[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 154 (Friday, September 26, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9626-S9630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO SENATORS

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today I wish to make a few comments about 
some of our departing colleagues who will no longer be with us next 
year. I have known some of them for just a little while, others I have 
known for a long time. And, to all of them I bid a fond farewell and 
mahalo for their service to their State and to this country. They are 
dear colleagues and friends of mine and I know that even if they leave 
this fine establishment, our friendships will continue long into the 
future.
  The Senators that I am referring to are Senator John Warner from 
Virginia, Senator Pete Domenici from New Mexico, Senator Larry Craig 
from Idaho, Senator Chuck Hagel from Nebraska, and Senator Wayne Allard

[[Page S9627]]

from Colorado. Please allow me just one moment to reflect on my service 
with each of these valuable members.
  I want to extend my deepest appreciation and warmest mahalo to my 
friend and colleague, Senator John Warner. His lifetime of devoted 
public service is truly admirable, and his integrity and dedication to 
duty make him a role model for all Americans. Few that have ever held 
the position of U.S. Senator have been able to combine his 
graciousness, intelligence, and absolute commitment to the public good 
that have allowed him to be such an effective bipartisan leader.
  His experiences as both a sailor and a marine during a time of war, 
combined with his executive responsibilities as former Secretary of the 
Navy, have given Senator Warner the ability to tackle complex policy 
issues during his time in the Senate. His leadership and experience on 
the Armed Services Committee, as well as his ability to reach across 
the aisle to get vital legislation passed, will be irreplaceable. He is 
a gentleman of impeccable character, and will be sorely missed by us 
all. I am honored and humbled to serve with him.
  Another good friend and colleague, the senior Senator from New 
Mexico, Senator Pete Domenici has been serving the people of his home 
State and this Nation for 36 years. Like Senator Warner, Senator 
Domenici also works beyond party lines to address controversial issues 
and the concerns of stakeholders. He is truly an exemplary role model 
for all members of Congress.
  Senator Domenici is a man of his word and has respectfully worked 
with members on both sides of the aisle. As a dedicated advocate he has 
helped encourage informed debates in the Senate. He has been a 
passionate advocate for many causes and has sought workable solutions.
  I have had the distinct pleasure to serve with Senator Domenici as a 
member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, as well as 
the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. Senator Domenici has played an 
integral role in overcoming difficult challenges and meeting our 
country's energy needs. As a member of these committees I have 
witnessed his genuine concern and commitment to improve the well-being 
of and increase opportunities for indigenous communities in Hawaii, 
across the Nation, and extending to our Insular areas.
  Senator Domenici has been one of the leading advocates for mental 
health care in our country. He and Senator Paul Wellstone were great 
partners in trying to bring about mental health parity. Since Paul's 
death, Senator Domenici has led this initiative and worked with all of 
us in a continued effort to ensure that individuals can access 
essential treatment.
  Senator Domenici is a statesman and a gentleman. It has been a 
pleasure to work with him in the United States Senate. I am going to 
miss Senator Domenici and I extend my warmest aloha and heartfelt well 
wishes.
  I would be remiss were I not to mention the retirement of another of 
our colleagues, my friend Larry Craig. Senator Craig and I served 
together on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, which he chaired in the 
109th Congress. I will not forget Chairman Craig's willingness to bring 
the committee from Washington to my home State of Hawaii, to hear the 
concerns of Hawaii's veterans first hand. Under his leadership, the 
committee held an unprecedented series of field hearings on the needs 
of veterans living in Hawaii, the Nation's only island State. My 
colleague made this possible, and I will not forget his generosity.
  Senator Craig and I have not always agreed, but I am proud of the 
relationship he and I maintained as counterparts on the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee. His willingness to find workable compromises, and to 
work with, rather than against, those with opposing views, are both 
qualities in great need here in Washington. I wish him well as he 
returns to his native Idaho. Surely he will now be able to have more 
time with his wife, Suzanne, their three children, and their nine 
grandchildren. I wish him happiness and the best with his future 
endeavors.
  Another veteran that is leaving the Senate and a dear friend of mine 
is Senator Chuck Hagel. While he has elected to leave the U.S. Senate 
after serving two terms, his service to this country started long 
before he became a U.S. Senator. In 1968, he and his brother served in 
Vietnam, where he earned multiple military decorations and honors, 
including two Purple Hearts. His long career in public service began 
during his tenure as an administrative assistant to Congressman John Y. 
McCollister from Nebraska in 1971 until 1977. In 1981, he was nominated 
and confirmed to be deputy administrator of the Veterans Administration 
where had the privilege and honor to work for our Nation's veterans. 
Senator Hagel has served the State of Nebraska with great distinction 
and will be missed by all.
  And, lastly, I wish a fond farewell to Senator Wayne Allard. For 18 
years, the people of Colorado and have benefitted from the leadership 
of Senator Allard. Through his service on numerous committees including 
Appropriations, Budget, Banking and Urban Affairs, our nation has 
benefitted as well. I applaud his commitment to energy and science as 
the founder of the Senate renewable energy and energy efficiency caucus 
as this is an issue that is also vitally important to me. On this 50th 
anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, I 
should note that Senator Allard has been a champion of space science 
and technology research and I would like to thank him for his 
leadership in this arena. From his time as a Representative of Larimer 
and Weld Counties to his current position as the Senator from Colorado 
he has been a dedicated and capable public servant and I wish him all 
the best.
  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statements were ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)


                             Pete Domenici

 Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I regret that I am not able to be 
in the Senate today to pay tribute to my friend and colleague, Senator 
Pete Domenici of New Mexico.
  Throughout my years in the Senate, I have been honored to serve with 
some of the brightest, most committed elected leaders in our Nation. 
But Senator Domenici stands out in particular. He has the unique 
ability to rise above partisanship and find real solutions to real 
problems.
  He comes to every issue with a deep knowledge and desire to improve 
the lives of the people of New Mexico and the Nation. It has been a 
special honor to work with him for nearly 36 years, including many 
years on mental health issues. We both share a deep commitment to those 
issues because we know the immense toll that mental illness has taken 
on beloved members of our families, his daughter Clare and my sister 
Rosemary.
  Pete and I are on opposites of the aisle in the Senate, but he has 
never approached mental health issues in a partisan way. Instead, he 
thinks of himself as an advocate for mental health reform and basic 
fairness for all our citizens.
  Through Pete's skillful guidance and leadership, Congress has made 
major progress in breaking down the walls of discrimination against the 
mentally ill, especially in the judicial system and in education. On 
reform in mental health care, it has been a long, difficult battle for 
over a decade, but Senator Domenici's will and dedication has never 
wavered.
  Years ago, young Pete played baseball for the Albuquerque Dukes, 
which was part of the old Brooklyn Dodgers farm system. Back in those 
days, disappointed Dodger fans coined the phrase, ``Wait 'til next 
year'' after coming up short of a championship season so often.
  Now, at last, because of Pete, Americans suffering from mental 
illness may not have to ``wait 'til next year'' any longer. We are now 
closer than ever to finally passing mental health parity and putting an 
end to the longstanding shameful practice of discrimination in health 
insurance against persons with mental illness. On this issue, Senator 
Domenici has been absolutely relentless and absolutely brilliant. We 
could never have made it this far without him.
  My only regret is that at the signing ceremony, when President Bush 
signs this landmark bill into law and looks up and hands the signing 
pen to Senator Domenici, we will all be sad that Pete is retiring from 
the Senate this year. He has been a continuing source of hope and 
inspiration to me and to

[[Page S9628]]

millions of other people and their families across the Nation. He has 
made a truly extraordinary difference in the lives of families 
struggling with mental illness. It has been a great honor to serve with 
such a talented and dedicated public servant as Senator Pete Domenici. 
I will miss him very much in the years ahead.


                              John Warner

  Mr. President, I wish very much that I could be here in person today 
to pay tribute to the extraordinary career of my friend John Warner. I 
know that when we return to the Senate in January, all of us on both 
sides of the aisle will miss the decency, thoughtfulness, commitment, 
and friendship of our outstanding colleague from Virginia.
  We often speak about the high value of friendship in the Senate, 
about the importance of sustaining it despite the strong political and 
philosophical differences that often erupt between Senators, and about 
the way it sustains us in times of personal and political crisis. I 
know that many of my colleagues feel the same way, and I am sure we all 
cherish our friendship with John Warner.
  The Senate will not be the same without him. In many ways, he 
epitomizes the words of Shakespeare, that we should ``do as adversaries 
do in law, strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.''
  John's life is proof that individual persons make a difference for 
our country, if they have the will to try. From the time he enlisted in 
the Navy at the age of 17 during World War II, to joining the Marine 
Corps in 1950 after the outbreak of the Korean war, to his service as 
Secretary of the Navy, and to his brilliant career as a Senator 
representing the people of Virginia, John Warner has demonstrated a 
commitment to public service that few people in the history of this 
Nation can match.
  As my brother, President Kennedy, once said: ``Any man who may be 
asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think 
can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, `I served in 
the United States Navy.' '' It is been a special privilege, as a member 
of the Armed Services Committee, to serve with John Warner, 
particularly during his years as chairman or ranking member of the 
committee. John deserves immense credit for his contributions to our 
country, and America is a stronger and better Nation today because of 
his life's work.
  Perhaps more than anyone I know, Senator Warner understands that we 
are Americans first and members of a political party second. Throughout 
his 30 years in the Senate, he has consistently demonstrated an all-
too-rare willingness to reach across the aisle to achieve results for 
the American people.
  When the partisan passions of the day become heated in this Chamber 
and threaten progress on fundamental issues, we always know that John 
Warner is available to help find the way forward--even if it costs him 
politically. President Kennedy would have called him a profile in 
courage, and I agree.
  It is no secret that John and I don't agree on everything, but even 
in times of disagreement, I have never questioned that his position was 
the result of deep thought and his special wisdom and experience. Our 
Founders would regard the Senate career of John Warner as a shining 
example of the type of person they envisioned should serve in this body 
of our Government.
  I am sad to see him leave, but as John and his wife Jean look to the 
future and the new challenges and possibilities that lie ahead, we know 
that he will always be available to answer the call of service, and we 
are very grateful for the opportunity to have served with him. We will 
miss him very much.


                              wayne allard

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak today regarding the 
retirement of my esteemed colleague from Colorado, Senator Wayne 
Allard. I have known Senator Allard since he joined Congress in 1991 
and have worked closely with him in the Senate since 1996. Today, I am 
sure that I am joined by many of my colleagues in saying that his 
service, his work ethic, and his friendship in this institution will be 
missed.
  A native of Colorado, Senator Allard was born in Fort Collins in 
1943. Using the skills he learned while growing up on a ranch, Senator 
Allard obtained a doctorate of veterinary medicine at Colorado State 
University. Soon after, he and his wife Joan opened the Allard Animal 
Hospital. Over the years that followed, Senator Allard successfully 
built his practice and raised his family. He even continued his 
practice while serving in the Colorado State senate for 17 years. Ever 
the citizen-legislator, Senator Allard brought this same attitude to 
the U.S. Congress in 1991 and more specifically to our Senate 
legislative body in 1996.
  It was in 1996 that Senator Allard was elected to the Senate with a 
promise to only serve two terms. Not being one to back away from that 
commitment, Senator Allard declared early in 2007 that he would not 
seek a third term because it would have gone against his word. It was 
then that he declared it was a matter of integrity and of keeping his 
commitments. And it is now, that I can say nothing could be truer about 
the character of my good friend, Senator Allard. Born and raised in the 
West, he understands what it means when he shakes your hand and gives 
you his word. His integrity is of the character of which we need more 
of and his commitments are of the nature of which we will surely miss.
  Indeed, for the last 17 years I have observed Senator Allard working 
tirelessly for the good people of Colorado. Throughout his tenure, the 
demands placed on Senator Allard have been great, yet he always manages 
to find the time to listen, to engage, and to talk to Coloradans about 
the things that are most important to them. Impressively, Senator 
Allard has held over 700 townhall meetings since he began his service 
in the Congress.
  From his work on the Contract with America to his instrumental role 
in working with me to craft the current law promoting and regulating 
the development of oil shale and tars sands in the United States, which 
was passed as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Senator Allard has 
always done the work of the people and he will be missed. I wish him 
and his lovely family the best and thank him for the years of service 
he has provided to this body.
  To my friend Senator Wayne Allard, I convey my highest admiration and 
respect for what he has been able to accomplish while here in the 
Senate. As with any new chapter in our lives, our feelings are always 
mixed as we continue turning the pages that finish the tale of one 
story while we hurriedly rush to the next. Yet the story of Senator 
Allard's journey in the Senate would not be complete without the 
support of his wife Joan and the love of his children and 
grandchildren. Without question, our loss is their gain. It is to them 
that I extend my deepest gratitude for the sacrifices they have made 
while their husband, their father, and their grandfather has served so 
well these many years. I am certain they are excited to have Senator 
Allard back, but somehow I have a feeling that he will not be resting 
for long.


                              larry craig

  Mr. President, I rise to speak today regarding the retirement of my 
friend and colleague, the senior Senator from Idaho. At the conclusion 
of this Congress, Senator Larry Craig will end a political career that 
has included over three decades of service to the people of his State. 
I am sure many of my colleagues will agree, Senator Craig's presence in 
the Senate will be missed.
  Senator Craig is a lifelong citizen of Idaho, having been born in 
Council, ID, and growing up on a ranch in Washington County. He 
attended college at the University of Idaho and later served in the 
Idaho National Guard. These close ties to his home state, I believe, I 
believe, informed almost every decision he made while serving in 
Congress.
  Larry's career in public service began in 1974 when he was elected to 
the Idaho State Senate. Six years later, he was elected to the House of 
Representatives, where he served five terms. In 1990, he was elected to 
his first of three terms in the Senate, where his devotion to the 
people of Idaho continued.
  During his time in the Senate, Senator Craig became involved in a 
number of efforts to serve the people of his State and the country as a 
whole. He has held prominent positions on the

[[Page S9629]]

Appropriations, Veterans' Affairs, and Energy and Resource Committees. 
He also had a brief stint on the Senate Judiciary Committee when I was 
serving as chairman. Although his time on the Judiciary Committee was 
short-lived, Senator Craig was always an active member of that panel, 
pursuing immigration reform to help the farmers from his State and 
throughout the country and vigorously supporting legislation to protect 
civil liberties.
  In recognition of these efforts, he was inducted to the Idaho Hall of 
Fame in 2007.
  Of course, no discussion of Senator Craig would be complete without 
mentioning ``The Singing Senators,'' the now famous barbershop quartet 
that featured Senator Craig along with my good friends Trent Lott, John 
Ashcroft, and James Jeffords. I think we all enjoyed the exploits of 
The Singing Senators during their brief moment in the limelight. Sadly, 
with the departure of Senator Craig, there will be no Singing Senators 
left. I still have my copy of their album, ``Let Freedom Sing,'' and I 
can only hope that Larry will be taking home with him his copies of the 
albums I have recorded. If not, I am sure I can dig up some new ones 
for him.
  Mr. President, I want to close by saying that I have greatly admired 
Senator Craig for his devotion to the people of his state and his 
efforts to improve our country. I want to wish him and his family the 
best of luck in any future endeavors.


                             Pete Domenici

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my very dear friend and 
colleague, Senator Pete Domenici. Other than the members of the Utah 
congressional delegation, Utah has had no better friend in the Senate 
than the senior Senator from New Mexico. My State of Utah is made up 
mostly of public lands, and we have often relied on this good Senator 
for the support and expertise of solving some of our most difficult 
natural resource problems. Senators who understand the complexities of 
living in a public-land dominated State are few and far between, 
especially here in Washington. Having Senator Domenici in a leadership 
on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resource Policy has been 
my State's salvation many times over.
  In my personal view, Senator Domenici's crowning achievement was the 
passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This was one of the most 
comprehensive and bipartisan energy proposals ever passed by Congress. 
I have no doubt that this summer's energy crisis would have been 
dramatically worse had EPACT 2005 not been passed when it was. It was a 
matter of dread and grave disappointment for some of us in the Senate 
to watch as the leadership of this Congress pursued efforts to turn 
back some of the most important steps that legislation took toward 
securing a better energy future for our people. And it is fitting that 
before this Congress ends along with Senator Domenici's Senate career, 
we have voted to reinstate and to extend many of the provisions 
established in EPACT 2005.
  In particular, I praise Senator Domenici for his unfailing vision and 
leadership in working with me to establish the possibility in this 
country of developing our Nation's gigantic untapped oil shale 
resources. A lot has been said in the media about how oil shale 
development has not been proven yet and therefore not likely to be 
successful. However, what these critics fail to consider is that the 
Government has long had a policy to not develop its oil shale. We 
should keep in mind that the United States controls about 72 percent of 
the world's oil shale and that 73 percent of our resource is on Federal 
lands.
  Without Senator Domenici's leadership, we would not have been able to 
pass the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Development Act as part of EPACT 2005. 
We would not now have a large, tristate environmental impact statement 
on oil shale, a voluminous task force report on oil shale from the 
Department of Energy, a research and development lease program ongoing 
at the Bureau of Land Management, and the soon-to-be released final 
regulations on commercial oil shale leasing on Federal lands. He has 
maintained the vision of oil shale's potential benefit to our Nation's 
future and has never relented. I will ever be grateful to Senator 
Domenici for that.
  My friend from New Mexico is not flashy. And I mean that as a high 
compliment. Where some Senators fight with rhetoric, Senator Domenici 
relies on reason. Where others search around for wedge issues, Senator 
Domenici finds solutions. Where others in the Senate seek to widen the 
aisle that divides us, Senator Domenici reaches across to bring us 
closer. The Senate is a better place because the people of New Mexico 
have sent us their senior Senator, and we will miss his presence here. 
As this Congress comes to a close, I say to my friend, arrivederci, ti 
voglio bene.


                              Wayne Allard

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, Senator Allard has spent many years 
working for Colorado.
  He came to the Senate in 1996 after serving three terms in the U.S. 
House.
  As Colorado's senior Senator, he worked diligently to cut taxes, 
eliminate wasteful spending, return power to State and local 
governments, and assure the security of America both at home and 
abroad.
  Consistent with his belief that elected officials should be citizen 
legislators, Senator Allard conducted more than 700 town meetings 
across Colorado, visiting each of Colorado's 64 counties.
  He was one of only two veterinarians in the Senate and provided 
leadership on small business issues from his practical experience.
  He also led by example, returning more than $4.2 million in unspent 
office funds to the U.S. Treasury.
  As the Republican leader of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, 
Senator Allard worked to shape the Nation's spending priorities.
  His work on the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act 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 heroes from 
$12,000 to $100,000.
  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.


                              Larry Craig

  Mr. President, Larry Craig has a long history of service to the 
people of Idaho.
  In 1974, he was elected to the Idaho State Senate, where he served 
three terms before winning the 1980 race for Idaho's first 
congressional seat.
  He was re-elected four times before winning a U.S. Senate seat in 
1990.
  As chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, he assured that the 
health care needs of our Nation's veterans were addressed, and he 
helped increase the number of claims processors to try to help veterans 
receive the benefits they deserve, with fewer delays.
  Throughout his career, Senator Craig has been a forceful advocate for 
commonsense, conservative solutions to our Nation's problems.
  He has been a leader in the battle for lower taxes, private property 
rights, and greater accountability in government.
  He has been recognized by national groups, including Citizens for a 
Sound Economy, Citizens Against Government Waste, Watchdogs of the 
Treasury, and the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
  He is also one of America's foremost defenders of the second 
amendment.
  I wish Senator Craig well in his retirement.


                              Chuck Hagel

  Mr. PRESIDENT, I have really enjoyed working with Chuck Hagel.
  Senator Hagel honorably served our country by enlisting in the U.S. 
Army during the Vietnam war.
  While in Vietnam, he received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, 
Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman 
Badge.
  After working as Deputy Administrator of the VA, he became a 
successful entrepreneur and business leader.
  In 1996, Chuck Hagel was elected to the U.S. Senate.
  Six years later, he was overwhelmingly reelected with over 83 percent 
of the vote, the largest margin of victory in any statewide race in 
Nebraska history.
  His knowledge and experience building a business and creating jobs 
was invaluable to the Senate.
  He was a leader on the Foreign Relations Committee and represented 
the

[[Page S9630]]

U.S. Senate admirably as chair of the Senate Global Climate Change 
Observer Group.
  On a personal note, he always sent me a souvenir from the College 
World Series in Omaha when the University of Texas or Rice University 
was in the Finals, which I am proud to say was almost every year.
  I will miss Chuck Hagel, and I wish him well.


                              John Warner

  Mr. President, John Warner is a Senator who has served his country 
heroically.
  During World War II, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. 
At the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950, Senator Warner interrupted 
his law studies and started a second tour of Active military duty.
  Senator Warner's next public service began with his Presidential 
appointment to be Under Secretary of Navy in 1969. He served as 
Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974.
  Following his work there, John Warner was appointed by the President 
to coordinate the celebration of America's bicentennial.
  Beginning in 1978, Senator Warner has been elected to the Senate five 
times. In 2005, Senator Warner became the second-longest serving U.S. 
Senator from Virginia in the 218-year history of the Senate. Now 
serving in his 30th year in the Senate, Senator Warner rose to become 
chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In that capacity, and 
throughout his career, he has shown unwavering support for the men and 
women of the Armed Forces.
  Every time I am with John Warner, I learn something new, valuable, 
insightful or humorous. He is truly a unique blend of a military 
leader, country gentleman, historian, great storyteller and statesman. 
His hard work and devotion will be missed by all his friends in the 
Senate.


                             Pete Domenici

  Mr. President, last, but certainly not least, I would like to speak 
about my great friend, Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico.
  The longest serving U.S. Senator in New Mexico history, Pete has been 
a respected leader on some of the most important issues of our time, 
including energy security, nuclear proliferation, and fiscal 
responsibility.
  Pete was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972 and is serving his 
sixth term.
  Pete is the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee, having previously served as its chairman following a long 
tenure in charge of the Senate Budget Committee.
  When he became chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee 
in 2003, Pete put his years of legislative experience to work to craft 
the first major comprehensive Energy bill since 1992.
  Many thought that the task was nearly impossible, but Senator 
Domenici gained bipartisan consensus and passage of the Energy Policy 
Act of 2005. This new energy law created incentives to accelerate U.S. 
development of its own energy resources--including solar, wind, and 
nuclear power.
  Then, in late 2006, Domenici engineered the enactment of a new law 
that will open areas of the Gulf of Mexico for energy exploration. This 
could yield 1.26 billion barrels of American-owned oil and 5.8 trillion 
cubic feet of natural gas in the near future.
  Senator Domenici's commitment to America's prosperity is also 
exemplified in his work to make the U.S. more competitive in the global 
marketplace. He is a coauthor of the America Competes Act, a landmark 
bill that will force substantial changes to promote science and 
technology education and ensure that the United States does not lose 
its place as the world's innovation leader.
  Senator Domenici is a nationally recognized advocate for people with 
mental illness, having written the 1996 Mental Health Parity law to 
ensure fair insurance coverage for people who suffer from that disease.
  Pete has also been a champion in promoting New Mexico's economy. He 
has worked to ensure equal opportunities for women and minorities. He 
has worked to find consensus on difficult environmental issues. It has 
been a true honor to serve with him. The Senate will truly miss his 
leadership, and I will miss his friendship. Indeed, we will miss all 
our departing friends. I wish them well.

                          ____________________