[Senate Document 115-17]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Claire McCaskill
U.S. SENATOR FROM MISSOURI
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
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TRIBUTES TO HON. CLAIRE McCASKILL
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Claire McCaskill
S.doc.115-17
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Claire McCaskill
United States Senator
2007-2019
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2021
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Farewell Address......................................
ix
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Blunt, Roy, of Missouri........................
3
Casey, Robert P., Jr., of Pennsylvania.........
18
Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
6
Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois................
8
Feinstein, Dianne, of California...............
5
Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota...................
10
Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
19
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
14
Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
20
Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
8
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
17
Schumer, Charles E., of New York...............
14
Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan..................
13
Tester, Jon, of Montana........................
7
Biography
A Daughter of Rural Missouri, With Deep Roots in the Show
Me State
1953-1978
The year that Missouri's Harry Truman left the
Presidency, Claire McCaskill's parents, Bill and Betty
Anne, traveled to Rolla, Missouri, for the birth of their
daughter. At the time, there was no hospital in their
hometown of Houston, Missouri.
Bill worked at the McCaskill Feed Mill. He was a veteran
of World War II, a modest man whose family would only find
out years after his death that he'd been awarded a Bronze
Star for his service. Not long after Claire was born, the
family moved to Lebanon, Missouri, where Betty Anne's
family ran the corner drugstore. Another move shortly
thereafter landed Claire in Columbia, Missouri, where she
attended Hickman High School.
Claire's parents encouraged participation in politics
from an early age. Bill served as Missouri State Insurance
Commissioner, and Betty Anne became the first woman to win
a seat on the Columbia City Council. Betty Anne, Claire
later recalled, was as likely to call and yell at the
Governor as she was to scold the mayor. At Halloween time,
she taught Claire and her siblings to say ``trick or treat
and vote for JFK!'' Betty Anne would become a fixture in
Missouri Democratic politics, eventually running for a
seat in the State legislature against LeRoy Blunt, the
father of Claire's eventual friend and colleague,
Republican Senator Roy Blunt.
A product of Missouri's public schools, Claire began
waiting tables in the Lake of the Ozarks the day after
graduating high school--a job she would hold for 6 years
in order to help pay her way through college and law
school at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
From Prosecutor to Legislator
1978-1999
After law school, Claire started work as an assistant
prosecutor in Kansas City. She eventually served as a
felony courtroom prosecutor specializing in sex crimes and
arson cases.
In 1982, Claire won a seat in the Missouri State
Legislature, where she chaired the general assembly's
civil and criminal justice committee, helping shape the
State's criminal justice system to better protect
Missouri's families and improve safety in their
communities.
Claire would also become the first female Missouri State
legislator to have a baby while in office, leading her to
juggle the responsibilities of lawmaker and mother.
Claire made history in 1992 when she became the first
woman to be elected Jackson County prosecutor. As head of
the largest prosecutor's office in the State, in a region
that includes Kansas City, Claire broke new ground in
combating violent crime. She launched one of the Nation's
first drug courts, and established a domestic violence
unit--a first-of-its-kind initiative for the region, aimed
at curbing domestic and sex violence, as well as child
abuse.
Claire won reelection and served as Jackson County
prosecutor until 1999, when she was sworn in as Missouri
State auditor.
Advocate for Accountability
1999-2006
As the State's top government watchdog, Claire
revolutionized the Office of State Auditor--expanding her
work beyond traditional financial audits, to include
``performance audits,'' to root out fraud and abuse of
power in State agencies and organizations.
Claire's dogged pursuit of accountability included
audits of the State's Social Services Foster Care Program
and child support enforcement, Child Abuse Hotline,
childcare facilities inspections and licensing, as well as
domestic violence shelters and puppy mills.
She also conducted reviews of the effectiveness of
Missouri's sunshine law, education funding, and the rise
in student loan and college tuition rates in the State.
In 2004, Claire took on her own party establishment and
became the only person in Missouri history to defeat a
sitting Governor in a primary election.
An Independent Voice for Missouri
2006-Present
In 2006, Claire became the first woman elected to the
U.S. Senate from Missouri, winning the seat once held by
Harry Truman.
Making good on a campaign pledge, Claire waged a
successful 6-year effort to rein in wasteful wartime
contracting practices in Iraq and Afghanistan--modeled on
Harry Truman's famous battle against war profiteering.
During the final hours of Claire's first Senate term, her
signature legislation implementing historic wartime
contracting reforms was signed into law.
Claire's efforts led to the creation of a new Senate
panel charged with financial and contracting oversight. As
chairman, Claire led nearly 40 hearings, and launched an
even greater number of investigations at dozens of Federal
departments and agencies, resulting in more than 30
instances of misconduct referred to Federal investigators.
Claire drew on her personal commitment to America's
military veterans, helping to pass the 21st century GI
bill, and establishing a veterans' ``secret shopper''
program to improve healthcare services for Missouri's
veterans. Following reports of neglect, Claire
successfully pushed for the removal of Army officials
managing Walter Reed Army Medical Center--and shortly
after, led the successful effort to reform management of
Arlington National Cemetery after disclosures of mismarked
gravesites. Later, she passed into law a comprehensive
plan fixing the Pentagon's troubled program to recover
American personnel who are prisoners of war and missing in
action (POW/MIA).
Claire teamed up with her Republican colleagues to
establish a ban on congressional earmarks, and has helped
lead efforts to repeal automatic pay raises for Congress.
She bucked her party's leadership, authoring a bill to
impose a cap on Federal discretionary spending--
legislation which came within one vote of Senate passage.
When dozens of small towns across rural Missouri were
threatened with post office closures, Claire waged a
successful battle to protect those post offices--which
Claire called the ``lifeblood of rural Missouri.''
Following Claire's resounding reelection in 2012, her
oversight panel was expanded and tasked with investigating
misconduct at every Federal agency. In 2015, Claire was
named the top-ranking Democrat on the Permanent
Subcommittee on Investigations--formerly the Truman
Committee and the Senate's leading oversight panel. A
recognized tech leader--with a penchant for communicating
directly with constituents via Twitter--Claire also
chaired the Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection.
In her second term, Claire launched investigations into
areas including fraudulent robocalls, financial management
at the U.S. Energy Department, inaccuracies on credit
reports, security clearance background checks, pervasive
fraud and waste in an Army National Guard recruiting
program, and sexual violence on college and university
campuses.
As a senior member of the Committee on Armed Services,
Claire drew upon her years as a prosecutor in leading the
successful effort to reform how the military handles
sexual assaults--successfully enacting sweeping changes to
protect and empower survivors and hold perpetrators and
commanders accountable.
As Missouri's Senator, Claire earned a reputation as a
plain-spoken, independent voice for Missouri's families
and businesses--willing to buck her own party to do what's
right, and fighting to expand opportunities for Missouri's
kids and grandkids.
Claire loves spending time with her 11 grandchildren.
She and her husband Joseph have a blended family of seven
children, four of whom live in St. Louis.
Committee Assignments
Claire was a member of the Committee on Armed Services
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs. She was the top-ranking Democrat on the Committee
on Finance.
Farewell to the Senate
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Mrs. McCASKILL. Madam President, it is probably no
surprise for my colleagues to know that I don't much like
the idea of a farewell speech. I haven't spent a great
deal of time contemplating it over the years I have been
here. I am not a big fan of the concept. But I want to
respect the tradition, especially since I have witnessed
so many Senate traditions crumble over the last 12 years.
So I will do my best to get through this without breaking
up.
A traditional farewell speech in the U.S. Senate is full
of accomplishments and thanks. I am going to skip half of
that. I am extremely proud of my body of work over 34
years of public service, but it is for others to judge,
and I won't dwell on it today, other than to say it is a
long list and a tangible demonstration of the value of
hard work.
The wonderful Barbara Bush said, ``Never lose sight of
the fact that the most important yardstick of your success
will be how you treat other people--your family, friends,
and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the
way.''
So rather than talk about what I have done, I want to
speak a few moments about my family, and I have three
different families I want to talk about today: my actual
family, my family I like to call Missouri, or
``Missouri''--we argue about it a lot--and my family here
in the Senate.
First, my actual family--because they are the most
important. In the words of author Andre Maurois, ``without
a family, man, alone in the world, trembles with the
cold.'' I have been very warm my whole life. I have not
``trembled'' in the cold because I have always had my
family.
My parents taught me that caring about the community
around us was noble and good and that holding public
office was an honorable endeavor, even though my parents
were largely spectators and supporters and not candidates
or officeholders. They just cared, and they wanted me to
care, too.
At the risk of going down the road of too many family
stories, it may explain a lot that my dad fell in love
with my mom when he saw her smoking a cigar and belting
out ``Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey,'' at a party; that
my mother said I must say ``trick or treat and vote for
JFK'' when I was 7; and that my father insisted that I not
only learn the rules of football but that I also learn to
tell a good joke and learn to laugh at myself.
My siblings. My two sisters and my brother have simply
been the port in every storm.
My children. We have a large, blended family of many
children and grandchildren that is close and loving. I
adore them all, but I need to specifically mention my
three children--Austin, Maddie, and Lily--because they
were there from the beginning--infants in car seats going
to political events, toddlers sitting sometimes not so
quietly as I gave a speech, and, then, amazing troopers in
the almost decade of my career when I was a single working
mom, hauling them all over the State on campaigns. They
now have forgiven me for the missed recitals and the
missed field trips and the fact that I couldn't be the
homeroom mom. Today, they have grown into amazing, strong
adults who make me very proud.
And yee howdy, those grandchildren--I have 11, going on
12. I can't wait until they are all old enough to yell at
them what my mom used to say to us when we were dawdling
and too slow in getting to the car: ``Last one in is a
Republican.''
My husband, Joseph--how lucky I am to have him as my
best friend. We were married 16 years ago, after I was
well into my political career and after he had achieved
great success in business. He is proud and supportive of
me always, but he certainly didn't bargain for the
incredibly unfair treatment we got at his expense because
of his business success. Let the record of the Senate now
say what my Republican colleagues did not during my
campaigns: Thank you, Joseph, for your integrity, your
honesty, your generosity, and your heart, which has always
directed you to do good, as you do well.
Then there is my Missouri family. I love my State--all
of it, every corner of it, even the parts that aren't very
crazy about me. My honor to work for Missourians has been
immense. I am incredibly grateful to them for the
opportunity I have had to get up every day and work my
heart out in an interesting, challenging career of public
service, and so lucky to have made many good friends along
the way. I am excited that I will now have more time for
them.
David Stier said: ``Family means no one gets left behind
or forgotten,'' and that is how I feel about Missouri.
That is why my office has tried very hard to help every
individual who has come to us for help, every veteran who
has needed assistance, every senior caught in Social
Security redtape--no matter who they were or where they
lived or what their politics were.
Then there is my staff family--my staff, here and in
Missouri, in this job, in my previous jobs, and in many
campaigns
Richard Bach said it best: ``The bond that links your
true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in
each other's life.'' They have been my rock, my compass,
my inspiration, and my coach--the best and the brightest,
looking not for money or fame but just to make a
difference.
To my Senate staff here today and watching and to all
the staff in my offices of the prosecutor's office, the
auditor's office, the county legislature, and the State
legislature, I respect each of you immensely. As you go
forth in the world, remember the McCaskill office motto--
they could cite it for you right now if I asked them: ``If
you work hard, you can do well. But if you are having fun,
you will do great.''
We were happy, and it made a difference. George Bernard
Shaw said: ``A happy family is but an earlier heaven.''
Working with my staff was heaven.
Finally, to all my fellow Senators and all of the many
people who work here in the Senate, I would be lying if I
didn't say I was worried about this place. It just doesn't
work as well as it used to. The Senate has been so
enjoyable for me, but I must admit that it puts the
``fun'' in dysfunction.
Peter Morgan, an author, said: ``No family is complete
without an embarrassing uncle.'' We have too many
embarrassing uncles in the U.S. Senate and lots of
embarrassing stuff. The U.S. Senate is no longer the
world's greatest deliberative body, and everybody needs to
quit saying it until we recover from this period of
polarization and the fear of the political consequences of
tough votes. Writing legislation behind closed doors,
giant omnibus bills that most don't know what is in them,
K Street lobbyists knowing about the tax bill managers'
package before even Senators--that is today's Senate--and
no amendments.
Solving the toughest problems will not happen without
tough votes. We can talk about the toughest problems, we
can visit about them, we can argue about them, we can
campaign on them, but we are not going to solve them
without tough votes. It will not happen. My first year in
the Senate was 2007. We voted on 306 amendments in 2007.
This year, as of yesterday, we have voted on 36. That is a
remarkable difference. Something is broken, and if we
don't have the strength to look in the mirror and fix it,
the American people are going to grow more and more
cynical, and they might do something crazy like elect a
reality-TV-star President. I am not kidding. That is one
of the reasons this has happened.
Power has been dangerously centralized in the Senate. We
like to say: Oh, we can't change the rules or we would be
just like the House. We kind of are like the House, guys.
We kind of are. A few people are writing legislation and a
few people are making the decisions. We have to throw off
the shackles of careful, open the doors of debate, reclaim
the power of Members and committees, and, most of all,
realize that looking the other way and hoping that
everything will work out later is a foolish idea. For gosh
sakes, debate and vote on amendments.
But with all the problems I have outlined, know that I
love this place and you--almost all of you. You have
filled my life with interesting work and unforgettable
memories. We have argued, we have sung, we have fought, we
have cried, and we have laughed together--just like
family. You are family, and I will miss you terribly.
Desmond Tutu, a very wise man, said: ``God's dream is
that you and I and all of us will realize that we are
family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness,
and for compassion.''
Thank you very much.
I yield the floor.
(Applause, Senators rising.)
?
TRIBUTES
TO
CLAIRE McCASKILL
Proceedings in the Senate
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Mr. BLUNT. Madam President, while our colleagues show
their affection for Senator McCaskill, let me talk a
little bit about my relationship with her and her service
to our State. She chose not to do that, but she has served
Missourians at every level of government--as a county
legislator, as a State legislator, as an extraordinary
prosecutor, and as the State auditor, when her particular
talent to find out exactly what was going wrong and point
it out was maybe at its best use, and 12 years in the U.S.
Senate.
I know that not too long ago Claire and Joe took their
family on a vacation to a ranch in the West. I was
thinking about that, and thinking about her reminded me of
a story I had heard about a wrangler at one of those
ranches, who was just perfect on a horse. Somebody who was
visiting asked: ``How do you get that good riding a
horse?''
He said, ``Well, first of all, you get on the horse and
you put your boot in the stirrup. You put your heel right
up against the back of the stirrup. You sit easily in the
saddle, and you ride for about 30 years.'' You ride for
about 30 years.
If you had paid any attention to either the last Senate
campaign in Missouri or the one I was involved in before
that, you heard a lot about 30 years. In the case of
Senator McCaskill and me, we have our own 30 years. About
that long ago, she was starting her second term in the
Missouri Legislature--smart, well-prepared, as she always
is. I was the first Republican elected secretary of state
in 52 years and only a couple years older than her. In
fact, we never had much of a fight about who was going to
be called a senior Senator because neither wanted to be
the particular senior anything at this point, but we began
to work together.
Claire was smart, she was quick, she was funny, she was
insightful, and she was always well-prepared. She was
also, by the way, on the appropriations committee that I
had to report to. The questions were always tough and
usually I could answer them. Even then, I often wondered
how somebody as smart and well-prepared as Claire could so
often wind up on the wrong side of the issue of the day
based on my view of the issue of the day. We still have
that--the 8 years we were here together.
Let me tell you, on anything that involved Missouri, I
think you would have a hard time finding an exception
where we didn't get to the same place, where we didn't get
there quickly, and where we didn't do everything we both
could do to figure out how to reach a conclusion.
In fact, all week I was thinking, is there any way I can
get to St. Louis to where the property transfer will be
made for the new NGA, the National Geospatial West
facility--$1.3 billion facility--right where Pruitt-Igoe
used to be, something new that will be the center of
activity and something that was built at the site of a
really bad government decision. We worked very hard to get
that done. I was thinking, I am going to do that, until I
found out it wasn't going to be next Tuesday; it was going
to be today when Senator McCaskill was going to give this
speech, and I knew I needed to be here and wanted to be
here for that.
I also say that our staff--and her Washington staff is
here--our staff in Washington, our staff in Missouri, to
the best of my knowledge, have always worked closely on
everything. They would even be at meetings where one of
them would be explaining why I voted the way I did and the
other would be explaining why Claire voted the way she
did, and they would often ride together. That was the way
we worked together on citizen concerns, on Missouri
concerns. That happened here as well.
Claire talked about her family. Joe Shepard, a great
friend of mine for--frankly, Joe was helping me before he
started helping Claire, but she pretty well totally
converted him to her side of the aisle, but we are still
good friends.
I have gotten to know Claire's sisters and appreciate
her sisters. They are the best. They are always there for
her. Occasionally, they will look just enough like Claire
that they could ride in her car in a parade and she could
be in a parade somewhere else. Claire's mom: ``The last
person in the car is a Republican''--I can absolutely hear
Claire's mom saying that. In fact, after I was elected to
the Senate, I was in the Senate and happened to see Joe
and Claire's mom and went over to say hi. Claire's mom
said, ``Well, I would like to say it is nice to see you
here, but based on everything I said in the campaign, I
would be two-faced.''
That was Betty McCaskill, and I liked her for it. I was
at Betty McCaskill's memorial service during Claire's
campaign that year for her second election to the Senate.
She was at my dad's memorial service during my election
campaign to the Senate this time. As Claire and Joe were
leaving, Claire said to me, ``What a perfect service for
Leroy Blunt.'' Nobody in this body could say that like
Claire could say it because she knew my dad. When family
got up, we talked about my dad, but Claire knew that was
not just a passing comment; it was knowing who we were and
knowing who she is and what she knew about that.
Of all the times we voted differently, we have a
relationship without pretense, as much as you can possibly
have between two Members of the Senate from the same
State. The best part of the last 8 years--we have been
friendly for 30 years, but in the last 8 years, we really
have become good friends. Old friends are hard to make. It
takes a long time, say 30 years, to really make old
friends.
I look forward to our time together after you leave
here. I have benefited from our time together while you
were here. Our State has benefited from your service in
incredible ways at all levels. Even on the days we didn't
disagree, I never doubted your sense that you were doing
the right thing. It is an honor to be your friend, and it
is an honor to have worked for you. Thanks for all you
have done for the State of Missouri.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, the last thing one does
in life is not necessarily the best. I have come to
respect Claire McCaskill over a long period of time. I
have watched her walk in a room and watched heads turn. I
have listened to her up front, answering questions: no
nonsense, direct, truthful, to the very best of her
ability. I found in her a great sense of conscience. She
has this marvelous exterior. I think the interior is a
little different.
There is a sensitivity there that is very special,
Senator. I hope you never ever lose it because it is what
gives you the ability to do what you do. Now I expect to
turn on my TV set and turn on my radio and hear you many
times and take a lot of good advice and have a few laughs
listening to you.
I want to say thank you. You have represented your State
well. You have stood tall. You have spoken out in our
caucuses. You have let people know what you feel. You wear
your heart on your sleeve, and you are one great woman.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.
Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I stand here today with a
heavy heart, as we pay tribute to our friend and
colleague, Claire McCaskill of Missouri. Senators
represent their State and, not surprisingly, they often
reflect their State's heritage, traditions, and values.
The people of Missouri rightly prize their reputation as
independent, straightforward, and trustworthy--qualities
that define my friend, Senator Claire McCaskill.
To that, I add another quality that defines this
accomplished leader from the Show Me State. Like her
inspiration in public service, President Harry Truman,
Senator McCaskill is feisty. In her two terms in the
Senate, Senator McCaskill has demonstrated her belief that
no one party holds a monopoly on good ideas. It has been
such a pleasure to work with her across the aisle on so
many issues. She was always the best of partners: strong,
strategic, determined, and she got a lot done.
An issue that brought us together as leaders of the
Senate Committee on Aging was the extensive bipartisan
investigation we launched in 2015 into the extreme spikes
in the prices of many prescription drugs. The findings of
our investigation were appalling, and the reform
legislation we coauthored is producing results in spurring
approval of lower cost generic drugs and increasing
transparency in the pharmaceutical industry.
Our work together on drug pricing uncovered the gag
clauses that industry uses that can prohibit your local
pharmacists from telling consumers if their prescription
would cost less if they paid for it out of pocket rather
than using their insurance. The Patient Right to Know Drug
Prices Act that Senator McCaskill and I coauthored and
that was signed into law this October ends this egregious
practice, saving consumers money and improving healthcare.
We also investigated numerous financial scams that
attempted to rob seniors of their hard-earned savings.
Once again, working together, we were able to get a new
law passed that tackled this serious issue as well. There
is nobody in this body who is more talented at questioning
individuals who came before our committee and were
trying to shape the truth or deceive or distract than
Claire McCaskill. She, as Senator Blunt mentioned, was
always well-prepared; she was always insightful; and she
was always tough.
I remember one hearing we had where the GAO was
testifying before us, and sure enough, Claire had read the
entire GAO report--not just the executive summary, the
whole report. Thus, her questions were so penetrating that
she brought out information that never would have surfaced
in that hearing.
As Missouri State auditor, a prosecutor, and a Senator,
Claire McCaskill has always been a champion for
accountability, dedicated to rooting out waste, fraud, and
abuse in government programs. She has always been
determined to get to the truth and to get to the bottom of
an issue. During the damaging shutdown of 2013, she
stepped forward as a charter member of our Common Sense
Coalition to help restore the faith of the American people
and to reopen government.
I have worked so closely with Senator McCaskill during
her entire time in the Senate, and I will miss her so
much. She is a tough, no-nonsense leader, a dedicated
public servant, and, most of all, a good friend.
Claire, I thank you for your public service, and I wish
you, Joseph, and your family all the best in the years to
come.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.
Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I rise today, as we all
are, to recognize a marvelous person in Claire McCaskill.
I am going to go back to 2006, when Claire was running for
the U.S. Senate and I was, too. The first time I saw
Claire McCaskill on television was on C-SPAN. She was in a
debate. I thought to myself: My, oh my. This lady has
skills--because it is something I do, I study people who
are good and I try to steal as much as I can from them and
there was plenty to steal in her ability to get to the
truth.
Then, Claire and Jim Webb and I all won close elections
in 2006 and showed up in this body. Those of you who know
Webb, Webb was maybe the most intense person I ever have
met in my life--an incredible human being in his own
right--and I became good friends with Jim.
Claire, I can't tell you the first time we met, but I
can tell you when we met, it was like we had known one
another our whole lives. Claire had this ability to
instill--and still has this ability. I want to talk in the
future, not in the past. Claire has the ability to welcome
you and make you feel as good about yourself as you feel
about her.
We got to be fast friends. She and Joseph are Sharla and
my best friends in this body. In fact, when I got on the
train a few weeks ago--and I probably shouldn't have done
this, but it just happened--I happened to get on the train
with Senator-elect Hawley. I didn't know him. I never met
him. I never looked at the debates this time around when I
was campaigning. He introduced himself to me. I will
probably owe him an apology for this, but I said, ``Yes,
you just beat my best friend in the U.S. Senate''--because
she has been.
She is one of the reasons I have been able to come to
this body and really enjoy it. As everybody said before,
she is smart, she is very articulate, and she has a heart.
Those three things are qualities that serve one well in
the U.S. Senate.
I, for one, am going to miss her presence here and her
ability to tell the truth in a way that you have to be
hard of hearing not to understand what she says because
she has been a great Senator over the last 12 years. She
has represented Missouri, and because we all have those
two letters in front of our names--``U.S.'' Senator--she
has represented this country in an amazing way. I, for
one, will miss her but will make a point to make sure the
relationship we have developed in this body continues for
the rest of our lives.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.
Mr. NELSON. Madam President, I just wanted to address
the Senator from Missouri to tell her that she has been a
wonderful colleague for this Senator.
As someone of more moderation in her politics who comes
from a Republican-dominated State, she has negotiated the
political winds so well and has always kept her eye on
representing her State. This Senator from Florida
particularly appreciates that, because being a Democrat in
a Republican State is not an easy task, and she has done
it with such dignity, looking out for her people, looking
out for the people who are voiceless. I just want her to
know she has the appreciation of this Senator from
Florida.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sasse). The assistant
Democratic leader.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, we recently heard a farewell
speech from my colleague and friend, Senator Claire
McCaskill of Missouri. I grew up across the river from St.
Louis in the town of East St. Louis, Illinois, and feel a
familiarity with Missouri and St. Louis probably more than
most residents of my State. We have had many great
reminiscences about the city and her life, and I wanted to
say a few words on the floor today as she ends her service
in the U.S. Senate.
My boyhood hero was Stan Musial--``Stan the Man''--St.
Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer and one of the greatest
ballplayers who ever lived. He retired in 1963 holding
National League career marks for games played, at-bats,
and hits. Asked to describe the habits that kept him in
baseball for so long, Musial once said, ``Get eight hours
of sleep regularly. Keep your weight down, run a mile a
day. If you must smoke, try light cigars. Then cut down on
inhaling.''
``One last thing,'' he added, ``Make it a point to bat
.300.''
Claire McCaskill has always brought the same sort of
natural-born talent and relentless work ethic to public
service that Stan Musial--``Stan the Man''--brought to
baseball in St. Louis. She has stood for office 24 times--
lost twice. That makes her batting average considerably
better than .300.
Five years ago, Senator McCaskill and I teamed up to
suggest a name for a beautiful new bridge that spanned the
mighty Mississippi River between her State of Missouri and
mine of Illinois, near St. Louis. Thanks to Claire's
leadership, it is called the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial
Bridge. Locals all call it the Stan Span for short. It is
a well-deserved, fitting tribute to my boyhood hero and a
fitting tribute to Claire McCaskill's tenacity.
In an age of hyperpartisanship, Claire McCaskill is a
bridge builder. She doesn't ask whether ideas come from
the left or the right; she asks whether they will work.
Like her own political hero, Harry Truman, she is a
straight talker, and she can be a bulldog when it comes to
demanding accountability for the people who pay for this
government and those who rely on it. She has cast historic
and heroic votes on the Senate floor. She voted for an
economic stimulus package that helped prevent a second
Great Depression. She voted to create the Affordable Care
Act--one of the most important social and economic justice
laws of our lifetime.
One story about Claire McCaskill seems especially
telling. Nearly 2 years ago, she was ready to vote to
confirm Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, to the U.S.
Supreme Court. In Missouri, a red State, that was a pretty
good vote for her politically. But when she met privately
with then-Judge Gorsuch, she asked him about a case in
which he had ruled that a trucking company was within its
rights when it fired a driver who left his broken-down
truck briefly on a sub-zero night to find help.
Senator McCaskill asked Judge Gorsuch, ``Did you ever
think about what you would do if you had been that
truckdriver?''
The judge said, ``No.''
Senator McCaskill changed her vote to no. It cost her
politically, but that is the kind of Senator Claire
McCaskill is. Her idea of governing is to spend money
wisely, punish misbehavior, and give people what they need
in order to get through their daily lives. She has been a
voice for truckdrivers and farmers and factory workers and
a lot of ordinary people who work hard and still struggle
to pay their bills. She has been a fearless champion of my
Dreamers, and for that I will forever be grateful. Her
votes to help these young people always were risky
politically, but she never ever flinched. I will forever
be in her debt for her show of courage on that one issue.
Incidentally, she showed the same courage and compassion
when calling for an end to this administration's cruel
policy of separating immigrant families at our border.
This past year, she used her influence as ranking member
of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs to investigate the causes of the
opioid epidemic devastating America. That investigation
showed how pharmaceutical companies knowingly sold
dangerous and addictive pain killers in order to maximize
profit. She worked diligently on a bipartisan basis to
ensure passage of a law that will help combat the opioid
epidemic and provide treatment for those who are addicted.
She has never ever wavered in her efforts to protect
Americans with preexisting medical conditions.
Results, not just rhetoric--that is Claire McCaskill.
As Stan Musial approached the plate for the last time
before he retired, legendary sportscaster Harry Caray
said, ``Take a look, fans. Take a good long look. Remember
the swing and the stance. We won't see his like again.''
As Senator McCaskill leaves the Senate, take a look.
Remember Claire McCaskill and her personal brand of
Missouri courage. May we all try to be bridge builders, as
she has been.
I yield the floor.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. . . . Mr. President, I am here to make
some brief remarks about two of my favorite colleagues who
are leaving us. They are both good friends of mine, both
from the middle of the country, and both extraordinary
leaders.
I will start with my friend, Senator Claire McCaskill.
Senator McCaskill and I were first elected at the same
time, so we came in together.
During our years of serving together, I have seen this
strong, incredible woman stand up for the people of
Missouri and stand up for the people of this country.
We were the only two women in our Senate class when we
came in. One of my first memories of Claire, which
occurred near the beginning of our time in the Senate, was
that we were driving out of the Capitol together to go
speak at an event. I looked out the window, and there was
my husband John walking across the lawn with a pink box.
She sees him, and she looks at me, and she says, ``What is
John doing, walking across the Capitol lawn with a pink
gift-wrapped box?''
I yelled out the car window, and I said, ``What are you
doing with the pink box?''
He yelled back, ``It is the Senate spouse club event. I
am going to Jim Webb's wife's baby shower.''
Claire looked at my husband and said, in her typical,
blunt way: ``That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen.''
That is Claire.
We were rejoicing together in the car at that moment, as
we thought we were witnessing a milestone in Senate spouse
history but also in our own histories and in the journey
of having more women in the Senate.
Claire is someone who never keeps quiet, who always
speaks her mind, and that is so refreshing.
When she found out about the substandard care for our
veterans at Walter Reed, she took it on. She was a
freshman Senator, but she wasn't quiet, and she took it
on.
Her dad was a veteran, and she felt that the veterans of
today deserve the same quality care that he got. That is
the kind of leadership she has always shown.
She never backs down, especially in the face of
corruption. I think a lot of that was because of her work
as a prosecutor. We shared that in common.
If there were rights that needed to be respected--great.
If there were wrongs that needed to be righted, she was
right there. She is never afraid to speak truth to power.
By the way, in her own words, she is now unleashed, and
I know that will continue in a big way.
Whether she is at a hearing or writing one of her famous
tweets, she does it in a voice that is 100 percent
authentic and 100 percent Claire McCaskill.
I will never forget when she was grilling Wall Street
executives at a Senate hearing for their role in the
financial crisis, and she said, ``You guys have less
oversight than a pit boss in Las Vegas.'' That is one
example.
As Missouri's former State auditor and as someone who
worked her way through school as a waitress, Senator
McCaskill has always rightfully demanded accountability
for those in positions of power.
We saw it again when she stood up to opioid
manufacturers and distributors, investigating suspicious
shipments of these dangerous drugs in communities across
the country.
We saw it with her leadership in the fight against sex
assault and online sex trafficking, where she worked to
take on backpage.
We saw it in her fight to strengthen the role of
independent watchdogs at our Federal agencies and to
expand protections for whistleblowers.
We saw it every time she stood up for American
consumers, highlighting the challenges that consumers
often face when they get errors on their credit reports or
when they have fraudulent robocalls.
I would always think of how she would challenge the
commonsense wisdom of her beloved mom, Betty, who is no
longer with us. I had the honor to meet Betty. So whenever
I would watch Claire take on these crimes--especially
crimes against seniors--and speak out about them, I would
always think of her mom and how her mom was such an early,
powerful feminist and a woman who stood up and spoke truth
to power.
Perhaps most of all, as I mentioned earlier, we saw it
in her work with Walter Reed on behalf of our Nation's
veterans. In addition to the work she did in calling out
what was happening at Walter Reed, it was Claire who found
out that contracting failures had led to thousands of
graves at Arlington National Cemetery being unmarked or
improperly marked.
It was Claire whose legislation overhauled the IT
systems at Arlington and ultimately held the Secretary of
the Army accountable.
That was trademark Claire: seeing an injustice,
uncovering it, speaking out, and then never giving up
until it is fixed. That is what she has done time and
again.
What is cool about Claire, despite what I wish had not
happened--that she didn't win her election--is, she is the
most resilient person I know, and she will continue to
serve and continue to do that work in her way.
After a former political opponent once accused her of
being unladylike, she once told an Iowa audience that the
traits needed to excel in leadership--to speak out, be
strong, take charge, change the world--are traits she sees
as very ladylike.
Claire has shown us how to be both strong and ladylike.
It has been my privilege to serve with her. I am so
honored to call her friend, and I am excited about what is
to come for Claire McCaskill. . . .
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute
to someone who has spent her entire career making life
better for the people of Missouri and the people of this
country.
If I had to describe Senator Claire McCaskill using one
word, I think I would choose ``fighter.''
I think most Members, on both sides of the aisle, would
agree with me.
As the first woman elected Jackson County prosecutor,
she fought for crime victims and created some of the first
drug courts and domestic violence units in the country.
As State auditor, she fought to ensure that the State of
Missouri spent taxpayer dollars wisely.
During her 12 years representing Missouri in the Senate,
she has fought every day to keep government accountable,
protect consumers, strengthen our national security, and
expand access to healthcare.
I have been especially honored to partner with her on
this last goal.
We worked together to make sure that pharmacists can
tell their patients the lowest price at the pharmacy
counter and to protect Americans from junk insurance
plans.
We have fought to keep American manufacturers
competitive and to end unfair trade practices that hurt
our companies and our workers.
I have been inspired by her work to end sexual violence,
particularly in our military, and to ensure that families
affected by the opioid crisis get the help they need to
recover.
I will always remember the trip we took together to the
Middle East.
In Jordan, we saw first hand the challenge of responding
to the Syrian refugee crisis and spoke with refugees
themselves.
That is classic Claire: ensuring that the government is
doing its job while also watching out for the most
vulnerable.
Perhaps that skill has been on display best during
oversight hearings, when Claire has made great use of her
skills as a former prosecutor.
I know that I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end
of her questioning.
I am going to miss working with her. However, I am glad
we haven't heard the last of Claire.
Just follow her Twitter account, and you will see what I
mean.
Senator McCaskill: Thank you for keeping government
honest, protecting the most vulnerable, and always putting
the people of Missouri first.
Most of all, thank you for always being a fighter.
ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENTS
Mr. McCONNELL. 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
retiring Members of the 115th Congress, and that Members
have until Friday, December 21, to submit such tributes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I return to the floor to
conclude saying good-bye to Members of our caucus who will
not be returning to this Chamber next year. Last, but
certainly not least, to me and to so many of us, is my
dear friend, the Senator from Missouri--as she says it--
Claire McCaskill.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Senator
from Missouri found her way into politics. She got her
start early. Growing up in a family that was actively
involved in government and politics, Claire was not given
the option to avoid subjects of national debate. When
Claire was 7 years old, she was sent door to door on
Halloween, saying, ``Trick or treat; vote for JFK.''
Soon, politics wasn't just a passion passed down but a
passion of her own. In high school, Claire launched a
stealth campaign to become homecoming queen. In the
tradition of her school, the football team picked the
winner. So Claire befriended all the linemen--doing small
favors, arranging dates--knowing there would be more of
them than any other position. Guess what. She won, not
because she skated by on popularity--although she was
always popular--but because she put in the work. She was
tenacious and tactical, qualities she would take from high
school politics into the politics of the wider and older
world.
That is how, as a Democrat in a State already becoming
more conservative during her youth, Claire would go on to
represent Missouri at nearly every level of government. As
a prosecutor, in the State house, as State auditor, and,
eventually, for 12 amazingly wonderful and productive
years as Senator.
I was chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee
in 2005. Claire was just coming off a difficult loss in
the Governor's race, after which she ``drank a lot of red
wine and ate too many cookies,'' by her own typical frank
admission. I had heard so much about her that I flew to
London to meet with Claire and her dear husband Joe about
a possible Senate race. Almost immediately, I was struck
by the force of her personality.
She is a whirlwind. As Claire's mother, Betty Anne, said
of her, ``Integrity, independence, and guts--that's what
Claire McCaskill is made of.'' Everyone who meets Claire
can see that from the get-go. By the end of dinner, I was
so eager for Claire to run that I did something I almost
never do. I paid for dinner. I have never been more glad
that I did because Claire became an exceptional Senator
and one of my closest friends, not just here in the Senate
but in life. A moderate at heart, Claire had a knack for
finding compromise between our two parties--a theme among
many of our departing Members.
She worked across the aisle with Senator Collins to
protect seniors from financial scams. She worked to fight
for victims of opioid addiction, working with Republicans
on taking on the big pharmaceutical companies that were
funneling money to organizations to promote their own
dangerous products.
In the tradition of her political idol, Harry Truman,
she took a seat on the Committee on Armed Services and
fought fiercely for our veterans and our military.
Her hearings on the waste, fraud, and abuse of military
contractors ushered in long-overdue reforms to military
contracting, increasing transparency and accountability.
Almost every issue that Claire got her teeth into, she
never let go and always succeeded. She was amazing as a
Senator.
Of course, Claire wasn't just pragmatic. One of the
reasons we love her is that she is both pragmatic and
principled and combines those two in a unique way.
I will never forget the vote on the Dreamers. Claire was
seated in a seat back there. She was a more junior Member.
She knew that voting to bring the Dreamers home--a pathway
to citizenship and living here in America--could mean the
end of her election. She said that to me. But she said,
``I cannot vote against them.'' We walked down the aisle
together, tears streaming down her cheeks, and, of course,
she voted yes.
The Senate has its fair share of dealmakers. It has its
fair share of principled fighters as well. But rarely is a
Senator so adept at both. That is our Claire McCaskill.
We will miss far more, of course, than Claire the
Senator. So many of us will miss Claire the person. When
she has something to say to you, she does not hold back.
Believe me--I know. I have been called just about every
name in the book by Claire McCaskill, and each time, it
rang true, but I didn't mind it because I know it was done
with both affection and a desire to make me better and do
a better job. I can say this--Whatever job I am doing here
as leader is in significant part because of Claire
McCaskill's loving but pointed criticisms. I will miss
them so much.
She is amazing. I am not the only one she criticized,
and I am not the only one she criticized using the words
that came right to her mouth. They say they used to keep a
swear jar on her desk in the Missouri Legislature. I would
be surprised if they didn't keep a few lined up along the
whole desk.
But as much as Claire can sometimes criticize you in a
pointed way, she can also make you laugh. She said her
father insisted on two things: that she learn the rules of
football and how to tell a good joke. That, she did. More
than that, she can tell a good joke at her own expense.
That is just one of many reasons she was so well-liked in
this Chamber by Democrats and Republicans.
It is rare you can find someone who speaks her mind so
directly and yet be so loved. That is one of the many
unique traits of this wonderful lady, Claire McCaskill. I
am not the only one who felt that way. After a farewell
address in this Chamber, the line of Senators to say a few
words about Claire was long, and it wasn't just on our
side of the aisle.
I could go on about Senator McCaskill for quite a while,
but I am sure she is already telling me that I am getting
long-winded. So let me close with this: When Claire was 9
years old, her father took her to the annual Jackson Day
dinner in Springfield, Missouri, to hear the big political
speeches on offer that year. After all, this was a famous
venue that had hosted the giants of American politics--
William Jennings Bryan, Harry Truman, JFK.
Well, guess who delivered the closing address at the
Jackson Day dinner this year. Claire McCaskill, whose
impact on her State and her country, as well as on the
Senate and on so many of us, belongs in the same category
as those distinguished names and will live on just as
long.
Claire, we are going to miss you so. I will, the Senate
will, Missouri will, and America will. I wish you and Joe
and your wonderful family all the happiness in your next
endeavors.
I yield the floor.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to
salute my colleagues who are departing the Senate at the
conclusion of the 115th Congress: Bob Corker of Tennessee,
Jeff Flake of Arizona, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Heidi Heitkamp
of North Dakota, Dean Heller of Nevada, Joe Donnelly of
Indiana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Bill Nelson of
Florida, and Jon Kyl of Arizona. All of these Members have
dedicated themselves to serving their constituents, their
States, and our country. The institution of the Senate and
the Nation as a whole are stronger because of their
service and commitment.
I have been privileged to serve with each and every one
of them and want to spend a few moments thanking each of
them for the wisdom and experience they brought to their
work and for their friendship. . . .
I want to turn my attention to three Members I had the
privilege to work with and serve with on the Committee on
Armed Services . . . .
I have also been extremely proud to serve alongside
Claire McCaskill on the Committee on Armed Services.
Claire has been a leader of the Senate effort to prevent
and respond to sexual assault in our military. She was a
principal cosponsor of the Victims Protection Act, a
bipartisan package of reforms that represent a substantial
leap forward in preventing and responding to sexual
assaults in the military. It is a testament to Claire's
determination and hard work that these laws are in place,
but, also, she was the first to recognize that our work is
not done. She was continually involved in ensuring that
whatever legislative initiatives we passed were actually
implemented. That work is ongoing, and Claire's efforts
have given us a strong foundation to continue those
efforts.
In addition to the Victims Protection Act, Claire led
the effort to reform management of Arlington National
Cemetery to address significant problems with the burials
of servicemembers and helped to establish a single agency
responsible for POW-MIA recovery and accounting efforts.
Claire has also worked tirelessly to end wasteful
wartime contracting practices, following in the footsteps
of another Missouri Senator and one of her political
heroes, President Harry S. Truman. Claire has been a
steadfast advocate for oversight throughout her career,
and her work to root out waste and strengthen
accountability has made a difference in how effectively
the government works for the American people.
Again, I wish her well in the future and know it will be
a future that is also committed to service to others. . .
.
To all my colleagues, I give them my greatest respect
and admiration for their service to their States, to the
Senate, and to the United States of America.
Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to
my colleague, Claire McCaskill. Claire and I came to the
Senate together in January 2007, and she has served the
people of Missouri and the United States with distinction
for the past 12 years.
Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once
remarked: ``Sunlight is said to be the best of
disinfectants.'' When I consider Claire's service and her
work on both the Special Committee on Aging and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, I
am reminded of Justice Brandeis' words. Senator McCaskill
was tireless in her efforts to shed light on policies and
practices that hurt seniors, veterans, and the vulnerable
in our Nation.
For example, Senator McCaskill has been a strong
advocate of empowering veterans, giving them a voice, and
holding the VA accountable through the Veterans' Customer
Satisfaction Program she designed. This program allows
veterans to provide anonymous feedback on their healthcare
treatment at VA facilities across the country.
Senator McCaskill has also been a champion for
seniors. She used her position on the Special Committee on
Aging to investigate fraudulent Medicare bills and an IRS-
impersonation scheme to ensure seniors have access to
quality healthcare and a financially stable retirement. I
had the honor of succeeding her as ranking member of the
Committee on Aging and have worked to continue her focus
on protecting seniors from scam artists.
Finally, Senator McCaskill's work on the Victims
Protection Act of 2014 is a shining example of her
commitment to protecting the well-being of our
servicemembers who have endured the horror of sexual
assault in the military. When many in power choose to
stand down, Claire stands up for survivors.
The Senate, and especially the class of 2006, will miss
Senator Claire McCaskill in this Chamber, but I have no
doubt that she will find a way to use her extraordinary
skills to help those who are powerless.
Thank you, Claire, for your years of public service.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Senator McCaskill has left an
indelible mark on the Senate. A former prosecutor in
Missouri, she brought the fight to protect the most
vulnerable in her State and across the country to her work
here in the U.S. Senate.
Her work to preserve the Affordable Care Act and protect
victims of sexual harassment and violence speak to the
depth of her convictions. She has also shown great talent
safeguarding our Nation and holding our government
accountable as a former chair of the Senate Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and as a member
of the Committee on Armed Services.
Senator McCaskill has fought hard to protect college
students from sexual harassment and assault on campus.
Senator McCaskill has even spoken of the sexual harassment
that she herself faced as a young woman in the Missouri
State Legislature. Long before the Nation began talking
openly about the extent of sexual harassment and assault
across all sectors of our society brought into the open by
the #MeToo movement, Senator McCaskill prepared a report
on the extent of sexual harassment and assault on college
campuses. But Senator McCaskill has never been a woman
content with report-writing; she introduced a bill to help
address the issue. When the Senate didn't move on that
bill, she worked directly with colleges, holding public
roundtables to call attention to the issue.
That is a just a glimpse of the determination that
Senator McCaskill brings to all of her work on behalf of
her constituents. She is a straight shooter. In the face
of misinformation campaigns about the Affordable Care Act,
Senator McCaskill has always stepped up to promote the
truth. I have always admired her commitment to preserving
that law that helps so many of her rural constituents.
As a former chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs, and a member of the
Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senator McCaskill has
dedicated much of her Senate service to keeping our
country safe. I greatly appreciated her support for my
National Guard Empowerment Act, which finally gave our
National Guard the tools it needs to protect our Nation
and take care of its members.
I will miss Senator McCaskill's tenacity, and I am sure
that Missouri and the Nation will too. Missouri is losing
a champion in the Senate. Marcelle and I wish her, her
husband, Joe, and her family the very best in this new
chapter.
Friday, December 21, 2018
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, December should be the
happiest month of the year, as we await Christmas and the
New Year, but in the even numbered years, it is
bittersweet as we say good-bye to colleagues who will not
be returning in the next Congress. While the body often
seems to be polarized and contentious to the public that
knows us only from media appearances, the fact is that
partnership and alliances across the aisle are part of the
fabric of the body, and friendships of unlikely allies
abound. This is not to say that we don't disagree on
issues; we very much do. But we strive for these
disagreements never to erode our collegiality.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those
with whom I have been proud to serve: Mr. Hatch, our
President pro tempore, Mr. Corker, Mr. Flake, and Mr.
Heller on my side of the aisle for their distinguished
service. To my friend, Mr. Kyl, it has been a
pleasure to serve with you again. On the Democrat
side of the aisle, Mr. Donnelly, Ms. McCaskill, Mr.
Nelson, and especially my dear friend, Ms. Heitkamp, the
Senator from North Dakota. Each of these individuals cares
deeply for the Nation, for the States they have
represented so ably, and for the Senate.