[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 160 (Thursday, October 2, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10434-S10439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO SENATORS


                              chuck hagel

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, with the end of a session fast 
approaching, it is time once again to say farewell to some of our 
favorite colleagues in the Senate. And today that includes our friend, 
the senior Senator from Nebraska.
  Chuck Hagel's long record of service is well known to many. What some 
may not know is that that record of service long predates his time in 
Washington.
  Responsibility was thrust upon Chuck at an early age. A fourth 
generation Nebraskan, Chuck became the man of the house at the young 
age of 16 after the death of his father.

[[Page S10435]]

  And he accepted the responsibility head on, working hard to support 
his mom and younger brothers.
  But even then working hard was nothing new to Chuck Hagel, who had 
taken his first job delivering papers at the age of 7.
  As a young man, Chuck answered the call and volunteered to serve in 
Vietnam, and Chuck's fellow soldiers turned to him for leadership.
  One of the soldiers who served right alongside Chuck was his younger 
brother Tom. By coincidence, the Hagel brothers ended up in the same 
unit and rode together in the same armored personnel carrier.
  In a defining act of heroism, Chuck once dragged his brother out of 
that carrier after it had struck a landmine and burst into flames. The 
blast left Chuck badly burned and ruptured both his eardrums. Yet 
despite serious injuries to himself, he brought his brother through 
enemy fire to safety.
  After returning home from Vietnam, Chuck worked his way through 
college and got his first taste of Washington working for Omaha 
Congressman John McCollister.
  Later, Chuck would show his drive and his leadership in the business 
world. Taking a risk, he sank his entire savings into a business 
venture that eventually paid off.
  And then, 12 years ago, he took another gamble. And we are glad he 
did.
  A political newcomer, Chuck defeated Nebraska's sitting State 
attorney general in a primary, and then a popular incumbent governor in 
the general election for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
  I will note, Mr. President, that the governor he beat is now the 
junior Senator from Nebraska. And in a sign of Chuck's character and 
commitment to the people of Nebraska, the two former rivals have worked 
in tandem on many issues for the good of the people of their State.
  I know Senator Nelson would agree that Senator Hagel's departure is a 
great loss for this Chamber and for the people of the Cornhusker State.
  Chuck's advocacy for the people of Nebraska was reaffirmed 6 years 
ago when the voters sent him back to Washington for a second term.
  In a sign of his effectiveness and his popularity, he won reelection 
to the Senate by the biggest margin Nebraska has ever seen.
  The one-time political newcomer trounced his opponent, winning 83 
percent of the vote--and all 93 counties in the State.
  In two terms in the Senate, Chuck has earned the respect of his 
colleagues and risen to national prominence as a clear voice on foreign 
policy and national security. He has consistently fought to expand free 
trade, particularly with Vietnam.
  Chuck's stature as a leading voice in foreign affairs has earned him 
a reputation, in just 12 years in the Senate, as one of Nebraska's 
great statesmen. This is a tribute to his intelligence, hard work, and 
devotion to a country that he has served his entire adult life.
  Elaine and I have enjoyed getting to know Chuck, Lilibet, and their 
family over the years. I know Chuck's a proud dad. And his kids should 
be proud of their dad.
  Chuck, it has been an honor, and a pleasure, to serve with you. We 
all wish you well in whatever future endeavors you choose to take on.
  I am confident that, even though Nebraska is known as a flat State, 
whoever succeeds Charles Timothy Hagel in the U.S. Senate is going to 
have a very steep hill to climb.


                              Larry Craig

  Mr. President, one of the great sticking points for the framers of 
the U.S. Constitution was how small States would be represented in the 
new Government.
  In the end, the compromise that gave small and big States equal 
representation in the U.S. Senate broke the logjam, paved the way for 
ratification, and became one of the most distinctive--and best--
features of our democracy.
  It has ensured that the interests of all Americans, including those 
who live in remote or secluded corners of the country, are felt in the 
halls of power. And, throughout the life our country, it has meant that 
men and women who understood those interests and who could communicate 
them with clarity and purpose would always have a central place in the 
U.S. Senate.
  For nearly two decades, Larry Craig has been that person for the 
people of Idaho--a fierce advocate and an effective legislator who 
understands the needs of his State, and always delivered.
  The grandson of a homesteader, Senator Craig was born on a ranch 
north of Boise and attended public schools. He graduated from the 
University of Idaho in 1969 and may have been its most prominent 
alumnus before the world got to know the current Governor of Alaska a 
few weeks ago.
  After college, Senator Craig served in the National Guard, worked as 
a farmer-rancher, and was elected to the Idaho senate in 1974. Seven 
years later, Idaho voters sent him to Washington.
  After a decade in the House, they sent him to the Upper Chamber. And 
he has been fighting their battles here in the Senate ever since.
  One of his favorite targets over the years are the Western lands 
policies favored by big city environmentalists but opposed by the 
native Idahoans who cherish and live off the land.
  He fought revisions of the Mining Act of 1872, and a Clinton-era 
proposal to introduce grizzlies into Idaho's Bitterroot Range.
  Over the years, he's fought anyone who tried to impose rules and 
restrictions on land use that natives oppose. Those battles heated up 
in the wake of the Supreme Court's 2005 Kelo ruling. And over the last 
3 years, he's fought hard to protect the private property rights of 
farmers and ranchers, who have been left especially vulnerable by the 
Court's Kelo decision.
  Senator Craig took a lead role in the Farm Bill debate over the last 
2 years, making sure it included funds to support specialty crop 
producers in Idaho, one of the Nation's top producers of specialty 
crops, and about one-third of the Nation's potatoes. And he played a 
vital role in smoothing the way for the bill's final passage earlier 
this summer.
  As chairman of the Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee, Senator 
Craig fought to reform the Nation's Forest Service, which drastically 
reduced the timber harvest on public lands during the Clinton 
Administration, cutting into the livelihoods of Idahoans in small towns 
across the State.
  For municipalities that couldn't recoup the losses from lost timber 
revenue, Senator Craig reached across the aisle and worked with Senator 
Wyden to find compensation that helped them cope. It was a 
characteristic gesture of bipartisan work, and one he's employed 
repeatedly over the years.
  He's been a strong defender of free trade.
  As chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, he sponsored a bill 
that would enable seniors to buy State-approved long-term care 
policies.
  And he has been a good friend to our Nation's veterans, serving as 
chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
  A new tower at Boise's airport would not have been built without 
Senator Craig's help. Neither would the new VA clinic that opened in 
Caldwell just last year. In a long Senate career, Senator Craig has 
fought with clarity and conviction for Idahoans. Along the way, he has 
been a friend of veterans, children seeking a home through adoption, 
and thousands of American farmers and ranchers, particularly those in 
the Pacific Northwest.
  And, along with three other Senate colleagues who've moved on, he 
entertained us as a member of the Singing Senators.
  With Senator Craig's retirement, the last of the Singing Senators 
will have left the building.
  And the people of Idaho will have lost one of their greatest 
champions.


                              John Warner

  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, considering the long and distinguished 
history of the State of Virginia, it is quite an accomplishment to be 
the state's second-longest serving Senator. But, that is just one of 
Senator John Warner's many accomplishments.
  Senator Warner has been serving his country since 1945 when he 
enlisted in the Navy. Later, he joined the Marine Corps and served in 
Korea. During the Vietnam war, he served in the Department of the Navy, 
ultimately attaining the position of Secretary.
  Senator Warner's service and knowledge of the military have guided 
his work in the Senate. He has served as chairman of the Armed Services 
Committee and has guided many bills

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through the Senate. His commitment to the men and women in uniform has 
never wavered, and he has used his position to make sure that they have 
the resources they need to complete their mission. Debating a Defense 
authorization bill without the leadership of Senator Warner will be a 
new experience for most of us.
  On a daily basis, Senator Warner provided a fine example for other 
Senators. For the Senate to function properly, there must be comity in 
the body. Senator Warner was courteous and always willing to settle 
disagreements in a way that befits Senators. The Senate cannot work on 
behalf of Americans if Senators are unwilling to work in a courteous 
and bipartisan manner. Senator Warner understood that fact well.
  Senator Warner has served in the Senate for 30 years, winning five 
elections. Many Americans have never seen a Senate without John Warner, 
and many Virginians have always had John Warner as their Senator.
  When John leaves the Senate, the body will lose not only a 
distinguished legislator but also a consummate gentleman.


                              Chuck Hagel

  Mr. President, when the 111th Congress convenes next year, the Senate 
will be without Senator Chuck Hagel. Senator Hagel has decided to 
retire from the Senate after two terms. His career in public service, 
however, long predates his service in Congress.
  Like many public servants, Senator Hagel entered politics after first 
serving the Nation in the armed forces. He saw combat in Vietnam and 
served with valor, receiving two Purple Hearts among other decorations. 
He would later serve as a congressional staff member, and in 1981, 
President Reagan tapped him as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans 
Administration.
  When Senator Hagel came to the Senate, his actions often reflected 
his experience as a combat veteran. He did what he believed was best 
for the men and women in uniform, and he defended his positions 
forcefully.
  Senator Hagel has continued to protect and defend the country, 
notably through his work on the Foreign Relations and Intelligence 
Committees. He had strong opinions, and he was never shy about letting 
them be known.
  I wish Senator Hagel all the best in his pursuits after the Senate. I 
expect that he will devote much of his time to his wife Lilibet and 
their family, but I imagine he will save some time to follow his 
Nebraska Cornhuskers.


                             Pete Domenici

  Mr. President, the Senate will be a different place when Senator 
Domenici departs at the end of this session. I say that as a colleague 
and as a neighbor in the great Southwest.
  Senator Domenici has served in this body for six terms, longer than 
any Senator in the history of New Mexico. Judging from the energy that 
he has displayed during the past months, he could serve another; but he 
has decided to retire, and it is well deserved.
  During his time in the Senate, Senator Domenici has been involved in 
some of the most difficult issues to confront the body. Recently, he 
has spoken eloquently about the financial stabilization plan the Senate 
just passed; and earlier in the summer, he was one of the more vocal 
advocates of securing this nation's energy future. Of course, he has 
long supported reducing the country's dependence on foreign sources of 
energy, but this summer he addressed the issue with renewed vigor.
  Senator Domenici has been of great help to his neighbors in Arizona. 
Without his assistance, we would not have an Arizona Water Settlements 
Act, one of the landmark settlements in the history of the country. He 
has also been working hard on a water settlement for New Mexico. It 
won't be completed before he leaves the Senate, but Senator Domenici 
has been instrumental in getting the settlement as far as it has.
  Senator Domenici should also be proud that legislation he has worked 
on for some time now is poised for passage. Mental health parity has 
long been a priority for Senator Domenici, and it appears he will be 
able to add it to his long list of accomplishments in the Senate.
  When a Senator has served as long as Senator Domenici, it is 
difficult to imagine the Senate without him. My Senate colleagues and I 
will miss Pete and Nancy, and we will remember his legacy of leadership 
and years of distinguished service to the nation.


                              Larry Craig

  Mr. President, five colleagues on my side of the aisle are retiring 
from the Senate at the end of this session. They have served for many 
years, and I have come to know each of them very well.
  Senator Larry Craig and I served in the House together until 1990 
when Senator Craig moved to the Senate. I joined him four years later. 
We represent Western States, so we have had occasion to work together 
on issues that are important to the American West.
  In his position on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, he has 
defended property rights and stood for the prudent use of our natural 
resources. He has also been a strong advocate of Americans' second 
amendment rights. And, as a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee--
for a time the ranking member--he has worked to ensure that veterans 
receive the benefits they were promised.
  Senator Craig has held a number of positions among Senate 
Republicans. He served as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, 
and he participated in the musical effort of Senators Trent Lott, John 
Ashcroft, Jim Jeffords, and himself--the Singing Senators.
  After almost three decades in the U.S. Congress, Senator Craig is now 
leaving public service. Idaho has lost a great Senator who always 
looked out for the interests of the State and its citizens. He has a 
great record of accomplishment on which to reflect--numerous 
legislative victories and, of course, one CD.
  We will miss Senator Craig in the Senate, especially the spirited 
remarks he so often delivered on the Senate floor.
  I wish Larry and Suzanne all the best and hope they have many happy 
moments with their wonderful family.


                              Wayne Allard

  Mr. President, as this session draws to a close and as we look 
forward to the 111th Congress, I would be remiss if I didn't pay 
tribute to my colleagues who are retiring after years of service to 
their country.
  I have known Senator Wayne Allard since we served in the House 
together.
  Senator Allard served with distinction on the Armed Services 
Committee, and we have worked together to make sure that this country 
is prepared to meet national security challenges. Both of us believe 
strongly in President Reagan's famous axiom, ``peace through 
strength.''
  Recently, we worked together to secure funding to study the 
possibility of basing missile defenses in space. As a result, 
policymakers will finally begin to have the information necessary to 
debate the overall feasibility of a space-based missile defense layer. 
The space threat will only grow in the years ahead, and I am pleased 
that I was able to work with Senator Allard to make small, but 
measurable progress towards better defending the nation.
  Senator Allard is the model legislator. He's not a professional 
politician, but a veteranarian by trade. He understands that the money 
we spend in Washington is not the government's money, but the 
taxpayers'. And he proves it, returning over $4 million of his office's 
funds to the government's coffers. His votes are based on principle, 
not politics.
  I wish Senator Allard all the best. Colorado has lost a great 
legislator, but I am sure that his wife Joan, his children, and his 
five grandsons will be glad to have him at home more often.


                              JOHN WARNER

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I rise in tribute to the senior 
Senator from Virginia, the honorable John Warner. Senator Warner is 
without a doubt one of the finest Senators this chamber has ever had, 
and the Senate will be a lesser place without him.
  Senator Warner is truly a great American--a patriot who has devoted 
45 years of his life in service to his country. One of America's 
Greatest Generation, he served his country honorably during World War 
Two, enlisting before he was 18 years old. When war in Korea broke out, 
he again answered his country's call to arms. After earning his law 
degree, he served as the Under Secretary and later the Secretary of the 
Navy, again serving with great distinction and integrity.
  In 1979, Senator Warner came to the Senate to begin his 30 year 
Senate career. As in every one of his endeavors

[[Page S10437]]

before, he immediately made an impact, eventually serving with 
distinction as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. It is 
in this capacity that I have had the great privilege of working with 
him and getting to know him over the last 4 years.
  Senator Warner's leadership on the Armed Services Committee has been 
invaluable. There is no doubt that when he speaks, all are wise to 
listen. He provides unwavering, courageous leadership that all lean 
upon. There is never any doubt to his motives. His only motive is to 
look out for our men and women in uniform and ensure our Nation's 
defense. His first priority is his country.
  Senator Warner has never failed to lead courageously. At times, some 
of the positions he has taken have been politically unpopular, but his 
latest reelection--with over 82 percent of the vote--attests that his 
constituents know he is only dedicated to doing one thing--the right 
thing. In times of crisis, there is no doubt that Senator Warner 
becomes a rock that we all lean upon when we face the most challenging 
issues of our time. He was one of the leaders that worked on the 
Military Commissions Act and the incredibly difficult and contentious 
issue of detainees. Once again, just this year, he led again, this time 
by becoming one of the Gang of 20, trying to provide bipartisan 
solutions to American's energy issues. And, of course, it took his 
leadership to bring about passage of the Defense authorization bill 
this year, a bill that by tradition is passed each year, but which was 
looking extremely doubtful of passage for the first time in decades.
  I have only one regret regarding my service with Senator Warner, and 
that is I did not have the opportunity to serve with him longer. One of 
the finest statesmen of his time, I am proud to call him my friend. I 
aspire to his example and his name belongs in the pantheon of the 
Senate's greatest figures.
  Last, I would like to tell him thank you. Thank you for your great 
service to our great Republic. Thank you for the untold sacrifices you 
and your family have made along the way in your 45 years of public 
service. Thank you for your integrity, patriotism, leadership, and 
honor.
  As I noted before, the Senate will be a lesser place when he leaves, 
but I wish Senator Warner a fond farewell and Godspeed.


                              JOHN WARNER

  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, as the Senate completes its work for the 
year, we have also reached the end of the distinguished career of the 
senior Senator from Virginia, John William Warner, Jr.
  In their wisdom, our Founders created the Senate to be a body like no 
other on Earth to harness the special wisdom that experience can bring. 
I think they had people like John Warner in mind as the kind of person 
who would best serve the Nation in the Senate.
  Senator Warner has lived a life of faithful, skillful service to his 
country. He served in World War II, enlisting as a 17-year-old. He 
interrupted his law school studies to also serve in Korea. He served as 
an assistant U.S. attorney. And for 5 years he served in the 
Secretariat of the Navy, leading the department from 1972 to 1974. That 
seems like a full career in itself, but it was just a prologue to five 
terms in the Senate.
  Over three decades, John Warner has worked with great energy, skill, 
and wisdom to protect the national security of the United States. The 
Department of Defense is a massive organization with a budget that 
staggers the imagination. But Senator Warner has devoted himself to 
mastering the details of the DOD and been a relentless advocate for its 
modernization and continuous improvement in effectiveness. Throughout 
his career, he has demonstrated tremendous caring for the millions of 
men and women who have worn the country's uniform and been their best 
friend on Capitol Hill.
  Senator Warner has been a counselor and mentor to me in my first 6 
years here, and on behalf of the people I represent in Minnesota I 
thank him for his counsel to me on how to do this job right. He taught 
me that just as the human body has its bones and vital organs under the 
skin and out of sight, the most important work of the Senate takes 
place away from the TV lights and the press conferences.
  The day-to-day work of achieving compromise on hundreds and hundreds 
of issues that come before us is where the real difference can be made, 
and John Warner excelled at that work.
  Another Virginian, George Washington, said during the darkest days of 
the American Revolution that, ``spirit and perseverance have done 
wonders in all ages.'' Today I honor the spirit of patriotism that has 
always motivated John Warner and his perseverance through more than 
five decades that has made this a stronger and freer nation. May his 
sterling example of service inspire all of us to serve as nobly and as 
skillfully as he has done.


                             Pete Domenici

  Mr. President, one of the lessons of our history is that America is 
not great because our leaders were somehow superhuman, but because 
regular people enjoy extraordinary freedom and use it to pursue ideals 
beyond their individual concerns. Senator Pete Domenici is a wonderful 
example of this unique brand of American greatness, and as he completes 
his service to the Senate, I wanted to take a few minutes of the 
Senate's time to honor him and thank him.
  Pete Domenici was born to Italian immigrants during the Great 
Depression in Albuquerque, NM, which was a long cultural distance from 
Washington, DC. He worked in his family grocery businesses and played 
for a farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers, which is enough to endear him 
to me right there. He became a junior high math teacher and then earned 
a law degree.
  He served in local government for 6 years before his first election 
to the Senate in 1972. And he has served six full terms in the Senate, 
which is amazing in and of itself. But what is perhaps most amazing is 
he has remained the regular person he was brought up to be in 
Albuquerque and has always applied his commonsense values to the most 
complex national problems.
  Senator Domenici has been a stalwart in the difficult job of trying 
to curb Washington's seemingly endless appetite for more spending. 
Politics tends to be a business in which all the rewards flow to those 
who say ``yes.'' But for the sake of the taxpayers and children and 
grandchildren of ours who cannot yet speak, Pete Domenici has been 
willing to say ``no'' to more spending in order to say ``yes'' to their 
economic future.
  Senator Domenici has made a tremendous contribution to the 
advancement of science by focusing resources and efforts to understand 
the human brain. For decades from now, a wide spectrum of discoveries 
and therapies to improve human life will come out of his insistence on 
progress of the basic science of brain research. It has been a great 
privilege to work with him closely on his signature issue for the last 
several years: mental health parity. His tireless commitment to ending 
insurance discrimination, and willingness to share his own family's 
struggles, has broken down barriers to treatment and brought hope to 
millions of Americans living with mental illness.
  The legislative process has regrettably become more divisive and 
partisan over the last decade, but through it all Senator Domenici has 
been a role model of civility, diligence, and goodwill. The Senate was 
built to achieve consensus on the great issues of the day, and Pete 
Domenici was always focused on what we could get done, rather than on 
who got the credit.
  His ability and willingness to find consensus and produce legislation 
the American people need has been showcased by his 30 years of service 
on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. It is a testament 
to his abilities that as either chairman or ranking member, Pete 
Domenici has guided three energy bills into law in the last 3 years: 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act 
of 2006, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Pete 
found a way to cut through a tough, partisan climate in the Senate to 
address our dependence on foreign oil.
  Personally he has been a connecting point for me with the great 
compromisers and policy experts of the Senate's recent past. And he has 
always reminded me that we are not Senators who happen to be people; we 
are people who happened to be Senators for a

[[Page S10438]]

time, and we need to nurture the roots of faith, family, and friendship 
that give us life.
  Pete Domenici is a great American success story, and it has been an 
honor and privilege to serve with him in Washington. His influence on 
me will continue long after he has left this body.


                              Chuck Hagel

  Mr. President, one of the first experiences of a new Senator is to 
open their drawer in their desk here on the floor and learn a special 
lesson in Senate history. Traditionally, Senators do what we prevent 
sixth grade boys from doing: we write our names into our desks. When I 
first opened my drawer here, I saw decades of people who had occupied 
this particular desk, and it told me that for however long I am here, I 
am a temporary occupant. Many came before me and many will come after 
me. So at each 2-year interval, we say goodbye to many of our 
colleagues and await the new.
  I will be particularly sad to say farewell to the Senior Senator from 
Nebraska, Mr. Hagel. He came to this body with an extraordinary career 
in communications, finance, and international business. He was like a 
Senator of a bygone era, when Members of this body often were the 
national experts in their fields.
  He made a tremendous contribution to the world of the Senate because 
he had first-hand knowledge of the dynamism and transformational nature 
of the global economy all around us. He is the kind of decisionmaker 
that is shaping the new economy and it has been so valuable to have him 
among us.
  Chuck Hagel's whole life expresses his conviction that the world can 
and should be a better place, and it will not get that way by itself. 
He is fully engaged in life-long effort to make the world a better 
place, and he applies every waking hour to the quest. I know that 
``retirement'' is not the word for his departure from this place--in a 
way he is released from this responsibility to pursue his passion of 
public service in multiple other ways. He is the embodiment of the 
ideal of a life of self-sacrifice for the betterment of others.
  Senator Hagel brought his analytical, probing mind to the Foreign 
Relations Committee, where I served with him these last 6 years. His 
contributions to the committee's work were always thoughtful and 
challenging--and that was just his Halloween costumes.
  Chuck Hagel is one of the most energetic people I have ever met. When 
you look at the list of organizations he supports with this ideas and 
his leadership, it looks like the combined resume of five people. He 
works with veterans organizations, antipoverty organizations, 
international cooperation organizations and the list goes on and on. He 
has been honored by dozens of organizations for excellence in public 
service.
  For some reason, Nebraska has a habit of sending independent-minded 
members to this body, and they play a key role in our deliberation. 
Perhaps because Nebraska is kind of plains State, kind of a Midwestern 
State, kind of a Western State, and in that way unique, Nebraskans have 
contributed a great deal of independence to our deliberations, which is 
so valuable in the Senate's search for consensus.
  We in Minnesota are glad to be a part of Chuck Hagel's life. Since 
some of his education occurred at the Brown Institute in Minneapolis, 
we too claim a piece of him.
  We thank the people of Nebraska for sharing him with the Nation as a 
Member of the Senate. We will certainly miss his razor sharp analytical 
mind and his wonderfully engaging personality. I am personally grateful 
to him for the way he introduced me to the habits and ways of the 
Senate and for helping me understand how to do my best for the people 
of my State.
  In the history of this Nation, different kinds of men and women have 
given some of their talents and vision to this place for the benefit of 
the whole Nation. We thank Senator Hagel for his willingness to serve 
and for the way he made the most of every moment of his time here in 
the Senate.


                              Wayne Allard

  Mr. President, with the conclusion of our business for the year comes 
the moment when we must say farewell to Members who have chosen to 
leave the Senate, and I want to take this opportunity to honor my 
friend and colleague from Colorado, Senator Wayne Allard. He is leaving 
as a matter of principle, believing in the value of ``citizen 
legislators,'' which he is fulfilling by ending his service here after 
two terms. I greatly respect him for that choice.
  One of the wonderful things about the Senate is the distinctive 
experiences that bring people to this place. Senator Allard's 
professional training is as a veterinarian, a skill that is of great 
importance to a State with as much livestock agriculture as Colorado. 
He began a successful veterinary practice from nothing in Loveland, in 
the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains. That experience has given 
him unique insight into the needs and concerns of America's millions of 
small businesses, where the job growth and creative energy of our 
economy comes from.
  Wayne Allard brought many values with him to the Senate, but perhaps 
the most important is the need to use more care in the way we spend the 
people's money. He personally practiced that value by returning $42.2 
million of his office allotment to the U.S. Treasury. As a member of 
the committees which handle appropriations, the Federal budget and 
banking policy, he has been a constant advocate for lower spending, 
improved efficiency in government programs, and steady progress toward 
a balanced budget.
  Our former colleague, Howard Baker, once said that you could trace 
the decline of the legislative branch of Government to the installation 
of air-conditioning in the Capitol. What he meant by that was that 
previous generations of Senators were driven from Washington by the 
tropical summers, and that gave them an opportunity to reconnect with 
their roots so they could return refreshed and reoriented toward the 
people's wishes. Senator Allard needed no such climatic encouragement: 
he couldn't wait to get back to Colorado where he would spend countless 
hours listening to and learning from the folks who sent him here.
  I will truly miss his example and his friendship here in the Senate. 
The Senate is a distinctive and valuable institution generation after 
generation because the senior Members pass on their lessons to the 
junior Members. Senator Allard taught me a lot about how to be a good 
Senator by working hard, sticking to your principles, and listening 
more than talking.
  Former Senator Harry S. Truman said that if you want a friend in 
Washington, buy a dog. But Senator Allard has been my good friend, 
encouraging me when I was discouraged and keeping me humble when I was 
flying too high for my own good.
  I think the ideas of fiscal conservatism and frugality that he based 
his life and service on are returning to the forefront here in 
Washington as he departs. As we move toward a balanced budget, I think 
he can take pride in fighting for it for 12 years in Washington and 
pointing us in the right direction.
  Wayne Allard is a good man who chose to serve in the Senate for a 
specific amount of time and he has done that. I honor him today as a 
person of character and wisdom, and I thank him for making me a better 
Senator and for making the Senate a place that better reflects the 
values of regular people.


                              Larry Craig

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the State of Idaho occupies a very special 
place in my life's career. In the summer of 1943, during the height of 
World War II, I had the great fortune to find a job with the U.S. 
Forest Service. I was sent to Idaho, along with many other young men, 
to work in the forests. We performed a wide range of duties, from 
clearing trails to fighting forest fires.
  After brief service in the Navy in the final year of World War II, I 
attended college and at my first opportunity, in the summer of 1947, I 
returned to Idaho to once again work with the Forest Service, helping 
preserve one of nature's greatest gifts--the mighty trees of the West.
  Those two summers of hard work trained and prepared me to always 
respect those who labor with their hands.
  Throughout my career in the Senate, I have enjoyed working with 
senators from Idaho, and sharing common interests, such as forestry and 
preserving the great outdoors, with those who represent that State. 
Senator Larry Craig is one of those.

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  Through the years, I have found his perspective on controversial 
issues, such as forests, mining and agriculture especially the potato 
and sugar-beet issues to be very valuable and informative.
  Larry Craig and I also share an interest in the fine arts. My hobby 
is painting in oil; his is drawing with meticulous design. His 
creations are extraordinary in their detail. I hope, as he leaves the 
Senate, he will have opportunities to further utilize these exceptional 
talents to create pieces of art to be enjoyed by others.
  I wish him and his family well.

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