[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 24, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S9388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RETIRING SENATORS

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I wish to make a few comments about some 
of our departing colleagues who will not be joining us for the next 
session of Congress. They are great colleagues, people whom I have 
enjoyed working with in my 3\1/2\ years here in the Senate. They 
include Senator Allard from Colorado, Senator Pete Domenici from New 
Mexico, Senator John Warner from Virginia, Senator Chuck Hagel from 
Nebraska, and Senator Larry Craig from Idaho.
  A quick word first about my colleague and the senior Senator from 
Colorado, Mr. Wayne Allard. He has served the State of Colorado with 
distinction. In the days before he came to the Senate, now almost 12 
years ago, he also served the people of the State of Colorado in the 
general assembly. I had the opportunity then to watch him work on 
matters ranging from education to protecting-the-water issues in the 
State of Colorado. I know well that he has been a strong voice for the 
State of Colorado and know that his services here, including the 
services of his acting as a veterinarian for colleagues like Senator 
Kennedy and his dogs, are something that will be missed. I have enjoyed 
very much the time I have spent working with him on matters of mutual 
and common interest to the State of Colorado. I wish him well.
  Pete Domenici from New Mexico, the senior Senator from New Mexico, is 
one of the Senators here who comes from the same place my family came 
from many generations ago.
  His constant reminding me of the beauty of the Land of Enchantment 
and his work on behalf of securing an energy future for America is 
second to none. We will be missing him also in terms of his major 
contributions to the Energy Committee. He also has done a lot with 
respect to a whole host of other issues, too many to mention, but in 
particular I want to mention his work on the mental health parity 
initiative which would not have happened without his leadership. We 
were successful in getting mental health parity in legislation we 
passed in the Senate yesterday, and it was in large part because of his 
passion and willingness to work hard on a bipartisan basis to bring 
people together to help create that achievement.
  I want to say a word about my very good friend, Senator John Warner 
of Virginia. I often call him Moses because, as we have debated on the 
floor of the Senate over the last several years on one of the major 
issues of our time, the issue of war and peace and how we create a 
framework for a more peaceful world for our generation and those to 
come, it has often been Senator Warner we have gone to to get direction 
and counsel on how we might move forward. I had the opportunity of 
traveling with him to Iraq and Afghanistan and other places along with 
his very good friend, Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services 
Committee. The friendship between the two of them, between Senator 
Levin and Senator Warner, is one that exemplifies the types of 
relationships that are important for this Chamber and for the good of 
America. I will miss my good friend, Senator John Warner, the man I 
call Moses, because of his willingness to try to bring people together 
to try to resolve major and difficult issues that face us in America.
  Senator Chuck Hagel from Nebraska has likewise been one of those 
voices of independence, putting public purpose above partisanship and 
being a great example for all of us in doing so. He has some deep 
connections in Colorado, including his sister Claire who lives in 
Colorado, and his family whom I have met over time. Even though he 
teases me occasionally on the battleground between Nebraska and 
Colorado with respect to the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the University of 
Colorado Buffaloes, he has done a remarkable service in the Senate as a 
great Senator and someone whom I will sorely miss.
  Finally, Senator Larry Craig from Idaho has been a champion for 
agriculture and rural issues and for western values. When, yesterday, 
we were able to pass the payment in lieu of taxes, secure rural schools 
act, on which Senator Wyden and others had worked so hard, it was 
Senator Craig who helped make sure at the beginning that payment in 
lieu of taxes, which is so important to the Presiding Officer's State 
and my State of Colorado, were, in fact, on the radar screen of 
Washington, DC. Sometimes those issues that are unique to the western 
part of the United States are not heard in the Halls in this Capitol. 
Senator Craig was an unrelenting advocate for making sure those western 
issues were, in fact, not forgotten by those of us who are here who 
have an ability to cast a vote.
  I will miss my five colleagues. All of them are Republicans who are 
departing. Many of them brought a true spirit of bipartisanship and 
working together, which is worthy of the emulation of many Members of 
the Senate who will serve in this Chamber in the next Congress and in 
many Congresses to come.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii is recognized.

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