[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23786-23788]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         FAREWELL TO THE SENATE

  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I would like to now wrap up with a few 
comments. I have now spent 12 years in the Senate, 18 years in the 
Congress all together, when you consider the 6 years I served in the 
House of Representatives. I can say it has been a great experience. In 
my view, I have represented the best State in the Union. We refer to it 
as the ``Centennial State'' because it joined the Union exactly 100 
years after we became the United States.
  It has always been enjoyable to talk to my colleagues and talk to 
visitors to the Capitol about my State of Colorado because they have 
usually had great experiences when they have visited my State. It is a 
tourist attraction. We have a lot of things that bring people to 
Colorado. It is a beautiful State. People have great vacations when 
they go there, and they are more than anxious to share their wonderful 
experiences with me, share the wonderful and welcoming attitude they 
experienced from the people of Colorado, and share with me how much 
they have enjoyed visiting the great State of Colorado.
  And, when people get tired of talking about the great State of 
Colorado, we have always been able to talk about their favorite cat or 
their favorite dog because, as a veterinarian, it has always been a 
common interest among many of my colleagues in the Senate, as well as 
visitors to our office, to talk to me about their favorite pet. So it 
has been a wonderful experience.
  This is the greatest legislative body in the world. It is an honor to 
serve here. There are a lot of dedicated employees who have helped me 
get things done in this body. They put their own political preferences 
aside and thought of the well-being of the institution. They have 
always been very polite and most supportive and helpful. I wish to 
thank them.
  I have had great employees in my office. I wish to mention that you 
get things done because of the people with whom you surround yourself. 
I have two members who are currently on my staff who have served with 
me since I was first elected to the Congress. I was elected to the 
House of Representatives in 1990. They came in with me and worked with 
me on the House side for 6 years and then they came over here and 
continued to work in my office for the last 12 years. I appreciate 
their dedication. Those kinds of people don't come along everyday. They 
spent 18 years with me, bless their souls. The two I speak of are Sean 
Conway and Doris Morgan. Both of them have been dedicated staff people 
who have helped to make my service to the people of Colorado 
successful.
  There are also some staffers who joined me after I became a Senator 
in 1997, in addition to the two I mentioned, including Andy Merritt, 
who is now my State director; Dick Poole, who is one of my top staff 
people; Tewana Wilkerson, who has helped me on the Banking Committee; 
and Kris Hanisch, who has helped us balance our books as well as 
helping us to move through the maze here in the Senate. We do have our 
own little bureaucracy in the Senate. She knows it and understands it 
and has helped us move through it. She has been my office manager and 
has kept us on the straight and narrow. I appreciate the dedication of 
all of the employees who have worked with me.
  I have a great group of employees currently serving me in my office. 
We have had a number of people who have come and gone, but I never felt 
it was because they were disappointed in having to work in our office. 
When I talked to people who came to work as employees in my office, I 
would say: If your ultimate goal is to work in a Senate office, I want 
you to rethink your goals. I want you to get an experience here that 
will help you grow once you leave the Senate, so you can be a better 
citizen, so you can contribute more fully to whatever path you decide 
to assume once you leave this great body and leave our office. So I 
have always tried to encourage them to think about where they want to 
go. We have had employees who have worked in my office, continued their 
education, and have become very outstanding. I have a number of former 
staff people who are actually serving in elected office; I think some 
five or six people right now who are serving. They decided to go back 
to Colorado and pursue elected office. I congratulate them, as they are 
very active citizens in their communities.

[[Page 23787]]

  I wish to mention some of the committee chairmen I have had an 
opportunity to work with. One of the committees I was successful in 
getting on was the Budget Committee, with Pete Domenici as chairman, 
and then Judd Gregg following him, and now we have Senator Kent Conrad. 
All of these chairmen have been very gracious and helpful in working 
with me on issues.
  Then I have had the chance to serve on the Armed Services Committee. 
Senator John Warner, a great friend, and somebody who is retiring and 
who has been very helpful, served as the chairman of that committee 
while I was on the Armed Services Committee.
  I also served on the Banking Committee. The first chairman I served 
under was Phil Gramm and then Richard Shelby and now Chris Dodd. I have 
to say I have been blessed with great leadership on all of those 
committees.
  I also served on the Intelligence Committee. I served with Senator 
Shelby, who was chairman, and Senator Kerrey who was ranking member at 
the time I served on the Intelligence Committee.
  Now I serve on a different committee this Congress, the HELP 
Committee. It deals with health, education, pension and labor issues. 
My well-known colleague here in the Senate, Senator Kennedy of 
Massachusetts, is chairman of that committee. He is a wonderful person 
and someone whom I greatly appreciate and who has spent a lot of time 
in Colorado, I might say.
  I also serve with my very good friend who was chairman of that 
committee for a while, Senator Enzi. I couldn't ask for a better 
friend. He is from Wyoming, a neighbor of Colorado. So we had many 
issues in common, and both Joan and I consider Diana and Mike Enzi as 
our very good friends.


                             Pete Domenici

  I wish to say a few things about those people who are retiring, 
starting with Senator Pete Domenici, who I mentioned was my chairman on 
the Budget Committee. I have worked with him also on the Appropriations 
Committee. I worked with him on energy issues and issues that are 
common to New Mexico and the State of Colorado. His service here in the 
Senate has been remarkable and dedicated. The West has been blessed 
that we have had such a good spokesman as Senator Domenici out there, 
carrying many of the issues that are important to his neighboring 
States, as well as New Mexico. The institution will miss him. I am sure 
New Mexico will miss him. I consider it an honor and a pleasure to have 
served with him.


                              John Warner

  Senator Warner I mentioned earlier. We couldn't ask for a greater 
statesman. He has made a number of trips to Colorado. I worked with him 
on the Defense Authorization bill. He has been more than considerate 
and helpful to those issues that are important to Colorado. He has been 
supportive on matters that we worked on for Fort Carson and for 
Peterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Academy and the many other 
issues involving the military and military installations we have in 
Colorado. He has been tough at times, but his leadership has been 
greatly appreciated by me. I think the Senate and the country have been 
blessed because Senator Warner has been willing to dedicate so much of 
his time and effort to making this a better country, a stronger 
country. He is somebody I am very proud to have been able to serve 
with.


                              Larry Craig

  Also retiring is Senator Larry Craig from Idaho, another westerner 
with whom I found a lot in common. He and I both have strong 
agricultural roots. He has been a very strong advocate of those issues 
important to the West and his State of Idaho. Again, I have appreciated 
working with him on national park issues and public lands issues. He is 
a superb individual.


                              Chuck Hagel

  Another individual I wish to recognize who is retiring is Senator 
Chuck Hagel from Nebraska; again, one of the neighboring States of 
Colorado. The State of Nebraska is downstream from Colorado. So we have 
ribbed each other a little bit about water issues. Basically, though, 
we have been partners on water issues. We have been able to work 
together on many issues that have improved the management of water in 
the Platte River drainage system, which is one of the many rivers that 
originates in Colorado and flows downstream. I also worked with Senator 
Hagel on the Banking Committee. He was one who pushed early on for the 
reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He brought to this institution a 
great deal of experience. Again, he has decided to retire the same year 
as I have. I will always remember Senator Chuck Hagel and our 
relationship and how we have been able to work together, I think for 
the betterment of both of our States.
  I would be remiss if I didn't brag about my partner and my wife, Joan 
Allard. Joan has spent much of her time being with me, whether I have 
been in Colorado or here in the Senate. Senator Mitch McConnell talked 
about the town meetings she attended. She attended about as many of 
those town meetings as I. It has been kind of embarrassing at times 
because sometimes the number of people who came just to see her in the 
back of the room was large and they were having more fun back there 
than I was, up front trying to conduct the meeting. People loved Joan 
as they got to know her throughout the State of Colorado. Her 
dedication to me and to her family and the people of Colorado is 
remarkable and unique. We are known as partners here in the Senate. 
Wherever I go, Joan is very close by, and people are used to seeing us 
both at receptions. Many times I was invited to events where they 
wanted me to come alone. I said: No, I want my wife with me, and if you 
can't accept my wife, maybe we won't make the reception, because she is 
somebody who I didn't want to be divorced from this process. She has 
been willing to make a personal commitment in time and in supporting me 
in my work. So I wanted to make sure that the responsibilities of 
serving in the Senate didn't drive a wedge between what a wonderful 
relationship we have had. She worked side by side with me at the 
veterinary hospital. We worked and met the challenges of raising two 
wonderful daughters whom we are very proud of, and now we are seeing 
grandsons coming up. So I couldn't have asked for a more dedicated 
wife. We still have a lot ahead of us. I am very pleased that she was 
willing to take an interest in my job of representing the people of 
Colorado.
  The first vote I took in the House and in the Congress was on whether 
to authorize the first Gulf War in 1991. That was a tough vote. I have 
now possibly cast my last vote on the economic bailout or the 
stabilization act we voted on yesterday. So my congressional career has 
been bookended by hugely significant votes that have humbled me in 
terms of the trust the people of Colorado have granted. I wish to thank 
the people of Colorado who have been supportive and who have expressed 
their views to me in my town meetings, letters, e-mails, faxes, and 
phone calls. My office has sent out roughly 2.1 million constituent 
letters since I was sworn in. I say honestly that I relish every 
opportunity to hear from and explain myself to the people of Colorado. 
Even those who weren't supportive and who expressed those views in town 
meetings, letters, e-mails, faxes and phone calls, I thank them for 
that.
  I have no regrets and leave this institution with a clear conscience. 
I feel as though I have been true to my campaign promises and have 
worked to hold down taxes, hold down spending, hold down the growth of 
government here in Washington, and I have fought to balance the budget. 
I feel as though I have worked to defend local control and keep America 
strong. I have kept in mind private property rights and the power of 
the State in managing its own water resources.
  It is time to say goodbye and wish my colleagues the very best, and 
to wish my successor, whoever that might be, the very best. It is time 
for Joan and me to move on, hopefully returning to a future in the 
private sector. I came to Washington with small business experience, 
and I hope to continue working in the business sector. The

[[Page 23788]]

challenge, as I see it, is for future Congresses to protect the freedom 
that continues to create opportunity for us and future generations and 
to ensure that we have a secure America.
  May God bless America, and may God bless Congress's future endeavors.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DORGAN. 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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