[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 142 (Saturday, October 10, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12304-S12305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO DEPARTING SENATORS AND SENATOR KEMPTHORNE'S STAFF
Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, I appreciate you presiding as you do
in such a class fashion. I would like to make a few comments here. I
have been touched and impressed by the fact of colleagues coming to the
floor and paying tribute to those Members who are departing. I have
listened because, as one of those Members who are departing, I know
personally how much it means to hear those kind comments that are made.
Senator Ford, who just spoke, is leaving after a very illustrious
career. I remember when the Republican Party took over the majority 4
years ago and I was new to the position of Presiding Officer, it was
not unusual for Wendell Ford, who knows many of the ropes around here,
to come and pull me aside and give me a few of the tips of how I could
be effective as a Presiding Officer. I think probably one of the
highest tributes you can pay to an individual is the fact that you see
their family and the success they have had. I remember when Wendell
Ford's grandson, Clay, was a page here. I think Clay is probably one of
the greatest tributes paid to a grandfather.
Dale Bumpers, often mentioned here on the floor about his great sense
of humor, is an outstanding gentlemen. He is someone whom I remember
before I ever became involved in politics. I watched him as a Governor
of Arkansas and thought, there is a man who has great integrity,
someone you can look up to. And then to have the opportunity to serve
with him has been a great honor.
John Glenn. Whenever any of the astronauts--the original seven--would
blast off into space, my mother would get all the boys up so we could
watch them. I remember when John Glenn blasted off into space. Again,
the idea that somehow a kid would end up here and would serve with John
Glenn is just something I never could dream of at the time. In fact,
John Glenn became a partner in our efforts to stop unfunded Federal
mandates. You could not ask for a better partner.
Speaking of partners, he could not have a better partner than Annie.
I had the great joy of traveling with them approximately a year ago
when we went to Asia. That is when you get to know these people as
couples. I remember that we happened to be flying over an ocean when it
was the Marine Corps' birthday. On the airplane we had a cake and
brought it out, to the surprise of John Glenn. But you could see the
emotion in his eyes. I know the Presiding Officer is a former U.S.
Marine, so he knows what we are talking about.
Dan Coats. There is no more genuine a person than Dan--not only in
the Senate but on the face of the Earth. He is a man of great
sincerity, a man who can articulate his position so extremely well. He
is a man who, when you look into his eyes, you know he is listening to
you and he is going to do right by you and by the people of his State
of Indiana, and he has done right by the people of the United States.
He is a man who has great faith, a man to whom I think a number of us
have looked for guidance.
When you look at the Senate through the eyes of a camera, you see
just one dimension. But on the floor of the Senate we are just people.
A lot of times we don't get home to our wives and kids and sometimes to
the ball games or back-to-school nights. There are times when some of
the issues don't go as we would like, and it gets tough. At these
times, we hurt. There are people like Dan Coats to whom you can turn,
who has said, ``Buddy, I have been there and I am with you now.'' So,
again, he is an outstanding individual.
Also, Mr. President, I have been really fortunate with the quality of
the staff I have had here in the U.S. Senate during the 6 years I have
been here. As I have listened so many times to the Senate clerk call
the roll of those Senators, they have answered that roll. I would like
to just acknowledge this roll of those staff members whom I have had.
This is probably the first and only time their names will be called in
this august Chamber:
Cindy Agidius, Marcia Bain, Jeremy Chou, Camy Mills Cox, Laurette
Davies, Michelle Dunn, Becky English, Gretchen Estess, Ryan Fitzgerald,
Lance Giles.
Charles Grant, Ernie Guerra, Julie Harwood, Laura Hyneman, Meg Hunt,
Catherine Josling, Ann Klee, Amy Manwaring, John McGee, Liz Mitchell.
Heather Muchow, Jay Parkinson, Phil Reberger, Rachel Riggs, Shawna
Seiber Ward, Orrie Sinclair, Mark Snider, Glen Tait, Jim Tate, Kelly
Teske.
Salle Uberuaga, Jennifer Wallace, Brian Whitlock, Suzanne Bacon,
Becky Bale, Stan Clark, Tom Dayley, Tyler Dougherty, Carolyn Durant,
George Enneking.
Buzz Fawcett, Margo Gaetz, Erin Givens, Jim Grant, Wendy Guisto,
Jennifer Hayes, Al Henderson, Heather Irby, Steve Judy, Jeff Loveng.
Brian McCormack, Darrell McRoberts, Peter Moloney, Scott Muchow, Dan
Ramirez, Dixie Richardson, Stephanie Schisler, Carrie Stach, Gary
Smith, Michael Stinson, Sally Taniguchi, Julie Tensen, Mitchell
Toryanski, Brian Waidmann, Vaughn Ward.
That is a lot of staff. But over 6 years, some of those have come and
gone.
I have also received valuable assistance from interns who have worked
in my state and Washington offices. I ask unanimous consent that the
following list of interns for the past six years be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the list was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
Interns
Angie Adams, Tara Anderson, Jennifer Beck, Matthew
Blackburn, Emily Burton, Emilie Caron, Michelle Crapo, Matt
Freeman, Amy Hall, Rick Hansen.
Michelle Hyde, Paul Jackson, Beth Ann Kerrick, Heather
Lauer, Jennifer Ludders, Karen Marchant, Kendal McDevitt, Jan
Nielsen, Bryan James Palmer, Tracy Pellechi.
Tyler Prout, James Rolig, Dallas Scholes, Robin Staker,
Meghan Sullivan, Omar Valverde, Franciose Whitlock, James
Williams, Curt Wozniak, Tim Young.
Kim Albers, Chris Bailey, Kevin Belew, David Booth, Matt
Campbell, Stephen Cataldo, Pandi Ellison, Andrew Grutkowski,
Chad Hansen, Sarah Heckel.
Laura Hyneman, Michael Jordan, Lisa Lance, Keith Lonergan,
Lori Manzaneres, Wade Miller, Kate Montgomery, Rocky Owens,
Kurt Pipal, Alan Poff.
Nichole Reinke, Don Schanz, Nathan Sierra, Jacob Steele,
David Thomas, Curtis Wheeler, Brian Williams, Angie Willie,
Darryl Wrights.
Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, this will probably be the last time
officially on this floor as a U.S. Senator that I look at the faces of
these people that you and I have worked with--the clerks, and
Parliamentarians, the staff. It is family. The young pages that we see
here with that sparkle in their eye and the enthusiasm that they have
for this process--it is fun to talk to you and to see your sense of
enthusiasm for this. As I said, you are going to have a sense of the
U.S. Senate like few citizens, because you have been here, you have
experienced it, and you have been up close in person.
But to those of you that I see now as I look to the desk, those who
have sat in your places that I have worked with through these years, I
thank you. America is well served by you, by your professionalism and
your dedication.
[[Page S12305]]
So I thank you. I thank the Cloakroom again; all of the family; the
staff, from the police officers and the waiters and waitresses, and the
folks who make this place work; the Senate Chaplain; and, Mr.
President, again I thank you for your courtesy, and I bid you farewell.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Thank you, Senator. The people of Idaho and
the people of the country are very proud of your service. We wish you
well.
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