[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 134 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5208-S5211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Remembering Carl Levin

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today, I stand here with colleagues--my 
partner, Senator Peters, and, of course, Senator Reed and other 
colleagues--to pay tribute to an incredible leader and my dear friend 
who dedicated his life to serving the people of his beloved State of 
Michigan and this Nation--Senator Carl Levin.
  Senator Carl Levin was many things: a crusader for truth and justice, 
in the real sense of the word; a man of strong convictions; a mentor to 
so many of us.
  He was a Senator's Senator and a tireless advocate every day--every 
day--for the people of Michigan.
  He was also my friend, and it was truly an honor of a lifetime for me 
to represent Michigan alongside Carl Levin for 14 years of his 36 years 
that he served in the Senate.
  Thirty-six years is a long time, but Senator Levin remained effective 
and at the same time humble right up until the final day he served. 
That is because integrity never goes out of style and Senator Carl 
Levin never wavered in his dedication to do what was right--what was 
right for the people of Michigan and our country.
  Perhaps he will be remembered most--although there are so many 
things--for his incredible leadership on the Armed Services Committee. 
Patriotism was a lot more than a flag pin or a pledge to Carl Levin. He 
understood more than anybody what it takes to defend our Nation. 
Perhaps no one has done more to ensure that our men and women in 
uniform are battle ready with the supplies and technology that they 
need and the fair pay and benefits they have earned.
  In fact, Senator Levin worked so hard on behalf of our military that 
he received a Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public 
Service. There is a suite of offices at the Pentagon named after him, 
and there is a naval destroyer currently being built in Maine that will 
probably bear his name: the USS Carl M. Levin. It was so inspiring to 
be with him during the naming ceremony in Detroit back in 2016.
  It is fitting that he should be honored in this way because Carl 
Levin always believed that our government could be a force for good. 
This belief was passed down to him from his parents, who saw firsthand 
how the New Deal rescued families from desperate poverty.
  A young Carl Levin admired Harry S. Truman, especially Senator 
Truman, who drove cross-country investigating defense contractors who 
were committing fraud and wasting billions of dollars. I think Truman 
himself would have been incredibly impressed with Carl's leadership of 
the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
  A former civil rights attorney, Carl Levin relished the chance to 
cross-examine those he suspected of ripping off taxpayers and the 
public. His committee room was never a literal trial by fire, but he 
certainly turned up the heat on unscrupulous executives, special 
interests, or anybody who tried to get rich at the expense of everyday 
Americans. Those executives were sweating because they knew that 
Senator Levin had done his homework. He would dig so deep that he knew 
more about what they were going to say than they would.
  Carl Levin could topple a tycoon with nothing more than a stack of 
subpoenaed documents. And we saw him do it. In 2007, he shined a light 
on abusive practices by credit card companies, leading to laws that 
required more transparency. Even today, your credit card statement 
contains more disclosures and more information, thanks to Senator Carl 
Levin.
  His fellow Michiganders got to see a kinder, gentler side of Carl as 
well, and I know we did as colleagues. And I will never forget how his 
eyes sparkled when he smiled, with his glasses down on the end of his 
nose.
  His heart was always in Detroit, where he was born and raised and 
lived his entire life. Meanwhile, his soul was nourished by the 
tranquility he found in beautiful northern Michigan in the Upper 
Peninsula, especially Isle Royale.
  Carl helped Detroit make one of the most spectacular comebacks in 
American history, and everywhere you look, you can see evidence of his 
hard work. The Levin Center at Wayne State Law teaches future attorneys 
and business leaders and lawmakers and public servants how legislative 
oversight can be a tool for change and a force for good. He led the way 
on getting Federal funding for Detroit's beautiful International 
RiverWalk, which, today, features 3 miles of parks, nature areas, and 
breathtaking waterfront views.
  In the midst of the Great Recession, we worked together closely to 
rescue our American auto industry, which for years had been battered by 
the forces of globalization. Carl Levin understood that manufacturing 
is the backbone of our State's economy and that our country needs to 
make things in order to have them.
  As a member of the Small Business Committee, Carl also understood the 
importance of small business. In fact, in getting dressed today, I was 
looking at what I could wear that would symbolize Detroit, and I picked 
out a necklace that reminds me of what motivated Carl in Detroit with 
small businesses.
  Amy Peterson is a Detroit entrepreneur who wanted to empower women 
who have employment barriers, and Senator Peters and I have both 
visited her shop. So, in 2013, she created Rebel Nell jewelry out of 
graffiti that had fallen off of walls on the sides of buildings. Today, 
she is incredibly successful, and she is empowering and employing women 
throughout the Detroit area.
  Carl loved efforts like that. He championed small businesses, folks 
who wanted to--one after the other, have an idea and get it going.
  Carl also understood that our landscape, our soil, our water are part 
of our Michigan way of life. That is why he pushed for years to have 
land at Sleeping Bear Dunes protected as wilderness--our beautiful 
dunes.
  Senator Levin fought for the National Marine Sanctuary at Thunder Bay 
in Alpena and for the creation of the Keweenaw National Historic Park. 
It was an honor partnering with him in every single fight to protect 
our Great Lakes.
  I can stand here for hours listing Senator Carl Levin's 
accomplishments, but they still only are a small testament to his 
character, his compassion, his humor, his strength of conviction.
  President Truman once said:

       Make no little plans. [Make no little plans.] Make the 
     biggest one you can think of and spend the rest of your life 
     carrying it out.

  Senator Carl Levin lived those words every day. He wanted to make our 
State and our country the best it can be, and he spent his life doing 
everything he could to make that happen.
  I wish his beloved wife and life partner Barbara; his brother and 
best friend Sandy; his nephew and our colleague   Andy Levin; his 
wonderful daughters Kate, Laura, and Erica; his grandchildren; and all 
of the family my deepest condolences and profound gratitude for your 
willingness to share this great man with all of us
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of a true 
lion of the U.S. Senate, Michigan Senator Carl Levin. Yesterday, he 
passed away at the age of 87, surrounded by his loving family.
  Carl was well known as a fierce advocate for Michigan and a force of 
nature in the Senate, but the most important thing to him was his 
family. He cherished his role as a brother, husband, father, uncle, and 
grandfather. And I know his family and his loved ones are all reeling 
from this enormous loss. I along with folks all across the State of 
Michigan are praying for them during this very difficult time.
  Over his 36 years of service to the Senate, the most ever for a 
Michigan Senator, Carl made an immeasurable impact. He served as the 
chairman of not just one, but two extremely powerful committees. He was 
simultaneously a zealous progressive voice in the Senate and one of its 
most bipartisan

[[Page S5209]]

Members, able to forge strong relationships with his Republican 
colleagues and find pragmatic compromise to get results.
  I remember when Carl was first elected to the U.S. Senate, making a 
very impressive leap from the Detroit City Council to a statewide 
office. I was in college at the time, and over the years, I closely 
followed his service and his career in politics. He was someone who I 
looked up to and came to know as both a role model and as a mentor.
  He was always gracious with his time and his wisdom, and I cherish 
the conversations that we had over the years, from my time years ago 
serving in the Michigan State Senate to my time in the U.S. House of 
Representatives. When Carl announced he would be retiring in 2014, I 
sought out his guidance and his blessing to run to fill his seat. As 
the campaign progressed, he gave me his endorsement and his full-
throated support. I was both honored and humbled.
  When I was sworn into my first term in the Senate, Carl presented me 
with an old map of Michigan and a handwritten note. It hangs in my 
front office to this day, and every time that I walk through the door, 
I am reminded of Carl, of his service, and his integrity.
  Carl was a unique figure on Capitol Hill. He had no interest in the 
trappings of power. He saw service as its own reward. And he could 
certainly be a little disheveled in his appearance. He was very frugal. 
He wore inexpensive suits, and his loving wife Barbara would routinely 
sew up the holes in his pockets so he could get just a few more years 
out of his suits. Legend has it he once noticed a mustard stain on his 
shirt and he painted over it with Wite-Out so he could get back to 
work. His glasses were always precariously perched on the end of his 
nose, and he would fix you with a piercing gaze over those rims. 
Despite his small stature, he was also an incredibly intimidating 
figure, largely due to that gaze, his intellect, and his incredible 
work ethic.
  Nowhere were those traits more apparent than in his role leading the 
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, also known as PSI. When Carl 
held the gavel, getting a letter or a phone call from his investigative 
staff struck fear into some of the most powerful and most corrupt 
figures in America. In fact, folks in Washington would quip that under 
Carl's leadership, the letters ``PSI'' had a completely different 
meaning for people: They stood for ``pretty scary investigations.''
  Carl used his chairmanship to stand up for everyday folks--the 
Michiganders and Americans--who were working hard every day to pay 
their bills and play by the rules. He was furious when there were 
people who took advantage of hard-working Americans, and there were 
companies who were making millions and even billions of dollars 
cheating on their taxes and hurting average taxpayers.
  Over the course of his tenure as chair, he took on the corrupt, the 
wrongdoers, and the bullies who no one wanted to stand up to, including 
major banks, the mob, and even ruthless dictators.
  He brought a studious focus to his work, reviewing thousands, and 
sometimes even tens of thousands, of pages of documents so that he 
would know every single detail in that investigation. His investigative 
staff recounted that when he was preparing for a flight to Hong Kong, 
he asked for a binder full of documents related to the latest 
investigation to review on the plane. His staff put together 1,500 
pages of documents for him to read on that flight. When he landed in 
Hong Kong, he called and asked his staff to send the next batch. He had 
already made his way through those 1,500 pages, and he wanted to see 
more.
  In every investigation he was tough but scrupulously fair. He was 
disciplined and laser-focused on addressing injustices. And he was 
dedicated to seeing a fight through to the end, even if it took years.
  Over the years, he tackled money laundering, abusive offshore tax 
shelters, and executives and bankers who cooked the books, dodged 
taxes, and cost workers their savings, their pensions, and healthcare. 
One of his greatest legacies at PSI was his work to hold bad actors in 
the Federal sector accountable for their abuses.
  In fact, after seeing unfair charges on his own credit card and 
hearing similar stories from his constituents, he launched an 
investigation into predatory credit practices, including charging 
interest on debt that was already paid, hiking interest rates even when 
bills were paid on time, and manipulating charges to try to secure 
additional fees.
  After a series of tough oversight hearings and a legislative process 
that spanned years, Carl's work became a central part of the Credit 
CARD Act of 2009, which prohibited abuse of credit card practices and 
helped more than 100 million Americans. He even cast his 11,000th vote 
during the process of getting that bill passed.
  Whether he was taking on Enron or Goldman Sachs or exposing the 
corruption of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, Carl was focused on 
holding the bad guys accountable and protecting the American people 
from their misconduct.
  And despite serving at a time when Congress was growing increasingly 
partisan, he managed to bridge the divide. His staunchest conservative 
colleagues knew that if Carl gave them his word, they could count on it 
100 percent. Whether he was working with Senator Coburn or Senator 
Collins, Carl was able to cooperatively work with his Republican 
colleagues, setting an iconic example for how to conduct bipartisan 
oversight that my own committee staff today still strives to follow.
  Carl carried that same partisan principle to his role as chairman of 
the Armed Services Committee, a role that he served in for 18 years. 
Whether he was working alongside the late Senator John Warner or the 
late Senator John McCain, Carl found bipartisan, commonsense ways to 
support our Nation's servicemembers and combat waste and fraud within 
the Department of Defense, and he worked tirelessly to strengthen 
national security and to keep our Nation safe.
  Even though Carl took on such high profile, nationally important 
roles, he never forgot his roots and the lessons he learned about 
listening to your community during his time as a Detroit city 
councilman. He was a powerful advocate for all of Michigan, but 
especially for his hometown of Detroit.
  I distinctly remember his determination as our Michigan congressional 
delegation fought to rescue Michigan's auto industry when it was on the 
brink of total collapse. As our senior Senator at the time, Carl led 
our delegation with quiet but steady resolve. At a time when so much 
was on the line for Michigan, Carl helped fight for General Motors and 
Chrysler, which was headquartered in my district, and to save the jobs 
of Michigan autoworkers and everyone who depended on them.
  Carl was a champion for Michigan's auto industry and a true believer 
in the Motor City's ability to lead in vehicle innovation. He was such 
a believer in the future of Detroit's auto industry that he even bought 
one of Chevrolet's first electric vehicles, the Chevy Volt.
  As a former taxi driver in his youth, Carl loved driving himself 
around, even if his erratic and aggressive driving style startled and 
sometimes scared his staff. And although Carl was ready to put his own 
money behind the future of Detroit, Capitol Hill wasn't quite so ready 
for electric vehicles. Without readily accessible charging stations on 
the Hill, Carl actually ran an extension cord out of his window of his 
Russell Office Building to recharge his car's battery.
  He also fought relentlessly to build public transportation in 
Detroit. He had a vision of light rail that would transport people 
through downtown Detroit, and when he believed in something, he 
wouldn't take no for an answer, even when the administration of his own 
party rejected requests to fund the Detroit rail project.
  I recall vividly a meeting between Carl, the Detroit representatives, 
and then-Transportation Secretary LaHood, and in classic Carl Levin 
style, he peered over the rims of his glasses, held a fistful of 
papers, and shook them at the Secretary's direction as he railed about 
how we had angels in Detroit who were willing to invest in this 
project, but we need the public sector to support it to get across the 
finish line.
  His arguments were persuasive, and, today, you can ride the QLINE 
down Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit because Carl Levin was so 
determined to make it a reality.

[[Page S5210]]

  President Barack Obama captured Carl's legacy perfectly when he said, 
upon Carl's retirement, that ``if you've ever worn the uniform, worked 
a shift on an assembly line or sacrificed to make ends meet, then you 
had a voice and a vote in Sen. Carl Levin.''
  But perhaps Carl's greatest legacy is the example he set for all of 
us. Carl's colleagues, his staff, and his constituents all agree that 
one of his most powerful traits was his integrity. He had strong values 
and a moral compass that always pointed north. Even years after he 
retired, as I traveled around Michigan, folks still tell me how much 
they respected Carl. They knew that even if they didn't agree with him, 
he was thoughtful and he was considerate. And they would tell me that 
while they may not always agree with Carl's votes, they respected his 
decision making, and they trusted what he was doing and thought was 
best for Michigan and the country.
  Those same principles inspired such strong loyalty in his staff that 
he became known for having staff members who worked for him for 
decades. Carl's fearlessness, thoughtfulness, and independence marked 
the epitome of what it means to be a public servant. He followed his 
conscience, and he always fought to do what was best for his home State 
and for his country
  Carl's principled leadership, his dedication for finding common 
ground, his relentless pursuit of the truth, and his constant focus on 
ensuring that our country works for every American should serve as a 
model for all of us.
  I am forever grateful to Carl for his leadership, his mentorship, and 
for his example. I will always remember the advice he gave me on 
election night, after I was declared the winner. He pulled me aside and 
said: Just remember, Gary, in the Senate there will be people who will 
try to pull you in all sorts of directions, but never forget where you 
came from, never forget who you are, and always work to bring people 
together, despite the partisanship and polarization around you.
  We live in tough times, but he reminded me that people back home in 
Michigan are expecting me to get things done and deliver results. It is 
advice that guides me every day.
  Carl truly represented the best of public service. He did his 
homework and knew the issues inside and out. He focused on doing what 
was right for Michigan and for our country. He never had an alternative 
agenda. He didn't chase front-page headlines or the cameras. He had no 
desire to be a political celebrity. He just wanted to get things done.
  Carl's light in this world will be sorely missed, but the best thing 
we can do to honor his memory is to live by the same principles, 
integrity, and kindness that drove his leadership and public service 
for five decades. Carl loved doing his job, and he did it with 
boundless energy. Whether it was greeting his constituents on the 
street or taking on some of the toughest issues in Washington, everyone 
was always trying to keep up with Carl.
  If we could all bring just a fraction of his dedication, his 
integrity, and his intellect to our own worlds, Washington would surely 
be a much better place. May his memory be a blessing.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Baldwin). The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. REED. Madam President, first let me thank Senator Stabenow and 
Senator Peters for bringing us together to recognize an extraordinary 
gentleman, an extraordinary friend, and, for me, an extraordinary 
mentor, Senator Carl Levin.
  I want to begin by offering my deepest sympathies to Carl's family, 
his wife Barbara, their wonderful daughters and grandchildren, his 
brother Sandy, and his nephew Congressman   Andy Levin. Those who knew 
him knew that Carl was, above all else, a loving father, a devoted 
husband, and a profoundly compassionate man. Today, we mourn with the 
entire Levin family.
  I would like to take just a few minutes to reflect on his remarkable 
life and legacy. Carl served 36 years in the U.S. Senate and made every 
single day count. He was a gentleman and a statesman, a true champion 
for Michigan, for working families, for justice, and especially for the 
men and women of the U.S. military Throughout his long and wide-ranging 
career, he carried with him a constant, enduring commitment to service.

  From his earliest days growing up in Detroit, Carl understood what 
service meant. He worked his way up as an auto factory worker and taxi 
driver to get to law school and then to the Michigan Civil Rights 
Commission, where he dedicated his early career to service as a public 
defender. From there, he committed himself even further to the people 
of Detroit, serving 8 years on the city council and fighting constantly 
to advance the civil rights of his constituents.
  His 3\1/2\ decades in the Senate truly defined his commitment to 
service, and his accomplishments are monumental. While Carl is 
particularly associated with national defense, as the chairman of the 
Armed Services Committee, he was one of the most productive, effective 
congressional investigators and legislators of his era--or any era. 
Wielding his gavel on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on 
Investigations with great clout and distinction, he was relentless in 
going after waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption whenever and wherever 
he saw it.
  He didn't shy from tough issues. He worked tirelessly to expose major 
corporate tax avoidance and evasion, knowing that it was unfair for 
working men and women to pay their share while corporations found 
loopholes to pay nothing.
  Carl changed the very way our government worked, using his 
legislative powers, his backbone, and his brain to take on the most 
powerful institutions in America on behalf of not just the little guy 
but a healthier republic.
  Serving alongside Carl Levin on the Armed Services Committee was one 
of the greatest privileges of my life. We liked to joke that we were 
friends and we traveled together so much because I made Carl feel tall 
and he made me feel like the most elegant dresser in the United States 
of America.
  I was always intrigued during our 11 trips overseas together--mostly 
to battlegrounds--when I would try to pack light, my experience in the 
military having suggested that. Carl would show up with a little bag--
just a little black bag. And I would think, ``How could he get through 
these 5, 6, 7 days of trips with just that?'' Then I discovered the 
answer. We would have a meeting with a Prime Minister, for example, and 
he would have his coat and his tie and his white shirt on and his 
slacks. And then he would get ready to go to the field. He would just 
take his coat off or undo his tie, roll up his sleeves, and head out to 
the field. Then we would come back to have another meeting, and he 
would put his tie back on. It was the Carl Levin method. And as much as 
I tried to emulate it, I could not.
  He was one of the most incredibly genuine and kind individuals you 
would ever meet.
  When he took on his duties on the Armed Services Committee, he 
understood that national security is not a partisan issue, and he 
maintained a spirit of bipartisanship that continues to motivate all of 
us.
  He also understood that national security requires more than just 
defense. So he was an active supporter of diplomacy and international 
organizations.
  Throughout his life, Senator Levin was a steadying force in turbulent 
times in global affairs. He was a staunch advocate for NATO, 
recognizing that our national power is enhanced by strong alliances 
with other democracies. He also lent crucial support to the START 
Treaty between the United States and Russia, limiting and reducing the 
number of nuclear weapons on this planet. And he later supported the 
Nunn-Lugar legislation that removed many unsecured nuclear weapons 
after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
  But, most profoundly, Carl always recognized that the dedication and 
sacrifice of our servicemembers is fundamental to our military 
security. I feel that in every critical decision he made, he viewed it 
through the eyes of those young soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines 
on the ground--what would his decisions mean to them? That is why he 
traveled to countless outposts and ships to see for himself the needs 
of our men and women in uniform and to thank our troops personally for 
their service. And I was privileged to travel with him many, many times 
and to witness his concern for those who served.

[[Page S5211]]

  At this moment, my mind is awash with memories and images; for 
example, in 1997, standing with Carl before a crowd of 50,000 pro-
democratic Serbians in Belgrade, calling for a democracy to replace the 
dictator, Milosevic. It was a moving moment. In 2003, visiting our 
troops in Iraq--one of the first codels to enter Iraq--to find out for 
ourselves what was happening; what the troops needed; what we could do 
to protect them and give them the tools to do their job; and in 2009, 
crowded together, sitting on the floor on carpets with Afghan leaders 
in a small village, trying to determine a path forward. Carl always led 
by example and with decency and integrity.

  Later this summer, it will be the honor of my life to speak at the 
commissioning of the U.S. Navy's newest warship, the USS Carl M. Levin. 
It is a great and formidable ship, bearing the name of a great and 
formidable man. I wish more than anything that Carl could be there to 
witness the tremendous honor for his namesake ship's commissioning. But 
Carl always did prefer to avoid the spotlight and the fanfare, and, I 
think, perhaps he will be smiling even wider as he looks from above at 
the christening of that ship.
  Carl's life was defined by service, and we should all be grateful to 
be part of the legacy that he created in this very Chamber. His loss is 
immeasurable, but I am grateful for his lifetime of contributions to 
the people of Michigan and the people of our Nation.
  We can best honor Senator Levin by carrying out his ideals and 
example in what we do here and what we do for the Nation, and, 
particularly, what we do for the brave young men and women who serve 
this Nation.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.
  Mr. MERKLEY. Madam President, I rise today to add my voice to my 
colleagues in remembering and paying our respects to our dear friend 
and former colleague Senator Carl Levin, whom we sadly lost last night.
  My colleagues have been sharing their stories and their experiences 
of this incredible human being, this amazing Senator, and I want to 
share one of my own, a story of how he made an impact on my life and my 
approach to being a Senator.
  It was back in 2009, when we had an enormous collapse of our economic 
system. I came here as a freshman Senator, and we were working to say 
what happened and how can we prevent this from happening again. A lot 
of what happened was enormously leveraged bets made in the Wall Street 
casino. A staff member of mine kept saying, you have got to read this 
essay by Chairman Volcker about how we take and shut down this Wall 
Street casino and how it puts our entire economy at risk and will do so 
again in the future again if we don't act
  After two or three times that my team member had approached me on 
this, I put out an email to all of the Senators and said: Here is the 
challenge that is presented, and here is what we need to do to protect 
the future economy. Would anyone join me in undertaking to establish 
this Volcker rule to shut down the Wall Street casino?
  The next day, I came to the floor of the Senate, and Carl Levin comes 
up to me. And he says: About your email from yesterday, about your 
email, I want to join you in that project.
  He knew a lot about this issue, and he had staff members who knew a 
lot about this issue. Then he went on to say: And you may think because 
you are new and I have been here for a while that I am going to sweep 
in and take this over. He said: But I want to tell you, I am not going 
to do that. I don't want to do that. I want to work in full partnership 
with you, together.
  And that is what it became, this full partnership: our team members 
working closely together, Carl and I working closely together, no one 
leading, if you will, or, to put it differently, leading together. And 
it had many, many chapters in this effort.
  It was not an easy path to say the big banks needed to change how 
they operate. But what struck me in how he conducted himself was he 
expressed not egoism but altruism. He didn't focus on what he should do 
to advance himself politically; he wanted to know what we can do to 
serve the best interests of this Nation, not grandstanding but problem-
solving to make the United States of America work better for everyone. 
And so we proceeded.
  During the debate on Dodd-Frank, we had an opportunity to put forward 
an amendment to establish the Volcker rule. Colleagues across the aisle 
were none too happy about that, and it shut down the Senate for a full 
day. So Carl and I kept working during that day to say: No, this should 
be debated. This should be voted on. But eventually, our second-degree 
amendment died when the first-degree amendment was taken down. But our 
team members had worked through the night to make it a germane 
amendment so it would have survived had that not taken place.
  So then we went, in partnership, over to speak with Mr. Frank, 
Congressman Frank on the House side. And Congressman Frank joined in 
the battle. And we kept pushing, and eventually, in conference, the 
Volcker rule was brought to life.
  And then we started partnering and trying to prevent the rulemaking 
from tearing it down. And Carl would call me up and say: Here is what 
is happening. What are we going to do? And we would write a letter and 
we would call the regulators and we would rally our fellow Senators. He 
just kept at it. Like a dog with a bone, he was not going to let go. He 
was tenacious, saying: This matters. Every piece of it matters. We are 
going to get this done.
  So when we think about the fact that that Wall Street casino no 
longer threatens the American economy because it no longer operates as 
it did, well, we have Senator Carl Levin to thank for that.
  There is so much more he did here. Colleagues have been speaking to 
other chapters of his work, but this was the chapter I was involved in. 
I think it said so much about who he was. His policy expertise, his 
humble approach to the fight, his willingness to take on powerful 
actors, that is truly what it is to be a public servant.
  I wish Carl were here so we could have him hear these stories from us 
directly. I am thinking now about his colleagues representing Michigan 
who have followed in his footsteps. They are here: Debbie Stabenow, 
Gary Peters. I know they are inspired by the example he set.
  A couple of years ago, I had a chance to debate in Michigan and 
called up Carl so we could get together for dinner, together with his 
wife Barbara. And, boy, he was just interested in every aspect of what 
we were doing here and how we were, hopefully, making the Senate work 
better.
  And just not so long ago, he wrote an op-ed about how to make the 
Senate work better by enabling the minority to slow things down, to 
have leverage but keep this body from being paralyzed. So he continued 
to think and to engage right up to his final days.
  So, Barbara, we are thinking about you. We are holding you and your 
family in the light, and we are doing so with such appreciation of the 
life and work of Carl Levin.
  Thank you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, I, of course, join my colleagues in 
their fond words for Carl Levin.
  He was a mentor to me, like so many. And I am looking forward to 
speaking about him as well as my good friend Senator Enzi, whom we also 
tragically lost this past week, in the coming days.
  But, today, I am focused on another topic, and that is the Olympics.