[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17293]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING SENATOR CRAIG THOMAS

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a colleague 
and a friend--someone whose presence is missed but whose legacy will 
undoubtedly endure.
  Senator Craig Thomas was a westerner through and through. The story 
of his life reflects the spirit of the West--his work ethic, his 
strength of character, and his love for the land and resources of his 
cherished Wyoming.
  Craig's life lessons were formed as a summer horseback guide, as a 
competitive wrestler, as a marine, as a husband, and as a father. He 
brought those lessons with him to Washington, D.C., as a Congressman 
and a Senator, and he never forgot them or strayed from them. That is 
clear from the issues he held closest to his heart.
  As a fellow westerner, I always admired Craig's commitment to being 
an exemplary steward of our national parks. His love for them probably 
developed during his childhood summers around Yellowstone National 
Park, but he was able to translate that passion into monumental 
improvements that generations of Americans will enjoy.
  He also worked tirelessly on issues impacting public land management, 
agriculture, rural healthcare, and fiscal responsibility--all issues 
that greatly benefited his constituents in Wyoming. And they understood 
and appreciated his advocacy for their well being by electing him time 
and again to represent them in the Nation's Capital.
  Craig definitely had a special presence on Capitol Hill. He never 
gave up a fight; he had a certain grit that drew others to him; and he 
loved to joke around--all tributes that led to his being described as a 
cowboy or a Western hero.
  The epitome of the American cowboy, John Wayne, has inscribed on his 
headstone: ``Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into 
us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts 
itself in our hands. It hopes we've learnt something from yesterday.''
  Craig Thomas treated every ``tomorrow'' as a new and exciting 
opportunity to make a difference for the people of Wyoming and the 
United States. He loved his work; he loved his family; and he loved 
life. While he is no longer serving as the voice of the westerner in 
the Senate, his years of dedicated service ensured that his legacy will 
survive.
  Craig was a statesman and a leader, a fighter and a friend. The 
Thomas family, the people of Wyoming, and those of us who worked with 
Craig will always remember the spirit of Western freedom, trusted 
integrity, and heartfelt kindness that he embodied. We are all 
fortunate to have known such a remarkable person.

                          ____________________