[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12935]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DAVE SCHIAPPA

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I rise this morning to speak about my 
good friend and a great friend of this great institution who will be 
leaving us this week, Dave Schiappa.
  I remember after I was elected in 2002 there was a transition in the 
leadership on the Republican side from Trent Lott to Senator Bill 
Frist. Trent told me one day that the first thing he told Bill Frist 
was make sure that Dave Schiappa is going to be your floor leader, and 
that is exactly what Bill did.
  I was new to the Senate, did not know my way around at all, much less 
know the rules. I simply don't know how I would have functioned over 
the last 10 years without Dave Schiappa being here. He has been that 
valuable to all of us as Members of the Senate. He is available, 
frankly, to both sides of the aisle. I have heard a number of my 
Democratic friends over the last 24 hours, since we have been aware of 
Dave's departure, who have said: Gee, I don't know what I am going to 
do without Dave Schiappa being here.
  Our floor leaders are all so vitally important. We do reach out to 
those Members on the other side who inform us from time to time of what 
is going on. They are always straight with us. This institution 
couldn't operate without them.
  Dave has certainly been our leader. He is very smart, very 
knowledgeable, and he is very hard-working. All of these folks work 
such long hours. They are here long after we are here, and they are 
here well before we get here the next morning. We owe a deep debt of 
gratitude to all of them, and particularly when someone such as Dave 
Schiappa, who has been here for 28 years, makes a move on to another 
life. It is imperative that we say: Dave, thanks for your great work. 
Thanks for your inspiration to all of us.
  Dave probably knows this institution better than any Member on the 
Republican side, certainly. The one thing I will always remember about 
is Dave, No. 1, keeps his word. If you tell him you have an issue with 
the bill, an issue with a nominee, or you have an amendment you wish to 
call up, Dave takes care of you.
  He has been so valuable to all Members of the Senate during his 
tenure. We are truly going to miss him. I know his next life will hold 
great things for him. He will be very successful there, and we 
certainly wish him the best.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. RUBIO. We are in morning business?
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. We are.

                          ____________________