[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7270-S7273]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF FORMER UNITED STATES SENATOR PAUL
SPYROS SARBANES
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I take this time, along with my
colleague from Maryland, Senator Chris Van Hollen--and I am also
pleased that we are joined by Senator Stabenow and Senator Reed. We
take this time, on a very sad note, to announce the death of Paul
Spyros Sarbanes, our former colleague in the U.S. Senate, who passed
away on December 6, 2020, at the age of 87.
I first got to know Senator Sarbanes when he first ran for public
office in 1966. We both were elected to the Maryland General Assembly
that year, and we became good friends. Delegate Sarbanes at that point
made a name for himself on the House Judiciary Committee in the
Maryland General Assembly and was a rising star from his first day in
the Maryland General Assembly.
He shortly thereafter ran for the House of Representatives. He served
three terms in the House of Representatives with a very distinguished
career. During that time, it was the time of the Watergate issues, and
Congressman Sarbanes was on the Judiciary Committee and was given the
responsibility of the first Article of Impeachment against President
Nixon. That article dealt with obstruction of justice. It was the key
engagement against President Nixon on impeachment, and it is very
telling that that responsibility was given to a young Member of the
House of Representatives, Congressman Paul Sarbanes. It was because of
his work ethic, his commitment to scholarship, and his understanding of
issues that he was entrusted with that responsibility.
He then served five terms in the U.S. Senate, the longest term for
any Senator in Maryland. Paul Sarbanes was known as a Senator's Senator
for his integrity, for his public commitment to public service, and his
strong commitment to principles. He was a Rhodes scholar who chose to
serve the public rather than using his skills in the private sector for
his own personal gain. His entire life was devoted to public service.
What a legacy he has left us by his incredible public service.
In 2002, the Enron scandal hit America, and Chairman Sarbanes, the
chairman of the Banking Committee here, teamed up with Chairman Oxley
in the House to pass the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation. George W. Bush--
President Bush--said it was ``the most far-reaching reforms of American
business practices since the time of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.'' The
leadership of Senator Sarbanes was deeply needed at that time, and he
delivered on behalf of the American people.
Senator Van Hollen and I know firsthand what Senator Sarbanes did in
helping to create the Federal partnership in the Chesapeake Bay
Program. It was during the time that he was the junior Senator from
Maryland, along with Senator Mathias, that the two of them partnered in
order to develop the Federal program for the Chesapeake Bay, and then
Senator Sarbanes carried the burden of that partnership. For many
years, it was through his efforts in the U.S. Senate that we were able
to continue and expand the Federal partnership for the bay.
Now, those of us who live in the bay region--and I know that Senator
Stabenow has heard me talk about this many times when we talk about the
great water bodies. We know that the Chesapeake is the largest estuary
in our hemisphere. It is the most diverse estuary, and it is a
challenge because of the way that the water flows and it cleanses
itself. So we started this Federal partnership--Senator Sarbanes did--
and it has provided incredible dividends for the people of Maryland and
the people of our Nation--indeed, the global community.
He was an expert on foreign policy. He served on the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee. He was involved in the leadership of passing
ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty, and there are so many other
areas in which Senator Sarbanes excelled.
We all receive honors; I know that. I am just going to mention three
because they were really reflective of what Senator Sarbanes
accomplished during his career. He got the Paul H. Douglas Ethics in
Government Award for his incredible standard of integrity and ethics;
the Roth Award for extraordinary impact on policy, on economic
business, and finance--his lasting legacy on the financial institutions
here in America; and the Cox, Richardson, Coleman Award for
distinguished public service. He was a Senator's Senator. He devoted
his life to public service.
In a way, Paul Sarbanes represents the American success story. He was
a son of Greek immigrants, grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in
Salisbury, and rose to serve in the U.S. Senate.
His lifetime partner was Christine. All of us remember Paul and
Christine together. What a couple they made. What a love story it was.
There are three children. John, whom we all know very well because he
serves in the House of Representatives, holds the seat in the Third
Congressional District. It is the same seat that Barbara Mikulski held,
the same seat that I held; the same seat that Paul Sarbanes held is now
being held by Paul's son John, and what a great job he is doing. It is
interesting that he was the leading sponsor of H.R. 1 in this Congress,
which was basically the good governance legislation that passed
overwhelmingly in the House, and so many other things that follow in
his father's tradition.
Paul's other son Michael has had a distinguished career, and Janet,
his daughter, has also had a distinguished career.
Paul had seven grandchildren. Christine predeceased Paul.
I want to just talk a moment about the partnership between Senator
Sarbanes and Senator Mikulski. They had different styles. I think most
people would acknowledge that from the beginning, Paul was very much
stately and represented the traditional, I guess, demeanor that you
would expect of a U.S. Senator. And I love Barbara Mikulski, but no one
would ever accuse her of having that type of demeanor. But the two of
them had an incredible relationship together. They were called the
``Diner Democrats'' because Paul's father's family ran a diner, and
Barbara Mikulski's family ran Mikulski's Bakery, as we all know. They
worked together in true partnership over so many years. It was a
friendship that was really one of total trust and respect.
I had a chance to communicate with Senator Mikulski, and she, because
of COVID, could not join us tonight.
Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that her statement be
printed in the Record of these proceedings
[[Page S7271]]
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Mikulski Statement on the Passing of Senator Paul S. Sarbanes
Baltimore.--Retired U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)
today issues the following statement remembering Senator Paul
Sarbanes:
``We join Maryland and all of America in mourning the loss
of Senator Paul Sarbanes. We extend our condolences and
sympathies to his family and loved ones during this time.
America has lost a great statesman, the state of Maryland
has lost a champion, and I, along with so many others, have
lost a friend.
The Maryland Delegation calls itself Team Maryland, and we
became a team because of Senator Sarbanes's work in reaching
hands across the aisle to Senator Mac Mathias. Senator
Sarbanes knew that each of us could make a difference but
working together was how we would make change. His legacy of
bringing Marylanders together to make change lives on in the
Delegation today.
Senator Sarbanes never forgot his family's strong immigrant
roots or their belief in the American Dream. He knew the
transformational power of education and championed an
opportunity ladder and increased access to higher education.
An unabashed believer in America's promise, he became a voice
for civil rights and voting rights. And in his advocacy on
housing, he worked to eliminate barriers of discrimination.
He championed the stabilization of the Social Security and
Medicare trust funds and worked tirelessly to protect and
preserve the Chesapeake Bay for tomorrow while advocating for
jobs on the Port of Baltimore today.
Senator Sarbanes believed that discussion and debate should
always be based on civility, intellectual rigor, and respect
for others. He was a workhorse, not a show horse, who cared
more about the getting job done and getting it done right,
than in taking credit.
We served together in Congress for 30 years, 20 of them
together in the Senate. And just as he was Maryland's
champion, he was my champion, too. As well as my ally and
friend. We joked that we were ``diner democrats,'' not
``dynasty democrats.'' He was the son of a diner owner, and I
was the daughter of a grocer. We were both raised to ask how
we could help those around us every day. Senator Sarbanes
took that lesson to heart; it was his commitment to helping
not only the people of Maryland, but every American that
drove him. And each of us is better off for having been
helped by him.
He was always there when you needed him. He will be
missed.''
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, let me conclude by just quoting from
Senator Sarbanes himself on the final speech that he gave when he left
the Senate. He said:
Throughout my years in public service, I have worked to the
limits of my ability to provide the people of Maryland and
the Nation dedicated, informed, and independent
representation based on the fundamental principles of
integrity and intelligence. I have been guided in this effort
by the vision of a decent and just America, based on a strong
sense of community and offering fairness and opportunity to
all its people.
Service in this body has reinforced, many times over, my
understanding and commitment to the institutions upon which
our system of Democratic governance critically depends.
So long as [that] vision of America's promise continues to
shine brightly in this body, I have every confidence that our
Nation will prevail in the face of great challenges and that
its future will be assured.
It is our responsibility to heed those words of Senator Sarbanes and
strive to carry out his legacy.
Before I yield to Senator Van Hollen, the two of us, on behalf of all
of the Members of the U.S. Senate, have filed a resolution to honor
Paul Sarbanes. This has been cleared.
I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration
of S. Res. 797, submitted earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 797) honoring the life and
achievements of former United States Senator Paul Spyros
Sarbanes and expressing condolences to the family of Paul
Spyros Sarbanes on his passing.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. CARDIN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to;
that the preamble be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or
debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 797) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
(The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record
under ``Submitted Resolutions''.)
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I now yield the floor in anticipation
that my colleague from Maryland--the two of us have joined together to
pay tribute to Senator Sarbanes--be recognized.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam President, I want to start by thanking my
friend and colleague, the senior Senator from Maryland, Senator Ben
Cardin, for his remembrance of Paul Sarbanes. I am honored to join him
and others in offering a resolution in memory of Senator Paul Sarbanes.
I should say that Senator Sarbanes was very pleased that Ben Cardin
succeeded him in his seat here in the U.S. Senate. So I am honored to
join with him, Senator Stabenow, Senator Reed, Senator Durbin, and
others in remembering somebody who was a friend, who was a mentor, and
who was the excellent role model for every elected official--Senator
Paul Sarbanes.
He was a thoughtful and brilliant Senator, a kind man, and a
dedicated public servant. As we have heard, he was born on Maryland's
Eastern Shore to parents who emigrated from Greece. He graduated from
the local public high school, Wicomico High School, and was recruited
to attend Princeton on a full scholarship. He excelled in his studies
as he would in his career, becoming a Rhodes scholar and graduating
from Oxford before attending Harvard Law School.
He went on to a very distinguished career in public service that
ended here in the U.S. Senate, but he never ever forgot his humble
roots in Salisbury, where his parents owned a small restaurant they
called the Mayflower.
In his farewell speech in the Senate, Senator Paul Sarbanes said:
My parents came to this country as immigrants from Greece,
both my mother and [my] father, and it was from them that I
first learned about the meaning of a democratic society and
the potential it offers to move up the ladder of opportunity
on the basis of ability, hard work, and conviction. Their
memory is still a very powerful influence in my life.
As we heard from Senator Cardin, Senator Barbara Mikulski, who served
here so well, was his friend and partner, and for years she always
joked that they were the ``Diner Democrats,'' a nod to the Mayflower
restaurant, owned by Paul Sarbanes's father, her roots in the Polish-
American community in Baltimore, and their mutual commitment to
fighting for working people, for the dignity of work, for the reality
of the struggles so many Americans face, and the need to give every
American a fair shot.
Paul Sarbanes carried the values he learned from his parents on
Maryland's Eastern Shore, first to the Maryland House of Delegates,
then to the House of Representatives, and later here to the U.S.
Senate.
From the very start, he developed a reputation for thoughtfulness and
honor. He could make simple and confident arguments, based on evidence,
to win others to his cause--Members from both parties.
He was in his first term in the House of Representatives during the
Watergate hearings, and he approached the proceedings on the Judiciary
Committee with his signature seriousness of purpose. He considered the
evidence, he listened to President Nixon's counsel's statements, and
methodically addressed and responded to their arguments. Because of his
own unimpeachable conduct, the chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee called upon him, a new member, and asked him to introduce the
first article of impeachment against President Nixon--the charge of
obstruction of justice. Paul Sarbanes had the legal acumen to take on
that responsibility, but he also had the integrity to be a moral voice
in the Congress at that moment for the country.
Writing about his dignified work during the Watergate proceedings,
journalist Elizabeth Drew commented: ``Paul Sarbanes would not have
looked at all bad at the Constitutional Convention; he might have
[even] been one of the great ones.''
After three terms in the House, Paul Sarbanes ran for the Senate. I
first met Senator Sarbanes in the 1980s, when I was serving as a staff
member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
I know everybody who served with Paul Sarbanes will understand what a
master class it was to watch him during a hearing. On cross-
examination,
[[Page S7272]]
he asked thoughtful, probing questions, and before a reluctant witness
realized what was happening, he had them cornered with no way out but
to concede to the point that he wanted to make or look deliberately
evasive. Woe be it to any witness who came before Senator Sarbanes
unprepared.
He was a Senate workhorse in the truest and best sense. Former
Majority Leader George Mitchell once said: ``Paul was effective because
he didn't seek credit, which endeared him to his colleagues.''
He wasn't afraid to take his time to get to the bottom of an issue,
build his case, and convince his colleagues. In the wake of the Enron
scandal, he held 10 hearings to ensure that the congressional response
would be thorough and effective and rallied the entire Senate to
support the ensuing Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the law that is credited with
restoring greater investor confidence in the market and providing
transparency and oversight for corporate governance.
He loved the State of Maryland, and especially the Chesapeake Bay. As
Senator Cardin indicated, he took on the mantle of forging and
strengthening the Federal partnership to clean up his beloved
Chesapeake Bay.
He wanted everybody to have a fair deal and worked to improve access
to affordable housing and to protect consumers from his seat on the
Banking Committee. He believed in the United States as a force for good
in the world and supported foreign assistance, the treaties to return
control of the Panama Canal to Panama, and strongly supported
legislation to impose sanctions under the then-apartheid regime of
South Africa. He opposed senseless and unnecessary wars.
I came to the House of Representatives in 2003, along with my friend
and colleague from Baltimore, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. Senator
Sarbanes was then the leader of our delegation. He welcomed us kindly,
but as captain of Team Maryland, he characteristically was eager to
allow all Members, however new they were to the delegation, to play an
important role.
Not surprisingly, Senator Sarbanes was a favored son of the Greek-
American community. He was a member of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of
the Annunciation in Baltimore and held the highest lay office in the
church. We shared strong bonds in the Greek-American community because,
like Paul's parents, my wife Katherine's mother's family immigrated
from Greece.
As a strong believer in promoting democratic values at home and
abroad, Senator Sarbanes was proud of those Greek roots and spoke often
of democracy's roots with the ancient Greeks. He used to speak to
students about the importance of public service, telling them that in
ancient Athens, people who lived only a private life, without view of
the public good, were failing to live fully.
Indeed, the power of democracy and its promise of opportunity was the
driving force behind his governing philosophy--to open the door to
others, to keep your promises, and to achieve based on your merit, not
on your connections, money, or power.
As extraordinary a public servant as he was, Paul Sarbanes was, above
all, a family man. He was devoted to his wife Christine, whom he met at
Oxford. Recalling their first encounter, Paul said:
She came to a meeting of the American Association I headed.
I forgot what was on the agenda. All I remember of that
meeting was that was where I met Christine.
She was brilliant and kind, an educator in Latin, Greek, French, and
the classics, who matched Senator Sarbanes's intelligence and shared
his love of service. They used to knock on doors together during his
political campaigns, and she was a sounding board throughout his
career. They raised three children, including our friend, John
Sarbanes, who now serves Maryland so well in the House of
Representatives. He was enormously proud of them and his seven
grandchildren.
I also extend my condolences today to Senator Sarbanes's former
staff. His legacy goes well beyond the laws he wrote to the way he
worked. He shared with them: Do your homework, understand the details,
act with integrity, and hold firm to your values. It is an example for
all of us to follow.
Senator Sarbanes was not a flashy presence. In fact, political
opponents once tried to belittle him with the name ``the stealth
Senator.'' But as he joked, stealth ``is one of the most important
weapons in our military arsenal. . . . if you let somebody else take
the credit, you can get the result.''
That was Paul Sarbanes--enormous accomplishments, never taking the
credit. His quiet confidence left an impression on all who served with
him.
We have lost a great Senator. America has lost a great Senator, and
many of us have lost a very good friend. But we should be comforted in
the knowledge that he achieved what we would all wish for ourselves: He
served well, he made the world better for others, he treated all he
knew with respect and earned their respect in return, and he leaves us
with fond memories.
May God grant those who loved him the strength to bear his loss, and
may his memory be eternal.
Thank you.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Romney). The Senator from Michigan
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise this evening with my colleagues
from Maryland and with Senator Reed from Rhode Island to pay tribute to
someone whom I was lucky enough to have as a mentor when I first
entered the Senate. And I want to associate myself with all of the
wonderful words of my friends from Maryland.
With any new job, there is a learning curve. There are certainly
things that you don't know and that you don't even know enough to know
you don't know. That certainly is true in the Senate.
In 2001, I was a former Member of the House who had just been elected
to the Senate. It was an exciting time--a lot of new people to meet,
rules to learn, and procedures to follow. One of my new assignments was
the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, where Senator
Sarbanes served as the chairman.
By that time, Senator Sarbanes was already an institution. As my
colleagues have mentioned, he introduced the first article of
impeachment against President Richard Nixon, as a junior Congressman.
And as a freshman Senator in 1978, he was a forceful advocate for
treaties that gave control, among other things, of the Panama Canal to
Panama. So it felt a little surreal to find myself at the table with a
brilliant leader like Senator Paul Sarbanes.
But he could not have been more gracious and more generous with his
time for me as a freshman Member. He was always willing to answer my
questions. He was a wonderful mentor. We, of course, worked on banking
issues together, including the crafting of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act,
where I was able, up close, to watch his legislative mastery.
We also worked on public transit provisions in our transportation
bill, which was very important for us in Michigan.
We shared a passion for protecting our water. My colleagues have
talked about the Chesapeake Bay. For me, it was the Great Lakes, and we
often talked about the beauty of the lakes, as well as the bay.
Senator Sarbanes gave his final speech on the Senate floor on this
very day, 14 years ago. He was a humble man, and his remarks were quite
brief. He closed, in part, with this: ``I want my colleagues to know
how deeply I appreciate their friendship and [their] counsel and how
highly I value the privilege of having been their colleague.''
Today, I can say exactly the same words about Senator Paul Sarbanes.
He was a statesman, and I was lucky enough to call him my friend. I
value the privilege of having been his colleague.
I want to offer his family, including Congressman John Sarbanes, all
of Paul's friends, and the entire State of Maryland my deepest
condolences. We have lost an incredible leader and public servant.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
Mr. REED. Mr. President, it is an honor to join my colleagues from
Maryland, Senator Cardin and Senator Van Hollen, and my colleague from
Michigan, Senator Stabenow, to take a moment to recognize and remember
my esteemed former colleague and dear friend, Senator Paul Sarbanes,
who passed away last Sunday.
[[Page S7273]]
Paul Sarbanes spent 30 years in this Chamber doing what he knew was
right. In that time, he built a legacy most could not achieve in two
lifetimes.
Paul's work on banking, the economy, housing, transportation, and so
many other issues had a profound and significant impact on our country.
But, more importantly, his work had a direct impact on so many families
whose lives were made better because of his unsung efforts over three
decades.
I had the distinct honor of serving with Senator Sarbanes and working
directly with him on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
and the Joint Economic Committee.
Senator Sarbanes was a constant and steady champion of commonsense
fiscal policies to help create jobs, expand our economy, and increase
consumer and investor protections. Indeed, he used his power and
influence to help those with the least power and influence in our
society, which is a hallmark of our finest public servants. And Paul
still remains one of our finest public servants--indeed, one of the
finest of the finest.
Many would agree that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 stands among his
best work. Responding to a number of major corporate accounting
scandals, Senator Sarbanes' legislation began the process of trying to
restore investor confidence in corporate America and our securities
markets. Eighteen years later, this law continues to be a critical
pillar of our financial system.
During his tenure as chair of the Joint Economic Committee in the
late eighties and early nineties, Paul framed many of the important
economic issues and debates that the country was experiencing at the
time. He held timely hearings on income inequality, trade deficit, and
unemployment during a time at which the country was only beginning to
come to grips with the notion that there needed to be a different
direction in our economy.
Unfortunately, our Nation is now battling a pandemic that is
furthering economic inequalities, and both the Senate and the country
could use and greatly misses Senator Sarbanes' thoughtfulness,
incisiveness, and compassion during these difficult times.
Senator Sarbanes was also one of our Nation's greatest champions for
affordable housing. He fought his entire career for our Nation's
working families, trying to make it possible for more families in our
country to have decent, safe, and affordable housing.
Most notably, Paul was one of the original authors of the Home
Investment Partnerships Program, known as the HOME Program. This
program has provided critical funding to our Nation's States and
localities, helping them maintain or expand their supply of affordable
housing for many Americans.
Paul also fought aggressively for funding of the section 8 voucher
program and was one of the chief supporters of improvements to our
Nation's public housing programs during his Senate tenure.
Senator Sarbanes also recognized the essential role that public
transportation plays in bringing communities together, fostering
economic development, and promoting a cleaner environment. As ranking
member of the Banking Committee, he led the effort to reauthorize the
Nation's transit programs and the fight to ensure that transit received
its fair share of funding.
Time after time, Paul Sarbanes did the right things for the right
reasons. He could not care less whether he got the credit, the press,
or the fanfare. His primary motivation was simply knowing that he made
a meaningful difference in the lives of his constituents and the
American people, and, in this regard, there are few who are as
accomplished as Paul Sarbanes.
His keen intellect, his extensive knowledge of the issues, and his
concern for Americans across this great country all contributed to his
impressive body of legislative accomplishments.
Now, I had the occasion to speak with John Sarbanes, Congressman
from Maryland, who is carrying on the proud tradition of the Sarbanes
family, and he said his dad was best described as a workhorse, not a
show horse, and that is right. Paul Sarbanes did the work of the
people. He did not try to garner the praise and the acclaim; he just
wanted to make sure the work was done and done well. And he did
throughout his entire career.
My best wishes go to Paul's family, including his sons Michael
Sarbanes and Representative John Sarbanes; his daughter Janet
Sarbanes; and his grandchildren. They have lost a father and a
grandfather. The country has lost one of its greatest champions. And I
have lost a dear and precious friend.
May he rest in peace.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Van Hollen and
myself, I want to thank our colleagues for their tribute to Senator
Paul Sarbanes--Senator Stabenow and Senator Reed. I know that Senator
Schumer and Senator Durbin have spoken on the floor. Many of us have
and many have expressed their condolences through our office to the
family. We just want to express our appreciation.
As Senator Van Hollen said, I had the honor--or the challenge--to
follow Senator Sarbanes in this body. I have his seat in the Senate.
When I was sworn in almost 14 years ago, Senator Sarbanes escorted me
to take the oath of office. As I mentioned earlier, he is an
inspiration to all of us.
I want to thank our colleagues for the tribute they have paid to an
outstanding Marylander, an outstanding American, and he will be missed
by all
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.
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________