[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6532-S6535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTES TO DEPARTING SENATORS


                            Saxby Chambliss

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, as the current session of Congress comes to 
a close it is our custom to take a moment to express our appreciation 
for the service of our colleagues who are retiring and will not be with 
us when the next session begins in January. We will miss them all. Over 
the years their experience and insights on a number of issues have been 
a very valuable part of our debates and deliberations.
  I know I will especially miss Saxby Chambliss. His work here on the 
floor and in his committee assignments has played an important role in 
our consideration of a number of issues over the years. Simply put, he 
has been a great champion for conservative causes during his service in 
the House and Senate and he has made a difference for his constituents 
in many, many ways. He is a man of principle and he has a great gift 
for expressing his viewpoint in a thoughtful, clear and interesting 
manner. He is so persuasive, in fact, that even if you disagree with 
him he makes you take a moment to reconsider your position just to be 
sure you have not missed something.
  Before he began his years of public service to the people of Georgia, 
Saxby proved to be the kind of individual who would have been a success 
at just about anything he decided to pursue. Fortunately, the path he 
chose to follow in his life brought him to the Nation's capital to 
represent Georgia--first in the House of Representatives and later in 
the Senate.
  Saxby served four terms in the House. It was a challenge that he 
enjoyed because it gave him a chance to sit on the committees that were 
taking a closer look at our intelligence organizations to be certain 
they would be ready to face any future threats to our national 
security. Georgia was proud to see that they had elected someone to 
Congress who was hard not to notice. He did such a good job, in fact, 
he was encouraged to run for the Senate.
  When he arrived in this chamber, he had already established himself 
as one

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of our leading conservative voices. That did not surprise any of us. He 
has a calm, even way of expressing himself and articulating how his 
principles play out in whatever issue we have before us.
  One great attribute that Saxby brought with him to his work in the 
Congress was his willingness to work with people who did not always 
agree with him. He knew there would come a time when they would agree 
with him on something no matter how many times they had disagreed in 
the past. When the situation presented itself that was what he would 
focus on.
  Simply put, Saxby believes very strongly in making progress and 
getting results. He is not all that concerned about who gets credit for 
it. As the old adage reminds us, for Saxby, it is all about leaving 
things a little better at the end of the day today than they were 
yesterday.
  Over the years Saxby has always found a way to make progress no 
matter how rough the road seemed to be. It has been one of the guiding 
principles behind Saxby's 20 years of service. His commitment to moving 
forward has enabled him to leave his mark in Georgia and throughout 
much of the United States.
  Now that this chapter of Saxby's life has come to a close, I am not 
sure what he has planned for his next great adventure. He just does not 
strike me as someone who will be content to sit on the sidelines. I am 
sure we will be hearing from him from time to time with some words of 
encouragement and support--and a suggestion or two. In fact, I am 
looking forward to it.
  Saxby, thank you for your service in the House and the Senate. In 
your 20 years of service in the House and the Senate you have not only 
been a witness to the history of your home State of Georgia and our 
Nation, you have helped to write it. Because of you the Nation is 
stronger, safer and more secure. Yours is a record of leadership of 
which you should be very proud.
  Diana joins in sending our best wishes to you. From one Sigma Chi 
brother to another, you have made a difference because you have always 
led the best way--by example. What others are content to talk about you 
have stepped up to do the work needed to get the job done and because 
of that you have been able to make a difference--an important and long 
lasting one.


                              Mike Johanns

  Mr. President, as the current session of Congress comes to a close it 
is our tradition to take a moment to express our appreciation for the 
faithful service of those of our colleagues who will be returning home 
at the end of the year. We appreciate their hard work and great service 
on behalf of their home States and our Nation. We will miss them and 
the thoughtful suggestions and good ideas they have brought to our 
deliberations on the issues before us.
  The word ``service'' brings to mind one of our retiring colleagues, 
Mike Johanns. Mike has followed a path that has brought him from his 
service as the Mayor of Lincoln, to his post as the Governor of 
Nebraska, on to serve in the President's Cabinet as Secretary of 
Agriculture and then on to the floor of the United States Senate. He 
has made important contributions at each post and now, as he has 
decided with the support and guidance of his family, ``it is time to 
close this chapter in his life.''
  As a former mayor myself I have a great deal of regard for Mike and 
his commitment to the people that he has served for many, many years. 
He has a great understanding of his home State of Nebraska and the 
workings of its State and local government. He understands the 
challenges that face his home State in the present, and the hopes and 
dreams of the people of Nebraska for the future.
  It did not take long to discover that Mike is a workhorse, not a 
showhorse. He is not someone to land on a weekend talk show every week 
talking about what needs to be done--he would rather be in committee or 
on the floor every day doing it. In everything he did Mike always 
brought along an abundance of Nebraska common sense. He used that 
special gift of his and his varied background as a starting point for 
finding common ground and a workable solution on a number of issues 
that would be acceptable to all.
  During his service in the Senate it has been good to have a neighbor 
to work with who understands agriculture and our rural way of life. He 
has been a great help in making the case clear to the Congress about 
the difference between living on a farm and living in a big city or 
town.
  That is why I will not be the only one who will miss him. Our rural 
communities in the West will miss his ability to understand the 
problems of rural America and what should be done to address them.
  Mike has also been one to focus on the money side of each issue that 
came to the Senate. He knows how important it is for us to get a handle 
on our Nation's finances to ensure that our children and grandchildren 
will not have to clean up the financial mess we are going to leave them 
if we are not careful. Mike has said that our failure to act will cause 
our financial problems to appear sooner than we might think.
  I am sorry to see Mike go when there is so much to be done that could 
use his understanding not only of the issues, but from his experience, 
the impact they will have on the local, State and national level.
  Still we know where to find him whenever we could use some of his 
Nebraska-rooted common sense. Thanks, Mike, for your service to the 
State of Nebraska and to our Nation. You can be proud of what you 
helped to accomplish and the seeds you planted that will lead to more 
accomplishments in the years to come.
  Thanks for your leadership and thanks for your friendship, too. Diana 
joins in sending our best wishes to you and our appreciation for all 
you have done. Please keep in touch with us. We will always be pleased 
to hear from you.


                               Carl Levin

  Mr. President, once again, as is our tradition here in the Senate, we 
take a moment to express our appreciation for the service of those 
Members who will be retiring at the end of the year. We will miss them, 
their good ideas and thoughtful suggestions, and their concern and 
active involvement in the challenges facing our Nation in a number of 
areas.
  It is hard to mention the word ``service'' and not have Carl Levin 
come to mind. As a former local official myself, I have a great deal of 
respect and regard for all those who have worked their way up from the 
local level to the Senate.
  For Carl the great adventure of his political life began with his 
service on the Detroit City Council. During his 8 years on the council 
Carl probably had enough run-ins with the Federal bureaucracy that he 
decided he had to do something about it. For him that meant a run for 
the Senate.
  Carl's election and his subsequent service in the Senate have shown 
him to be quite an effective legislator and a force for the positions 
he has taken on a long list of issues. He has been a Member of the 
Senate since 1979 and he has hit a number of milestones since then that 
reflect the length and production of his service.
  It is important to emphasize that Carl's service in the Senate has 
never been about longevity, it is been about results. That is why he 
has been a part of so many issues that needed someone with his talents, 
skills and abilities to help move them through. Such an issue has been 
his great support for our Nation's military and our veterans.
  Carl has been working for the benefit of those who have served in our 
Armed Forces since he first walked in the door of the Senate. 
Determined that they reap the benefits they have earned with their 
service, Carl joined the Armed Services Committee to ensure our 
military and our veterans were getting what they deserved and required 
both during and after their service.
  That is one of the main reasons why he is currently serving as the 
Chairman of our Armed Services Committee. He wanted to make a 
difference for those who were sacrificing so much to serve in our 
Nation's military. I don't think our servicemen and women--and our 
Nation's veterans--have ever had a better friend than Carl Levin.
  Now he is closing the chapter of this great adventure of his life. 
With his service he has made a difference in more ways than I could 
ever hope to mention in my brief remarks. In the process Carl has 
touched more lives for the better than we will ever know with his 
commitment to the day-to-day

[[Page S6534]]

issues that affect us all--like education, the environment and health 
care. He has had an impact on his home State and our Nation that will 
be felt for a long time to come.
  Thank you, Carl, for your service in the Senate. I know I join with 
the people of Michigan in expressing our appreciation to you for 
dedicating so much of your life to making our Nation a better place for 
us all to live. That is why your constituents have always been there to 
express their appreciation of your work here in the Senate with their 
votes. That is also why no other Senator has ever represented Michigan 
as long as you have.
  Diana joins in sending our best wishes to you for all you have 
accomplished and for your close and personal attention to the needs of 
our Armed Forces and the concerns of our veterans. Thanks, too, for 
your friendship. We will miss you, but I am certain we will be in 
touch.


                               Tom Harkin

  Mr. President, it is hard to believe how quickly this session of 
Congress has come to an end. Before that final gavel brings it to a 
close, however, it is good to have this time to express our 
appreciation for the service of those Members who will be retiring at 
the end of the year. They all have a lot to be proud of--from their 
first speech here on the floor to their representation of their State 
over the years.
  Those words can not help but bring to mind Tom Harkin. I have had a 
chance to come to know him and work with him as the Chairman of the 
health committee. I have been very impressed with his dedication to his 
work and his determination to make a difference for the people who 
voted to hire him on for the job--and all Americans in all of the 
States.
  I think one of the reasons why we were able to work together has to 
do with his Wyoming background. Tom spent some of the best years of his 
life in Rock Springs and I can not help but think that his time there 
made a big difference in his life.
  Tom has quite a remarkable record of service to the people of Iowa 
and it is clear they feel the same about him. They have sent him back 
to the Senate to serve as their representative for five terms in the 
House and five terms in the Senate. During his service in the Senate I 
appreciated having the opportunity to work with him as the ranking 
member of the committee. In addition, the leadership he has provided 
the committee as chairman has enabled him to take an active role on 
issues that will have an impact on his home State and the rest of the 
country for many years to come.
  If I were to name just a few of the issues on which Tom has made a 
difference I would begin with his work on behalf of those living with 
disabilities that resulted in the passage of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act. Tom's groundbreaking legislation was written to help 
ensure all Americans would have an opportunity to lead more fulfilling 
and productive lives. In the days to come, his work on this issue will 
continue to provide the support that will help those living with 
disabilities to work toward their goals in life--and achieve them.
  I also wanted to point out his work with our education system. Tom 
understands the importance of a good education and the difference it 
makes in young lives--today and tomorrow. Thanks to his hard work and 
determination students of all ages have a new appreciation for the fact 
that an education consists of more than just a few years in a 
classroom--it is a lifelong adventure, a journey that never ends 
because there is always something new to learn, some new skill that 
will make someone a more valuable member of the workforce.
  I am sure he has heard it before but it is pretty clear that Tom 
Harkin is Iowa, through and through. He has devoted so many years of 
his life to the people of his State and they are greatly appreciative 
of his efforts--and the results he has been able to achieve.
  Now, as Tom has made clear, it is time for someone else to step up to 
the plate and continue the work he has begun on so many issues. There 
is no question that you will be a difficult act to follow. For all 
those years Tom's heart and soul has been in Iowa while his mind and 
his focus has been in the nation's capital, working to make Iowa a 
better place to live.
  Now Tom's remarkable career in the House and the Senate has come to a 
close and this chapter of his great adventure of serving the people of 
Iowa here in Congress has concluded. While we did not always agree on 
the best way to get things done we always agreed that we needed to 
focus on what we could do to have the greatest impact on the lives of 
Americans all across the country. Fortunately, I think we succeeded in 
many ways and Tom will be remembered for those positive results--and so 
many more.
  One last Tom Harkin memory has to do with his popcorn tradition. I 
know I am not the only one who hopes it will continue. I do not think a 
single visitor to your office or that section of the building will ever 
forget the wonderful aroma your Iowa popcorn sent all around the area. 
For visitors from back home it must have been a touch that made them 
feel right at home. It was just more proof that you never lost sight of 
the people back home and they loved you for that.
  Thank you, Tom Harkin, for all you have brought to the House and the 
Senate over the years. You have made it clear what the people of Iowa 
expect from their government and what you were working so hard to 
achieve for them. Thank you for your service, thank you for your 
dedication to making our Nation a better place to live and most of all, 
thank you for your friendship. You have not only been a witness to the 
history of your State and our country, you have helped to write each 
chapter over the years. In the days to come your achievements will 
continue to inspire the next generation of our leaders who will want to 
do what you have done. I am sure they can count on you for your 
insights, suggestions and advice. Diana joins in sending our best 
wishes to you.


                               Mark Pryor

  Mr. President, it is one of the Senate's great traditions at the 
close of each session of Congress to take a moment to note the service 
of those of our colleagues who be leaving the Senate at the end of the 
year. It is a time for us to express our appreciation to our fellow 
Senators for their service and share what we have learned from them as 
we worked together to make a difference in our states and in our 
nation.
  I have often thought that Mark has one great overriding rule that has 
guided him in his work in the Senate, ``Is this what the people of 
Arkansas sent me here to do?'' More often than not the answer to that 
question has helped him to develop a strategy to get things done that 
were designed to make his home State and our nation better places to 
live.
  Ask just about any one of us here in the Senate what has made Mark 
Pryor such an effective legislator and you will get the same answer--
bipartisanship. In fact, he was so good at it, we might need to come up 
with a different word to explain his strategy, something like Pryor-
itize. For Mark, the best way to get things done was to get everyone 
involved--all parties, all sides of an issue, and representatives of 
every point in between--together and then take the best of what 
everyone had to offer to form a coalition that would bring his 
legislative effort to a successful conclusion.
  That is why both parties would often try to recruit him for their 
legislative projects. Each party knew he had a great ability to 
persuade that would help to bring other members together to support 
their efforts.
  I have often said that serving in the Senate is a great adventure. If 
it were anything else, it would be too much like work and too hard a 
job to take on. Because it is an adventure it is something more--it is 
a chance to take on the greatest challenge there is, leaving the world 
a better place than we found it when we first walked through the doors 
of the Senate, and find new, creative, and inventive ways to make it 
happen.
  As he closes this chapter of his life, his Senate adventure, Mark can 
be very proud of his efforts, and his successes over the years. He has 
a great deal to be proud of and I hope it brings him the satisfaction 
that comes from knowing he has taken on a difficult job and done it 
well.
  I know I will miss seeing Mark around campus here in Washington, DC. 
I will miss his willingness to help on those tough challenging issues 
we always seen to have before us. I will also miss his words of faith 
and determination that he would share with us during our prayer 
breakfasts.

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  I hope you will keep in touch with us in the days to come with news 
of your next great adventure in life. Thank you for your service to our 
country, thank you for your focus on making Arkansas and our nation 
better places to live, and, most of all, thank you for your friendship. 
Good luck in all your future endeavors. God bless.


                              Tim Johnson

  Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my friend and 
colleague from South Dakota, Senator Tim Johnson, who is retiring at 
end of this year. Tim has an impressively long career in public 
service, representing his home State of South Dakota in Congress for 
the last 28 years.
  Tim is often described as ``a work horse, not a show horse,'' and 
with good reason. His values, passion and work ethic are reflected in 
the projects he has championed and the constituent services he has 
provided for the people of South Dakota. Following his AVM in 2006, 
Senator Johnson came into the national spotlight which he so seldom 
sought. All were inspired by his perseverance and dedication to the 
people of South Dakota to return to do the work he loves, and the 
Senate has been better for it.
  As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Tim 
championed important water projects to bring clean drinking water to 
rural communities and Indian reservations, pressed for the development 
of renewable fuels, and supported efforts to build vital infrastructure 
throughout rural America. Through his position on the Appropriations 
Committee, he fought to see these efforts through from planning to 
completion.
  Farmers and ranchers throughout his State could count on Tim to be a 
strong voice for agriculture, advancing their priorities in numerous 
farm bills. His leadership on country of origin labeling, COOL, laid 
important groundwork to support our Nation's producers and ensure 
consumers know where their food comes from--a fight that continues 
today.
  Tim has also been a champion for veterans, working to improve the 
benefits they are owed and connecting South Dakota veterans with 
support and services in their communities. He was able to secure 
advanced appropriations for the Veterans Administration, providing 
budget certainty and ensuring access to health care for those who have 
so bravely served their country.
  Tim has a strong relationship with the tribes in South Dakota and is 
considered a steadfast and valued friend in Indian Country. He has 
tirelessly pressed for the Federal Government to meet its treaty and 
trust responsibilities. While significant challenges remain, Tim 
Johnson's legacy as an advocate for Native American issues has improved 
the quality of life on many reservations. This commitment will be 
missed both in the Senate and on the Indian Affairs Committee.
  Senator Johnson brought his passion for rural and Native American 
issues to the Senate Banking Committee. Under his chairmanship, the 
work of the committee highlighted the often-overlooked needs in these 
communities--and he was a champion during our efforts on housing 
finance reform to make sure they could receive the resources they so 
desperately need. Strengthening small community banks, improving 
housing, and reauthorizing critical highway and transit programs are 
just a few of the initiatives Chairman Johnson undertook, and it was a 
pleasure working under his leadership.
  Throughout all of these accomplishments, accolades, and challenges, 
Tim has remained true to his roots. He has never taken his public 
service for granted and has always considered it a privilege to serve 
the people of South Dakota. The impact of his work during his time in 
Congress will be seen in communities throughout his State for years to 
come, and he has certainly left his mark on South Dakota politics. I 
wish him the very best as he and his wife Barbara embark on this new 
chapter and get to enjoy more time with their family back in South 
Dakota.


                              Mike Johanns

  Mr. President, I also wish to honor my colleague from Nebraska, 
Senator Mike Johanns, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of 
this year. Senator Johanns has been a friend since I started in the 
Senate, and I appreciate his willingness to work with me towards our 
shared goals. He is one of only two current Senators to have served as 
a Governor and cabinet Secretary, providing him with a tremendous 
amount of wisdom on how to get things done. It is his incredible 
knowledge and strong Midwestern work ethic that I admire most about 
him.
  For more than 30 years, Senator Johanns has been a strong voice for 
the people of Nebraska. His first act in public service was in 1983 as 
a County Board member in Lancaster County. He later went on to serve as 
both Councilman and Mayor of Lincoln. He would eventually become 
Governor of Nebraska and Secretary of Agriculture under President 
George W. Bush. Senator Johanns set no limits to his potential; readily 
serving in any capacity he could to make our great Nation a better 
place.
  Senator Johanns and I serve together on the Agriculture Committee and 
I greatly admired the thoughtfulness and expertise he brought to the 
negotiations on the Farm Bill. His knowledge as a former Agriculture 
Secretary was unmatched and ensured many improvements were made 
throughout the debate. Senator Johanns never forgot about our farmers 
and always kept his eye on providing them with the best possible 
outcome he could.
  We also had the privilege of working together on the Banking and 
Housing Committee. He and I worked together with a bipartisan group of 
committee members to draft and advance legislation reforming the 
housing finance system to protect the American taxpayer from another 
bailout and to guarantee that another housing crisis does not happen 
again. Once again, his voice on behalf of rural America during these 
talks was critical and something that I greatly appreciated.
  Senator Johanns has never been about taking credit or seeking the 
spotlight. He maintained a strong, hard work ethic throughout his time 
in the Senate and was one who was willing to cross the aisle to get 
things done. The American people expect that of their representatives, 
and Senator Johanns met those expectations on behalf of Nebraska.
  I will miss having him as my colleague in the Senate, but I also know 
that his wife and family will enjoy the free time they will have with 
him. I wish him happiness and success in the next chapter of his life.

                          ____________________