[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
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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
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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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