[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 152 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S7608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                  Senator Thad Cochran's 12,000th Vote

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, our good friend, the senior Senator 
from Mississippi, is about to cast his 12,000th vote, a truly 
remarkable accomplishment by a remarkable man. He was the first 
Republican to be elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 
Reconstruction. A few years ago he was named by Time magazine as one of 
the 10 most effective Members of the Senate, and they called him ``the 
quiet persuader.''
  For those of you who have recently arrived at the Senate, if you have 
not had any dealings with Senator Cochran yet, you will find that 
indeed he is the quiet persuader. In fact, it may be the secret to his 
success.
  He has had an extraordinarily accomplished career here in the Senate, 
and I wanted to take a few moments to congratulate him, not only on his 
service to his State and the Nation but to our institution.
  Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I am sorry I am a little late here. I see 
my colleague, the senior Senator from Mississippi. I have had the 
pleasure of knowing Thad Cochran during my entire stay in Washington. 
He is a fine man. He has had experience in the House and the Senate, as 
I have. I have always appreciated his courtesies. He is just such a 
fine human being.
  Before his election to Congress, he served honorably in the U.S. 
Navy. He was a lieutenant in the Navy. After his tour of duty, while 
attending law school at Ole Miss, Senator Cochran returned to active 
duty for his naval work, even while he was going to law school. After 
graduating from law school in 1965, he joined the very prestigious law 
firm Watkins & Eager in Jackson, MS, and in less than 2 years he became 
a partner in that law firm--which was remarkable. It speaks well for 
his acumen in the law and for being a nice person.
  His break from public service did not last long, though. From the 
Navy he ran for Congress in 1972 and served in the House for 6 years 
before running for the Senate. He served as Chairman of the Republican 
Conference, the Agriculture Committee, and the Appropriations 
Committee.
  Throughout his time in Congress, Senator Cochran has promoted the 
best interests of Mississippi's citizens. Even when we were on 
different sides of the issues, I always respected Senator Cochran's 
service to his country, his dedication to the people of Mississippi and 
to the people of this country. I congratulate him on this impressive 
milestone and appreciate most of all his friendship.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of Richard F. Griffin, Jr., of the District 
of Columbia, to be General Counsel of the National Labor Relations 
Board.
  Mr. HARKIN. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a 
sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant bill clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Inhofe).
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber 
desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 55, nays 44, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 222 Ex.]

                                YEAS--55

     Baldwin
     Baucus
     Begich
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Boxer
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Donnelly
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Hagan
     Harkin
     Heinrich
     Heitkamp
     Hirono
     Johnson (SD)
     Kaine
     King
     Klobuchar
     Landrieu
     Leahy
     Levin
     Manchin
     Markey
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Mikulski
     Murkowski
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Pryor
     Reed
     Reid
     Rockefeller
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Warner
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                                NAYS--44

     Alexander
     Ayotte
     Barrasso
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Burr
     Chambliss
     Chiesa
     Coats
     Coburn
     Cochran
     Collins
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Enzi
     Fischer
     Flake
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hatch
     Heller
     Hoeven
     Isakson
     Johanns
     Johnson (WI)
     Kirk
     Lee
     McCain
     McConnell
     Moran
     Paul
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rubio
     Scott
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Thune
     Toomey
     Vitter
     Wicker

                             NOT VOTING--1

       
     Inhofe
       
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the motion to 
reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table. The President 
will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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