[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6908-S6909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO JOHN P. SARBANES

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to my dear friend, 
Congressman   John Sarbanes. Next Congress will be the first without a 
Sarbanes representing Maryland in 54 years. The Sarbanes family will be 
sorely missed in this body.
  I had the great fortune to working with John's father, the late 
Senator Paul Sarbanes, who is referred to as ``The Senator's Senator.'' 
I met Paul 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 U.S. House of Representatives, 
where he served three terms, then moved over to the Senate where he 
served for five terms with a very distinguished record. His service in 
the House occurred during the Watergate scandal, and his time in the 
Senate marked by the Enron scandal. During both periods of crisis, 
Senator Sarbanes stepped into the breach as a steady hand to help 
regain the American peoples' confidence in their institutions. Like his 
father, Congressman Sarbanes' legacy in Congress has been focused on 
protecting the integrity of our Nation's most cherished institutions.
  John is the product of a household ethic of public service. That is 
evident in his actions in Congress and how he conducts himself as a 
public official. John shares his father's intellect and

[[Page S6909]]

thoughtful approach to politics. He speaks substantively and honestly, 
and his approachability has made working on behalf of his constituents 
appear second nature. Since he was elected in Congress in 2007, he has 
put his head down and worked hard for the people of Maryland and the 
Nation. He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
the Subcommittees on Health; Energy, Climate, and Grid Security; and 
Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Minerals.
  In addition to his environmental record, one of his most notable 
accomplishments has been his long-term work on campaign finance reform 
and voting rights reform. His work on this issue began long before his 
bill, H.R. 1, For the People Act, became a top priority in Congress. 
Indeed, then-Democratic Leader Pelosi appointed John to chair a new 
Democracy Reform Task Force in 2017. The comprehensive legislative 
package John developed would ultimately propose to strengthen 
democratic institutions, enhance Federal ethics standards, and reign in 
unlimited and secret dark-money campaign spending by wealthy and 
powerful special interests. In particular, John was known for promoting 
a matching system for small donations and more effective oversight of 
campaign finance and spending by the Federal Election Commission.
  This legislation ultimately became the Freedom to Vote Act, a 
signature piece of democracy reform legislation in the last few 
Congresses. This transformational anticorruption and clean elections 
reform package builds on his previous efforts to pass H.R. 1, the For 
the People Act.
  On five separate occasions, the House of Representatives passed 
various versions of H.R. 1 and ultimately succeeded in putting these 
issues squarely before the Senate. Unfortunately, in 2022, the Senate 
failed to muster the votes necessary to overcome the filibuster and 
vote on this critical package of reforms.
  In addition to his work on election reform, Congressman Sarbanes has 
demonstrated a lifelong devotion to environmentalism. I have been 
particularly grateful to work with him on the restoration of the 
Chesapeake Bay, which his father famously declared ``the soul of 
Maryland.'' John has led the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force to 
several victories, including securing Federal funding and policy 
changes that support a healthier bay. His Chesapeake Bay legacy, 
however, will be his work to connect more Marylanders to the bay by 
improving access and environmental literacy.
  Congressman Sarbanes saw that many Marylanders lacked meaningful 
experiences with the Chesapeake Bay and worked to expand public access 
to the bay and its tributaries, most dramatically though legislation to 
create a Chesapeake National Recreation Area. He also worked hard to 
expand educational opportunities so that the general public is 
empowered to steward our shared natural resources. His No Child Left 
Inside legislation helps expand outdoor education opportunities for 
students, which provide incredible benefits to students and supports a 
new generation of environmental champions. It has been an honor to work 
with him on Chesapeake Bay issues, which has been close to my heart 
during my time in public office.
  I thank Congressman Sarbanes for his work in Congress and for so 
honorably carrying on his father's legacy as a public servant. He has 
set an outstanding example for Congresswoman-elect Elfreth. I will miss 
working with John, but am grateful for our time in office together and 
wish him success and joy as he enters this new chapter.

                          ____________________