[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
                                      

                                          
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                        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.