[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 23993-23998]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTES TO RETIRING SENATORS


                              John Breaux

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I am fortunate enough to have been here to 
hear my colleague from Louisiana give his farewell speech. It was my 
good fortune to have served with him both in the House and in the 
Senate. He is one of the favorites of both sides of the aisle. It is an 
amazing tribute to John and his political career that he does have so 
many friends in the Senate. From the liberal wing to the conservative 
wing, Republicans, Democrats, North, South, East and West, you like 
John Breaux. You like him because he is a genuine person and also 
because he comes from a State that is a lot of fun and he is a lot of 
fun. Some of my best memories of John are his hard work here and then 
his hard play at home.
  When he would invite us to New Orleans for a Democratic leadership 
conference and other meetings and show us his major city in his home 
State, it was always a treat.
  Then occasionally he would export a little bit of Louisiana to 
Washington and to the site of the Democratic Convention, and it was 
always a sellout event. People wanted to be there. John never let them 
down. I saw him at the Los Angeles Convention where he gave a little 
party--and I use that term advisedly. It was not little at all, it was 
a big party. He was dressed in a costume for Mardis Gras that would 
have put Elvis Presley to shame. It was an amazing array of gold and 
sequins, the likes of which I have never seen. He looked so much at 
home in that outfit.
  I said to him: How do the people back in Louisiana take to that kind 
of dress?
  He said: You know, they would throw me out of office if I didn't do 
these things. They expect that of me.
  I also went down to New Orleans with him and saw him in a musical 
performance with a zydeco band. He has musical talent most people don't 
know about.
  I tell you these things because people who follow the Senate, hear 
the speeches, look at positions on issues and look at the party labels, 
forget that behind each and every one of us is a real life story.
  I love the story of your family coming to Washington, John. It is a 
beautiful story of packing up the kids and your first impression. Every 
one of us has that story to tell. There are new Senators coming and 
saving up those stories in their own minds for the day they stand 
behind that desk to say what it means to be one of the few Americans 
given a chance to serve in this great Chamber.
  We are going to miss John Breaux and all that he brought to the 
Senate and all he brought to this Nation. He has been a problem solver. 
He has tried to reach across the aisle over and over to create 
bipartisan coalitions. Sometimes I was with him; sometimes I was not. 
It did not make any difference because it was a good-faith effort on 
John Breaux's part to serve his State and this Nation.
  He has had a great career in the House and the Senate. His departure 
will leave a gap in terms of quality that many of us will work hard to 
fill. John, I am honored I could serve with you and that I could hear 
your parting remarks this evening. I wish you and your family the very 
best.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.


                             Fritz Hollings

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes to talk 
about our departing colleagues. I am going to start with the senior 
Senator from South Carolina, the senior Senator after many years of 
waiting in the wings, and that is Senator Fritz Hollings.
  I first got to know Fritz Hollings after I came to the Senate in 
1986. My wife Annette and I have worked with Fritz and his wife Peatsy. 
We have traveled around the United States with them. We have been with 
them in their home. We visited them in Charleston. We traveled around 
the world with them.
  He is a unique individual, to say the least, but he has had, as the 
Presiding Officer knows, a distinguished career as a State Senator in 
his native South Carolina and then lieutenant governor and Governor of 
his State before he came to the Senate I believe in 1966.
  He has had a distinguished career as chairman of the Commerce 
Committee for many years and as a senior member of the Appropriations 
Committee and chairman for many years, and ranking member now, of the 
Appropriations subcommittee dealing with State-Justice.
  Fritz, we are going to miss you. We are going to miss your humor. We 
are going to miss your frankness. We are going to miss your wisdom. And 
we are going to miss your wife Peatsy about whom we all care and love. 
You have invited a lot of us to visit you in Charleston. I hope you add 
some more rooms to that house there because a lot of us will be coming 
to see you. You have been a great American.
  In addition to public service to his State and to the Nation, Fritz 
Hollings was a young graduate of the Citadel in his hometown of 
Charleston before the Second World War, and he served with distinction 
as an officer in Europe for a long time through many battles.
  I respect you, Fritz. I commend you for your service, and I look 
forward to visiting you both here and in Charleston in the years to 
come.


                              Don Nickles

  One of my other colleagues we all care about and work with is Don 
Nickles of Oklahoma. He came here as a very young man in 1980. He has 
been here 24 years. He was the whip, assistant majority leader. He was 
right here on this floor. He spent many days, many hours trying to herd 
us together as one of our leaders. He is now at the moment the chairman 
of the Budget Committee, and that is a feat in itself. He is a senior 
member of the Finance Committee.
  We wish you had stayed around, but you chose to leave the Senate on 
your own volition. Don, we will see you, we will miss you, and I 
commend you for your service to the Nation and to your great State of 
Oklahoma.


                              John Breaux

  John Breaux was just on the floor a few minutes ago. I first met John 
Breaux when I came to the House of Representatives in 1978. He had 
preceded me, although he is a little younger. He was a young man in the 
House of Representatives. He was very involved and was one of the first 
people I met there.
  He tried to work with both sides, the Democrats and Republicans. He 
has been involved in the forging of a lot of compromises--meaningful 
ones--over the years. He has represented his State of Louisiana both as 
a Congressman and as a Senator well, I believe, for many years. John, 
we wish you and your wife Lois the best. We know you are not going to 
go very far, but you have a lot of friends in the Senate on both sides 
of the aisle, and you know that.

[[Page 23994]]




                              Tom Daschle

  Tom Daschle will be leaving us. He served this Nation well. He served 
in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer. He served as a 
staffer, and then he was in my class in 1978 as a member of the House 
of Representatives. That is where I first met Tom and worked with him 
and respected him. Sometimes we would be on other sides of the issues, 
but nevertheless, I always thought in his dealings with me and others 
he was a very honorable, decent person.
  He is a relatively young man. He served us well, I thought, as 
majority leader. He was always fair and up front with us. He will go on 
to good things, I am sure. I wish Tom and his wife Linda the best.


                               Bob Graham

  Senator Bob Graham is a friend of mine, a Democrat, a former Governor 
of Florida for two terms. He came to the Senate in 1986 when I did. We 
worked together on many committees, but we worked closely together on 
the committee you serve on today, Mr. President, and that is the 
Intelligence Committee.
  I was the chairman of the committee and then he became the chairman 
when the Democrats got control of the Senate, and I was the vice 
chairman. I found Bob Graham to be working day in and day out, to be a 
very upfront man, a very honorable man, a man of his word. I certainly 
wish him well in whatever he does in the future.


                        Ben Nighthorse Campbell

  My friend Senator Campbell, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, you talk about 
somebody unique. He is a unique American. He is a Native American. He 
is proud of who he is. He has represented the State of Colorado, both 
in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, very well. I wish 
him the very best. He will certainly not go away in the future.


                              Zell Miller

  Senator Zell Miller, the colleague of the Presiding Officer, is a 
distinguished Senator from Georgia. He served as Lieutenant Governor of 
Georgia, I believe, State senator, and then Governor of Georgia for at 
least two terms. He came to the Senate and distinguished himself. He is 
someone for whom I have a lot of respect, for his integrity, for his 
forthrightness, for his grit, for his perseverance, and also his 
foresight.
  Zell, we will miss you in the Senate. But we will see a lot of you. I 
hope to visit you in north Georgia. You tell me what a beautiful place 
it is, and it is not too far from my State of Alabama, so I hope you 
have a room for us there. We will come see you, especially when the 
apples are ready to pick and you are ready to show us around.


                              John Edwards

  We have also Senator Edwards from North Carolina. I first met John 
Edwards 6 years ago when he came to the Senate. He is a very 
accomplished lawyer, a very engaging person. He was the Democratic 
nominee, as we all know, for Vice President of the United States. John 
Edwards is a young man, a man with a lot of talent, and I am sure we 
will hear from him in some respect, political or otherwise, in the 
future as life goes on.


                            Peter Fitzgerald

  Senator Peter Fitzgerald from Illinois is a very young man, one of 
the youngest men to come to the Senate. He chose to serve only one 
term. I think he has been involved in some of the big issues of the 
day. He is a man of integrity. He is a man who wants to do the right 
thing. He is always going to be involved in the issues of the day, as 
he has been.
  Peter, we wish you and your family the best as you go back into the 
private sector where you have excelled and done things so well and for 
so long.
  We are going to miss all these Senators, on both sides of the aisle, 
because collectively they bring a lot of experience and a lot of wisdom 
to the Senate. They have served, as I said, with distinction and honor 
here.


                              TOM DASCHLE

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I want to take some time today to pay 
tribute to one of my closest and best friends in the U.S. Senate, our 
Democratic leader, Tom Daschle.
  It is hard to put into words how much I will miss Senator Daschle 
when he leaves the Senate at the end of this session. Senator Daschle 
and I were both first elected to the Senate in 1986. He immediately 
became a friend, and that friendship has only grown stronger over the 
years. Senator Daschle had already served South Dakota in the House of 
Representatives for many years when he came to the Senate, so he was 
able to help show me the ropes when I first arrived in Washington in 
1987. His advice and counsel were given freely. But what really drew me 
to Tom were his genuine delight in seeing and greeting friends, staff 
and colleagues; his selfless passion for serving the people of South 
Dakota; and, above all his wonderful, self-effacing sense of humor. Put 
simply, Senator Daschle was able to take on issues very seriously 
without taking himself too seriously.
  Over the years, we have served together on the Agriculture, Finance 
and Indian Affairs Committees. We have fought side-by-side in numerous 
battles to serve the interests of the people of the Dakotas.
  On the Agriculture Committee, Senator Daschle was a tireless advocate 
for the interests of the northern plains producers we both represent. 
We fought together for targeted farm assistance to ensure that scarce 
Federal dollars for commodity programs would most benefit average size 
family farms. We fought together against concentration in the 
agriculture industry. We fought together against unfairly traded 
imports of Canadian grain. We fought for disaster aid time and time 
again. And we joined to make sure a new farm bill was enacted in 2002.
  It is safe to say that without the active leadership and support of 
Senator Daschle, we would not have had a new farm bill in 2002. And if 
we had not written the bill in 2002, I firmly believe that mounting 
budget pressures would have made it virtually impossible to write good 
legislation in 2003 or 2004. So family farmers all across this country, 
many of whom might not ever have heard of Tom Daschle, have lost a 
champion.
  On the Finance Committee, Senator Daschle fought passionately for 
better health care for all Americans. We fought together to strengthen 
the Medicare program and improve payment rates for rural health care 
providers. We fought to preserve the Medicaid program, which provides a 
health care safety net for the most vulnerable among us. We fought to 
create the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which expanded 
health coverage for children who otherwise would have no insurance. And 
Senator Daschle again and again took the lead on trying to reform our 
health care system to make health care affordable and accessible. So 
average workers all across the country who worry about losing their 
health coverage or skyrocketing health costs have lost a champion.
  And Senator Daschle took a special interest in working on behalf of 
Native Americans. He has fought to bring attention to the terrible 
epidemic of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome among Native Americans. And he has 
led the fight to secure increased resources for the Indian Health 
Service to help end the health care rationing that occurs on too many 
reservations. He also has been a strong proponent of the tribal 
colleges. His efforts have helped put a college education within reach 
of many Native Americans who might not otherwise get the opportunity. 
Finally, Senator Daschle stood up and gave a voice to the thousands and 
thousands of individual Indians seeking a full accounting of their 
trust assets and fought to make sure that the Federal Government 
fulfilled its trust obligation. So Native Americans all across the 
country have lost a champion.
  As Democratic leader, he continued to work on all these issues. And 
because he was leader, he delivered real results for real people, time 
and again. That was especially the case when it came to causes 
important to South Dakota. Senator Daschle tirelessly used his clout to 
ensure that South Dakota's interests were protected.
  But Senator Daschle's role as a Senator and as a leader cannot be 
summed up in a simple listing of the causes and

[[Page 23995]]

issues he championed, often without fanfare or great recognition. The 
job of leader has often been compared to herding cats. It is not easy, 
but Senator Daschle did an outstanding job. Senator Daschle was a 
strong leader--and a great Senator--because he didn't just listen to 
people, he heard their concerns. He didn't just propose compromises, he 
built consensus. It took enormous patience, great flexibility, strong 
persuasive skills--and a liberal dose of good humor and humbleness. It 
also meant that much of what Senator Daschle accomplished was done 
quietly behind the scenes. Too often, he did not get the public credit 
he deserved for the painstaking hours he spent building consensus and 
moving issues forward to benefit the American people. Instead, he 
quietly stepped back and let others take credit.
  You cannot be successful as a Senator, and especially as a leader, if 
other Senators cannot trust you. Senator Daschle may at times have left 
our colleagues on the other side of the aisle frustrated by his mastery 
of Senate rules and political tactics. But they always knew he was 
someone they could deal with in good faith. They always knew they could 
trust his word. And they always knew he would work hard to achieve the 
result he had committed to.
  At the end of the day, that is the ultimate measure of Senator 
Daschle's values--the values he and I learned growing up in the 
Dakotas. He was honest, fair and hard working. He gave credit to 
others. And he genuinely respected his colleagues and enjoyed their 
company. South Dakota, the Senate, and the Nation are losing a true 
champion, in every sense of the word.
  As Senator Daschle goes on to other things, my wife Lucy and I wish 
all the best to Tom and his wife, Linda.


                               bob graham

  Mr. President, as the 108th Congress draws to a close, the Senate 
will lose one of its most distinguished and accomplished members, 
Senator Bob Graham. Few Senators have had such an outstanding career in 
public service. Bob Graham served as a Florida State legislator between 
1967 and 1978; as Governor between 1978 and 1982; and as U.S. Senator 
from 1987 to 2004. I am honored that Senator Graham and I were in the 
same class following our elections to the Senate in 1986.
  Throughout his years in public service, Senator Graham has taken a 
leadership role in protecting our environment, advocating on behalf of 
seniors and children for adequate health care, working to make certain 
that our children achieve their highest potential in schools, and 
making certain that our country lives up to its obligations to veterans 
and active duty military personnel.
  Early in his career as Governor of Florida, Senator Graham launched 
one of our Nation's most significant efforts to protect the environment 
through the Save Our Everglades Program. In 2000, Senator Graham 
achieved his goal of restoring the Florida Everglades through an 
unprecedented partnership among Federal, State, and local officials 
along with private industries. This initiative was a significant step 
to ensure protection of a critical wetland environment, the Florida 
water supply and endangered species. Senator Graham's efforts were key 
to preservation of one of America's most important and environmentally 
sensitive natural treasures.
  Throughout his career in public service, Senator Graham has also 
taken a leadership role on behalf of public education. Long before the 
enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act, Senator Graham worked to 
improve Florida public schools by making certain that children have the 
highest quality public education system. He advocated on behalf of 
rigid student testing for competency in academic courses, worked to 
reduce class size, to improve the learning environment through new 
school construction and to provide more opportunities for higher 
education assistance for college students.
  Through our years together in the Senate, I was privileged to work 
with Senator Graham closely on health care and Social Security issues. 
As a colleague for 10 years on the Senate Finance Committee, I noted, 
with admiration, his concern for the health care needs for the elderly, 
especially the need to strengthen Medicare and provide a prescription 
drug benefit for the elderly. Senator Graham authored Medicare reform 
legislation to provide a prescription drug benefit and other 
preventative health care benefits. His Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 was cosponsored by one third 
of the Senate.
  When it came to Social Security and Medicare, Senator Graham took a 
long view. He missed no opportunity to urge all of us to make a 
priority of ensuring the long-term solvency of these two crucial 
programs. His concern was not just the current needs of his Florida 
constituents, but the importance of these programs for the income and 
health security of generations to come.
  Last, Senator Graham assumed a leadership role on behalf of our 
Nation's veterans and active duty military personnel in his capacity as 
Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. While he 
focused considerable attention to the needs of our aging veterans 
population, working tirelessly to increase funding for VA medical care, 
he has also been sensitive to the needs of veterans living in rural 
America. Senator Graham supported my efforts to improve access to VA 
medical care for rural veterans and to improve the quality of care for 
veterans at the Fargo VA Medical Center and through the expansion of 
outpatient clinics in rural communities. For this understanding and 
support for rural veterans, North Dakotans will be forever grateful.
  There are many achievements by Senator Graham that I could cite 
throughout his career in public service. The few accomplishments that I 
have noted demonstrate remarkable dedication to our country--dedication 
to improving the lives of our children, the elderly and our veterans. 
Senator Graham represents the finest example of a dedicated and 
compassionate public servant. I hope that Senator Graham's career will 
inspire young Floridians and other young people across our Nation to 
service for our country. I have been privileged to serve with Senator 
Graham and thank him for his distinguished service to our country.


                              tom daschle

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I would like to say a few words about the 
man from which I have stood across this aisle the past 2 years--Tom 
Daschle.
  Tom, as we all know, is a good and decent man. He has a big heart for 
the people of South Dakota, for every Member of this body, and for all 
of the American people.
  He has devoted his life to public service--from serving as an 
intelligence officer in the Air Force to serving four terms in the 
House to serving three terms in the United States Senate.
  That is seven times Tom Daschle has been reelected statewide in South 
Dakota.
  Tom has been such a successful leader, because he has always put 
others first. This selflessness, this sacrifice is the quality that I 
admire most about Tom.
  Every year Tom returned to South Dakota for an ``unscheduled 
driving'' tour. He would travel without staff or a schedule--going 
wherever the road and the people of South Dakota would take him.
  This driving tour helped him travel to each of South Dakota's 66 
counties--which he did every year.
  But, most importantly, it was his way of staying in touch with the 
people who sent him time and time again to Washington to represent 
them.
  Tom has served as the Democratic Leader for 10 years now. And those 
have been no easy 10 years for the Senate or for America.
  The Senate itself has switched hands and back again. And we have 
helped lead the Nation through wars and recession and the horrific 
September 11th attacks.
  But throughout this Congress and throughout his career, Tom Daschle 
has handled his job with grace and dignity. And I have always seen in 
him a gentle, yet stirring passion.
  I wish Tom and Linda and their family all the best in the many years 
to come.

[[Page 23996]]




                              john edwards

  Mr. President, John Edwards came to the Senate just 6 years ago. Yet 
he has won us all over as friends for his sunny disposition, his 
positive attitude, his intelligence, and his hard work.
  John can make anyone smile. He forms a personal bond with nearly 
everyone he meets. No doubt this quality comes from the fact that he 
always remembers his roots.
  The first member of his family to go to college, John grew up the son 
of two textile workers, moving from town to town.
  This upbringing shaped John Edwards. It instilled in him a burning 
desire to improve the world and a strong commitment to populist values.
  He became a lawyer. And with ardent trial advocacy, hard work, and 
genuine concern for others, he scored astounding success.
  A terrible tragedy--the death of a child--marked a deciding point in 
his life. He did not let it destroy him. Never forgetting the terrible 
pain, John turned tragedy into triumph.
  He set out to change America for the better. A political unknown, he 
faced long odds, but he overcame them.
  In the halls of the Senate, John has won new laws to protect 
patients, increased funding for public schools, and improvements to our 
banking system.
  He and Elizabeth, Catherine, Emma Claire, and Jack have been 
delightful additions to our Senate family.
  And our prayers are with them as they strive to overcome the 
difficulty of Elizabeth's recent diagnosis of breast cancer.
  John Edwards has already played a vital role in American public life. 
And whatever he chooses to do next, we wish him and Elizabeth and their 
entire family all the best for a bright future.


                              don nickles

  Mr. President, Senators follow many different paths on their way to 
this Chamber. Some come from the professions, others from a life in 
public service.
  Few have lived the American dream the way Don Nickles has.
  At age 20, Don Nickles was paying his way at Oklahoma State 
University, living in a trailer home, working as a janitor, and raising 
his growing family.
  A few years later, he returned to his hometown. There he pulled his 
family business from the verge of bankruptcy. Pretty soon his neighbors 
elected him to the Oklahoma Senate.
  Then, in 1980, at the age of 31, when few expected it, he became a 
U.S. Senator.
  Don did not let his early success go to his head. He worked hard to 
keep our country a place where men and women can dream big and live 
those dreams.
  In the Senate, he has been a friend to taxpayers, an opponent of 
overbearing regulation, a voice for traditional values, and an ardent 
advocate for Oklahoma.
  Don Nickles has worked to keep America a land of opportunity--a place 
where everyone has a valued place and nobody lacks the opportunities to 
succeed.
  Through all of his hard work, through all of his toil, he has always 
put family first. He and Linda have been married for 36 years. And they 
have raised four wonderful children.
  In Don's favorite Bible chapter, Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul lists 
a godly man's attributes. A godly man, says Paul, work hard and live a 
life of ``love, joy and peace . . . kindness, goodness, faithfulness.''
  I could not think of a better description of Don Nickles. He has had 
an amazing career--and I take comfort in that he is just hitting his 
stride.
  We all wish Don and his family the best in what will certainly be a 
bright future.


                             Fritz Hollings

  Mr. President, Fritz Hollings is a passionate advocate for the people 
of South Carolina, a true statesman, and a fine gentleman. He is one of 
the most senior members of our body and, to all of us, he is a friend, 
a mentor and a guide. He has devoted his life to public service.
  Fritz Hollings has always shown courage, conviction, and an ability 
to get things done. His work has touched every corner of our country 
and every American's life.
  Fritz helped our Nation confront its spiraling budget deficits, 
maintain a strong posture against the Soviet Union, integrate our 
schools, and create the WIC program. His work has helped protect our 
coastal ecology, preserve our oceans, and defend our transportation 
networks from terrorists attack. And, when a family eats dinner without 
interruption, free from never-ending telemarketing calls, well, we can 
all thank Fritz for that too.
  On trade, on spending, on taxes, on military issues, and on Senate 
pay, he has never been afraid to speak his mind, even when his own 
party, or sometimes even most of the Senate, disagrees with him. In the 
end, he has always been a winner thanks to his grace and honor. A 
summary of Fritz' legislative achievements reads an astounding eight 
single-spaced pages. He's always campaigned on the creed that: 
``Performance is better than promise.'' And he has lived up to it.
  We'll all miss Fritz: His friendship, his principles, and his 
willingness to tell it like it is. We wish fritz and Peatsy all the 
best and want them to know that they will always have a home, a family 
and a place in the history of the United States Senate.


                        ben nighthorse campbell

  Mr. President, Ben Nighthorse Campbell is a man of many talents. He 
is an Indian chief, a Korean war veteran, a champion quarter horse 
trainer, an Olympic judo competitor, a rancher, and a jewelry designer.
  After his service in the military and a series of athletic victories, 
Ben settled down to run his ranch and design jewelry. But, by pure 
accident, politics entered his life. Colorado, the Senate, and America 
would never be the same.
  In 1982, Ben attended a meeting to support a friend's bid for 
Sheriff. He made a stunning impression and walked away drafted as a 
candidate for the Colorado State legislature. Ben served the people of 
Colorado there and in the House of Representatives. And 12 years ago, 
they elected him to the Senate.
  More than 20 years after that fateful evening, Ben has left an 
indelible mark on the Senate. He has taken the lead on critical 
agricultural issues, fought excessive spending, argued for a balanced 
budget, and sponsored Federal drought relief for farmers. From drug 
policy to natural resources conservation, he has advocated for Colorado 
interests, and he has brought home what the people of his State elected 
him to do. He has also sponsored or co-sponsored 54 Indian-related 
bills that became law. And he is the first American Indian ever to 
chair the Senate Indian Affairs committee. Without him, the spectacular 
Museum of the American Indian that graces our National Mall would not 
have become a reality.
  Ben is as leader who stands firm by his beliefs and works hard for 
the people of Colorado and Americans everywhere. We wish him and his 
wife, Linda, all the best for the future.


                              john breaux

  Mr. President, the people of Louisiana first sent John Breaux to 
serve in this Capitol in 1972. He was only 28 years old. For the next 
32 years, he would serve as one of the most respected and admired 
public servants--from both sides of the aisle--anywhere in American 
government.
  John Breaux has been a superb United States Senator. He is not 
inextricably wedded to one ideology or one party's line. He is 
thoughtful. He is independent. He is deliberative. He is experienced. 
He always wants to do the right thing for Louisiana and for America.
  What I admire most about John is his consensus-building skills. He 
never gives up on bringing people together. In fact, he has helped 
bring this body together on landmark pieces of legislation over the 
past two decades--from welfare reform to health insurance reform to 
balancing the budget.
  I have enjoyed working with John to reform Medicare. We proposed the 
first Breaux-Frist reforms in 1999. And we followed up with Breaux-
Frist II in 2001. And we toiled together on the Bipartisan Commission 
on the Future of Medicare, which John so ably chaired.

[[Page 23997]]

Breaux-Frist laid the foundation for bipartisan work to come and, 
ultimately, the most comprehensive and meaningful improvements to 
Medicare since the program's creation.
  John's departure is bittersweet for me--as I am sure it is for every 
member of this body. We will miss him as a leader we all love and all 
can work with. But he still has many of his best years ahead--which he 
will no doubt enjoy spending with Lois and their wonderful and growing 
family.


                            Peter Fitzgerald

  Mr. President, Peter Fitzgerald has devoted his life to public 
service.
  He first ran for office before the ink on his law degree had dried. 
And, in the last 6 years, we have come to know Peter as a man of 
integrity, as a man of honor, and as a friend.
  In the Illinois Senate, he was a staunch opponent of corruption. He 
often had to go it alone. But he still got results.
  He continued his mission in the United States Senate--where he 
arrived in 1998 as our youngest member.
  In only 6 years, he has made his mark. He helped uncover the 
devastating corporate fraud and accounting scandals. And he helped us 
pass tough new regulations to prevent them from reoccurring.
  He has been an ardent advocate for Illinois farmers and businesses, 
always working to make sure that markets are open and barriers are low.
  Whether working to appoint honest federal prosecutors or taking a 
hard look at major federally-supported projects, he has always stood 
for doing the right thing.
  Peter has made sure that we have tax relief that helps families and 
creates new jobs. And he has helped protect our children with tough new 
child safety seat laws.
  Our Senate family will miss Peter, Nina, and Jake. They have each 
enriched our lives, their State, this Senate, and our country. And we 
wish them all the best in the future.


                               bob graham

  Mr. President, during his first campaign for the United States Senate 
in 1986, People Magazine compared Bob Graham's mind to a Florida 
thunderstorm; resolute and impossible to deflect.
  But as a member of this body for 18 years, Bob Graham has shown that 
while he may have the energy of a lightning storm, his works are guided 
with far greater purpose and direction.
  In 40 years, Bob has never lost a statewide election. He is one of 
Florida's most beloved politicians. And that is for good reason.
  Always looking for ways to connect with his constituents, Senator 
Graham uses his ``workdays'' to toil alongside everyday Floridians to 
understand the problems they face.
  A true American patriot, he has consistently put country before 
party.
  On the Senate Intelligence Committee he has helped us tackle the 
monumental task of overhauling America's intelligence agencies. We will 
all miss his knowledge, his expertise, and his ability to clarify 
difficult issues.
  Bob and his wife, Adele, have been treasured members of the Senate 
family--as much for who they are as for what they have done. For a 
couple who has accomplished so much in their lives together, that's 
saying something.
  I want to thank Senator Graham for his valued contributions to our 
body and to our country. And we wish him and Adele the best in all 
their future endeavors.


                              zell miller

  Mr. President, Zell Miller commands a certain respect. He has guts. 
He has integrity. He speaks simple truths. He is as good and honest a 
man as I know.
  Zell is the type of leader that takes a stand and doesn't yield an 
inch of ground--no matter how hard the political winds blow.
  America saw this first-hand with his unwavering support of President 
Bush in the most recent election.
  At the Republican Convention, Zell described the President perhaps 
better than anyone in our own party. He said the President is: ``a God-
fearing man with a good heart and a spine of tempered steel.''
  Those same words also describe Senator Miller.
  As a former Marine, Zell has never wavered in his support of the men 
and women in uniform who defend our liberty--or the values he shares 
with them. And he has worked hard and steadfast to end the 
unprecedented filibuster of judicial nominees.
  More than anything, Zell loves his wonderful wife, Shirley, and their 
family. Of course, by family, I also include Gus and Woodrow, his two 
Labrador Retrievers.
  Zell will always be a touchstone of good ole' common sense for this 
body. He will forever remind us that all we need to do is what is 
right--nothing more, nothing less.
  Zell Miller is one of the most colorful Senators ever to grace the 
halls of this Capitol. And he and Shirley have been two of the most 
valued members of the Senate family.
  We will miss them both, sorely, as a special part of our daily lives.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, are we in morning business?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Yes, we are.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, on Tuesday the President announced the 
nomination of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to be the next 
U.S. Secretary of State.
  I admire Dr. Rice's obvious intellectual gifts and her communication 
skills. I also believe that the President has the right to appoint 
Cabinet officers who reflect his ideology and his perspective. Barring 
serious concerns about a nominee's qualifications or ethical record, 
and in keeping with Senate practices and precedents, my inclination is 
to give the President substantial deference in his Cabinet choices.
  But I am deeply troubled by the signal that this nomination appears 
to send--a signal suggesting that the modest moderating influence of 
the State Department over the last 4 years will disappear, and that the 
next 4 years will be guided even more closely by the voices that 
shouted loudest in the first term, and that led our country into 
seriously flawed foreign policies. Our country cannot afford to 
continue down the foreign policy path that was forged during the first 
term of the Bush administration.
  Over the past 4 years, we have witnessed the greatest loss of a very 
valuable type of American power in our history: our power to lead, to 
persuade and to inspire. As Joseph Nye has pointed out, this power will 
not convert the extremists who oppose us no matter what. Those people 
must be eliminated, pure, and simple. But it can thwart their plans, by 
denying them new recruits, undermining their appeal and their message, 
and unifying, rather than dividing, Americans and the rest of the 
international community. Rather than bolstering this asset, which has 
helped to make us the most powerful country on earth, we have 
squandered it.
  In March, the Pew Research Center found that one year after the start 
of the war in Iraq, ``discontent with America and its policies has 
intensified rather than diminished'' across the world. Majorities in 
Pakistan, Jordan, Morocco and Turkey believe that the U.S. is 
exaggerating the terrorist threat, doubt the sincerity of the U.S. war 
on terrorism and say that it is an effort to control Mideast oil and 
dominate the world. The Center found that:

       At least half the people in countries other than the U.S. 
     say as a result of the war in Iraq they have less confidence 
     that the United States is trustworthy. Similarly, majorities 
     in all of these countries say they have less confidence that 
     the U.S. wants to promote democracy globally.

  Our motives are questioned, our public justifications and 
explanations viewed with skepticism, and our post-9/11 public diplomacy 
efforts have missed the mark, substituting pop music broadcasts, 
brochures and videos for the kind of respectful dialogue and engagement 
that could convince generations of angry young people that their 
humiliation is not our goal.

[[Page 23998]]

  We have had over 3 years since September 11, 2001, to think 
strategically about how to win the fight against terrorism. But we have 
little to show for this time.
  We have relied upon a doctrine that fails to recognize that our 
enemies do not rely on explicit state sponsorship of terrorism. By 
focusing almost entirely on possible state sponsors of terror, the 
administration failed to realize that our terrorist enemies operate 
effectively in weak and failing states and without the backing of 
national governments. This is a new enemy waging a new war against us, 
but the administration appears still to be stuck in an old cold war 
mindset.
  We have muddled our language and our focus by conflating other 
priorities with the fight against terrorism, costing us credibility 
around the world and shattering the unified and resolved global 
coalition that emerged to support us in the aftermath of 9/11. By 
choosing to fight the war in Iraq in such a divisive and astronomically 
expensive fashion, we have diverted resources away from the fight 
against the terrorist networks that seek to destroy us and undermined 
our ability to win the hearts and minds of many whose support we will 
need to succeed in the long run.
  We have recognized the dangers of nuclear proliferation in an age of 
terrorism, but have then pursued policies that may well create 
incentives for states to develop nuclear weapons as quickly as 
possible.
  We have developed essentially no measures of success or failure when 
it comes to one of our most urgent priorities, as the 9/11 Commission 
underscored--preventing the continued growth of Islamist terrorism. In 
fact, we do not even know where we stand today in this vital struggle.
  We have not given any serious thought to how to avoid the mistakes of 
the cold war, when we gave a free pass to forces of repression and 
brutality, as long as they did not come with a Communist bent. Those 
mistakes, as we all know, helped to make Afghanistan the brutally 
repressive terrorist haven that it was on 9/11.
  We have not made an adequate investment in bolstering our diplomatic 
resources and engagement around the world. From Northern Nigeria to 
Eastern Kenya, we have virtually no presence. In Somalia, despite 
knowing that al-Qaida-linked terrorists have operated in the country, 
we simply failed to develop any policy at all.
  While the administration's policy was failing on all of these fronts, 
the President's team was devoting its time and attention to selling the 
world and the American people a war in Iraq with fundamentally flawed 
intelligence, manipulative and misleading characterizations, and rosy 
predictions that provided horribly, dangerously off-the-mark. The 
administration's Iraq policies in the first term painted a picture of 
an American government that isn't so sure it rejects torture; that 
isn't competent and careful enough to properly vet intelligence 
presented in major speeches and briefings; that willfully rejects the 
lessons of history and advice of its own experts; that is surprised 
when disorder results in massive looting; that misleads taxpayers 
regarding the costs and commitments entailed in its policies; that 
spends billions upon billions without any effort to budget for these 
predictable costs; and that is willing to politicize issues fundamental 
to our national security in the ugliest possible way.
  We deserve better. Certainly the brave men and women of the U.S. 
military who are fighting every day to make this effort in Iraq work 
deserve better. We do not honor them by accepting lousy, irresponsible 
policy in the halls and hearing rooms of the Capitol and then leaving 
them holding the bag on the ground, when policy collides with the hard 
truth.
  The administration's record of the past 4 years suggests a foreign 
policy careening out of control, driven by ideologies who want to test 
their theories in the laboratory of the Middle East one minute, by 
domestic political considerations the next, and by spiteful attempts to 
punish those who disagree with their methods the next. Where is this 
going? Who is in charge? No one ever seems to be held accountable for 
the blunders, the failures, the wildly inaccurate presentations and 
projections or the painfully ineffective initiatives.
  Congress cannot simply accept more of the same, keep our heads down 
and hope that somehow we will muddle through. The stakes are far too 
high. Our national security, the stability of the world that our 
children will inherit, our troops--even our country's honor--are on the 
line. Congress has an obligation, not to oppose every administration 
effort, but to reassert our role in steering the ship of state wisely 
rather than recklessly. I look at our foreign policy over the past 4 
years, and I know that America is so much better than this.
  I look forward to the opportunity to raise these concerns with Dr. 
Rice when she testifies before the Foreign Relations Committee, and to 
receiving some assurance that she will work with Congress to put our 
country's foreign policy on a better, more effective footing.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. TALENT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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