[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO TOM UDALL

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, when Senator Tom Udall announced last 
year that he would not seek reelection, he said, ``The worst thing 
anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, 
rather than to the people they represent.'' Throughout his more than 
three decades of service to his State and to our Nation, Tom has 
demonstrated time and again his adherence to that principle. As New 
Mexico's attorney general, Congressman, and Senator, he has always 
treated public office as a public trust.
  Everyone who serves in this Chamber takes an oath to support and 
defend our Constitution. That remarkable document begins with three 
words Tom lives by, ``We the People.''
  That commitment to our Constitution was put to the test in early 2019 
when the President issued an emergency declaration that diverted $ 3.6 
billion from 127 military construction projects that Congress duly 
approved and funded and the President had signed into law. Tom stood 
strong against this clear violation of the separation of powers 
doctrine that is so vital to our enduring Republic, and I was proud to 
stand with him.
  In a powerful floor statement on the resolution we introduced to 
overturn the emergency declaration, Tom got right to the point. He 
said:

       This is no longer about the president's wall. This is not 
     about party. This is about protecting the very heart of our 
     American system of governance. Congress--and only Congress--
     holds the power of the purse.

  Tom also made clear that this encroachment upon Congress's authority 
was not an isolated incident but part of a dangerous pattern Congress 
has permitted over many decades and under many Presidents. And make no 
mistake--the hyperpartisanship that afflicts Congress far too often 
aids and abets this lamentable historical trend. By pursuing a 
bipartisan response to this Executive overreach, Tom helped to make 
real progress in defending the separation of powers.
  It has been a pleasure to work with Tom on many other issues over the 
years. From land conservation and environmental protection to rural 
health care and pandemic relief, he has been an informed and effective 
legislative partner.
  Tom leaves the Senate with an impressive record of accomplishments. 
Even more important, he leaves a legacy of reverence for our 
Constitution and courage in defending it. I thank him for his service 
to the people of our Nation and wish him well in the years to come.

                          ____________________