[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 23802]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO SENATORS

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I would like to begin my remarks this 
afternoon acknowledging four of our colleagues who will be leaving the 
Senate along with me at the end of this Congress, the 110th Congress, 
and then make some additional comments.


                     Pete Domenici and John Warner

  Mr. President, this body will lose two of the most respected, highly 
regarded consensus builders in the history of this body. I speak of the 
senior Senator from New Mexico, Mr. Domenici, and the senior Senator 
from Virginia, Mr. Warner. Between the two of these distinguished 
national leaders, they have given the Senate and this country 70 years 
of service.
  Most Americans are aware of Senators Domenici and Warner and the 
contributions they have made. Those of us who have had the privilege of 
serving with these two individuals know what they have meant to our 
country. They have been role models, leaders, men of conscience, of 
vision, of integrity, of courage. And all of those most-valued human 
characteristics have been evident when America has needed them most.
  For their voice and their courage and their vision, we thank them. 
For the kind of men they are, and the Senators they have been, we thank 
them. We are all much enriched by our association with Senators Warner 
and Domenici, and this country will miss them greatly.
  But they leave strong legacies. They leave men and women who have 
been touched by their leadership and their values who will carry on 
behind them, emulating their leadership and their vision.


                              Wayne Allard

  Mr. President, I wish also to recognize one of my classmates with 
whom I came to the Senate 12 years ago. He is our neighbor from the 
West, the senior Senator from Colorado, Wayne Allard. Aside from 
Senator Allard and Colorado usually taking Nebraska's water, we find 
little to quarrel with in the kind of work that Senator Allard has done 
for his State and our country.
  I have had an opportunity to serve 12 years with Senator Allard on 
the Banking Committee. His very steady performance and leadership will 
be missed on that committee, as well as on the other committees he has 
served and has been very active, as my colleague in the chair knows, 
who served with him as well on the Armed Services Committee. His 
leadership on the Budget Committee in particular will be missed. I wish 
to acknowledge that friendship and that leadership of Senator Allard.


                              Larry Craig

  Mr. President, the fourth Member of the Senate who will be leaving 
along with me will be the senior Senator from Idaho, Larry Craig. I 
have had an opportunity to work with Senator Craig over the years on 
environmental issues, energy issues, trade issues, agricultural issues. 
There have been few who have been as forceful and important a voice on 
behalf of those critical challenges to our country.
  Senator Craig, Senator Allard, Senator Warner, and Senator Domenici 
all leave the Senate a better institution for their service.

                          ____________________