[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10703-S10705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO SENATORS


                              Gordon Smith

  Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, at this moment, exactly 13 years ago, I 
was locked in the toughest political battle of my life against Gordon 
H. Smith. I went on to narrowly win that race and continue to hold that 
Senate seat today. But Gordon Smith dusted himself off only a few 
months later and took on yet another very tough battle, and that time 
he won the Senate seat that had been held for 30 years by our 
remarkable Senator Mark Hatfield.
  At that point, Oregonians did not know what to make of their Senate 
delegation. They had two Senators, myself and Senator Smith, who were 
replacing Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield. Those two individuals were 
the chairman of the Finance Committee and the chairman of the Senate 
Appropriations Committee. And, of course, the old story was that Bob 
Packwood got to raise all of the money because he was chairman of the 
Finance Committee, and Mark Hatfield got to spend it all because he was 
chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
  Of course, I was very much concerned about what was ahead because I 
thought it was very possibly going to be a long and uncomfortable 6 
years serving with the fellow with whom I had just duked it out over 
many months of a political campaign that, as the two of us like to say, 
was not exactly for the faint hearted.
  One of the great surprises of my career came, however, when I 
discovered that my new colleague, Gordon Smith, was as thoughtful and 
kind and decent outside the political arena as he was tough and 
competitive inside the political arena. It was that charm and that 
decency and his desire to meet me halfway on Oregon's interests that 
got me closer to Gordon over the years and led to an unusually strong 
working relationship and what became a strong and genuine friendship.
  Gordon lost a very tough reelection race a few weeks ago in a State 
that has changed rapidly from what was a very small Democratic voter 
edge, back when we ran against each other in 1996, to what has become a 
significant Democratic voter edge in 2008. Gordon and his skillful 
campaign team battled hard and tough as they always have. They did 
everything they could to withstand a formidable political tide and a 
very strong Democratic challenger, a challenger whom I support. So it 
is with mixed and conflicting emotions that I come today to pay tribute 
to my colleague and my friend of 12 years, Gordon H. Smith.
  Gordon and I have had plenty of political differences, enough 
differences, differences that we knew would be the case, that made us 
say from our very first meeting, when Gordon won that race to replace 
Mark Hatfield, that we would be supporting each other's opponents in 
years ahead.
  Political campaigns are important, and each of us was called upon to 
separate our friendship from our beliefs every 2 years. Yet I will say 
this afternoon that I have come to genuinely loathe much of what has 
become of the political process in our country. The relentless and 
omnipresent negative ads obscure and distort to the point that it can 
be difficult for the typical citizen to maintain anything resembling a 
healthy perspective on fundamentally good and decent individuals who 
seek public office.
  Thankfully, the negative ads are now off the air, and I want to make 
sure Oregonians once again remember the Gordon Smith I have known for 
12 years. Gordon has been a good and decent and selfless public 
servant.
  The fact is, Gordon Smith did not need to serve another term in the 
Senate. He and his wife Sharon have built a strong and prosperous 
business, and they could have done countless things with their time 
that would have been more glamorous and certainly produced less strain 
and wear and tear on their personal lives. But Gordon ran because of 
his belief in the role that he believed he could play in shaping our 
country's future. That, in my view, is the essence of being a good 
public servant. No one in this body or in the State of Oregon ought to 
lose sight of the extraordinary sacrifices that Gordon and his wife 
Sharon have made over the course of almost two decades of public 
service.
  Among Gordon's many personal triumphs in the Senate, I would like to 
highlight two that are especially important to our State, to our 
country, and to me personally. I wanted to remind my colleagues and the 
people of our country of the very difficult decisions made by Gordon 
and Sharon to share with the public and the Congress their heartrending 
struggle on behalf of their son, Garrett. They did this selflessly to 
further the cause of mental health treatment, and particularly the 
cause of mental health parity.
  If not for Gordon's courage in sharing their family's story, I 
believe Congress might not have acted on mental health parity this past 
fall, and thousands of parents might never know that they are not alone 
in their difficult struggle.
  There were other critical tasks that Gordon shouldered and one that I 
was especially appreciative for his leadership on, and that was being 
the voice for rural folks, for people whose way of life and quality of 
life is connected to natural resources that are bountiful in our State.
  Gordon spoke for the farmer, and he spoke for the rancher. He spoke 
for the logger, for the mill worker, and the miner. He spoke for the 
rural communities they live in, communities that struggle to retain a 
voice in increasingly urban America.
  It was written fairly frequently in Oregon's papers, and was in the 
New York Times at one point, that there was something in the State of 
Oregon that people came to say was the Senate's odd couple. In fact, I 
think the headline in the New York Times when they talked about us was 
wildly inflationary, and Gordon and I came to laugh about it. I think 
the headline was, ``Oregon's Odd Couple Makes It Work.'' It was 
essentially all about how there were two Senators from Oregon; one of 
them was a Mormon fellow. He was a Republican. He was from somewhere 
called Pendleton. Gordon and I were never convinced that folks in the 
New York Times knew exactly where Pendleton was, but that is how Gordon 
was described.
  Then they said, the other Senator was a Jewish guy, and he was from 
Portland and he was a legal aide lawyer for the senior citizens, and he 
was an activist with the Gray Panthers. What in the world would these 
two people ever have in common?
  Well, I want people to know that gentle spirit, that Mormon from 
wheat and pea country taught this Jewish fellow from the city an awful 
lot about the too often forgotten voices, particularly those in our 
rural communities.
  In his absence, I will do everything I can to remind colleagues, 
particularly Democratic colleagues on my side of the aisle, of the 
challenges faced in rural communities, of the people and the issues 
that Gordon H. Smith championed every single day in the Senate. I wish 
Gordon and Sharon well in whatever their future endeavors are. I have 
already made it clear they will always have my friendship and 
assistance in any project they pursue in the days ahead. But most 
importantly, I come to the floor and thank Gordon for his personal 
friendship to me and his service to our State. I ask my colleagues here 
and the people of our home State to voice their thanks today to two 
very special people, Sharon and Gordon H. Smith.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, I have listened to the eloquent 
comments of the Senator from Oregon, Mr. Wyden. I had planned to insert 
a statement in the Record complementing Senator Gordon Smith on his 
tenure, but I would like to add my voice of laudatory comments at the 
conclusion of the statement of Senator Wyden. I agree with him that 
Senator Gordon Smith has made an enormous contribution to the Senate in 
his two terms, and he will be sorely missed. He is a member of a small 
band of moderates on this side of the aisle. I suggest that Gordon 
Smith's brand of Republicanism is very much in need in this body. Very 
frequently, Members on the Democratic side of the aisle seek 
cosponsors. I have been told on a number of occasions that the 
``pickins are slim.'' Gordon's absence will make it more difficult.

[[Page S10704]]

  Gordon Smith has been outspoken on many of the very important causes 
which require bipartisanship. He was one of the few on this side of the 
aisle to sponsor legislation to fight hate crimes, for example. At the 
outset, support for Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research 
was limited. Gordon Smith was at the forefront of that effort, as I 
was. Gordon Smith made a very eloquent speech from his chair a few rows 
behind me on the Iraq war. He was moved one day to come over and spoke 
from the heart, something which happens relatively infrequently in this 
Chamber. Sometimes people in this Chamber speak from the head. Even 
that has its limited aspects, if we take a close look at the 
Congressional Record. But Gordon Smith was a big plus here.
  I would like to associate myself with the remarks of Senator Wyden. I 
know Gordon is a young, vigorous man. He has a bright future ahead of 
him. I think he will live to fight another day on the political wars. 
Some of us have had an election loss or two. It is a learning 
experience, not one I recommend, but there are ways to move forward. 
That can be a lesson which could stand anyone in good stead. I am sure 
Senator Gordon Smith has a great future ahead of him.


                              John Sununu

  Madam President, I also wish to pay tribute to my friend Senator John 
Sununu for his service to the country and his contributions to the U.S. 
Senate. Senator Sununu's departure from the Senate will be a great loss 
to this body, as well as to the state of New Hampshire.
  I have known Senator Sununu since he joined the Senate in 2002. I 
have always found him to be an intelligent, engaged, and capable 
legislator who cares deeply for the well-being of his constituents and 
doing what is right for the Nation, regardless of the political cost.
  Senator Sununu followed his father and mother into public service, 
when he ran for public office in 1996 and won the election in New 
Hampshire's First Congressional District. John served three terms in 
the U.S. House of Representatives where he quickly established a 
reputation as an innovative legislator. John effectively applied his 
extensive background in science, engineering, and small business during 
his six years in the House of Representatives where he rose to become 
vice-chairman of the Budget Committee and took a leading role in 
shaping our Nation's annual budget priorities.
  In 2002, John joined the Senate after defeating both an incumbent 
Senator and an incumbent Governor to become the youngest Member of the 
United States Senate. I have admired John's work on his committees: the 
Finance Committee, the Commerce Committee, and the Homeland Security 
and Government Affairs Committee. On these committees, Sununu played a 
major role on the lobbying reform legislation, and he got the Bush 
Administration to make some crucial changes in the Patriot Act before 
he voted to reauthorize it.
  Sununu has also gained a reputation as a well respected fiscal 
conservative.
  On a personal note, Senator Sununu has been a very good friend to me. 
When I underwent chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease and lost my hair, 
Senator Sununu showed up one day on the Senate floor with a shaved 
head. He said that he had shaved his head in a sign of solidarity for 
what I was going through.
  I wish John, his wife Kitty, and his three lovely children the best 
of luck as they move forward. I have no doubt that Senator Sununu has a 
bright future and will continue to make important contributions to New 
Hampshire and the entire Nation.


                             Elizabeth Dole

  Senator Elizabeth Dole is a colleague leaving the U.S. Senate not in 
defeat but in the wake of a career dedicated to public service and an 
unwavering commitment to her country. She has had an illustrious career 
as a two-time cabinet member, President of Red Cross, and U.S. Senator. 
Elizabeth is a model for all young women considering a career in 
government, for in times when the ceiling had but few cracks she bore 
through the naysayers and showed a woman belongs in the Nation's 
highest positions.
  After graduating from Harvard Law as one of just 29 woman in a class 
of 550, ``Liddy'' went to work in the White House Office of Consumer 
Affairs where she worked under both President Johnson and Nixon. 
Pledging her allegiance to her job and duty to the country, Senator 
Dole opted to switch parties in order to continue her stay in the White 
House. After a stint on the Federal Trade Commission, President Reagan 
appointed Elizabeth Secretary of Transportation in 1983. She served 
valiantly in that position for 4\1/2\ years, proving her skill at 
managing a Federal Department, and became the Secretary of Labor under 
President George H.W. Bush. With this position, Elizabeth became the 
first woman to hold two different cabinet positions under two different 
administrations.
  In 1991 Elizabeth accepted a different challenge becoming the 
President of the American Red Cross, dedicating her time to building an 
institution whose impassioned mission is to aid our Nation's citizens 
who are in need of emergency assistance. During her tenure with the Red 
Cross, Elizabeth took a brief hiatus to stand by her husband, Senator 
Bob Dole, as he represented our party as the nominee for President in 
1996. After a hard-fought race Elizabeth began looking into the idea of 
running for our Nation's highest office on her own right. This came to 
fruition in 1999 as she again led the way for women and became the 
first official female candidate for President. She exhibited toughness 
and political tact in a race that history had not been very welcoming 
to women.
  In 2001 Elizabeth's path to the U.S. Senate took her through her 
birth home of Salisbury, NC. Using her full career serving our Nation 
as a foundation, Elizabeth won her seat to the U.S. Senate and 
immediately made her presence known. Spending her time on the Armed 
Services, Banking, Small Business and Aging committees, Elizabeth 
worked for North Carolinians with the same passion and dedication she 
possessed throughout her career. Her achievements were many, but to 
name a few she successfully opposed potential closings of U.S. military 
bases, protected delicate wetlands and woodlands in northeastern North 
Carolina from ruination from an ill-advised Navy landing strip 
proposal, and also served as the chairwoman of the National Republican 
Senatorial Committee for the 2004 election cycle.
  I wish to thank Elizabeth for her service, friendship, and for being 
there for my dear friend Bob throughout the years. Senator Dole, your 
contributions to this chamber and our Nation will forever be 
remembered.
  I yield the floor.


                              Ted Stevens

  Madam President, the departure of the senior Senator from Alaska will 
surely deprive the Senate of an exemplary leader who has made a 
profound effect on this body. Being the longest serving Republican in 
Senate history, Senator Stevens has made countless contributions to 
this body. His achievements include serving as the chairman of the 
Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, former chairman of the full 
Appropriations Committee, and President Pro Tempore.
  Ted's temper is generally misunderstood except by those who know him 
best. He doesn't lose it, but he does use it--and effectively. However, 
it is true that on occasion he makes Vesuvius look mild. I recollect 
one all-night session during Senator Howard Baker's tenure as majority 
leader when Ted expressed himself in an unusually emphatic way. As I 
recall it, the debate arose over Senator Proxmire's comments about 
submitting vouchers for travel expense in Wisconsin on his contention 
that Washington, DC, was his home base. That prompted a reaction from 
Ted, who was aghast at the thought of Washington, DC, being any 
Senator's home when he had the majestic Alaska to claim as his home.
  Senator Stevens' service during WWII in the U.S. Army Air Corps has 
given him a special understanding of defense matters. He is a 
distinguished veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps, having flown support 
missions for the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force during World War 
II, for which he was awarded numerous medals, including the 
Distinguished Flying Cross. Upon his arrival in the U.S. Senate in 1968 
it became evident Ted would become a leader on military and defense 
issues. His hard work as the chairman of the

[[Page S10705]]

Defense Appropriations Subcommittee earned him high praise from 
President Bush for his management of $87 billion supplemental 
appropriations bill in 2003.
  Recently, Senator Stevens has found himself in the midst of the 
debate on energy policy and finding innovative approaches to our 
dependency on oil. He labored intensely over these matters which he 
believed so strongly to be best not only for the country in particular 
but especially for Alaska. Ted's work ethic and tenacity always made 
this Chamber a better place. His passion for serving his State and 
country will forever be remembered. Thank you, Ted, for everything you 
have done for the United States and Alaska.

                          ____________________