[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17515]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO SAXBY CHAMBLISS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I wish to say a few words about my 
friend and colleague, Senator Saxby Chambliss.
  Saxby, as we all know, is the ultimate southern gentleman. He is a 
man of his word. He is blessed with the charm and the drawl only a 
Georgian could possess, and he is far too modest. He shouldn't be. He 
has a lot to be proud of as he looks back at a storied career here in 
Congress.
  We are talking about one of our Nation's top experts on intelligence 
and national security. We are talking about a standout champion for the 
men and women of our military. We are also talking about a Senator who 
became chair of the Agriculture Committee just 2 years into his first 
term. That is really quite an accomplishment. But once you get to know 
Saxby, it isn't all that surprising.
  Before he came to Congress, Saxby was a smalltown ag lawyer. He still 
lives in a rural area--a peanut and cotton-farming region far removed 
from the bright lights of Atlanta. Saxby has a feel for the issues that 
could only be acquired from actual on-the-ground experience. He 
understands the real-world impact of what we discuss here in 
Washington, and he cares.
  On top of that, he has the disciplined work ethic of a minister's 
son--which makes sense, because he is one. Saxby is usually the first 
guy to raise his hand when there is an assignment no one else wants. 
That is what we saw for him on the Gang of 6, a politically difficult 
and work-intensive committee if there ever was one.
  But Saxby came here to get things done--not to posture. He takes on 
projects with the kind of drive and courage we don't often see.
  How courageous is Saxby? Well, he accepted an invitation to go quail 
hunting with Vice President Cheney, and he lived to tell the tale. The 
senior Senator from South Carolina remembers the trip very well. He had 
to be persuaded by Saxby to come. He still suspects that Saxby's real 
motive was to give Cheney a second target.
  It wasn't the only time Saxby cheated death with the Vice President. 
Lindsey recalls a meeting in Baghdad with Saxby, Joe Biden, and the 
Iraqi Prime Minister. Afterward, they boarded a plane and came under 
fire. Here is what Saxby said: ``I guess the meeting didn't go that 
well.''
  So Saxby is a comedian. But he is also courageous. He is also 
persuasive. He is really good at getting his way. It is kind of what we 
would expect from a former door-to-door fruitcake salesman. After 
hawking loaves of spiced dough, there is not much Saxby can't sell at 
this point.
  We know he was persuasive enough to convince Julianne to marry him. 
Saxby and Julianne met at the University of Georgia. She was Sigma 
Chi's pledge-class sweetheart--and she soon became Saxby's sweetheart. 
The Chamblisses have been inseparable ever since.
  Now, just in case Saxby ever becomes his own category on Jeopardy, 
here is an interesting piece of trivia. The president of the same 
pledge class became Saxby's Democrat challenger in 2008. The two 
fraternity brothers are still friendly. Here is how this gentleman 
remembered Saxby from college. He said he ``looked old.''
  Well, Julianne fell for him anyway, and it is a good thing she did. 
This former schoolteacher is better than anyone at keeping him 
centered, and she has even taught students who would go on to serve on 
Saxby's staff. So it is really quite a partnership. Saxby says that the 
most significant moment of his life is when he met Julianne.
  That is really something when we consider how much he loves golf. 
Last year, Saxby sank a hole in one squaring off against the leader of 
the free world--that is, the President of the United States. He has a 
signed flag to prove it.
  But golf is more than just a hobby for Saxby. It is a way to get 
things done. More than most people around here, he understands the 
value of relationships. He is good at whipping votes and picking up 
intel from both ends of the Capitol. He works across the aisle, and he 
is unafraid to stand up when something needs to be said.
  That is the thing about Saxby. He doesn't say a lot, but when he 
does, you know it is significant. You know there is a lot of careful 
thought behind it.
  Saxby is a serious legislator who approaches his role as vice 
chairman of the Intelligence Committee in that frame. Saxby learns 
things on that committee that would keep anyone up at night. It is a 
grave responsibility. But Saxby is perfectly suited to it. He has 
always stood proudly in defense of our Nation.
  We are going to miss his sharp wit, his integrity, and his judgment.
  I know Saxby's staff is going to miss him, too. Some of them have 
been with him since his days in the House. Well, the Senate's loss is 
the Chambliss family's gain.
  I know Saxby is looking forward to spending more time with Julianne. 
I know he can't wait to trade the title of Senator for a new one--Big 
Daddy. It is what his grandkids call him. He can't wait to see more of 
them. They are the reason he works so hard here--to build a better 
future for them, for the next generation.
  Saxby will have plenty of stories to share when he leaves, such as 
when he hit that hole in one, when he threw out the first pitch for the 
Braves, and when he made the cover of Peanut Patriot Magazine.
  So Saxby has obviously had a long and interesting career. He deserves 
some time to focus on his family. We thank him for his dedication to 
this body and to the people he represents, and we send him every wish 
for a retirement filled with joy and happiness.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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