[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 209 (Thursday, December 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7419]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO PAT ROBERTS

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, when his official portrait that will hang 
in the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing room was unveiled last 
month, Senator Pat Roberts said the panel he led so well ``has a long 
history of caring more about the issues than the ideology, more about 
the people than the party.''
  Those words perfectly describe Pat's philosophy of public service. 
Throughout his four decades in Congress, this remarkable Kansan has 
always stood for government that is responsible to the taxpayers and 
responsive to the needs of the American people. He believes in a 
legislative process that is open, transparent, and bipartisan.
  Pat retires with an extraordinary record of accomplishment. He is the 
first person in history to have served as chairman of the Agriculture 
Committees in both the House and the Senate. He is Kansas' longest 
serving Member of Congress. As the ultimate evidence of the trust the 
people of his beloved State have in him, Pat has been on the ballot in 
24 elections since 1980 and has won every time.
  Pat and I were sworn in to the Senate on the same day in January of 
1997. It has been an honor to serve alongside this national leader in 
agriculture, health care, and defense. He is an advocate of a strong 
education system, free and fair trade policies, increased investment in 
science and technology, a focused foreign policy, and a strong 
military.
  This effective advocate for our Nation's family farms is a champion 
for rural America. A recent example is the State Offices of Rural 
Health Reauthorization Act he introduced and that I cosponsored. This 
law helps equip rural communities with the resources they need to 
strengthen their health care delivery systems and improve access to 
high-quality services for individuals living in rural and underserved 
areas.
  From the U.S. Marine Corps to the U.S. Congress, Pat has served our 
Nation with uncommon dedication. His wide-ranging accomplishments are 
united by a commitment to move America forward and empower the American 
people. I thank him for his service and his friendship and wish him, 
Frankie, and their family well in the years to come.

                          ____________________