[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO SENATOR MEL MARTINEZ

  Mr. REID. Before my friend leaves the floor, I was planning to come 
later with some prepared remarks, but let me speak from my heart about 
the Senator from Florida.
  I have some affinity for the Senator from Florida because we were 
both trial lawyers. We have been to court, we have voir dired juries, 
we have argued cases to juries. We were both trial lawyers. I feel that 
as a badge of honor. Some people denigrate trial lawyers. But I feel 
that the people whom I have tried to help over the years were people 
who deserved to be helped.
  My friend from Florida was the president of the State trial lawyers 
in Florida. He has a tremendously sound reputation as a trial lawyer, 
somebody who took good cases, worked them hard, judges liked him, and 
his opponents liked him, which speaks well of this man.
  But my feelings about Senator Martinez go deeper than that. I have 
had the good fortune of being able to attend our prayer breakfasts on 
occasion here. I try to get to them as often as I can, every Wednesday 
morning when we are in session, at 8 o'clock.
  I have heard my friend from Florida talk about his upbringing, his 
faith. He is a devout Catholic. He is proud of that. He is very proud 
of his heritage, Cuban American, versus the difficulties that have been 
caused by the tyrannical government of Fidel Castro.
  I also am impressed with Senator Martinez as a result of his family 
ties. He speaks so highly of his relationship with his lovely wife. I 
have had the opportunity to know his family. On rare occasions he came 
and asked me if there was a way I could help him with a family member, 
recognizing the kind of person he is and the family associations that 
he has.
  The people of the State of Florida are losing a good Senator, a good 
man. I will miss Mel Martinez.

                          ____________________