[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11706-S11721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)

                      HONORING SENATORIAL SERVICE

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today unable to find the words 
I need to express just what it has been like to go to work every day 
with a real, live Greek philosopher.
  Of course, I mean Paul Sarbanes--who is the longest-serving Senator 
in the history of the State of Maryland; who has been among the wisest 
members to sit in this body; who is serving out his last week here with 
us. I have come to the floor today to say goodbye; and as I do, I 
remember one of my favorite Greek stories--which, in a bit of a 
roundabout way, reminds me of Paul.
  When the Athenians set up the first democracy and declared that every 
citizen could go and vote in the Assembly, they ran into just one 
problem--no one wanted to go. It turned out that the Athenians were 
also the first to discover voter apathy: It turned out that most of the 
citizens would much rather spend time buying and selling in the 
Marketplace than arguing politics in the Assembly.
  So the leaders came up with a plan. They hired the two burliest men 
they could find and gave them a long rope clipped in fresh red paint. 
And then the two burly men would stand on opposite sides of the market 
square and shout ``Everybody out.'' And after about a minute, they 
would each grab an end of the rope that was dripping with paint and 
walk down the square; and anybody who didn't get out of there in time 
had to go around for the rest of the day with his shirt ruined.
  I said that story reminds me a bit of Senator Sarbanes. Not because 
his clothing has been anything but impeccable and stain-free--but 
because it points out just how remarkable his 40-year career in public 
life has been. The truth is that people have been finding ways to avoid 
the responsibility of governing since governing was invented. So when 
we have the luck to find a man willing to give not just an afternoon's 
service to his country, but a whole life--and when he turns out to be a 
man of uncommon intelligence and humility--we know what a treasure we 
have stumbled on.
  We can think back to those Athenians dawdling in the marketplace and 
ask ourselves: didn't they know? Didn't they know they were in 
``Ancient Greece,'' for crying out loud? Didn't they know they were 
supposed to be in the cradle of democracy? Didn't they know we'd be 
talking about them a couple of millennia later on the floor of the U.S. 
Senate?
  But of course, they had no idea, and we can't blame them--they had 
lives to live. Compared to the getting and spending, the errands and 
talk that go on in the market square, the work of governing can seem 
like a book of the driest prose. The print is tiny and the lines are 
closely spaced.
  It takes an uncommon mind to appreciate the value, the necessity, of 
what's in that book--but Paul Sarbanes has had one all his life. He 
showed it when he won a Rhodes Scholarship and went on to graduate 
first in his class at Oxford. He showed it when he was elected to the 
Maryland House of Delegates back in 1966, and then through 3 terms in 
the House and 5 in the Senate, through a career one newspaper called 
``electorally invincible.'' And he showed it as one of the most quietly 
influential members of this body, a listener in a town full of talkers, 
a living example of the maxim, ``It's amazing what you can accomplish 
when you don't care who gets the credit.''
  But I can think of at least one accomplishment for which Senator 
Sarbanes's credit is assured. In 2002, when he was chairman of the 
Banking Committee, a series of corporate scandals shocked the stock 
market, sapped trust in our economy, and cost shareholders and workers 
billions of dollars. But Paul confronted the crisis of confidence and 
wrote legislation that helped restore accountability to accounting. 
Sarbanes-Oxley was greeted as the most fundamental reform of American 
business since the Great Depression; and I believe it will be Paul's 
legacy. I was proud to help him; and I will be even prouder to sit in 
his chairman's seat on the Banking Committee. Paul--your work will be 
mine, I promise.
  Of course, Senator Sarbanes will be leaving another legacy here in 
Washington--his son John, who was elected to represent his father's old 
House district in the 110th Congress. I've never met John Sarbanes, but 
if the son is anything like the father, 2006 will look a lot like 1970: 
We'll be sable to walk over to the House side and find a bright young 
man of immigrant heritage at the start of his Washington career, 
brought up in the tradition of service and full of the quiet virtues.
  I don't think politics has changed so much since 1970 that those 
virtues aren't still in high demand. And come to think of it, politics 
hasn't changed so much since the days of the rope in the marketplace--
with at least one notable exception. We have gotten rid of the rope. In 
our country, no one forces you to care. No one forces you to vote. No 
one forces you to serve. If you do those things anyway, it's not a 
measure of compulsion, but of conviction. And if, like Paul Sarbanes, 
you had the talent to make a career for yourself anywhere in the world 
but chose to spend it here, then we owe you our thanks--for your 
company, for your wisdom, for 40 years well spent in the Assembly.
  Goodbye, Senator Sarbanes,--and my best wishes for you and your wife 
Christine for many years to come.
  Mr. President, today I pay tribute to my departing colleagues who 
have, for a time, lent their talents, their convictions, and their hard 
work to this distinguished body. I may have had my disagreements with 
them, but the end of a term is a time for seeing colleagues not simply 
as politicians, but as partners who have ``toiled, and wrought, and 
thought with me.'' Each,

[[Page S11707]]

in his own way, was distinctive; and each, in his own way, will be 
sorely missed.


                             Rick Santorum

  I want to first recognize Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who 
has been a colleague of mine in this body for 12 years. During that 
time he rose to No. 3 in the Republican leadership, as chairman of the 
Senate Republican Conference, and made a name for himself as a young 
and energetic conservative.
  Rick Santorum is the son of an Italian immigrant who earned a law 
degree and an MBA and won election to the House of Representatives at 
the tender age of 32. After two terms in the House he won his first 
Senate election in 1994, as well as reelection in 2000. Senator 
Santorum quickly established himself as one of the faces of his party, 
a testament to his strong principles and his communications skill.
  Throughout his legislative career, Senator Santorum has been 
especially strong on anti-poverty measures. He served as a floor 
manager for welfare reform in the mid-1990s. In the Senate, he worked 
for African debt relief and funding for the fight against AIDS, often 
collaborating closely with his colleagues across the aisle. His efforts 
moved Bono to declare him ``a defender of the most vulnerable.''
  I was especially pleased to work with Senator Santorum on the 
Combating Autism Act. When nearly 1 in every 166 children born today 
will be diagnosed with this developmental disorder by the time they 
reach school age, government action is more necessary than ever. 
Senator Santorum recognized that, and he helped me work for a bill 
that, in the final version, would authorize $945 million for autism 
research, screening, education, and services--double the current level 
of funding. On poverty, AIDS, autism, and many similar issues, Rick 
Santorum has been a dependable ally.
  Over his 12 years in the Senate, Rick Santorum dedicated himself to a 
philosophy he described as ``healthy families, freedom of faith, a 
vibrant civil society, a proper understanding of the individual, and a 
focused government to achieve noble purposes.''
  Senator Santorum and I may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but no 
one ever questioned his commitment to principle. I wish him, his wife 
Karen, and their six children all the best.


                              Mike DeWine

  I also want to say farewell to Senator Mike DeWine. Senator DeWine, a 
former prosecutor, has had a distinguished career in Ohio politics. He 
represented his district for four terms in the House of 
Representatives, and he served as Ohio's Lieutenant Governor for 4 
years, beginning in 1991. Mike DeWine was elected to the Senate as part 
of the famous Republican class of 1994 and served for a total of 12 
years. I have had few more valuable partners on the other side of the 
aisle.
  Senator DeWine and I have been strong opponents of underage drinking, 
a social malady that, in the last year for which we have data, led 
directly to 3,500 deaths, 2 million injuries, and 1,200 babies born 
with fetal alcohol syndrome, not to mention $53 billion in social 
costs. The STOP Underage Drinking Act, which I cosponsored with Senator 
DeWine, would fund a comprehensive Federal campaign of research, 
prevention grants, and a media messages aimed to keep children and 
young adults alcohol-free. I am proud to stand with Senator DeWine on 
such a critically important issue.
  And I am just as proud to have his support on a whole slew of health 
initiatives, especially for infants and children. Because States' 
variable screening standards leave many newborns at risk for treatable 
disorders, we have worked together to standardize screening across the 
Nation so that all newborns have an equal promise of health, no matter 
where they are born. Senator DeWine and I have also worked together for 
safer pediatric medical devices. But above all, Senator DeWine worked 
with me to secure passage of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act. 
That legislation provides incentives for the drug industry that have 
dramatically increased the number of drugs tested and labeled for 
children; as a result, more than a hundred drug labels have been 
changed to incorporate new pediatric information.
  It has been a pleasure to serve and work with Senator DeWine. I have 
always admired his ability to put principle before party, and I am 
thankful for all of his help, and most importantly, for his friendship. 
I wish him and his wife Frances much happiness in the future.


                               Jim Talent

  I would also like to recognize Senator Jim Talent. Senator Talent has 
been a lifelong resident of St. Louis; and even when he was attending 
Washington University in his hometown, his outstanding intellect was on 
display as he was named the most outstanding undergraduate in political 
science. It was a sign of success to come. Jim Talent was elected to 
the U.S. House in 1992 and served a total of 12 years in Congress, the 
last 4 representing Missouri in the Senate.
  I was especially proud to work with Senator Talent on legislation of 
the utmost moral importance: a bill that would establish new offices at 
the Department of Justice and FBI to investigate and prosecute Civil 
Rights-era murders. This legislation would help ensure that those who 
took the lives of civil rights workers, and have thus far escaped 
justice, never have another peaceful night of sleep. Senator Talent 
said it eloquently: ``We want the murderers and their accomplices who 
are still living to know there's an entire section of the Department of 
Justice that is going after them. We need to unearth the truth and do 
justice because there can not be healing without the truth.''
  Senator Talent was also known for his work for renewable energy, his 
opposition to predatory lending, and his solid social conservatism. And 
though we didn't always agree, I am sure everyone who served with him 
has respected his intellect and his outspokenness. May he and his wife 
Brenda have many more years of happiness.


                             Lincoln Chafee

  Next, I would like to send my best wishes to Senator Lincoln Chafee. 
Senator Chafee and I have a fair bit in common: we are both lifelong 
New Englanders, and we both had Senators for fathers. After completing 
his undergraduate studies at Brown University, and while many of his 
colleagues were busy studying law or political science, Lincoln Chafee 
studied horseshoeing. I imagine he is the only modern Senator to have 
worked as a professional farrier for 7 years. And while Senator Chafee 
eventually took up the family business and went into politics, he has 
always retained the humility and good humor that so often come to those 
who spend time working with their hands.
  Senator Chafee was a popular mayor of Warwick, RI, and on the death 
of his father, Senator John Chafee, was appointed to fill out the 
remainder of the term. He was elected in his own right in 2000, and has 
served a total of 7 years in the upper house, cementing a reputation as 
an independent thinker and one of his State's most popular politicians.
  I especially enjoyed serving alongside Senator Chafee on the Foreign 
Relations Committee. He was a welcome travel partner. On trips to Latin 
America, it was always reassuring to have a familiar New England accent 
at my side. On a more serious note, I have come to respect Senator 
Chafee's courage and principle, especially on the matter of John 
Bolton's nomination as United Nations Ambassador. Senator Chafee spoke 
out in favor of competent diplomatic representation at the UN. Because 
of his efforts, we are closer to the day when our representative at the 
world body will work to win respect from the world, not alienation.
  On that issue and many others, Senator Chafee was never afraid to put 
his beliefs ahead of party pressure. He has voted to support stem cell 
research and a responsible exit strategy in Iraq; and his strong 
environmental record, including opposition to oil drilling in the 
Alaska National Wildlife Reserve, has earned him the endorsement of 
prominent conservationist groups.
  We will miss his independent mind and his true Yankee spirit. I wish 
all the best to Senator Chafee and his wife, Stephanie.


                              Conrad Burns

  I would also like to bid farewell to outgoing Senator Conrad Burns of 
Montana. Conrad Burns is the longest serving Senator in the history of 
his State, and he has long been known for his plainspoken and blunt 
style. Conrad Burns served as a Marine in Japan and Korea, and back 
home he made a name for himself as a livestock

[[Page S11708]]

specialist, auctioneer, and radio agricultural reporter. He proved 
himself a canny businessman, as one radio program grew into a network 
of 31 radio stations and six television stations.
  A passion for local politics led him to win a seat on the Yellowstone 
County Commission. When he first ran for the Senate in 1988, Mr. Burns 
was still a relative political novice; but he was known throughout the 
State of Montana for his successful business ventures, and he won 
election over an incumbent. Senator Burns was reelected in 1994 and 
2000.
  Over 18 years in this body, Senator Burns built up a record as an 
influential committee member, sitting on Appropriations and chairing a 
Subcommittee on Communications, as well as another on the Interior, 
with jurisdiction over the entire National Parks Service. Senator Burns 
has taken pride in securing resources for his State, as well as in 
opening up the promise of advanced telecommunications for all. He 
worked with Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon to pass the CAN SPAM Act, which 
combats unsolicited e-mail. Senator Burns has also worked for Internet 
deregulation and broadband access in rural and areas, earning him 
praise as ``one of the fathers of the modern Internet.'' That is quite 
an achievement for a onetime cattle auctioneer.
  Now Senator Burns is returning to his home State of Montana, and I 
hope he and his wife Phyllis have many years of happiness there.


                              Mark Dayton

  I would also like to recognize Senator Mark Dayton of Minnesota. 
Senator Dayton's talents have long been apparent, whether graduating 
cum laude from Yale University, starting in goal for the college hockey 
team, or spending time as a teacher on the Lower East Side of New York 
City. Senator Dayton has long been involved in public service and 
Minnesota politics, serving on Walter Mondale's Senate staff in the 
1970s and working in the 1980s and 1990s for economic development in 
his home State. Senator Dayton was elected state auditor in 1990, 
serving a 4-year term fighting the misuse and theft of public funds. In 
2000, he once again entered State politics, defeating an incumbent to 
win a term in the Senate.
  Mark Dayton took many principled stands during his time in the 
Senate, from his opposition to the Iraq War resolution to his work to 
fully fund special education. Senator Dayton was also known for his 
engagement with the needs of his Minnesota constituents. He won $3 
million for a Minnesota National Guard program to provide soldiers with 
postcombat counseling and support, worked to hire 148 additional patrol 
agents to secure the United States-Canada border, and even donated his 
Senate salary to pay for bus trips to Canada so seniors could buy 
cheaper prescription drugs.
  Senator Dayton chose to retire after serving out his term, but he 
declared that ``everything I've worked for, and everything I believe 
in, depends upon this Senate seat remaining in the Democratic caucus in 
2007.'' Senator Dayton's wish came true when Amy Klobuchar won an 
election to fill his seat; and I trust she will continue in Mark 
Dayton's tradition of capable and hard-working representation for the 
people of Minnesota. Senator Dayton is returning to private life in his 
home state, and I wish him all the best.


                              George Allen

  Next, I would like to bid farewell to Virginia's George Allen. As we 
all know, Senator Allen is the son of the great football coach, George 
H. Allen. As a boy and young man, Senator Allen lived all over America, 
wherever his father's career took the family. But in the end, Senator 
Allen fell in love with the State of Virginia, especially its wealth of 
history. ``I was going to go into a partnership with someone in 
Charlottesville in an old building built in 1814,'' he said, describing 
his first law practice. ``Mr. Jefferson played the fiddle there, 
allegedly . . . I lived in it while renovating. I started my law 
practice and then bought a log house out in the country, in the woods. 
Charlottesville is where I wanted to take my stand.''
  In 1982, George Allen won election to the Virginia House of 
Delegates--and Thomas Jefferson's old seat. In 1991, he was elected to 
a term in the House of Representatives, and 2 years later, became 
Governor of Virginia, a post in which he distinguished himself as an 
energetic executive. As Governor, George Allen fought violent crime, 
reformed his State's welfare system, and signed the standards of 
learning education reform bill, which helped inspire No Child Left 
Behind. In 2000, he was elected to the Senate, where he served on 
committees including Commerce and Foreign Relations.
  In the Senate, George Allen made a name for himself on technology 
issues, keeping the Internet free of taxation, securing nanotechnology 
funding, and providing high-tech grants to historically black colleges. 
It's also been a pleasure to work with Senator Allen for several years 
on our own legislation to enhance America's competitiveness in the 
field of aviation by investing in aeronautics research and a new 
generation of aerospace scientists. In addition to his technology 
interests, Senator Allen was also a strong advocate of balanced 
budgets.
  George Allen is leaving the Senate, but we will remember him for his 
affable demeanor and love of history. He was fond of quoting Thomas 
Jefferson's 1801 Inaugural Address: ``The sum of good government is a 
wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from injuring one 
another but otherwise leave them free to regulate their own pursuits of 
industry.'' George Allen did his best to live and work by those 
principles, and as he returns to private life, I wish happiness to him, 
his wife Anne, and their three children.


                               Bill Frist

  Last but not least--the departing majority leader, Bill Frist of 
Tennessee. His leadership position has only been the cap on a lifetime 
of accomplishment. Bill Frist is a leading transplant surgeon, who has 
performed more than 150 heart or lung transplants, as well as a highly 
successful medical businessman. The same drive that fueled him in 
politics, medicine, and business also inspired him to earn his pilot's 
license and complete seven marathons. Senator Frist will be remembered 
as a competent majority leader, not to mention as the first medical 
doctor elected to the Senate since 1928.
  After pursuing his medical career for nearly two decades, Bill Frist 
established himself in Tennessee politics and was elected to the Senate 
in 1994 and was reelected in 2000 with the highest vote total for any 
statewide election in his State's history. As the Senate's only medical 
doctor at the time, he attended to the victims of the 1998 Capitol 
shooting, and he also served as a respected spokesman on anthrax and 
bioterrorism following the terrorist attacks of 2001.
  Besides leading the Senate since 2003, Bill Frist found recognition 
for his outspoken positions on Medicare reform, judicial nominations, 
and social issues. He also worked to establish a nuanced position on 
stem cell research. Though we didn't always see eye-to-eye, we were 
able to work together on important legislation, including bills on 
obesity prevention and food allergies. And I think I can speak for all 
of my colleagues when I thank him for his hard work in running the 
Senate for the past 3 years--or, as a predecessor put it, ``herding 
cats.''
  Bill Frist is returning to his philanthropic work and his medical 
practice, where I am sure he will find his success undiminished and his 
skill undulled. I wish him, his wife Karyn, and their three sons many 
happy years.


                      Senators Sarbanes and Dayton

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the great Senator Daniel Webster once 
remarked that the Senate is a place:

       of equals of men of individual honor . . . and personal 
     character.

  He was right, and we can see what he was talking about in the fine 
men the Senate is losing to retirement at the end of this Congress: 
Senator Frist, Senator Sarbanes, Senator Jeffords, and Senator Dayton.
  On previous occasions, I have talked about how much I appreciated 
serving with Senators Frist and Jeffords. Today, I would like to say a 
few more words about Senators Sarbanes and Dayton.
  Paul Sarbanes is a man I have always admired. We share a similar 
background.
  I grew up in a small Nevada town. My parents weren't well connected 
or highly educated. But as we see in my life--and Paul Sarbanes's 
life--in America your background does not matter.

[[Page S11709]]

  Paul is the son of Greek immigrants. His parents didn't have a formal 
education, but they worked hard. They owned a restaurant--the Mayflower 
Grill on Main Street in Salisbury, MD.
  Paul worked hard too, and as a result, he has lived the American 
dream. This son of Greek immigrants is the graduate of some of the 
world's leading educational institutions, and for the last 30 years, he 
has been a leading voice in the world's greatest deliberative body.
  Paul received an academic and athletic scholarship to Princeton 
University, from which he graduated in 1954. After graduation from 
Princeton, he received the Rhodes Scholarship, which sent him to 
Oxford, England, until 1957. When Paul came back to the States, he went 
to Harvard to earn his Law Degree.
  In 1970, Paul won his first Federal election--to the U.S. House of 
Representatives. In 1976, he came to the Senate.
  During the next 30 years, he made a tremendous mark on our country.
  Paul Sarbanes has been an excellent Senator, but he has always 
excelled when the country needed him the most--during times of crisis.
  During Watergate, he was a leading voice for reform in the House. 
During Iran-Contra, he led the fight for the truth in the Senate. And 
more recently, in the wake of the Enron accounting scandals, he was 
largely responsible for reforms which restored the people's confidence 
in corporate America.
  During his 30 years in the Senate, Paul Sarbanes has cast over 11,000 
votes. Not all of them were as monumental as his work on Watergate, 
Iran-Contra and Enron, but every one of them was cast with the people 
of Maryland, and the people of the United States in mind.
  Mr. President, Mark Dayton has served in the Senate just one-fifth of 
the time Paul Sarbanes served here. But he, too, has made his mark. 
He's been a fine public servant, and an even better friend.
  Of course, Senator Dayton's service has always been closely 
intertwined with that of our dear departed collegue Paul Wellstone. 
Paul was a legend in our country, but Mark has kept his legacy alive 
these last 4 years by fighting for the working people of Minnesota.
  Mark was born in Minnesota in 1947. He graduated from Yale University 
in 1969, where he majored in psychology and played varsity hockey. Mark 
had many options coming out of college, but he chose to become a 
teacher at a public school on New York City's lower east side.
  It was an unselfish choice, and it would not be the last time Mark 
chose a path in life that put the public's interest ahead of his own 
self-interest.
  In 1957, after his years of teaching, Mark came to Washington, where 
he worked on the staff of then-Senator Walter Mondale. When Mondale was 
selected the running mate of Jimmy Carter in 1976, Mark was there to 
serve.
  In 1990--following jobs in the Minnesota State government and the 
private sector--Mark ran for Minnesota State auditor and won. In 2000, 
he came to the Senate, where he has served ever since.
  Mark is known here as a strong advocate for the people of Minnesota. 
He has used his Senate salary to send busloads of seniors to Canada for 
prescription drugs. He has used his power in the Senate to help low-
income constituents get the oil they need to heat their homes. And he 
has created a ``Healthcare Help Line,'' which is available to 
Minnesotans who have problems with their health insurers.
  Mr. President, Mark Dayton, like Paul Sarbanes, like Jim Jeffords, 
like Bill Frist, will be missed.
  The Senate--and our country--are better off because of their service.


                              Mike De Wine

 Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, as this session draws to a close, I 
must take this opportunity to make a few comments on the outstanding 
record left behind by our colleague from Ohio, Senator Mike DeWine.
  I have worked closely with Senator DeWine ever since he came to the 
Senate. I sit with him on three committees: the Select Committee on 
Intelligence; the Judiciary Committee, where he chaired the Antitrust 
Subcommittee; and on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
Committee, where he chairs the Retirement Security and Aging 
Subcommittee.
  I consider Mike to be a Senator's Senator--he is a man who truly 
represents his constituents, who studies the issues, works hard, and 
does his very, very best to do what is right. His departure from the 
Senate is a great loss to this body and a great loss to Ohio.
  The DeWine legacy is considerable.
  One of the major focuses of his work, which I admire greatly, is the 
protection of children. Senator DeWine has sponsored numerous pieces of 
legislation aimed at protecting children and enabling prosecution of 
those who perpetrate acts against children. These include the 
Protecting Children Against Crime Act of 2003, which became law as part 
of the PROTECT Act, the National Child Protection Amendments Act of 
2000, the Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Act of 1999, and the 
Protection Against Sexual Predators Act of 1998. It is significant to 
note that Senator DeWine is a founding member and cochair of the Senate 
Caucus on Missing, Exploited and Runaway Children.
  The Senator's work to protect children extends beyond legal issues. 
He is the author and true leader in the Senate of legislation to 
protect children from the horrors of tobacco abuse by giving the Food 
and Drug Administration the authority to regulate it. He has also taken 
a leadership role in efforts to stop underage teen drinking by 
sponsoring the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act. The 
STOP Act has a good chance of becoming law this year.
  But the centerpiece of Mike DeWine's prochild agenda is his work to 
incentivize pharmaceutical company testing of drugs used on children. 
Mike DeWine showed this whole body the safety risks children face when 
they take prescription medications never studied in the pediatric 
population. I can just hear Mike saying now, ``Children are not little 
adults.'' And he is right.
  He worked across the aisle and across the Capitol to get the 
Pediatric Research Equity Act of 2003 enacted. This was no easy task. 
It took grit and determination. He fought big PhRMA. He did it for the 
kids. And he won. I am only sorry he will not be here next year as we 
work to reauthorize it.
  In his years as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator 
DeWine emerged as a leader in the area of antitrust law and competition 
policy. Both as the chairman and the ranking Republican member of the 
Antitrust Subcommittee, Mike has played an invaluable role in each 
significant legislative change to the antitrust laws enacted in the 
past decade.
  In addition to his legislative achievements in antitrust law, Senator 
DeWine has become known for the subcommittee's active oversight of the 
antitrust enforcement activities of the Department of Justice and 
Federal Trade Commission. During the subcommittee's consideration of 
numerous individual mergers, his thoughtful analysis and evenhanded 
approach earned him considerable respect in the antitrust community as 
a tough, but eminently fair, advocate of both consumer interests and 
strong competition.
  Earlier this year at the American Antitrust Institute's annual 
conference, where he and Senator Kohl received an achievement award for 
their many contributions to antitrust law, Senator DeWine commented 
that ``[i]t's always difficult to find that fine line between 
aggressive, healthy competition and destructive or anticompetitive 
behavior, but it's our job on the Antitrust Subcommittee to keep 
trying, and to promote the type of competition that helps everyone.''
  From my perspective, Senator DeWine not only tried but succeeded 
admirably in drawing this very difficult line in a careful and 
appropriately balanced way. His expertise, institutional knowledge, and 
thoughtful analysis will be sorely missed.
  Also of note in discussing Senator DeWine's work on the Judiciary 
Committee are his anticrime efforts. Mike has been a real leader on 
issues such as the 1998 law, the Crime Identification Technology Act, 
which increased funding for State and local law enforcement by $1.25 
billion. His work in anticrime

[[Page S11710]]

technology continued in 2004, when the Senate adopted his amendment to 
the intelligence reform bill that would upgrade the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation's computer networks. That bill was signed into law on 
December 17, 2004.
  Mike has either sponsored or cosponsored a number of bills to help 
law enforcement protect Ohio communities, including the local law 
enforcement block grant program, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety 
Act, the Rape Kits and DNA Evidence Backlog Elimination Act of 2003, 
and the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 2004.
  Mike DeWine's work to protect Ohioans extended into the compelling 
field of mental illness treatment as well. In fact, Senator DeWine is 
known throughout the country for his work related to the treatment of 
mental health in the criminal justice system, including bills such as 
the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act and 
America's Law Enforcement and Mental Health Project.
  Another DeWine contribution is the Poison Control Center Enhancement 
and Awareness Act, a significant contribution to public health which 
established a national toll-free poison control hotline and provided 
substantial assistance to local poison control centers.
  Finally and more recently, Senator DeWine authored a bill to protect 
children's eyes by restricting their access to potentially damaging 
cosmetic contact lenses.
  Our new leader, Senator McConnell, said this of Senator DeWine, and I 
could not have said it better:

       I have never observed a more skillful legislator than he 
     during my time in the Senate . . . You know he is a 
     formidable force who, when he has made up his mind about an 
     issue, never lets go. Many bills that have cleared the Senate 
     in the ten years the Senator from Ohio has been here have the 
     fingerprints of Mike DeWine. He is truly an extraordinary 
     legislator.

  I echo those sentiments.
  Mike DeWine has been an outstanding Member of our body, a good friend 
to me, and a superb representative for his constituents. He and his 
staff work hard and their work has yielded incredible benefits for the 
American people. It is with great pride that I commend his achievements 
to this body, and I thank Mike for all he has done to make the U.S. 
Senate a more effective and accomplished body. I will miss him, as a 
legislator, as a colleague, and as a friend.


                             Lincoln Chafee

  Mr. President, I am grateful for the opportunity to take a few 
moments to recognize the service and devotion to the U.S. Senate by my 
colleague and friend, Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.
  A true Rhode Islander, Lincoln Chafee was born in Providence, 
attended a Warwick public school, and earned a degree from Brown 
University, where he captained the wrestling team. As an avid horse 
enthusiast, he attended the horseshoeing school at Montana State 
University and worked as a blacksmith at harness racetracks in the 
United States and Canada, but only a handful of years slipped by before 
he returned to his home in Rhode Island.
  Lincoln then entered politics in 1985 as a delegate to the Rhode 
Island Constitutional Convention. A year later he was elected to the 
first of two successive terms on the Warwick City Council. In November 
1992, Lincoln became the first Republican elected mayor of Warwick in 
32 years--and, with his positive vision, he so won over the hearts and 
minds of voters that he was reelected for another three terms in a 
reliably Democratic city. He held the mayoral post until appointed by 
Governor Lincoln Almond in November 1999 to fill the unexpired Senate 
term of his late father, John Chafee. In November 2000, he was 
overwhelmingly elected to the U.S. Senate.
  As I, Lincoln has a great interest in policy that affects the health 
of our Nation's people, and I am proud to have had the honor of working 
with him on a number of initiatives that made Americans healthier.
  I admire Lincoln for taking a stand on stem cell research. He has 
supported important legislation and joined a bipartisan group of 
colleagues in calling on President Bush to expand the Federal policy on 
embryonic stem cell research. Senator Chafee and I share similar views 
on this issue: he is opposed to any cloning with the intention of 
creating a human life but strongly supports legislation that would 
allow stem cell researchers to use excess embryos which were created 
for in vitro fertilization purposes and would otherwise be discarded. I 
respect and appreciate his courage to stand up for his convictions in 
the face of such a controversial issue.
  Lincoln has been a champion for breast cancer research since his 
arrival in the Senate in 1999. I am pleased to be an original cosponsor 
of his Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, which would make 
Federal grants available for the development and operation of eight 
national centers that would conduct research on how environmental 
factors may contribute to the causes of breast cancer. In recognition 
of his outstanding leadership in this arena, Lincoln has been honored 
by the National Breast Cancer Coalition and also presented with the 
Avon Foundation Pink Ribbon Crusader Award.
  Senator Chafee has been a leader in the fight to reauthorize and 
maintain adequate funding for the State Children's Health Insurance 
Program--also called CHIP. I worked very closely with his father to 
write that law in 1997. I recognize that Lincoln is also dedicated to 
the goal of this program, which is to provide health insurance to low-
income, uninsured children, and I thank him for his diligent efforts. 
We have worked tirelessly to ensure that funding continues to make the 
program available for these children.
  Senator Lincoln Chafee is a great man, a loyal Rhode Islander, and a 
great American. I thank and commend him for all his selfless work. His 
contributions have made his State and the whole country significantly 
better than before his arrival in Washington. We will all miss his 
presence here in the U.S. Senate, but I doubt we have seen the last of 
Lincoln Chafee in the way of public service. I wish him and his family 
health, happiness, and the best of luck in all future endeavors.


                             Rick Santorum

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my colleague and friend 
from Pennsylvania, Senator Rick Santorum, who will soon be ending a 
very distinguished and impressive career in the U.S. Congress.
  In my 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate, I have seen a lot of 
Senators come and go. However, it is hard to think of anyone who has 
had more energy, more enthusiasm, and who, in such a short period of 
time, has had a greater impact on many important issues affecting our 
families and our society, than has the junior Senator from 
Pennsylvania.
  After receiving advanced degrees in business and law, Rick was 
elected to the House of Representatives in 1990 at the age of 32. He 
served two terms in that body before running for the Senate, he 
distinguished himself as part of the so-called Gang of 7 that helped 
uncover the House banking scandal and called for reforms of the House.
  The same year he was first elected to Congress, Rick was married to 
his wife Karen, and they started their family that now includes six 
children. As the father of six myself, I know firsthand the challenges 
and joys that come from having a large family. Rick has done such a 
marvelous job balancing home life with public life with its demanding 
schedule and its never-ending conflicts.
  After winning election to the Senate in 1994, Rick Santorum 
immediately began exerting leadership on issues in several different 
legislative areas but notably in the areas of health, agriculture, and 
welfare reform. Upon winning reelection to his second term in the 
Senate, his GOP colleagues validated his natural leadership by choosing 
Rick to chair the Senate Republican Conference.
  Although Senator Santorum is well known for his strong defense of 
many conservative positions and his articulate voice on many issues 
affecting the sanctity of the family, it would be wrong to characterize 
him as a strict partisan. I have seen many examples where Rick has 
reached across the aisle to his Democratic colleagues and found common 
ground on issues of importance to all Americans.
  One notable example of this is on an issue that is also very 
important to me--promoting charitable initiatives. Several years ago, 
Senator Santorum

[[Page S11711]]

teamed up with another of our most distinguished and thoughtful 
colleagues, Senator Joe Lieberman, to introduce the Charity, Aid, 
Recovery, and Empowerment, CARE, Act. The CARE Act was designed to 
address many problems faced by the charitable sector of our Nation and 
to help them to better achieve their goals of lifting up the 
impoverished among us and of helping all of us better assist our fellow 
man in times of need.
  As an original cosponsor of the CARE Act, I saw up close the tireless 
dedication and unending efforts that Rick Santorum put into promoting 
this legislation, not just in the Senate but with the White House. 
While this very ambitious legislation has not entirely been enacted, 
Rick can take a great deal of justifiable pride in the fact that great 
strides have been made in achieving the goals of the CARE Act. 
Moreover, he can take great satisfaction in knowing that his colleagues 
in the Senate and the House, policymakers in the executive branch, 
those who serve so diligently in the charitable community, and indeed 
concerned Americans from all walks of life, are much more aware of the 
accomplishments and the needs of the charitable sector because of the 
efforts of Senator Santorum.
  Mr. President, the junior Senator from Pennsylvania is going to be 
long remembered in this body, and he will be sorely missed. He will be 
remembered and missed for his intelligence, his articulate voice, his 
courage, his energy, and his leadership. I salute Rick as a fine public 
servant as he enters the next stage of his life, and I thank him for 
his dedication and for his hard work. I am sure I am joined by all of 
our colleagues as we wish Rick and his family the very best in the 
future.


                               Jim Talent

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the accomplishments of 
Senator Jim Talent from the great State of Missouri. I feel privileged 
to have worked with Jim on different pieces of legislation, and I 
greatly admire his dedication to his constituents and respect his many 
accomplishments during his time in public office.
  Jim's official, political career started when he was only 28 years 
old, after he was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. He 
went on to serve for 8 years in that position, and he worked diligently 
to pass meaningful legislation which benefited the people of Missouri.
  In 1992, Jim was elected to the House of Representatives from 
Missouri's second district. Jim wasted no time in tackling important 
issues and introduced the Real Welfare Reform Act of 1994. Much of the 
ideas from this legislation were phased into the Personal 
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which I joined Jim in 
voting for. This historic piece of bipartisan legislation has had a 
profound positive impact and dramatically changed the way that this 
country helps its neediest citizens. According to the Department of 
Health and Human Services, welfare caseloads in this country have 
declined 58 percent since the enactment of this legislation. These 
results show that, even as a new Senator, Jim had tremendous foresight 
in crafting meaningful ideas which addressed a serious problem in this 
country.
  Jim also served on many important committees during his time in the 
House, including the Armed Services Committee, the Small Business 
Committee, and the Education and Workforce Committee. During his time 
on these committees, Jim continued to utilize his tremendous work ethic 
in reviewing and drafting important initiatives which benefited 
American citizens. In addition, Jim worked endlessly as an advocate for 
small business, which he recognized as the financial backbone of our 
country.
  In November of 2002, Jim began the next phase of his service after 
being elected to serve as Senator for his State of Missouri. Being born 
and raised in Missouri, Jim had a great knowledge base of the State and 
thus the background to recognize important issues which affected his 
constituents and the State as a whole.
  I can truthfully say there has been no Senator in the history of this 
body who has worked harder to represent the history of his State than 
Jim Talent.
  Jim served on four diverse Senate committees: Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry; Energy and Natural Resources; Aging; and the Armed 
Services Committee.
  During this Congress, Jim and I worked together on the joint 
resolution which proposed an amendment to the Constitution authorizing 
Congress to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United 
States. Jim and I were in complete agreement on this subject, and I 
greatly respected his steadfast support of this proposed legislation. 
During debate of this topic, Jim continually provided insightful 
commentary that showed his heartfelt support of a very important topic. 
Jim summed up his feelings with the following sentiment: ``The flag is 
the unifying symbol of our Republic. It represents that common history 
and heritage which holds America together notwithstanding religious, 
cultural, or political differences. Physical and public desecration of 
the flag degrades those values and coarsens America far more than any 
speech or political dissent possibly could.'' We were both sorry to see 
the amendment narrowly miss passage, but I will always admire and 
respect Jim's unwavering support on this important topic.
  A final item I would like to draw attention to is the Combat Meth Act 
that Jim drafted along with Senator Feinstein. Recognizing the 
disastrous effects that have been wrought on American neighborhoods and 
families due to this horrible drug, Senators Talent and Feinstein wrote 
this new law aimed at making the ingredients used to cook meth less 
available to law breakers. While we didn't always agree on the approach 
to this effort, we were united in efforts to stop the insidious damage 
inflicted by this drug. I applaud Jim's efforts in drafting an 
incredibly important law that we all hope will have a significant 
impact on decreasing the amount of toxic meth labs in our communities.
  As Jim embarks on the next phase of his career, I wish him luck in 
all of his future endeavors. I also want to extend my congratulations 
and appreciation for Jim's legislative achievements during his time in 
Congress. I am confident that his character and attributes will 
continue to steer him toward a life of accomplishment and benefit to 
those around him.


                              Jim Jeffords

  Mr. President, I would like to extend my best wishes to my good 
friend and colleague, Senator Jim Jeffords.
  For the last 18 years, I have been privileged to serve with Jim here 
in the United States Senate. When he first came to the Senate in 1989, 
he was assigned to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee. At 
the time, I was the ranking minority member of that committee and 
worked closely with Jim. In fact, when Jim later became chairman of the 
committee, he changed the name to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor and Pensions, better known today as the Senate HELP Committee. He 
did that because he felt that the purpose of the committee was to help 
people. Later, he and I also served together as members of the Senate 
Finance Committee.
  Jim has an undergraduate degree from Yale University and graduated 
from Harvard University Law School. He served in the United States Navy 
for 3 years and was in the Reserves until 1990 when he retired as a 
captain.
  He started his career in politics in 1966 when he was elected to the 
Vermont State Senate. In 1968, he became the attorney general for the 
State of Vermont. In 1974, he was elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives where he tells a very interesting story about the day 
that he was sworn in as a Member of the House. As Jim tells it, 1974 
was not a good year to be a Republican candidate--for those who do not 
remember, it was the year that President Richard Nixon resigned due to 
the Watergate scandal. The 1974 freshman class had 92 new Members of 
which only 17 were Republicans--two of them were our Senate colleagues, 
Chuck Grassley and Jim Jeffords. At the time, Chuck was on crutches and 
Jim was in a neck brace. As the two walked down the aisle, Jim heard 
one of the Democrat Members say, ``There are two we almost got.'' Well, 
all I can say is, thank goodness the Democrats didn't get Chuck and 
Jim. The two of them have been an integral part of both the House and 
the Senate.
  Senator Jeffords has always been known for his self deprecating sense 
of humor. I will never forget his story

[[Page S11712]]

about being interviewed by a reporter with Congresswoman Millicent 
Fenwick, who, as many know, was a very elegant woman from New Jersey, 
on their first impressions of what it was like to live in Washington. 
Congresswoman Fenwick talked about her lovely view of the city from 
across the river. When asked what it was like for him to be in 
Washington, Jim replied that he lived in a Winnebago in the parking lot 
of a Holiday Inn and he had a view of the hotel dumpster. Quite 
honestly, Jim is probably one of the most humble and down to earth 
people I have met in the Senate.
  Jim is someone who fought hard for increased education funding, 
especially for special needs children. He is also very passionate about 
environmental issues. But in my opinion, one of Jim's most significant 
achievements was the difference he made on health care issues. Jim was 
committed to providing a prescription drug benefit to Medicare 
beneficiaries and was actively involved in writing the Tripartisan 
Medicare prescription drug bill which was considered on the floor of 
the Senate in 2002. Jim, Chuck Grassley, former Senator John Breaux, 
Senator Olympia Snowe, and I all got together and wrote a bill that 
provided a drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries. It was the 
foundation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, Medicare Part D, 
which was included in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. Jim 
provided valuable input and did his best to look out for what was in 
the best interest of senior citizens and the disabled. So far, 38 
million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in the Medicare Part D 
Program.
  Before I close, I want to share an insightful story about Jim that is 
indicative of the way he has led his life. When Jim interviewed Paul 
Harrington to be the HELP Committee's Health Policy director, it was at 
his home in Shrewsbury, VT. Shrewsbury is a very rural town in a very 
rural State and that is best typified by the Brown Covered Bridge. Jim 
conducted the job interview in his garage where he had a large pile of 
bent nails on his work bench. While he discussed the possibility of 
Paul joining his staff, they each began straightening out the used 
nails. At the end of the conversation they had created quite a large 
pile of nails that were useful again. Paul shared this experience with 
many of his friends and colleagues when he left the Senate because he 
felt that the circumstances of the job interview were indicative of 
Jim's philosophy and his approach to problem solving. I couldn't agree 
more. There's a practical side to Jim's nature that seeks to adapt old 
solutions to solving new problems. Using the analogy of the nails, Jim 
has always been able to take up used ideas from the past and put them 
to good use in new circumstances by reshaping them to fit the new needs 
of today.
  I want everyone to know that I consider Jim to be one of my dear 
friends in the Senate, and while I was disappointed when he decided to 
become an Independent, I respected his decision. And so did former 
Senate majority leader Bob Dole, who is a close friend of Jim's. In 
fact, on the first year anniversary of Jim's big decision, Bob sent Jim 
a pineapple upside down cake. He told Jim that he looked all over for a 
cake to send him and came to the conclusion that a pineapple upside 
down cake described Jim the best. While that may be true, let me say 
that Jim is a man who has the best of intentions and always does what 
he believes is in the best interest of his constituents.
  While serving in the Senate, Jim has always been an independent force 
and that is one of the main reasons that I respect him so much. Policy 
always came before politics, something very rare in Washington these 
days. He has a great love for the institution. He is passionate about 
issues he cares about and it showed when he offered an amendment in 
committee or spoke on the Senate floor.
  Jim has dedicated his life to public service and the great people of 
Vermont are very fortunate to have had him representing them in both 
the House of Representatives and the Senate. He is a great legislator 
and he will be missed by all of us. I wish Jim Jeffords all the best in 
the years ahead.


                              Conrad Burns

  Mr. President, I want to pay special tribute to my good friend and 
colleague from Montana, Senator Conrad Burns, known by his staff, 
Montanans, and myself as just Conrad. It is hard for me to imagine a 
more down-to-earth Member of Congress than Conrad. His straight-
shooting analysis of the issues and his humorous outlook on life made 
life around the Senate more enjoyable.
  Utahns in particular owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Burns. As 
chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and 
Related Agencies, Senator Burns worked with our delegation to meet many 
of Utah's needs.
  First and foremost, he oversaw a dramatic increase in funding for the 
Payments-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) Program, which provides funding for 
schools, roads, and public safety services in rural communities in Utah 
where the tax base is limited due to the predominance of tax-exempt 
Federal land.
  Chairman Burns also helped me to pass legislation which expedites 
research and development projects on Bureau of Land Management, BLM, 
land. Senator Burns also helped provide funding for Sandy City, UT, to 
upgrade its drinking and storm water infrastructure. With this funding, 
Sandy City will now be able to prevent flooding which has threatened 
the homes of many citizens in the past.
  Over the years, Conrad has been extremely helpful to many Utah 
communities. He helped provide funding to protect the Range Creek/
Rainbow Glass Ranch for conservation purposes, to improve drinking 
water for the citizens of Centerfield, Mayfield, Park City, and Eagle 
Mountain, UT, to provide for the Sand Hollow Recreation Area, and to 
increase the reach of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
  Conrad has also helped Utah and our country continue down the path of 
energy independence and accelerate Utah oil and gas production by 
helping to fund the Utah Oil and Gas Leasing Internet Pilot Program.
  Allow me to share just one example of how Senator Conrad Burns is, 
and always will be, a man of the people. The highway system around the 
Washington, DC area provides for express lanes for vehicles carrying 
passengers. A regular feature of the Washington commute is lines of 
passengers hoping to be picked up by drivers who are driving their way. 
Much of the population of the high occupancy vehicle express lanes is 
made up of single drivers who have picked up these passengers, thus 
allowing them to use the express lands. For years, my friend Senator 
Burns would pick up these riders in his less than glamorous van. They 
would have great conversations together along the way, and in most 
cases, the passengers would not have the slightest idea that they had 
been picked up and were now chatting with a U.S. Senator. And knowing 
the junior senator from Montana, I am sure that's just the way he 
wanted it.
  Senator Conrad Burns has been a great friend to the people of Utah 
and a great friend to me. I will miss his presence here in the Senate, 
and I wish him the greatest of success in his future endeavors.


                              George Allen

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Senate career of my 
distinguished colleague from the State of Virginia, the Honorable 
George Allen. The contributions he has made to Congress and this 
country are significant, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for all 
that he has given.
  George has spent most of his career in public service. A few years 
after earning his law degree, he served as a delegate in the Virginia 
Assembly before becoming a Congressman in 1991. He made a successful 
run for Governor of Virginia and presided over 4 years of strong 
economic growth and steady job creation. In 2001, he joined the U.S. 
Senate, and I have been honored to call him my colleague for the past 6 
years.
  George has been a tireless advocate for a smaller, more efficient 
Government throughout his career. He helped lead the way to enactment 
of the President's tax cut package in 2001 and 2003 and has been an 
articulate defender of the progrowth tax policies that we have pursued 
over the past 6 years, including the reduction in capital gains and 
dividend taxes, the repeal of the death tax, and the reduction in the 
tax burden of our Nation's small businesses, where so many of our jobs 
are created. These were lessons he learned well from his days as a 
Governor.

[[Page S11713]]

  He has done more than just pay lip-service to the importance of 
keeping taxes low: He has fought the good fight as well. He introduced 
and worked hard to ensure the passage of the Internet Tax 
Nondiscrimination Act, legislation that prohibited taxes on Internet 
access or taxation from multiple jurisdictions on goods bought over the 
Internet.
  Over the last few years, George has achieved an almost legendary 
status with the technology community in this country. In 2001, George 
was appointed to serve as chairman of the Senate High Tech Task Force 
where he advocated for policies to make America a leader in innovation 
from nanotechnology to broadband to the education of future engineers 
and scientists. So much of the technology agenda being advanced in this 
country today spawned from the efforts of George as the High Tech Task 
Force chairman. If you were to meet with the top executives of any 
technology company with a significant presence in the United States, 
they would tell you what a wonderful advocate George Allen has been for 
their company and their industry. I have heard it time and again from 
hundreds of executives.
  George also has served our party well. His success as head of the 
National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2004 election cycle 
is a result of the Senator's bedrock faith in his beliefs and his 
ability to articulate that which he holds true.
  So many times, politicians come to Washington with strongly held 
convictions and a desire to do good and instead take the more expedient 
path to reelection and power. When it comes to George Allen's career, 
no one can say he ever abandoned his belief in the virtues of a small 
government and lower taxes. These are the very beliefs I hold true as 
well, and I was glad to have him on my side.
  At its heart, politics is a battle over ideas. Our distinguished 
Senator from Virginia earned the respect of us all for the pitched 
battles he fought to advance the cause of freedom and economic growth 
for the United States and the world.
  Personally, I have admired George Allen for a long time. In my 
opinion, his demeanor, his knowledge, and his drive are all exemplary 
and worthy of emulation. Every interaction I have had with George over 
the years has done nothing but bolster my original opinion of him. He 
reminds me more of Ronald Reagan than any national politician I have 
met. That is a high compliment for a great statesman. I would like to 
take this time to thank my friend, George Allen, and to wish him, 
Susan, and the rest of the Allen family the very best as he leaves this 
great institution to take on new challenges.


                              Mark Dayton

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, as Senator Mark Dayton prepares to leave 
this body, I would like to share with my colleagues a few thoughts 
about his service. In September, I had the pleasure of speaking on 
Senator Dayton's behalf at a dinner paying tribute to the retiring 
Senators, and I ask that my remarks from that event be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record.

       On the night six years ago when Minnesota voters chose him 
     as their 33rd Senator, Mark Dayton told the cheering crowd: 
     ``No matter what your political party or personal philosophy, 
     no matter who you voted for today or even whether you voted 
     at all, I'll work for you. When, next January, I become 
     Senator Dayton, please--call me Mark. Because I'm your public 
     servant. I'll work for you.''
       For the past six years, Mark has kept that pledge, because 
     those words were not the rhetoric of a campaign; they were a 
     reflection of Mark's deeply-held beliefs. Mark Dayton treats 
     everyone--from the wealthiest to the least fortunate--with 
     the same sense of fairness and compassion, and he carries 
     himself with a humility to which we can all aspire. Mark's 
     lack of guile has characterized his service here, where 
     political calculating is an accepted reality.
       When Mark came to the Senate, he brought with him a broad 
     range of experience. In the private sector he had worked as a 
     public school teacher in a challenging New York City school; 
     as a counselor to runaway youth; as a chief financial officer 
     for a non-profit group; and as head of an investment group. 
     In public life, he had served as a Senate aide to Walter 
     Mondale; as head of Minnesota's Department of Energy and 
     Economic Development; and as State Auditor, among many other 
     capacities.
       That path of service to Minnesota led to his own election 
     to the Senate. Mark and I serve together on both the Senate 
     Armed Services Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on 
     Investigations. As the ranking member on both committees, I 
     have witnessed in Mark a Senator who is passionately 
     dedicated to public service. Mark reads the long reports, he 
     attends the dry meetings, he masters the difficult material, 
     and he asks the tough questions with a disarming directness 
     and quizzical curiosity.
       ``On the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Mark has 
     been a strong voice in our hearings examining abusive tax 
     shelters and offshore tax havens. Mark has been a leader on 
     prescription drug issues, and he even donates his Senate 
     salary to help seniors buy prescription drugs they could not 
     otherwise afford. And Mark has been a great battler on issues 
     common to our two states, including fighting on behalf of our 
     steel and mining industries and to strengthen our Northern 
     Border.
       As part of our work on the Armed Services Committee, Mark 
     traveled with Chairman Warner and me and six other Senators 
     to Iraq, where we saw firsthand Mark's deep dedication to the 
     men and women of our Armed Forces. After allegations surfaced 
     that our troops in Iraq had been given contaminated water by 
     a contractor, it was Mark's insistence that led to an ongoing 
     investigation into the contractor's actions. And Mark has 
     been a true champion for our National Guard and Reserve 
     forces, working forcefully to ease their difficult transition 
     back to civilian life when their tours of duty finally end.
       As Mark writes the next chapter in his own life, he can 
     return home to the people of his beloved Minnesota knowing 
     that he has served them honorably and well. Some of them will 
     probably insist on calling him ``Senator.'' But, for most, 
     this idealist with a good heart never stopped simply being 
     ``Mark.''

  We shall miss Mark Dayton and wish him well as he leaves us.


                             Lincoln Chafee

  Mr. President, as this session of Congress comes to a close, I want 
to take a moment to pay tribute to my friend Lincoln Chafee.
  Following in the footsteps of his late father, John, Senator Chafee 
has been a voice of moderation and civility in the Senate. In a time of 
increasing partisanship, Senator Chafee has been a bridge between the 
parties and to an earlier era of a less divisive politics. He votes his 
conviction and his conscience, not just a party line.
  Senator Chafee's legacy will be defined by his leadership on 
environmental protection and fiscal responsibility. On both, he has had 
a forward-looking approach, grounded in common sense, for which our 
grandchildren will be grateful.
  Senator Chafee has been a true champion for conservation, fighting 
for clean air, clean water, and a healthier environment. He has been 
willing to stand up to the administration when he believes it is wrong, 
including opposing the administration's Energy bill, its weak 
regulations on mercury, and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife 
Refuge. For the past several years, Senator Chafee has led an effort 
with Senator Jeffords and me to fully fund the EPA Brownfields program, 
which would accelerate the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield 
sites, protecting human health, and creating jobs. Senator Chafee is a 
member of the Senate's Smart Growth Task Force, which promotes growth 
and development that protects the environment and preserves critical 
habitats.
  Lincoln Chafee has also been a strong voice for fiscal discipline. He 
has repeatedly opposed reckless tax cuts and supported pay-as-you-go 
budget rules to bring the budget back into balance. The bipartisan 
Concord Coalition has twice recognized him for his fiscal 
responsibility.
  Lincoln Chafee has also been an important voice on foreign affairs. 
He took a courageous stand in 2002 as the lone Republican to vote 
against the Iraq war authorization, and he has served well as the 
chairman of the Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Subcommittee of 
the Foreign Relations Committee.
  I want to close by noting that Lincoln Chafee remains widely 
respected and admired in Rhode Island, as well as among his colleagues 
on both sides of the aisle in the Senate. His father would have been 
very proud of how well Lincoln Chafee has served the people of Rhode 
Island.
  I thank him for his service to our country and wish him and his wife 
Stephanie all the best.


                              Jim Jeffords

  Mr. President, when this session of Congress comes to an end, Senator 
Jim

[[Page S11714]]

Jeffords will leave the Senate. He has been a thoughtful and 
independent voice here, and he will be greatly missed.
  Senator Jeffords has been a true champion for the environment. He was 
instrumental in passing the 1990 Clean Air Act, and he chaired the 
Environment and Public Works Committee from 2001 to 2002. He has fought 
for policies that encourage renewable energy use and that reduce 
emissions of carbon and other pollutants.
  Senator Jeffords is a strong believer in promoting economic 
development that also protects the environment and preserves the 
landscape. In the 1960s, when he served as a State senator and then 
attorney general of Vermont, Jim worked on the most comprehensive 
State-level growth management policy in the United States. Jim 
continued these efforts as a U.S. Senator, and I joined with Jim in 
1999 to form the Senate's Smart Growth Task Force, a bipartisan, 
multiregional caucus.
  With Jim's leadership, the task force's membership grew to more than 
20 Senators who shared the goal of determining how the Federal 
Government can help States and localities address their own growth 
management issues. Out of this task force, a series of bipartisan 
legislative initiatives have emerged, including legislation to promote 
brownfields development, support urban and town centers, provide 
transportation funding and access, and conserve open space and historic 
structures.
  Senator Jeffords has also been a strong leader on education, job 
training, and disability legislation and served as chairman of the 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee from 1997 to June 
2001. He has a particular passion for improving education for students 
with special needs and coauthored the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act. Jim Jeffords is also a strong advocate for fairness and 
has sponsored legislation to end discrimination based on sexual 
orientation and to strengthen penalties for hate crimes.
  Senator Jeffords became a household name and earned a spot in Senate 
history in 2001 when he left the Republican Party, creating a 
Democratic majority in the Senate. That action stunned Washington. But 
for those of us who have been fortunate to know him over the years, we 
were not at all surprised that Jim Jeffords had followed his conscience 
and his deep commitment to the interests of the people of Vermont and 
did what he believed to be right.
  I want to wish Jim and his wife Elizabeth well as they enter a new 
phase in their lives.


                              Mike De Wine

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to pay 
tribute to our colleague from Ohio, Senator Mike DeWine. Senator DeWine 
is a truly decent, thoughtful individual with a deep concern for 
children and a refreshing willingness to reach across the aisle. He has 
been a solid partner on several of the issues common to our two States 
and the region.
  In particular, it has been a pleasure to work with Senator DeWine on 
issues affecting the Great Lakes, which are critical for our States' 
economies and for our environment. Since 1999, he and I have served as 
cochairs of the Great Lakes Task Force and have shared a commitment to 
protecting and restoring these national treasures. We have fought to 
protect the lakes from invasive species, to improve water quality, to 
create a long-term restoration plan, and to expand public access to the 
lakes.
  Senator DeWine's service here has also been characterized by his 
commitment to children and children's health, and he has been willing 
to work in a bipartisan way to make progress. He has worked with 
Senators Dodd and Jack Reed to prevent teen suicides and with Senator 
Clinton to ensure that drugs given to children are safe for them. He 
has sponsored a bill with Senator Kennedy to allow the Food and Drug 
Administration to regulate tobacco. As the chair of the District of 
Columbia Appropriations Subcommittee, he has also worked to reform the 
child welfare system in DC.
  In addition to his bipartisan approach, Senator DeWine has also shown 
a willingness to take politically difficult positions when he believes 
they are the right thing to do. Last year, for example, he joined a 
bipartisan group of 14 senators who worked to forge a compromise on 
judicial nominations and to save the Senate from the so-called nuclear 
option. That step helped to diffuse a tense situation and to protect 
the Senate as an institution.
  I have great respect for Mike DeWine's integrity, his commitment to 
his State, and his willingness to seek progress over partisanship. I 
wish him and his wife Fran well in their future endeavors.


                               Bill Frist

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, today, I rise to acknowledge and honor 
the good work and service of my colleague from Tennessee, Senator Bill 
Frist. As a Senator for the past dozen years, and majority leader for 
the past four, Senator Frist has been a leader of strong resolve on 
behalf of his home State and our entire Nation. His work in the U.S. 
Senate will be remembered for a long time to come, and I personally owe 
Senator Frist a debt of gratitude.
  He has been an advocate of the offshore drilling agreement that would 
benefit not only the people of my home State of Florida, but millions 
of Americans living in the gulf coast region--this plan would reduce 
America's reliance on foreign sources of energy and is vital to our 
future. I applaud Senator Frist for recognizing and acting so 
decisively on this important issue.
  Senator Frist has also been a dedicated leader on immigration reform 
and I thank him for taking on this divisive, yet necessary issue with 
such a keen understanding of what our Nation needs. I also know how 
passionate Senator Frist is about national security and defense. We 
were able to travel to and around Iraq together, and while there, we 
had the opportunity to personally thank some of our troops for their 
courage and incredible sacrifice. I was appreciative to have that 
experience with someone who certainly knows the meaning of service.
  On a personal note, Senator Frist made sure that I would be able to 
pay my respects to Pope John Paul II--and I cannot say enough about how 
much that has meant to me and to my family. Thank you for that and for 
your relentless leadership. Thank you for your time and for your 
counsel. Thank you for your friendship.
  Senator Frist is a fine senator and a true gentleman. We will miss 
him a great deal here Washington. Yet, all of us know how well he will 
do as he returns to his long and distinguished career in medicine. The 
people of Tennessee are fortunate to have back their revered Dr. Frist. 
I wish my best to Senator Frist and his family always.


                             Rick Santorum

  Mr. President, today, I commend Senator Rick Santorum for his 
dedication to public service and accomplishments as a legislator. Above 
all, I admire the Senator's commitment to the people of his home State, 
Pennsylvania, and to his family. Throughout his 12-year tenure in the 
U.S. Senate, he relentlessly fought to pass legislation benefiting the 
welfare of, not only his constituents, but Americans everywhere. In 
addition, Senator Santorum has been a great advocate in the effort to 
find a cure for the Global HIV/AIDS pandemic and a strong supporter of 
the war on terror. He has represented the American people well.
  As a colleague, I would also like to thank Senator Santorum for his 
strong leadership as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. 
During his time in Washington, Rick has always maintained the 
importance of family, a value that I admire and share. He has also 
provided valuable guidance to me in the past and will be missed. I wish 
my colleague from Pennsylvania, his wife, and children all the best in 
the future. Thank you for your service.


                              George Allen

  Mr. President, today, I recognize the service of Senator George 
Allen. The citizens of Commonwealth of Virginia and the American people 
are losing a great patriot in the U.S. Senate. Senator Allen will be 
leaving the Senate after 6 years of service to his home State 
constituents and to this country.
  He has been an important member of the Republican Party and the 
Senate, always striving to better America's defense and homeland 
security. He has worked to ensure good-paying jobs for

[[Page S11715]]

the people of Virginia, and to guarantee that every person in Virginia 
receives a quality education. It is disappointing that a strong leader 
like Senator Allen is leaving the Senate; he will be missed. Senator 
Allen was one of the people who helped convince me to run for the 
United States Senate, and without his support and his guidance, I might 
not be here today.
  I wish my colleague from Virginia and his family all the best, and 
thank them for the service that they have given to our country. Thank 
you, Senator Allen.


                             Rick Santorum

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, when I look back on the years I was 
fortunate enough to have served in the Senate with Rick Santorum, I 
think I will most remember him for his strong and passionate belief in 
the principles he fought for on the floor, the unwavering support he 
always gave his friends, and the powerful way he expressed himself on 
the issues that came before the Senate.
  Whenever there was a problem ahead, it was always good to know Rick 
was in your corner. In fact, Rick was one of my first supporters when I 
was running for the U.S. Senate. Everyone who runs for the Senate for 
the first time has a great need for funds. I was no exception. Rick 
gave me a check that I later noticed was not signed. I needed the help 
and I would gladly have walked halfway across the District of Columbia 
to get his signature to make the document official, but when he learned 
that I needed his endorsement on the check he had so generously helped 
me obtain, he dropped everything he was doing and came to where I was 
to sign the check for me.
  In the years since my election, Rick has shown time and time again 
that he is a thoughtful, genuine person on whom I could rely. He has a 
great mind for politics and his heart is with the people of 
Pennsylvania whom he has represented so well. I have often relied on 
him for the way he would quietly offer me his good advice, support me 
when we took up issues that were big concerns of the people of my 
State, mentor me on how to get things done around here, advise me on 
procedure, and help me to advance the causes that were common to the 
people of our States. The people of his home State could not have had a 
more active and effective advocate through the years, and he will be 
very hard to replace.
  As any observer would note, Rick's career has been nothing short of 
amazing. At every step in his political life, critics would tell him 
his vision was an impossible dream. In response, Rick would take his 
case to the people, and time after time he would prove the naysayers 
wrong. That is because Rick knew the value of hard work and he also 
knew the first law of politics--it is not where you start, it is where 
you finish--and Rick made a habit of finishing first.
  When Rick ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, he 
knew it was going to be a rough campaign because he was battling a 
seven-term incumbent who had a lot more money than he did. So, Rick 
knocked on 25,000 doors and put together a grassroots effort that 
included people from many different backgrounds who wanted to work with 
Rick on a wide range of issues. In the end, when the election was over 
and the votes were counted, Rick had won. It was clearly Rick's 
personal touch and his enthusiasm for the job that had been strong 
enough to overcome every obstacle--even a shortage of financial 
resources.

  It wasn't long after that Rick was elected to the Senate after 
another difficult campaign battle. Again, the critics said it couldn't 
be done. Once again, Rick showed them he could do it.
  As soon as he arrived in the Senate, he continued to fight for the 
principles he believed in, regardless of what others predicted the 
outcome would be. He fought for the tough causes without regard for the 
outcome because he couldn't be silent when the rights of the unborn 
were denied or a cherished principle was at stake. It was a commitment 
borne of his deep and abiding faith. In fact, I can't think of anyone 
who is a stronger man of faith than Rick is. His faith is a great part 
of who he is, and it forms the basis of his character.
  I heard a story about the last campaign about Rick and a trip he and 
his wife were making so Rick could appear on ``Meet the Press.'' It was 
near the end of what had been a long and difficult campaign and anyone 
else would have been exhausted. Not Rick. He was fighting for a cause 
that he believed in, and he was, once again, full of that remarkable 
energy he called upon for all of his political campaigns.
  As they headed down the road toward Washington, Rick and his wife 
talked about how hard the campaign was and how it had affected them and 
their family. As they thought about the battle that was still before 
them, they began to talk about Rick's opponent and the toll the battle 
was undoubtedly taking on him and his family as well. Without 
hesitation, as they drove to Washington for the televised debate, they 
took the time to pray for his opponent and his family in the hope that 
God would bless them and give them all the strength they would need to 
complete the campaign. Then they would leave the matter to the voters 
to decide. That is how strong a part of his life Rick's faith is.
  In the years to come, I think Rick will often come to mind, standing 
with us on the Senate floor, taking on a cause that has driven him to 
act. Rick is known as a scrapper, but he is much more than that. He is 
a warrior, the kind you want on your side when the going gets tough. He 
is also a brilliant tactician, and if there is anyone who can develop 
and implement a winning strategy on the floor or in the field, that 
individual is Rick Santorum.
  Rick has been a winner over the years because he knows the value of a 
message--and how to effectively advocate and present it. He is a great 
persuader as well, and he has been a valuable part of many efforts to 
pass legislation. He is someone who likes to get things done, and that 
ability has been recognized here in Washington and back home in 
Pennsylvania by members of both parties. When it comes to a difficult 
bill, Rick has the conviction, courage, and persistence to work through 
our difficult process and get the job done. His defense of life on the 
floor has made a difference and it will continue to do so.

  Rick knows that one person doing the right thing is a majority. He 
knows that has cost him in the past, but he will be the first to say 
that it has been worth it, and people will see that in the long run it 
is all about standing up for what you believe.
  I have always believed that life is a great adventure and God has 
placed us where he needs us, when he needs us to be there. I know that 
God has special plans for Rick. We haven't heard the last from him. 
There is another battle, a greater cause for which he is needed, and I 
am looking forward to seeing where God will see fit to place him in the 
months to come.
  Rick Santorum has been a great friend during the time I have had a 
chance to come to know him. His expression of his faith and all he has 
shared with us at our Prayer Breakfasts will stay with me because they 
were a powerful and memorable affirmation of his belief in God. I hope 
he continues to weigh in on the issues that come before the Senate. We 
can always benefit from the views and advice of someone who says what 
he means and means what he says.


                               Jim Talent

  Mr. President, soon the last remaining items of business on the 
legislative calendar for the current session of Congress will be 
completed and the current session will be brought to a close. When it 
does, several of our colleagues will be returning home and ending their 
service in the Senate. We will miss them, and we will especially miss 
the good ideas and creative energy they brought to their duties in the 
U.S. Senate.
  Jim Talent is one of those individuals we will miss because of his 
can-do spirit and his determination to make a difference. He cares a 
great deal about our country, and he came to the Congress determined to 
make this a better place for us all to live--especially our children 
and our children's children. That is why he has always been so focused 
on the future of our Nation and the need to solve the problems that 
face us before they overwhelm us.
  I first met Jim when he was the chairman of the House of 
Representatives Small Business Committee. Coming from a small business 
background myself, I was determined to do everything I could to 
eliminate the redtape that too often serves to discourage instead of 
encourage the growth of our

[[Page S11716]]

small businesses throughout the country.
  At the time, Jim was working on a number of issues in his committee 
that I was working on with the Workplace Safety and Training 
Subcommittee of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. 
Together we began to focus on some OSHA issues and other matters 
affecting the workplace that needed our attention. We came up with a 
plan to work them incrementally, and by taking them up piece by piece, 
bit by bit, we were able to get some things done that might have 
otherwise been put off for another day. Over a couple of years, we were 
able to pass into law some of the first changes in the history of OSHA. 
Each step was a small victory for the workers of America. Taken 
together, the results gave us both hope that we would collaborate on 
bigger and bigger things in the future.
  Back then, Jim had a decision to make. He was very popular back home 
and he probably could have stayed in the House for quite a long time, 
but he decided he wanted to run for statewide office. That call 
eventually led him to run for the Senate. It was a difficult battle, 
but Jim emerged with a wellearned victory.
  I was delighted by his decision to run for the Senate and even more 
enthused by his victory. It proved what I had always thought about Jim, 
that he is a hard worker and he is always there to fight for what he 
believes in.
  During his service in the Senate, Jim has been a champion for the 
people of his State and an expert on health plans for small businesses. 
When he was in the House he had served on the conference committee for 
the Patients Bill of Rights. He got the health plan legislation we 
wanted in the report, but the report, was never voted on. Now that he 
was in the Senate, he was working on a number of issues but none as 
hard or as focused as he was on passing the small business health plan 
into law that he had helped shape and draft.
  In the end, we were able to get 56 votes in the Senate for our plan, 
but it takes 60 to force a matter to a vote. That meant we were just 
four votes short of the total we needed to pass this legislation and 
address the issue of health care for small businesses and people all 
across the country.
  I know we will miss Jim's participation when we take up this issue 
next year, but I expect he will find a way to keep our feet to the fire 
and remind us that the people of this Nation are expecting us to get 
something done to help address their health care needs. I look forward 
to hearing from him with his suggestions and thoughtful comments about 
the bill that emerges from committee next year--how to improve it and, 
more importantly, how to pass it.
  In the years to come, I know I will miss Jim and his creative ideas 
and enthusiasm for getting things done. Jim's greatest asset has always 
been his ability to listen to all sides of an argument and create ways 
around the obstacles that were preventing us from taking action. He is 
a leader, an innovator, and most of all, a friend to all who have come 
to know him.
  Thanks, Jim, for your dedication, your persistence, your courage, and 
the many capabilities you brought to your work on the Senate. You will 
be missed around here. Good luck in whatever you choose to do in the 
days to come. You will always have our support and our appreciation for 
your determination to make this country's health care system work as it 
should.


                              Mike De Wine

  As each congressional session draws to a close, we work as hard as we 
can to try to tie up all the loose ends and finish as much of the 
pending legislation as we possibly can. As we do, we also take a moment 
to say goodbye to some of our colleagues who won't be with us during 
the next Congress to share with us their insights, wisdom and 
creativity.
  As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor 
and Pensions, I know I will miss Mike DeWine when the committee meets 
to begin its schedule of activities next year. Mike has always been a 
particularly hard-working member of the committee and I know my 
colleagues on the committee and I will miss his perspective and his 
tireless commitment and his dedication to the issues affecting children 
and families.
  Working with Mike has been a pleasure. We have a great deal in 
common--beginning with our mutual enjoyment of the old-fashioned ice 
cream social back home. It is a tradition for both of our families and 
our political lives because it is a great way to get everyone together 
to talk about current events while enjoying everyone's favorite 
dessert.
  No one ever said that politics was an easy career to follow and, true 
to form, Mike has had a number of hurdles placed before him that took 
some doing for him to overcome.
  He began his career of public service as a county prosecutor. He took 
a tough stand against crime and people noticed. Then, he was elected to 
the Ohio Senate. That led to a run for a seat in the Congress. He faced 
a tough primary fight, but wound up at the top of a field of six 
candidates. Then, when the general election was held, he was elected to 
serve the people of his district in the House of Representatives.
  In the years to follow, Mike had some more tough battles. He didn't 
always win, but he never quit. That spirit of dedication and commitment 
of his helped him to win a seat in the Senate, representing the people 
of Ohio he had been fighting for over the years. His election gave Mike 
a new forum from which to promote his principles, and he soon proved 
himself to be a champion for children and family values. As bill after 
bill came to the Senate floor for our consideration, Mike always gave 
it a close look to see if there was something that needed to be added 
to increase the protections available to our Nation's children.
  Mike understands full well that our children are our most important 
resource. If we don't help our Nation's families do a good job of 
raising their children, nothing else we do, no matter how well we do 
it, will matter much in the long run.
  Some people might be surprised to learn how well Mike has used his 
time to work with members on both sides of the aisle. To Mike, it was 
just common sense. You never know how long you will be a member of the 
Senate, he would say, so it makes sense to use your time wisely.
  As the chairman of the Senate HELP Committee I can attest to the fact 
that he has used his time wisely. He has been a great addition to the 
committee because he is an expert on children's issues and issues 
affecting older Americans. I have watched him carefully work on a 
number of bills dealing with a wide variety of topics. He always comes 
to our meetings, well prepared, fully focused, and committed to making 
a difference for the people of Ohio and the rest of the Nation.
  Mike is very much a people person, and he and his wife Fran have made 
regular trips to Haiti to work with the poorest of the poor. I have 
often heard it said that God must love the poor because he made so many 
of them. Fortunately, God also made people like Mike DeWine to plead 
their case for them in Washington and work with them around the world 
in an effort to make their lives better.
  The ice cream social I mentioned earlier has become an annual 
tradition and Fran and the friends she recruits are now famous for 
their hospitality as they put on what must be the world's biggest pie 
and ice cream social.
  That is just part of the full schedule Mike and his family maintain 
every year here, in Ohio and around the world taking on the causes he 
and Fran hold dear. If you want to know what kind of a year Mike has 
had, take a look at his Christmas card. If you do, you will see an 
amazing collage of pictures of his family and all that has taken place 
in their lives over the past 12 months. It serves to emphasize his 
great belief in the importance of family and family activities. It is a 
value Diana and I and so many of our colleagues share.
  In the years to come, whenever I think of Mike DeWine, I know I will 
think of those Christmas cards, which I hope to be still receiving, and 
of the smiles and happiness reflected on each face in the pictures on 
that card. They tell me that Mike and Fran DeWine have learned one of 
life's most important lessons. Fame and fortune are all too often 
fleeting and evasive things in life. In the end, and every day, the 
most important part of our lives has to do with the strength of our 
faith, the bonds that tie our families together,

[[Page S11717]]

and the friendships we develop along the way that help us to fully 
appreciate and enjoy all that life has to offer.
  Mike DeWine is truly blessed to have a family which has shown 
themselves to be role models on all three of those special values. I 
know I will miss him, but, I also know I won't forget him and Fran.


                              Conrad Burns

  Mr. President, the 109th Congress will soon be drawing to a close. As 
it does, we will be casting our final votes on the issues we will take 
up this year, and saying goodbye to several of our colleagues who will 
not be with us for the start of the 110th session of Congress. I know I 
will miss them all for the creativity, imagination and firm resolve 
they have brought to the consideration of the issues we have worked so 
hard to address for the past 2 years.
  One of our colleagues I know I will miss in particular is Conrad 
Burns. Throughout my service in the Senate he has been a remarkable 
friend, and the kind of person you would want on your side if a battle 
on the Senate floor was about to take place. For 18 years he has been a 
remarkable Senator and a strong and effective representative of the 
people of Montana. It just won't be the same around here without him.
  Conrad Burns is a true westerner--through and through--and very proud 
of his western roots. He has always been strongly committed and 
absolutely loyal to the United States and to his home State of Montana. 
He showed his commitment to each at an early age. First, his love of 
his country showed itself when he decided to leave home and join the 
Marines. Then, when his tour of service was completed, he returned to 
Montana and began a career that was going so well his employer wanted 
to transfer him to another State where he thought Conrad would be more 
effective. That is when Conrad's love for his home State of Montana 
showed itself and he quit a promising career rather than leave the 
State he loved so well.
  Instead, Conrad set up the Northern Ag Network, which grew from 4 
radio stations to 29 radio stations and 6 television stations. Then, as 
things were going so well with that project, he began looking for a new 
challenge. He found it when he ran for Yellowstone County commissioner 
and won. It was the start of a great political career for him and the 
more the people of Montana got to know Conrad Burns, the more they 
liked him.
  Conrad then decided to run for the Senate and ever since he came to 
Washington, Conrad has compiled quite a remarkable record of service. 
He has made great decisions for our country as he has watched out for 
the best interests of the people of Montana. He has made a difference 
on the local, State and national level. Here in Washington, he has 
championed some amazing projects and issues and there is a lot of 
legislation that bears his mark for his having worked on it or 
supported it through the years.

  As we have watched Conrad roll up his sleeves and get to work on any 
of a number of issues, he has always impressed us with his 
understanding of complex issues and their short-term and long-term 
implications for our society such as the Internet and the development 
of modern technologies. In fact, I don't think anyone knows more about 
broadband and communication issues than he does. He is probably the 
greatest expert in the Senate on those matters and I know I will 
continue to seek his advice and counsel about them when these or 
related issues come to the floor in the months to come.
  That is an impressive start, but it is not all you will find when you 
examine Conrad's record of service. Conrad has also been a hero to 
small businesses across the country. He understands their importance 
and he is fully aware that our Nation's small businesses are the 
backbone of every State's economy and our national economy as well.
  People around the country have come to know Conrad as he exercised 
his strong and effective leadership on the Appropriations Committee. He 
was always very careful with the people's money to ensure it was 
effectively spent.
  For my part, I will always remember Conrad as one of my greatest 
mentors in the Senate. Thanks to him, I learned a great deal about the 
hearings process and how it works. I learned the importance of putting 
a hearing together that would generate good ideas to solve difficult 
problems. That enabled us to address the concerns of the ranchers of 
Wyoming, Montana and the West and take a closer look at the destruction 
caused by the fires in our States. As we examined those issues during 
our hearings in Montana, I got a chance to see how he handled the gavel 
and exercised his leadership as chairman. That experience helped me to 
plan and hold my own hearings and ensure a maximum amount of 
participation and discussion.
  Conrad has also been a good friend over the years we have served 
together in the Senate. We have fished and golfed together. We have 
worked together on issues of concern to Wyoming, Montana and the West 
and we have voted together. We have gone to quite a few sporting events 
together usually to watch the Wyoming and Montana teams play each 
other. I seem to recall that Wyoming usually got the better of those 
encounters. I think Conrad may recall those games differently, but I am 
pretty sure the Wyoming teams always finished ahead of the others.
  Our families have enjoyed each other as well. Our wives are best 
friends in the western sense--not the Washington, DC sense. Our kids 
grew up together and they have remained close--even through those times 
when they were miles apart.
  Most important to me, Conrad has been my friend through thick and 
thin--the good and bad--the wins and losses--and the highs and lows of 
political life. Time changes so many things in our lives, but one thing 
it never changes is a friendship. Thankfully, those only grow deeper 
and stronger with time.
  As we say goodbye to Conrad Burns, I know I will still be seeing him, 
hearing from him and spending time with him now and again. Change is 
temporary, friendships are permanent, and I know my family and I are 
looking forward to continuing to share our lives with Conrad and his 
family. We can't ever let change ``change'' that.


                               Bill Frist

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Senator Bill Frist, 
whose sense of public service harkens back to ancient Athens when every 
citizen, in order to be called an Athenian, served in a public capacity 
for the good of the state. And it is more than fitting that this 
Senator, this son of Tennessee, comes from the only place in the United 
States with a full-scale replica of the Parthenon, for Bill First--like 
the Athenians of old--sees himself first as a citizen above all else.
  Senator Bill Frist and I arrived in the U.S. Senate in the same class 
in 1994. And only 9 years later, he was chosen Senate majority leader--
a rapid ascent by anyone's count. In the time that Senator Frist has 
served his country in the position of leader, he has worked ceaselessly 
to translate ideals and principles into tangible improvements in the 
daily lives of the American people. For me, it has been a tremendous 
privilege over the years to work closely with him on many issues and 
serve with him on the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Committees 
on Commerce, Small Business, and Finance.
  Senator Frist's allegiance to serving others has been nothing short 
of exemplary. He went into medicine because he cared about people. His 
profound dedication to public service--to the American people and the 
people of Tennessee--grew out of an earlier devotion to thousands of 
men and women whose dilemmas and struggles Dr. Frist came to understand 
firsthand. No wonder he takes such great pride in being known as a 
``citizen legislator''--and with good reason.
  As he prepares to leave this Chamber, we recall that when the leader 
spoke about America's uninsured or the rising cost of health care or 
about the dangers posed to our communities by the threat of 
bioterrorism, his insights are rooted, not in theory, but in years of 
up-close and personal contact with the people who sent him to 
Washington in the first place. We also remember that Senator Frist was 
the first practicing physician to occupy a U.S. Senate seat since 
1928--in fact the sign on his office door didn't say ``majority 
leader''--it fittingly read, ``Dr. Bill Frist, M.D.''
  He has held his oath of office with distinction, just as he has kept 
to the

[[Page S11718]]

2000-year-old Hippocratic precept ``to do no harm,'' and in fact, he 
has gone well beyond that tenet, as he has done and will continue to do 
a world of good. We will miss his perspective and leadership and wish 
him and Karyn all the best as they pursue this next phase of their life 
and service together.


                             Lincoln Chafee

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my great friend, 
Senator Lincoln Chafee, a public servant who exemplifies the idea that 
superior governance depends on people of good will working for the 
common good--together. He epitomizes the New England pragmatism in 
government that sees not weakness but strength in reaching across the 
aisle to build consensus and make the system work for those it was 
formed to serve.
  When I consider Senator Chafee's tenure, I cannot help but think how 
he has so successfully forged his own pathway and legacy of exceptional 
service in the U.S. Senate, while honoring the formidable contributions 
of his extraordinary father, John Chafee. Senator Chafee has brought 
levelheaded leadership on myriad issues critical to our progress as a 
people, always with vigilant and careful attention to his beloved Ocean 
State of Rhode Island.
  He has been a stalwart colleague and friend in our mutual cause to 
revitalize and advance the political center, in our concerted effort to 
answer the challenges facing our Nation by producing not rancor but 
results, not acrimony but accord. His loss not only diminishes the 
Senate but is also a loss for the country because we need more voices 
seeking to craft compromise and consensus to forge solutions, not 
fewer.
  Linc Chafee was not only a political neighbor of mine in the center 
of the political spectrum--where most Americans consider themselves--
but he has been a next-door neighbor in my hallway in the Russell 
Senate Building, a corridor also appropriately occupied by my good 
friend Senator Mike DeWine, who also epitomized the finest ideals of 
public service. So I will profoundly miss seeing them not only in the 
Senate but also simply walking down the hall outside my office. They 
were a constant reminder of what is best and most noble about public 
office.
  Linc and I worked hand-in-glove on issues of fiscal restraint and 
accountability by calling for and advocating the implementation of the 
pay-as-you-go approach to the Federal budget. And I believe it is 
instructive that he is rightly considered a champion of the 
environment, even as he championed economic growth. But that is Linc--
for him, issues that may seem mutually exclusive to those with 
intractable dogmas could coexist naturally in his vision of a world not 
so easily or appropriately cast in hews of black and white. Indeed, 
Senator Chafee's fight to strengthen air and water quality standards 
continues to resonate, a battle he has waged with innovation and 
resolve by combining business development with environmental advocacy.
  Unflagging in his dedication to the precepts of personal 
responsibility and freedom, fiscal accountability, and serving the 
public interest, Lincoln Chafee has, with honor and distinction, 
brought intelligence, vigor, and courage to the U.S. Senate from 
debates about foreign policy and homeland security to marshaling health 
care efforts to confront breast cancer and long-term care.
  Whether serving as captain of his university wrestling team, working 
as a blacksmith at harness race tracks, or serving the highest ideals 
of public service, Lincoln Chafee has demonstrated an independence, 
resiliency, and strength of purpose that has made him a credit to this 
institution and an example for his country.
  I wish Senator Chafee, his wife Stephanie, and their children all the 
best for the future.


                              Jim Jeffords

  Mr. President, I rise to express my enormous gratitude and deep 
appreciation for my good friend and colleague, Senator Jim Jeffords. 
President John Adams, who served as the first President of this body, 
once exclaimed. ``If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of 
mankind whom should we serve?'' The answer given through the years by 
Senator Jim Jeffords has been one marked by the eloquence of his 
actions.
  True Yankee independence and integrity are two of the hallmarks 
distinguishing Senator Jim Jeffords. Our legislative service together 
dates back to the 97th Congress and our participation together on the 
house Aging Committee, ironically at much younger ages than we are 
today. We have also served together on the Senate Finance Committee. 
And I will forever fondly remember the monthly moderates lunches we 
attended together, just as I will cherish the lunch we shared in the 
final days of his distinguished tenure in the Senate.
  Indeed, so many achievements distinguish this public servant and 
usher him into a prestigious pantheon of officeholders, whose common 
denominator is uncommon commitment to addressing tough issues that 
truly affect the daily life of the people whom they represent.
  Educated at Yale University and Harvard Law School, this son of a 
former chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court could have pursued 
any number of pathways in his life, but it testifies to his strength of 
character and abundance of integrity that he chose to use his depth of 
learning, prodigious skill, and expertise on behalf of others with the 
goal of service--a journey that began with his active duty in the U.S. 
Navy in 1956 and that continued throughout his 32 years in the 
Congress. From his days in the U.S. House in the mid-1970s--where he 
also served with my husband Jock McKernan--to the present, Senator 
Jeffords made a priority to champion education and the environment and 
by doing so became one of the best advocates these issues have ever 
had.
  In 1975, Senator Jeffords, as the ranking member on the subcommittee 
on select education, coauthored what would later be known as the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which has provided equal 
access to education for millions of students with disabilities. Since 
its enactment, Senator Jeffords has continued to fight for full Federal 
funding for the law. He has fought to reduce industrial pollution and 
acid rain, and as a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works 
Committee he ensured the passage of the 1990 Clean Air Act. More 
recently, Senator Jeffords has introduced legislation that would clean 
up polluting powerplants and create incentives for investments in 
clean, renewable power.
  In 2001, during the tax-cut debate, as we were working to ensure a 
fair but a fiscally-responsible compromise, Senator Jeffords and I 
combined to advocate for significant relief for the working poor. In 
2003, during intense negotiations, we joined forces to ensure 
prescription drug benefits for Medicare. And I could not have been more 
pleased to work with him in authoring the so-called Snowe-Jeffords 
provision to the historic Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. I couldn't be 
more proud that our arguments were not only persuasive in the Senate 
but ultimately before the U.S. Supreme Court after more than 3 hours of 
oral arguments, as the act--including our provision--was upheld.
  In the true spirit of statecraft, Jim Jeffords has ennobled not only 
the art of public affairs but the public affairs component of art. 
Then-Congressman Jeffords cofounded the Congressional Arts Caucus and 
has consistently fought for financial support of the National Endowment 
for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the 
Institute for Museum and Library Services. Like my State's own Margaret 
Chase Smith, Senator Jeffords has been a public servant of deep and 
abiding conscience, buttressed by a profound courage and unwavering 
love for his State and his country. I wish him all the best.


                               Jim Talent

  Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Senator Jim Talent, my 
colleague and friend whose capacity for being a catalyst on issues that 
he holds dear is truly remarkable--and will be missed in the U.S. 
Congress.
  In his first term in the U.S. Senate from Missouri, otherwise known 
as the Show-Me State, Senator Jim Talent has shown--not just me--but 
his colleagues and his constituents that he is a person who cares about 
health care, small business, economic growth, and defense. Whether 
during his 8 years in the U.S. House or his 4 years in the U.S. Senate, 
Jim Talent has demonstrated the fortitude and will necessary to meet 
challenging issues with national implications.

[[Page S11719]]

  In the U.S. House, as a freshman congressman, he introduced the Real 
Welfare Reform Act of 1994, which became the basis for landmark, 
bipartisan welfare reform legislation. Never one to turn from a 
challenge, then-Congressman Talent also managed to get association 
health plans legislation passed out of the U.S. House, not once but 
twice. And he built on that success by working on that same issue in 
the U.S. Senate--indeed, Senator Talent was an essential proponent of 
this important effort to allow small businesses to pool their resources 
to lower skyrocketing health insurance costs.
  I saw firsthand how the same indefatigable energy that was indicative 
of his commitment in the House was very much on display in the Senate 
as he worked tirelessly with our leadership, Labor Secretary Chao, the 
National Federation of Independent Business, and so many others on this 
critical issue. As we go forward to identify a path forward on this 
vital matter, Senator Talent's acumen and will to move this issue will 
be missed in our chamber.
  I wish Jim Talent and his entire family all the best for what I am 
certain will be a successful next chapter in his life.


                    FAREWELL TO SENATOR MIKE DE WINE

  Mr. President, I rise today to express my gratitude to Senator Mike 
DeWine, whose desire to do good has remained his abiding purpose and 
lifelong contribution to the people of Ohio, the U.S. Senate, and his 
country. The moniker of ``bodyguard of the poor''--which he has been 
dubbed by many in his State--speaks volumes about Senator DeWine's 
tireless dedication to enriching and helping others and about his 
earnest efforts to defend the defenseless and protect those in need.
  With a career in public service spanning more than 30 years, Senator 
Mike DeWine has more than earned his reputation as hard-working, 
honest, compassionate, and results-oriented. I first got to know Mike 
when he entered the House of Representatives the same year as my 
husband Jock. I am proud to say we served together in both the U.S. 
House and Senate. In the 99th and 101st Congresses, we both served on 
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. And in the U.S. Senate, we were 
colleagues on the Select Committee on Intelligence, where issues of 
national security and safety have been more paramount then ever. 
America is most fortunate to have had his thoughtful, considered 
approach on that committee and on so many other issues. Jock and I have 
treasured our longstanding friendship with Mike and Fran DeWine, and we 
have enormous respect for Mike's passion and depth of commitment.
  Indeed, he is a serious and deliberative legislative craftsman who 
sought to effectively represent his State and reach across the aisle in 
the true spirit of the institution. At no point in time was this more 
evident than during last year's debate over judicial nominations when 
Mike--a dedicated member of the Senate Judiciary Committee--joined with 
me and a dozen of our colleagues to form the Gang of 14. His courage 
and leadership helped broker a compromise that preserved the principles 
and traditions of this great institution. His loss diminishes the 
Senate at a time when we need more like Mike DeWine--leaders committed 
to solutions over sound-bites. I will deeply miss seeing Mike in the 
Senate--for he was always a reminder of the finest ideals of public 
service.
  Indeed, Mike DeWine has represented well the principles and pride of 
America's heartland. As the son of parents who ran a small agricultural 
business, he learned the value of diligence and perseverance working in 
the fields and in the mill.
  He has exemplified that unwavering commitment throughout his career 
in public service, whether as a prosecutor, U.S. Representative, 
Governor, or U.S. Senator and whether advocating for children, 
promoting humanitarian relief, aiding law enforcement, protecting our 
natural resources, spurring job growth, increasing national security 
through intelligence improvements, or working to secure balanced 
budgets. And he has led many of these efforts through his active and 
thorough committee work on Appropriations, Judiciary--Health, 
Education, Labor and Pensions--and Intelligence.
  Above all else, I believe Mike DeWine's essential sense of humanity, 
and the personal compass that guided him in all he did in the Senate, 
was exemplified by his final minutes on the Senate floor--which he 
devoted to speaking of the soldiers of Ohio who had fallen in service 
to our Nation in Iraq. That Senator DeWine sought assurance he would 
have this opportunity to honor the troops before the end of the session 
is a testament to the compassionate heart of an exceptional man.
  For all of his dedicated service to the people of Ohio and to this 
country, undoubtedly, Mike DeWine's most cherished achievement is his 
marriage of 39 years to his wife Fran, their eight children, and nine 
grandchildren. I wish them--and Mike DeWine--all the best.


                             RICK SANTORUM

  Mr. President, today I honor a principled legislator, a passionate 
advocate, and stalwart son of Pennsylvania, Senator Rick Santorum, 
whose vitality as a leader in both the House and Senate was exceeded 
only by his exceptional dedication and extraordinary civic 
contribution.
  During his 16 years in both the House and the Senate, Rick Santorum 
marshaled his experience and skills in business and law to answer 
effectively and historically a clarion call to public service. And the 
bedrock hallmarks that have been the constant catalysts driving him are 
his remarkable passion and enormous resolve.
  In the Senate, an institution known rightfully and constitutionally 
for deliberation, Rick's energy has been refreshing and welcomed. 
Whether on the Senate Armed Services or Finance Committees on which we 
both served, Senator Santorum invariably infused policy debates with a 
fresh, informed, and vibrant voice on a range of critical issues, 
including national security, health care, economic development, and 
combating AIDS. Indeed, Rick has been passionate in aggressively 
fighting the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS--a scourge that brings tragedy 
to millions of men, women, and children across the globe. Throughout 
his tenure in the Senate, Rick worked without regard to political 
ideology or philosophy on this matter that truly rises above 
partisanship because he recognizes that compassion and humanism are 
ideals too large and important to be constrained by political labels.
  Finally, I well recall our legislative service together in the House 
where Rick was a vital champion for change and an indispensable force 
behind an agenda for reform. He unquestionably engendered a 
transformative sensibility that helped catapult Republicans into the 
majority.
  Senator Santorum has dedicated his life to service to others, and I 
have no doubt that he will continue to do so in the future. 
Characterizing those achievements is his steadfast integrity and 
allegiance to deeply held beliefs. But for all of his accomplishments 
and the titles that accompany them, those that bring him the greatest 
satisfaction, that he treasures above all, are that of husband and 
father. Rick Santorum has served his country and the people of 
Pennsylvania well, and I wish him, his wife Karen, and their children 
all the best.
  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute to the 
Republican Members of the Senate who will not be returning in the 110th 
Congress. Senators George Allen; Conrad Burns; Lincoln Chafee; Mike 
DeWine; Dr. Bill Frist; Rick Santorum; and Jim Talent have served their 
constituents with honor and distinction during their tenure here in the 
U.S. Senate. All care very deeply for this great Nation and I hope they 
will have continued success in their future endeavors.
  Senator Conrad Burns and I have had a great working and personal 
relationship over the last 8 years. He and his wife Phyllis have become 
dear friends of my wife Mary and me. I have enjoyed our time spent 
together both personally and professionally. Conrad and I watched a 
baseball game with our grandsons a couple of years ago in Montana. 
Conrad and Phyllis also joined Mary and me at the Kentucky Derby. I 
wish Conrad and his family all the best as they start a new chapter in 
their lives.
  Senator Rick Santorum is a principled conservative who is not shy to 
tell you where he stands. He has served the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania tirelessly for the last 16 years. Rick has always been 
honest and upfront, and

[[Page S11720]]

his passion will be missed. Rick and his wife Karen have six wonderful 
children who all should be proud of how their dad represented 
Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress.
  Majority leader Bill Frist has run the Senate through difficult and 
trying times and he has done it well. Senator Mike DeWine, my neighbor 
to the north, has represented the Buckeye State with great distinction 
and has committed over 30 years of his life to public service. Senator 
George Allen represented the Commonwealth of Virginia in the U.S. 
Senate for 6 years, and he worked closely with me to make America safer 
by helping usher through important legislation to arm cargo pilots. 
Senator Jim Talent has had a great career in Congress and wrote the 
blueprint to the welfare reform bill of 1996. And Senator Lincoln 
Chafee has continued the proud legacy set forth by his father and my 
friend, Senator John Chafee.
  Mr. President, I would like to again commend all of our departing 
Republican Senators. I am proud of what they accomplished here in the 
U.S. Senate. They will all be missed, and I wish all of them the very 
best.


                              GEORGE ALLEN

  Mrs. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, Senator Allen has spent many years 
working for Virginia.
  He came to the Senate in 2000 after a strong record of 
accomplishments as his State's Governor.
  As Virginia's Senator, he has worked diligently to protect our 
freedoms, preserve conservative values, and help America remain the 
land of opportunity.
  He was a strong supporter of the tax reforms of 2001 and 2003 that 
have resulted in the economic upswing our economy is currently 
enjoying.
  His work on the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act has helped keep 
access to the Internet tax free.
  He also worked to increase military benefits, including legislation 
to increase the death benefits for families of fallen troops from 
$12,000 to $100,000.
  I have also worked with Senator Allen on the PACE Act. Senator Allen 
understands that we must provide our children with the education 
necessary for the jobs of tomorrow. His work with the National 
Nanotechnology Initiative will also help our country compete globally 
as other countries continue to emerge. Senator Allen understands that 
America must remain home to the best and brightest.
  I will miss working with him in this Chamber, and I will miss his 
friendship and support on the issues that matter most to America.


                               JIM TALENT

  Mr. President, Jim Talent has a long and honorable history of service 
to the people of Missouri.
  In the House of Representatives, he introduced the bill that laid the 
foundation for historic welfare reforms.
  In 1997, he became the youngest chairman in the House when he was 
named Chairman of the House Small Business Committee. Under his 
leadership, the committee passed many crucial reforms for small 
business owners, including tax relief and health insurance provisions.
  When Jim joined the Senate in 2000, he continued serving his State 
while emerging as a powerful force for the good of his State and the 
Nation.
  His work on the Energy Committee has shown great foresight and has 
galvanized our fight for energy independence.
  I am proud to have served with Jim these past 6 years.
  I expect great things from his continued efforts on behalf of the 
Midwest.


                              MARK DAYTON

  Mr. President, I wish Senator Dayton well as he departs from the 
Senate.
  During his 6 years serving the citizens of Minnesota as their 
Senator, I got to know Senator Dayton by working together with him on 
the Committee on Rules and Administration. I have seen first hand 
Senator Dayton's tireless efforts to protect the interests of his 
State.
  During his political career, Senator Dayton has held many leadership 
roles for Minnesota, including commissioner of the Minnesota Department 
of Energy and Economic Development, State auditor, and, most recently, 
U.S. Senator.
  As the eldest of 4 children, he grew up knowing what it meant to set 
a good example. I have no doubt that Senator Dayton will continue to 
serve as a shining example for his two sons.
  I know that Senator Dayton's love for public service--and for 
Minnesota--will remain strong in the future, and I wish him well.


                              MIKE DeWINE

  Mr. President, Mike DeWine has spent more than three decades in 
service to his State and the Nation.
  Senator DeWine has maintained a reputation of integrity throughout 
his service as a State senator, Lieutenant Governor, four-term 
Congressman, and U.S. Senator. He has built a record of service on 
making our Nation and the world a better place for future generations.
  A father of eight and grandfather of nine, Senator DeWine is a 
devoted family man.
  He is a champion of children's causes, always focusing on protecting 
their welfare and safety.
  Senator DeWine has often reached across party lines to vote with his 
heart for issues in which he believes.
  His hard work and devotion will be missed by the people of Ohio, whom 
I know are grateful for his years of service.


                             LINCOLN CHAFEE

  Mr. President, it is no coincidence that Senator Lincoln Chafee's 
home State has an 11-foot-tall statue called the Independent Man 
standing atop the State House in Providence, RI. In fact, Senator 
Chafee has referred to this statue as his inspiration, as it represents 
Rhode Island's founding principles of political and religious freedom.
  Senator Chafee has done an admirable job following in the footsteps 
of his father, Senator John Chafee.
  During his time in the Senate, Senator Chafee has been committed to 
environmental issues as a champion for improved air and water quality.
  Senator Chafee has remained steadfast in his beliefs and a powerful 
voice for Rhode Island.


                             RICK SANTORUM

  Mr. President, Senator Rick Santorum has a distinguished career 
serving the people of Pennsylvania.
  Everyone knows he is a hard worker who is defined by his 
determination, commitment to a core set of values, and unyielding 
optimism.
  His strong leadership in the Senate led Senator Santorum to be 
elected chairman of the Senate Republican Conference in 2001.
  I have had the opportunity to work on a number of projects with 
Senator Santorum as the vice chairman of the Senate Republican 
Conference. He joined with me in supporting and organizing numerous 
leadership summits, which gave us opportunities to reach new 
constituencies. These summits have been outstanding, and their success 
was due in large part to our cooperation and Senator Santorum's 
leadership.
  Throughout his tenure in the Senate, he has committed himself to 
helping American families.
  He believes profoundly in the dignity of all human life and has 
consistently fought for measures that protect the most vulnerable among 
us. He has supported initiatives to strengthen and protect Social 
Security, provide access to affordable health care, and stop the HIV/
AIDS epidemic.
  Senator Santorum's passion and commitment to his work is an admirable 
quality that will be missed. It has been an honor to serve with him in 
the Senate.


                              JIM JEFFORDS

  Mr. President, today we say goodbye to Senator Jim Jeffords after 18 
years in the Senate, serving the State of Vermont.
  Throughout his years in the Senate, Senator Jeffords has remained 
steadfast in his convictions and beliefs.
  As a proud citizen of the State of Vermont, Senator Jeffords has made 
enormous efforts to ensure the interests of his State were represented 
in the U.S. Congress.
  This is the legacy Senator Jeffords has earned.
  As a staunch proponent of environmental issues, Senator Jeffords rose 
to leadership as chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee 
in 2001, and he currently serves as the committee's ranking member.
  Senator Jeffords leaves the Senate with my respect.

[[Page S11721]]

                              CONRAD BURNS

  Mr. President, Senator Conrad Burns has had a long and distinguished 
career in the Senate as Montana's longest serving Republican Senator.
  Since 1988, Senator Burns has represented his constituents with honor 
in the Senate. He has made sure that Montana's unique, rural economy is 
sustained through his support of balanced trade, high-tech investments, 
and small business.
  Since serving as chairman of the Communications Subcommittee in 1997, 
he has continually fought for the rollout of broadband in rural areas 
and pushed for new Internet and mobile phone technologies to help 
Montanans participate in our global economy.
  Senator Burns' love for the outdoors has made him a steward of our 
country's natural resources. As chairman of the Senate's Interior 
Appropriations Subcommittee, I have watched him work tirelessly to 
protect and provide for our National parks and forests. Our natural 
resources are being protected thanks to the work of Senator Burns. I 
know he is looking forward to returning to Montana and the great 
outdoors.
  He has been an ardent supporter of making Government more fiscally 
responsible and lowering our taxes, and he was often an ally on issues.
  His leadership and strong conviction to do what is right will be 
sorely missed.


                             PAUL SARBANES

  Mr. President, Senator Sarbanes, the son of Greek immigrants, 
embodies the very heart of the American dream.
  Senator Sarbanes' parents, who never received a college education, 
instilled in him the belief that no matter where you go and what you 
see, you should always stand by your principles and never forget your 
roots.
  He became a Rhodes Scholar.
  Senator Sarbanes served the people of Baltimore with distinction and 
honor in the Maryland Legislature before coming to Washington to 
represent them on a national level.
  After a period of service in the House of Representatives, he was 
elected to the Senate in 1976. Since then, he has held numerous 
positions within the Senate.
  Most recently, he served as the ranking member of the Senate Banking, 
Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and as a senior member of the 
Foreign Relations, Budget, and Joint Economic Committees.
  Today we bid him farewell after five terms in the U.S. Senate, which 
makes him the longest tenured Senator in Maryland's storied history.
  Paul is a good friend, and I will miss him.


                               BILL FRIST

  Mr. President, I would like to conclude with Dr. Bill Frist, who has 
dedicated his life to helping people.
  Though many of us have come to know Dr. Frist best in his current 
role as our leader, his contributions to America exceed elected office.
  Dr. Frist first came to Washington in 1972 as an intern for Tennessee 
Congressman Joe Evins. Congressman Evins told the young intern that 
should he ever want to serve in Congress, he should first excel in a 
profession other than politics and then bring that experience back to 
Washington.
  Dr. Frist did just that.
  During a stellar 20-year career in medicine, Dr. Frist performed over 
150 heart and lung transplant procedures, including the first lung 
transplant and the first pediatric heart transplant in Tennessee and 
the first successful combined heart-lung transplant in the Southeast.
  He always hoped to one day serve America at a broad policy level, 
where he could advance medicine and improve the quality of life of the 
Nation.
  Dr. Frist returned to Washington in 1994, becoming the first 
practicing physician elected to the Senate since 1928. As a U.S. 
Senator, Bill Frist has been one of the leading voices on health issues 
in America today.
  He moved quickly up the leadership ranks, becoming deputy whip in 
1999, chairman of the NRSC in 2000, and finally majority leader in 
2002.
  In the Senate, Dr. Frist has worked tirelessly to strengthen 
Medicare, provide seniors with better access to prescription drugs, 
reduce health care disparities among races, and make health care more 
affordable and accessible.
  He has also been one of America's strongest advocates for increasing 
funding for global HIV/AIDS. He sponsored landmark legislation to 
provide $15 billion to combat global HIV/AIDS in African and Caribbean 
nations hardest hit by the disease. This law will literally save 
millions of lives and stands as one of the greatest public health 
accomplishments in modern history.
  Many of us also remember Dr. Frist utilizing his medical skills in 
1998, when a gunman shot and killed two U.S. Capitol Police officers in 
the capitol. The gunman was also shot and seriously wounded during the 
incident. Dr. Frist came to the aid of Officer Jacob Chestnut, who 
later died of his wounds, as well as the gunman, who survived because 
of Dr. Frist's actions.
  After the event, Dr. Frist told Capitol reporters:
  At the time, I did not know he was the alleged gunman, and in truth, 
as a physician, you try to focus on resuscitation.
  People have said ``If you knew that, would things have changed?'' And 
the answer is, ``No.''
  ``As a physician, you're trained to focus, and that's what you do 
year after year. You're not a judge; you're not a jury. You're a 
physician.''
  Dr. Frist never stopped being a physician. Throughout his 12 years in 
the Senate, he always had the Nation's health in mind. He was always a 
champion of medicine, and his class and integrity is unquestioned.
  The Senate will truly miss his leadership, and we will miss all of 
our departing friends.

                          ____________________