[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15410]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING SENATOR CRAIG THOMAS

  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, there is a term that is often used here in 
the Senate when members refer to one another. That term is 
``gentleman.'' No one fit that term better than Senator Craig Thomas. I 
join with all my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in mourning 
the loss of Senator Thomas, and in extending our condolences to his 
wonderful wife Susan and the entire Thomas family.
  In the 10 years I was privileged to serve with Senator Thomas in this 
Chamber, I never once heard him raise his voice, and I never once saw 
him lose his temper. But that doesn't mean that Senator Thomas was not 
a fighter for his beloved Wyoming. In fact, he was a very effective 
advocate for the people of Wyoming and all of rural America. His 
accomplishments were not the result of shouting. They were the result 
of perseverance, integrity, and a whole lot of hard work.
  I was privileged to serve with Senator Thomas on a number of 
committees, where I saw firsthand the scope of his interests and his 
effectiveness. On the Finance Committee, I saw how he was a champion 
for better health care for rural Americans, and I saw how he worked to 
open markets for the cattlemen, farmers, and soda ash producers of 
Wyoming.
  On the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, he brought Wyoming's 
unique perspective to the forefront on the energy debate, and, as 
chairman and ranking member of the National Parks Subcommittee, he 
brought the first reform overhaul to the National Parks Service in 20 
years--a vital step in a State that is home to the Yellowstone National 
Park, one of the crown jewels of our park system.
  And I served with Craig on the Indian Affairs committee, where the 
Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes of Wyoming's Wild River 
Reservation and Native Americans across the country could always count 
on his commitment to improving their lives.
  Although Craig Thomas spent the last 18 years of his life working in 
the corridors of the U.S. Capitol, he never forgot where he came from. 
He was a true westerner, a straight-talker, and he was always just 
``Craig'' to his constituents. Always at Craig's side was his wife and 
partner Susan, who is always a remarkable, eloquent advocate for 
Wyoming. The last several months have been difficult and challenging 
ones for Craig, and Susan was always there for him.
  Mr. President, my wife Sharon joins with me in extending our 
condolences to Susan, the Thomas family, and the people of Wyoming. I 
can say without hesitation that the ``gentleman from Wyoming'' will 
always be remembered by those of us who were fortunate to serve with 
him, and by all those he served with such diligence and distinction.

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