[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 10, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO SENATORS


                            Gordon H. Smith

  Mr. KOHL. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to my 
colleague, Senator Gordon H. Smith of Oregon. We have served together 
on the Special Committee on Aging for since he came to the Senate in 
1996. And for the past 4 years, I have had the distinct pleasure of 
leading the committee alongside him.
  Our committee has a proud history of bipartisanship. Both the chair 
and the ranking member have the power to hold hearings, lead 
investigations, and conduct oversight for the good of older Americans. 
In every effort, the majority and minority staff involve each other, 
offering insights and inviting witnesses. The work we have done as 
leaders of the committee very much reflects the partnership we forged. 
And I am pleased to have had the opportunity to share many successes 
with Senator Smith, the most recent of which--a 2-year extension of 
Supplemental Security Income, SSI, benefits for refugees and other 
humanitarian immigrants--was signed into law by President Bush this 
fall.
  As the end of our era comes to a close, I wish to applaud Senator 
Smith for his commendable leadership of the committee, and thank him 
for the comity he ensured as we worked together to support older 
workers, improve rural health care and Medicare accountability, and 
strengthen elder justice. I will be honored to push forth on these 
issues, which represent just a few of the many priorities we shared, 
though I will certainly regret the absence of my collaborator, Senator 
Smith.
  I wish Senator Smith nothing but success and happiness as he leaves 
this institution. I, along with millions of older Americans, owe him a 
debt of gratitude for the work he has done here.

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