[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 9 (Thursday, January 15, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S411-S418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FAREWELL ADDRESS
Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I am once again, and, if confirmed, for
the last time, honored, privileged, and proud to address you as a
Senator from the great State of New York; to stand in this Chamber; to
be amongst my colleagues with whom I have won legislative victories,
suffered defeats, and made lasting friendships; to serve my fellow New
Yorkers; to speak amidst the echoes of historic and fiery debates which
have shaped the destiny and promoted the progress of this great Nation
for more than two centuries.
And I am gratified by the overwhelming support and vote of confidence
from my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and I look
forward to working with them and continuing the conversation we began
on Tuesday. And of course, I am so eager to continue working closely
with my friend, and the Vice President-elect, Joe Biden.
I have loved being part of the Senate, working alongside public
servants of both parties who bring to bear their expertise and
enthusiasm to the difficult, painstaking, and occasionally contentious
work of turning principle into policy and policy into law. And I assure
you I will be in frequent consultation and conversation with my
colleagues here in the Senate.
I also have been so fortunate to have what is, objectively, the best
Senate staff, both in Washington and in New York that has ever been
assembled, led and inspired by my Chief of Staff and friend, Tamera
Luzzatto.
In outlining the purpose of the world's greatest deliberative body,
the authors of the Federalist Papers wrote that in part the Senate's
role would be to avert the consequences of ``sudden and violent
passions'' and ``intemperate and pernicious resolutions.''
Well, I think each of us at times has wished that the Senate would be
ever so slightly less ``temperate.'' But it is to the lasting credit
and everlasting wisdom of our Founders that we come together,
representatives of every State, members of both parties and neither
party, in the hopes of finding common ground on which to build a
stronger, safer, smarter, fairer, and more prosperous country for our
children and our grandchildren.
As I look back on 8 years of service here, and as I have spoken with
many of you in recent days about the challenges that lie ahead, I find
myself reflecting on the work we have done as well as the work that
remains at this moment of tumult and transformation.
I asked the people of New York to take a chance on me. To grant me
their trust and their votes. In the years since, as our economy has
grown more interconnected and the world more interdependent, and as New
York has faced challenges amongst the greatest in our State and
Nation's history, I have worked hard to keep faith with my fellow New
Yorkers.
I remember when I first arrived in the Senate. There were a few
skeptics. Many wondered what kind of Senator I would be. I wondered
where the elevators were. But I believed my charge on behalf of the
people of New York and the Nation was to devote myself fully to the
task at hand. So I got to work.
No sooner had I taken office, 9 short months into my first term, the
Nation was attacked on 9/11. The toll was devastating and New York
would bear the heaviest burden. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost. The World
Trade Center lay in ruins. A toxic cloud of debris and poison rained
down over first responders, building and construction trades workers,
residents, students, and others.
We all remember as citizens and Senators the sense of common purpose
that arose as if to extinguish the hate and violence that took so many
innocent lives. In particular, I want to point out the many kindnesses
of my fellow members who offered their words, and deeds, in support of
the people of New York.
In one moving gesture, Senators sent staff members to help answer the
ringing phones in our office as New Yorkers struggled to track down
family members and turned to our offices for help. I am also grateful
to Senator Robert Byrd who said at my State's hour of need, ``Think of
me as the third Senator of New York.''
I remember visiting Ground Zero on September 12th with my colleague,
Senator Schumer, to personally survey the devastation and to thank the
first responders who were working night and day, in danger and
difficulty, on what would become known as ``the Pile.''
The air was acrid. Thick smoke made it hard to breath.
We knew then that there would be lasting health problems for first
responders, volunteers, workers, and others who rushed to provide
assistance following the attacks.
Two days later, Senator Schumer and I went to the Oval Office and
secured a commitment from President Bush for $20 billion in Federal aid
for New York's recovery. In the years that would follow, Senator
Schumer and I would fight successfully to ensure that money was
delivered as promised.
In this and every instance, I have been grateful to have had Senator
Charles Schumer as a partner and ally. New Yorkers could not ask for a
more effective and determined Senator to fight for them. And I feel
fortunate that if I miss seeing my friend Chuck, I can turn on the
television to catch his latest Sunday press conference.
Over the past 7 years, in a fight that continues, we have worked to
bring business back to downtown and to secure funding for programs to
provide health screening, monitoring, and treatment for all those
suffering health consequences as a result of the attacks.
We have at times clashed with the administration while holding firm
to our commitment to these efforts.
And I have developed close and lasting relationships with many of the
families of the victims of 9/11 who in their grief have come together
to fight for health monitoring and for smarter policies to prevent
future attacks.
Together, we advocated for the creation of the 9/11 Commission and
for the successful implementation of its findings, including funding
based on threat assessments and better resources for first responders.
These efforts would become a model for finding common ground where
possible, and standing your ground where necessary. For coordinating
between Federal, State and local governments. For forging new
partnerships between Government, academia, labor, and the private
sector, and between members of both parties. A model for decisions
based on sound evidence and solid facts, and for achieving results.
This is how we approached many of the economic challenges facing New
York. So many New Yorkers have lost jobs, or have seen their jobs
paying less and their benefits covering less than before.
I have met many who have lost health care or seen their premiums
double. Who are unable to afford a college education or find good work,
or pay rising mortgage bills. Who feel as though the hardworking middle
class in this country experience the risk but not the reward of a
global economy.
So I have worked hard to help make investments in New York's economy,
by coauthoring a law to expand renewal zone tax incentives for new jobs
across upstate New York; helping to raise the minimum wage; working to
extend unemployment insurance; securing $16.5 billion in transportation
[[Page S412]]
funding; and increasing funds for Amtrak and high speed rail.
We passed legislation to create training programs for green-collar
jobs that will help New York workers fill 21st century jobs that will
in turn help end our dependence on foreign oil and fight climate
change.
And we prevented the closure of military installations and
facilities, including the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, Rome Labs,
and the Defense Finances and Accounting Service in Rome, which keep our
Nation safe and employ thousands in New York.
Even when we have faced obstacles, we have never given up. We have
often promoted what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called ``bold,
persistent experimentation.''
We helped expand broadband access across rural areas in the North
Country.
We secured into law funding to retrofit trucks, school buses and
other heavy vehicles with new clean diesel technologies developed in
Corning and Jamestown.
In the Finger Lakes and North Country we partnered with eBay and
local universities and companies to create 21st century co-ops that
help small businesses get the micro-loans and training to reach global,
not just local, markets.
In Rochester, we developed the first-ever Greenprint: a blueprint for
how the city can harness its research institutions, innovative
businesses, proactive local leaders, and talented workforce to become
an even stronger clean energy leader.
We brought Artspace to Buffalo and secured funds for cultural centers
like Proctors Theater in Schenectady, Stanley theater in Syracuse, and
the Strand Theater in Plattsburgh, creating a model for urban
revitalization and economic development centered on cultural projects.
I have worked to promote heritage tourism in places like Seneca
Falls, home of the National Women's Hall of Fame and the site of the
landmark Women's Rights Convention of 1848.
New Jobs for New York brought together more than 2,600 entrepreneurs,
investors, and researchers across New York to obtain capital, share
ideas, and grow New York businesses.
Farm to Fork created new markets for New York's agricultural
producers in New York's restaurants, schools, and colleges. And our
annual Farm Day here in the Capitol showcased New York farmers and
vintners.
With investments in transportation to ease congestion and pollution
on Long Island, in Westchester, and in the Hudson Valley, renewable
energy and nanotechnology in the capital region's ``Tech Valley,''
biomedical research in Buffalo, Biotechnology in Syracuse, microcredit
in the Finger Lakes, we have demonstrated to companies large and small
that New York, with our talented workforce, world-class educational
institutions, and affordable, safe communities, is a wonderful place to
do business. In fact, as you know, I recently took a detour through
many of my colleagues' States where I had the opportunity to brag about
New York and the kinds of innovative strategies we are putting into
practice.
Some 8 years ago, I first spoke on the Senate floor. The topic was,
to no one's surprise, health care. And in the years since, I have
continued my commitment to achieving quality, affordable health care
for all Americans, no exceptions, no excuses. I was proud to be part of
the bipartisan coalition which passed the ``Pediatric Rule'' into law,
ensuring that drugs are tested and labeled for safety and effectiveness
in children.
We have expanded newborn screening. We were able to thwart the Bush
administration's attempt to undercut community health clinics and
broker a compromise to keep tens of millions of dollars in HIV/AIDS
funding in New York through the Ryan White CARE Act.
Because of our work, groundbreaking legislation now provides respite
care for family caregivers; safety measures to prevent tragic injuries
to children in and around cars; new resources for grandparents and
other kinship caregivers raising children; and more affordable college
for students, particularly nontraditional students who are studying
while working or raising a family.
I have also been proud to serve on the Senate Armed Services
Committee, the first New York Senator to do so, and to be the only
Member of the Senate asked to serve on the U.S. Joint Forces Command's
Transformation Advisory Group.
With my fellow members of the committee, we have expanded access to
TRICARE for all drilling members of the Guard and Reserve; improved
health tracking for servicemembers, especially important in treating
complex, invisible injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder and
traumatic brain injury; and we have passed the first ever expansion of
the Family and Medical Leave Act so loved ones can take 6 months of
leave to care for family members injured in service.
I have visited with members of the Armed Forces at military
facilities across the State, including 10 visits to Fort Drum, and I
have met with our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as
those recovering at Walter Reed and at the military hospital in
Landstuhl, Germany.
From the firefighters, police officers, and citizens who responded on
September 11, to the men and women of the 10th Mountain Division, known
as the most deployed division in the army, New Yorkers have answered
the call to serve. I have worked hard to honor the principle that we
should serve those who serve us.
I am proud of the progress we have made, often against tough
obstacles and even tougher odds, under the leadership of Senator Harry
Reid who has led with intelligence and grit.
But of course there remains a long way to go.
The House has passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as well as the
Paycheck Fairness Act on behalf of women and others seeking equal pay
for equal work. I hope we can pass these bills into law. We have moved
Health IT ever closer to the finish line, which holds so much potential
for reducing waste, errors, and costs while creating whole new data
sets for research and avenues for innovation.
I was dismayed when we were unable to expand the Children's Health
Insurance Program to millions of uninsured children under the current
President, though I am hopeful we will do so under the leadership of
President-elect Obama. Providing health care for every single child, as
we work toward coverage for every single American, is in our duty and
in our reach.
There are so many other works in progress that I hope will be pursued
by my fellow Senators. And I have spoken with many of you about taking
on the mantle and continuing the work of legislation I have proposed
over the past 8 years.
Finally, to my fellow New Yorkers, I want to express my profound
gratitude. Thank you. I love being your Senator. Serving you has been
the opportunity of a lifetime to continue the work of my life. To
advocate on behalf of every single child's chance to live up to his or
her God- given potential. To fight so that no one feels as though they
are facing life's challenges alone, as if they were invisible.
And we have had fun. 8 State fairs, 45 parades, 62 counties, and more
than 4,600 events across the State. But who is counting?
As I look back somewhat wistfully, and look forward hopefully, as I
seek now to serve the country in a new role sustained by the same
values that have motivated me for nearly four decades in public
service, I am grateful to my colleagues in the Senate, to the superb
Democratic staff, to my own staff here and across New York, to my
supporters, and to the people of New York for this opportunity and
responsibility that has meant the world to me.
I may not have always been a New Yorker. But know that I will always
be one. New York, its spirit and its people, will always be part of me
and part of the work I do.
I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the
Senate, albeit if confirmed, in a new capacity, through this
challenging time, at this defining moment, always with faith in my
fellow Americans and optimism for all that we can achieve by working
together.
Mr. President, I am so honored to be here at the same time with my
friend and colleague whom I admire so much and have such great
affection for, the Vice President-elect, Joe Biden.
I listened with enthusiasm and a lot of sentiment to the speech he
delivered
[[Page S413]]
a few minutes ago. And the way he evoked the Senate and the
relationships that are developed here and the work that is done on
behalf of our country was as good as I have ever heard it.
So I am deeply honored and privileged to be here with him and to
address this Chamber as a Senator from the great State of New York,
perhaps, if I am confirmed, for the very last time, and particularly
amongst colleagues whom I have come to respect and like so much, and
whose work I believe is always in the best interests of their States
and their country, even when we are not in agreement.
I am gratified by the support and vote of confidence I received
earlier this morning from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And I
am eager, should I be confirmed, to get to work with the President-
elect and with the Vice President-elect and with all of you. I have
loved being in the Senate working alongside public servants of both
parties who bring their expertise and enthusiasm to the difficult,
painstaking, and occasionally contentious work of turning principles
into policy and policy into law.
I also have been fortunate during these past 8 years to have been
served by what I objectively believe is the best Senate staff ever in
Washington and throughout New York. This incredible group of people has
been assembled, led, and inspired by my chief of staff and my friend,
Tamera Luzzatto. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record
at the conclusion of my remarks the names of all of those with whom I
have worked over the last 8 years, because I could not be standing here
speaking to you were it not for them.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
(See exhibit 1.)
Mrs. CLINTON. I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a
catalog of the work and achievements which they have brought about.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
(See Exhibit 2.)
Mrs. CLINTON. In the Federalist Papers, we often hear the reference
to the Senate's role, to avert the consequences of ``sudden and violent
passions'' and ``intemperate and pernicious resolutions.''
Well, to the everlasting credit and wisdom of our Founders, we do
come together in an effort to find common ground.
As I look back on my 8 years of service, I find myself reflecting on
this tiny piece of Senate and American history. Some 10 years ago, I
asked the people of New York to take a chance on me, to grant me their
trust and their votes. In the years since, as our economy has grown
more interconnected and the world more interdependent, I have worked to
keep faith with my fellow New Yorkers.
I well remember, when I first arrived in the Senate, there were a few
skeptics wondering what I would do and how I would do it. There were
stalwart supporters and people such as my friend, Senator Barbara
Mikulski, who kind of read me the rules of the road and set me on my
way.
No sooner had I figured out the way around the Senate, actually had
just moved into my office, which all of our new colleagues will
eventually be able to enjoy, and had gone off on my first August
recess. I never, when I was on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue,
understood why the Senate went on recess all the time. But after the
intensity of the workload and the extraordinary pressure of both the
work here in Washington and the constituency work in our States, I was
thrilled and relieved to see that August recess roll around.
Shortly after we returned in 2001, our Nation was attacked on 9/11.
The toll was devastating and New York bore the heaviest burden. Here I
was, a very new Senator, and my city and my State had been devastated.
Nearly 3,000 lives were lost, the World Trade Center in ruins, a toxic
cloud of debris and poison raining down over our first responders and
others.
I well remember the rallying of support and sense of common purpose
that all of my colleagues and the citizens of all of the States
represented here showed toward me personally and toward New York. Many
of you offered not only kind words but specific deeds. Senators sent
staff members to help answer the ringing phones in our office as New
Yorkers struggled to track down family members or to seek aid.
I will never forget Senator Robert Byrd telling me at my State's hour
of need, ``Think of me as the third Senator from New York.''
On September 12, my colleague Chuck Schumer and I went to New York.
As you recall, the roads were shut down, there was no way in or out of
Manhattan other than by rail. The skies were clear. So Chuck and I, in
a plane provided by FEMA, were the only ones in the sky that day other
than the fighters who were circling overhead.
We landed at La Guardia. We got into a helicopter to fly to the
heliport on the west side of Manhattan, on the west side of the Hudson
River. And then we proceeded, with the Governor, the mayor, and Federal
officials to go toward the horror.
When we were circling in the helicopter above the World Trade Center
site, we could see the smoke still coming up, because it was, of
course, burning. And we could see the very fragile piles of scrap and
steel teetering as firefighters, construction workers, tried to
continue their search and rescue effort. That site was as close as I
have ever seen to what Dante describes as hell.
It became known as ``the Pile.'' Chuck and I and our Government
colleagues walked along one of the streets, and could not even see
beyond the curtain of blackness, and occasionally breaking through
would come a firefighter, totally exhausted after having been on duty
for 24 hours, dragging an axe, knowing already that friends and even
family members had been lost.
The air was acrid. The thick smoke made it hard to breath. It burned
your throat and your lungs. I knew then there would be lasting health
problems for everyone who was exposed over any period of time to that
air that carried so much death and destruction.
Two days later, Senator Schumer and I went to the Oval Office and
secured a commitment from President Bush for $20 billion in national
aid for New York's recovery. In the years that would follow, he and I
have stood side by side to fight for the successful delivery of that
money as promised. In this and every instance, I am grateful to have
had Senator Schumer as my partner and my ally. No one fights harder or
is more determined, and even though I am leaving the Senate and we will
no longer serve together, I know that whenever I am missing Chuck, all
I have to do is turn on the television, especially on Sunday in New
York.
Over the past 7 years, thanks to so many of you, Senator Inouye,
Senator Cochran, and others on the Appropriations Committee--I see
Senator Harkin and Senator Murray--you have been there with us as we
have worked to recover.
I am very proud of the progress that has been made bringing New York
back and securing funding for the essential programs to provide health
screening and monitoring and treatment for all of those who still are
suffering.
I have developed close and lasting relationships with many of the
victims and the families of the victims of 9/11. I applaud and thank
them for their courage and their fortitude in not only fighting for the
health benefits that were so desperately needed but for the creation of
the 9/11 Commission, for trying to do better on threat assessments,
more resources for first responders, committed, despite their grief, to
smarter policies to prevent future attacks on our Nation.
I see what we did together, and then quickly followed by that the
anthrax attacks, and I remember with such incredible gratitude how we
all came together. We should not only come together with that level of
connection and commitment in time of disaster. This is an opportunity
for us to pull together, with the new administration, to make a real
difference, a lasting difference for our Nation. That is what I have
tried to do as a Senator from New York.
It has been a privilege working to improve the upstate economy,
working on behalf of the farmers of New York. I remember a short
conversation one day with Kent Conrad, Byron Dorgan, Tom Harkin, and
Max Baucus early after my arrival about how I wanted to help
agriculture in New York.
[[Page S414]]
They looked at me so quizzically and said, you have farmers in New
York? I said, yes, in fact we do, about 30, 40 thousand family farms.
Kent Conrad looked at me and he goes, you know, I do not believe that
at all. So I gave a speech one day with a picture of a cow and said
that this is a cow that lives on a farm, and the farm is in New
York. We had a lot of fun kidding each other but working hard together.
I am grateful for the incredible efforts we made to support the
people who do the hard work in New York and America, who get up every
day and do the very best they can.
In the Finger Lakes region in the North Country, we helped to expand
broadband access and partnered with eBay to create a way for people to
have a global marketplace, when before the market was limited to a very
small region of our State.
We looked for ways to retrofit trucks and schoolbuses and other heavy
vehicles with new clean diesel technologies developed by two great
companies in New York, in Corning and Jamestown, to clean up our
environment.
We created the first ever greenprint for Rochester--a blueprint,
really, for how the city can harness its extraordinary research
institutions and their business leadership and others to come up with a
way to be a clean energy leader.
We worked across the State to target investments from Bioinformatics
in Buffalo to cultural icons such as the Stanley Theater in Utica. I
took special pleasure in working with tourism because New York is such
a great place of historic culture that I believed it needed to be given
more support. For me, going to Seneca Falls, the home of the National
Women's Hall of Fame and site of the landmark Women's Rights
Convention, the first in the world in 1848, was a labor of love.
There is a lot to look back on with great nostalgia and a lot of
excitement, but I want to look forward now because we are at a turning
point. I know that very well, as all of you do. Our challenge will be
to come together, putting aside partisan differences and even, insofar
as we can, geographic differences to meet the challenges of our time. I
know our two leaders are struggling to do that as we speak. But I think
this could be one of the golden eras of the history of the Senate. This
could be a time when people will look back and say: You know, you never
can count America out. Whenever the chips are down, we always rise to
the occasion. We figure out a way forward and then we make life better
for our people. We extend peace and prosperity and progress throughout
the world. I am very excited about what can happen in the next 4 years.
There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I know the people in this
Chamber are more than up to it.
Finally, to my fellow New Yorkers, I wish to express my profound
gratitude. I loved being your Senator. Serving you has been the
opportunity of a lifetime. It gave me the chance to continue the work
of my life, to advocate on behalf of every single child's chance to
live up to his or her God-given potential, to fight hard for those who
too often do feel invisible, to remedy wrongs, as I hope we will do
either today or in the next few days to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair
Pay Act as well as the Paycheck Fairness Act, to do what we know will
give our fellow Americans a better shot at the kind of future that is
within their grasp.
I have had a lot of fun: 8 State fairs, 45 parades, 62 counties, more
than 4,600 events across the State. I look back wistfully, and I look
forward hopefully. I now, if confirmed, will have the high honor of
serving our country in a new role, but I will be sustained and directed
by the same values that have motivated me for nearly four decades in
public service.
So to my colleagues in the Senate, thank you. You have been wonderful
teachers and mentors and very good friends. And to the superb
Democratic staff and their Republican counterparts who keep this
Chamber going day-in and day-out no matter how late we are here and how
long the workload turns out to be and to my own staff here and across
New York, to my supporters, and, most of all, to the people of the
great Empire State, I may not have always been a New Yorker, but I know
I always will be one. New York, its spirit, and its people will always
be part of me and of the work I do.
I look forward to continuing my association with this body. We have
much to do over in Foggy Bottom. We need your help to kind of clear up
the fog, to give us a chance to operate on all cylinders with the
direction and the resources and the improved management techniques I
hope to bring to the job.
This is a challenging and defining moment, but I will always keep
faith in this body and in my fellow Americans. I remain an optimist,
that America's best days are still ahead of us.
(Applause, Members rising.)
Exhibit 1
List of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's Staff, Past and Present
Huma Abedin, Barbara Adair, Joshua Albert, Amanda Alcott,
David Alexander, Lily Alpert, Karl Alvarez, Erin Ashwell,
Kris Balderston, Brendan Ballard, Mary Catherine Beach,
Kathleen Beale, Eric Bederman, Yael Belkind, Suzanne Bennett
Johnson, John Biba, Nina Blackwell, Swathi Bojedla, Amy
Bonitatibus Crowley, Victoria Brescoll.
M. Tracey Brooks, Catherine Brown, Colleen Burns, Daniel
Burton, W. Case Button, Wendy Button, Gloria Cadavid, Emily
Cain, Cathleen Calhoun, Jonathan Cardinal, Brian Carter,
Joseph Caruso, Robin Chappelle, Dana Chasin, Bradford Cheney,
Pamela Cicetti, James Clancy, Sarah Clark, Jennell Cofer
Lynch, Elizabeth Condon.
Sean Conway, Sam Cooper, Theresia Cooper, Julie Dade
Howard, Heather Davis, Jenny Davis, Samuel Davis, Trevor
Dean, James Delapp, Amitabh Desai, Allison DiRienzo, Paula
Domenici, Karen Dunn, Eleanore Edson, Cleon Edwards, Diane
Elmore, Sarah England, Leecia Eve, Christine Falvo, Rebecca
Fertig.
David Garten, Ann Gavaghan, Sarah Gegenheimer, Gigi
Georges, Kate Geyer, Dayna Gibbons, Robyn Golden, Rebecca
Goldenberg, Stacey Gordon, Jennifer Hanley, Monica Hanley,
Beth Harkavy, Jennifer Harper, Jennifer Heater, David
Helfenbein, Luis Hernandez, Eric Hersey, Christina Ho,
Melissa Ho, Joe Householder.
Kara Hughes, Jehmal Hudson, Lucy Walker Irving, Lindsey
Katherine Jack, Kelly James, Tiffany JeanBaptiste, Irene
Jefferson, Lauren Jiloty, Keren Johnson, LaToya Johnson,
Michael Kanick, Jody Kaplan, Wendy Katz, Peter Kauffmann, Jim
Keane, Elizabeth Kelley, Michelle Kessler, Yekyu Kim, Heather
King, Joshua Kirshner.
Danielle Kline, Kathleen Klink, Benjamin Kobren, Justin
Krebs, Jennifer Kritz, Michelle Krohn-Friedson, Laura
Krolczyk, Grant Kevin Lane, Elizabeth Lee, Joyce Lenard,
Alexandra Lewin, Andrew Lewis, Rachel Alice Lewis, Susan
Lisagor, Eric Lovecchio, Jonathan Lovett, Frank Luk,
Tamera Luzzatto, Ken Mackintosh, Sharyn Magarian.
Mickie Mailey, Jamie Mannina, Jaime Martinez, Ramon
Martinez, Shalini Matani, Chelsea Maughan, Corinne McGown,
Lorraine McHugh-Wytkind, Michelle Dianne McIntyre, Luz
Mendez, Sheila Menz, Susan Merrell, Noah Messing, Lauren
Montes, Gillian Mueller, Timothy Mulvey, David Mustra,
Matthew Nelson, Ray Ocasio, Ellen Ochs.
Ann O'Leary, Alexis O'Brien, Kevin O'Neal, Sean O'Shea,
Mildred Otero, Erica Pagel, Andrea Palm, Costas Panagopolous,
Paul Paolozzi, Kathryn Parker, Mira Patel, Charles Perham,
Karen Persichilli Keogh, Joshua Picker, Kyla Pollack, Tyson
Pratcher, Alice Pushkar, Murali Raju, Jeffrey Ratner, Kathy
Read.
Philippe Reines, Robyn Rimmer, Brenda Ritson, Joleen
Rivera, Melissa Rochester, Miguel Rodriguez, Rose Rodriguez,
William Rom, Tracey Ross, Laurie Rubiner, Courtenay Ruddy,
Mark Saavedra, Susie Saavedra, Joshua Schank, Daniel
Schwerin, Kelly Severance Nelson, Ruby Shamir, Andrew
Shapiro, Geraldine Shapiro, Jessica Shapiro.
Jyoti Sharma, Debra Simpson, Basil Smikle, Jake Smiles,
Sarah Smith, Benjamin Souede, Phillip Spector, Joanna
Spilker, Aprill Springfield, Dileep Srihari, Anjuli
Srivastava, Warren Stern, Deborah Swacker, Elise Sweeney,
Sean Sweeney, Michael Szymanski, Neera Tanden, Lee Telega,
Gabrielle Tenzer, Megan Thompson.
Carrie Torres, Tam Tran-Viet, Leo Trasande, Lacey Tucker,
Dan Utech, Lona Valmoro, James Vigil, Lorraine Voles, Kristen
Walsh, Greg Walton, Enid Weishaus, Nicole Wilett, Joshua
Williams, Jeanne Wilson, Erica Woodard, Yajaira Yepez,
Maryana Zubok.
____
Exhibit 2
Senator Clinton: Champion for New York
For eight years in the United States Senate, Hillary Rodham
Clinton has been a champion for the people of New York,
achieving results often in the face of tough challenges and
tougher odds. That has been the hallmark of her tenure:
Senator Clinton has fought to solve problems, working with
Democrats and Republicans, forging new state and local
partnerships, proposing creative and common-sense legislative
solutions, and drawing national attention to challenges and
opportunities in New York State.
Senator Clinton has fought for New York when New York has
needed a fighter most. These past eight years, New Yorkers
have
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faced challenges among the toughest in our state's history
and tragedy among the most devastating in our nation's
history.
From the time of her election in 2000, and following her
landslide reelection in 2006, Senator Clinton continued the
work she's pursued for more than 35 years in public service
as an advocate for children and families, a champion for
women's rights and human rights, a leader on health care, and
a voice on behalf of all those who have felt invisible.
Standing up for New York after 9/11
Creating Economic Opportunity
Meeting Our Responsibility to Service-members and Veterans
Driving Change in Health Care
Standing Up for Women's Health
Advocating for Children and Families
Leading the Way to a New Energy Future
Addressing Infrastructure Challenges
standing up for new york after 9/11
In the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001,
Senator Clinton worked tirelessly on behalf of the victims
and their families and New Yorkers who needed a strong voice
in Washington.
Just three days after the attacks, Senator Clinton and
Senator Charles Schumer went to the Oval Office and secured a
commitment from President Bush for $20 billion in federal aid
for New York's recovery. In the years that followed, they
fought successfully to make sure that all of the funding
promised to New York was delivered.
Senator Clinton's first visit to Ground Zero was on
September 12, 2001, and she quickly recognized that there
would be lasting health problems for first responders and
others who rushed to provide assistance after the World Trade
Center attacks as well as for workers, residents, students
and others exposed to the toxic cloud of debris and chemicals
around Ground Zero. She fought for the establishment of, and
secured $335 million in funding for, programs to provide
health screening, monitoring and treatment for first
responders, building and construction trades workers,
volunteers, residents, office workers, and students suffering
health effects and stood up again and again to stop the Bush
Administration's efforts to slash funding for this critical
care.
The attacks of September 11 also underscored serious gaps
in our homeland security, and Senator Clinton worked with the
families who were tragically affected by 9/11 to demand the
creation of the 9/11 Commission and then to implement its
findings, including making sure our first responders have the
resources and support they need to meet our crucial homeland
security demands and pressing for threat-based homeland
security funding.
creating economic opportunity
Senator Clinton worked across the aisle to address the
economic downturn facing New York and harness the state's
talent and resources. To help struggling New York workers,
she successfully extended unemployment insurance. She was a
driving force behind raising the minimum wage and helped
secure in law the first increase in a decade.
Senator Clinton co-authored a law that expanded Renewal
Zones with incentives for job creation across Upstate New
York. And when efforts to push additional legislative change
hit roadblocks in the Republican-controlled Congress, Senator
Clinton rolled up her sleeves and developed creative
strategies to stimulate economic development, expand markets
for New York businesses and producers and create jobs.
In the Finger Lakes and the North Country, she partnered
with eBay, local universities and local companies to organize
public-private trading cooperatives which provide small
businesses with technological support, microloans, and
training programs to sell goods online and improve their
sales.
Senator Clinton saw that New York City's restaurants were
buying produce out of state at the same time that upstate
farmers and producers were struggling, so she launched Farm-
to-Fork, an initiative that has helped New York farmers and
producers sell their products to New York's restaurants,
schools, colleges and universities.
She brought Artspace to Buffalo, creating a thriving model
for urban revitalization and economic development centered on
cultural projects, and secured funds to renovate downtown
cultural centers like Proctors Theater in Schenectady, the
Stanley Theater in Utica and the Strand Theater in
Plattsburgh.
She helped secure the funds needed to expand broadband
access to rural and underserved areas in the North Country
and championed an agenda that would create new investments in
broadband infrastructure throughout the State.
Senator Clinton also saw the need to better showcase
Upstate innovation to potential investors. She helped launch
New Jobs for New York, a non-profit organization that brought
together more than 2,600 entrepreneurs, investors and
researchers across New York and shined a spotlight on over
200 companies across New York, helping them to obtain the
investment capital, strategic partnerships and joint ventures
they need to grow their businesses and create jobs.
She has also intervened to prevent jobs from leaving New
York and was instrumental in several large employers
maintaining their presence and their workforce in the state.
Senator Clinton advocated for New York businesses and
research institutions, securing more than $837 million in
funding for cutting edge defense projects throughout the
state and millions more for alternative energy,
nanotechnology and other innovation. She championed creating
a business environment that encourages investments in
research and development and has been instrumental in the
renewal of the R&D tax credit that supports thousands of high
skill jobs in New York.
meeting our responsibility to servicemembers and veterans
As New York's first Senator to serve on the Senate Armed
Services Committee and as the only member of the Senate to
serve on the U.S. Joint Forces Command's Transformation
Advisory Group, Senator Clinton served as a leading advocate
for our men and women in uniform, military families, and
veterans.
When the Bush Administration targeted several New York
military bases for closure, Senator Clinton fought back,
working with base communities to prevent all of the proposed
closures. Together, they ensured that Niagara Falls Air
Reserve Station, Rome Laboratories and the Defense Finance
and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Rome remained open and that
the C-130 mission remained at Stratton Air National Guard
Base. Her efforts actually turned a potential loss of
thousands of jobs into a gain of hundreds of new jobs and
helped to preserve and strengthen New York's vital role in
our national security.
Senator Clinton was one of the first to recognize and
address troubling gaps in health care and health monitoring
for our servicemembers. Continuing work she began as First
Lady, she secured in law health tracking for all
servicemembers after it was revealed that there was no
baseline health history to evaluate them, ensuring that all
active duty personnel and reservists receive regular health
screenings.
Senator Clinton worked across the aisle to secure in law
access to TRICARE military health care benefits for all
drilling members of the guard and reserve.
Senator Clinton also secured in law the first ever
expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act to enable
military family members to take up to six months of leave to
care for their injured loved ones, often suffering from
serious injuries affecting their bodies and minds that
require care from family who work full time.
Senator Clinton fought to make sure our government lives up
to its responsibility to our veterans after they leave
service. She successfully changed the law to streamline the
VA disability benefits claim system to cut red tape and help
wounded servicemembers receive the benefits they have earned.
She also secured in law assistance for family members caring
for loved ones suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI),
the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
established a Department of Defense Task Force to assess the
mental health challenges facing wounded warriors, including
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She also fought and
succeeded in stopping the VA's plan to close the Canandaigua
VA hospital.
driving change in health care
Senator Clinton distinguished herself in the Senate as a
leading advocate for fixing our broken health care system and
ensuring that all Americans have access to quality,
affordable health care.
She worked with members on both sides of the aisle and with
health providers across New York to press for needed change
to improve quality, reduce costs and expand access.
Senator Clinton saw that all too often family caregivers
are the ones who struggle, largely unnoticed and unaided by
our health care system, to provide care to chronically ill
loved ones with Alzheimer's and other debilitating
conditions. She became their champion, authoring and
successfully passing a groundbreaking law to expand access to
desperately needed respite care.
She pushed to bring the delivery of health care into the
21st century, pressing for Congress to enact national
standards for incorporating information technology into the
practice of medicine to reduce medical errors, improve
quality and reduce costs.
She was a driving force in efforts to expand the Children's
Health Insurance Program, an initiative she helped launch as
First Lady and which has provided access to health care for
thousands of children who otherwise would be uninsured,
including nearly 400,000 children in New York.
She used her unique public platform to spotlight the upside
down incentives in our health care system, calling for an
emphasis on wellness and prevention of chronic diseases that
are driving up health care costs. And she was vigilant
against Bush Administration efforts to roll back health care
for New York's most vulnerable, stopping a short-sighted
attempt to cut community health clinics that are the primary
source of health care for many low-income New Yorkers and
brokering a compromise that prevented the loss of tens of
millions of dollars in Ryan White CARE Act HIV/AIDS funding
for New York.
STANDING UP FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH
Senator Clinton served as a steadfast defender of women's
health and a leading voice against the Bush Administration's
efforts to put ideology before science. She successfully
pressed the Bush Administration for a decision on Plan B
emergency contraception, after more than three years of
delay. She spoke out against administration efforts to
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restrict access to contraception and family planning and
raised the alarm against the administration's last minute
plan to undermine women's health by putting in place new
rules to allow any employee of a health provider to refuse to
participate in any way in health care they find
objectionable.
ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Senator Clinton has also continued her life-long advocacy
on behalf of children and families.
She saw significant barriers facing grandparents and other
family members raising children who would otherwise end up in
foster care. So she fought for and secured in law landmark
legislation to keep families together and remove obstacles
facing grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other family members
trying to enroll children in school, sign them up for health
care or access other needed services, information and
referrals.
Following the tragic death of Cameron Gulbransen of Long
Island, Senator Clinton joined with families and safety
advocates to pass into law legislation requiring that all new
vehicles produced in the United States include safety
features to protect children against preventable injuries and
death from non-traffic accidents in and around cars. Senator
Clinton partnered with former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim
Kelley to secure in law expanded access to newborn screening
and increase groundbreaking research at the National
Institutes of Health.
And as chair of the Senate Superfund and Environmental
Health subcommittee, Senator Clinton held hearings and fought
to address environmental health hazards, like child lead
poisoning and asthma, that disproportionately affect low-
income and minority communities.
When the Bush Administration stopped enforcing the
``Pediatric Rule,'' a Clinton Administration regulation
requiring that drugs prescribed to children be tested and
labeled for safety and effectiveness specifically in
children, Senator Clinton forged a bipartisan coalition to
restore the rule and secure it in law. And when President
Bush nominated an opponent of basic safety regulations for
children's products to head the Consumer Products Safety
Commission, Senator Clinton led an alliance of consumer
groups and safety advocates to successfully block the
nomination.
EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Senator Clinton pushed successfully for more funding for
Head Start programs that benefit nearly 50,000 low-income New
York families and pushed for the expansion of Early Head
Start, bringing national attention to the importance of a
comprehensive zero to five early childhood system. She also
secured in law legislation to place additional teachers and
principals in the schools where they are most needed.
Senator Clinton fought for and succeeded in expanding
access to affordable college loans and Pell Grants, including
year-round Pell for non-traditional students, so that more
students who want to attend college will have that
opportunity, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Senator Clinton also championed public service, securing the
funding needed to maintain AmeriCorps and enable more
Americans to serve our communities in exchange for assistance
with college costs.
LEADING THE WAY TO A NEW ENERGY FUTURE
From her first days in office, Senator Clinton made it a
priority to protect New York's natural resources and develop
New York's potential as a leader in alternative energy. She
secured in law environmental protection for Long Island Sound
and the Great Lakes.
Senator Clinton also helped pass a new law to clean up
polluted land known as brownfields, and worked to bring
together developers, environmentalists, and local leaders
from across New York to redevelop blighted properties.
Senator Clinton was an early advocate for harnessing
alternative energy as an engine of economic growth, working
with public and private partners across New York to pioneer
new green strategies. She secured in law major federal
funding for New York to retrofit trucks, school buses and
other heavy vehicles with new clean diesel technologies
developed in Corning and cleaner engines manufactured in
Jamestown. In Rochester, Senator Clinton worked with local
leaders to develop the first in the nation urban ``green
print,'' a plan for environmentally sustainable growth and
alternative energy development. She also secured passage of
laws to create ``green jobs'' training programs, and to push
the federal government to install green building
technologies.
ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES
As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee,
Senator Clinton in 2005 helped craft major transportation
legislation reauthorized every five years that sets the
nation's investment in our highways and mass transit. In her
role as a key negotiator, Senator Clinton secured over $16.5
billion in transportation funding for New York, a substantial
increase of approximately $3 billion over the previous bill.
She also succeeded in including in the law new pollution
controls for construction equipment and creation of a
commission to chart the nation's transportation future.
In the wake of the tragic Minnesota bridge collapse in
2007, which dramatically underscored the urgency of our
infrastructure needs, Senator Clinton helped secure in law
legislation to address the deteriorating condition of our
nation's roads, bridges, drinking water systems, dams and
other public works. She also successfully pressed for
increased funding for Amtrak and high speed rail and to
reduce flight delays and ease congestion in New York's
crowded airspace.
For nearly four decades, Hillary Rodham Clinton has
dedicated herself to public service, as an attorney twice
voted one of the most influential in America, a First Lady of
Arkansas who helped transform the state's health care and
education systems, a First Lady of the United States who
fought for families at home and women's rights around the
world, a renowned expert and advocate for quality affordable
health care for all Americans, and as a twice-elected United
States Senator who was a tireless champion for the people of
New York and a voice for the voiceless everywhere. This
document is a snapshot of Senator Clinton's efforts and
accomplishments for New York in the Senate, but she has also
worked across the Empire State to help communities tackle
local challenges and capitalize on their unique
opportunities.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from New York.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I thank the Chair for the opportunity to
speak today about the wonderful record of our esteemed colleague,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
For 8 years, Senator Clinton and I have served jointly as New York
Senators, and I have seen, better than anyone, her unwavering
commitment to her constituents and her country. Through all this time,
Hillary has demonstrated the equanimity, the prudence, and the
fortitude that have made her an exceptional leader and a great public
servant.
Hillary's career has been defined by her unflagging desire to improve
the lives of the least fortunate among us. Even before finishing
school, she was working to protect children at the Children's Defense
Fund and the Carnegie Defense Fund on Children. Turning down a
promising career in Washington, Hillary moved to Arkansas and directed
the legal aid clinic at the University of Arkansas Law School.
During her tenure as First Lady, Hillary made it her priority to
fight for justice around the world, advocating for women's rights and
democracy worldwide. She made huge gains in protecting women and
families. She helped create the Office of Violence Against Women at the
Justice Department and was instrumental in the passage of the Foster
Care Independence Act and the Adoption and Safe Families Act.
After serving her country 8 years as First Lady, when most people
would retire, Hillary stepped up and has served as a vital and powerful
advocate on behalf of the people of New York. Going from the White
House to White Plains, Hillary has continued to show as much acumen in
her dealings with national and global leaders as she shows empathy and
interest in the needs of private individuals around New York.
We are the only Federal position where two people serve the exact
same job, so you get to know your colleague almost better than anyone
else. I have seen firsthand Hillary's dedication and tenacity. Let me
tell you all, tell the people of New York, Hillary looks great from far
away, but the closer you get, the better she looks.
I just want to say this, Hillary: It is a day, as you said so well,
of looking back wistfully but to the future with anticipation. That is
how I feel. I look back wistfully at the many experiences we shared,
working together, getting to know one another, and learning to work and
respect and love one another. It has been an amazing part of my
experience. I am so thankful for the 8 years we worked together for the
people of New York and America. I know our friendship, as we have said
to one another, will continue no matter what corner of the globe you
are in. And maybe I will try to get some international presence on
those Sunday press conferences so you can see them over there. They are
mainly aimed at local New York stuff.
Let me just say, as Hillary said, we traveled the State together. We
taught each other about agriculture and worked side by side on those
horrible days after 9/11. We have worked for the benefit of aging
nuclear weapons and helping the onion farmers in the Hudson Valley.
What a great experience it has been.
Of course, as my colleagues know, for all the time she focused and
spent on the people of New York--and it was an enormous and successful
effort--she also at the same time has been one of our most active and
engaged colleagues
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in the Senate, working on issues of national policy and international
importance, from national security to early childhood education. In all
of her many roles as a public servant, Hillary has always shown the
insight to see the heart of a problem. She has had the courage to
tackle it and the talent to solve it. That is the trademark of Hillary
Clinton--insight, courage, talent, all applied for the betterment of
the people of New York, the people of America, and now the people of
the world. No matter how abstract the problem, no matter how esoteric
the question, Hillary has never once forgotten the people whose lives
and happiness depend on her work.
So Hillary, yes, it is a bittersweet day, but I am so joyful about
the excitement--it is palpable--that you exude going on to this new
challenge. I am also--and I know every one of the people of New York is
as well--grateful for the wonderful job you have done serving them and
us. It has been a great ride. I am so grateful, again, for the
opportunity to work alongside of you.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Maryland.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I join with the Senator from New York,
Mr. Schumer, in giving a tribute to our dear friend, Senator Hillary
Rodham Clinton. How special it is today that, as she gave her farewell
speech, we are literally within minutes on the brink of a vote to
proceed to the Lilly Ledbetter bill. Senator Clinton has been a
champion for women, a champion for the opportunity of women, and was
the lead on introducing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. How terrific
it is that as she gives her last speech on the Senate floor, we will be
voting on something for which she has been a champion.
She has been a champion for women both here and around the country,
for their economic security, their health security, and also for women
around the world, both in her work as First Lady and here in the
Senate, whether it was to make sure to work with our current
administration to have access to education for Afghan girls, but also
as First Lady with the women of the world to make sure, through her
project, Vital Voices, women had those voices.
She has been a champion all of her career. Whether it was at the
Legal Defense Fund, as First Lady, or now as a Senator of the United
States, she has always made sure she has stood up for those who had no
voice, and she has used her voice to speak for them. That is what we
know she will continue to do.
But I think what we also admire about Senator Clinton is, she is not
only at home with world leaders with whom she will certainly work in
her new job but with community leaders as well.
She spoke eloquently about her challenge and Senator Schumer's
challenge on that despicable and horrible day of 9/11. But I also want
to talk just very quickly about September 10 because while we know
Senator Clinton is a woman of great integrity, keen intellect, and is a
can-do person, many do not realize the wonderful bipartisanship in
which she has tried to engage in this body. So let me tell you as one
of the women of the Senate where we were on September 10.
The night before that terrible day, we were at Senator Clinton's
house, affectionately calling her Hillary. All of the women, on a
bipartisan basis, were there because, guess what we were doing, Mr.
President. We were throwing Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison a shower.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison had just adopted a child. We were so
enthusiastic, and we, the women of the Senate, do what women do all
over America, we threw Senator Kay a shower, and we gathered at
Hillary's house. We had great food, a couple of drinks that made us
feel even better. We told stories. We teased Kay. I volunteered to be
Aunt Barb, and she knew I had many talents, but baby-sitting would not
be one. We had such a wonderful time. But that was not the only time,
as she has worked with all of us. But it shows the warmth and the way
she goes about that.
We will always cherish where we were that night because it was
special because the next day was so stunning. I could give many
examples about it, but we know she has been a tenacious advocate for
the people of New York, a leader on crucial issues, a respected
colleague, and a dear friend. We are going to miss her, but we know as
the Secretary of State she will be a new voice of America. And America
does need a new voice.
Senator Clinton, we know you are going to get us back on track. You
are going to work with President Obama to restore our national honor,
to repair those friendships around the world which we desperately need.
And as you have been in so many things, we know you will be unflinching
on human rights and unflagging in strengthening America's alliances
abroad. We will work together on those issues, and we know you will be
a great Secretary of State. You have been a spectacular Senator, and it
is because you are just simply a wonderful human being.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Republican leader is
recognized.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I say to my good friend from New York,
through the Chair, I believe the new President could not have made a
better selection for Secretary of State. Senator Clinton has had a
unique career in the Senate, actually having only been here 8 years,
but nevertheless a candidate for President of the United States who
came very close. She had fabulous public service before that as First
Lady for 8 years. She has clearly made a difference throughout her
life, and I expect she will do the same again.
I told her on the floor privately, I am particularly enthusiastic
about her selection as Secretary of State because I think she will be
the first Secretary of State in the history of the United States who
has actually been to Hazard and Pikeville, KY. That should give her an
extra edge in this new responsibility which she is about to assume.
I say to the Senator from New York, we will be anxious to work with
her on some of the issues for which we shared a passion during her
years as Secretary of State. I know she will do an outstanding job. She
has been a credit to the Senate and will be one of the Nation's
outstanding Secretaries of State.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, as I think about Senator Clinton's leaving
the Senate to become Secretary of State, I am reminded of the words of
the great English bard William Shakespeare, who wrote that ``parting is
such sweet sorrow.''
Senator Clinton's departure from this chamber is a time for joy as
well as sorrow. Hillary Clinton has been an effective, hard-working
Senator.
When Senator Clinton first came to the Senate in 2001, she asked my
advice. Although Mrs. Clinton had been an accomplished and graceful
First Lady, she told me that she wanted to excel at working for the
State of New York.
I advised her to be a work horse about her new role as a Senator and
a work horse she has been, and the people of her State have benefitted.
Following the terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001, she and I
worked with Senator Schumer to secure financial aid for New York City
to help the city to recover from that terrible tragedy. For that, she
has since referred to me as the ``third Senator from New York,'' and I
am very proud of that designation.
Senator Clinton and I have worked together on legislation for the
withdrawal of American forces from Iraq, served on the Budget Committee
together, and worked on several important appropriations issues.
Senator Clinton has been an active and aggressive Senator, always
mindful of the traditions of this great Chamber. She has won the
respect and admiration of everyone.
In her 2008 Presidential bid, Hillary Clinton broke down barriers for
women all across this country, and inspired many of them to pursue
their own hopes and dreams of a future in politics.
I will miss Senator Clinton. This Chamber has been graced by her
eloquence, intelligence, and her natural leadership.
Mrs. Clinton's 8 years as our country's First Lady, and her 8 years
in the U.S. Senate, where she served on five different Senate
committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee, certainly
qualify her for the high honor of being Secretary of State. She will
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shine in that office because of her sound judgement, keen intellect,
sharp wit, infectious charm, and powerful commitment to making this
world a better place.
I congratulate Senator Clinton on her new position and wish her the
best of luck and success. These are troubled times and she will have a
most difficult job in the years ahead. Speaking at her graduation at
Wellesley College, Hillary Clinton declared that, ``the challenge now
is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to be
impossible, possible.''
I say go to it Secretary of State-designate Clinton. If anyone can
make ``what appears to be impossible, possible,'' Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton can and will.
Mr. REID. Mr. President. I have known Hillary Clinton for many years,
but for the past 8 years I have had the pleasure of working with her as
a colleague in the U.S. Senate.
People on all points of the political spectrum agree that Senator
Clinton is one of the brightest, most highly accomplished U.S.
Senators.
Born in the hometown of our President-elect--Chicago--Hillary Clinton
graduated from Wellesley College, where she was the first student in
the school's history to deliver her own commencement address--not a
Governor, a U.S. Senator, dean, or the university president.
She then attended Yale Law School, where she met her future husband
and our future President, Bill Clinton.
After law school, she worked for the Children's Defense Fund and
served as a member of the Watergate inquiry staff in the House of
Representatives.
When the Clintons moved to Arkansas, Hillary became a successful
attorney in private practice and served as the State's First Lady.
We all know that she was a remarkable First Lady, leading the way on
health care reform, helping create the State Children's Health
Insurance Program, as well as the Violence Against Women Act.
We also know that she was not just a leader for domestic policy, but
also became an admired and effective diplomat throughout the world,
especially in her call for human rights.
When Senator Clinton came to the Senate 8 years ago, some expected
her to have trouble fitting in. Those concerns quickly disappeared--she
was a natural. She has proven in her time here to be exceptionally
adept at the give-and-take of the legislative process.
As a result, in just 8 years, she has left an indelible mark,
especially through her seats on the Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the
Special Committee on Aging and the Armed Services Committee.
As with Senator Biden, the departure of Senator Clinton is
bittersweet. She brought a wealth of knowledge, skill and wisdom here,
and she will be sorely missed.
But after the last 8 years--with so much work ahead to repair our
country's once-lofty stature in the world, I can think of no one better
suited for the challenges ahead than the Senator from New York, Hillary
Clinton, our next Secretary of State.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Texas.
____________________