[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 170 (Sunday, December 30, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8545-S8547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTES TO DEPARTING SENATORS


                             Richard Lugar

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on behalf of my 
friend and colleague Senator Dick Lugar, who is retiring from the 
Senate at the end of this year.
  Senator Lugar has been a good friend to me in the decade we have 
served together. As the Chamber's most senior Republican he has been a 
mentor to me, and when I first came to the Senate he was also my 
Chairman on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I have been proud 
to work with him on a number of foreign policy issues, including those 
affecting the United States as an Arctic nation like the Law of the Sea 
Treaty.
  We have also worked together on energy issues. Senator Lugar's 
Practical Energy Plan is a thoughtful bill to strengthen our energy 
security. On this bill, as on all other issues throughout his Senate 
career, Senator Lugar worked to develop practical solutions to the 
challenges we face regarding energy.
  Senator Lugar is the longest serving Member of Congress from his home 
State of Indiana. He graduated first in his class from Shortridge High 
School in Indianapolis and after attending college, he began his 
service to our country as an intelligence briefer in the U.S. Navy. He 
later served as mayor of Indianapolis, on the U.S. Advisory Commission 
on Intergovernmental Relations, and as President of the National League 
of Cities before beginning his 36 year Senate career.
  He has clearly served the people of Indiana well. Just last month, 
the Indianapolis Monthly Magazine published ``By the Numbers: Richard 
Lugar's Legacy,'' which listed many of Senator Lugar's accomplishments. 
The article noted that Indianapolis gained 57,000 jobs during Senator 
Lugar's tenure as mayor and 7,500 nuclear warheads were deactivated as 
a result of the Nunn-Lugar program. According to the article, Senator 
Lugar has cast more than 13,000 votes in the Senate and worked with 7 
different Presidents. He has been recognized for his service with the 
Guardian of Small Business award, the Spirit of Enterprise award, the 
Watchdog of the Treasury award, and more than 45 honorary degrees from 
colleges and universities in 15 States and the District of Columbia. 
The American Political Science Association got it right when they named 
him an Outstanding Legislator, and he won his last general election 
with 87 percent of the vote.
  I will miss Senator Lugar's friendship, commonsense approach to 
getting things done, and commitment to the

[[Page S8546]]

people of Indiana and the people of the United States. I will miss his 
always congenial personality and his gracious and respectful manner 
towards others. I will close by noting what I think may be the biggest 
accomplishment noted by Indianapolis Monthly Magazine, his 56-year 
marriage to his wife Char. I wish them the best in the coming years.


                          Kay Bailey Hutchison

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor my colleague and friend from the 
State of Texas, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, as she prepares to retire 
from the Senate after almost 20 years serving her beloved State. I have 
been honored to serve with Senator Hutchison and will truly miss her 
presence and the guidance she has shared over the last 10 years.
  Senator Hutchison is a Texan through and through. She is the 
descendant of Texas pioneers, which might account for the fighting 
spirit she has displayed here in the Senate. She is a trail blazer, and 
in finding her own path broke barriers and overcame the challenges she 
faced early in her career. She was one of only 13 women in a class of 
nearly 400 who graduated from the University of Texas Law School in 
1967. After graduating, she faced a harsh reality of the time as no law 
firm in Houston would hire a woman; however she did not let this break 
her spirits. In 1972 she became the first Republican woman elected to 
the Texas State House, where she learned the value of bipartisanship, 
working across the aisle to address the inequities and stigma that rape 
victims faced in the legal system--and carried legislation which would 
become a model for states across the country. This is one of the many 
reasons I have come to respect and admire the senior Senator from 
Texas--her ability to bring people together to benefit those we serve.
  After being elected Texas state treasurer in 1990, she again made 
history in 1993 by becoming the first, and only, woman to be elected to 
the Senate from Texas. Here in the Senate, she has been a champion for 
our military forces, serving on the Intelligence and Armed Services 
Committees, and as chairman and ranking member of the Military 
Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee. In those 
roles she has worked to ensure our servicemembers and their families 
have the support they need. She has also made major contributions 
through her work to expand science and education, consistently 
advocating for needed improvements so that our students stay 
competitive. Her commitment to education has led her to play a role in 
creating a program at the National Science Foundation which will expand 
training for math and science teachers of tomorrow, and she was a 
driving force in establishing the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and 
Science of Texas.
  In addition to her legislative accomplishments, Senator Hutchison is 
to be recognized for her efforts to keep the Senate schedule workable 
for families. Kay's children are now 11 years old and many of us have 
watched as they have grown. One of my favorite pictures is of Senator 
Hutchison, the only woman in a sea of men, holding the hands of Bailey 
and Houston as toddlers. Whether it was late nights or flights to 
catch, Kay reminded the leaders that we have an obligation to our 
families as well.
  Throughout her career Senator Hutchison has tackled challenges with 
grace, resilience, and perseverance. As a tireless advocate for her 
State, we can learn a lot from Senator Hutchison's example of what a 
public servant should be, and she certainly leaves an impressive legacy 
here in the Senate. In her book, American Heroines, which chronicles 
some of the first American women trailblazers, she wrote that she 
believes America is the best place on earth to be a woman that--the 
opportunities are endless. These opportunities are due to Senator 
Hutchison and women like her, women whose independence and integrity 
have set an example for those who will follow in their footsteps. I 
thank Senator Hutchison for her leadership and her friendship, and wish 
her the best.


                             Olympia Snowe

  Mr. President, I rise to recognize my colleague and friend, Senator 
Olympia Snowe, as she plans to retire from the U.S. Senate. Her nearly 
four-decade career in Congress has been one of distinction and 
unwavering public service to Maine and the United States.
  Senator Snowe's achievements are numerous. In 1978, she became the 
youngest Republican and first Greek-American woman to be elected to the 
U.S. House of Representatives. In 1994, when she was first elected to 
the U.S. Senate, she became the fourth woman to serve in both Houses of 
Congress. She also has the distinction of being the first Republican 
woman to secure a full-term seat on the Senate Finance Committee. In 
total, she has won more Federal elections in Maine than any other 
person since World War II--a testament to how loved she is by her 
constituency.
  Senator Snowe has worked extensively on a number of issues, including 
budget and fiscal responsibility, veterans, education, national 
security, welfare reform, oceans and fisheries issues, and campaign 
finance reform. It has been my pleasure to work with Senator Snowe on 
the Senate Oceans Caucus, where together we have stressed the 
importance of ocean policy and the crucial role our oceans play in all 
aspects of life in our respective States and across America.
  I also appreciate Senator Snowe's leadership on the Small Business 
Committee, where she has been a strong advocate for small businesses in 
Maine and across the country.
  I know that I speak for all the female Senators in the U.S. Senate 
when I say it is sad to see such a well-respected female colleague 
retire. Senator Snowe deserves the highest accolades for her service to 
this Nation. This is a woman who has done remarkably well by the 
American people, by her constituents in Maine, and by her colleagues in 
the U.S. Senate.
  I personally admire her efforts to work--always--in a bipartisan 
manner. Her moderation and willingness to listen to all sides of an 
issue are examples for us all. I am encouraged that she intends to 
continue her efforts to advance good public policy by working to help 
elect those who are unafraid to stand in the middle and work to build 
consensus.
  On behalf of the U.S. Senate, I thank Senator Snowe for her 
dedication to her country, and I congratulate her on her retirement. I 
also want to recognize her husband Jack, who has also been an amazing 
public servant.


                              Scott Brown

  Mr. President, I rise to recognize Senator Scott Brown's service to 
the Senate. While we have only had the opportunity to work together for 
2 years, I have truly appreciated Senator Brown's insight, leadership, 
and friendship.
  Senator Brown moved to Massachusetts as a young boy. He graduated 
from Wakefield High School, then joined the Massachusetts National 
Guard when he was 19. After attending Northwestern University and 
graduating from Tufts University and Boston College Law School, Senator 
Brown began serving the people of Massachusetts in 1992, first as a 
real estate assessor and then as a selectman in Wrentham. In 1998, he 
was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and after 
three terms he was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate. In each 
of his State Senate reelection bids, he ran unopposed. As a State 
legislator, he advocated for children's and victims' rights as well as 
veterans affairs and worked to promote good government initiatives.
  Senator Brown came to the United States Senate in 2010. He quickly 
found his voice on the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committees 
thanks to more than 30 years of service in the National Guard. I was 
proud to join more than 30 of my colleagues in cosponsoring his Stolen 
Valor Act, which would make it a crime to knowingly misrepresent 
military service if a person wanted to profit from his or her lie.
  Senator Brown also worked on good government initiatives in the 
Senate, leading bipartisan efforts to repeal a provision of law 
requiring Federal, State, and local governments to withhold 3 percent 
of payments due to contractors. I was proud to cosponsor his bill to 
avoid making infrastructure improvements more costly and business more 
challenging for healthcare professionals who accept Medicare payments.
  I have also been proud to work with Senator Brown on another 
commonsense initiative in this Congress, the Prompt Notification of 
Short Sales

[[Page S8547]]

Act. Our bill would improve the housing market by requiring banks to 
provide a written response to an short sale offer within 75 days of a 
request from a homeowner. There are neighborhoods across the country 
full of empty homes and underwater owners who have legitimate offers, 
but unresponsive banks, and I commit to Senator Brown that I will 
continue to work on this issue in the coming year.
  Clearly Senator Brown has served the people of Massachusetts and the 
people of the United States well, and he will be missed. I wish the 
best to him, his wife Gail, and their daughters Ayla and Arianna.


                             Jeff Bingaman

  Mr. President, today I rise to recognize one of our most 
distinguished Senators as he prepares to retire from this body after 
five terms. Senator Jeff Bingaman has earned the reputation of being a 
strong and effective leader during his time in the Senate. He has 
achieved what all of us try to achieve as advocates of our States--
getting results in Washington while staying closely connected to our 
constituents who sent us here to represent them. I have admired his 
intelligence, courage, pragmatism, and willingness to solve problems 
with bipartisan solutions.
  Senator Bingaman and I have worked together on many issues and 
projects, and I have never questioned his steadfast commitment to do 
what he believes is right for New Mexico and this country. During his 
30 years in the Senate he has worked tirelessly on a number of 
committees, including the Armed Services Committee, the Finance 
Committee, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which he currently 
chairs.
  While most of my work with Jeff has been on energy issues, working 
with Senator Bingaman on the Senate HELP Committee was also a great 
pleasure. He has been an excellent partner, for example, on issues that 
are important to our American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska 
Native constituents, who often live in communities that face multiple 
challenges. There have been many times in the HELP Committee when it 
has been necessary for me to explain why a proposed solution won't work 
in Alaska. As I begin to explain about the Federal trust 
responsibility, or tribal sovereignty, the lack of health care and 
basic infrastructure, or how difficult it is to get and keep teachers, 
nurses, and others in those communities, there have been times when I 
have seen my colleagues think--here we go again, the ``It is different 
in Alaska'' speech. But whether we have been discussing education, 
health care, job creation, or any one of the innumerable challenges 
Americans face when they live in Indian Country, Jeff Bingaman gets it. 
He and I have been able to speak with our colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle with one voice about what will work, what will not work, and 
why. We can explain the complexities of the Federal trust 
responsibility and tribal sovereignty as a bipartisan team because 
whether our constituents live on a reservation in New Mexico or a 
remote village in Alaska or in one of our larger cities, the challenges 
they face are often the same, and what will work in other places in 
America often won't work in our Native communities. That partnership 
has been so important in making sure that the good work we are trying 
to do for all Americans works for America's first peoples in every 
State.
  In addition to our work on HELP, our strongest collaboration has been 
while working together in our leadership roles on the Energy and 
Natural Resources Committee. Senator Bingaman has been tireless in 
ensuring that our Nation has the energy resources it needs to meet our 
growing demands well into the 21st century. He was a leader in the 
development of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007, both major blueprints for the 
expansion of all forms of renewable energy, especially biomass, 
geothermal, and marine hydrokinetic power. I am happy to have had the 
chance to work closely with Senator Bingaman in those efforts. In 2008 
and 2009 we also worked to pass a package of major public land 
legislation that will be a legacy for the Senator for decades to come.
  When Senator Bingaman announced he was retiring from the Senate, I 
took note that he vowed to finish out the remainder of Congress with 
substantive achievements. Since then, he has affirmed this promise and 
has again driven productive discussions on several issues that will 
last beyond his time here, such as his efforts to move forward our 
Nation's program on spent nuclear fuel. The legislation that he 
introduced is indicative of months of thoughtful and productive 
discussions aimed to address the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle. I 
congratulate him on constantly moving the conversation forward and 
putting a marker out there toward reaching an equitable goal.
  Senator Bingaman should be very proud of his nearly four decades of 
public service as New Mexico's attorney general and U.S. Senator. From 
fighting for our energy future to standing with the people of New 
Mexico through difficult economic times, Senator Bingaman has been a 
trusted leader for the people of his State. He has been a champion for 
his constituents, a powerful voice for Native American concerns, and a 
leader on science research and energy tax policy.
  He has been unfailingly and personally considerate to me, and I 
extend my gratitude for his service and thank him for his gracious aid 
on issues of concern to me and my home State. I wish him and his family 
good health and best wishes in the future and great happiness in 
whatever he and Anne now decide to do. The Senate has been a better 
place due to his civilized manner, his wit, and his intelligent 
solutions for the Nation's problems. We will miss Senator Bingaman's 
presence here in the Senate.


                               Herb Kohl

  Mr. President, I come to the floor to recognize Senator Kohl as he 
prepares to retire after 24 years in the U.S. Senate.
  Senator Kohl was born and raised in Wisconsin, the State he 
tirelessly represents to this day. He attended public school in 
Milwaukee and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before obtaining 
his MBA from Harvard University in 1958. His business ventures proved 
incredibly successful and he was acting President of Kohl's grocery and 
department stores for nearly a decade. In 1988, he took his business 
and education experience to the U.S. Senate.
  I have had the pleasure of serving with Senator Kohl on the 
Appropriations Committee for the past 4 years. His bipartisan 
cooperation is outstanding and together we have worked on numerous 
hearings and bills. He has been an asset on the committee and we will 
miss his dedication, intuition, and eagerness to work with others to 
find solutions.
  As a mother of two and former PTA member, I also appreciate Senator 
Kohl's zeal in advocating children's issues. He authored legislation to 
expand the school breakfast program, strengthened child nutrition 
programs, and has worked to meet the growing demand for child care. His 
work on the Appropriations Committee ensured the continuation of 
important programs such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Families and 
Schools Together Program. This hard work did not go unrecognized. In 
2010, Senator Kohl received the Best of Congress Award from Working 
Mother Magazine and Corporate Voices for Working Families. I will 
always admire Senator Kohl for his hard work on behalf of families and 
children across the U.S.
  Senator Kohl's charitable endeavors will also remain an important 
part of his legacy. In 1990, he established the Herb Kohl Educational 
Foundation Achievement Award Program. This program provides annual 
grants to 200 graduating high school seniors, 100 Wisconsin teachers, 
and 100 schools in his home State.
  I cannot thank Senator Kohl enough for his service over the past few 
decades. I am honored to have worked by his side and wish him the best.

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