[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8274-S8275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMMENDING SENATOR BOB BENNETT

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the retirement 
and the departure of my great friend, Bob Bennett. Senator Bennett and 
I have jointly represented the State of Utah for many years. We are 
close. During that time, we have worked together as partners, 
collaborators, but most of all as good friends. Bob's presence in the 
Senate is going to be sorely missed.
  Senator Bennett is a lot of things. He is honest, he is thoughtful, 
he is knowledgeable. But more than anything else, Senator Bennett is a 
fighter for the people of Utah. Bob has served with unwavering devotion 
to our State, its people, and its interests. Throughout his 18 years in 
the Senate, the State of Utah has been foremost in Bob's thoughts, and 
I don't believe he has made a single decision he didn't believe was in 
the best interests of our State and of our Nation.
  Senator Bennett is the son of Frances and Wallace F. Bennett. Wallace 
F. Bennett, we should all remember, was also a great U.S. Senator from 
Utah who served four terms between 1951 and 1974. I think that is 
accurate. Bob is also the grandson of Heber J. Grant, the seventh 
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  After attending East High School in Salt Like City, Bob graduated 
from the University of Utah, where he was elected the student body 
president and obtained a degree in political science in 1959. His first 
political job was managing his father's 1962 successful reelection 
campaign. Bob then spent several years working as a Mormon chaplain in 
the Utah Army National Guard before becoming a chief congressional 
liaison at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
  After his time at the Transportation Department, Senator Bennett 
moved on to a successful career in public relations. For over a decade, 
he presided over some of the most successful and high-profile public 
relations organizations in the country. He became well known for his 
hard work, his leadership ability, and his entrepreneurial prowess. 
This was solidified in 1984 when Bob was named the CEO of the Franklin 
International Institute, which is now known as Franklin Covey. Franklin 
Covey is now one of the premier personal and organizational 
effectiveness firms in the world. The products and services provided by 
the company impact literally millions of people every year.

  But when Bob joined the company they had only four employees. During 
his tenure that number grew to over 1,000. By the time he left to run 
for the Senate, the company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. 
It was at that time an already thriving corporation, a world leader in 
its industry, thanks in no small part to Bob's leadership. For his 
efforts, Bob was named Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year for the 
Rocky Mountain region.
  Bob was elected to the Senate in 1992 after a hotly contested 
Republican primary and a hard-fought general election. His father--once 
again, the great Senator Wallace F. Bennett--lived just long enough to 
see his son win an election and serve in the Senate for almost a full 
year. I know that must have been a great source of pride for the senior 
Senator Bennett and his family.
  Over his 18 years in the Senate, Bob has continued to demonstrate 
sound judgment and strong leadership. Republican Senators have 
considered him a trusted resource when it comes to strategy and policy. 
He has been a consistent resource for those who seek thoughtful answers 
to difficult political questions. For these reasons, among others, Bob 
has served on the leadership teams of our current minority leader, 
Senator McConnell, as well as his predecessor, Senator Bill Frist.
  While he is more well known for his quiet, contemplative demeanor, 
Senator Bennett has always been an outstanding orator. He comes often 
to the floor to discuss various issues at length, rarely reading from 
notes and almost never skipping a beat. His contributions to our 
debates in the Senate have always been very valuable, and I think 
people on both sides of the aisle will acknowledge that and have 
appreciated the type of advocacy he has brought to the floor of the 
Senate--always courteous, always well thought out, always reasonable, 
and always, in my opinion, right.
  As I mentioned before, I know few Senators who can match Senator 
Bennett's commitment to the people he represents. Every single person 
in the State of Utah has benefited from the work of Senator Bennett. 
One cannot ride on a train or drive on a freeway in Utah or avail 
oneself of so many other assets and attributes in Utah without seeing 
the results of Senator Bennett's service in the Senate.
  Our State has seen a lot of growth in recent years due to the 
expansion of our population and the fact that more and more companies 
have recognized that Utah is a great place to do business. Utah's 
infrastructure has for the most part been able to keep pace with the 
rapid growth, thanks in large measure to the work of Senator Bennett.
  I will miss working with Senator Bennett to help the people of our 
State, but I will miss him more as a friend. Bob and his wonderful wife 
Joyce--and she has been a tremendous companion to him, tremendous 
helpmate to him over these years--have been married for 48 years. They 
have 6 children and 20 grandchildren. I know every one of them is proud 
of the great service Bob has rendered to his country and the Senate, 
and they should be. I too am so pleased and proud of my friend, Senator 
Bennett, and I am certain that Bob will be successful in any endeavor 
he chooses in the future upon leaving the Senate.
  Bob Bennett is a wise counselor. He is a truly honest man. He cares 
not only for the people he represented but everybody in this country 
and many people throughout the world.
  He lives his religious beliefs. Other than family, I can't compliment 
anybody more than that. He lives his religion. He is exemplary. He is 
one of the most thoughtful people I have ever known. I value his 
friendship and I

[[Page S8275]]

value his advice and I have valued it over these years that we have 
served together. He has always been a serious and productive leader who 
also has a tremendously great sense of humor. After all is said and 
done, he is a great father, grandfather, husband, and friend--just to 
mention a few.
  Bob will be successful in whatever he chooses to do. He is a good 
man. I personally will miss him. I think everybody in the Senate will 
miss him, and I believe it is safe to say everybody in Utah will miss 
him as well--some more than others. Nevertheless, if they look at his 
record and they look at the things he has done for our State, for our 
people, they are going to thank God that Bob Bennett was a Senator for 
18 solid years. I personally thank the Father in Heaven for having him 
here as a partner to me, as a friend, and as somebody on whom I could 
rely and with whom I could counsel on some of these very earthshakingly 
important matters that come before our Senate.
  I have such a great opinion of Bob Bennett, I don't think even he has 
known--maybe not until today--how great that opinion has been. I think 
the world of him. I love him as a human being, and I wish him the very 
best, he and his family.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah is recognized.
  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I am embarrassed and humbled and 
gratified by the comments of my senior colleague, Senator Hatch. My 
wife has said, by virtue of our retirement from the Senate: It is a 
little like going to your own funeral. You are hearing all of the 
eulogies but you are still alive.
  We, indeed, are planning a significant life and activity after the 
Senate. I will have more to say about that at some other time. But I 
want to express my gratitude to Senator Hatch for the kind words he has 
spoken, but more importantly for the relationship we have developed in 
the time we have served together.
  We did not know each other very well prior to my running for the 
Senate. He was a Senator off in Washington; I was a businessman in 
Utah. We had little occasion to see our paths cross and become 
acquainted.
  One of the things I will treasure the most out of my experiences in 
the Senate has been the opportunity to come to know Orrin as a friend, 
as a dedicated legislator, and a role model and mentor. He has guided 
me many times when I needed some guidance. We have disagreed sometimes 
when that was appropriate given our particular positions on an issue or 
two, but always I have been able to look to Orrin Hatch as a mentor, a 
friend, someone upon whom I could depend.
  In the recent election when there were those who were suggesting that 
maybe Orrin should distance himself from me for his own political 
benefit, I am gratified by the fact that he not only refused to do that 
but until the very end did everything he could throughout the State to 
see to it that I was triumphant in that election.
  It turned out I was not, as far as the convention is concerned, but 
elections and conventions are not the be-all-and-end-all of life. I 
will go on to other activities, but I will hang onto my friendship with 
Orrin Hatch and continue my respect and love for him in the years to 
come.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, are we in morning business?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.

                          ____________________