[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S11609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CONGRESSIONAL SERVICE

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I also will say a word about a couple of my 
colleagues who are leaving, and I will be brief.


                             William Frist

  I know we were all impressed with the comments of our majority 
leader, Bill Frist, yesterday. I wish him godspeed in his new 
endeavors. He certainly has been a joy to work with as part of the 
Republican leadership because of his good temperament, his wise 
counsel, his knowledge of human nature, and his deep commitment to this 
body, the people of Tennessee and, most importantly, to the United 
States of America.


                             Dennis Hastert

  I also want to acknowledge that we will no longer have as Speaker of 
the House of Representatives in a couple of weeks a colleague of mine 
when I first came to the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert of 
Illinois. I saw Dennis this morning at the White House with the 
President, who also acknowledged the great contribution of Dennis 
during his period as Speaker of the House. Since we were colleagues 
coming to the House of Representatives in 1986, I will say a special 
word of thanks to Dennis for his service.


                            Katie Altshuler

  Mr. President, I wish to make some comments about Katie Altshuler. 
Katie has been the head of the Republican policy committee the last 
several months and has served several of us here in this body, 
primarily with her work here on the floor of the Senate. Katie will be 
greatly missed by all the staff of the Republican policy committee but 
also by the staff of all of the Senate family here, who know that she 
was a very big part of that Senate family. She and her husband will be 
returning to Oklahoma. I know all of us wish her well. She is one of 
those little sparks of humanity who makes life a little bit more 
worthwhile at some of these long nights and weekends that we 
occasionally have to spend here in the Senate.


                             Rick Santorum

  I also acknowledge that several of my colleagues will not be with us 
after we conclude our business tonight, tomorrow, the next day, or 
whenever we are going to conclude our business here, colleagues with 
whom I have served with a great deal of pleasure. My friend Rick 
Santorum was serving in the leadership. We both served in the House of 
Representatives. He was a great inspiration to the Republican team 
here, and I know everyone, Democrat and Republican, respects him for 
his commitment, values, and ideals.


                              Conrad Burns

  Conrad Burns is a fellow westerner with whom I have shared much and 
always enjoyed the humor that Conrad brought to this body.


                               Jim Talent

  Jim Talent from Missouri is another colleague from the House of 
Representatives. He is another serious and dedicated public servant 
whom I suspect we will see more of in the future.


                              George Allen

  George Allen, a great colleague with whom I also served one term in 
the House of Representatives, and whose philosophy of ``freedom first'' 
is certainly one that I share. I know we are going to miss George and 
his sage counsel in the years to come.


                              Mike DeWine

  Mike DeWine and I served together on the Judiciary Committee. We came 
together to the Senate at the same time and I will certainly miss 
Mike's friendship as well.


                    Lincoln Chafee and Paul Sarbanes

  Finally, Lincoln Chafee. Although I mentioned Republicans in this 
list, I certainly don't want to forget, of course, Paul Sarbanes, who 
will be leaving at the end of this year, and others in the House of 
Representatives with whom I served as well. I know we all move on at 
some time and that none of us is irreplaceable. But by the same token, 
these colleagues of ours who will be leaving will be missed and they 
will be remembered for their great service to the Senate, to their 
States, and to the United States of America.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, what is the current status on the floor?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in a period of morning business.

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