TRIBUTES TO HON. KELLY AYOTTE 

Kelly Ayotte 

U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
Kelly Ayotte 


23048.001.eps
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2017

S. DOC. 114–18 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Kelly Ayotte 

United States Senator 

2011–2017 

÷ 

Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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CONTENTS 

Page 

Biography .................................................................................................. v 

Farewell Address ...................................................................................... ix 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Boozman, John, of Arkansas ..................................................... 26 

Capito, Shelley Moore, of West Virginia .................................. 12 

Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland ............................................ 24 

Collins, Susan M., of Maine ...................................................... 16 

Cornyn, John, of Texas .............................................................. 18 

Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming ................................................... 20 

Feinstein, Dianne, of California ................................................ 16 

Graham, Lindsey, of South Carolina ........................................ 9 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 23 

Heitkamp, Heidi, of North Dakota ........................................... 21 

Isakson, Johnny, of Georgia ...................................................... 15 

Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota .................................................. 23 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 18 

McCain, John, of Arizona .......................................................... 6 

McCaskill, Claire, of Missouri ................................................... 9 

McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky ................................................. 3, 23 

Peters, Gary C., of Michigan ..................................................... 26 

Portman, Rob, of Ohio ............................................................... 10, 27 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 17 

Shaheen, Jeanne, of New Hampshire ...................................... 6 

Sullivan, Dan, of Alaska ............................................................ 14 

[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

First elected to the Senate in 2010, KELLY AYOTTE distinguished herself as an independent and pragmatic leader who 

stood up for the people of New Hampshire and worked across 

party lines to find solutions to our Nation’s biggest challenges. Ranked as one of the most bipartisan Senators, 

KELLY was widely recognized for her commitment to finding 

common ground to solve problems and deliver results. 

KELLY served on the Armed Services, Budget, Commerce, 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Small 

Business and Entrepreneurship Committees. She chaired the 

Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations. 

A fiscal hawk, KELLY led the fight to cut wasteful spending 

and pass commonsense budget reforms. She stood on principle to vote against bloated budget bills that included 

money for programs we don’t need and can’t afford. In addition to her support for a balanced budget amendment and a 

permanent ban on earmarks, she was an outspoken advocate 

for accountability and transparency in government, and she 

authored numerous legislative proposals to eliminate wasteful, duplicative, or fraudulent Federal programs across government. To streamline the Pentagon, she successfully 

passed legislation in the Senate to save over $1 billion in the 

department’s budget, and passed a measure to keep U.S. tax 

dollars out of the hands of America’s enemies. 

KELLY comes from a military family and is a strong supporter of our men and women in uniform and their families. 

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, she was a 

leading voice in Congress on national security issues—and 

was named by Foreign Policy magazine as 1 of the top 50 

Republicans on international affairs. 

In her capacity as chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, KELLY was a staunch advocate of 

the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Pease Air National Guard 

Base, and the New Hampshire National Guard. In a major 

victory for Pease’s 157th Air Refueling Wing, she successfully advocated for Pease to receive the Air Force’s next generation refueling tanker—the KC–46A. She also used her poVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:40 Jun 05, 2017 Jkt 098900 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE16\23048.TXT KAYNE
[ vi ] 

sition on the subcommittee to ensure that workers at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard have a robust workload, as well as 

the modern facilities they need to ensure the Navy continues 

to possess the most capable, reliable, and safe attack submarine fleet in the world. 

Since arriving in the Senate, KELLY worked to give New 

Hampshire veterans more choice when it came to where they 

access health care. She worked across the aisle to pass 

breakthrough legislation that gives veterans the option of 

seeking treatment from a private provider if they reside in 

a State without a full-service VA medical facility—such as 

New Hampshire—and live more than 20 miles from the 

nearest full-service VA hospital. To help veterans in the 

North Country access care closer to home, she successfully 

pushed for the opening of VA clinics in Colebrook and Berlin. 

As the wife of a small business owner, KELLY understood 

that decisions made in Washington have real consequences 

for New Hampshire’s small business economy. As a member 

of the Small Business and Commerce Committees, KELLY

was a strong voice for lower taxes and a simplified Tax Code. 

In addition to her efforts to cut unnecessary Washington redtape, she cosponsored measures to repeal the medical device 

tax, improve workforce training, and expand opportunities 

for New Hampshire’s small business exporters. She worked 

to reauthorize small business innovation research programs 

and led the fight to protect New Hampshire’s Internet retailers from onerous online sales tax requirements. 

Dating back to her service as New Hampshire’s attorney 

general, KELLY has a strong record of standing up to protect 

the environment. She crossed party lines to vote for Federal 

clean air rules that protect New Hampshire’s air and water 

from harmful out-of-state pollutants and to deploy the best 

available technology to reduce pollution from energy production. She helped pass the Better Buildings Act to encourage 

greater energy efficiency in commercial buildings, and she 

was a strong supporter of the Land and Water Conservation 

Fund, which has helped protect thousands of acres in New 

Hampshire. 

Drawing on her background as a prosecutor, KELLY led bipartisan efforts to stop domestic violence and sexual assault 

and better protect victims. She helped pass legislation to 

renew the Violence Against Women Act, the landmark law 

aimed at preventing domestic and sexual violence and better 

supporting victims. She also worked across party lines to 

crack down on sexual assault in the military, authoring and 

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passing tough reforms to empower victims and punish perpetrators. To make college campuses safer, she helped introduce the Campus Safety and Accountability Act, which 

would better protect students and strengthen accountability 

and transparency for institutions of higher learning. 

KELLY also earned praise for her bipartisan work to address gaps in our Nation’s mental health system—introducing legislation that would improve mental health first aid 

training and enhance suicide prevention programs. In recognition of her leadership, she was named the 2014 Legislator of the Year by the National Council for Behavioral 

Health. She also worked to find policy solutions that will 

help address New Hampshire’s heroin and prescription drug 

addiction crisis. 

Prior to her election to the Senate, KELLY served as the 

chief of the State’s homicide unit and deputy attorney general before being named in 2004 as New Hampshire’s first 

female attorney general. First appointed to that position by 

a Republican Governor, she was twice reappointed by a 

Democratic Governor. During her time as attorney general, 

she successfully led efforts to secure the first capital murder 

convictions in New Hampshire in over 60 years—for which 

the Union Leader newspaper named KELLY ‘‘Citizen of the 

Year’’ in 2008. 

KELLY attended public schools in Nashua, where she was 

born. She graduated with honors in 1990 from Pennsylvania 

State University and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1993 

from the Villanova University School of Law. 

She is married to Joe Daley, a Nashua native who flew 

combat missions during the Iraq war. He retired from the 

Air National Guard as a lieutenant colonel. 

KELLY and Joe live in Nashua with their two young children, Katherine and Jacob. 

[ ix ] 

Farewell to the Senate 

Wednesday, December 7, 2016 

Ms. AYOTTE. Mr. President, it is with deep gratitude that 

I rise today to address my Senate colleagues and members 

of my staff with whom I have had the privilege of serving 

over the last 6 years. 

First and foremost, I want to thank the people of New 

Hampshire for giving me the extraordinary opportunity to 

serve them. From Nashua to Newport, to the North Country, 

they have inspired me. The people of our State are hardworking, caring, compassionate people with grit. They have 

a fierce sense of independence that I respect and admire. 

That spirit has guided me during my time here, and it has 

been the privilege of a lifetime to serve them. 

I want to thank my family—my husband Joe, my 

wingman. Joe is a patriot with a heart of service. That is 

why he served our country as a fighter pilot in the Air Force 

and why he has been my biggest supporter during my service not only as New Hampshire’s attorney general but as a 

Senator. We are so proud of our children, Kate and Jake, 

who are now 12 and 9. My family has sacrificed so that I 

could serve the people of New Hampshire, and I am grateful 

for their patience and love. I also thank my mother Kathy, 

who is and always has been my mentor and No. 1 cheerleader. I could not have done it without her help and that 

of my stepfather Jim, my uncle Jack, my aunt Jane, and all 

of our extended family who have done so much for us. They 

made it possible for me to serve, and there are not adequate 

words to express how much their love and support means to 

me. 

I also thank my wonderful and hard-working staff in New 

Hampshire and Washington, whose dedication, work ethic, 

and talent are unparalleled in the Senate. I am especially 

fortunate that some of the members of my staff have served 

by my side since I was first sworn in 6 years ago. My staff 

is dedicated, creative, tireless, and compassionate. I am so 

proud of our team and all we have accomplished together. I 

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am confident that they will continue to work to create a 

brighter future for New Hampshire and for our country. 

I ask unanimous consent to have a list of their names 

printed in the Record. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 

printed in the Record, as follows: 

CURRENT STAFF

Kristine Adams, Erica Andeweg, Daniel Auger, Camden Bisson, Bradley 

Bowman, John Chambers III, Ryan Clark, Frederick Dressler, Adam 

Hechavarria, Kelsey Keegan, Shaylyn Kelly, Marne Marotta, Myles 

Matteson, Richard Murphy III, Kayla Nations, Gabriel Noronha, Taylor 

Reidy, Samantha Roberts, Chloe Rockow, Bethany Scully, DeWayne Thomas, Elizabeth Johnson, Gene Chandler, Jerome Maslan, Cynthia Woodward, 

Jane Bosse, Christopher Connelly, Joseph Doiron, Orville Fitch, Michael 

Garcia, Eric Hensel, Stephen Monier, John Pearson, Neva Varsalone, 

Gretchen Wade, Lauren Zelt, Matthew Bartlett, Brenda Kittle, Anne Warburton, Kathryn Sullivan. 

FORMER STAFF

Kelcey Raymond, Nathanael Anderson, Robin Anderson, William 

Ardinger, Christin Ballou, Benjamin Bradley, Gwendolyn Cassidy, Thomas 

DeRosa, Virginia Demers, Dennis Deziel, Elizabeth Drumm, Danielle 

Duchesne, John Easton, Robert Fraser, Robert Ganim, Elliot Gault, Claire 

Gimbastiani, Jeffrey Grappone, Elizabeth Guyton, Timothy Hefferan, Brian 

Hodges, Kathryn Horgan, Debra Jarrett, Alison Kamataris, Sean Knox, 

John Lawrence, Andrew Leach, Emily Lynch, Cathy Myers, Francy Nichols, 

Margaret Ouellette, Irina Owens, Kelsey Patten, Brianna Puccini, Matt 

Reeder, Wade Sarraf, Michael Scala, Robert Seidman, Lauren Spivey, Alexander Stanford, Susan-Anne Terzakis, Simon Thomson, Linda Tomlinson. 

Ms. AYOTTE. I want to take a moment to thank the Capitol Police, who devote themselves to keeping us safe each 

and every day and who have become friends to my staff and 

me over the years. I am so grateful for all of our first responders who put their lives on the line each and every day 

to keep us safe. I also thank the Senate floor staff, the pages, 

and everyone who works so hard behind the scenes to make 

our work possible here. 

During the past 6 years, I have traveled throughout New 

Hampshire talking to people from all walks of life, listening 

to their ideas and learning from their experiences. I have 

met so many hard-working people in our State who have, in 

turn, inspired me to work hard on their behalf. True to the 

nature of our great State, they have never been shy about 

letting me know what is on their minds, whether it was at 

1 of the 50 townhall meetings we held or in the grocery aisle 

at the Market Basket. They sent me to the Senate with a 

[ xi ] 

sense of purpose. It has been an honor to fight for them and 

their families every single day. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of my time in the Senate has been standing up for those who put their lives on the 

line for our country—our veterans and our men and women 

in uniform and their families. Today, we mark the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. We are reminded once 

again of their selfless service and sacrifice on behalf of our 

great Nation. 

I was honored during my time here to lead the charge to 

repeal unfair cuts for our military retirees and to help make 

progress toward improving access to local health care for veterans in New Hampshire, who for far too long have been 

forced to travel long distances to receive care from a VA facility because we don’t have a full-service hospital, unfortunately, in the State of New Hampshire. Too often, our veterans are not treated as they should be, and this has to 

change. They have sacrificed so much for our freedom and 

deserve only the best from us. 

As the wife of a combat veteran who served in Iraq, nothing has been more important to me than keeping our country 

safe. That commitment is deeply personal to me. One of the 

greatest privileges I have had as a Senator is to visit with 

members of our New Hampshire National Guard and our 

men and women in uniform who serve overseas and are 

there now as we are here today. We pray for their safe return. They make us so proud. They represent the very best 

of our State and our country. 

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I have 

been proud to advocate for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard 

and the skilled workers there who make vital contributions 

to our national security. This has been a team effort between 

New Hampshire and Maine. I thank my colleagues—Senator 

Shaheen; Senator Collins, whom I see here today; and Senator Angus King—for their incredible work in supporting the 

shipyard. 

I especially want to thank Senator Shaheen for all the 

work we did together on important issues for our State. 

Whether it was advocating for the shipyard, for Pease and 

the 157th Air Refueling Wing to receive the new tanker, for 

our National Guard, or for our veterans, we always looked 

for ways to come together for the people of New Hampshire, 

and I appreciate her dedication and service. 

Since I first came to the Senate, one of my top priorities 

has been reversing the Obama administration’s misguided 

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policy to empty and close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Each year I have led efforts to prevent the transfer of 

terrorists to the United States, to our soil here, and to urge 

the administration to be transparent with the American people about these dangerous detainees. 

As I have called for previously, I hope the new administration will immediately halt the dangerous policy of releasing 

Guantanamo terrorists to other countries where they even 

rejoin terrorist activities, and finally establish a commonsense detention policy that keeps terrorists off the battlefield 

and protects American lives and our national security. 

We made progress in saving taxpayer dollars at the Pentagon—and I know there is more work that needs to be 

done—by ending wasteful programs, such as the missile to 

nowhere, and passing the Never Contract With the Enemy 

legislation that cut through redtape and helped prevent tens 

of millions of dollars from ending up in the hands of our enemies. 

Working with Chairman McCain, I was proud to help lead 

the successful effort to help prevent the premature retirement of the A–10 aircraft, ensuring that our ground troops 

continue to have the best close air support possible to keep 

them safe. 

During my time on the committee, I have had the privilege 

of working closely with Chairman John McCain and Senator 

Lindsey Graham to ensure that America maintains the 

strongest and best military in the world and to ensure that 

our country continues to be the greatest force for good in the 

world. There are no stronger voices in this body for America’s leadership in the world, nor fiercer advocates for our 

men and women in uniform than Chairman John McCain 

and Senator Lindsey Graham. Now more than ever, we need 

their leadership, expertise, and passion for keeping this 

country safe with the challenges we face around the world. 

I am honored to have worked with them and, most of all, to 

call them my friends. 

Serving on the Armed Services Committee has been one of 

the best experiences I have had in the Senate. I want to express my gratitude to all of my fellow committee members 

because it has truly been a bipartisan effort each year to ensure our troops have the resources they need to do their jobs. 

I see Senator McCaskill, the Senator from Missouri, here. 

I have deeply appreciated the work we have done together 

on behalf of our men and women in uniform. Thank you. 

[ xiii ] 

Going forward, it is critical that Congress and the next administration work together to reverse the harmful cuts to 

our military and to ensure that we have a defense budget 

based on the threats we face around the world right now, 

which are unprecedented. 

Another issue that has been near and dear to my heart is 

addressing a devastating epidemic that is facing the State of 

New Hampshire; that is, the heroin and prescription opioid 

epidemic that is taking a devastating toll on our State. I 

have met so many people in New Hampshire who are hurting because of this epidemic—mothers and fathers who have 

lost children, brothers and sisters who have lost siblings. 

Many of the families who have been affected have become 

my dear friends, like Doug and Pam Griffin of Newton, NH, 

who lost their beautiful daughter Courtney, who had so 

much potential. They lost her to an overdose. 

The Griffins, like so many other families in New Hampshire I have met, have turned their pain into passion to save 

our families. I have learned so much from their experiences. 

They inspired me to work with a group of great Senators and 

my colleagues: Senator Rob Portman, who I know is here 

today; Senator Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island; and 

Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota. The four of us 

came together and worked on what is called the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, CARA. This bill will provide a much needed framework for addressing this epidemic 

through prevention, treatment, recovery, and support for our 

first responders, who are doing so much for this epidemic. As 

a bipartisan team, we worked on this legislation for more 

than 2 years. Our bill passed the Senate overwhelmingly and 

was signed into law earlier this year. 

CARA will focus on the best programs to help State and 

local efforts in turning around the tide of addiction that is 

facing so many in this country. CARA is an important first 

step, but there is so much more work that needs to be done. 

I am encouraged that because of our efforts, this body has 

recognized the seriousness of this crisis. 

I was particularly glad to advocate for $1 billion in funding 

to address the heroin epidemic being included in the 21st 

Century Cures Act, which we are expected to pass and send 

to the President this week. I thank Senator Lamar Alexander for his incredible leadership in getting this important 

public health bill passed. The funding in the 21st Century 

Cures bill goes hand in hand with the important policy proVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:40 Jun 05, 2017 Jkt 098900 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE16\23048.TXT KAYNE
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visions in the CARA bill and will help save lives in New 

Hampshire and across this country. 

Finally, I would like to return to the reason I ran for the 

Senate back in 2010: to make sure we leave New Hampshire 

and our Nation stronger and better off for the next generation. As the mother of two young children, I was increasingly 

concerned that, left unchecked, our skyrocketing national 

debt would ultimately burden future generations and diminish their opportunities. 

I ran because I believed it was time for New Hampshire 

to bring some of its common sense here to Washington to 

deal with our Nation’s spending habits. On every committee 

I served on, we looked for ways to cut wasteful spending and 

fought to hold the government accountable for the way it 

spends our hard-earned taxpayer dollars. It is my hope that 

this issue will be at the top of the agenda of the incoming 

Congress and the new administration. If there is anything I 

have learned in my time here, it is that it takes cooperation 

from both sides of the aisle to get things done. 

It has been a privilege to serve with so many in this body 

who care about our country deeply and work tirelessly each 

day on behalf of their constituents. 

I am so honored as I see my colleagues who are here 

today, because I know how hard you work every day. I want 

to thank you for what you do on behalf of the people of this 

country. I am humbled by what I have learned from each of 

you and from each of my colleagues in the Senate and for the 

opportunity to serve with so many good people on behalf of 

our great Nation. I thank each of you for your dedicated 

service and, most of all, for your friendship. 

Without leadership here, things just don’t get done. I especially want to thank Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for 

his commitment to making the Senate work and to making 

sure we are doing the people’s business. 

On a personal note, I have deeply appreciated his 

mentorship and his friendship. 

Working with our new President, the Senate has a fresh 

opportunity to create a better quality of life for all Americans 

in this great country. That means elected leaders will need 

to work together and put aside our partisan differences. 

During this election, we heard the frustrations of the 

American people with their government. They rightly expect 

this body to move forward in solving the significant challenges facing our Nation, such as getting our fiscal house in 

order, ensuring that families can afford quality health care 

[ xv ] 

without Washington between them and their doctors, reforming our broken Tax Code so we can keep and grow jobs here 

in the United States of America, and foremost, keeping 

America safe in a dangerous world. 

My hope is that the Members of this body will appeal to 

the better angels of our nature, put partisanship aside, and 

focus on the challenge of building a more perfect union because the challenges before us are great and we cannot hope 

to overcome them unless we do so working hand in hand. I 

know my Senate colleagues are people of great character, 

and they are up to this challenge. I wish them the very best 

as they continue their very important work on behalf of the 

people of the greatest Nation on Earth. 

To the people of New Hampshire, Joe and I thank you 

from the bottom of our hearts for the greatest honor of a lifetime, for serving you and for the privilege of serving in the 

U.S. Senate with so many good people. 

Mr. President, I thank you, and I yield the floor. 

(Applause, Senators rising.) 

TRIBUTES 

TO 

KELLY AYOTTE 

[ 3 ] 

Proceedings in the Senate 

WEDNESDAY, December 7, 2016 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, ‘‘God gave us two ears 

so we would listen more than talk.’’ 

It is a simple phrase that many of us have likely heard before, but to Senator KELLY AYOTTE, it is the best piece of advice she says she ever received, and it is a proverb she has 

lived by during her time in the Senate. In fact, it is how she 

got her start here in the first place. 

As New Hampshire’s first female attorney general, KELLY

listened to the concerns of those around her. She heard their 

concerns about the direction our country was going, about 

the numerous security threats facing our Nation, and about 

out-of-control spending. She could have just sat on the sidelines as these problems escalated—it certainly would have 

been the easier choice—but she chose to jump in the game 

and work to solve them instead. From day one, Senator 

AYOTTE rolled up her sleeves and got to work. As the most 

prominent New Hampshire newspaper put it, she has never 

been a ‘‘freshman back-bencher.’’ She has been a dynamo 

from the start. 

I can’t say I was surprised. I still remember the first time 

I heard about KELLY. It was from our former colleague Judd 

Gregg, who told me about this rising star in New Hampshire. Boy, was he right. It didn’t take long for everyone to 

reach a similar conclusion. 

KELLY is tough, she is a problem solver, and she is a fighter. Senator AYOTTE doesn’t view the challenges of this job as 

obstacles either. She prefers to call them opportunities. She 

says: ‘‘It’s how you react to those bends in the road that will 

make the biggest difference in your life.’’ During her 6 years 

here, she has clearly made a difference in the lives of a lot 

of others as well. 

Senator AYOTTE has helped make a difference as a champion for jobs and as a champion for the economy. As someone 

who has helped start a small business, she knows first hand 

how regulations can stifle growth. She fought to cut through 

[ 4 ] 

the redtape and the burdensome rules. She cosponsored a 

law to help small businesses expand and refinance, and she 

worked to strengthen manufacturing and support job training. 

Senator AYOTTE has helped make a difference as a leader 

on combating opioid abuse. As a former prosecutor who has 

been among the loudest voices drawing attention to this horrible epidemic, she knows how devastating it has been in her 

State and across the country. She worked with first responders and families to figure out how to address this heartbreaking challenge. She sponsored and helped pass comprehensive legislation that will help us tackle it. Now, in no 

small part because of her efforts, we will pass critical funding this very week that will help our communities begin to 

heal. 

Like New Hampshire, my home State of Kentucky has 

been among the hardest hit by this epidemic. It has been a 

privilege working with my friend to help do something about 

it. 

Senator AYOTTE has helped make a difference as an expert 

on national security issues too. This military spouse didn’t 

need someone to tell her what it means to serve nor what 

it means for veterans and their families. She mastered the 

issue almost overnight. She fought for language in the VA 

reform legislation to expand choice when it comes to veterans’ health care. She helped prevent dangerous Guantanamo terrorists from being moved to U.S. soil, and she has 

long spoken out about the threat posed by Iran. She just 

voted to extend some critical sanctions against the regime 

last week, and Senator AYOTTE has helped lead efforts to 

counter its ballistic missile program for years. 

It is clear she has been a leader on national security issues 

right from the start. I was proud to have Senator AYOTTE

join me and other colleagues on a congressional delegation I 

led to the Middle East not long after she took office. It was 

evident then what a difference she would make on these important matters. She has regularly joined in efforts with two 

other leading voices in our conference on defense, too, Senators McCain and Graham. Together, they are the ‘‘Three 

Amigos’’ or, as our former colleague Joe Lieberman might 

point out, we should really call them the ‘‘Three Amigos 2.0.’’ 

Either way, here is what is clear. It is an equal partnership, one of mutual respect and trust, one that has strengthened our conference and defense policy, and one that I am 

sure Senators McCain and Graham would tell you has enVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:40 Jun 05, 2017 Jkt 098900 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE16\23048.TXT KAYNE
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riched both their Senate work and their lives. I am sure 

many other colleagues feel exactly the same way. 

Senator AYOTTE set out to make an impact. She clearly 

made one on her State, her country, her constituents, and 

her colleagues, but I know Senator AYOTTE would tell you 

the most cherished moments of her life aren’t those spent in 

classified briefings or on congressional delegations, they are 

the ones spent with her family—with her husband Joe and 

their two children, 9-year-old Jake and 12-year-old Kate. 

They have always been her biggest fans. They are a constant 

source of comfort and support. Sometimes they like to jump 

in on the action themselves. 

In fact, Kate recently made a cameo—alongside her mother—in an ad featuring the two shooting hoops and practicing 

layups. From what I hear, Kate may even have her sights on 

a future in politics. She once advised her mom not to run for 

President. 

Senator AYOTTE was taken aback. She said she wasn’t 

planning on it but wondered why she would ask in the first 

place. Well, Kate replied: ‘‘Because I want to be the first 

woman President.’’ 

I guess it is true what they say, the apple doesn’t fall far 

from the tree. It is not surprising when you consider the example KELLY AYOTTE has set, not just for Kate but for so 

many others as well. If anyone can do it all, it is KELLY

AYOTTE. From sports practices and Lego competitions to 5Ks 

and trips to the largest lake in New Hampshire, the time 

with her kids is what truly brings KELLY joy. 

As all of you know, this job can make you appreciate the 

little things even more. It is why you will never hear her 

complain about waiting in the pickup line at school. It is why 

she enjoys spending her weekend grocery shopping at the 

Market Basket, probably picking up the ingredients for 

Grape-Nuts pudding—whatever that is. Apparently, it is one 

of KELLY’s favorites. I will just take her word for that. 

I wish to acknowledge what a privilege it has been getting 

to know Senator AYOTTE and working with her over the past 

few years. Her impact has been immeasurable, her friendship indisputable. I know she has made her family proud as 

well. 

I want to conclude with a mantra that KELLY and Joe rely 

upon when facing a challenge: ‘‘Brush the dirt off and get 

back in the game.’’ It is a good reminder for each of us. I feel 

confident in saying that Senator AYOTTE will be back in the 

[ 6 ] 

game, looking out for her State and making our country 

stronger and safer no matter where her next journey leads. 

Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I am pleased that I could 

be here for Senator AYOTTE’s farewell address and honored 

to have had the opportunity to serve with her over the past 

6 years. Six years ago, I stood on this floor to recognize another departing Senator from New Hampshire, Judd Gregg. 

I said then about my relationship with Senator Gregg something that is also true about my relationship with Senator 

AYOTTE: that we always managed to disagree without being 

disagreeable. I am grateful to Senator AYOTTE for this, and 

I am proud that we have been able to maintain that civility 

and bipartisanship even in the course of two very close and 

very tough election cycles. That is the New Hampshire 

way—putting partisanship aside whenever possible and 

seeking practical, pragmatic solutions to address people’s 

critical needs. 

As she said, time and time again, Senator AYOTTE and I 

have teamed up to advance legislation of special importance 

to the Granite State, including strongly advocating for veterans, for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and for the New 

Hampshire National Guard and that new KC–46 tanker. Together, we fought to secure more resources for law enforcement and treatment professionals who are on the frontlines 

of the opioid crisis, including this week important new funding in the 21st Century Cures Act. 

I want to publicly express my gratitude to KELLY for her 

dedicated service to the people of New Hampshire and, more 

broadly, the people of the United States. Over the last 6 

years, Senator AYOTTE has earned respect on both sides of 

the aisle in this body and in New Hampshire. I know that 

her husband Joe and their two wonderful children, Kate and 

Jacob, are very proud of her service in the Senate. Looking 

to the future, there is no question in my mind that she will 

continue to serve the State and the country she loves. 

KELLY, I wish you and your family all the best in the years 

ahead. Thank you. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona. 

Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to 

pay tribute to my dear friend and colleague, the Senator 

from New Hampshire, KELLY AYOTTE. I first met KELLY in 

2010 when I joined her for a townhall meeting in Nashua, 

NH. My affection for the State of New Hampshire dates back 

to my bid for President in 2000, so it was a familiar setting 

[ 7 ] 

to join so many old friends in support of her campaign for 

the U.S. Senate. I was impressed with Senator AYOTTE’s 

deep understanding of the top challenges facing the country, 

the seriousness with which she approached her work, and 

the ease with which she engaged with members of the audience, gracefully handling spirited debates and sparring 

matches with voters—a staple of the townhall meetings in 

New Hampshire I always admired. I knew then we would be 

fast friends. 

In the Senate, KELLY AYOTTE brought the same tenacity to 

her work, distinguishing herself as a rising star in the Republican Party and a leader willing to work across party 

lines to get things done. Senator AYOTTE has approached 

every issue candidly and pragmatically—something that is 

all too often lacking in politics today. ‘‘I call them like I see 

them,’’ she once said. ‘‘And that means not just with the opposing party, but with my own party.’’ Senator AYOTTE took 

this mantra on the road, continuing the tradition of the New 

Hampshire townhall meetings by holding more than 50 

townhall meetings in small towns and cities across New 

Hampshire, where she spoke directly with her constituents 

about the issues impacting their families. 

But, in my view, Senator AYOTTE’s best work lies in her 

contribution to defense and national security as a member of 

the Armed Services Committee. Coming from a military family, her commitment to strengthening our Armed Forces is 

deeply personal. That has contributed to her tireless advocacy on issues important to New Hampshire, to Pease Air 

National Guard Base, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and 

to all military and civilian personnel supporting our national 

security who call New Hampshire home. 

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, Senator 

AYOTTE has called attention to the dangerous readiness crisis and has been a consistent advocate for making sure the 

men and women of our Armed Forces have the resources 

they need to defend the Nation. She has authored numerous 

legislative proposals to eliminate wasteful and duplicative 

spending in the Department of Defense so that we can reinvest the savings in rebuilding our military. She passed legislation to save over $1 billion in the Pentagon’s budget and 

to keep U.S. tax dollars out of the hands of America’s enemies. She has been a leading advocate for repealing arbitrary budget cuts and the mindless mechanism of sequestration which continues to weaken our military and puts the 

lives of our servicemembers at greater risk. 

[ 8 ] 

Senator AYOTTE’s fight to prevent the Air Force from 

mothballing the A–10 Warthog attack planes showed the 

very best she has to offer. As the wife of a retired A–10 pilot 

who flew combat missions in Iraq and an expert in defense 

policy, Senator AYOTTE understood the critical role this aircraft plays in providing close air support for our fighting 

men and women. Year after year, she led the fight to prevent 

the Obama administration from following through on its 

plan to retire that fleet, pushing through measures in annual 

defense authorization bills that would prevent any premature divestment of this aircraft. At the end of the day, she 

was right. The Air Force conceded to this aircraft’s value and 

reversed its decision, delaying any divestment until at least 

2022. 

Anyone who has watched Senator AYOTTE question a witness in the Armed Services Committee will not be surprised 

to learn of her background as New Hampshire’s first female 

attorney general. I have been a fortunate observer of more 

than one occasion in which a bureaucrat withered under 

skilled cross examination by Senator AYOTTE. She takes her 

oversight role extremely seriously and believes in holding 

our Nation’s leaders accountable. 

In every way, Senator AYOTTE rose to meet the responsibilities and opportunities of her office. There are many qualities 

that are important to being a good Senator, but none, in my 

opinion, is more important than standing firm for what you 

believe. That is what Senator AYOTTE has done. She has 

never wavered in her commitment to principle, and this body 

is better for it. 

On a more personal note, I have cherished the friendship 

and partnership of Senator KELLY AYOTTE. The kindness and 

courtesy she has extended to her colleagues has made this 

institution a better place, and her principled leadership has 

served as an example to all of us. In KELLY, you could always find a warm smile that served as a reminder that serving here is truly a joy and a privilege. 

While I will miss KELLY’s presence in the Senate, I will 

continue to rely on her wise counsel and friendship, and I 

am confident our Nation will continue to benefit from her 

talents for many years to come. With this in mind, I thank 

my dear friend and valued colleague, Senator KELLY AYOTTE, 

for her service to the Nation and this body. Until the Nation 

calls on her again, I wish her and her husband Joe and their 

children, Katherine and Jacob, fair winds and following seas. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri. 

[ 9 ] 

Mrs. MCCASKILL. Mr. President, I don’t have eloquent 

prepared remarks, as the chairman just delivered, but I will 

tell you this: I have been lucky enough to be in the trenches 

with KELLY AYOTTE, and when you are in the trenches with 

KELLY AYOTTE, there is something about her demeanor that 

lifts you up. It was a tough fight where we were outnumbered, particularly by our fellow women Senators, and it 

was hard. It was really hard and emotional, and every time 

I would walk up to KELLY in full-blown panic mode, this 

smile would radiate; the reassuring pat on my shoulder that 

we have the facts on our side, that the emotional arguments 

might be on the other side but the facts were on our side. 

It kept me strong and it kept me focused. 

I will tell you three things I know in my heart about 

KELLY AYOTTE: She is a warrior, she is a class act, and she 

is my friend. 

Thank you, KELLY. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South 

Carolina. 

Mr. GRAHAM. Thank you very much. 

Mr. President, I just want to attest to Claire and KELLY— 

if I go to war, I want to go with you all because when the 

bullets fly, you get tougher. I love all my colleagues, but 

sometimes the stress of the debate wears you down pretty 

quickly. The more contentious, the better you were. 

So, KELLY, the best way we can pay you back is to keep 

up the fight and make sure that we have a fair military justice system and that commanders are accountable but they 

are still in charge. 

An observation: For people with young kids, this has to be 

a tough job. I don’t have any children, but I can’t imagine 

the schedule if you have young kids. I have gotten to know 

KELLY, Joe, and Kate and Jake, and I can only imagine what 

it is like for Joe to be a single parent 3 days a week, running 

a business, trying to get kids off to school. I can tell you from 

being KELLY’s friend—and John and I have traveled all over 

the world with KELLY—that was a constant strain for her. I 

am sure it is true of every young mother in America doing 

any job, but having to be gone and having to balance the 

needs of her kids and being a mom and a wife and all that 

good stuff—all I can tell you, for you and Joe—if you meet 

Kate and Jake, you all did good. If you meet these kids, it 

has been an enriching 6 years. They are full of life. I think 

you both handled it very well. 

[ 10 ] 

You should be proud of the long list of things you have accomplished. I guess what I saw in you and what I wish more 

of us would embrace is an attitude that nothing is too hard, 

nothing is too challenging if you really believe you are here 

for a purpose. 

You didn’t talk about immigration. I don’t blame you. The 

immigration fight is one of the hardest fights I have ever 

been in, particularly on our side. It is not easy on your side, 

but on our side it is really tough. KELLY was there pushing 

over the line a bill that I think made a lot of sense. 

The debt. Everybody talks about it, but nobody wants to 

do anything about it. We have had a couple of sessions with 

10 and 20 Senators trying to find a way to get more revenue 

and do entitlement reform, something like Simpson-Bowles. 

If you don’t do that, the country is going to become like 

Greece. Every time we had a meeting, every time we had a 

session about doing hard stuff, KELLY was there. 

I remember sequestration. Jeanne Shaheen and KELLY

AYOTTE were two of the six Senators trying to find a way to 

set aside these defense cuts in a balanced approach without 

destroying the military. 

I think what you should be most proud of is that you 

served for 6 years and your kids are great, that you made 

a lot of friendships that will last a lifetime, and that your 

best days are yet to come. 

You can tell the people of New Hampshire—or I will tell 

them for you if they can understand me. Apparently they 

couldn’t because I didn’t do that well when I ran for President. The bottom line is that KELLY never blinked. She went 

into the sound of gunfire. She took on the hardest challenges. She did it with style and grace, and everybody in this 

body is better off for having met KELLY AYOTTE. 

I look forward to working with you for years to come. The 

three amigos are now two, and there will never be a third 

amigo like you. 

I yield. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio. 

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, we have heard a lot of 

wonderful things about KELLY AYOTTE today and all are deserved. You notice they have come from both sides of the 

aisle, and they come from Members who were talking about 

her expertise on national security—as John McCain did eloquently—and homeland security. 

[ 11 ] 

I certainly have worked with her on those issues. I was 

with her on the Armed Services Committee when I first 

came to the Senate, and we are on the Homeland Security 

Committee now. She has been a champion for those issues, 

there is no question about it. She has helped to keep our 

country safer, and legislation that she has championed will 

help to make it safer for our kids and grandkids. 

I have also worked with her on other issues, and I wish 

to talk about that for a second. One is this way in which we 

as a Chamber can ensure we are creating more jobs, being 

more energy independent, helping the environment, and that 

is energy efficiency. She has been a leader on that issue. 

Jeanne Shaheen and I have legislation that we are still 

working to get all of it done, but we have gotten some of it 

done, and KELLY AYOTTE was a huge part of that. In fact, 

her legislation on Tenant Star is now the law of the land. It 

is helping to make commercial buildings and office buildings 

more energy efficient. Again, it has the added benefit of creating jobs and making the economy stronger while improving 

our environment. That is what she has led on as well. 

I have also worked with her on issues you would expect 

someone who is a national security expert to lead on. Iran 

sanctions, she has taken the lead on some of the issues that 

resulted in the incredible vote we had on the floor of this 

Senate just a few days ago when virtually every Senator 

voted to extend those sanctions, but I have worked with her 

on another issue that has nothing to do with our national security; it has everything to do with our family security. It 

has to do with ensuring that people have the opportunity to 

achieve their God-given purpose in life. It has to do with 

stopping the deterioration of our communities, families being 

torn apart, and the enormous impact we have seen of the 

opioid epidemic. Starting often with prescription drugs, often 

leading to heroin—now synthetic heroins such as fentanyl, 

carfentanil, and U–4, these are very difficult issues. 

I have seen no one in this Chamber who has a greater passion for this issue than KELLY AYOTTE, and it comes out of 

experience. It is borne of experience of walking around New 

Hampshire communities with families who have lost a loved 

one. Earlier she talked about befriending a family who had 

lost their beautiful daughter to this horrible epidemic. It 

comes from going to the treatment centers and seeing the 

people who are in the trenches, saving lives, and improving 

lives. It comes from talking to those who at one point had 

great promise in their lives and got off track, seeing those 

[ 12 ] 

people in a detox unit as she has done or seeing them in a 

treatment center or, promisingly, seeing them now in recovery and beginning to get their lives back together. 

This is not an issue of Republicans or Democrats. It is not 

an issue that is political. It is an issue that is in the heart 

of KELLY AYOTTE because it affects the communities she 

knows in New Hampshire, the people she loves in New 

Hampshire, and now, sadly, our Nation. 

On that issue, she has led, not just to draft legislation— 

and she talked about the CARE legislation which is going to 

change the dynamic and get the Federal Government to be 

a better partner with State and local and begin to turn this 

tide—not just the Cures legislation, which does have funding 

for the next 2 years to try to stop some of this horrible 

growth in addictions, overdoses, and deaths, but she has 

done this house to house, family to family, person to person 

back home to give people hope and to help gather the support in communities around New Hampshire to fight back. 

She will continue to do that. She is not doing it as a U.S. 

Senator. After all, she is doing it as a mom, she is doing it 

as a citizen. 

I am looking forward to continuing to work with her on 

that issue as well as the other issues we have talked about 

today. Her public service career is not over; in a sense, it is 

really just beginning. I know she will be active on the national security issues, on fighting against the heroin epidemic, on ensuring that we continue to have a safer and 

stronger country. I, for one, look forward to working with her 

on that. 

I thank her for her service. I thank her, her kids, and Joe 

for their sacrifice because this isn’t an easy job. It does take 

you away from your family. Yet, in 2009, she decided she 

was going to serve her country because she was worried 

about the direction it was going. She did that, she did it valiantly, and she deserves our praise today. 

KELLY, we are going to miss you, but we also look forward 

to continuing to work with you on all of the issues that were 

talked about today. Thank you for your service. 

I yield back the remainder of my time. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia. 

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I am very pleased to be on 

the floor with my colleagues today and most especially 

[ 13 ] 

pleased to be here to honor my good friend KELLY AYOTTE

as she leaves the Senate but does not leave public service. 

Believe it or not, I first met KELLY on the softball field 

when we were on the congressional women’s softball team. 

I was in the House, and KELLY was the cocaptain in the Senate. We raised money for young survivors of breast cancer. 

I knew then I wanted to get to the Senate to be good friends 

with KELLY because when you talk about being in the 

trenches, she was such a competitor. 

When you think about a team, a baseball team or a softball team, who is the toughest person on the team? Everybody wants to say the pitcher. In my view, it is the catcher. 

Guess who our catcher was. KELLY AYOTTE was and is, and 

so we became good friends then. 

We found we have a lot of love for physical activities. We 

are both runners. We have run a couple of times together. 

We participate in the 3-mile run that we have every May 

that determines who is the fastest male Senator, who is the 

fastest woman Senator. Well, guess who the fastest woman 

Senator is. You got it. She just blew right by me every year 

so I might have hope next year. I don’t know. I will have to 

check out the newcomers. But KELLY was always such a 

great competitor on the softball field, running in 5Ks, and 

just being around in general. 

As we have heard from everybody, you have served your 

State with integrity and passion. I know it is tough on your 

family. I see Joe in the gallery. I have met your beautiful 

children, Kate and Jake. I have heard you on the phone 

planning daycare while the rest of us are figuring out how 

we are going to get home that night or what we are doing 

in our committees. As a young mother, KELLY is still trying 

to make the ends meet. I have such admiration for that as 

a mother myself. I know how difficult it is, but I know the 

three of them know that no matter if you were here figuring 

that out, they were always No. 1 in your heart. I think that 

is a real tribute to you. 

We have heard all of the issues she has been so out front 

on. Particularly as I am from a State like West Virginia— 

the opioid issue has really impacted our rural areas. When 

I visited KELLY twice over the last 6 months in New Hampshire, it was the same kind of impact. It is small towns, families, people who know each other. It hurts everybody. 

KELLY, thank you for your leadership there. That is going to 

make not just a mark in your State but across our Nation 

and in my State in particular. 

[ 14 ] 

We traveled to Gitmo together. I had never been to Gitmo 

before. To have an expert such as KELLY explain to me and 

to hear her question what is going on there and how important it is and was, she continues to be in the fight that she 

led to make sure we don’t have terrorists on our own home 

soil. The fact that Gitmo is still open and is still functioning 

to keep those very dangerous folks off of our shores I think 

is a tribute to KELLY’s leadership. 

In terms of New Hampshire, as you move away from here, 

I know you are going to realize how you have impacted the 

people where you live and in your home State, but just kind 

of multiply that all over the Nation. We have a huge debt 

of gratitude to you and your family for being here for 6 

years, but as I have told you repeatedly since the election, 

this is not the last time we are going to hear from KELLY

AYOTTE or about KELLY AYOTTE. To me, that is a very 

strengthening thing when I talk about my friend. 

I am not going to say goodbye because I don’t think we will 

be saying goodbye. I am going to say Godspeed, good luck. 

You will land on your feet because you always do. Keep running, I will keep running, and maybe I can keep running and 

improve my time so I can at least see the backs of your feet 

as you are running past me. 

It has been a real privilege to serve with you. It has been 

great to be your friend, and I look forward to keeping our relationship very viable and alive as the time moves on. 

Thanks, KELLY. 

I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Capito). The Senator 

from Alaska. 

Mr. SULLIVAN. Madam President, like my friends on 

both sides of the aisle, I, too, come to the floor to say a few 

words about my friend and mentor, Senator KELLY AYOTTE. 

I use the word ‘‘mentor’’ in actually an official capacity. 

When you come to the Senate—and like you, Madam President, I am part of the new class of 2014. When you come to 

the Senate, you are assigned a mentor. I think the idea is 

that you come in, you are clueless, you don’t really know 

what is going on, and so you have somebody who is smart 

and experienced to mentor you. Everybody gets a mentor. 

I was very fortunate to have KELLY AYOTTE as my mentor. 

I certainly learned a lot from her. She took the time to help 

me understand how this important body works. We talked 

[ 15 ] 

about things like work/life balance—with somebody such as 

KELLY who has kids. 

It wasn’t just those kinds of issues. I had the great opportunity to serve on a couple of very important committees 

with Senator AYOTTE—on the Armed Services Committee, on 

the Commerce Committee—and like my colleague from Missouri, I really learned a lot watching her in action. She was 

always prepared, always engaged, and always tenacious 

when it came to certain witnesses. Of course, like a lot of us, 

we shared certain passions for our country—certainly a 

strong national defense. 

My State, like a lot of States such as New Hampshire, is 

suffering from the opioid crisis. Watching her and Senator 

Portman literally lead the country on this issue was so important. 

I end by saying what I really learned from my mentor was 

from watching the way she dealt with other people, the way 

she always treated people with respect, with class, with optimism, and with dignity. That is probably more important 

than anything, not only in the U.S. Senate but in our country. 

I thank KELLY as a mentor. She was a great role model 

not only for me but all of the 13 Members of the class of 

2014. I know she will be serving her country and her State 

in a lot more ways. I look forward to watching that and continuing to call her my good friend. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, this is one of those weeks 

where, every 6 years or 4 years or 2 years, we pause and pay 

tribute to those who have been elected to the Senate and 

have served with us and will be retiring or were possibly defeated in the last election. 

The first Senator I wish to talk about is KELLY AYOTTE, 

from the great State of New Hampshire. KELLY’s departure 

from the Senate is a great loss for all of us. I remember the 

day KELLY AYOTTE became a rising star, not only on the horizon of Republican politics but more important on the horizon of the Senate. 

During her campaign 6 years ago, we would get phone 

calls asking: ‘‘Have you heard about KELLY?’’ Everybody 

knew who KELLY was. She was the attorney general of the 

State of New Hampshire, running for the U.S. Senate, and 

she was catching fire. She did catch fire and won in convincing fashion. She is a great lady with a great family and 

has done a phenomenal job. 

[ 16 ] 

Our U.S. Armed Forces are better today because of her efforts and hard work. We passed the agreement to go to the 

final passage on the authorization of the military appropriations today, and in large measure, KELLY AYOTTE was behind that. When we were debating our policy on interrogation and torture, KELLY AYOTTE was on top of that. Every 

significant decision we have made in the last 6 months, 

whether it was our military, policies, or process, she has 

been at the forefront of those decisions and has done a phenomenal job. 

I wish her the very best in her career and future, and I 

thank her for the service she has given to our country. 

As a son of the South, in Georgia we love New Hampshirites anytime we can get one, and KELLY is the best. They 

have the best lobsters, the best clams, and the best attorney 

general and Senator in KELLY AYOTTE. 

God bless you, KELLY, and best of luck to you. 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I wish to honor 

our colleagues who are leaving us at the end of this Congress, six individuals who have done a lot to shape how the 

Senate operates today. 

First I would like to thank my three Republican colleagues 

who are departing. Thank you not only for your service to 

our country but your willingness to work with me and other 

members of my party on a number of issues. . . . 

Mr. President, Senator AYOTTE and I have worked very 

closely to improve breast cancer detection. I am hopeful that 

together we can pass our bill before the end of this Congress. . . . 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Maine and New Hampshire 

share a border, a history, and an invigorating climate. When 

KELLY AYOTTE came to the Senate 6 years ago, I immediately saw in her those traits shared by the people of our 

two States: a strong work ethic, a respect for tradition balanced by a spirit of innovation, and fiscal prudence always 

tempered by compassion. 

During those years, I came to know Senator AYOTTE as a 

diligent, energetic, and committed public servant. 

She brought with her to the Senate a remarkable record 

of public service. As her State’s attorney general, she fought 

hard to protect the people of New Hampshire and the environment that is so crucial to their way of life. 

It has been rewarding to work with her on such bipartisan 

efforts as the Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act and the 

[ 17 ] 

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and addressing the 

opioid addiction crisis confronting our States. From her support for land conservation to advancing biomass energy, she 

has been a strong leader in the wise use of natural resources 

and their role in growing the economy. 

Coming from a military family, she has demonstrated her 

respect for our men and women in uniform as a member of 

the Armed Services Committee and is recognized as a leading voice on national security issues and the well-being of 

our veterans. We have joined together on many occasions to 

advocate for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard that is so important to our Nation’s defense and to the dedicated men 

and women of our two States who work there. 

It has been an honor to serve with KELLY AYOTTE in the 

U.S. Senate, and the American people are better off for her 

service. I wish KELLY and her wonderful family all the best 

in the years to come. 

THURSDAY, December 8, 2016 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I want to take an opportunity 

to salute and thank and commend my colleagues who are departing. . . . 

We also have other colleagues departing: Senator AYOTTE

from New Hampshire; Senator Boxer of California, Senator 

Coats of Indiana; as I mentioned, Senator Kirk of Illinois; 

Senator Mikulski of Maryland; Senator Reid of Nevada; and 

Senator Vitter of Louisiana. Each has brought passion in 

their work to best serve their constituents, and the institution of the Senate and the Nation are better for this service. 

I am better for knowing them, working with them, and having the opportunity to share with them, and I want to thank 

them for their service. Let me mention a few words with respect to all of these distinguished Senators. 

Mr. President, KELLY AYOTTE and I worked together for 

many years on the Armed Services Committee. What she 

brought was an unparalleled commitment to and passion for 

the men and women who wear the uniform of the United 

States. She wanted them to have a quality of life that reflects their service and their sacrifice. She wanted them to 

have the training and the equipment that would protect 

them as they engage our foes, and she wanted to make sure 

they knew that we were always conscious of their sacrifice 

[ 18 ] 

and service. She did this in so many different ways, and she 

did it so well. 

She was particularly committed to making sure that the 

A–10 aircraft remained in our inventory. As someone who as 

a younger person was an infantry officer, I appreciated having seen in training how effective that system is to protect 

our forces on the ground, and her efforts were unstinting to 

make sure that our forces were fully protected. Again, that 

is just one example of her commitment. . . . 

I have been very fortunate. I have had the privilege to 

serve with these ladies and gentlemen, and I want to thank 

them for their service. 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, New England is in itself a 

small community. We Senators who represent these States 

band together to fight for our urban and rural communities, 

to protect our borders, and to preserve the rich heritage on 

which our country was founded. For the last 6 years, one of 

those partners has been New Hampshire Senator KELLY

AYOTTE. She has diligently sought to represent the Granite 

State. 

Senator AYOTTE and I share a background in law enforcement; as New Hampshire’s attorney general, she prosecuted 

many important cases. After her election to the U.S. Senate 

in 2011, Senator AYOTTE was recognized as one of the most 

influential women in her party. She has taken a practical, 

New England-style approach in the Senate. Like many of us 

from New England, she has been persistent in her efforts to 

call national attention to the opioid epidemic ravaging our 

communities and particularly hitting hard rural communities 

in Vermont and New Hampshire. She was a partner as we 

sought to advance and ultimately pass the Comprehensive 

Addiction and Recovery Act, which should provide much 

needed support for those facing this crippling addiction. Her 

attention to this public health crisis will surely be a cornerstone of her Senate legacy. 

I wish Senator AYOTTE, her husband, Joseph, and their 

children well in their future endeavors. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I know it is always difficult 

to come to the floor and talk about the departure of our good 

friends and valued colleagues. The word I have heard mentioned the most this week is ‘‘bittersweet’’—people looking 

forward to the next chapter of their lives but regretting the 

fact that good friends and valued colleagues are moving on 

[ 19 ] 

to the next chapter of their lives. Every other December, we 

find ourselves bidding farewell to some of our most admired 

and respected Members. Today I wish to speak briefly about 

four of them, starting with our good friend from New Hampshire, Senator AYOTTE. 

Mr. President, Senator AYOTTE and I have more in common than may meet the eye, so let me explain. Our hometowns are 2,000 miles away, so it doesn’t seem obvious. She 

served as attorney general of the State of New Hampshire 

and holds the distinction of being New Hampshire’s first and 

only female attorney general. She was first appointed to that 

position by a Republican Governor, and she did such an outstanding job serving the people that she was reappointed to 

that position by a Democratic Governor. 

Everybody who knows KELLY AYOTTE knows that she epitomizes the spirit of bipartisanship and camaraderie that 

makes a good public servant a great one. That has been evident in her work she has done here in the U.S. Senate. From 

the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act to multiple 

national security issues, Senator AYOTTE has been eager to 

work with Members on both sides of the aisle when it comes 

down to doing what is best for the people of her State and 

for the United States. 

Senator AYOTTE and I both come from military families. 

My dad flew in the Army Air Corps in World War II, with 

the 303d Bomb Group of the Air Force. Her grandfather also 

served in World War II. As many of us know, Joe, her husband, served in the Air Force and the Air National Guard, 

and he flew combat missions in Bosnia and Iraq. Senator 

AYOTTE’s firsthand knowledge of the military has been a 

great help to us, particularly in her role on the Armed Services Committee. 

KELLY will tell us that she does her best to listen first, to 

take in the concerns and priorities of her fellow Granite 

Staters, discuss the merits of each side’s policy position, and 

only then carefully and methodically reach a well-considered 

decision. That patience and willingness to listen and consider 

all views has served her well during her tenure in the U.S. 

Senate. It is a lesson we all should take to heart and learn 

from by her good example. 

I want to add my thanks to our friend, Senator KELLY

AYOTTE, for her years of service on behalf of the people of 

New Hampshire. I also thank her husband Joe Daley and 

their two children, Katherine and Jacob, for their steadfast 

[ 20 ] 

support of Joe’s wife and their children’s mom over these 

past years. 

I don’t know in what capacity KELLY will continue to serve 

her community and her State and her Nation, but I know we 

will be hearing and seeing her more in some capacity of service, and I look forward to seeing where and in what capacity 

she finally decides to serve next. . . . 

Let me close by saying thank you again to our friends Senator Kirk, Senator Vitter, Senator Coats, and Senator 

AYOTTE for the indelible mark and contributions they made 

to the Senate and my sincere appreciation for how they have 

faithfully served our country. I am grateful for their friendship and wish them and their families well as they tackle 

new ventures ahead. 

Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, at the end of each Congress, it 

is a tradition for the Senate to pause for a moment to acknowledge and express our appreciation for the service of 

each Senator who will not be returning for the next session. 

One of those we will miss next year will be KELLY AYOTTE

of New Hampshire. 

During the past 6 years, those of us who had a chance to 

come to know and work with KELLY have been impressed 

with her dedication to the people of her home State, her involvement with the issues of concern to them, and her willingness to work with Members on both sides of the aisle to 

find solutions to the problems and concerns of the people of 

New Hampshire and America. 

There were at least three key steps that brought KELLY to 

the Senate after she earned her law degree from Villanova. 

First, she spent a year clerking for the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Then she spent the next part of her career in 

private practice. The third step brought her into the State 

attorney general’s office and then on to serve as New Hampshire’s attorney general. When Senator Judd Gregg announced his retirement, KELLY knew the time was right for 

her to pursue another goal. She decided to run for the Senate. 

It wasn’t easy, but those who doubted her underestimated 

KELLY’s innate political sense and her ability to reach the 

people of New Hampshire. In the end she brought about a 

closely fought but well-earned victory in the primary and a 

big win in the general election. 

KELLY came to Washington in 2010 and started working 

right away on a number of issues that she knew were a concern to the people back home. She made it clear that she 

[ 21 ] 

would fight for what was best for the people of her home 

State and worked hard on national security, veterans issues, 

health care, and substance abuse. She has also been a tireless advocate and an outstanding partner for me on the 

Budget Committee. 

I am sad to see KELLY leave the Senate at the end of this 

year, but if her past is any indication of her future, I think 

she will make good use of her talents, abilities, background, 

knowledge, and experience, in her future endeavors. I hope 

it is in some part of our government. There is no doubt that 

we need good people like KELLY to make this a better country for us all. 

I have a prediction to make about her future—we haven’t 

seen the last of KELLY AYOTTE. She has a lot more to give, 

and I think we are all looking forward to seeing it. 

KELLY, Diana joins me in sending our best wishes to you 

and your family, and our appreciation for your willingness to 

serve New Hampshire and the Nation. There are countless 

sayings about how politics isn’t for anyone but the brave and 

the resilient. I think your experience, especially this past 

year, has shown that you are more than tough enough for 

any career challenge. Good luck in whatever you choose to 

do next. Clearly, you specialize in making the world a better 

place and that is a win/win for us all—especially our children and grandchildren. 

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, today I wish to honor my 

dear friend and colleague from New Hampshire, Senator 

KELLY AYOTTE, who is departing from the Senate at the end 

of this year. Over the last 4 years, I have been consistently 

impressed with KELLY’s pragmatic approach to her role as a 

U.S. Senator. Time and time again, I have seen her be a 

strong advocate on behalf of her State and have admired her 

willingness to forge the tough, bipartisan compromises that 

our country needs. 

Senator AYOTTE started her career clerking for an associate justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. After 

about a year of clerking, she started practicing law. She 

eventually moved on to be a prosecutor for the New Hampshire attorney general’s office, quickly gaining experience 

and know-how to become the first female attorney general of 

her State—something we have in common. 

When I came to the Senate in 2013, KELLY and I were the 

only female former attorneys general in the Chamber at the 

time. She had been elected to her first term 2 years before 

me, so as new Senators, we bonded through our common exVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:40 Jun 05, 2017 Jkt 098900 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE16\23048.TXT KAYNE
[ 22 ] 

perience that later pushed us to pass laws and create real 

change. Our shared knowledge of the issues, dedication, and 

common interests led us to become good friends. I am also 

proud to say that our relationship extended beyond the Senate Chamber, as we played together on the congressional 

women’s softball team. 

KELLY and I worked with each other to make real and substantial progress on many issues using common sense and 

our desire to do what is best for our States and the country. 

We both came to the Senate with an understanding of rural 

America. As the wife of a small business owner, KELLY understands the real life implications policy can have on small 

businesses, which she displayed as we worked together on 

the Small Business Committee. We also sat next to each 

other on the dais for 4 years as we served together on the 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. 

Her commitment to keeping our Nation safe shined through 

time and time again as our committee worked on border security, cybersecurity, and improving our Federal Government’s efficiency and effectiveness. 

Together we passed two bills, one of which has been signed 

into law and the other which awaits the President’s signature. The first was the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act, which created a commemorative coin to help 

fund the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s efforts to 

fight breast cancer. Her dedication to help the one in eight 

women who will develop invasive breast cancer over the 

course of their lifetimes will not be forgotten. The second bill 

was the Northern Border Security Review Act to ensure that 

our Nation’s Northern border gets the attention and resources it needs to keep our communities safe. I am extremely proud to have worked with her on these issues. 

Senator AYOTTE has been an outstanding public servant 

for the people of New Hampshire and this country. I know 

that she is proud of her accomplishments in her time as a 

Senator, and I am proud to be a part of some of those accomplishments. The women’s softball team will definitely miss 

her because, let’s face it, she is a better softball player than 

I am. I know KELLY will continue to be a champion for New 

Hampshire no matter what she does. Since we each have 

taken our turns in the batting cages, we never step down 

from the plate. I guess imitation truly is the best form of 

flattery. I truly wish her the best. 

[ 23 ] 

FRIDAY, December 9, 2016 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR. . . . Madam President, I will close my 

remarks by turning to some of our retiring Senators and 

speaking briefly on each one of them. . . . 

I would also like to add that, of the Republican Senators 

who are leaving, I have enjoyed a very strong working relationship with Senator AYOTTE. She and I have worked together on opioids. We have worked together a lot on the 

issue of the eating disorder bill. I am glad that in her final 

weeks in the Senate, we have been able to pass that important legislation that embraced so many of her priorities. 

Mr. MCCONNELL. . . . It goes without saying that keeping 

the Capitol running is a vast undertaking. It requires a passion for service, round-the-clock work, and great sacrifice by 

everyone employed. The legislative process simply wouldn’t 

be possible without the dedicated work of so many. On behalf 

of the Senate, I would like to acknowledge their efforts and 

say thank you to the following: 

To my leadership team for their wise counsel; to our committee chairs and ranking members for so much great work 

over the past 2 years; to the many colleagues in both parties 

for working so hard to make this Senate a success; and, to 

those we are saying farewell to—Senators Coats, Boxer, Mikulski, Reid, Vitter, Kirk, and AYOTTE—for your service to 

our country, I say thank you. . . . 

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, in the U.S. Senate, seniority 

is the typical route to influence. As Senators serve longer, 

they typically acquire more powerful positions, more knowledge of how to work the levers of power, and more sway over 

their colleagues. Over the course of my time in the Senate, 

I have had the privilege to serve with 352 other Senators. 

While in my experience the longest serving ones on average 

do indeed tend to make the greatest impact, I have always 

been most impressed by the rare colleague that leaves an indelible mark after only a relatively short time in this body. 

KELLY AYOTTE is such a standout. 

KELLY came to this body well prepared to make a difference. As New Hampshire’s first—and, so far, only—female 

attorney general, she left her mark across a wide swath of 

law and policy, from prosecuting the infamous Dartmouth 

College murderers to successfully defending New Hampshire’s parental consent law before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

[ 24 ] 

As soon as she arrived here in 2011, the Senator from New 

Hampshire began to make her mark. Within a short period 

of time, publications like the New York Times and Politico 

began consistently referring to her as a rising star, and in 

2012, her name perennially surfaced as a contender for the 

Republican Vice Presidential nomination. 

How did KELLY gain such recognition so quickly? The answer is simple: through good old-fashioned hard work. From 

her first day in the Senate, she hit the ground running. The 

wife of an Air Force combat veteran, she joined the Armed 

Services Committee and poured her heart and soul into its 

work. It took little time for her to become one of the most 

powerful voices on the committee. On issues as wide ranging 

as protecting our servicemembers from sexual assault to 

keeping dangerous terrorists detained at Guantanamo, she 

made a real difference, enhancing our national security and 

advocating for our men and women in uniform. 

While defense and security policy has proven her signature 

issue, KELLY’s influence extends across the board. From creating jobs to protecting our environment, she has proven an 

enormously effective advocate for families in New Hampshire 

and across America, willing to work across the aisle and 

buck her own party to do what she thinks is right for her 

State and the Nation. Her work to combat the opioid crisis 

merits particular praise. Both New Hampshire and Utah 

have been particularly hard hit by the rise in this dangerous 

trend of substance abuse, which has wreaked havoc in the 

lives of so many. KELLY made it her mission to do everything 

in her power to confront this challenge, resulting in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. This landmark legislation will make a real difference in the lives of so many in 

New Hampshire and across the Nation, and it will go down 

as one of the crown jewels of her legacy here in the Senate. 

While I am deeply saddened that KELLY will no longer be 

with us here in the Senate come January, I am comforted by 

the fact that her best years of service to her State and Nation lie ahead. After some well-deserved rest with her family, 

it is my sincerest hope that she will continue her public service. In whatever capacity she chooses to serve, she will always have a devoted supporter in me. 

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, much of the time here in the 

Senate, we are engaged in pretty fierce partisan battles. I 

would like to take a break from that for a moment and talk 

about the four Republican Senators who will not be back 

when the 115th Congress convenes next month. While we 

[ 25 ] 

may have different political philosophies and policy prescriptions, I respect and admire each of them, and I will miss 

working with all of them. 

Mr. President, Senator AYOTTE and I serve together on the 

Small Business Committee. I have seen first hand her commitment to helping small businesses in New Hampshire and 

across the Nation. She is like so many other Senators, past 

and present, from New England States: pragmatic and willing to reach across the aisle to get things done. 

Prior to her election to the Senate, KELLY AYOTTE served 

as the chief of New Hampshire’s homicide unit and deputy 

attorney general before she became the State’s first female 

attorney general in 2004. She was appointed to that position 

by a Republican Governor, but she was reappointed twice by 

a Democratic Governor. 

In the short span of one Senate term, Senator AYOTTE has 

become a respected voice on national security issues while 

serving on the Armed Services Committee and the Homeland 

Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Foreign Policy magazine listed Senator AYOTTE as one of the top 50 Republicans on international affairs. 

Senator AYOTTE comes from a military family and is married to an Iraq war veteran—Lieutenent Colonel Joe Daley— 

so she has been a staunch supporter of our men and women 

in uniform and their families. 

Senator AYOTTE has worked hard to give New Hampshire 

veterans more choices when it comes to health care since the 

State does not have a full-service Veterans Administration, 

VA, medical facility. To help veterans in New Hampshire’s 

North Country access care closer to home, she successfully 

pushed for the opening of VA clinics in Colebrook and Berlin. 

Senator AYOTTE has been a leader in the fight against 

opioid abuse and addiction, helping Congress to pass the 

Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, CARA, to improve prevention and treatment, support those in recovery, 

and ensure first responders have the tools they need. She 

helped to pass legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against 

Women Act, crack down on sexual assault in the military, 

make college campuses safer, and improve mental health 

first aid training and suicide prevention programs. 

Senator AYOTTE has followed in the footsteps of other Republican Senators from New England, such as Robert Stafford of Vermont and John Chafee of Rhode Island, who are 

true conservatives when it comes to the environment. She 

crossed party lines to vote for Federal clean air rules that 

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protect New Hampshire’s air and water from cross-state pollution and to deploy the best available technology to reduce 

pollution from energy production. She helped pass the Better 

Buildings Act to encourage greater energy efficiency in commercial buildings, and she has been a strong supporter of the 

Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has helped protect thousands of acres in New Hampshire. 

I have enjoyed working with Senator AYOTTE and send my 

best wishes to her and her husband, Joe, and their children 

Katherine and Jacob. 

Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, as this eventful 114th Congress draws to a close, today I wish to honor a number of our 

colleagues who will be ending their service in the Senate. I 

was a newcomer to the Senate at the beginning of this Congress and the only Democrat in the freshman Senate class 

of 2014. I am eternally grateful for the guidance and wisdom 

of my fellow Senators, particularly those with decades of experience fighting for the American people. Constituents, colleagues, and historians will recount their accomplishments 

for years to come, but I will take a few minutes now to convey some brief words of praise and gratitude. . . . 

Mr. President, I also had the pleasure of serving with Senator KELLY AYOTTE on the Senate Committees on Small 

Business, Commerce, and Homeland Security and Government Affairs. She has been a pragmatic partner on legislation as varied as the Northern Border Security Review Act, 

which will strengthen American security at the Northern 

border with Canada, and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Improvement Act, which would expand a publicprivate partnership to help businesses get their products to 

market. We also introduced the Pet and Women Safety Act 

to protect victims of domestic violence from emotional trauma caused by acts or threats of violence against their pets. 

I respect Senator AYOTTE’s dedication to these issues. As a 

father, I also admire Senator AYOTTE’s great work raising 

two young children while in the Senate. I wish her family all 

the best in their next adventure. . . . 

It has been a privilege to work with such talented and 

committed colleagues. I wish them all the best in this next 

chapter of their lives and thank them for their work. Thank 

you. 

ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENTS 

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 

that there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of 

[ 27 ] 

materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to retiring Members of the 114th Congress, and an additional Senate document a compilation of materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the President of the Senate, Joe 

Biden, and that Members have until Tuesday, December 20, 

to submit such tributes. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

ORDER FOR PRINTING 

Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 

that any tributes submitted by December 20, 2016, as authorized by the order of December 10, 2016, be printed in the 

January 3, 2017, Congressional Record of the 114th Congress. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Æ