[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20025]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD

  Mrs. ERNST. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my good friend and 
the Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad. Monday marks his historic 
milestone as the Nation's longest serving Governor with 7,642 days in 
office working for our great State of Iowa. Our Governor has devoted 
his life to public service and has worked tirelessly through his 99-
county tour to ensure that Iowans' voices are heard.
  I have also had the great honor of serving under the Governor during 
my time in the Iowa Army National Guard. Through the years, Governor 
Branstad and I have had countless conversations about the military and 
our veterans. We both know these men and women are well trained and 
have selflessly sacrificed in defense of our freedoms and our way of 
life. That is why we must ensure that our veterans are properly 
prepared to transition back to civilian life.
  As a veteran himself, Governor Branstad recognizes just that. It was 
Governor Branstad who led significant efforts to help veterans find 
work across Iowa, following their launch of the Home Base Iowa public-
private initiative in November of 2013. Since then, Home Base Iowa has 
succeeded in helping over 1,500 veterans in Iowa find work, getting 900 
businesses to join the Home Base Iowa initiative. There are also 24 
Home Base Iowa communities around the State, and we have 16 educational 
institutions that are working with the initiative and have been deemed 
Certified Higher Academic Military Partners. All that great 
participation and success is thanks to the Governor's leadership.
  Through the years, our State has been incredibly fortunate to have a 
Governor who truly cares about the people and our veterans. The fact 
that he continues to wear his uniform for various veterans' events in 
Iowa further illustrates his support, his leadership, and his 
commitment to our men and women in uniform. Our Governor is someone who 
truly cares about serving others, and we are incredibly fortunate to 
have a leader such as he.
  In light of his major and well-deserved milestone, we honor Governor 
Branstad's steadfast commitment and leadership to the people of Iowa.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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