[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 139 (Friday, September 25, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6951-S6952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JOHN BOEHNER

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I, like most of America, was stunned this 
morning to learn that John Boehner is going to resign in the next few 
weeks. I have had a relationship with John Boehner for a long time. His 
becoming Speaker, of course, made those relations much more close.
  I have not always agreed, and I wasn't always happy with what John 
told me, but he never ever misled me. He never told me something that 
wasn't true, and I accepted that. I got to where I understood John 
Boehner very well. His word was always good.
  John and I had a lot of dealings--so-called back-channel meetings. 
Everyone knows that a lot of things we do are not in the public eye. 
And certainly some things we worked on together perhaps wouldn't have 
worked out very well in the public eye, but there were things we had to 
do to get things done.
  I had a very good relationship with John Boehner. My staff got along 
with his. He has had two chiefs of staff and they have both been 
terrific to work with. My staff has reached out to them on so many 
occasions in very difficult times, and they had a good relationship.
  I have no doubt that everything John Boehner has done has been done 
with the fact in mind that he was doing his best for the people of his 
district in

[[Page S6952]]

Ohio and for our country. He had a very difficult job.
  I know the Presiding Officer served under John Boehner and so he 
knows what a tough job he had. He had this faction, that faction, 
another faction, and a couple more. But ousting a man like John 
Boehner--a good man like John Boehner. John Boehner is a conservative 
Republican, but his problem is that John Boehner has been pragmatic. He 
has realized there comes a time when you have to make a deal.
  I say to the Presiding Officer and everyone within the sound of my 
voice, although I didn't know General Eisenhower, President 
Eisenhower--never met him, never saw him--but I was here when Ronald 
Reagan was President and he had conservative credentials. Ronald Reagan 
was somebody who understood the art of compromise. Who else could have 
worked out something with the Soviet Union? I am not sure there is 
anybody, but Ronald Reagan was able to do that.
  I am so concerned. I am seeing the Republican Party--not the party of 
Dwight Eisenhower, as I have studied him, or the man Ronald Reagan as I 
knew him. I just think it is very, very sad the Tea Party Caucus the 
Republican leaders have embraced to win in 2010, I guess, now have 
taken over control of the party.
  To say I will miss John Boehner is a tremendous understatement. I 
looked out for him in ways I could, and he looked out for me in the 
ways he could. I will always consider John Boehner my friend, and I 
look forward to working with him until he leaves. I understand it is 
going to be in late October, but I will continue to work with him, as I 
have in the past, to do what I think is the right thing for the 
country, as I am confident he will. Hopefully, we will continue 
someplace in the middle to get things done. I have gotten things done 
with John Boehner that I wasn't happy with, and he wasn't happy with 
what we had to come up with, but sometimes you do the best you can.
  I wish John Boehner the very best in the future. Whatever I can do to 
make his life more pleasant, I will be happy to do that. Whether it is 
setting up a golf game for him in Las Vegas or helping in some 
government matter, I will do whatever I can because John Boehner, as 
far as I am concerned, is a good man, and it is a gross underestimate 
to say I will miss him. I will.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SULLIVAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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