[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S15975]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE

  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, thank you. I appreciate your attention in 
presiding today, on a day when people are headed home. We are grateful 
for your presence here.
  I join so many others--I do not want to be too redundant, but it is 
important to repeat expressions of gratitude--like a lot of people 
here, I have a lot of gratitude in my heart: gratitude for my wife 
Terese and my family for supporting me in my first year in the Senate; 
certainly for my staff--like so many Senators here could say of their 
own staff--I know it is true of mine; I have a great staff, and I am 
grateful for their help and their support and professionalism for 
almost a full year now; for the staff here in the Senate--I could go to 
any Senate office, but especially in the Chamber itself, all those who 
work so hard, day in and day out, year in and year out, to make this 
place work, and to guide even those veteran Members on parliamentary 
questions, but especially some of the first-year Senators.
  We are grateful for your skill, your knowledge, and your 
professionalism, and we wish you and your families a happy holiday 
season at this time.
  The same goes for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, who have 
been so supportive of me as a first-year Senator. I will mention two in 
the interest of time: Senator Reid, our majority leader, the majority 
leader of the entire Senate, and also, of course, the leader of the 
Democratic side of the aisle--a great leader for our party, but even 
beyond that, a great leader for the Senate. He is a man of great 
compassion and decency, someone who cares about changing the direction 
of the country, to move us in the right direction. He has done that 
very well. I am honored to serve with him.
  Senator Lott is going to be leaving us. I had the privilege of 
presiding yesterday when I heard all of the testimonials to his 
service. I was honored to be a small part--a witness of that Senate 
history. We wish Senator Lott and his family all of God's blessings at 
this holiday season. But also beyond the season, we wish him the best 
of luck in his new life outside of the Senate. We are grateful for his 
service.
  I have one more note of gratitude and best wishes, and that is to 
those who are serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan and around 
the world--those men and women in our military the world over who are 
doing that brave and noble service every day. We are thinking of them. 
We pray for them at this time, as we try to throughout the year. But 
especially we are thinking of them and their families at this holiday 
season.
  (Mr. SALAZAR assumed the Chair.)

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