[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO SENATOR DAN COATS

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Before he leaves the floor, I would like to pay tribute, 
as several of our colleagues have, to our distinguished friend, the 
Senator from the State of Indiana, Dan Coats.
  Obviously, his career in the Senate is coming nearly to the end here, 
but those of us who have had the chance to serve with him and who are 
friends of his will miss him greatly in this body.
  When I came to the Senate 4 years ago, I thought about the kinds of 
people whose advice and counsel I wanted to have. And the first name on 
the list as I was planning my first trip to the Senate after the 
election was Dan Coats. From that point on, he has been a friend, a 
mentor, somebody whose judgment and advice I have respected as highly 
as anyone's in this Chamber.
  He has served his State with great distinction, but those of us who 
live in Michigan have a special fondness for him because, of course, he 
is a native of our State. He grew up in Jackson, MI, so although he 
represents Indiana in the Senate, to many Michiganites and many of my 
constituents when I am in the southern portion of my State, they look 
at Dan Coats as their third Senator.
  So he has not only been a great friend to Michigan as a native but 
also as a Senator who has worked closely with us. I wish to say to him 
before he leaves the floor how much I value his friendship, how much I 
look forward to working with him in the future on other causes, and how 
much I hope that, at whatever point I bring my career in the Senate to 
an end, I will be thought of even half as fondly and with half as much 
respect as he has, because I think all of us who serve here hold him in 
the very highest of esteem.
  Mr. COATS. I thank the Senator.

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