[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 209 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8199-S8202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTES TO AL FRANKEN

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, you heard in Senator Franken's 
closing words the passion he has for all of the work that he has done 
in this Chamber and for the people of our State. You saw the love that 
he has for his family--for Franni--and the love that he has for his 
staff. They are not good staff; they are wonderful staff.
  I think about all of the legacies that Al will leave. One of them is 
his staff, to whom he has been so devoted. Another is all of the work 
he has done for veterans, the work he has done for healthcare with the 
medical loss ratio--one of the major achievements in the Affordable 
Care Act. One is the work he has done, way ahead of his time, for the 
LGBTQ community, and another is the work he has done for our Tribal 
communities. That was his No. 1 ask when he arrived in the Senate--to 
be on the Indian Affairs Committee. That is not what other people ask 
for. He did that. Another is the work he did on bullying in schools. 
For the kids who had no voice, he gave them a voice. Another is the 
work he did in carrying on Paul Wellstone's work for those with mental 
illness.
  When I think about what I will miss about Al, I will miss, first of 
all, how he defied expectations when he got elected. I think about all 
of those headlines that he mentions in his book. No matter what he did 
in the first few years he was in office, they would read with things 
like: Al Franken passes a bill. That's no joke. Al Franken gets 
reelected. That's no joke. Yet he still carried on and defied 
expectations every single day that he was here.
  Another thing I will miss is all of the Senators approaching him in 
his first few weeks in office with their bad jokes, which he would 
smile at, and then he would later tell me they were not good jokes.
  Another thing I will always miss about Al is the passion he had for 
his work. I think many people were captivated by the pointed 
questioning of witnesses and nominees in the last year, but it was that 
kind of focus that he took to all of his work when he would examine 
policies he thought were good or bad. He never gave up on that.

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  The other thing I will greatly miss is sitting next to Al in the 
Judiciary Committee. While he would do the serious work, he would never 
miss an opportunity to show me or Senator Durbin or Senator Whitehouse 
or anyone near him the latest pictures of his grandchildren and his 
family or, maybe, the doodles that he did of Senator Grassley.
  The other thing I will miss greatly is the way he would talk about 
Paul Wellstone. Today, he managed to do it without crying, but so many 
times, whenever he would talk about Paul, he would start to cry. He 
would do it in private, and he would do it in public because he 
understood the legacy that Paul left behind and the burden that we all 
have to carry it on.
  One thing I know, as you heard in his last speech, is that when Al 
leaves here, he will not be quieted in any way. His work will live on, 
and his voice will be stronger than ever. I think the last call of 
action that he left us with of the war for truth--for truth in what we 
do and for truth in our politics--is something that no one should 
forget in this Chamber. It is one way that Al's work will live on 
because I know he will keep calling people on the truth.
  While I will no longer be sitting next to him in Judiciary, I know we 
will stay friends forever. I thank Senator Franken so much for his 
work.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The assistant minority leader.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, years ago, a man with a famous name 
aspired to be President of the United States. Critics dismissed this 
idea as ridiculous. One of the leading political columnists of the day 
wrote that the man's initials stood for ``Feather Duster Roosevelt, a 
lightweight''--nothing to him.
  Al Franken's decision to run for a seat in this Senate from Minnesota 
was met in many quarters with the same sort of mockery.
  Many people said: He is a comedian. He doesn't have the knowledge or 
the skill or the patience or the vision to be a lawmaker. You can't 
joke your way into the Senate.
  The pundits were wrong about FDR. He was one of our greatest 
Presidents during one of our darkest hours.
  Madam President, the doubters were wrong about Al Franken too. Al 
Franken has been my friend, my personal friend, for more than two 
decades. For the last 7-plus years, he has been my colleague in the 
Senate. He has been a credit to the Senate, a passionate advocate for 
his home State of Minnesota, a defender of our Constitution, and a 
determined fighter for justice. He became a better Senator every year. 
His work in the Senate has made life for millions of people better in 
Minnesota and far beyond. He and his dedicated staff can take pride in 
that fact. Al Franken has been and I am sure will continue to be an 
effective champion for those whose daily struggles too often go 
unnoticed and unaddressed in the places of power.
  During his time in the Senate, Al Franken has always been there when 
his Senate colleagues asked for help. He was one of the most sought-
after voices in our party. He never failed to pack a bag, catch a 
plane, and spend another night away from his family to help each and 
every one of us.
  Twenty years ago, when I first met him, he was this well known, 
successful comedian on ``Saturday Night Live'' who happened to play the 
role of a fellow named Paul Simon, a Senator from Illinois who was my 
predecessor. Paul Simon invited Al Franken to come to Makanda, IL. It 
is not even close to Chicago. He agreed on a Sunday afternoon to be 
there on behalf of my campaign, although we had never met, and he came. 
He limped onto Paul Simon's front porch, saying: ``I twisted my ankle 
playing squash.'' I thought it was another perfect example of a reason 
he could have used to avoid the invitation, but he came anyway. We had 
a great afternoon and a terrific time with Paul Simon of ``Saturday 
Night Live'' and the real Paul Simon and a senatorial candidate who was 
grateful for Al Franken's presence that day.
  When people ask me to describe my politics, I say that I follow the 
gospel of St. Paul. By that, I mean I try to emulate three of my 
greatest political heroes, who happen to share that name.
  The first Senator, Paul Douglas of Illinois, was a champion of 
honesty, economic justice, and civil rights, and the man for whom I had 
the good fortune of interning when I was a college student; Paul Simon, 
whom I just mentioned, my predecessor from Illinois, who was one of the 
smartest, most decent men I have ever met in any walk of life; and 
Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, who has received many deserved 
tributes today. Paul Wellstone was the champion of farmers, hotel 
maids, grocery clerks, cafeteria workers, and everyone who worked hard 
and struggled for dignity and enough money just to pay the bills.
  Paul Wellstone, as we have heard from both Senator Klobuchar and from 
Al Franken himself, is the man Al Franken chose to emulate in public 
life. He stated Paul Wellstone's famous quote: ``We all do better when 
we all do better.'' It is a simple statement, a profound truth, and it 
has been the guiding light for Al Franken's Senate career.
  Senator Wellstone died 15 years ago in a tragic plane crash. On the 
10th anniversary of that terrible loss, Senator Franken wrote an essay 
about Paul Wellstone's legacy for The Atlantic magazine. I want to read 
a short section from that essay.
  Senator Franken wrote:

       One of Paul's most famous quotes is this: ``Politics is not 
     about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not 
     about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the 
     improvement of people's lives.''
       That quote is often used to criticize those on the other 
     side who seem to forget the human consequences of their 
     political agenda. But progressives should keep it in mind, as 
     well.
       The big fights--war and peace, justice and liberty--are 
     important. But there aren't any small fights. And where Paul 
     made the biggest impact--where his work resulted in the 
     greatest improvement of people's lives--was on issues that 
     don't usually lead anyone's stump speech: mental health, 
     domestic violence, homelessness among veterans.

  When future historians look back at the legacy of Senator Al Franken, 
I believe they will say: Here is a man who loved his State and his 
country, who worked hard to be a good Senator, and who never hesitated 
to take up an important issue, large or small.
  Al Franken and I served together on the Senate Judiciary Committee. 
Over the years, I have watched him mature into one of the best, most 
insightful questioners on that committee. His questioning of Supreme 
Court Nominee Gorsuch, now Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch, helped to 
expose the Justice's troubling record of ruling against workers and 
families.
  It was a story about a truckdriver who deserted his position on the 
roadway, was freezing in the middle of the night, who finally got his 
day in court, and the decision by Judge Gorsuch at the time, in my 
opinion and Al's opinion, did not serve justice. Many of us raised that 
issue; no one raised it more effectively than Al Franken.
  His probing questioning also exposed Attorney General Sessions for 
misleading America about his meetings with Russians during the 2016 
Presidential campaign.
  He has been equally effective on the HELP Committee. His questioning 
of the future Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, showed her to be 
unfamiliar with some of the most basic and important debates in 
education policy and clearly exposed the fact that she was unready to 
serve as our Nation's leader at the Department of Education.
  I guess some people seek elected office to make a name for 
themselves, but Al Franken didn't need to be a Senator to achieve that. 
He already had a well-known name as an entertainer, radio host, and 
best-selling author before he entered politics. He and his wife Franni 
have a good life, two great kids, and wonderful grandchildren who 
followed.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Terrific. Terrific.
  Mr. DURBIN. ``Terrific'' is the word. Terrific grandchildren who 
followed.
  When it came down to it, Al Franken wanted to do more than just 
entertain and be well known; he wanted to make a difference in the 
lives of others. More than anyone, as he said this morning, his wife 
Franni inspired him. As he explained in his book, her family wasn't as 
lucky as a lot of us. Her dad died when she was a young baby girl. Her 
mom raised five kids on Social Security survivor benefits and a 
paycheck from a local supermarket. But every member of Franni's family

[[Page S8201]]

made it to the middle class because of Social Security, Pell grants, 
the GI bill, and title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
  Al  writes:

       They tell you in this country you have to pull yourself up 
     by your bootstraps. And we all believe that. But first you've 
     got to have the boots. And the federal government gave 
     Franni's family the boots.

  ``Opportunity is supposed to be for everyone.'' That is one of the 
articles of faith animating everything that Al Franken has done or 
sought to achieve in the Senate.
  I am going to miss my friend Al Franken, my colleague, and one of my 
fellow members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I am sorry he is 
leaving under these circumstances, but he is going to be remembered, 
and he is going to have an opportunity to use his voice for others in 
the future.
  Every person who has ever lived has had moments they wish they could 
erase and words they wish they could take back. In this life of both 
calm and stormy seas, we all draw strength from the healing power of 
redemption, and we can take heart in the knowledge that tomorrow is 
another day with new opportunities to offer a helping hand and make our 
lives count.
  I am happy to hear Al Franken say that while he may be giving up the 
Senate, he is not giving up his voice in public life. I wish Al 
Franken, Franni, and their great family the very best and thank them 
again for what they have given to all of us.
  Madam President, I yield.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam President, I ask to speak for 3 minutes on 
behalf of my departing friend.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is recognized.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam President, Senator Franken will shortly go on 
to his next chapter, which I hope will be wonderful for him and for 
Franni and for their family. I hope and believe that he leaves us with 
everyone's good will here in the Senate. He certainly leaves with mine.
  Al Franken has been an unusually good Senator, in part because he has 
such a good staff. He has also, to me, been an unusually good friend, 
particularly in this hard town where you are supposed to buy a dog if 
you want a friend. We served together on the HELP and Judiciary 
Committees, where he did great committee work. He stood out 
particularly for his talent on Judiciary without even being a lawyer.
  I will miss him. The Senate will come to miss him, too, I expect. He 
was a lot of things that one would want in a Senator: principled, 
innovative, hard-working, supersmart, bipartisan, generous, caring. 
Things will be different around here without him. It will be quieter on 
the floor without his big, bursting laugh. We will miss his presence on 
personal privacy issues, on monopoly power issues, on forced mandatory 
arbitration, and in championing LGBT kids, where he has real passion 
and expertise.
  Senate hearing witnesses who have been up to no good will breathe a 
lot easier knowing they won't have to face Al Franken's pointed 
questioning. The Senate Secret Santa, a Franken legacy, will probably 
continue. Selfishly, I will miss Franni's amazing homemade pies.
  As my friend departs, I am left at this difficult moment with this 
thought: I have been fortunate in the Senate to have had a colleague to 
whom it is so hard to say good-bye.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
  Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, back in 2007 and 2008, a group of us 
who had never run for Congress or for the Senate jumped into campaigns 
against incumbent Members of this body, hoping to fight for a vision of 
government of, by, and for the people. Al Franken was one of those 
individuals taking on an incumbent, Republican Norm Coleman, and as I 
heard Senator Franken on the campaign trail, I heard what we heard 
today in his speech: a willingness to fight for that vision so embodied 
in our Constitution of government that would provide a foundation for 
families to thrive, that would lift everyone up; not a government of, 
by, and for the privileged; not a government of, by, and for the 
powerful.
  It takes a lot of guts to throw yourself into the political world, 
but because he did and because he won that campaign, we were able to 
advance a number of policies.
  I shared with Al the experience not only of running against an 
incumbent Republican but not having results on election night. However, 
I only had to wait 2 days; I didn't have to wait the many months that 
he did to come and be part of this body.
  Because he came, we were able to pass the Affordable Care Act. My 
home State of Oregon went from 15 percent uninsured to 5 percent 
uninsured. Hundreds of thousands of people gained access to healthcare 
through the expansion of Medicaid and through the healthcare exchange 
made affordable by the tax credits provided by that bill. In that bill, 
we were able to provide free preventive healthcare practices. We all 
know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and we 
embodied that in the healthcare bill. In that bill, we fought for folks 
to be able to stay on their parents' policies until age 26. In that 
bill, we fought to say that if someone had a preexisting condition, 
they wouldn't have to pay any more than anyone else would, creating 
healthcare opportunities for millions of people who thought they would 
never have a chance to have an insurance policy again.
  Al Franken threw himself into public life, and he made that happen 
not just for the folks back home in Minnesota but for people across 
this entire Nation.
  Another such battle was the Dodd-Frank battle, and again I doubt we 
would have been able to win that battle without his coming to share in 
that effort. I think about the fact that we had seen so many millions 
of families devastated by predatory mortgages with exploding interest 
rates--interest rates that, upon presentation, started at 3 percent or 
4 percent but 2 years later would jump to 9 or 10 percent, and a family 
would end up in foreclosure. The fact is we had Wall Street writing 
securities based on those mortgages, which then disintegrated in 2007, 
2008 and caused people not to just lose their homes but to also lose 
their jobs, to lose their retirement, and to be incredibly devastated 
and see their whole lifetime's work to become financially stable 
evaporate, destroyed, exploded. That CFPB portion, or Consumer 
Financial Protection Bureau portion, has given us ongoing efforts to 
take on predatory mortgages and that enables financial instruments to 
be a foundation for families to thrive and to have home ownership be 
the dream of home ownership and not the nightmare of home ownership. 
This, again, is an example of a bill passed because Al Franken threw 
himself into that battle, and there are many more on this list.

  I was particularly appreciative of his support for the Employment 
Non-Discrimination Act. Senator Kennedy, as he was in declining health, 
had asked me to take on and carry the torch for that bill, which was a 
huge honor to me as an incoming freshman. I felt he was on my shoulder 
every day saying: Why haven't you gotten it done yet? In 2013, we 
finally got it on the floor. I had been pushing hard for leadership to 
get it on the floor, and we got it on the floor. I thought: What if we 
lose this bill fighting for equality and to end discrimination in 
employment? But because Al was here helping in that fight, we won that 
bill. We did not win it in the House because the House didn't put it on 
the floor of the House. So it is unfinished business--fighting for 
equality of opportunity, that vision in our Constitution.
  As we heard today, as we heard Al in his campaign in 2008, as we 
heard Al on the floor today, and we have heard of this fight for a 
country of, by, and for the people, I know that we are going to hear 
his voice in that fight for many years to come.
  I thank Senator Franken for being willing to put himself in the 
public world, for being willing to fight here on the floor of the 
Senate for bill after bill after bill that made life better for 
Americans and for the many battles he will be in in the years to come. 
Thank you.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  Mr. BLUNT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Will the Senator withhold his suggestion?
  Mr. MERKLEY. Yes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.

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