[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16606-16607]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTES TO DEPARTING SENATORS

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, last week I came to the floor and was 
honored to give tributes to some of our departing colleagues. Tonight I 
am going to take advantage of this time to pay tribute to two other 
outstanding Senators, colleagues and friends of mine whom I will miss 
greatly. They are Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Senator Scott Brown.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine is recognized.


                          Kay Bailey Hutchison

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, in her marvelous book entitled ``American 
Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country,'' Senator Kay 
Bailey Hutchison wrote the following: ``No history can be written 
appropriately without acknowledging the part women have played in 
building the greatness of our country.''
  As my valued colleague and good friend begins a new chapter in her 
life, I hope she finds the time to add a new chapter to her own book, 
one that will be fascinating, inspiring--and autobiographical.
  Like the women Kay celebrates as an author, from Amelia Earhart to 
Sally Ride, from Clara Barton to Condoleeza Rice, Kay Bailey Hutchison 
is a pioneer, a breaker of barriers. In the special election in 1993, 
the people of Texas made her the first woman to represent them in the 
Senate. In the three regular elections since then, they have confirmed 
their trust in her by ever-increasing margins. As the leader of the 
Senate Commerce Committee, Kay has been a strong voice for 
transportation systems that are efficient, safe, and secure. In my own 
work on the Homeland Security Committee, I am well aware of the major 
role she played in drafting the airline security bill that Congress 
passed after the attacks on 9/11/01. She has also worked successfully 
to include more effective air cargo screening.
  From the America COMPETES Act to her steadfast support for NASA, Kay 
is determined our country will not cede its position as the world's 
leader in science, technology, and space exploration. When the NASA 
rover Curiosity

[[Page 16607]]

thrilled all of us with its perfect landing on Mars this past August, 
the hands of Kay's legislative leadership were on the controls. Working 
with Kay as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I know how 
dedicated she is to ensuring that taxpayers' dollars are spent wisely 
and efficiently. She is a champion for our small business owners and 
for policies that promote free enterprise and job creation.
  Her complete commitment to the men and women of our Armed Forces is 
reflected in her years of service on the Armed Services Committee as 
well as the Military Construction Subcommittee on Appropriations, and 
her unanimous election this year to serve as chairman of the Board of 
Visitors at West Point.
  In the afterword to her book, Kay wrote that as a young girl growing 
up in Texas she was so inspired by the lives of great Americans that by 
the sixth grade she had exhausted all of the biographies on the school 
library shelf and had to turn elsewhere for book report material. I am 
sure the story of her own contributions and accomplishments will be 
avidly read by generations of girls and boys to come.
  I wish her all the best as she turns a new page in what has truly 
been a remarkable life of public service.


                              Scott Brown

  Mr. President, when Scott Brown, a fellow New Englander, came to the 
Senate 2 years ago, I immediately saw in him those traits shared by the 
people of our two New England States: a strong work ethic, a 
determination to always do what he thought was right, and a spirit that 
was independent and dedicated to doing what was best for his 
constituents and for his country.
  My initial assessment was confirmed by our time working together on 
so many issues. Scott conducted his inspiring 2010 campaign via his now 
legendary pickup truck. When he got to Washington, he kept his foot on 
the gas. His work in government at the State and local level in 
Massachusetts and his distinguished service in the Army National Guard 
prepared him with experience that made him a respected and effective 
legislator from day one. His intellect, energy, and character made him 
a valued colleague and a dear friend.
  Scott is a person one could always count on. I have had the 
opportunity to work closely with Scott on so many key issues. In each 
and every case he brought an informed, thoughtful, and open-minded 
approach to every issue.
  As the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs Committee, I have gotten to know Scott very well 
and I appreciate his service on our committee. He placed his top 
priority on helping to keep our Nation safe from the continuing threat 
of terrorism. He also worked hard to make our Federal Government more 
efficient and transparent.
  With Scott's leadership, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation to 
help put the Postal Service back on a more sound financial footing and 
to ensure that this institution could endure. He also authored the 
STOCK Act, the new law that clearly prohibits insider trading by 
Members of Congress and their staff.
  Scott has long been an effective champion for our small business 
owners, working to ensure that entrepreneurs and innovators in 
Massachusetts and across the country have the ability to survive and 
thrive and, most of all, to create good jobs. He has advocated for our 
Nation's veterans through the Hiring Our Heroes Act that he coauthored, 
which provides tax credits to small businesses that hire a returning 
veteran or member of the National Guard Reserve.
  Scott has been a devoted advocate in the Senate for fiscal 
responsibility and a balanced budget amendment. At the same time, he 
kept a firm commitment to helping those most in need. He fought hard 
for such vital programs as the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program, 
which is so important to getting through those cold New England 
winters.
  Equally important to Scott's hard work in the Senate has been the 
approach he has always taken in legislating. He studies the issues. He 
seeks areas where a consensus can be found. From the very first day in 
the Senate, he demonstrated his belief that compromise is not a dirty 
word but an absolute necessity if we are to meet the challenges facing 
America. Scott always looked at the issues before Congress not through 
the lens of a partisan politician but, rather, through the lens of a 
pragmatic problem-solver.
  Scott's tenure in the Senate has been far too brief but, perhaps more 
important, it has been characterized by a remarkable degree of success 
in transforming good ideas into public laws. Given his Maine roots and 
strong commitment to Massachusetts, I am sure we will remain good 
friends in the years to come. But, oh, how I will miss serving with my 
friend Scott Brown.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.

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