[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21012]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    COMMENDING SENATOR NORM COLEMAN

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I honor and bid farewell to my friend 
and our colleague, Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota. Norm and I served 
together for 6 years in the Senate and on the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee. He also served on the Agriculture, Aging, Homeland Security, 
and Small Business Committees. He has a legislative record to be proud 
of.
  As our colleagues know, I have long enjoyed my work with Native 
people. Norm, throughout his tenure, was a steadfast friend of American 
Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people and a strong advocate 
for the interests of the tribes in his home State of Minnesota. His 
voice will be missed in the U.S. Senate on these issues.
  As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs Norm pushed for drastic reforms in our Nation's emergency 
response and recovery capabilities in the wake of the failed response 
to Hurricane Katrina. He was diligent and steadfast in his desire to 
protect our country and deeply engaged in efforts to increase 
protections for our Nation's critical infrastructure.
  I will remember Norm as one who had a love and appreciation for my 
State of Alaska. On several occasions he enjoyed the beauty of Alaska 
while seeking his prized king salmon on the Kenai River. Norm further 
extended his Alaska ties by hiring Jennifer Mies Lowe, who is married 
to my former chief of staff, George Lowe. Jennifer served Senator 
Stevens for many years before moving to Senator Coleman's office as his 
chief of staff.
  Norm has a long record of public service fighting for Minnesotans. He 
served as mayor of St. Paul before being called by the people of 
Minnesota to come to the U.S. Senate. I expect that we have not heard 
the last of him.
  In closing I would like to wish Norm, his wife Laurie, and children 
Jacob and Sarah the very best. Norm, thank you for your service to the 
Nation, the Senate, and Minnesota. I know Norm and his strong sense of 
service to his country, and while I will miss him in the Senate, I look 
forward to his next opportunity to serve.

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