[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23540-23541]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         RETIREMENT OF SENATORS


                          Senator John Edwards

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute to Senator 
John Edwards and acknowledge his dedication to fighting for the middle 
class.
  Senator Edwards, the son of a mill worker, was the first in his 
family to go to college. He then went on to law school where he met his 
wife, Elizabeth. Following his graduation from law school, he earned a 
reputation as one of the best trial attorneys in the country, taking on 
the causes of those who had suffered serious tragedies as a result of 
the negligence or malfeasance of others.
  Elected in 1998, Senator Edwards has served just one term in the 
Senate, but he made a mark in a number of areas. First and foremost, he 
was a lead advocate for a Patients' Bill of Rights. From his background 
helping families that had suffered injuries at the hands of our health 
care system, Senator Edwards brought a passionate understanding of the 
need to hold health insurance companies accountable when their 
decisions led to serious injuries or death. More importantly, he 
championed changes in rules that would prevent these adverse outcomes 
in the first place. His dedication to this cause paid off in 2001, when 
the Senate finally passed the Patients' Bill of Rights.
  Senator Edwards also made a big contribution on education policy. He 
was an early voice in favor of education reform, and worked to provide 
additional resources to help local schools achieve higher standards. As 
a co-chair of the Senate Rural Education Caucus, I saw first hand his 
work to support funding to meet rural school needs like the Rural 
Education Achievement Program and to make certain that the unique 
challenges for rural schools in complying with the No Child Left Behind 
Act are recognized.
  Senator Edwards also, of course, distinguished himself in running for 
President and serving as the Democratic nominee to be Vice President. 
His concern about our country fracturing into ``Two Americas''--one 
wealthy and privileged, the other increasingly left behind--resonated 
with millions of Americans.
  Senator Edwards is leaving this body. But I am confident he will not 
turn his back on public service and look forward to his continued 
contribution to our Nation's political debate. Working with the Senator 
from North Carolina has been a joy, and we wish him and his wife a 
happy and health future.


                          Senator don nickles

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity to pay 
tribute to and acknowledge how much I will miss Senator Don Nickles in 
the United States Senate.
  Since joining the Senate in 1980, Senator Nickles has been a forceful 
advocate for smaller and smarter government, while at the same time 
tenaciously fighting for the interests of the people of Oklahoma. In a 
body filled largely with lawyers and career politicians, Senator 
Nickles brought a small businessman's perspective to the legislative 
table. Throughout his career he spoke from personal experience about 
the need to relieve unnecessary burdens on our Nation's small 
businesses.
  Personally, I have come to know Senator Nickles well from our joint 
service on the Budget and Finance Committees. Although we were often on 
the opposite side of policy debates, he was always a straight-shooter, 
a gentleman, and a pleasure to work with. In areas where we disagreed, 
he was a formidable and articulate advocate for his position. In areas 
where we agreed, he was a powerful and determined ally. I am proud to 
say that, despite this era of too much partisan division, I consider 
Senator Nickles a good friend. His ability to maintain a civil and 
respectful tone and demeanor in even the toughest policy disputes has 
exemplified the finest traditions of the Senate.
  In his role as Budget Chairman, I am particularly grateful for the 
graciousness and respect with which he treated me and my staff. His 
efforts to strengthen the Budget Committee and the budget process will 
be an important part of his legacy in this body.
  I have been honored to serve with Senator Don Nickles. I join my 
colleagues in wishing the Senator and his family all the best in the 
future and in paying tribute to his tremendous contributions to the 
Senate and our Nation. We will miss him.


                        SENATOR PETER FITZGERALD

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute to Senator 
Peter Fitzgerald as he prepares to leave the United States Senate.
  For the past 6 years, Senator Fitzgerald has done important work as a 
member of the Agriculture Committee, on which we had the pleasure of 
serving together. Senator Fitzgerald supported the creation of a 
commission to investigate changes to the Federal farm payment system. 
We share the belief that small, family-owned farms should receive 
adequate assistance from the Federal Government, and the creation of 
this commission has helped to ensure this goal.
  I am also grateful for the support that Senator Fitzgerald has shown 
for legislation I have introduced related to the tax treatment of 
leasehold improvements. He and I understand the need to modernize 
business infrastructure by shortening the cost recovery period for 
changes that commercial

[[Page 23541]]

landlords make in space rented to tenants. By reducing the cost 
recovery period, the expense of making these improvements would fall 
more into line with the economics of commercial lease transactions, and 
more building owners would be able to adapt their buildings to fit the 
needs of today's business tenants. I thank Senator Fitzgerald for his 
strong support of this important initiative.
  Senator Fitzgerald also recognizes the importance of improving the 
overall health of Americans, and has shown this through the 
introduction of his Healthy Lifestyles Act. Encouraging physical 
activity is an essential component in the fight against obesity, and is 
an important tool in preventative health care. I commend Senator 
Fitzgerald for his work in this area.
  More generally, Senator Fitzgerald has proven himself to be a 
dedicated public servant who has served the State of Illinois and the 
country with honor. Today, I join my colleagues in paying tribute to 
Senator Fitzgerald and wish him well in all of his future endeavors.

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