[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 154 (Thursday, December 14, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11774-S11776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SERVING IN THE SENATE

  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, I rise today on what is a somewhat 
bittersweet occasion to reflect on my time in the Senate, and to look 
ahead to the future.
  Next to being a husband, a father, and a grandfather, these past 6 
years have provided without a doubt the most exciting and also the most 
inspiring moments in my life. To serve as a Member of the greatest 
deliberative body in the world--entrusted with fulfilling the hopes and 
wishes of the people across the United States as well as the people of 
Minnesota--has been humbling beyond words. When your view out the front 
window is of the U.S. Capitol, and when your daily travels take you 
down the same halls once walked by John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, 
and Daniel Webster, and you spend your hours working for people who ask 
nothing more of you than to make government work a little bit better, 
well, going to the office to work each day is a real pleasure.

[[Page S11775]]

  I am going to miss the Senate, not at all because of the prestige it 
is said to represent, but because this relatively small group of people 
is instilled with the power to accomplish so much good. And every day 
in this Chamber, my colleagues plow their passions into doing that. 
Yes, we routinely disagree. We have our partisan battles. And as men 
and women with strong ideas about what is right for America, we can be 
as stubborn as any creature God ever put onto this Earth. But there is 
never any doubt that as Senators, my colleagues act out of a deeply 
held belief that they are doing the right thing for the people who sent 
them here.
  I have had the opportunity to serve with many remarkable individuals. 
They have taught me a great deal, not just about being a Senator, 
although there was certainly a major part of that, but they also helped 
me to recognize that compromise does not have to mean compromising 
one's beliefs, that a small victory is often better than no victory at 
all, that ``obstacle'' is just another word for opportunity, and that 
sometimes the best way to get past a mountain is to go around it, and 
not necessarily tunnel right through it.
  The majority leader, Trent Lott, has been a good friend, and I have 
appreciated his counsel and his willingness to listen to even the most 
junior members of this chamber. I'll say the same of his predecessor, 
Senator Bob Dole, who was in so many ways a mentor to this Senator, and 
I truly admire him as a wonderful and caring leader and man. The 
assistant majority leader, Don Nickles, has been a tremendous example 
to my colleagues and me, and I want to thank him for his guidance and 
friendship. I consider it my great fortune, and a great honor, to have 
been able to work closely with so many other good people on both sides 
of the aisle, such as Democrat Leader Tom Daschle and Assistant 
Democratic Leader Harry Reid. I have learned from you daily; and, from 
our most senior and respected Members of this body, Senator Robert Byrd 
and Senator Strom Thurmond; my committee chairmen, Jesse Helms of 
Foreign Relations, Phil Gramm of Banking, Pete Domenici of Budget, and 
Frank Murkowski of the Energy Committee.

  Before I got to the Senate, I never would have guessed that every 
question would have exactly one hundred different answers. But each of 
our exchanges forced me to look at old ideas in new ways, and I'm a 
better person for every challenge you posed. These years with you have 
been like watching a history book come to life.

  I want to recognize my colleagues who are also leaving the Senate at 
the conclusion of this Congress. The distinguished chairman of the 
Finance Committee, Bill Roth, has been one of this Chamber's greatest 
champions of the taxpayers, and a Senator of whom I have the highest 
regard. John Ashcroft and Spence Abraham continually set the highest 
standard of public service; we came into the Senate together, and I was 
honored to work closely with them during the past six years. Connie 
Mack, a colleague on the Banking Committee, has served this Senate with 
great distinction, as has the Senator from Washington, Slade Gorton. On 
the other side of the aisle, the Senate is losing one of its most 
respected voices with the retirement of Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He 
represents to me the ideal of the character of a public servant. The 
same can be said of Bob Kerrey. I also wish the very best to Richard 
Bryan, Frank Lautenberg, and Chuck Robb, all of whom earned my 
admiration.
  As to the rest of my colleagues, I won't try to thank you 
individually here, but I will do so privately, and know that you each 
have my respect and my gratitude.
  Not only have I served with exceptional colleagues, but I was elected 
to serve here during remarkable times. We've been confronted with 
moments that tested America's resolve in the world, such as the war in 
the Balkans and the bombings of our U.S. embassies abroad. Other 
events, like the Oklahoma City tragedy and the recent uncertainty over 
the presidential election, have tested us domestically. Despite a 
strong economy, the challenges posed early on in my term by unending 
deficits and high taxes threatened families and job creators. These 
have been hard times in my home state as well, with problems on the 
farm and a series of natural disasters that challenged our citizens 
with floods and tornadoes.
  We accepted these challenges because the American people expected us 
to, and at the end of the day, I'm proud to say that we've left things 
a little better than we found them. Deficits are a thing of the past, 
taxes are still a crushing blow for families, but a little less so, 
welfare is no longer a prison sentence, and trade opportunities have 
opened up around the world for American products.
  Is it enough? Of course not, because it's never enough. There's 
always one more person needing a helping hand, one more bridge to build 
or road to pave, one more bill to introduce. But I'm confident that 
we've made the government work a little better for the folks who sent 
us here, and for the moment, that's enough for this Senator. I leave 
here with a few more wrinkles and maybe a gray hair or two, but no 
regrets.
  I wish my colleagues the very best as you struggle with the 
challenges that lie ahead.
  With a fifty-fifty split between the parties come January, you'll 
undoubtedly be tested in ways you haven't imagined. The Senate will 
adapt, though, as the Senate always has throughout its history, because 
the people will be counting on you. Senator-elect Dayton will be in my 
prayers, and I know the people of Minnesota will stand behind him as 
they've stood behind me.
  On every level, this Senate is a family, and it wouldn't feel right 
to leave here without expressing my thanks to not just my fellow 
Senators, but everyone who helps this body go about its daily work. 
Whether it's the food service workers, pages, officers of the Capitol 
Police force, elevator operators, parliamentarians, and the others who 
have become such familiar presences, I've enjoyed getting to know you 
and I appreciate your professionalism. The dedication to this 
institution extends far beyond those privileged to stand in the well of 
the Senate to all of its employees.
  In a Senate office, where the ink on the employee roster is barely 
dry before somebody leaves for a better opportunity and someone else 
steps in to fill his or her place, I've been blessed to have as loyal 
and as caring a staff as any Senator could ask for. Going all the way 
back to my service in the U.S. House, they've stood by me through good 
times and the most difficult of days. As staffers do, they worked 
anonymously. They spent long hours at their jobs. They didn't come to 
work for me expecting to get rich and besides, a paycheck cannot reward 
that kind of loyalty. So all I can offer them today is my humble thanks 
and some well-deserved public recognition by inserting their names in 
the Record.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent their names be printed in the 
Record at an appropriate place.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See Exhibit I)
  Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, in conclusion, I appreciate their service 
to my office and to the people of Minnesota. I hope they understand 
that they have all helped to make a difference.
  Also, I return to Minnesota a little bit older, hopefully a little 
bit wiser, and feeling mightily blessed for all the opportunities that 
have come my way. In conception and execution, the American 
Government--and the Senate in particular--is an institution that has 
never been equaled anywhere else in the world. I have been honored to 
be a part of it.
  I yield the floor.

                               Exhibit I


                            minnesota staff

       Erik Aamoth, Andrea Andrews, Donna Bauer, Maryann Carl, 
     Jennifer Casanova, Dave Chura, Karyn Diehl, Tim Engstrom, 
     Eric Felton, Josh Gackle, Joe Isaacs.
       Pat Johnson, Jessica Knowles, Michelle Koke, Rich Kunst, 
     Dave Ladd, Kim Lichy, Jack Meeks, Mark Neuville, Mike Nikkel, 
     Annie Paruccini, Rob Patterson.
       Merna Pease, Tara Pryde, Matt Quinn, Erik Rosedahl, Noah 
     Rouen, Barb Sykora, Jack Tomczak, Randy Wanke, Hayley Wesp, 
     Linda Westrom, Kurt Zellers.


                            washington staff

       Perry Aaness, Bertt Adams, Mike Amery, Steve Behm, Jeff 
     Bloemker, Eric Bearse, Dave Berson, Jami Bjorndahl, Brian 
     Bowman, Morgan Brown, Alan Brubaker, Krista Canty, Barbara 
     Cohen, Nicole Converse, Anne Crowther.

[[Page S11776]]

       Chris Cylke, Joseph Dworak, Jason Einertson, Erik 
     Einertson, Don Erickson, Pat Eveland, Jensine Frost, Chris 
     Gunhus, Lianchao Han, Elizabeth Heir, Peter Hong, Todd Hower, 
     Eric Huebeck, Jay Jackson, Dan Kauppi.
       Jason Kelley, Pat Kenny, Anthony King, Adam Knapp, Ray 
     Livengood, Diane Lochner, Careen Martin, Darrell McKigney, 
     Andrea Miles, Brent Moore, Tim Morrison, Gretchen Muehlberg, 
     Vaughn Murphy, Joe Natalicchio, Amy Novak.
       Matt O'Donnell, Mark Olson, Merna Pease, Linda Pope, Heidi 
     Rasmussen, Anthony Reed, John Revier, Jill Rode, Erik Rudeen, 
     Gary Russell, Fritz Schick, Mark Sherid, Maggie Smith, Tim 
     Stout, Michael Tavernier.
       Braden Tempas, Herb Terry, Pam Thiessen, Joe Trauger, Kiel 
     Weaver, Jeffery Weekly, Linda Westrom, Krista Winter, Tom 
     Yedinak.


                                interns

       Jerry Aanerud, Brandon Adams, Margery Amundsen, Kent 
     Anderson, Gulzar Babaeva, Joel Brusewitz, Cheryl Budewitz, 
     Kate Busby, Steve Chappell, Cristi Cota, Amanda Daeges, Brad 
     Davis, Michelle Dhein, Ryan Ellis, Jenny Erickson, Julie 
     Fishman, Charlie Fox, Tom Goetz, Kristen Gross, Kevin 
     Gustafson.
       Jennifer Halko, Chris Hansen, Nancy Hartwell, Elicia Heir, 
     Christian Heitzman, Dan Herrboldt, Jon Herzog, Michael 
     Hiltner, Kelly Huebner, Jessica Inda, Andy Irber, Tom 
     Johnson, Jay Johnston, Kari Klassen, Rob Kloek, Mark Knapp, 
     Jason Kohler, Tim Kohls, Joey Kramlinger.
       Margo Larson, Brad Lein, Jeff Love, Melissa Maranda, Brian 
     McCarty, Jennifer McWilliams, Stephanie Moore, Ed Moreland, 
     Jon Nelson, Hue Nguyen, Loc Nguyen, Ben Nicka, Jared 
     Nordlund, Olga O'Hanlon, Gabe Perkins, Gretchen Printy, 
     Jessica Qually, Allison Rajala, Stephanie Richard, Oscar 
     Rodriguez.
       Miranda Rollins, Julie Schellhase, Patrick Schott, Meghan 
     Shea, Anne Sigler, Valerie Sims, Matt Skaret, Tanetha Smith, 
     Pat Spieker, Andrea Staebler, Tom Starshak, Amy Thorson, 
     Kristian Vieru, Christine Vix, David Webb, Benjamen Wilson, 
     Kristy Wolske, Ryan Wood.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.

                          ____________________