[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 165 (Thursday, December 20, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8237-S8238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTES TO DEPARTING SENATORS


                               Ben Nelson

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, with the retirement of Senator Ben Nelson 
at the close of the 112th Congress, the Senate will lose one of its 
most respected members, and a distinguished career in formal public 
service will come to an end. I use that adjective ``formal,'' because 
it's hard to imagine Ben Nelson not finding new avenues for public 
service as a private citizen in the years ahead.
  Senator Nelson and I come from neighboring States in the rural, upper 
Midwest, and we have much in common. But we differ in at least one 
respect: I come from the small town of Cumming, IA, population 351; Ben 
comes from the big city, McCook, NE, population 8,000.
  Senator Nelson is often described as one of the most conservative 
Democrats in the Senate, frequently voting with the minority party. I 
prefer to describe him simply as the most independent Democrat in the 
Senate, a progressive at heart who--like so many from our part of the 
country--is also deeply imbued with respect for traditional values and 
fiscal prudence.
  As we all know, Senator Nelson prides himself on reaching across the 
aisle to get things done. He is a pragmatist, not a partisan. He has 
never allowed ideology or party to stand in his way of doing what he 
believes is right for Nebraska and the United States of America.
  As my colleague on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry, Senator Nelson has been a passionate advocate for family 
farms and rural America, and he has been a leading advocate for 
increasing the use of clean, renewable biofuels in order to decrease 
our Nation's dependence on foreign energy sources.
  As a member of both the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee 
on Veterans Affairs, no one has been a stronger supporter of both 
active duty and retired servicemembers.
  Ben Nelson has been a successful CEO of an insurance company, a 
popular two-term governor of Nebraska, and, for the last 12 years, an 
accomplished and effective United States Senator. He has been a 
wonderful hunting colleague of mine on more than one occasion.
  Our friendship, of course, will continue. And I wish Ben and Diane 
the very best in the years ahead.


                                Jim Webb

  Mr. President, in these final days of the 112th Congress, the Senate 
is bidding farewell to a very special member, the junior Senator from 
Virginia, Senator Jim Webb.
  He came to this body with unique and extraordinary credentials: a 
graduate of the Naval Academy and first in his class of 243 at the 
Marine Corps officer school at Quantico, a much-decorated combat 
veteran of the Vietnam War, and Secretary of the Navy during the Reagan 
administration.
  I would point out one more of his sterling credentials. I guess I can 
say this now, because he is retiring, and a political opponent will not 
use it against him: Jim Webb is an intellectual with a passion for 
ideas and knowledge. For goodness sake, he writes books, excellent 
books, the kind that win glowing reviews in the New York Times, and get 
turned into documentaries on the Smithsonian Channel.
  Senator Webb has put this past experience to superb use here in the 
Senate as an active member of the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Veterans Affairs, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  To his great credit, before coming to the Senate, he was an outspoken 
critic of the invasion of Iraq, warning that it would be a unilateral 
war with no exit strategy. After the invasion, he was equally outspoken 
in challenging the Bush administration's conduct of that war.
  At the same time, as a member of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, 
he worked hard to pass legislation to provide enhanced education 
benefits for veterans, a 21st century GI Bill, for those who have 
served in the military since the attacks of 9/11.
  I admire Jim Webb as a friend and colleague. I have the greatest 
respect for his life-long commitment to protecting America's national 
security, and fighting for economic and social justice here at home. 
There is no question in my mind that Jim will find other avenues for 
public service in the years ahead. I certainly wish Jim and Hong Le all 
the best in the years ahead.


                             joe lieberman

  Mr. President, with the close of the 112th Congress, our friend and 
colleague Senator Joe Lieberman is retiring after nearly a quarter 
century of dedicated service in this body to the people of Connecticut 
and the United States.
  As we all know, Senator Lieberman is a fiercely independent Senator 
who prides himself on speaking his conscience and reaching across party 
lines in order to get things done. He is a pragmatist, not a partisan. 
Yet he has never allowed his ideology or his party or what is popular 
to stand in the way of doing what he believes is right for Connecticut 
and the United States of America.
  In the years since Senator Lieberman left the Democratic Party to 
become an independent, he has sometimes disagreed with his colleagues 
on this side of the aisle, but he has never been disagreeable. To the 
contrary, he has been unfailingly decent, gracious, and reasoned. He 
has been unfailingly a gentleman and a friend, a person with a great 
sense of humor and always has a smile. It is these sterling personal 
qualities that are a big reason he will be greatly missed by Senators 
on both sides of the aisle.
  During his four terms in this body, Senator Lieberman has earned a 
reputation as one of the Senate's most influential and knowledgeable 
voices on interests of national security. In the wake of the attacks of 
9/11, he was the lead sponsor of the bill to establish the Department 
of Homeland Security. As chairman of Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, Senator Lieberman has been a vigilant leader in safeguarding 
America.
  Throughout his distinguished tenure in this body--and before that as 
a Connecticut State senator and attorney general--Joe Lieberman has 
been a proud and principled progressive with a passion for social and 
economic justice for all Americans.
  To cite just one example: Senator Lieberman deserves enormous credit 
for introducing and successfully championing legislation to repeal the 
military's discriminatory don't ask, don't tell policy, which banned 
patriotic gay and lesbian Americans from serving openly in our Armed 
Forces.
  As we all know, Joe Lieberman is a person of deep faith, a faith that 
inspires him to public service and informs his progressive vision for 
America. Last January, when he announced his decision to retire, he 
said:

       I go forward with a tremendous sense of gratitude for the 
     opportunities I have had to make a difference.


[[Page S8238]]


  With Senator Lieberman's retirement in the days ahead, a truly 
distinguished career in formal public service will come to an end. I 
use the adjective formal because it is hard to imagine that Joe 
Lieberman will not be finding new avenues for public service as a 
private citizen.
  Senator Lieberman's career in this body will end, but our friendship 
will continue. I know that his smile and his gracious unfailingly 
gentlemenly ways will also continue. I wish Joe and Hadassah much 
happiness in the years ahead.
  I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. First, I want to thank my colleague and 
neighbor Senator Harkin for his timely remarks, and particularly for 
noting that we have been hunting partners. As a matter of fact, that 
has been in the news today. Not only has Senator Harkin noted our 
exploits together, but in this morning's Washington Post the senior 
Senator from New York noted that I have taken him pheasant hunting in 
Nebraska as well. I am going to be known not only for my hair but 
perhaps for hunting as well, so I appreciate that.
  Mr. HARKIN. Would the Senator yield?
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Of course.
  Mr. HARKIN. The Senator has been a great friend. I enjoyed hunting 
with my friend before, and I read that in the paper before about 
Senator Schumer going out.
  Here is a real test for my friend from Nebraska: Aren't I a better 
shot than Chuck Schumer?
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. He noted that he learned to shoot at camp and 
that he was a marksman, so that is probably a dispute I should not get 
in the middle of.
  Mr. HARKIN. No, the Senator doesn't want to get in the middle of 
that.
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. I thank the Senator very much for his kind 
remarks.
  It is, obviously, a difficult time to speak about leaving the Senate, 
and I did that earlier. I leave with a great deal of melancholy and 
with a lot of friends and a lot of hope for the future of our country.


                               Dan Inouye

  I rise today to express my support for passage of a 5-year farm bill 
and call on the House to act on this critical piece of legislation 
before Congress adjourns this year.
  However, first I would like to briefly note how sorry I am at this 
moment--as I know we all are--about the passing of our good friend, 
Senator Dan Inouye. I would like to briefly reiterate the sentiments 
expressed by a number of my colleagues.
  Senator Inouye was a man of courage and wisdom. He represented his 
State and country proudly. He will be sincerely missed.
  As everyone knows, today Senator Inouye lies in state just a few 
steps away from this Chamber. It is an honor the very few--only 31--
have ever received. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to 
serve with the Senator. I thank him for his friendship and guidance and 
offer the most sincere condolences to his family.


                             The Farm Bill

  I appreciate the opportunity to make those remarks, and I would now 
like to turn to the farm bill, which is a critical piece of legislation 
in the Senate. We produced a bipartisan bill that cuts spending by $23 
billion. Agriculture represents 2 percent of the Nation's budget, and 
$23 billion represents 2 percent of the spending cuts proposed in the 
deficit legislation Congress worked on last year but could not pass 
because of extreme partisanship.
  As we work in these final days to reach a deal on how best to reduce 
spending in government and set a trajectory for the future, I am 
disappointed that the House was unable, or perhaps unwilling, to follow 
the example the Senate has given. By moving forward in passing a farm 
bill, we would save money, create a market-oriented safety net, 
eliminate direct farm subsidy payments, streamline, simplify, and 
consolidate programs. It would also create jobs our economy needs to 
grow.
  I am disappointed this is not moving forward. The House's inaction is 
causing a continuing uncertainty for our Nation's producers as they 
begin to plan for the next planting year. It also affects our financial 
institutions which provide lending for our farmers, ranchers, and 
small-town rural businesses that benefit from the commerce provided by 
a strong agricultural economy.
  Unfortunately, this comes at a time when farms throughout the entire 
State of Nebraska and across the country are also dealing with the 
worst drought conditions since the 1930s. The Senate farm bill 
addresses this crisis through the elimination of subsidies, replacing 
them with the Agriculture Risk Coverage, or what is known as the ARC, 
Program. It is a program that provides producers with a market-
oriented, straightforward choice to determine how best to manage their 
operations risks. The safety net is then bolstered by expanded access 
to profit shares, which serves as the focal point of risk management 
and will ensure that farmers are not wiped out by severe weather or 
economic conditions.
  The Senate farm bill also reauthorizes the 2008 farm bill permanent 
disaster relief programs and makes them retroactive to cover producers 
harmed by the 2012 drought. This includes the Livestock Forage Disaster 
Program, which provides compensation for the eligible livestock 
producers who have suffered in critical places such as Nebraska which 
has been hard hit by the drought and wildfires this summer, not to 
mention the continuing drought at this time.
  I could go on regarding all the major reforms and improvements that 
the Senate farm bill makes to conservation, rural development, 
renewable fuels, in addition to the reforms of the commodities and 
livestock programs. However, without the House acting on any farm bill 
legislation--let alone the Senate bill which is a solid reform-minded 
bill, which strikes the right balance between the need to cut spending 
while maintaining a strong safety net--it will all be for naught. It is 
disappointing that jobs and our Nation's stable supply of food, feed, 
fuel, and fiber continues to be put at risk because of inactions 
spurred on by partisan gamesmanship.
  As we seek to find commonsense solutions to the fiscal and 
legislative challenges before us in Congress, I urge the House to now 
act on the 5-year farm bill. It will help us achieve savings, bring 
needed reforms to commodity programs, and provide our Nation's farmers, 
ranchers, and rural communities the certainty they need to continue to 
be the world leader in agricultural production.
  I yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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