[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10148]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, before I begin on the budget conference 
report, I wish to say publicly how the entire Senate family is thinking 
about Senator Kennedy and Vicki and the family, how much we miss him, 
his presence on the floor, how much we miss his presence at our caucus, 
and how much all of us are fervently hoping for his full and quick 
recovery.
  If there is anybody who can beat this, it is Ted Kennedy. He is a 
lion. Rarely have I ever met somebody of such force of will, somebody 
who is so totally dedicated to serving the people whom he represents, 
someone who cares so deeply about America's democracy, about this 
institution.
  On both sides of the aisle, I have had many Senators say to me: Ted 
Kennedy is simply the most productive Senator among us. Nobody turns 
out more work, more quality work than he does. Whether you agree with 
his legislative positions or disagree, you have to admire the 
incredible energy and devotion that he brings to the job, the respect 
he has for this institution, and his determination to advance causes in 
which he believes.
  My family has been close to the Kennedy family for many years. When 
John Kennedy's advance people came to North Dakota or Robert's advance 
people or Ted Kennedy's, they always stayed with my family. So I have 
always felt a very close association with the Kennedy family.
  Anybody who looks back on his extraordinary service here, virtually 
unparalleled in the history of the Senate, has to have profound respect 
for Ted Kennedy, for his work, his values, his deep and abiding love of 
this country, and of the institution of the Congress, and his respect 
for the Presidency of the United States.
  I want Senator Kennedy to know that all of us here are pulling for 
him. I want Vicki to know that we stand ready to do whatever we can to 
lighten her burden and the burden of the rest of the family.
  I deeply admire Senator Kennedy. Also, what a light he is in this 
Chamber. He uplifts the rest of us. I have seen many times, when others 
were stricken in this Chamber, the first person to call was Ted 
Kennedy, always eager to help when somebody faced a tragedy.
  We are thinking about Ted.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, will the Senator yield?
  Mr. CONRAD. I will be happy to yield.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, the Senator from 
Utah is recognized.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am so grateful to the Senator. I wish to 
associate myself with the remarks of the distinguished Senator from 
North Dakota and tell him I don't know anybody in the Senate who feels 
more deeply about Senator Kennedy than I do. We have been adversaries 
for 32 years. We have also been partners.
  I have watched what their family has given to America. I love his 
sisters. I love the in-laws. I know he raised the children, and they 
are good kids. I have great faith in Ted Kennedy as a person who will 
fight back with the faith and prayers of all of us in the Senate and 
millions of others across the country. I believe Ted will be able to 
come back, and he will come back, and I believe he will be able to whip 
this problem. I am going to exert all the faith and prayers I possibly 
can to help him do it.
  I agree with the distinguished Senator, whenever any of us 
encountered great difficulty, he was always the first to call.
  We have worked together on so many pieces of legislation, landmark 
legislation, that I wish to personally compliment him for being willing 
to cross the aisle in so many ways and to work out difficulties. One of 
the last things we worked on was the bio bill. That is a very complex, 
difficult bill, and we worked along with Senator Enzi, who is a 
wonderful companion of Senator Kennedy on the HELP Committee. We worked 
with Senator Clinton, who added a great deal to the work on that bill. 
Senator Schumer was a great asset on that bill. These are people for 
whom I have great respect.
  Let me say to Ted and Vicki that our prayers and our faith are with 
both of them and their children and the rest of the extended family, 
and we will do everything in our power to support Senator Kennedy in 
this time of difficulty. I personally believe that if we have enough 
faith and pray hard enough and with the great clinical help he will 
have, Senator Kennedy will return and continue to do the job he 
believes in. I know he appreciates everybody who has spoken out for 
him, who has expressed concern, who has expressed anguish, as I do 
here, about his present situation. I know he is facing this with a 
great sense of humor, which is one of the most endearing qualities Ted 
Kennedy has, among many endearing qualities.
  He carries so much weight on the Democrat side and, of course, for 
those of us who work with him on the Republican side, a lot of weight 
with us as well. So I want him to know we all love him, appreciate him, 
and appreciate the leadership he has provided through the years and the 
quality of the person he is.
  If the distinguished Senator would allow me to address another topic, 
I would be very grateful.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that these new sets of remarks 
be placed in the Record at an appropriate place.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. HATCH. I will have more to say about Senator Kennedy later, but I 
wanted to make those few remarks here today.

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