[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7965-S7966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO MAC COLLINS

  Mr. PERDUE. Madam President, last month, we lost a true Georgia 
original.
  Mac Collins was a friend of mine. He was a Member of the U.S. House 
of Representatives for 12 years. He was born in Flovilla, GA, in 1944. 
At the time, Flovilla had a population of 240 people.
  Mac always liked to say he was a graduate of the school of hard 
knocks. Together with his wife, Julie, he started a trucking company 
many years ago. Mac started with a single vehicle that he often had to 
repair at night. Julie kept the books, answered the phones, and 
sometimes helped load the trucks. The Collins family had a simple 
motto: ``Can't never could.'' They never gave up, and their hard work 
paid off. Today, Collins Trucking hauls timber and goods across the 
South and Midwest and is still a family owned and operated business.
  Eventually, Mac turned to public service. He won a seat on the Butts 
County Commission and a few years later became Butts County's first 
Republican county commission chairman.
  Eventually, Mac was elected to the Georgia State Senate, where he 
served from 1988 until 1982. Back then, I think you could count on one 
hand the number of Republicans in the entire State. He was elected to 
the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 and served for 12 years. He 
fought to make America more competitive by changing its archaic Tax 
Code. He worked on veterans issues and served on both the critical U.S. 
House Ways and Means Committee and the prestigious Intelligence 
Committee. Mac was serving in leadership as deputy whip during some of 
our Nation's most trying days in the aftermath of 9/11.
  Throughout his years of service, Mac Collins never forgot his roots. 
For Georgia Republicans, he was definitely a pioneer. For all 
Georgians, regardless of their political beliefs, he was a champion. 
Max's example of entrepreneurship and servant leadership serve as a 
shining example for us all.
  Mac is survived by his wife, Julie, four children, a dozen 
grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Bonnie

[[Page S7966]]

and I join all Georgians--and Americans, for that matter--in lifting up 
their family in our prayers during this time and in honoring Mac 
Collins' very impressive legacy of service.
  When Mac Collins passed away, Georgia and America lost a true 
statesman, a leader, and my friend.
  I yield the floor.
  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.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Blunt). The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. CRUZ. 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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