[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 23 (Thursday, February 9, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S975]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING SENATOR HATCH: THE LONGEST SERVING REPUBLICAN SENATOR IN 
                            AMERICAN HISTORY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would like to begin this morning by 
directing some remarks to the Chair. I would like to recognize an 
important milestone of his, but let me start off this way.
  The President pro tempore is something of a legend in the Beehive 
State. He is a published author. He has gold and platinum albums 
hanging on the wall, and he is a great fighter for his home State.
  It is not hard to see why Utahns keep sending him back. It is not 
hard to see why they chose to make him the longest serving Senator in 
Utah history.
  Senator Hatch has come a long way from the grinding poverty of his 
childhood, and just recently, he passed yet another significant 
milestone. He became the longest serving Republican Senator in American 
history. Now, that is impressive.
  Yet, given what we all know about our colleague, it isn't all that 
surprising. Senator Hatch is almost always in the mix on the most 
consequential issues of the day. He has been a leading voice on 
everything from labor law to judicial nominations, religious freedom to 
tax reform. This expansive policy expertise helps explain why his 
colleagues chose him to serve as chairman of three major committees: 
HELP, Judiciary, and today the powerful Finance Committee.
  Senator Hatch remains as much of a key player as ever in advancing 
the Senate's agenda. His guidance will be crucial as we continue to 
move forward with repealing and replacing ObamaCare, as we turn to tax 
reform, and as we consider the President's Supreme Court nominee.
  The tasks before us are as diverse as they are challenging, but I 
know our colleague from Utah is up to the charge.
  The man known as ``Honest Orrin'' is one of the kindest and most 
gracious guys you will ever meet. He is a man of deep faith and 
principled conviction.
  But Senator Hatch is anything but a pushover. He is a fighter for 
Utah and for the Nation. He is a proud conservative. He has simply 
learned the art of disagreeing--sometimes strongly--without being 
disagreeable. That is how you build friendships with both Robert Bork 
and Ted Kennedy. That is how you establish yourself as one of the most 
productive legislators in modern history, as Senator Hatch has.
  He isn't slowing down any time soon. He is actually getting more done 
than ever. He just passed dozens of bills out of the Senate last 
Congress, and many of them became law. Now our friend, the Finance 
Committee chairman, is in a unique position to continue having an 
impact on a range of issues, and I am sure he will.
  I hope he still finds some time to keep up with his songwriting 
career. You should listen to his stuff. It is good. He has penned 
everything from a love song on the ``Ocean's Twelve'' soundtrack to his 
world-famous Hanukkah song. Senator Hatch would want me to remind you 
that it ranked somewhere between the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga on 
the hit charts. ``Everyone,'' he says, ``loves my music''--everyone.
  You have to admire that confidence.
  We look forward to seeing the great things he will be able to achieve 
for Utahns, for the country, and for the music industry in the years to 
come.
  It has been my distinct privilege to recognize our colleague in the 
Chair today. I would ask colleagues to join with Senator Hatch's 
family--his wife of nearly 60 years, Elaine, their 6 children, 23 
grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren--in marking this important 
milestone.

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