[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 14, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S129-S130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, many Senators use this bully pulpit to wax
poetic, but only on special occasions do I actually quote poetry.
Today, as I honor my former colleague, friend of several decades, and
our Nation's 46th President, it feels appropriate to do so.
History says
Don't hope on this side of the grave
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up
And hope and history rhyme.
I recited these words--some of President Biden's favorites, by Irish
poet Seamus Heaney--on the evening of his inauguration as our Nation's
Vice President in 2008. As I reflect on his time in our Nation's
highest office, I think it is only right to use these words again.
Over the course of his long service to this country, President Joseph
Biden has been the source of hope and an author of history. And just as
Heaney observed, he became one of the rare leaders who have made hope
and history rhyme. America is better for it.
Over the decades I have known President Joe Biden, he has proven to
be one of the finest public servants America has seen.
Coming from humble beginnings, he worked hard and put himself in
positions to give back to this Nation that has given so much to him.
When it came to making decisions of consequences on issues that
mattered most to the American people, Joe Biden put America first.
Through immense personal tragedy, through setbacks and obstacles,
President Biden has taken the strength and wisdom he learned from his
family, held steadfast on to his faith in America, and gave millions of
people in this Nation reasons to hope.
His record as a Senator, while serving as Vice President under Barack
Obama, and while sitting behind the Resolute Desk himself speaks for
itself.
When future generations hear the name ``Joe Biden,'' they will think
of the incredible growth, recovery, and progress America has made under
his leadership. The COVID-19 pandemic changed life in America as we
knew it. It claimed thousands of American lives per week and brought
our economy to a virtual halt.
But thanks to Joe Biden, we recovered from the devastation of this
pandemic. We passed the American Rescue Plan to support working
families and
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businesses and address the public health crisis. This law deployed
vaccines to millions of Americans and normalcy returned. In 2020, the
world economy was in shambles due to COVID-19. In April 2020, our
economy lost nearly 21 million jobs in a single month, and our
unemployment rate skyrocketed to 14.7 percent. But thanks to Biden's
leadership, many workers were able to get back to work.
Since Joe Biden has taken office, our economy has added 16 million
jobs. Twenty million new business applications have been filed, the
most in any single Presidential term in history.
And under Joe Biden, unemployment was under 4 percent for the longest
stretch in 50 years. Four years ago, ``Infrastructure Week'' was
nothing more than a punch line and a broken promise, but thanks to Joe
Biden, we passed a bipartisan infrastructure law that replaced our
aging infrastructure and expanded access to clean drinking water and
the high-speed internet.
Thanks to Joe Biden, we took historic action to address the climate
crisis through the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant
investment in clean energy, sustainability, and climate resilience in
America's history. And we guaranteed American leadership in science and
technology with the Chips and Science Act, a bipartisan bill bringing
semiconductor manufacturing back to America and bolstering our
competitiveness for generations.
Because of his leadership, we were able to enact the most significant
gun safety legislation passed in nearly 30 years--the Bipartisan Safer
Communities Act.
Thanks to Joe Biden, over $180 billion--billion dollars--in student
loan debt has been forgiven for more than 5 million Americans, giving
them, finally, a chance at life. We lowered the cost of prescription
drugs, made historic gains in expanding health insurance coverage, and
continue to fight for the reproductive rights of all Americans.
History will also remember Joe Biden for the Violence Against Women
Act. He wrote the bill. He championed it while in the Senate,
bipartisan legislation aimed at making sure every woman can live free
from fear, violence, and abuse.
And as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am proud to say
that I worked with Joe Biden to confirm 235 judges to the Federal bench
under his leadership, including the first African-American woman and
former public defender as a member of the Supreme Court, and that is
only here at home.
On the global stage, he restored faith in America as a world power, a
global leader, and a responsive ally that would not tolerate the post-
World War II global order to be undermined by autocrats like Putin. He
defended Ukraine, boosted competition with China, and strengthened
alliances in the South Pacific. He oversaw the expansion of NATO and
its bolstering of defenses of its Baltic members. But, most
importantly, thanks to Joe Biden, the Office of President once again
stood for decency, civility, respect, and empathy. I sincerely hope our
Nation does not lose sight of these values.
There is no doubt, when it comes to Heaney's words, President Biden's
life has imitated art. Throughout his time in public service, President
Biden inspired hope in so many millions of people, and in his
commitment to ensuring that America lived up to her lofty ideals, he
left a legacy that will shape history.
President Biden, it has been an honor to count myself as your
colleague and your friend.
On behalf of a grateful nation and the world, I want to say to you--
and to Jill and all of your family who shared you with us for so long--
thanks for making hope and history rhyme.
I yield the floor.
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