[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 167 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10388-S10400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTES TO RETIRING SENATORS
Evan Bayh
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a colleague
and friend of mine--Senator Evan Bayh--who will be retiring from the
U.S. Senate when the 112th Congress convenes in January. I would like
to take this moment to thank Evan for his service, and wish him, his
wife Susan, and their twin boys Beau and Nick, the very best as they
embark on the next chapter in their lives.
Evan comes from a family tradition deeply rooted in public service
and committed to improving the lives of our fellow citizens. Our
fathers, Birch Bayh and Tom Dodd, served together in the U.S. Senate,
and instilled in both of us the desire to serve as we grew older.
Evan has dedicated the better part of his adult life to serving the
people of Indiana. He began his career in public service when he was
elected Indiana's Secretary of State in 1986. He then served as
Governor of Indiana for two terms starting in 1988. As Governor he
focused on fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, job creation and lean
government. In 1998, Hoosiers once again demonstrated their faith in
Evan Bayh by electing him to the U.S. Senate.
Throughout his career in public service, Evan has been particularly
vocal on issues related to our national security, economic
competiveness, and job creation. He has demonstrated his willingness to
work hard, a fact underscored by his membership on six Senate
committees--Aging, Armed Services, Banking, Energy and Natural
Resources, Intelligence, and Small Business. He has developed a broad
range of subject matter expertise, and has time and again demonstrated
his willingness to reach across the aisle to get things done for the
people of Indiana.
This Congress, as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, I had the
opportunity to work with Evan on several vital issues, such as his
contributions to the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and
Disclosure, CARD, Act and Wall Street reform.
When Evan leaves the Senate in just a few short weeks, I believe he
will be remembered as a public servant who was devoted first and
foremost to advancing the interests of Hoosiers, and who was willing to
work across the aisle whenever he saw an opportunity to do the right
thing for our Nation.
Once again, I would like to thank Evan for his years of service, and
wish him well as he leaves the Senate. It has been a pleasure working
with him over the years, and I firmly believe that this body will not
be the same without him.
Bob Bennett
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend and longtime
colleague Senator Bob Bennett who, like me, will be departing from the
U.S. Senate in just a couple of weeks. I would like to take this
opportunity to wish Bob, Joyce, and the rest of his family the very
best as he leaves the Senate and embarks on this new chapter in his
life.
Since he was first elected to this body in 1992, Bob has served the
people of Utah well as their Senator. Bob comes from a long line of
individuals dedicated to public service, and it is no surprise that he
himself decided to go down that path. Bob's grandfather, Heber J.
Grant, was the seventh President of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. And Bob's father, Wallace F.
Bennett, represented the state of Utah in this very Chamber between
1951 and 1974, serving alongside my father, Tom Dodd.
Throughout the time that I have known and worked with him, I have
always found Bob to be receptive to the ideas of others and careful and
deliberate in his own evaluation of complex policy questions.
Of course, that is not to say that Bob Bennett isn't also a
determined partisan. Indeed, throughout his three terms here, Bob has
been one of the Senate's most consistently conservative voices. But in
spite of that, Bob has frequently reached across the partisan divide to
seek out areas of common ground and mutual interest with Democrats.
That willingness to engage and cooperate with colleagues has perhaps
been most evident in his work on the Senate Banking Committee.
Throughout our years of service together on that panel, Bob and I have
frequently been among the first to reach out across the aisle and
search for solutions to the challenges facing our Nation's financial
services sector. And from our work together during the savings and loan
crisis, to passage of legislation that provides a safety net for our
economy in the event of a devastating terrorist attack, we have
achieved some important results.
Bob chaired and I served as vice chairman of the Y2K Committee, to
ensure the integrity of our Nation's financial services sector. More
recently, in the fall of 2008, when the global financial system was on
the verge of collapse and our country was standing at the precipice of
an economic depression, Bob took a significant political risk by
supporting the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, which established
TARP. I realize that this was an incredibly difficult vote for Bob and
every other Member of this Chamber at the time.
But I am convinced that without elected officials who are willing to
cast those kinds of tough, yet necessary votes, this country would be a
very different place.
So I would like to once again thank Bob for his 18 years of service
in this body and for his willingness to listen to and work with
colleagues with whom he hasn't always agreed. And I would like to once
again wish Bob and his family the very best as he leaves the Senate
this January.
Blanche Lincoln
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the Senior Senator from
Arkansas, Blanche Lincoln, who, like me, will be leaving the U.S.
Senate in the coming weeks. I would like to take this moment to thank
Blanche for her service, and wish her, her husband Dr. Steve Lincoln
and her two twin boys Bennett and Reece, the very best as they embark
on the next chapter in their lives.
As a seventh generation Arkansan, Blanche has dedicated the better
part of her adult life to serving the people of Arkansas. She was
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. After two terms
representing Arkansas's first district she retired briefly to give
birth two her twin sons. However, the call of public service led her to
run for a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate and in 1998, at the age of 38,
the people of Arkansas elected her to serve them as their U.S. Senator
the youngest woman ever to be elected.
As a young woman growing up on her family farm in the small town of
Helena, AR, Blanche developed a strong appreciation and understanding
for American farmers and ranchers and the important work they do for
our country. She carried the lessons she learned, and the values they
instilled in her, with her to Congress. Throughout her career in public
service, Blanche has been particularly vocal on issues related to
agriculture, hunger, working families and children.
In 2009, Blanche became the first ever woman to chair the Senate
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. She played the key role
in brokering the compromise that led to passage of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, otherwise known as the farm bill,
which reauthorizes U.S. agriculture policy every 5 years and is of
vital importance to farmers and food producers across the country.
Senator Lincoln and the Agriculture Committee also played a vital
role in shaping the derivatives provisions in the Dodd-Frank Wall
Street reform bill. These were difficult, highly complex matters, and
Senator Lincoln worked tirelessly to lead her committee throughout the
process. Her seriousness and hard work were a tremendous asset to the
overall process, and I commend her and her committee for helping to
shape the legislation.
In addition to her work on the Agriculture Committee, Blanche has
been focused on our country's children. She formed the Senate Caucus
for Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children and the Senate Hunger
Caucus. She recently worked to pass the child nutrition bill, which
will improve the lives of millions of children in our country.
After Blanche leaves the Senate, I believe she will be remembered as
a tireless public servant who was devoted first and foremost to
advancing the interests of the people of her beloved home State,
Arkansas.
Once again, I would like to thank Blanche for her years of service,
and
[[Page S10389]]
wish her well as she leaves the Senate. It has truly been a pleasure
working with her over the years, and I firmly believe that this body
will not be the same without her.
Kit Bond
Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes today to pay
tribute to a longtime colleague, the senior Senator from Missouri, who
like me will be leaving this body in a few short weeks. It has been an
honor to serve with him, and I wish him, his wife Linda, and his son
Samuel--who is bravely serving his Nation as a 1st lieutenant in the
U.S. Marine Corps and the rest of his family the best of luck in the
future.
Senator Bond, or ``Kit'' as many of us know him, knew at an early age
that his calling was public service. After earning his law degree and
practicing for a few years here in Washington, DC, he returned to
Missouri to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968. While he
was unsuccessful in that first run, at the young age of 29 he caught
the eye of the then-Missouri Attorney General John Danforth, who hired
him as an assistant attorney general.
After heading the Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection,
Kit was elected in his own right to serve as Missouri's State Auditor,
and later went on to two terms as Governor of Missouri. He still holds
the distinction of having been the youngest Governor elected in his
State's history at the age of 33.
Kit was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986. During his time in this
body, he has established himself as a strong advocate for the people
and interests of the State of Missouri. He has also established himself
as a national leader on issues that are important not only to his State
but to our Nation as a whole.
For years, as a member and later chairman of the Small Business and
Entrepreneurship Committee, he has served as a leading voice for small
businesses.
As the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,
Senator Bond has worked continuously to ensure our Nation's
intelligence community has the tools and resources necessary to keep us
safe. Throughout his career in the Senate, he has also been a
knowledgeable, leading voice on matters of importance to veterans, and
has time and again proven his unwavering support for our men and women
in uniform.
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, and chairman and ranking
member of the Transportation and Housing Subcommittee, he has played a
significant role in advocating for improvements to our nation's roads
and other vital infrastructure.
These are just some of the areas which Senator Bond will no doubt be
remembered. But I would like to take a moment to speak to an issue
which he and I have worked together for many years, for which he may
not receive the attention he deserves--his strong advocacy for the
health of our nation's children and families.
Senator Bond and I have worked together on these issues for many
years. In 1991, his support was vital to gaining enactment of a piece
of legislation of which I am most proud--the Family and Medical Leave
Act. To date, this bill has been used more than 100 million times to
ensure that workers can care for ailing loved ones, or care for a new
child, without the fear of losing their job. This seems like common
sense now, but it took 7 years, and 2 Presidential vetoes to finally
see this important law enacted.
That wouldn't have happened without the involvement of Kit Bond.
He was also one of the key supporters of the successful effort in
2009 to ensure that airline workers have full access to their Family
and Medical Leave Act benefits.
Senator Bond and I have also partnered over the years to improve
maternal and child health and end preventable birth defects. I was
proud to be a cosponsor of the Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998,
which he authored. I was also honored to partner with him and others
again in 2003, when we were successful in passing the Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilities Prevention Act. These measures helped to
establish, and then expand, the role of the Centers for Disease Control
in researching and developing solutions to the problems posed by birth
defects and developmental disabilities.
He was also a key Republican sponsor, along with Senator Hatch of
Utah, of the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, which I authored in the
110th Congress. This legislation is the next step in our work together,
and seeks to educate every parent, and provide access for every
newborn, to a battery of life-saving prenatal tests. This landmark
legislation helps build on the successes which we have had on this
issue in the past, and I was pleased that Senator Bond was a supporter
yet again, as he has been throughout his career in the Senate.
While we did not always see eye-to-eye on every issue, Senator Bond
was always someone with whom those policy disagreements were never
personal. He has been an honorable legislator, and a valued colleague
during our time serving in the Senate together.
Once again, I would like to wish Senator Bond, his wife Linda, his
son Samuel and his family, and all their extended family the very best
in all their future endeavors.
Sam Brownback
I woul'd like to say a few words in honor of Senator Sam Brownback,
my colleague from Kansas for these past 14 years. Like me, he will be
ending his service in the U.S. Senate at the conclusion of this
Congress. I would like to congratulate him on his election as Governor
of the State of Kansas, and I wish him and his family the very best in
his new endeavor.
His election to the governorship should come as no surprise--he has
proven time and again that his first priority is serving the people of
Kansas. He has a long track record of service, beginning with his 1986
election to the position of State Secretary of Agriculture. At the time
of his election, he was only 30 years old, the youngest person ever to
hold the position.
After serving as Agriculture Secretary, Sam was elected to the House
of Representatives as part of the famous Republican class of 1994. He
quickly ascended to the Senate in 1996 with the departure of a Senate
and Kansas legend, then-Majority Leader Bob Dole. Sam had some big
shoes to fill, and he has done so admirably.
Senator Brownback will be remembered for many things, his
conservatism and his passion to name a few, but perhaps the most
important is his dedication to his faith. His religious values provided
an anchor for everything he did, and led to his pursuit of issues that
provided assistance for those in need.
Senator Brownback's commitment to ending the genocide in Darfur is an
example of one of those issues. Tragically, more than 200,000 people
have died in Darfur and more than 2.5 million have been displaced as a
result of the unrest in Sudan. Senator Brownback's expertise and
dedication to this critically important issue has made a real impact on
the fight to end this horrific crisis. With his retirement, the Senate
will lose one of its great human rights champions.
Senator Brownback and I may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but no
one ever questioned his commitment to principle, or his commitment to
the people of Kansas.
I wish him, his wife Mary, and their five children all the best.
While the Senate will miss him, I wish him luck as he embarks on his
next journey as the Governor of Kansas.
James Bunning
Mr. President, I rise today to say a few words of farewell to my
colleague from Kentucky, Senator Jim Bunning. We will both be retiring
from this Chamber when this Congress concludes, and I wish him and his
wife Mary Catherine, their sons and daughters and the rest of their
family the very best in the future.
As we all know, prior to becoming a politician Jim Bunning was a
world-class baseball pitcher. He had a distinguished career primarily
with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies, during which he
became the second pitcher in Major League history to record 1,000
strikeouts and 100 wins in both the American and National Leagues. He
was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.
Of course, after such a distinguished career he could have simply
hung up his cleats, moved back to his home state of Kentucky, and
enjoyed a quiet retirement with his family.
Instead, he decided to take the work ethic and competitive spirit
that drove
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him in baseball and use his energy to give back to his community as a
public servant. In 1977, he ran for and won a city council seat in Fort
Thomas, KY. He was then elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 1979.
After serving in the State Senate as Republican leader, he ran to
represent Kentucky's 4th Congressional District in 1986. He also won
that election, and served for 12 years in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
In 1998, Jim ran to replace Senator Wendell Ford, who was retiring.
He kept his winning streak alive, not only winning that initial Senate
contest, but also reelection in 2004. When he retires this year, Jim
Bunning will have amassed an impressive winning streak in politics,
just as he did in baseball.
As you know, life in the U.S. Senate is about working out
disagreements through deliberation and debate. This process of
lawmaking has served to ensure that the voices of a broad range of
Americans are heard as we work to craft the laws and policies we must
ultimately all abide by.
As a Senator, Jim Bunning has always stood up for his beliefs, and
fought for what he thought was right. As a member of the Senate
Banking, Budget, Energy, and Finance Committees, Senator Bunning has
been a staunchly conservative voice on economic policy.
While he and I seldom have seen eye to eye on these matters, his deep
convictions have given voice to the concerns of citizens who share his
point of view, and thereby have helped to shape and enrich our debates
on the important questions we have faced over the years.
I wish him further success in whatever endeavors he pursues, as well
as many happy, healthy years to come with his family.
Russ Feingold
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a longtime colleague
and friend of mine, Senator Russ Feingold, who will be leaving the
Senate this January after 18 years of service. I would like to take
this opportunity to wish Russ and his family the very best as they
embark on this new chapter in their lives.
Born and raised in the city of Janesville, WI, Russ has dedicated the
better part of his career to serving the people of his home State.
Prior to his first election to the U.S. Senate in 1992, Russ served as
a Wisconsin State senator for nearly a decade. Throughout his career in
public service, Russ has proven to be a passionate and articulate
advocate for the people of Wisconsin and their needs.
Since he first entered the Senate, Russ has perhaps become best-known
as one of this body's most stalwart progressives. Indeed, on any number
of issues, from campaign finance reform, to the Iraq war, to our work
together during Senate consideration of legislation reauthorizing the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Russ has demonstrated a strong
commitment towards ensuring that respect for human rights, the rule of
law, and democracy remain cornerstones of American policy, both at home
and abroad.
Over the course of his three terms in the U.S. Senate, Russ has
perhaps become most closely identified in the minds of many Americans
with his work on campaign finance reform with Senator McCain. In 2002,
when the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill was being
considered, Russ took a very courageous position in pushing legislation
that, at the time, was relatively unpopular with some of our colleagues
on both sides of the aisle. I was proud to join those efforts as the
floor manager of McCain-Feingold, and would like to express my
gratitude to Russ for his strong and consistent leadership on that
issue.
I have long appreciated Russ's strong, principled stands on those
issues, and have welcomed the opportunity to work with him over the
years. I know that Russ's commitment to justice, fairness, and the rule
of law will be missed come January, and I would once again like to wish
him the best as he leaves this institution.
Byron Dorgan
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a longtime colleague
and friend of mine Senator Byron Dorgan who will be retiring from the
U.S. Senate when the 112th Congress convenes in January. I would like
to take this moment to thank Byron for his service, and wish him, his
wife, Kim, and the rest of his wonderful family the very best as they
embark on this new chapter in their lives.
Byron has dedicated the better part of his adult life to serving the
people of his State. When he was just 26 years old, Byron became the
youngest constitutional officer in North Dakota history when he was
appointed to serve as the State's Tax Commissioner. In 1980, Byron once
again demonstrated his commitment to public service when he was elected
to the State's lone House seat. Twelve years later, after six terms in
the House, the people of North Dakota once again returned Byron to
Washington, this time as their U.S. Senator.
Throughout his career in public service, Byron has been particularly
vocal on issues related to U.S. agricultural policy. As a young man
growing up in the small town of Regent, ND, Byron developed a strong
appreciation for American farmers and ranchers and the important work
they do to keep our country fed. Indeed, Byron's own family worked in
the farm equipment business and raised cattle and horses. As a result,
he has been a consistent advocate for greater economic security and
opportunity in rural America.
Since 2005, Byron has also served as chairman of the Senate
Democratic Policy Committee, where he has played an important role in
helping to craft the Senate Democratic policy agenda over the last
several years. But after Byron leaves the Senate in just a few short
weeks, I believe he will be remembered as a public servant who was
devoted first and foremost to advancing the interests of the people of
his beloved home State, North Dakota.
Once again, I would like to thank Byron for his many years of
service, and wish him well as he leaves the Senate. It has truly been a
pleasure working with him over the years, and I firmly believe that
this body will not be the same without him.
Judd Gregg
Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell to my colleague, a fellow
New Englander and Banking Committee member, the senior Senator from New
Hampshire, Judd Gregg.
It has been an honor and a pleasure serving with him in this body for
the past 18 years. As we both prepare to leave the Senate this year, I
would like to take this opportunity to wish him and his family the very
best in the future.
Throughout his tenure in the Senate, Senator Gregg has been an ardent
advocate for his home State of New Hampshire, and a knowledgeable
legislator. Time and again, during floor debate and committee
proceedings, he has demonstrated his sharp intellect and deep knowledge
of a broad range of issues--particularly on economic and budget policy.
He is a deeply committed public servant, who has been elected by the
people of New Hampshire to serve them for 9 years in the House of
Representatives, for 4 years as Governor, and as their U.S. Senator for
the last 18 years. In fact, they returned him to the Senate in 2004
with the highest number of votes in New Hampshire history. It is clear
that his constituents have a great deal of faith in this man, and
during his time in Congress, he has represented them and their values
extremely well.
As one would expect from a man of New Hampshire, Senator Gregg has
always demonstrated his independence, commitment to hard work, and
self-sufficiency. Yet he has also been someone that has sought
compromise and has been ready to collaborate with those willing to
tackle the difficult problems facing our Nation.
In 2001, he was one of the lead Republicans working on the No Child
Left Behind law to improve education across the Nation for generations
of Americans. In 2003, he and I worked together with Senator Ted
Kennedy, Senator Lamar Alexander, and Senator Susan Collins to craft
the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act, which updated our nation's
laws to meet the serious problem of child abuse.
Of course, improving education and ending child abuse are issues on
which both liberals and conservatives broadly agree, so bipartisanship
and collaboration on these matters is easy.
Of course, in the fall of 2008, our Nation was faced with a nearly
unprecedented economic collapse--and the
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views of liberals and conservatives on how to respond could charitably
be described as divergent, at best.
It was at that moment, when our Nation faced a calamity of historical
proportions, that Senator Gregg grit his teeth and set to work,
negotiating with me, Treasury Secretary Geithner, Federal Reserve
Chairman Bernanke, and others, to fashion a legislative response to the
crisis.
Despite the heavy criticism that came with being a party to those
discussions, he remained a key negotiator, and in the end, the House
and Senate approved the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. Today,
our economy, though far from recovered, is far better off than it would
have been without this bill and many of the institutions which received
assistance have repaid the Treasury with interest.
Let me be clear that was a bill that none of us ever, in our wildest
dreams thought we would have to write, or vote to pass. However
distasteful, it would have been wrong to allow our financial system to
go into full cardiac arrest, with little chance of survival.
The politically expedient route to take would have been to walk away,
vote against the bill, and join the pundits, commentators, and bloggers
who've said ``It never should have passed, and we would have been fine
without it anyway.''
But that wouldn't be leadership. That wouldn't be statesmanship. And
that isn't the type of legislator that Judd Gregg is.
I would also like to thank Senator Gregg for his work as a member of
the Banking Committee. He joined the committee late in his tenure, but
his deep knowledge of the economy and expertise in financial matters
was greatly appreciated. He played an important role in helping to
craft what became the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act.
Though he was a staunch opponent of some of the bill's provisions, he
didn't see that opposition as an impediment to continuing to offer
ideas and thoughtful debate in order to shape the legislation into what
he thought was a better product.
Yet, as fierce a partisan as Senator Gregg is, he is also a
consummate legislator. He knows that the people of New Hampshire sent
him here to work hard, and work with the other members of this body. He
has shown that at the end of the day, even if you work hard on
something, you may not be able to support it--but you will know that
you have done your best to advocate for your positions and shape the
debate.
The Senate will miss his knowledge and work ethic, and I hope that
newly elected members--of both parties--will follow his example.
I wish him, his wife Kathleen, his children and granddaughter the
very best.
George LeMieux
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my colleague, the
Senator from Florida, George LeMieux, who will be leaving the U.S.
Senate before the 112th Congress convenes. I would like to take this
moment to thank George for his service, and wish him, his wife Meike,
and their four children the very best as they embark on the next
chapter of their lives.
George is a native Floridian who has served as deputy attorney
general, and later as Governor Charlie Crist's chief of staff.
When Senator Mel Martinez retired in 2009, George was appointed to
fulfill the remainder of the term. Since then he has worked to help the
people of Florida through his work as a member of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, the Commerce Committee, and the Special Committee
on Aging.
Though he has only been in the Senate for a short time, Senator
LeMieux has been an engaged and hard-working Member of this body. He
has emerged as a strong advocate for solving our long-term Federal debt
concerns, and a devoted advocate for the people and businesses of his
home State of Florida.
While we did not share the same views on a number of issues, Senator
LeMieux proved that he was a man of deep conviction who was not afraid
to stand up for what he believed. He spoke often on the floor to
advocate for his positions. However, he showed that he was a serious
legislator, and leader, on issues of vital importance to our Nation.
For example, he was the lone Republican to cast a vote in favor of
the Small Business Jobs Act. This legislation was designed to expand
access to credit, and provide tax incentives, for small businesses.
George recognized that these were two things that Florida's businesses
desperately needed--much more than partisan gridlock.
After George leaves the Senate in just a few short weeks, I believe
he will be remembered as a public servant who was devoted first and
foremost to advancing the interests of the people of his home State,
Florida.
Once again, I would like to thank George for his service, and wish
him well as he leaves the Senate. It has been a pleasure working with
him.
Arlen Specter
Mr. President, I rise today to honor my friend and longtime
colleague, Senator Arlen Specter, the longest serving U.S. Senator in
Pennsylvania history.
As many of you know, Arlen and I were freshmen Senators together 30
years ago. I was the only Democrat newly elected to the Senate in 1980.
Senator Specter was one of 12 new Republicans elected that year, in the
so-called ``Reagan Landslide,'' that gave his party the Senate for the
first time in 28 years.
I bring this up because, even though I was a new Senator in the
minority, we quickly began working on a bipartisan basis. For those
listening today, the idea of a bipartisan Senate may seem strange. Back
then, it was commonplace and I know that Arlen and I both hope that
newly elected Members of this body will revive this tradition in the
coming years.
Early in our Senate careers, Arlen and I started the Senate
Children's Caucus. We believed that as the largest nonvoting
constituency in the country, children had the greatest need for
champions to advocate on their behalf. The Children's Caucus has
provided strong leadership on early childhood education, funding for
childcare programs, and making passage of the Family Medical Leave Act
reality. I want to thank Senator Specter for being one of my partners
on these critically important issues for almost 30 years.
Senator Specter's accomplishments carry beyond his defense of
children. Over the course of his career, he has served as the chairman
of three important and influential Senate committees: the Select
Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the
Committee on the Judiciary. In each of these capacities he has worked
to ensure that America's legal system is true to our best traditions
and ideals, while ensuring that we have the tools to prevent terrorism
and protect our citizens. He has also used his role on the Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education to increase research funding for the National Institutes of
Health. His work here in the United States Senate has improved the
lives of countless Pennsylvanians and countless Americans.
Of all of Senator Specter's achievements, I have yet to mention the
most impressive: Since 2005, he has continued to serve while fighting
Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twice since being diagnosed, Arlen has undergone
chemotherapy for the disease. Yet he continued serving the people of
Pennsylvania.
I have worked with Senator Specter both as a Democrat and a
Republican, and I can tell you this his commitment to bipartisanship
and independence should be a model for all current and future Members
of the U.S. Senate.
I would like to thank Arlen for his many years of service, and wish
him and his wife Joan well as he leaves the Senate. It has truly been a
pleasure working with him over the years. I know the State of
Pennsylvania will miss their senior Senator and I firmly believe that
this body will not be the same without him.
George Voinovich
I rise today to honor Senator George Voinovich, my colleague from
Ohio who has served with me in this body for 12 years. Senator
Voinovich has had a distinguished career in Ohio politics, spanning
every level of government. His work as a public servant began when he
was a bright young assistant attorney general, and has taken him
through the Ohio House of Representatives, the mayor's office in
Cleveland, the Ohio Governor's Mansion and the U.S. Senate.
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Not only will Senator Voinovich be remembered for the more than four
decades of service to his fellow Ohioans but also for his
bipartisanship. He was never afraid to put his beliefs ahead of party,
opposing President Bush's $750 million tax cut proposal in 2003 for
example.
I was especially proud to work with Senator Voinovich on legislation
to help ensure the United States' continued dominance in the world
aeronautics industry. Our bill, the Aeronautics Competitiveness Act of
2007, increased research funding, technology transfer, and workforce
development, all of which are vital to maintaining the United States'
competitive edge. I was also proud to have served on the Foreign
Relations committee with him for 5 years, working to strengthen the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.
Senator Voinovich was known as the resident Senate ``debt hawk'' and
has long stood for fiscal responsibility at the local, State and
Federal levels.
It has been a pleasure to serve with Senator Voinovich. As we depart
the Senate, I know this body will miss the presence of one of its more
esteemed members and the people of Ohio will miss one of their most
dedicated servants. I wish him and his wife Janet many more years of
happiness.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell to a number of
our friends and colleagues who are ending their service in the Senate.
Their contributions are too numerous to mention, therefore I would like
to take just a few minutes to highlight some of the memories of the
Senators I came to know personally.
Some of the departing Senators I have served with for decades. Others
were here for only part of a term. All of them worked hard for their
constituents and our country.
Ted Kaufman
Senator Ted Kaufman served for the past 2 years on my Senate
Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal
Workforce, and the District of Columbia.
Throughout Senator Kaufman's time with the subcommittee, he made a
remarkable effort to honor the critical work of Federal employees. His
regular statements on the Senate floor highlighting their work were an
inspiration and I know were greatly appreciated by the dedicated
Federal employees in Delaware and across this great Nation. I also
appreciated Senator Kaufman's strong leadership on addressing
longstanding shortcomings in Presidential transition planning,
culminating in the enactment of the Pre-Election Presidential
Transition Act this year.
Roland Burris
Senator Roland Burris served on the Senate Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, which I have the honor of chairing. Throughout his months with
the Committee, he made time in his busy schedule to attend and
participate in numerous committee hearings and meetings. His
participation played an important part in the committee's ability to
conduct oversight and, ultimately, to improve benefits and care for our
Nation's veterans. Senator Burris's work on the committee was a great
service to the men and women of Illinois who wore the Nation's
uniforms, as well as to servicemembers, veterans, and their families
nationwide.
Carte Goodwin
Senator Carte Goodwin handled a tough assignment and filled in like
an experienced professional. He is a gentleman who knows about and
cares for West Virginia deeply, so much so that he moved to Washington
to serve and advocate for his State in an emergency situation. Senator
Goodwin was friendly and cordial and made himself as helpful as
possible during his short tenure.
Blanche Lincoln
My good friend Senator Blanche Lincoln was a passionate advocate for
Arkansas throughout her Senate service. She is recognized as a fighter
who speaks her mind. She cares deeply about American families. She
worked hard on her committee assignments. She has been a champion for
farmers, veterans, seniors, and Americans of all stripes. She can be
proud of her service. I thank her for her contributions to this
institution and her friendship.
Evan Bayh
Senator Evan Bayh served with me on the Committees on Armed Services
and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. He showed his commitment to
our national security when he took over the Armed Services Readiness
Subcommittee at the beginning of this Congress. He was a strong
moderate voice for the people of Indiana.
Arlen Specter
I served with Senator Arlen Specter for many years on the Veterans'
Affairs Committee. He twice served as the committee's chairman, and, in
recent years as I chaired the committee, he remained a strong and vital
force working on behalf of our Nation's veterans, on both sides of the
dais. He has been an institution in the Senate for many years, and it
has been a genuine pleasure working with him. I appreciate and applaud
his long, dedicated service to those who have worn our Nation's
uniforms.
Sam Brownback
I will miss my good friend Senator Sam Brownback. Despite sitting
across the aisle from me, he was always approachable and friendly. I
know him to be committed to helping people in Kansas and across the
country. He felt so strongly about ending homelessness that I remember
him spending the night on the street with a group of homeless people to
experience first hand the obstacles they face. That is dedication. He
cares about people. Senator Brownback should feel proud about all that
he has accomplished to make life better for people in our country.
Russ feingold
I want to thank Senator Russ Feingold for his 18 years of service in
the U.S. Senate and his time in public service before that. Senator
Feingold has worked with me as an outspoken advocate for so many of the
issues that I hold dear, such as protecting Americans' personal privacy
and good government.
In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there was
a rush of strong executive branch moves for authority. Senator Feingold
repeatedly joined me and other Members in ensuring civil liberties and
privacy protections of all Americans were observed. He was a leader in
protecting liberties during debate over reforming the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act. When the Department of Homeland Security
was established, we worked to ensure that it had a strong official
dedicated to protecting privacy. In 2007 I authored the POWER Act,
which provided the Homeland Security Chief Privacy Officer with
additional powers, and Senator Feingold was a strong supporter,
cosponsoring that bill which then became law in 2008.
I must also mention how proud I was to support Senator Feingold on
perhaps his most lasting accomplishment--campaign finance reform. The
election process can be opaque, and it is full of more money than ever.
However, in the last decade, many of the new campaign finance rules
championed by Senator Feingold have curbed many abuses which used to be
common. While much work is left to be done in this area, especially
with the recent Citizens United ruling, this country and voters owe a
tremendous thank-you to Senator Feingold.
Byron Dorgan
It has been a pleasure to serve with Senator Byron Dorgan of North
Dakota, and I will miss him greatly. I have had the honor to work
alongside Senator Dorgan on two committees of great importance to both
of our States, the Committee on Indian Affairs and the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources.
Senator Dorgan and I served on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
together beginning in the 104th Congress. During his tenure as chairman
during the last 4 years, I saw firsthand the leadership skills and
compassion he possesses. Chairman Dorgan has shown his dedication to
all of our Nation's indigenous people: American Indians, Alaska
Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Thank you Senator Dorgan for your
efforts to improve the quality of life for America's native people.
I am grateful that Chairman Dorgan has been a strong ally to Hawaii's
indigenous people, the Native Hawaiian people. He has stood with
Senator Daniel Inouye and me as we have worked to have the United
States fulfill its obligations to all of its Native people, including
Native Hawaiians. Mahalo, Chairman Dorgan, for your aloha to the people
of Hawaii.
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Senator Dorgan is a great statesman and a gentleman who has served
the people of North Dakota in the U.S. Congress for three decades.
During our combined service on the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources, I repeatedly saw Senator Dorgan's passion for the people of
North Dakota as he worked to make his State a pioneer in renewable
energy efforts. For those of us who serve in the Senate, we work
tirelessly to advance the needs of not only our home States, but the
whole Nation. Senator Dorgan has proven himself both a great North
Dakotan and a great American.
The Senate will be a much different place without his leadership, and
I know that I am joined by many of my colleagues in wishing him many
successes in the future. Many of my constituents in Hawaii will miss
his leadership just as his own constituents in North Dakota will.
Mahalo for your friendship and for your service to our Nation. On
behalf of Millie and our family, I send our aloha to you and Kim and
your family. We wish you the best as you begin a new chapter in your
lives.
Chris Dodd
I am proud to express my great appreciation and gratitude for Senator
Chris Dodd's service to our country. He brought extraordinary
leadership to the Senate that enabled us to make meaningful
improvements to the education and economic security of Americans.
I traveled with Senator Dodd to South America early in my tenure here
in the Senate. Although I enjoy traveling, each time I go abroad I
worry about my ability to communicate with my foreign hosts. But, on
that trip, the language barrier was not an issue because, as I quickly
found out, Senator Dodd is fluent in Spanish.
Senator Dodd recognizes the importance of language skills and
cultural knowledge, not only to survive in the world but to prosper in
it. I have truly appreciated his great respect for other cultures and
passion for learning. Senator Dodd has lent tremendous support to my
national foreign language coordination bill, which aims to equip
Americans with foreign language skills and knowledge of other cultures.
It is just one example of Senator Dodd's outstanding work to provide
our children with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve
prosperity and economic security.
I would also like to thank Senator Dodd for his leadership in the
111th Congress. We are making historic and substantial improvements to
the health care delivery system and the regulation of our financial
system, and neither would have been possible without Senator Dodd's
guidance, persistence, good judgment, and support.
Senator Dodd has been selfless and generous in his efforts to
increase access to health care services everywhere in our country,
including Hawaii. I am grateful that Senator Dodd has always recognized
the unique health care needs and challenges of my home State. His
contributions have been vital to the protection of Hawaii's system of
employer-provided health insurance and ensuring that health care
providers in Hawaii are more capable of meeting the uncompensated costs
of providing care for the poor and uninsured.
I am proud to have served alongside Chairman Dodd on the Senate
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where he has been a
tireless leader and an outstanding consumer advocate. The Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act rightfully bears his
name because no one has done more to educate, protect, and empower
consumers and investors. Through his support, the act makes significant
investments in financial literacy and education, and it provides
meaningful disclosures and protections that will allow consumers to
make better financial decisions. Americans are now better protected
against abusive, predatory, and anticonsumer business practices than
they were because of Senator Dodd's unmatched contributions. Senator
Dodd is a great champion of consumers, investors, and financial
literacy, and I am honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to
work together with him on the Banking Committee.
Since I joined the Senate 20 years ago, Senator Dodd has been a great
colleague and ally. More importantly, he is kind, generous,
trustworthy, and a loving family man, and I am proud to call him my
brother and my friend. Although I am saddened to bid him farewell
today, I wish Senator Dodd well in all of his future endeavors.
Before I close, I would also like to thank and applaud Senator Dodd's
family Jackie, Grace, and Christina. They have been a source of
strength, happiness, and calm for their husband and father.
Mahalo nui loa, Chris, for your service and friendship. Millie and I
send our warmest aloha to you and your family, and we wish you well as
you begin this new chapter of your lives together.
George Voinovich
Finally, I would like to pay tribute to my dear friend and brother,
Senator George Voinovich, as he prepares to retire from public life
after more than 40 years of dedicated public service.
Senator Voinovich's retirement is a sad occasion for me, and it is
difficult to put into words what Senator Voinovich's friendship has
meant to me over the years. Senator Voinovich and I have worked so well
together on the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government
Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia for
many years, where we have both had the honor of serving as chairman. It
has truly been a pleasure to serve with him as we have addressed so
many difficult government management issues.
Senator Voinovich's background as the Governor of Ohio and the mayor
of the city of Cleveland provided him with a unique perspective on the
Federal Government's management and workforce challenges, and I believe
his vast experience made our subcommittee more effective. On a light
note, I know that one of Senator Voinovich's proudest moments as
Governor was watching his beloved Cleveland baseball team reach the
World Series for the first time in over 40 years. I am sure that
Senator Voinovich will enjoy having more time to spend in his hometown
of Cleveland during his retirement.
Senator Voinovich can take his grandchildren to see parks, buildings,
and other improvements he helped bring about in Ohio during his time as
mayor and Governor, but there are few similar opportunities in Federal
Government oversight and management. The tough management issues we
have tackled seldom make front-page news. But that is what makes
Senator Voinovich remarkable he chose to focus on the details of the
government's toughest management challenges rather than more glamorous
issues.
Like me, Senator Voinovich has always recognized that the Federal
Government's most valuable resource is its workforce of dedicated men
and women. I often refer to him as the ``father of human capital.'' We
have worked closely together on a large number of workforce
initiatives, with the common goal of making the Federal Government the
employer of choice in this country. I am especially proud of our work
to reform the broken Federal hiring process. I will keep fighting in
Congress for our bill--the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act, S.
736. In the meantime, I am pleased that our joint oversight on this
issue has spurred considerable progress in the executive branch.
Senator Voinovich and I also worked together on an amendment to last
year's National Defense Authorization Act, which included my Non-
Foreign Area Retirement Equity Assurance Act, along with several other
Federal workforce provisions. I cannot overstate how much Senator
Voinovich's support for providing retirement equity has meant to the
thousands of Federal employees in my home State of Hawaii.
Senator Voinovich simply has too many Federal workforce
accomplishments to discuss all of them today. However, I would like to
point out that he authored the Federal Workforce Flexibility Act to
modernize Federal human capital planning, pay, and benefits; the
Federal Employee Student Loan Assistance Act; the Senior Executive
Service Performance Improvement Act; and many other important bills
that have improved the government's ability to provide services.
In addition to his focus on important workforce issues, Senator
Voinovich
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has worked tirelessly on complicated management challenges. Our
subcommittee has held a total of seven hearings on reforming the
security clearance process. This work has been a tremendous success,
eliminating the clearance backlog, dramatically reducing processing
times, and improving investigation quality. These improvements enhance
our national security and help the Federal Government hire the right
people for the right jobs.
I am also proud of our work together in establishing Chief Management
Officers at the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland
Security. It is vital that we maintain strong focus on management at
these critical departments. I could easily point to so many other
things that Senator Voinovich has accomplished during his Senate
service.
I want to express my deep appreciation to Senator Voinovich for his
friendship and partnership over the years. He has been a model public
servant, and our country is a better and safer place because of his
work. I wish Senator Voinovich, his lovely wife Janet, and his entire
family joy and happiness during his richly deserved retirement.
In closing, the end of this Congress is bittersweet, with so many
talented and dedicated public servants leaving this institution. All of
them made a lasting impact on the Senate and on our country. Mahalo nui
loa, thank you, for all your work.
Jim Bunning
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my
colleague, Senator Jim Bunning. After 12 years in the U.S. Senate,
Senator Bunning is retiring from this chamber at the end of this
session.
Jim has led a remarkable life. As a baseball fan, I am especially
envious of his first career as a Major League pitcher. He was a
classic, hard-nosed competitor, which foreshadowed his style as a
public servant later in life. My favorite story about Senator Bunning's
baseball career is that he was the only pitcher to strike out Ted
Williams three times in a single game. He is also one of only seven
pitchers to throw a perfect game and a no-hitter. Senator Bunning
retired from the sport in 1971 with 2,855 career strikeouts, which, at
the time, was the second highest total of all-time. He was rightfully
inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.
Following his outstanding baseball career, Jim went into politics.
And, once again, he was a winner. He has held office at the local,
State, and Federal level. After serving Kentucky's 4th District for 12
years in the House of Representatives, Senator Bunning began his
service in this Chamber in 1999. I have served with him on the Budget
and Finance committees, and have always known him to freely speak his
mind and ask tough questions. He remained true to the fierce style he
first demonstrated as a young pitcher who was not afraid to brush back
a hitter.
Nor was Senator Bunning intimidated by the often arcane and technical
issues we confronted as members of the Finance Committee. Over the
years we have served there as colleagues, we have worked productively
on a wide range of legislative proposals that included the taxation of
life insurance companies, shortening the depreciation period for farm
equipment, and capital gains treatment for songwriters, just to name a
few. He was always willing to reach across the aisle to help achieve a
common objective a longstanding Finance Committee tradition.
Senator Bunning will now enter a new phase in his life, and I am
certain he will now have the luxury of spending time with his wonderful
family. Jim has the good fortune of being married to his childhood
sweetheart, Mary. They met in grade school, and I am impressed that Jim
knew at such a young age that he found a truly special person. I find
Mary to be an absolutely lovely woman and admire their lasting love for
each other. Mary is the mother of their nine children, and Jim and Mary
now share 40 grandchildren. I wish Jim, Mary, and their entire family
many years of health and happiness.
BLANCHE LINCOLN
Mr. President, I come to the floor today to recognize one of our
departing colleagues, the senior Senator from Arkansas, Mrs. Blanche
Lambert Lincoln.
A 7th generation Arkansan and a native of Helena, AR, Senator Lincoln
grew up on a cotton and rice farm. She spoke often of her experiences
on the farm, and fondly recalled how she was a farmer's daughter. It
was her experience helping her father work the land that taught her the
same core values she brought to the Senate--honesty, fairness, hard
work, and common sense.
Senator Lincoln is the kind of colleague you want to have in the
Senate. She is pragmatic. She is rational. And she is reasonable. If
you ever had an issue with her you needed to resolve, you could count
on her to be someone you could work with. In fact, she is well known as
someone who tried to bridge the partisan divide. She even cofounded and
cochaired an organization dedicated to working across the aisle to
bridge differences and create practical solutions.
Senator Lincoln first came to Congress in 1992 as a Representative
for Arkansas's First Congressional District, serving two terms.
Following the birth of her twin boys, Reece and Bennett, she made a
successful run for the Senate in 1998.
During her time here in the Senate, she served her home State of
Arkansas with great distinction, serving in the same seat as the late
Senator Hattie Caraway, the first woman ever elected to the Senate.
Like Senator Caraway, who also made history for being the first woman
ever to be chairman of a Senate committee, Senator Lincoln made history
in 2009 by becoming the first woman in the 184-year history of the
Senate Agriculture Committee to be named chairman.
Senator Lincoln and I were able to collaborate on many issues during
her time in the Senate because we served together on two committees--
Agriculture and Finance. On the Agriculture Committee, she was a fierce
advocate for her State's agriculture interests, particularly rice and
cotton producers. Since farm bills tend to be more regional than party
driven, she always represented her producers with vigor. She was a key
player in the 2002 and 2008 farm bills, both of which have been widely
popular throughout the countryside in the North and the South.
She also looked out for those who are less fortunate, making hunger
in our country a signature issue of hers. This year she pushed through
the Senate a landmark bill to improve school lunch programs. The child
nutrition reauthorization bill she authored contains almost 10 times
more new funding than the 2004 child nutrition reauthorization. It
includes $3.2B for the first school lunch program base-level
reimbursement increase since 1973. I hope the House will follow the
Senate's lead and pass this important bill yet this year.
She also served as the chair of Rural Outreach for the Senate
Democratic Caucus. It was in this role that we collaborated to
introduce the Rural Revitalization Act, a bill to boost the economy in
rural America in the wake of the recent recession. This bill made
significant investments in rural development priorities, including
infrastructure projects, energy programs, housing assistance and rural
health care.
Senator Lincoln also has been a champion for rural health care issues
as a valued member of the Senate Rural Health Caucus. During her time
in the Senate, she successfully fought to protect small businesses,
health care providers, and, most importantly, seniors in rural
communities. Because of Senator Lincoln's dedication, critical
improvements to the Medicare Program were enacted into law. In
particular, senior women now have improved access to bone density
tests, osteoporosis screenings, and other preventive services.
Senator Lincoln also authored the Elder Justice Act, legislation
enacted into law this year which authorizes new efforts to prevent,
detect, treat, and prosecute elder abuse and exploitation. Her work as
a lead author of the SHOP Act led to the adoption of tax credits and
small business health insurance exchanges in health reform. These
legislative accomplishments and many others will leave this country
with a lasting legacy of Senator Lincoln's commitment to improving the
health of Arkansans and of all Americans.
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On the Finance Committee, Senator Lincoln was a strong and effective
advocate for working families. She worked hard to make sure that the
full child tax credit was available to as many low-earning workers with
children as possible. She knows how valuable that benefit is for
parents who really have to struggle to support their families.
Senator Lincoln and I share a commitment to promoting savings for
retirement. She shares my concern that retirement income security is a
growing challenge for the baby boomers who are beginning to head into
retirement right now as well as the generations that are following. An
important focus for her has been the promotion of employee stock
ownership plans, which not only help small businesses--including many
successful ones in my State of North Dakota--to grow but also help the
employee-owners build a separate pool of retirement savings that they
can use during their retirement years.
It is unfortunate that we are losing such a capable and pragmatic
colleague as Senator Lincoln. It will be sad to see the Senate without
her next year, but I know nothing but good things await her in her
future. I wish her the best.
Russ Feingold
I would like to pay tribute and recognize the accomplishments of my
good friend Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who will be leaving the
Senate at the end of this session.
Senator Feingold has faithfully served the people of Wisconsin for
the last 28 years, serving three terms in the Wisconsin State Senate
and three terms in the U.S. Senate. During all of that time, he has
never forgotten who put him in office. Every year, Senator Feingold has
held listening sessions in all 72 counties of Wisconsin. The input he
received in those sessions was his guide for every issue he worked on
in the Senate.
Russ Feingold has also been guided by his tremendous intellect. After
growing up in Janesville, WI, he graduated from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison and went on to receive a Rhodes Scholarship from
Oxford University and a law degree from Harvard Law School.
To say that Senator Feingold has been independent-minded in the
Senate is an understatement. He has been a true maverick. He never let
party or political pressure influence his efforts here.
The clearest example of this was his work on campaign finance reform
with Republican Senator John McCain. After years of struggle, the
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, known to most as the McCain-Feingold
Act, was enacted in 2002. Although the Act continues to evolve and face
challenges, it will forever change the landscape of political campaigns
in this country. And Senator Feingold has led other efforts to promote
clean government, such as moving to electronic filing of campaign
finance reports and fighting against lobbyists' gifts to lawmakers.
Senator Feingold has also been an independent voice in the area of
foreign policy. He spoke out eloquently against the Iraq war and was
one of 21 Democratic Senators to vote against the Iraq war resolution.
And, as a member of the Intelligence Committee and chairman of the
Foreign Relations Africa Subcommittee, his opinion on matters related
to Africa have carried an added weight.
Of course, I have known Senator Feingold best from his work with me
on the Senate Budget Committee. Since he joined the panel in 1997, he
has been a powerful voice on the committee for fiscal responsibility.
He was one of the leading advocates for restoring the paygo, or pay-as-
you-go, requirement to ensure any new mandatory spending or tax cuts
are fully paid for. And, in 2009, he introduced a comprehensive Control
Spending Now Act, including several important spending reforms that
have since been adopted.
It has been a true honor to serve alongside Senator Russ Feingold. He
has made a tremendous contribution to this body, to his State of
Wisconsin, and to our Nation. He will certainly be missed. I wish him
all the best in his future endeavors.
Kit Bond
Mr. President, I want to join my colleagues in paying tribute to
Senator Bond as he prepares to leave the Senate.
Senator Bond and I came to the Senate together in 1987. While we have
not seen eye to eye on some issues, I have admired his passion and
convictions as he worked to faithfully represent his State.
Even before coming to the Senate, Senator Bond had a distinguished
career in public service for the State of Missouri serving as assistant
attorney general, State auditor, and later as Governor. He cares deeply
about his home State, which is evidenced by his long list of
accomplishments in the Senate--a robust highway bill, targeted
investments in public housing and infrastructure, and a strong national
defense to name just a few.
Senator Bond and I have long shared a common interest in the Missouri
River. Though we disagree on how it should be managed and the ability
of our State's to utilize this resource, I have enormous respect for my
colleague for his passion in defending Missouri's claims to this
resource.
In particular, I deeply appreciated Senator Bond's work with me on
the Dakota Water Resources Act. This legislation was critical for the
economic future of North Dakota. During discussions on the bill, he was
a tenacious advocate for his State's interests. His diligence in
representing his State, coupled with his willingness to gain a better
understanding of the water needs of my State, ultimately helped us
reach a compromise acceptable to both States. The people of Missouri
can be proud of his work fighting for their interests.
Senator Bond has been a man of his word who served his State and
country with distinction. I wish him well in his future endeavors.
George Voinovich
Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to recognize our
retiring colleague from Ohio, Senator George Voinovich.
George Voinovich has led a remarkable life of public service,
stretching across all levels of government. Beginning in 1963, Senator
Voinovich has made the people of Ohio his priority, serving as an
assistant attorney general in Ohio, a member of the Ohio House of
Representatives, Cuyahoga County commissioner, Lieutenant Governor of
OH, Mayor of Cleveland, Governor of Ohio, and finally, U.S. Senator.
Throughout his career, Senator Voinovich has been a steady hand,
guiding Ohio through difficult times. As mayor, he led the city of
Cleveland out of bankruptcy and mismanagement through smart budgeting
and pragmatic governing. As Governor, he led Ohio out of a recession
and into more prosperous times, holding the State budget's growth to
its lowest level in 30 years and overseeing the state's lowest
unemployment rate in 25 years.
As Senator, he continued his commitment to fiscal responsibility,
focusing on this country's exploding debt and long-term challenges.
Senator Voinovich also fought for reform of our tax and entitlement
systems as author of the SAFE Commission Act and cosponsor of the
Conrad-Gregg Bipartisan Task Force for Fiscal Responsibility Act.
Warning about our Nation's fiscal crisis at a Budget Committee hearing
in 2009, he testified courageously: ``We must find a compromise and we
must act now. Many people believe that this generation of Americans
will be the first whose standard of living will be less than those
before them. Our failure to act now will guarantee that they are
right.'' With Senator Voinovich's retirement, the Senate is losing one
of its strongest and clearest voices on the importance of fiscal
responsibility today to keep our country strong and growing into the
future.
I was also pleased to join with Senator Voinovich in introducing the
Truth in Budgeting Act. Our bill would have put a stop to the fiscally
reckless practice of using trust fund surpluses to pay for tax cuts and
other spending priorities. Senator Voinovich always recognized that our
current fiscal policies are putting future generations in the position
of having to borrow trillions of dollars to make good on our Social
Security, Medicare and other commitments.
I have always respected his commitment to principle and his
willingness to take independent positions, regardless of popularity or
political expedience. He has rejected the knee-jerk partisan politics
that unfortunately
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have taken hold of Washington over the past decade, opting instead for
reasonable, level-headed discourse. Always willing to reach across the
aisle, Senator Voinovich has spent his 12 years in the Senate being an
honest broker and a true public servant. He will be greatly missed.
I wish a happy and healthy retirement to George and his wife of 47
years, Janet, and congratulate him on an outstanding career.
judd gregg
Mr. President, I have come to the floor today to pay tribute to
Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, who will be leaving the Senate at
the end of this session.
Although I am happy for Judd and his wife Kathy, as they set off on
the next stage of their lives, Judd's retirement represents a great
loss for the U.S. Senate, for the people of New Hampshire, for the
entire Nation, and for me personally.
Simply put, Judd has been an outstanding public servant. He has
worked tirelessly and effectively on behalf of his State, first as a
Congressman, then as Governor, and then as a Senator. The people of New
Hampshire rewarded his faithful service by repeatedly electing him by
wide margins. When he was reelected to the Senate in 2004, Judd
received the highest number of votes in New Hampshire history.
Judd has been a true leader in the Senate. Few Members have the
breadth of knowledge and insight that he holds on the key issues that
come before this body. Whether it be the budget, education policy, or
banking reform, he has been at the center of the debate, and Members on
both sides of the aisle seek out and respect his judgment.
I have come to know Judd best for his work on the Budget Committee.
He has been on the committee for all of the 18 years he has been in the
Senate. He served as chairman in 2005 and 2006, after Senator Nickles
retired, and has been the ranking member ever since.
I could not have asked for a better partner on the committee. It has
been a pleasure to work closely with him. Our staffs have also worked
very well together, which is a testament to the leadership of Judd and
the example he set in his work with me.
And Judd has tremendous integrity. His word is his bond.
Although we haven't always agreed on policy, Judd has always upheld
the highest standards of the Senate by knowing how to disagree without
being disagreeable. We have had fierce debates over the years, but we
have never let that affect our ability to work together.
Of course, the highlight of our work together came in our legislative
effort to adopt a bipartisan fiscal task force to address the country's
long-term debt crisis. That joint effort was truly one of the most
rewarding experiences of my career in the Senate. I will never forget
the days we spent discussing the proposal during a trip in 2006.
While we were not able to pass our legislation in the Senate, our
effort resulted in the creation of the President's fiscal commission.
It has been an honor to work alongside Judd in this fight. Like me,
Judd cares deeply about our nation's fiscal future and understands the
danger of rising Federal debt. He has been a tenacious advocate of
fiscal discipline and putting the budget on a sustainable long-term
path.
Judd is a true-blue fiscal conservative. But that has never stopped
him from reaching across the aisle to work with Democrats. In addition
to working with me, Judd teamed up with Senator Ted Kennedy in 2001 to
co-author the No Child Left Behind Act. More recently, he teamed up
with Senator Wyden to write the first major bipartisan tax reform
legislation in decades, the Bipartisan Tax Fairness and Simplification
Act.
Notably, Judd also played a key role in the bipartisan negotiations
that led to the creation of the TARP legislation. TARP was widely
criticized during this past election season, but the results are now
in, and it is clear that the TARP program was successful in stabilizing
the financial sector and helping to prevent the economy from dipping
into a full-blown depression. The success of the program and the
repayments now coming into the Treasury can be attributed, at least in
part, to Judd's insistence on including provisions in the legislation
to protect American taxpayers.
Finally, Judd's retirement means more to me than just losing a great
partner on the Budget Committee. I am also losing a great friend. At a
time when Washington is filled with so much partisan rancor and
disagreement, we need more individuals from across the aisle to form
friendships like ours.
Judd, I wish you all the best in your retirement. You will truly be
missed.
Bob Bennett
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in appreciation and
admiration of Senator Bob Bennett.
Senator Bennett understood the perspectives of America's small
business owners. After all, he was one of them. As CEO of Franklin
Quest, Bob grew the company from 4 employees to over 1,000. During his
tenure the firm became one of the best known providers of time
management seminars and products, and became listed on the New York
Stock Exchange.
Reducing obstacles for small business owners has been one of Senator
Bennett's top priorities in Washington. In his first 6 months of
service, he took to the floor to identify three ways the Federal
Government was growing at the expense of the entrepreneur. Those three
obstacles--increased regulation, increased taxation, and increased
difficulty in capital formation--remain challenges to job creators
today, and Bob has never stopped voicing their concerns.
Senator Bennett was elected to the U.S. Senate from his beloved State
of Utah, which his father, Senator Wallace Bennett, represented for
many years. And by the time I was elected to the Chamber, Senator
Bennett had already been one of the ``wise ones'' in his own right for
many years. I have long admired Bob's sincere appreciation and respect
for the traditions and history of the Senate--to which he and his
father have both contributed tremendously.
Throughout his service here in Washington, Bob's family has helped
keep him grounded--all 6 children and 20 grandchildren. Sandy and I
wish the best for Bob and his wife Joyce.
Sam Brownback
Mr. President, I join my colleagues in appreciation and admiration of
Senator Sam Brownback.
Sam's commitment to public service grew out of the farmlands where he
was raised and where his parents still reside. As a student, Sam earned
the respect of his peers as State president of the Future Farmers of
America and student body president at Kansas State University. The
people of Kansas have put their trust in Sam multiple times: as their
Secretary of Agriculture, as one of their members in the House of
Representatives, and for 14 years in the U.S. Senate.
Sam drew upon his experience in Kansas to shape legislation here in
Washington. He offered legislation to create more opportunity for
America's farmers, and to reduce foreign trade barriers to their
products. In time Sam rose to become a leader on the Senate
Appropriations Committee, as well as the Energy and Natural Resources
Committee.
Sam also has a heart for victims of disease and human rights
violations all over the world. He proposed incentives for drug
companies to offer discounts for life-savings medications for people of
developing nations. He boldly called for the end to human rights
violations in Darfur and Iran. I have been proud to stand with him on
numerous pieces of human rights legislation, including the Iran
Democratic Transition Act in this Congress.
Sam's tenure in the Senate has come to an end, but not his service to
the people of Kansas. They overwhelmingly called him back home to serve
as their Governor, and begin the next chapter in his remarkable career.
Sandy and I wish him and his family all the best.
Judd Gregg
Mr. President, today I would like to join with my colleagues in
appreciation and admiration of Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire.
Judd is a native of New Hampshire and after practicing as an attorney
in Nashua, where he was born, he began a devoted career of public
service to his State. Before coming to the Senate, Judd served as a
member of his State's executive council, as a Representative, and then
on to become, as his father Hugh Gregg had been before him, Governor of
the Granite State.
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Judd was a successful and accomplished Governor. When he left Concord
to join the Senate, he left his State with not only a balanced budget
but a surplus as well. His leadership and record of fiscal
responsibility has served as an example for our entire Nation to
follow.
His expertise on budgetary and fiscal issues has benefitted all his
fellow Senators on the Budget Committee. As both chairman and ranking
member of the committee, Judd put together both excellent staff and the
resources necessary to advance our goals of cutting spending, balancing
the budget, and reducing our nation's debt. With steps such as his
successful sponsorship of the fiscal year 2006 budget resolution, which
reduced mandatory spending for the first time in years, hard-working
American taxpayers have saved billions thanks to Senator Gregg's
efforts.
Senator Gregg and I worked hard together in fighting to reduce our
government's burden on taxpayers and the excessive spending that fuels
it. We have both fought hard for our government to take our financial
future seriously and to make the tough decisions necessary for it to be
secured for our generation and for many more to come.
I would like to thank Senator Gregg again for his leadership on these
important issues, and his extensive service to the people of New
Hampshire. My wife Sandy and I wish Senator Gregg, his wife Kathy, and
their family all the best.
Kit Bond
Mr. President, I join my colleagues in appreciation and admiration of
Senator Kit Bond. Kit has been a faithful public servant to the people
of Missouri for many years. I feel privileged to have had the
opportunity to serve alongside him in the U.S. Senate.
Before being elected to this body, Kit made a strong impression as a
student, a lawyer, and a public servant. He graduated Cum Laude from
Princeton University, and was first in his law school class at the
University of Virginia. He practiced law as an assistant attorney
general for the State of Missouri under John Danforth, who himself was
a future Senator from the ``Show-Me State.'' His colleagues at that
time included John Ashcroft, who also went on to serve in this Chamber,
and future Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Kit often jokes that he transitioned from the second most hated
career--a lawyer--to the first: a politician. The people of Missouri
have repeatedly affirmed that he made the right choice. They elected
him to be their State Auditor. They elected him as the youngest
Governor in Missouri's history. And they have elected him four times to
represent them in the U.S. Senate.
Senator Bond brought many of his passions as Governor to this
Chamber, including his longtime support for Missouri's successful
Parents as Teachers Program. He also kept a special place in his heart
for issues relating to children. In time he rose to become a senior
member of the Appropriations Committee as well as the Environment and
Public Works Committees.
Senator Bond and I worked most closely together on issues relating to
national defense and foreign affairs. In this Congress alone, he and I
jointly introduced the Military Voting Protection Act of 2009, the Iran
Democratic Transition Act of 2010, and a resolution affirming Israel's
right to self-defense. His leadership as vice chairman of the Select
Committee on Intelligence has been a lasting contribution to the
security of our Nation,
Kit has helped shape legislation that will govern our Nation for
years to come, but his spirit is what I will miss the most. As he has
said: ``Serving Missouri has been my life's work. I have walked the
land, fished its rivers and been humbled by the honesty and hard work
of our people. The highest honor is to receive and safeguard the public
trust.''
In his retirement, Kit will now have the opportunity to focus his
time on his other loves: his wife Linda, his son Sam, and his new
daughter-in-law Margaret. The Mizzou Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals
will also likely see him in the stands more often. Sandy and I wish
both Kit and Linda the very best as they continue their journey
together.
Jim Bunning
Mr. President, I join my colleagues in appreciation and admiration of
Senator Jim Bunning.
Millions of American baseball fans know Jim as one of the most
accomplished athletes of his generation. Jim pitched for both the
Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies during his 17-year career. He
was the second pitcher in history to notch 100 wins and strike out
1,000 batters in both the American and National Leagues, and when he
retired he was second on the all-time strikeout list. His impressive
career earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While he wore the uniforms of teams in Michigan and Pennsylvania,
Jim's heart never left his native Kentucky. Six years after retiring
from baseball, Jim decided to run for public office and won a city
council seat in Fort Thomas, KY. He was later elected to the Kentucky
State Senate and became the Republican leader. Kentuckians then elected
Jim to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 4th District of
Kentucky where he served until 1998. During his time in the House, Jim
committed himself to defending Social Security as chairman of the
Social Security Subcommittee. His unwavering stance on protecting
Social Security contributed to the establishment of the Social Security
Administration as a separate agency.
Jim was elected to the Senate in 1998 and quickly became a strong
voice for fiscal responsibility. He became the first native Kentuckian
on the Finance Committee in 40 years, and also served on the Budget
Committee--and in both capacities I had the opportunity to work with
him. Jim also served as chairman of the Banking Committee's Economic
Policy Subcommittee, where he authored legislation that reformed the
National Flood Insurance Program and made it possible for millions of
Americans to protect their homes affordably.
Jim's passion for policymaking has helped him shape legislation that
will govern our Nation for years to come, but his greatest legacy is
his family. He and Mary raised 9 children and have 35 grandchildren and
4 great-grandchildren. Sandy and I offer our best wishes to the entire
Bunning family, and we thank him for his years of service to our great
Nation.
George Voinovich
Mr. President, I join my colleagues in appreciation and admiration of
Senator George Voinovich.
Senator Voinovich represents the great State of Ohio--and in some
sense he has never left. He was born and raised in Cleveland, earned a
bachelor of arts degree in government from Ohio University, and
received a law degree from the Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State
University. After more than four decades of public service, he and
Janet still live in Cleveland with their family.
Before coming to Washington, Senator Voinovich established a long
record of service to the people of the Buckeye State: as a member of
the State legislature, a Cuyahoga County Commissioner, the Lieutenant
Governor of Ohio, mayor of Cleveland and Governor of Ohio. As mayor of
Cleveland, he helped turn around the local economy after the city
declared bankruptcy in the 1970s. As Governor, George spearheaded
economic recovery efforts after Ohio fell into a recession during the
early 1990s. He helped reduce Ohio's unemployment rate to a 25-year low
and maintained the lowest budgetary growth levels in 30 years. Along
the way, he became the only person to hold the highest leadership
positions in both the National Governors Association and the National
League of Cities.
The people of Ohio sent George to Washington to serve in the U.S.
Senate in 1998 and then reelected him 6 years ago in a landslide
victory. Senator Voinovich's policy accomplishments reflect his
dedication to maintaining fiscal responsibility, enhancing national
security, increasing America's global competitiveness, and improving
the federal government's efficiency. His Mortgage Relief Act of 2007
was the first piece of legislation to be signed into law that aimed to
lessen the impact of America's foreclosure crisis.
Senator Voinovich has also been a strong voice for America's
interests and values all over the world. He has been a strong proponent
of NATO expansion, U.N. reform, and U.S. public
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diplomacy efforts. He has also spoken out strongly against global anti-
Semitism, racism and other forms of intolerance.
Sandy and I wish all the best to George and Janet, as well as their
three children and eight grandchildren. And we thank George for his
many years of service in the U.S. Senate.
Jim Bunning
Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, I rise in tribute to Senator Jim Bunning,
who is retiring after honorably serving the people of Kentucky for 24
years.
Throughout his political career, Jim has been a fierce taxpayer's
advocate. A bold defender of life and protector of families. A small
business ally. And, a courageous critic of bad government policy.
As the targets of his criticism have learned, Jim's words can
sometimes be sharp. That is because cold, hard truths have sharp edges
and Jim Bunning speaks in cold, hard truths.
Even when it comes to his own party.
In the summer of 2008, shortly after a Republican Treasury Secretary
obtained the authority to pump unlimited money into Freddie Mac and
Fannie Mae, Jim was rightfully upset. ``When I picked up the newspaper
yesterday, I thought I woke up in France,'' he told the Secretary in a
hearing. ``But no,'' Jim said, ``it turned out it was socialism here in
the United States.''
Jim often asked simple questions that were easy to answer truthfully
and didn't tolerate equivocation. In the case of the Fannie and Freddie
bailouts, he asked the Treasury Secretary, ``Where will the money come
from?''
The Treasury Secretary said it was better to ``be unspecified and
enhance confidence in the market.''
Jim asked again saying that ``doesn't answer the question. Where is
the money going to come from if you have to put it up?''
There was more waffling, but Jim finally pushed the Treasury
Secretary to admit the money was going to come from the taxpayer. The
taxpayers were going to pay.
He later called for the resignation of that Republican Treasury
Secretary because he was, as Jim put it, ``acting like the minister of
finance in China.''
``No company fails in Communist China, because they're all partly
owned by the government,'' Jim noted.
Jim has also been a brave critic of the Federal Reserve. He has told
the Fed Chairman, who was appointed by a Republican President and
helped orchestrate bailouts for those considered too big to fail that,
``You are the definition of a moral hazard.''
``Your Fed has become the creature from Jekyll Island,'' Jim said.
And then he asked for the Fed Chairman's resignation, too.
Jim has performed a great public service by bringing attention to the
economic damage being caused by the Fed with cheap money when no one
else would. He was there calling for more oversight of the Federal
Reserve long before it became a Tea Party cause and he deserves credit
for driving the issue into the mainstream.
As Senator, you could say Jim's approach has been direct as the
fastballs he threw that made him a major league, Hall of Fame pitcher.
When the Democrats tried to pass off phony paygo rules as real reform,
Jim exposed it as a trick pitch. It was a gimmick to fool Americans
into thinking they would pay for their big-spending plans.
The Democrats said paygo would obligate Congress to offset any new
spending with new revenues or spending cuts elsewhere in the budget.
Soon after, they tried to pass $10 billion in unpaid for unemployment
extensions Moreover, the Democrats wanted to pass it by unanimous
consent. Meaning, no public debate. No rollcall vote. No
accountability.
The Democrats bet no one would oppose benefits for the unemployed in
this bad economy. They believed, as they continue to, that they can
keep giving out money without paying for it and without any
consequences.
Jim did not concede. He objected and stood his ground on the Senate
floor. And by doing so, he showed everyone what a sham paygo is. The
Wall Street Journal called it ``his finest hour.''
Bunning announced his retirement in July 2009, more than a year ago.
He could have taken it easy during his last years in the Senate. He
didn't have to tackle the Treasury, the Fed or insist unemployment
extensions be paid for.
But, he did. Jim Bunning, the Hall of Fame Pitcher, the distinguished
Senator, father of 9 and grandfather of 40 cared too much for this
country to sit this one out.
He said in his farewell speech that he prays the Members of Congress
will stop spending our future generations into higher taxes and a lower
standard of living than we have now. I pray for that, too.
Finally, I express my gratitude to Senator Bunning for supporting the
new Republican from his state who will inherit his Senate seat next
year. Jim campaigned for someone to take his place who would say no to
bailouts, stop the takeovers, end the wasteful spending and bring down
the national debt. The nation will benefit greatly by continuing to
have a senator at Jim's desk who believes as much in the principles of
free markets and freedom as Jim.
Thank you Jim for giving America your best until the very last
inning.
Sam Brownback
I rise in tribute to my good friend, Senator Sam Brownback, who will
soon be Governor Sam Brownback.
Senator Brownback leaves this Chamber as a man of character and
success. He made a promise to the citizens of Kansas to only serve two
terms in the U.S. Senate and he is honoring it.
He will continue to serve his constituents well, as he will soon join
the ranks of Republican Governors who are committed to saving freedom
and free-markets. Sam and his fellow Republican Governors will stand
sentry in their state capitols, defending Americans from unaffordable
mandates and unprecedented intrusions by the Federal Government.
The current Secretary of Health and Human Services, Democrat Kathleen
Sebelius, left Topeka to come to Washington and impose an
unconstitutional health care takeover on all Americans. I am confident
Republican Governor-elect Sam Brownback, who is leaving Washington for
Topeka, will successfully fight for state rights in court and preserve
freedom for Kansans.
Sam won on a platform of opportunity, accountability and
responsibility--the very principles his State was founded upon.
His ``Road Map for Kansas'' is built on ideas to grow the economy,
create private-sector jobs, improve education, reform the state
government and support Kansas families. This is exactly the kind of
leadership our nation so desperately needs. His five-point plan is a
clear and bright as the tips of the stars on the Kansas flag.
In addition to the roadmap for Kansas, Sam has promised to institute
a spending freeze for his State his very first month in office.
It has been an honor to serve alongside Sam, one of our nation's
premier pro-life leaders. He knows no one should be denied the right to
life--especially the unborn. As he said in a speech at the 2004 March
for Life, ``If we demean and degrade one human life, we demean and
degrade all human life.''
As a U.S. Senator, Sam relentlessly fought to protect the unborn. He
was the principle sponsor of the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, the
Prenatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act, the Human Cloning
Prohibition Act, and others. He has also worked to advance the Partial-
Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and the
Born-Alive Infants Protection Act.
Sam has increased awareness about the joy of adoption. He can
personally attest to it. He and his wife Mary and three children Abby,
Andy and Elizabeth have welcomed two children in need of a loving home
into their lives. The Brownback's youngest son Mark is from Guatemala.
Their youngest daughter Jenna is from China, where families are
subjected to grave and callous one-child policy.
Thank you Sam for fighting for a better life for all of God's
children.
As we bid him farewell, I would like to reflect on one short passage
from his book, ``From Power to Purpose.'' In it, Sam wrote ``The heart
of the matter is the human heart, which is where human goodness
begins.''
That shows the kind of heart Sam has for public service. His tenure
in the U.S. Senate is marked by his compassion and care for his fellow
man.
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He will be dearly missed here in Washington. But, as Jesus said,
``There are many rooms in my Father's house.'' And Sam is just moving
to another room where he will continue to serve God.
george voinovich
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, when George Voinovich came to the Senate
in 1998, he brought with him a wealth of experience as a State
legislator, county commissioner, mayor, and Governor. More important,
he brought an independent mind, common sense, and a commitment to
results.
Through more than four decades of public service, he has always been
guided by the principle that a fundamental obligation of government is
to honor its responsibilities to citizens. His goal has always been to
ensure that those in public office ``work harder and smarter, and do
more with less.''
But Senator Voinovich is revered here and at home for deeds, not
words. As mayor, he brought Cleveland back from bankruptcy and led its
transformation into a three-time All-America City. As Governor, he
steered Ohio through the recession of the early 1990s, turned a State
budget in the red back to black, and helped rebuild Ohio's industry and
infrastructure for the 21st century.
From his executive background in local and State government, Senator
Voinovich knew that any government is only as good as the people
working for it. He has been a strong advocate for improved government
management, and for recruiting, retaining, rewarding, and recognizing
the best government workforce.
It has been my privilege to work closely with Senator Voinovich on
the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He is devoted
to protecting our Nation and our people.
Our committee's work was aided greatly by his leadership of the
Subcommittee on Oversight and Government Management, and his conviction
that government works only when it ensures that the right people have
the right resources to get the job done. He has been instrumental in
virtually every major civil service issue for more than a decade and
has championed 17 pieces of legislation to transform and improve our
Federal workforce.
Since coming to Washington, the ``Workforce Senator'' has been a
watchdog for the interests of the taxpayers and of government
employees. Early in his service, the Senior Executive Service
Performance Improvement Act and the Chief Human Capital Officers Act
recognized that the Federal Government must compete if it is to attract
the best. In this Congress, the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act
addressed the need to streamline recruiting so that the right person
can be hired at the right time.
And his efforts have been successful. A recent Federal employee
survey on the best places to work found that the top three agencies--
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, GAO, and NASA--are the agencies with
the personnel flexibilities Senator Voinovich worked to achieve.
I know how deeply George Voinovich cares about the men and women who
serve as Federal employees because on many issues we have fought
together. In particular, I want to recognize his role in pressing for
pay for performance reforms in our Federal workforce. If we want an
effective government, we must encourage excellence in our workforce, as
Senator Voinovich clearly understands.
He has been an effective voice for fiscal discipline, for
comprehensive tax and entitlement reform, and for enhancing America's
competitiveness in a global economy. All of these issues and so many
more demonstrate his commitment to honoring responsibilities and
achieving results.
When Senator Voinovich announced early last year that he would not
seek reelection, the outpouring of tributes was heartfelt and
bipartisan. As one Ohio newspaper wrote, ``Once he latches on to an
issue, he doesn't let go until he is satisfied with the outcome.''
Senator Voinovich's determination, combined with wisdom, experience,
and decency, made him an outstanding U.S. Senator and public servant. I
thank George Voinovich for his years of service and for his friendship,
and wish him and Janet all the best in the years to come.
Russ Feingold
Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I take a moment to say a few words about the
junior Senator from Wisconsin, Senator Russ Feingold, who will be
leaving the Senate at the end of this session. We have served together
in the Senate, working for the people of Wisconsin every day, since he
was elected in 1992. But now Wisconsin is losing a powerful and
thoughtful advocate that carried on the proud progressive tradition of
Robert LaFollette.
Russ came to the Senate by winning an upset election, running as an
outsider. He famously wrote a promise to the people of Wisconsin on his
garage door, and people responded to his sincerity. Keeping that
promise has kept him close to the people of Wisconsin as he traveled to
every county in the State once a year to hold a listening session. That
kind of accessibility, and his pledge to raise his campaign money
mostly from the people of Wisconsin, gives him a credibility and
integrity that no one in the State can question.
Money and politics has always been an issue that Russ felt
passionately about. So it should be no surprise that his biggest
legislative win was when he worked with Senator John McCain to put
restrictions on campaign financing with the historic Bi-Partisan
Campaign Finance Reform Act, better known as the McCain-Feingold bill.
That legislation, like many of his stands over the years, didn't always
make him popular with his colleagues, but it was the right thing to do
to try and root out corruption and roll back the influence of the
special interests. The American people will never have confidence in
our system as long as they believe that a politician's support can be
bought and sold. Russ worked to restore confidence in our government
and he should be commended for that.
He took a lot of unpopular positions over the years. Most notable was
his sole opposition to the Patriot Act. He stood up for his ideals when
it would have been easy to brush them aside. But that is the kind of
person Russ is. He was never willing to sacrifice his principles to do
the politically easy thing. Our country is safer because of his work.
Russ also has been a tough budget hawk, working tirelessly to bring
down spending and give the next generation a debt-free future. He also
helped form the current lobbying rules that restrict gifts, employment,
and perks that can be given to members and staff by special interest
lobbyists. These policies didn't always make him popular around here--
and sometimes caused problems inside his own party--but he was willing
to buck the system when he felt he had to.
Janesville should be proud of their hometown son who has accomplished
so much. He leaves the Senate, but I hope he doesn't leave public
service. His character and intelligence are needed by his community,
State and country. We will miss him.
Chris Dodd
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, occasionally in the career of a U.S.
Senator, one is given the opportunity to shape legislation that will
bring historic change to our Nation. The Senators who have seized such
opportunities stand among the Senate giants of our lifetime: ``Scoop''
Jackson. Hubert Humphrey. Everett Dirksen. Ted Kennedy.
As this Congress comes to a close, we must say goodbye to Chris Dodd,
a Senator who has seized such opportunities, one whose drive and
dedication and wisdom have enabled us to bring great and needed change.
Senator Chris Dodd has been a good friend to me. He has been a leader
to those who seek an America that is stronger, fairer and more just.
Senator Dodd will be rightly remembered for his essential role in
passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act. In the aftermath of a financial crisis that brought the nation's
economy to a halt and threatened a second Great Depression, the need
for Wall Street reform was clear, but so were the enormous obstacles to
passage. In addition to honest disagreements about how best to proceed,
we faced determined opposition from Wall Street, which wanted to
maintain a status quo that put profits ahead of economic stability. All
of us who participated in the debate over that bill know how complex
and difficult it was to craft it, and we all have enormous hopes that
this landmark
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bill will curb the excesses that cost so many Americans their jobs and
homes and businesses in the financial crisis.
History also will mark Senator Dodd's key role in passage of the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a landmark step in the
decades-long fight to ensure that every American has access to
affordable health care. Taking up the baton for his dear friend,
Senator Kennedy, Senator Dodd provided strong and sure leadership,
again in the face of obstacles that at times threatened the bill's very
survival. Thanks to his dedication, health coverage is more secure and
affordable for families who have it, and more accessible to families
without it.
If Senator Dodd had accomplished no other legislative victories than
these two, he could rightly claim a place among the Senate's most
effective legislators. But Chris Dodd accomplished much more.
Millions of American families have benefitted from his work in
enacting the Family and Medical Leave Act. Before this legislation
became law in 1993, Americans faced wrenching choices between their
responsibilities at home and at work. Despite two Presidential vetoes,
Senator Dodd continued fighting until he had succeeded. And today,
American workers are able to give their families the time and attention
they need without fear of losing their job.
Families and children have been at the heart of much of his work. The
child care and development block grant program, which he fought to
establish, has helped millions of low-income families get the child
care they so desperately needed. The Head Start program has been a
career-long priority, and his hard work to ensure that Head Start
remains strong has made a huge difference in countless lives.
His work on behalf of families extends to protecting them from
predatory credit card companies. I worked closely with him in the fight
for passage of the Credit Card Accountability and Disclosure Act, which
provided tough new protections against unfair practices in the credit
card industry.
Part of the reason for Chris Dodd's extraordinarily successful
legislative career is that people simply like working with him. He is
good-natured, open and non-defensive, willing to listen to differing
points of view. His openness is accompanied by an infectious sense of
humor that has eased tense moments and helped us all take ourselves a
little less seriously, which in turn has helped overcome some mighty
serious impasses.
A common thread runs through all his signature accomplishments.
Throughout his career, Chris Dodd has been dedicated to the idea that
compassion has a place in this chamber; that as we do our work, we
should keep in mind that real families, with real problems, are looking
to us for solutions; and that a Senator, with hard work and
resourcefulness and teamwork, can make a difference in the lives of
those families.
As Chris Dodd's Senate career draws to a close, speeches will be
given, portraits will be hung, someday statues will be raised, but the
ultimate monument to his Senate career will be the mother or father who
has time to care for a sick child because of the Family and Medical
Leave Act. It will be the parent who doesn't have to choose between
putting food on the table or providing health insurance for his
children. It will be the child who excels in the classroom because of
Head Start. The monuments to Chris Dodd will be the millions of
Americans whose lives are safer, more secure and more prosperous
because of the work he has done here. No Senator could ask for more
meaningful tributes. I will miss his wisdom and his humor as we conduct
business here, but I will continue to value his friendship. I wish him
and his wonderful family the happiest of times in all the years to
come.
Russ Feingold
Mr. President, true bipartisanship has been in sadly short supply in
this Chamber recently. Sadly, at the end of this Congress, the supply
of bipartisanship will be a little lower, because we will no longer
have the benefit of Russ Feingold's presence in the Senate.
Senator Feingold's service to the Senate demonstrates that one need
not abandon strongly held convictions to reach bipartisan solutions.
His example proves that disagreeing with someone on one issue need not
prevent working with them on another issue. He has shown that one can
act as a good steward of taxpayer dollars and a careful advocate for
fiscal responsibility without leaving behind the working families who
need us to stand up for them.
There are many examples of Senator Feingold's search for bipartisan
solutions, but justifiably, he is best known for the McCain-Feingold
campaign finance legislation. The assault on this legislation in the
courts should not distract us from its wisdom. This bipartisan
legislation was based upon the inherently American and inherently
democratic notion that elections should be decided by the will of the
people, and not because of the influence of wealthy donors or moneyed
interests. This is a notion that is not Republican or Democratic, not
liberal or conservative. It relies not on party loyalty or ideological
fervor, but on a sense of justice. That sense of justice is central to
what Russ Feingold has brought to the Senate.
Likewise, the civil rights of American citizens are not a matter of
party or ideology. I admire Senator Feingold's unflagging commitment to
those rights, and his efforts to find a reasonable balance between
protecting our safety and preserving our freedom.
Now, Senator Feingold and I have not agreed on every issue. While we
both believed the Iraq war was a mistake, he believed we should respond
by ending funding for the war. I disagreed, and believed that such a
move would harm our troops in the field whom we should support. But I
never doubted that Senator Feingold came to his conclusions only after
giving careful consideration to the arguments opposing them.
We will miss Russ Feingold, miss his intellect, his independence, and
his dedication. I will always call him my friend. The Senate will be
poorer for his absence. But I know that the Nation will continue to
enjoy the benefits of his service.
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