[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S37-S38]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LATE SENATOR JOHN ``JOHNNY'' HARDY 
                                ISAKSON

  Mr. WARNOCK. Madam President, I come to the floor today to honor a 
friend, our late Senator from Georgia, my predecessor, Senator Johnny 
Isakson.
  I mourn this great loss with the rest of Georgia and people all 
across our Nation, and since his passing, I know I have joined many of 
you in reflecting on the countless memories and moments that we shared 
with Johnny Isakson.
  Without a doubt, Senator Isakson cared deeply for Georgia, and he 
cared deeply for our country. He was a patriot, a public servant, and 
there are members of my staff, I am proud to say, who used to work for 
Johnny, and they will tell you that he never hesitated to show up.
  I often talk in my other job about the ministry of presence. 
Sometimes, half a job is to show up, and he knew how to show up for 
people, whether it was paying a visit to an ill patient, the ill parent 
of a staffer, or seeing a disabled veteran.

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  Senator Isakson dedicated years of service to our beloved State, to 
our veterans, our families, and our children.
  He always made it a point to join us at the Ebenezer Baptist Church 
for the annual service and commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. I 
always smile when I consider the fact that he showed up. A lot of 
politicians showed up. He always stayed for the whole service, and, I 
will tell you, it is no short service. But Senator Isakson was there 
the whole time as we recognized and celebrated Georgia's greatest son, 
Martin Luther King, Jr.
  Johnny Isakson was my friend. In fact, when this country elected its 
first Black President, he recognized the historic significance, 
although he was in a different party. He called me on the phone. He 
thought I might want to be there. So I witnessed in person the 
inauguration--the first inauguration--of Barack Obama as a guest of 
Johnny Isakson.
  And then, a few years later, when we were at a flash point--a flash 
point of division in this country--and there were some, as we were 
approaching a State of the Union Address, who were saying we should not 
have the same kind of partisan scene where one side stands up and the 
other one sits down, that we ought to try to find the ways in which we 
are connected, and the folks who work here will all try to find 
somebody. You all might remember that. Johnny Isakson reached out to 
me, and I was his guest sitting in the House, witnessing for the first 
time in person a State of the Union address. And the very first time I 
stood on the floor of this Chamber, I came as Johnny Isakson's guest, 
as Chaplain of the day, opening the Senate in prayer.
  He was my friend, which is why I was not surprised when he called me 
up and he said: Raphael, I am retiring. I want to say good-bye, and I 
want to come by your church.
  So on a Sunday morning, Senator Isakson and his wife and other 
members of his family came by. We enjoyed conversation in my office, 
and then I shortened my sermon that morning so he could say hello to 
the people of Ebenezer. He left a gift to support our ministry to 
veterans because he was so committed to those who give so much for our 
freedom.
  Johnny Isakson always showed up, and he was unafraid to work across 
ideological differences, political differences, in our State and our 
country. I will never forget that example of public service.
  So this morning, with great appreciation and admiration for Senator 
Johnny Isakson--for a friend--I introduced a bipartisan resolution with 
Senator Ossoff, honoring the life and the legacy of Senator Isakson, 
that is cosponsored now by all of my 99 Senate colleagues.
  He brings us together in death the same way he did in life. He is a 
model of public service, an example to future generations of leaders on 
how to stand on principle to make progress, while also governing with 
compassion and a heart for compromise.
  I hope we can all remember the lessons of Senator Isakson's service, 
always looking for ways to make friends, to move our State and Nation 
forward, and, when that doesn't work, looking for how we can make, as 
he called it, ``future friends.''
  I bring these lessons and other advice Senator Isakson gave me to my 
work for Georgia here in the Senate. I am already looking forward to 
next year's bipartisan barbecue which Senator Isakson started and we 
carried on this year in his honor.
  I look forward to continuing to work with all of my colleagues--all 
of them--for the love of the people we serve and the spirit of our 
beloved friend, Senator Johnny Isakson. May my predecessor and friend 
live forever in our hearts and spirits. He was an upstanding elected 
official and an even better man.
  Blessed are they who die in the Lord's sense of spirit, for they rest 
from their labors, and their deeds do follow them.
  God bless his memory and bless his family with the peace of God that 
surpasses human understanding.
  Madam President, as if in legislative session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 484, 
submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 484) honoring the life and legacy of 
     late Senator John ``Johnny'' Hardy Isakson.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. WARNOCK. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, 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. 484) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record 
under ``Submitted Resolutions.'')

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