthen our country's 
             financial system; legislation to eliminate an onerous 3-
             percent withholding tax; eliminating a stealth tax that 
             would have affected government contractors--that is also 
             gone; legislation to ensure our fallen heroes receive the 
             dignity and respect they deserve at the Arlington National 
             Cemetery, that is something new that is also fixed; and 
             many other congressional actions that have made a 
             difference not only in Massachusetts but in this great 
             country. These are all shared successes, and I was proud 
             to be part of each and every one of them.
               I have always said in order to do our business as our 
             country's leaders we must do our work in a bipartisan, 
             bicameral manner to ensure the actions taken by Congress 
             benefit all Americans, not just those of one political 
             party or one political ideology. During my time here and 
             now as I am leaving, I have been and still am deeply 
             concerned about the lack of bipartisan efforts to solve 
             our country's most pressing economic challenges and in 
             turn move our country forward. Many times political party 
             and personal gain are put before the needs of our country. 
             I know we can do it better. The American people expect us 
             to do it better. As I leave, I challenge the leadership on 
             both sides of the aisle to make the process more open and 
             transparent. I challenge Members to work with each other 
             in a more open and honest manner, and I challenge the 
             President and the congressional leadership to also work 
             together immediately to address the concerns and needs of 
             our country because, after all, we are Americans first and 
             our country deserves better.
               In closing, I see my staff here. Many of them were here 
             from the beginning. They came from applicants, over 4,000, 
             for a very select few jobs. I thank Vanessa Sinders, my 
             chief of staff, and each and every one of the staff for 
             the amazing work they have done in very interesting times. 
             To come here as the 41st or the 60th Senator and have the 
             media scrutiny and all the commentary from every special 
             interest group around the country, in the middle of a 
             Senate that was gridlocked--to come here and have an 
             opportunity to make a difference and do it well without 
             making any mistakes is something I think benefited 
             Massachusetts but also benefited this great country. It 
             allowed for the debate to resume once again to eliminate a 
             supermajority so one side could ram through things in 
             which the other side had no play or no involvement.
               That is not what our country is about. That is not what 
             this Chamber is about. We deserve better. The people of 
             Massachusetts and the people of this country deserve 
             better. They deserve to have their voices heard. Every 
             person in this Chamber has one vote. To think that one 
             side or the other, depending on who is in charge, is going 
             to stifle that one Senator, from whatever part of the 
             country, not to let him or her have their moment to 
             express their views on something that is important to them 
             and their constituency, to shut that off and put your 
             thumb on it is not the way we should be doing it.
               I am deeply concerned about any changes in the rules 
             that are being proposed to eliminate the ability for both 
             sides to do battle in a thoughtful, respectful manner. If 
             you see the movie ``Lincoln,'' you see that even back then 
             they were battling most of the time to convince each other 
             to go one way or the other. Since when has it been a 
             problem to have vibrant debate in the Senate, in this 
             great Chamber? Since when? What is everybody scared about? 
             I don't understand that. I am hopeful the leaders will 
             come together and recognize we need to have that vibrant 
             debate. That is what makes this Chamber unique among any 
             other form of government around the world. To take that 
             away and limit it I think is a big mistake.
               I wish to say thank you, obviously, to the people of 
             Massachusetts for entrusting me to sit in the people's 
             seat for the past 3 years. I thank my colleagues who are 
             here, with whom I have had some great friendships and 
             opportunities to work together. As I said many times 
             before, victory and defeat are temporary depending on what 
             happens and where we go. All of us, obviously, may meet 
             again, and I am looking forward to continuing on with 
             those friendships, continuing on working with my staff.
               I thank you for this opportunity to speak.
?

                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                   SCOTT P. BROWN
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                              Monday, December 10, 2012
               Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, last week I came to the 
             floor and was honored to give tributes to some of our 
             departing colleagues. Tonight I am going to take advantage 
             of this time to pay tribute to two other outstanding 
             Senators, colleagues and friends of mine whom I will miss 
             greatly. They are Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Senator 
             Scott Brown.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine is 
             recognized.

               Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, when Scott Brown, a fellow 
             New Englander, came to the Senate 2 years ago, I 
             immediately saw in him those traits shared by the people 
             of our two New England States: a strong work ethic, a 
             determination to always do what he thought was right, and 
             a spirit that was independent and dedicated to doing what 
             was best for his constituents and for his country.
               My initial assessment was confirmed by our time working 
             together on so many issues. Scott conducted his inspiring 
             2010 campaign via his now legendary pickup truck. When he 
             got to Washington, he kept his foot on the gas. His work 
             in government at the State and local level in 
             Massachusetts and his distinguished service in the Army 
             National Guard prepared him with experience that made him 
             a respected and effective legislator from day one. His 
             intellect, energy, and character made him a valued 
             colleague and a dear friend.
               Scott is a person one could always count on. I have had 
             the opportunity to work closely with Scott on so many key 
             issues. In each and every case he brought an informed, 
             thoughtful, and open-minded approach to every issue.
               As the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security 
             and Governmental Affairs Committee, I have gotten to know 
             Scott very well and I appreciate his service on our 
             committee. He placed his top priority on helping to keep 
             our Nation safe from the continuing threat of terrorism. 
             He also worked hard to make our Federal Government more 
             efficient and transparent.
               With Scott's leadership, the Senate passed bipartisan 
             legislation to help put the Postal Service back on a more 
             sound financial footing and to ensure that this 
             institution could endure. He also authored the STOCK Act, 
             the new law that clearly prohibits insider trading by 
             Members of Congress and their staff.
               Scott has long been an effective champion for our small 
             business owners, working to ensure that entrepreneurs and 
             innovators in Massachusetts and across the country have 
             the ability to survive and thrive and, most of all, to 
             create good jobs. He has advocated for our Nation's 
             veterans through the Hiring Our Heroes Act that he 
             coauthored, which provides tax credits to small businesses 
             that hire a returning veteran or member of the National 
             Guard Reserve.
               Scott has been a devoted advocate in the Senate for 
             fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget amendment. At 
             the same time, he kept a firm commitment to helping those 
             most in need. He fought hard for such vital programs as 
             the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is so 
             important to getting through those cold New England 
             winters.
               Equally important to Scott's hard work in the Senate has 
             been the approach he has always taken in legislating. He 
             studies the issues. He seeks areas where a consensus can 
             be found. From the very first day in the Senate, he 
             demonstrated his belief that compromise is not a dirty 
             word but an absolute necessity if we are to meet the 
             challenges facing America. Scott always looked at the 
             issues before Congress not through the lens of a partisan 
             politician but, rather, through the lens of a pragmatic 
             problem solver.
               Scott's tenure in the Senate has been far too brief but, 
             perhaps more important, it has been characterized by a 
             remarkable degree of success in transforming good ideas 
             into public laws. Given his Maine roots and strong 
             commitment to Massachusetts, I am sure we will remain good 
             friends in the years to come. But, oh, how I will miss 
             serving with my friend Scott Brown.
                                           Wednesday, December 12, 2012
               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my 
             colleague, Senator Scott Brown, who will leave the Senate 
             at the conclusion of the 112th Congress. Senator Brown won 
             a special election in 2010 to fill the seat of the late 
             Senator Edward Kennedy, but his service to the State of 
             Massachusetts began many years ago.
               Senator Brown began his career in public service in 
             1992, working as a real estate assessor for the town of 
             Wrentham, MA. In 1998, he was elected to the Massachusetts 
             House. Six years later, he was elected to the State 
             senate, where he was known as a strong advocate for 
             veterans issues. As a State senator, he championed 
             legislation that created a check-off box on State income 
             tax forms for veterans to indicate service in Iraq or 
             Afghanistan so that they could be efficiently notified of 
             benefits.
               His work on behalf of veterans is not surprising 
             considering Senator Brown has proudly served in the Army 
             National Guard since enlisting at age 19 when he attended 
             college at Tufts University. Once elected to the U.S. 
             Senate, his commitment to military and veterans issues 
             continued as he served on the Homeland Security and 
             Governmental Affairs, Armed Services, and the Veterans' 
             Affairs Committees.
               Although his time in the Senate was short, Senator Brown 
             advanced several initiatives, including several that 
             assist servicemembers and their families. He successfully 
             included a provision in the 2012 National Defense 
             Authorization Act, which made certain that members of the 
             National Guard and their families receive a fair housing 
             allowance when deployed overseas. Senator Brown also 
             worked across the aisle on legislation that demonstrated 
             his commitment to our troops. He fought to provide greater 
             oversight at Arlington National Cemetery, ensuring proper 
             burials of America's fallen heroes and secured a provision 
             to create the Office of Service Member Affairs at the 
             Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help returning 
             servicemembers avoid financial fraud.
               The hard work and dedication that Senator Brown has 
             shown during his years of public service will surely bring 
             him continued success in the future. I thank Senator Brown 
             for his service in the Senate and wish him the best.

               Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to comment about 
             some wonderful men in the Senate who are retiring on both 
             sides of the aisle. Earlier today I spoke about my deep 
             affection and sorry-to-see-go friends Olympia Snowe and 
             Kay Bailey Hutchison, but I want to rise as the dean of 
             the women in the Senate to say some very special words 
             about very special men on both sides of the aisle. Because 
             when I came to the Senate, it was only Nancy Kassebaum and 
             me, and yet we worked on so many issues together. There 
             are really wonderful men here who supported me, supported 
             our issues, but really stood up for those States and their 
             communities. ...
               I wish to say a word about Senator Scott Brown. Many of 
             you know that I was a social worker and a child abuse 
             worker. I want to say personally, I so admire Senator 
             Brown's candor and being forthcoming when he shared with 
             the world his own child abuse experience in his book, 
             Against All Odds. He not only experienced the terrible 
             thing that happened to him, but he went on to talk about 
             how he handled this terrible tragedy. I must say, I 
             compliment him. It was a model, that as a young boy this 
             terrible event would not hold him back. I am sure his 
             powerful words helped many others come into the light. As 
             a former child abuse social worker, I want to thank him 
             publicly for what he has done not only in this institution 
             but to help other boys--and even girls--who also faced a 
             terrible tragedy and refused to be a victim but went on to 
             do well. I wish him well. ...
               I wanted to be sure that the day would not end without 
             my acknowledging these wonderful people who have given a 
             big part of their lives to making this country a better 
             place. I want to, in the most heartfelt way--I am so sorry 
             we did not have a bipartisan dinner or party to be able to 
             express this. I would have liked to have been in the same 
             room, breaking bread with them, in order to be able to 
             tell them how much we appreciate them, across party lines, 
             across those lines that ordinarily divide us. They came 
             from different parts of the country, they arrived in the 
             Senate with different objectives, they will leave under 
             different circumstances. But I want to again let them know 
             that each and every one of them had a positive impact on 
             me and I think a wonderful impact on the future of this 
             country. So I wish them well. God bless and Godspeed.
                                            Thursday, December 13, 2012
               Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I would like to continue 
             the difficult task of saying goodbye to Senators who will 
             not be with us in the next Congress. Sadly, that includes 
             Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts.
               Senator Brown came to us already something of a 
             political legend. In just a few short years, he leaves 
             behind an outsized legacy. We all remember how Scott rose 
             to national prominence in the election literally heard 
             about around the world. After the death of Senator 
             Kennedy, there was an open seat in Massachusetts and a 
             special election to fill it. Few people even entertained 
             the thought of a Republican winning. And for good reason. 
             Few States are as synonymous with political liberalism.
               Democrats outnumber Republicans in the State 3 to 1, and 
             the entire congressional delegation is composed of 
             Democrats. But supported by his wife Gail and their 
             daughters, along with some key early allies, including our 
             own Senator McCain, Scott appealed to the State's 
             political independents, ran a flawless campaign, and won. 
             As he put it on election night, he beat the odds and the 
             experts, and the people became the machine. I think the 
             2006 GMC Canyon that Scott drove around during the 
             election should actually go to the Smithsonian.
               We all remember that night, and, in particular, Scott's 
             acceptance speech. Most people focus on what he said about 
             his daughters, but the speech itself was a masterpiece. It 
             perfectly summed up the political moment, and it captured 
             something essential about Scott's success; that is, the 
             notion that no politician has a right to his or her seat; 
             that we are all here to serve our constituents.
               Scott said:

               Every day I hold this office, I will give all that is in 
             me to serve you well and to make you proud ... [and] most 
             of all, I will remember that while the honor is mine, this 
             Senate seat belongs to no one person and to no political 
             party, and as I have said before, and you said loud and 
             clear today, it is the people's seat.

               Scott lived up to his promise. He captured the 
             imagination of the entire country when he corrected David 
             Gergen by telling him the so-called Kennedy seat was, in 
             fact, the people's seat. He carried that message straight 
             to Washington.
               I remember Scott telling me in our very first meeting 
             that I could not count on his vote, that I would have to 
             earn it. I told him he could do whatever he pleased. While 
             he has not been here long, he has certainly made his mark. 
             I have seen a lot of politicians in my day, but few have 
             been as talented as Scott Brown. He is a unique talent. I 
             have no doubt we will see him back in Washington someday 
             in the not too distant future.
               The truth is, Scott's victory was not the first time he 
             had done what others thought impossible. As a young man, 
             he knew poverty first hand, and a broken home, and even 
             took to shoplifting to feed himself and his sister. Yet 
             Scott overcame these early challenges. As is often the 
             case, he owes a lot of it to an adult who saw his 
             potential early on.
               In Scott's case, that adult was Judge Samuel Zoll. When 
             Scott showed up in his chambers one day, Judge Zoll saw a 
             troubled but decent young man who needed a friendly nudge.
               ``We had a long talk about [the] talent I thought he 
             had, and I didn't want to see him squander it,'' Judge 
             Zoll later recalled.
               Scott, of course, remembers it a little differently, 
             saying the judge ``verbally kicked [his] butt.''
               The judge ordered Scott to write a 1,500-word essay 
             about disappointing his family. After reading it, he told 
             Scott he would give him a break this time, but if he ever 
             stole anything again--anything--he would be sent to jail. 
             Judge Zoll's lesson stuck so deeply that the two men 
             remained friends until Judge Zoll's death last year.
               Scott went on to be a baseball star in high school and 
             in college, earning the nickname ``Downtown Scotty 
             Brown.'' That was for his accuracy with a 3-point shot. 
             Then he went to law school, the Army National Guard, held 
             city and State political office, where he was 1 of just 5 
             Republicans in a body of 40 in the State senate and then 
             the U.S. Senate.
               Senator Brown also famously found time to do a little 
             modeling in his youth, and it was through this work that 
             he met his wife Gail. I have had the pleasure to get to 
             know Scott and Gail well over the last 3 years. They have 
             two daughters and make an absolutely wonderful family. I 
             am sure Gail, Ayla, and Arianna are very proud of Scott 
             and just as sad as I am to see his tenure cut short. But 
             they should be proud of the fact that Scott has 
             accomplished a lot in 3 short years in the Senate.
               He led the charge to repeal a burdensome withholding tax 
             that hurt small businesses. He crafted legislation for 
             crowd funding, which allowed job creators to raise startup 
             funds for their businesses over the Internet with less red 
             tape, and he introduced legislation to ensure that 
             children's hospitals have access to discounts on orphan 
             drugs that are used to treat rare diseases. All of these 
             bills are now law.
               As a 32-year member of the National Guard, Senator Brown 
             takes a special interest in our men and women in uniform 
             and their families. He introduced legislation to give 
             businesses incentives to hire veterans, who, sadly, have 
             higher unemployment rates than the national average. He 
             introduced and saw to passage legislation creating the 
             Office of Service Member Affairs to protect troops who are 
             often targeted by financial fraud and scams. He saw to the 
             passage of legislation making it easier to void government 
             contracts with businesses found to be funneling taxpayer 
             resources to terrorist groups. He fought for National 
             Guard members and their families to receive their fair 
             housing allowance when deployed overseas.
               Although his work in the Senate has come to an end, I am 
             sure Scott Brown's work in public service, in whatever 
             capacity, will not. He is still a young man with a bright 
             future ahead of him. I, for one, am very much looking 
             forward to seeing how he uses his talents next.
               From the statehouse to the Senate, from the modeling 
             shoot to the basketball court, Senator Scott Brown has 
             always made his own success. I do not think he knows any 
             other way.
               Scott, it has been an honor serving with you. You not 
             only made history, you made a difference. You should be 
             proud.
                                            Thursday, December 20, 2012
               Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take 
             a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at 
             the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th 
             Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New 
             Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North 
             Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison 
             of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, 
             Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of Indiana, 
             Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Jim 
             Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly to give 
             their constituents the best representation and give the 
             country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and 
             their experience. They are men and women who are committed 
             to the Nation, and they have every day in different ways 
             contributed to this Senate and to our great country.
               I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, 
             in so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for 
             listening to my points and for, together, hopefully, 
             serving this Senate and this Nation in a more positive and 
             progressive way.
               In particular, let me say a few words about some of the 
             Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more 
             closely. ...
               Scott Brown has drawn from his over 30 years of 
             experience in the National Guard to advocate for our 
             servicemembers. I am particularly pleased we were able to 
             work together to create the new Office of Service Member 
             Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. ...
               I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking 
             them for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for 
             their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they 
             depart, they have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is 
             our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, 
             and I hope we measure up to what they have done. If we do, 
             then we can go forward confidently.
               With that, I yield the floor.
                                              Friday, December 21, 2012
               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I want to give my thanks to 
             Senator Scott Brown, who leaves the Senate at the end of 
             this session. I have not had the privilege of working with 
             Senator Brown for as long as I have worked with many of 
             the other Senators who are concluding their service here. 
             I am grateful for his work as a member of the Armed 
             Services Committee, and for his support for some of the 
             important reforms that helped put a cop back on the beat 
             on Wall Street.
               Scott's road to the Senate was not easy. Like all too 
             many American children, he was the victim of abuse by 
             those who were obligated to care for him. Senator Brown 
             overcame great odds to become a U.S. Senator--odds that 
             had little to do with politics. He is an example of our 
             power to achieve despite great challenges, and we can all 
             learn from that example.
               Senator Brown was one of a handful of Members who 
             crossed party lines to support the Dodd-Frank Act, which 
             provided vital reforms of the financial sector in order to 
             help prevent a repeat of the financial crisis that 
             crippled our economy. He and I disagreed on several 
             important provisions of the act, and we disagree in many 
             ways on how it can best be implemented. But his vote was 
             very important to its passage.
               As a servicemember for more than three decades, 
             including a deployment to Afghanistan, Senator Brown has 
             brought a valuable perspective to the Armed Services 
             Committee. He has spoken eloquently of the need to honor 
             our Nation's solemn obligation to our troops, our 
             veterans, and our families. He has advocated for the 
             National Guard and supported significant policy changes 
             that are important for our servicemembers, such as 
             supporting victims of rape or incest and repeal of ``don't 
             ask, don't tell.'' I thank him for his contributions to 
             the committee's important work in fulfilling its 
             obligation to servicemembers and their families.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, now that the 112th Congress is 
             coming to a close, the Senate will have an opportunity to 
             acknowledge the efforts of those Senators who will be 
             returning home at the end of this session of the Senate. 
             One Senator I know I will miss in the days to come is 
             Senator Scott Brown.
               Looking back it is hard to believe that Scott has only 
             been a Member of the Senate for about 3 years. He has had 
             an impact on our day-to-day deliberations over those years 
             that far outweighs the time he has been a Member of the 
             Senate. That speaks volumes about his ability to make the 
             best use of his resources so that he could have an impact 
             on those issues that concern the people of his home State.
               When Scott was elected to the Senate he became the first 
             Republican Senator from Massachusetts to have made it here 
             in more than 30 years. For me, that is proof of the kind 
             of candidate Scott was and the effectiveness of the 
             campaign he ran.
               His success in what was a very difficult race proved 
             that Scott is a natural politician. He has a remarkable 
             ability to grasp the core of the issues before the Senate 
             and determine their possible impact on the people back 
             home. He understands the people back home and he knows how 
             they think and how they feel about the issues before the 
             Senate. Equally important, Scott is able to explain those 
             issues in simple, easily understood statements that stick 
             in the minds of the people who hear him. He has a way with 
             words that helps to win people over.
               When Scott came to the Senate people were not sure what 
             to expect. Was he going to tend to follow one party or the 
             other exclusively? No. Scott took up each issue 
             individually, measuring them all with the yardstick of his 
             principles and his determination to be an effective 
             representative of the people of Massachusetts who sent him 
             to Washington. It was not going to be easy, but Scott 
             proved himself to be well up to the task.
               As soon as he arrived, Scott found himself in the thick 
             of a number of legislative battles. He took on each issue 
             carefully and thoughtfully, which thoroughly confused all 
             those who thought they had Scott all figured out. Scott 
             proved to be an independent individual who was determined 
             to do everything he could to make a difference in 
             Massachusetts and in Washington. He soon proved he was 
             able to do all of that and so much more.
               For 3 years, Scott has been an important addition to the 
             day-to-day life of the Senate. I have no doubt we have not 
             heard the last from him. He only needs to take a moment to 
             see what he is interested in taking on in the next chapter 
             of his life. He has a wealth of talent and ability and 
             more important, he genuinely cares about the future of our 
             Nation and all of the people who make up his home State 
             and our Nation. There is a lot of opportunity out there 
             for Scott and I know he will take full advantage of it.
               Thanks, Scott, for your service. Thanks for working so 
             hard to get here, and once you did, thank you for never 
             doubting in your ability to make a difference. You have 
             helped to make changes both here and back home in more 
             ways than you will ever know. Thank you, too, for your 
             friendship. For 3 years you have been a strong and 
             powerful advocate for the future of Massachusetts and you 
             can be very proud of all you have achieved during your 
             time in the Senate.
                                            Thursday, December 27, 2012
               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Senator Scott Brown came to 
             the Senate in an untraditional manner: winning a special 
             election to fill the seat left by one of the giants of the 
             Senate, Ted Kennedy. While his tenure has been just 3 
             years, I have appreciated Senator Brown's willingness to 
             work across the aisle on two very important issues: 
             reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, and working 
             to end human trafficking.
               It happens that I have authored legislation to address 
             these two very issues, and so it has been through the 
             Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and the 
             Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act that I 
             have seen Senator Brown take a dedicated approach to 
             protecting victims of violence. He is a cosponsor of both 
             these bills, a strong supporter of the goals behind them, 
             and a vocal proponent of their enactment.
               Senator Brown has also been a friend of the National 
             Guard. Himself a Guardsman for over 30 years, he was one 
             of 68 cosponsors of my Guard Empowerment Act, to give the 
             head of the National Guard a seat with the Joint Chiefs of 
             Staff, where decisions are made every day about our 
             Nation's military, including the National Guard and 
             Reserve. As a Guardsman himself, he understands the 
             strains placed on families here at home when the Guard, 
             like any unit of the military, is deployed, as has 
             happened so many times in the last decade. I appreciated 
             Senator Brown's support on this important law.
               Senator Brown has charted his own path in his short time 
             here in the Senate, and I expect the ventures he undertook 
             while serving here will continue. I wish him and his 
             family the best.
                                              Friday, December 28, 2012
               Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute 
             to the Senators who will not be returning when the 113th 
             Congress commences next month. I have already spoken about 
             Senator Kyl and about Senator Inouye, one of the truly 
             great Americans and giants of this institution. At the 
             time of his death, Senator Inouye was just a few weeks 
             short of celebrating 50 years of Senate service. Only 
             Senator Byrd served in this institution longer.
               Turnover is a natural occurrence, but it's important to 
             acknowledge that the Senators who are departing have 
             served in the Senate for a combined total of 237 years, or 
             nearly 20 years per Senator, on average. Add Senator 
             Inouye, and the total is close to 300 years. That service 
             represents an enormous amount of expertise on issues 
             ranging from national defense and foreign affairs to the 
             Federal budget to energy policy. The departing Senators 
             will also take with them vast institutional knowledge and 
             bipartisan friendships and working relationships that will 
             leave a void we will need to fill. ...
               Mr. President, Senator Brown shook the political 
             establishment when he won a special election in 2010 to 
             replace the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Senator Brown was 
             the first Republican to win a Senate race in Massachusetts 
             since Senator Edward Brooke won reelection in 1972. 
             Senator Brown previously served in the Massachusetts State 
             House of Representatives from 1998 to 2004 and then in the 
             State senate from 2004 to 2010.
               Senator Brown has been here just a short time, but he 
             has been in the thick of things, given his willingness to 
             reach across the aisle. According to Congressional 
             Quarterly, he has the second-most bipartisan voting record 
             in the Senate, and helped the majority pass the Stop 
             Trading on Congressional Knowledge, STOCK, Act, which he 
             coauthored; the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer 
             Protection Act, which was passed with exactly 60 votes; 
             the repeal of the Department of Defense's ``don't ask, 
             don't tell'' policy; the Hiring Incentives to Restore 
             Employment, HIRE, Act, and the New START Treaty. In the 
             wake of the horrific shootings at the Sandy Hook 
             Elementary School in Newtown, CT, Senator Brown was one of 
             the first Republicans to express his support for 
             reinstating the assault weapons ban. On a more parochial 
             note, I would note that 9 months ago he started serving as 
             an active member of the Maryland National Guard, and we 
             are grateful for his service. ...
               Mr. President, these men and women who will be leaving 
             the Senate soon have made extraordinary sacrifices to 
             serve our Nation. We are fortunate that they have chosen 
             to spend significant parts of their lives in public 
             service. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude. Those 
             of us who will be in the Senate next month when the 113th 
             Congress convenes can best honor the legacy of our 
             departing colleagues by reaching across the aisle as they 
             have done so many times to forge bipartisan consensus and 
             solutions to our Nation's most vexing problems. The men 
             and women who will be leaving the Senate at the end of 
             this Congress understand that compromise isn't a dirty 
             word; it is the genius at the heart of our political 
             system. We will miss them.
                                              Sunday, December 30, 2012
               Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to recognize 
             Senator Scott Brown's service to the Senate. While we have 
             only had the opportunity to work together for 2 years, I 
             have truly appreciated Senator Brown's insight, 
             leadership, and friendship.
               Senator Brown moved to Massachusetts as a young boy. He 
             graduated from Wakefield High School, then joined the 
             Massachusetts National Guard when he was 19. After 
             attending Northwestern University and graduating from 
             Tufts University and Boston College Law School, Senator 
             Brown began serving the people of Massachusetts in 1992, 
             first as a real estate assessor and then as a selectman in 
             Wrentham. In 1998, he was elected to the Massachusetts 
             House of Representatives, and after three terms he was 
             elected to the Massachusetts State Senate. In each of his 
             State senate reelection bids, he ran unopposed. As a State 
             legislator, he advocated for children's and victims' 
             rights as well as veterans affairs and worked to promote 
             good government initiatives.
               Senator Brown came to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He 
             quickly found his voice on the Armed Services and 
             Veterans' Affairs Committees thanks to more than 30 years 
             of service in the National Guard. I was proud to join more 
             than 30 of my colleagues in cosponsoring his Stolen Valor 
             Act, which would make it a crime to knowingly misrepresent 
             military service if a person wanted to profit from his or 
             her lie.
               Senator Brown also worked on good government initiatives 
             in the Senate, leading bipartisan efforts to repeal a 
             provision of law requiring Federal, State, and local 
             governments to withhold 3 percent of payments due to 
             contractors. I was proud to cosponsor his bill to avoid 
             making infrastructure improvements more costly and 
             business more challenging for health care professionals 
             who accept Medicare payments.
               I have also been proud to work with Senator Brown on 
             another commonsense initiative in this Congress, the 
             Prompt Notification of Short Sales Act. Our bill would 
             improve the housing market by requiring banks to provide a 
             written response to a short sale offer within 75 days of a 
             request from a homeowner. There are neighborhoods across 
             the country full of empty homes and owners who have 
             legitimate offers, but unresponsive banks, and I commit to 
             Senator Brown that I will continue to work on this issue 
             in the coming year.
               Clearly Senator Brown has served the people of 
             Massachusetts and the people of the United States well, 
             and he will be missed. I wish the best to him, his wife 
             Gail, and their daughters Ayla and Arianna.
                                              Monday, December 31, 2012
               Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise to express my 
             gratitude to Scott Brown, with whom I have enjoyed the 
             privilege of serving for the past 3 years. During that 
             time, Senator Brown and I served together on the Homeland 
             Security and Government Services Committee, which I have 
             chaired, as well as the Senate Armed Services Committee, 
             where he and I have worked closely together as chairman 
             and ranking member.
               Senator Brown's life story is a testament to our power 
             to overcome any obstacle. His aptly titled memoir, Against 
             All Odds, describes how despite suffering through a 
             childhood in which he had to steal in order to help feed 
             his sister and in which he was the victim of abuse, he 
             rose to attend college and law school, serve in the Army 
             National Guard, and eventually be elected to the U.S. 
             Senate. Senator Brown should be a role model to every 
             young American who looks at themselves in the mirror and 
             wonders whether they can overcome the obstacles in their 
             path, because he has.
               Senator Brown has been an invaluable Member of the 
             Senate and the committees on which he has served, lending 
             a voice of reason in an ever more partisan time. As a 
             member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator 
             Brown played a critical role in the debate on whether to 
             repeal the military's ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy, 
             grilling witnesses at the committee's hearings on the 
             issue throughout the year. Senator Brown was forthright in 
             his view that the law should not be changed until Congress 
             fully understood any possible risks associated with acting 
             on the issue, but after he had studied the report issued 
             by the Defense Department's working group tasked with 
             reviewing the issue, he lent his strong voice in support 
             of repeal. For that, I am grateful, as are the tens of 
             thousands of gay and lesbian servicemembers who no longer 
             serve under the threat of separation because of who they 
             are.
               In the 112th Congress, Armed Services Committee's 
             Subcommittee on Airland, he and I were responsible for 
             overseeing the tactical aviation and land power programs 
             of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. It was a 
             great pleasure working with Scott on these important 
             matters, and I always benefited from his experience as a 
             guardsman when reviewing these programs.
               As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental 
             Affairs Committee, Senator Brown fought for and achieved 
             passage of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge 
             Act, STOCK Act, a bill that forbids Members of Congress 
             and their staffs from profiting in any way from the 
             information they obtain as part of the job that is not 
             public. It is a testament to his service in the Senate 
             that one of Scott Brown's most notable accomplishments was 
             a bill to uphold the standards of the ethical behavior of 
             Congress. It was an honor to work with Senator Brown on 
             this important effort.
               As ranking member on the Federal Financial Management 
             Subcommittee, Scott Brown joined his chairman, Tom Carper, 
             along with full committee ranking member Susan Collins and 
             me to introduce the bipartisan 21st Century Postal Service 
             Act, which the full Senate endorsed on April 25, 2012. 
             This bill reflected many hours of tough negotiations in 
             which Scott played a key role, and set out a balanced plan 
             to get the Postal Service's finances back in order.
               Senator Scott Brown has enriched the work of the Senate 
             and the lives of his colleagues over the past 3 years. He 
             brought to the Senate not only his considerable talents 
             but a great sense of humor, which was particularly helpful 
             in the 3 tough years he was here. I wish him and his 
             family all the best as he opens a new chapter of his own 
             life. I know that he will continue to serve our country in 
             ways that really matter.
                                             Thursday, February 7, 2013
                            ORDER FOR PRINTING OF TRIBUTES
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of 
             materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the 
             retiring Members of the 112th Congress.

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