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TRIBUTES TO HON. LINCOLN D. CHAFEE 

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Lincoln D. Chafee 

U.S. SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
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Lincoln D. Chafee 


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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2007

S. DOC. 109–28 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Lincoln D. Chafee 

United States Senator 

1999–2007 

÷ 

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Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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CONTENTS 

Page 

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

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee ............................................... 5 

Allen, George, of Virginia .......................................................... 6 

Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky ....................................................... 22 

Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia ............................................. 8 

Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York .................................... 15 

Collins, Susan M., of Maine ...................................................... 23 

Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota ................................................. 14 

DeWine, Mike, of Ohio ............................................................... 16 

Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut ....................................... 17 

Dole, Elizabeth, of North Carolina ........................................... 24 

Durbin, Richard, of Illinois ........................................................ 7 

Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin ............................................ 10 

Frist, William H., of Tennessee ................................................ 23 

Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska ........................................................ 3 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 18 

Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas ............................................... 22 

Kyl, Jon, of Arizona ................................................................... 16 

Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana ............................................... 15 

Levin, Carl, of Michigan ............................................................ 19 

Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland .......................................... 16 

Nelson, Bill, of Florida ............................................................... 6 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 4 

Salazar, Ken, of Colorado .......................................................... 3, 7 

Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine .................................................... 20 

Stevens, Ted, of Alaska ............................................................. 23 

Warner, John, of Virginia .......................................................... 11 

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Biography 

Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE represented Rhode Island with 

dignity, integrity, and compassion and was an unwavering 

advocate for Rhode Island’s interests in the U.S. Senate. He 

believes firmly in the bedrock Republican principles of personal freedom, individual responsibility, fiscal discipline, and 

a common sense approach to foreign policy. Senator CHAFEE

emerged as a leader on environmental issues and foreign policy, and has promoted sensible economic and energy policies. 

Senator CHAFEE fought to raise air quality standards, 

strengthen our homeland security, and ensure that Rhode Island got its fair share of Federal funding. With 20 years of 

experience in Rhode Island politics and a reputation for taking on the tough issues, LINCOLN CHAFEE demonstrated that 

great work is accomplished when our leaders have the courage to govern from the center. 

Born in Providence, RI, on March 26, 1953, LINCOLN

CHAFEE attended Warwick Public Schools and Phillips Andover Academy. He earned a degree in classics from Brown 

University in 1975. While there, he was captain of the wrestling team and received the Francis M. Driscoll Award for 

leadership, scholarship, and athletics. 

Senator CHAFEE credits his independence, his traditional 

Republican beliefs, and his focus on getting results to the 

lessons he was taught by his parents, the late Senator John 

H. Chafee and his mother Virginia. Growing up in the Ocean 

State, he learned from his fellow Rhode Islanders values 

such as honesty, hard work, and respect for people of all 

backgrounds. 

He established a reputation as the most electorally successful leader in the State GOP. After working as a blacksmith at harness race tracks in the United States and Canada and in manufacturing management, CHAFEE entered politics in 1985 as a delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional 

Convention. A year later he was elected to the first of two 

successive terms on the Warwick City Council. 

In November 1992, LINCOLN CHAFEE became the first Republican elected mayor of Warwick in 32 years. As mayor, he 

was praised for his fair-minded and sensible approach to 

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government. Believing that the best solutions come from listening to all sides of an issue, CHAFEE worked with colleagues in both parties to promote open space development, 

raise the city’s bond rating, and improve Warwick’s schools. 

Voters embraced his prudent fiscal management, emphasis 

on environmental protection, and positive vision, re-electing 

him to the post in 1994, 1996, and 1998. CHAFEE was appointed by Governor Lincoln Almond in November 1999 to 

fill the unexpired Senate term of his late father. In November 2000, he was overwhelmingly elected to the U.S. Senate. 

A fierce deficit hawk and traditional Republican, Senator 

CHAFEE led the fight to promote responsible government 

spending, while supporting the end to the marriage tax penalty and an increase in the per child tax credit. In addition 

to easing tax burdens, he promoted business growth in 

Rhode Island and throughout the Nation. Because of his 

work in championing economic development and job growth, 

the United States Chamber of Commerce awarded him the 

‘‘Spirit of Enterprise’’ award. LINCOLN CHAFEE’s efforts to 

promote fiscal responsibility through a pay-as-you-go approach to the Federal budget and to cut unnecessary government spending have brought him further praise. His plan to 

secure our economic future is simple—any tax cut or increase in government spending must be accompanied by an 

equal spending cut or revenue increase. This will put a stop 

to the dangerous deficit spending that will only increase the 

tax burden on future generations. For his work, the bipartisan Concord Coalition named CHAFEE the most fiscally conservative Member of the Senate. 

From his key seat on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, CHAFEE secured more than $1 billion in Federal funding for Rhode Island to significantly enhance its transportation network, improve the safety of its 

roadways for commuters, and bring good paying construction 

jobs to the State. These transportation funds allowed for the 

construction of projects such as the Warwick Station and the 

Apponaug Bypass, enabling long-delayed improvements to 

the Warren and Pawtucket Bridges, and providing vital 

funding to tear down the former Jamestown Bridge. 

As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Fish, Wildlife and Water, Senator CHAFEE demonstrated that environmental protection is compatible with economic growth. He 

fought to strengthen air and water quality standards and to 

make polluters pay to clean up their industrial waste rather 

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than relying on taxpayer funds. Senator CHAFEE’s ‘‘Small 

Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization 

Act,’’ was a unique program that combined business development with environmental advocacy. Locally this legislation 

provided more than $6 million to clean up and redevelop contaminated land at the former Louttit Laundry site in Providence’s West End, at Johnson and Wales’ Harborside Campus, and at other sites. Senator CHAFEE received numerous 

honors for his dedication to environmental causes including 

the Environmental Business Council of New England’s Environmental Leadership Award, the National Brownfield Association Leadership Award, and the National Wetlands Inventory Congressional Conservation Award. 

Senator CHAFEE was committed to laying the groundwork 

so that our legacy to our children will be one of prosperity 

and promise. As Senator, CHAFEE led the way to expand access to health care and to encourage research on the causes 

of and cures for diseases such as cancer and heart disease. 

He voted again and again to increase funding for the National Institute of Health’s research into cures for diseases 

such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and has funded local 

projects at Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, and other institutions. For his work on behalf of health 

care and medical research, the Rhode Island Breast Cancer 

Coalition honored Senator CHAFEE for his leadership; he has 

also received the ‘‘Leading Light of Long Term Care’’ award 

for working to preserve quality nursing home care. 

Senator CHAFEE applied the same forward-looking approach to his work in crafting our Nation’s foreign policy. Respected for his broad and sensible views on foreign affairs, 

CHAFEE worked tirelessly to promote a rational and judicious 

approach to international relations as a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and as chairman of the 

Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs. He 

was a firm voice on issues ranging from the conflicts in Iraq 

and Afghanistan; to the need for humanitarian intervention 

in Liberia; to reaffirming America’s commitment to the Road 

Map for Peace between Israel and Palestine. He remained 

equally committed to ensuring that our national defense remained strong. As a member of the Committee on Homeland 

Security and Government Affairs, the Senator was instrumental in securing funding to strengthen and protect Rhode 

Island’s cities, towns, and ports. 

A devoted conservationist, Senator CHAFEE enjoys all outdoor activity. He is particularly fond of skiing, spending time 

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with his family, and trail riding on his horse Trapper. The 

Senator and his wife Stephanie are the proud parents of 

three children—Louisa, Caleb and Thea. 

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TRIBUTES 

TO 

LINCOLN D. CHAFEE 

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Proceedings in the Senate 

MONDAY, November 13, 2006 

Mr. SALAZAR. . . . I will say this as well. In the days 

ahead, we will hear many things about some of our colleagues, some of whom are newcomers to our institution, the 

U.S. Senate, and some of them who are leaving. For me, it 

is a sad day that Senator CHAFEE and Senator DeWine, who 

were members of the Gang of 14, will not be around to be 

a part of that future bipartisan coalition that we are going 

to have to have in the Senate. But I hope, on the side of both 

the Democrats and the Republicans, that there is a great 

number of Members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle 

who will come together to address those significant issues 

that face us as a country. . . . 

TUESDAY, December 5, 2006 

Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President . . . As we recognize, it is a distinct privilege and high honor to serve our country in any capacity, and certainly none higher than in uniform. But it is 

especially important that we recognize those who have given 

years of their lives, sacrificing their families, their own time, 

to help make a better world for all of us. I know of no capacity in which we serve our country that has given those who 

have had this rare opportunity to serve in the Senate anything more noble than trying to shape a better world from 

this Senate. 

These individuals who will leave the Senate, some on their 

own terms, some on the terms of the election, but, nonetheless, in their own specific way have contributed a great deal 

to this country. 

I take a few minutes to recognize each. . . . 

Senator LINC CHAFEE. Senator CHAFEE comes from a long 

line of public servants from the State of Rhode Island. The 

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ate in the 20th century. LINC picked up where his father left 

off. 

I had the opportunity to serve with Senator CHAFEE on the 

Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We sat next to each 

other for many years. He had a keen ability to cut through 

the fog, the nonsense, the superficial, the obsequious, and 

get to the real issues. We will miss that ability. We will miss 

that laser. I am sorry to see Senator CHAFEE leave. He will 

continue to serve his country in many areas as he has done 

before his service in the Senate. . . . 

Mr. President, in conclusion, it is not easy to put one’s self 

on the firing line and offer one’s self as a candidate for any 

office. It takes a certain amount of courage and, I suspect, 

a little dose of insanity. But nonetheless individuals who believe deeply enough to commit themselves to a cause greater 

than their own self-interests need to be recognized. Having 

nothing to do with me or you or any one individual, but it 

is the essence of our country, it is the very fabric of our democracy that makes it all work and probably gives rise to, 

more than any one reason, why we have been such a successful nation for over 200 years—because people from all walks 

of life, in every community, in every State, offer themselves 

for office. Whether it is a mayor, a Governor, city councilman, county official, a sheriff, these individuals deserve recognition. 

We all make mistakes. That is who we are. But in the end, 

it is not unlike what Teddy Roosevelt once referred to in his 

magnificent quote about the man in the arena. And it is the 

man and the woman in the arena who change our lives. It 

makes a better world that shapes history, that defines our 

destiny. And for these individuals who will no longer have 

that opportunity to serve our country in the Senate, we wish 

them well, we thank them, and we tell them we are proud 

of them and their families and wish them Godspeed. 

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

WEDNESDAY, December 6, 2006 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, this is an opportunity to recognize the service of several of our colleagues who are departing from the Senate. To Senator Jeffords, Senator Frist, Senator DeWine, Senator Talent, Senator Santorum, Senator 

Burns, and Senator Allen, let me express my appreciation for 

their service to their States and their service to the Nation 

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and wish them well. I particularly want to comment, though, 

on three colleagues with whom I have had the privilege of 

working very closely. . . . 

Let me also recognize my colleague from Rhode Island, 

Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE. Senator CHAFEE is an individual 

both with character and sincere devotion to our State and 

Nation, an honest, decent man who is always respectful, 

thoughtful, and fair-minded. He is someone with whom we 

are all proud to have served. He is someone in this House 

respected for his integrity and for his determination. 

He came to the Senate upon the passing of his father, Senator John H. Chafee, and picked up that tradition of service 

from his father. He was a great model to emulate, and Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE has done that. Like his father, he has 

concerned himself with issues of the environment through 

service on the Environment and Public Works Committee. 

He sought to improve our Nation’s water and air quality 

standards. His pivotal work to provide for the cleanup and 

redevelopment of brownfields is a commitment and accomplishment that I think will be recognized for many years to 

come. 

He has also tried to preserve our State of Rhode Island’s 

industrial, natural, and cultural history, and he has done it 

persistently. Let me applaud him for his dedicated service 

and wish him and his family well in the days ahead. . . . 

To all my colleagues who served and conclude their service, let me once again express deep appreciation for their 

friendship and for their service to the Nation. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, we are coming to the 

end of the session and 10 of our colleagues are retiring. I 

want to say a word about them . . . 

Or Senator LINC CHAFEE, also retiring, was a wrestler in 

college. He spent several years in the United States and 

Canada as a professional blacksmith before he got into politics. . . . 

When the most recent class of Senators was sworn into office nearly 2 years ago, in the gallery were three women. 

One was the grandmother of Barack Obama. She was from 

Kenya. One was the mother of Senator Salazar, a 10th generation American. One was the mother of Mel Martinez, the 

new Republican National Committee chairman, who, with 

her husband, put her son on an airplane when he was 14 

years old and sent him from Cuba to the United States, not 

knowing if she would ever see him again. 

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In a way, each one of us who is here is an accident. None 

of us knew we would be here. Each of us is privileged to 

serve, and one of the greatest privileges is to serve with our 

colleagues. We will miss them and we are grateful for their 

service. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, as the time for my departure 

from the Senate draws near, on behalf of the greatest blessing in my life, my wife Susan, and on behalf of myself, I 

thank all of my colleagues for their many courtesies and 

friendships that have been forged during the past 6 years. I 

offer a few concluding reflections about our time here together, as well as about the future of our Republic. . . . 

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I see others who 

wish to speak, and I will make a couple of brief comments. 

In the comments of the Senator from Virginia [Mr. Allen], 

his final couple of comments recalled for me a statement 

made in the closing of the Constitutional Convention in 

Philadelphia, when on the back of the chair of the presiding 

officer was a sunburst. Someone opined in that Constitutional Convention: Dr. Franklin, is that a rising sun or is it 

a setting sun? And Franklin ventured to say that with the 

birth of the new Nation, with the creation of the new Constitution, that he thought it was a rising sun. 

Indeed, it is that hope of which the Senator from Virginia 

has just spoken that motivates this Senator from Florida to 

get up and go to work every day, and to look at this Nation’s 

challenges, not as a Democratic problem or a Republican 

problem, but as an American problem, that needs to be 

solved in an American way instead of a partisan way. 

We have had far too much partisanship over the last several years across this land, and, indeed, in this Chamber 

itself. And of the Senators who are leaving this Chamber, I 

think they represent the very best of America, and on occasion have risen in a bipartisan way. It has been this Senator’s great privilege to work with these Senators: Allen of 

Virginia, Burns of Montana, CHAFEE of Rhode Island, Dayton of Minnesota, DeWine of Ohio, Frist of Tennessee, Jeffords of Vermont, Santorum of Pennsylvania, Sarbanes of 

Maryland, Talent of Missouri. 

As the Good Book in Ecclesiastes says: There is a time to 

be born and a time to die. There is a time to get up, and a 

time to go to bed. There is a time for a beginning, and there 

is a time of ending. 

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For these Senators who are leaving, it is clearly not an 

ending. It is an ending of this chapter in their lives, but this 

Senator from Florida wanted to come and express his appreciation for their public service, to admonish those where admonishment is needed when this Chamber, indeed, this Government, has gotten too partisan, but to express this Senator’s appreciation for the quiet moments of friendship and 

reflection and respect in working together, which is the glue 

that makes this Government run. 

Whether you call it bipartisanship, whether you call it 

friendship, whether you call it mutual respect, whatever you 

call it, the way you govern a nation as large and as complicated and as diverse as our Nation is—as the Good Book 

says: Come, let us reason together—that is what this Senator tries to be about. And that is what this Senator will try 

to continue to do in the new dawn of a new Congress. So I 

wanted to come and express my appreciation for those Senators who will not be here, for the great public service they 

have rendered. 

Mr. President, I am truly grateful for their personal 

friendship and for their public service. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. DURBIN. . . . Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE, a quiet voice 

of moderation from the State of Rhode Island, followed in the 

footsteps of his great father, John Chafee, with whom I was 

honored to serve. Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE time and again 

would stand independently and express his views and his 

conscience. He was the only Republican of the 23 Senators 

who voted against the Iraqi war resolution. . . . 

I wish all of my colleagues who are retiring well as they 

begin the next chapters of their careers. 

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell 

to several of my friends here in Washington. Too often we 

get caught up here in the back-and-forth of politics and lose 

sight of the contributions of those with whom we work every 

day. It is only at moments such as these, at the end of a 

cycle, that we have a moment to reflect on the contributions 

of our colleagues. And while we may not always see eye to 

eye, this Senate is losing several admirable contributors who 

have made many sacrifices to serve our democracy. . . . 

A number of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 

will be departing in January, as well. There is our colleague 

from Virginia, Senator Allen, who wears, in my opinion, the 

second best pair of boots in the Senate. There is Senator 

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Santorum of Pennsylvania, whose passion is admirable and 

whose energy is always enviable. Also leaving us is my colleague in the centrist Gang of 14 that helped bring this Senate back from the abyss; Senator DeWine of Ohio, who will 

head back to the Buckeye State with my respect and admiration; and my friend Senator Talent from Missouri, with 

whom I spent many hours in the Agriculture Committee 

working to level the playing field for America’s farmers and 

ranchers. We will miss Senator CHAFEE of Rhode Island’s 

independence and his clear voice for fiscal discipline in 

Washington. And we will miss Senator Burns of Montana, 

who shares my passion for rural America and who is headed 

home to Big Sky Country, back to the Rockies that I know 

we both miss so much. . . . 

America, when held to its finest ideals, is more than a 

place on the globe or a work in progress. It is the inspiration 

to those around the world and here at home to seek out excellence within themselves and their beliefs. It has been a 

pleasure to work alongside each of these gentlemen, who 

have helped me as I have found my way, sometimes literally, 

through the halls of the Senate, in the pursuit of these greater ideals that we all share: security, prosperity, and an 

America that we leave better than when we arrived. These 

ideals will resonate here long after we all are gone and another generation stands in our place making the decisions of 

its day. 

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, in his Pulitzer Prize winning 

book, ‘‘Profiles in Courage,’’ Senator John F. Kennedy 

extolled the virtues of political courage. ‘‘Surely, in the 

United States of America, where brother once fought brother,’’ Senator Kennedy wrote, ‘‘we do not judge a man’s bravery under fire by examining the banner under which he 

fought.’’

For 7 years I have watched and admired the courage of 

Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE, who sits on the other side of the 

aisle, and who will be leaving us at the end of the 109th 

Congress. 

I have watched and admired his firm stands against his 

own political party, the Senate leadership, and the Presidential administration as he followed the dictates of his conscience. ‘‘A man does what he must,’’ wrote Senator Kennedy, ‘‘in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles 

and dangers and pressures—and that is the basis of all 

human morality.’’ This was the basis of Senator CHAFEE’s 

tenure in the Senate. 

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Senator CHAFEE was appointed to the Senate in 1999 upon 

the death of his father, the beloved and respected Senator 

John Chafee. He immediately proved himself to be, to use an 

old cliche, a ‘‘chip off the old block.’’ Senator LINCOLN

CHAFEE proved himself to be a Senator of immense integrity, 

great dignity, and high principle. And, like his father, he 

proved himself a Senator of incredible courage. 

He was the first Senate Republican to oppose the Bush tax 

cuts in 2001. 

He was a Senator who helped preserve the Senate as the 

institution that was planned and handed down to us by the 

Framers of our Constitution, and all the great lawmakers 

who served in this Chamber before us. Senator CHAFEE was 

one of the seven Republicans who composed the so-called 

Gang of 14 that was ready to block the majority leader’s use 

of the ‘‘nuclear option’’ that would have destroyed the U.S. 

Senate as a unique and sacred institution by curtailing the 

ability of the minority to filibuster. 

I, of course, will always remember, admire, and appreciate 

Senator CHAFEE as the only Senate Republican to vote 

against the Iraqi war resolution. He was one of the immortal 

23 Members of this Chamber who stood against popular 

opinion, stood up to the President of the United States, and 

threw himself against the forces of war in voting against the 

resolution to launch an unprecedented military assault on 

Iraq. If only there had been more Senators like him, we 

would not find ourselves in a bloody quagmire in Iraq. 

In voting against the war resolution, Senator CHAFEE was 

determined not to hand over to President Bush, or any President, the power to declare war. That power, according to our 

Constitution, belongs to the Congress. With his firm belief in 

our constitutional doctrines of the separation of powers and 

checks and balances, Senator CHAFEE opposed many of the 

worst provisions of President Bush’s efforts to create an all 

powerful Department of Homeland Security. He opposed, for 

example, the administration’s plan to reduce the civil service 

protections and dissolve the collective bargaining rights of 

Federal employees in the newly created agency. 

Although he will soon be leaving Congress, there is a 

bright side. Senator CHAFEE will now have more time to 

spend with his wife Stephanie and their three children and 

to ride his horse Trapper. I wish all of them happiness and 

success in their future endeavors, and many happy hours in 

the saddle. . . . 

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Mr. FEINGOLD. . . . Mr. President, today I wish to thank 

LINCOLN CHAFEE for his 7 years of service in the Senate and 

to recognize the many contributions he has made during his 

time in this body. Senator CHAFEE is a soft-spoken man, but 

he has not been afraid to take courageous stands, even when 

that meant standing alone in his own party. From the moment he arrived in the Senate, it was clear that Senator 

CHAFEE would not only honor his father’s outstanding legacy 

but that he would become a respected leader in his own 

right. 

Working with him on so many issues over the last several 

years, I have come to know Senator CHAFEE well and to appreciate just how dedicated he is to serving the people of 

Rhode Island and the people of this great Nation. 

I don’t know anyone in this body more committed to fiscal 

responsibility than LINCOLN CHAFEE. He is absolutely as 

tough as they come on that issue, and he was tireless about 

holding Congress’s feet to the fire. On pay-as-you-go legislation, on the congressional pay raise, and on so many issues, 

Senator CHAFEE demanded that Congress take fiscal responsibility seriously when it counted and not simply pay lip 

service to the issue when it is convenient. It has been a 

pleasure to work with him on this issue, and I am grateful 

for his efforts. 

Senator CHAFEE has been a strong supporter of campaign 

finance reform and of environmental protection and conservation, and I appreciate his work on those critical issues. 

Before I close, I also want to recognize Senator CHAFEE’s 

vote against the war in Iraq, which is one of the most courageous votes I have seen cast during my time here in the Senate. That was a hard vote for many Members of this body, 

but to be the only Member of his party to oppose the war 

must have been especially difficult. But, as always, Senator 

CHAFEE did what he thought was right, and we have seen 

just how right he was to vote against this war, which has 

been so harmful to our national security. 

With every vote he has cast and every position he has 

taken, Senator CHAFEE has conducted himself with the utmost integrity and earned his colleagues’ utmost respect. 

While he and I certainly haven’t agreed on every issue, I always appreciate his thoughtful approach to our work here 

and his strong commitment to the highest ideals in public 

service. I know that the work he has done here has made a 

lasting mark on our Nation for many years to come. I will 

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miss serving with him in the Senate, and I wish him all the 

best. . . . 

THURSDAY, December 7, 2006 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I have had the privilege of 

being here for the 28th year beginning shortly. I calculated 

not long ago that I have served with 261 individuals. I am 

not about to try and review all of the many magnificent 

friendships I am privileged to have through these years. Indeed, if one looks at the rewards, of which there are many 

serving in this historic institution, the Senate, it is the personal bonds, the friendships that we so firmly cement and 

that will last a lifetime as a consequence of our duties of 

serving the United States of America and in our respective 

States. 

We are called ‘‘United States’’ Senators. I often believe it 

is the first obligation, our Nation, the Republic for which it 

stands. . . . 

I would also like to pay tribute to nine other U.S. Senators 

who will retire from the Senate in the coming days. . . . 

Now, I would like to take a few moments to salute our majority leader, Senator Frist, as well as Senators CHAFEE, 

Burns, Santorum, DeWine, Jeffords, Talent, and Dayton. 

Each and every one of these U.S. Senators has served his 

State and his country with great distinction. 

Without a doubt, I could speak at-length in honor of each 

of these outstanding individuals. In light of time constraints, 

however, and the fact that so many of my colleagues wish to 

similarly pay tribute, I shall endeavor to keep my remarks 

brief. . . . 

Now, I will speak a few words about our colleague LINCOLN CHAFEE. I have known the Chafee family for many 

years, and count the late John Chafee and his wife Virginia 

as my dearest friends. 

The year was 1969, this country was engulfed in a war in 

Vietnam, and I was privileged to be asked to serve as Under 

Secretary of the Navy. I was told that the Secretary of the 

Navy, who would be my boss one step up, would be a man 

named John Chafee, former Governor of the State of Rhode 

Island. 

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ruary outside the Pentagon, shook hands, and walked upstairs. And there we were greeted by the Commandant of the 

Marine Corps and the Chief of Naval Operations. 

Chafee turned to me, and he said: You know, the Navy 

and the Marine Corps constitute almost a million uniformed 

men and women. It was that large in the height of the war 

in Vietnam. And he said: Here we are, a couple of lowly captains, and now it is our responsibility. Let’s square our jaws 

and stick out our chins, get this job done, and provide the 

leadership that these men and women of the Armed Forces 

so richly deserve. 

John Chafee was an absolute teacher and mentor of mine 

in every way during those years we worked together in the 

Department of Defense. He would take his trip to Vietnam. 

I would stay back and man the store. He would return, and 

I would take my trip. We had problems throughout the 

world. It was in the middle of the cold war with the Soviet 

Union. John Chafee was a magnificent man. He had been 

Governor of the State of Rhode Island three times, and he 

was a magnificent leader of the men and women of the 

Armed Forces. 

He decided that he was going to move on and consider 

running for the Senate, and resigned, and I succeeded him 

then as Secretary. But I never lost the feeling that he was 

right there, should I need him to help carry out my duties. 

And then, as luck and good fortune would have it, he came 

to the Senate, and not too many years thereafter I came to 

the Senate and once again joined him. 

I will never forget my first day in the Senate he came up 

to me and said: Do you remember I was Secretary and you 

were Under Secretary? I said: Yes, sir. He said: Well, that’s 

the way it’s going to be here for a while. You listen to what 

I say and what I do, and I will give you some advice as we 

go along. 

That was the kind of man he was. I never heard him 

speak a harsh word about any other colleague. But he 

achieved his special niche in this institution through his absolute love for the environment as well as the men and 

women of the Armed Forces. Those were the two things on 

which he worked. And as luck would have it, his son came 

to join us, and he has so many of those magnificent attributes of his father and his mother. An absolutely magnificent human being, his mother, and all his family, as a matter of fact. 

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It is my honor to share with my colleagues some of the important accomplishments of LINCOLN CHAFEE during his 7 

years as a Member of this body, and to personally express 

my appreciation for his service to our country. 

Senator LINC CHAFEE came to the Senate from local government serving on the city council and later as mayor of 

Warwick. I believe it is this experience of leading a major 

city that solidified his commitment to fiscal responsibility. In 

his service in the Senate he was steadfast in his belief to restore controls on the Federal budget and to promote responsible Government spending. 

We were privileged to serve together on the Committee on 

Environment and Public Works where he quickly became a 

skilled legislator. He successfully authored legislation to 

stimulate the redevelopment of brownfield areas previously 

contaminated by hazardous waste, that plague our urban 

areas. This law is already producing results in improving 

neighborhoods and bringing new industries back to urban 

areas. 

Senator CHAFEE was also a leading voice in fostering bipartisanship in the Senate, and was an active member of our 

informal group of Senators known as the Gang of 14. We 

were a group of seven Republicans and seven Democrats, but 

we had no formal standing in the Senate. We would meet 

regularly to share our thoughts on judicial nominees pending 

on the Senate calendar to ensure that the Senate could continue its responsibilities under article II, section 2, of the 

U.S. Constitution—the advice and consent clause. Senator 

CHAFEE was an integral part of this effort which allowed 

candid and respectful discussions of the qualifications of individuals to serve in the Federal judiciary and prevented the 

continued use of party-led filibusters on judicial nominees 

except in extraordinary circumstances. 

LINC CHAFEE will be remembered in this institution for his 

independence. We all fight to try to maintain that independence. We are respectful of our party leadership. We are respectful of our party affiliations. We know the demands of 

our State. But there are times when we feel we must act and 

make decisions that reflect our own innermost feelings of 

independence, and LINCOLN CHAFEE will be remembered for 

that. 

As Senator CHAFEE prepares to depart the Senate, I thank 

him for his meaningful contributions to the Senate, and wish 

him, his wife Stephanie, and his children, Louisa, Caleb and 

Thea, ‘‘fair winds and following seas.’’ . . . 

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In conclusion, over the years I have served with each of 

these 10 Senators, each has not only been a trusted colleague, each has also been my friend. I will miss serving 

with each of them in the Senate but know that each will continue in public service in some capacity. I wish each and 

every one of them well in the years ahead. 

Mr. President, I see a number of colleagues here anxious 

to speak, and I have taken generously of the time the Presiding Officer has allowed me to speak. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. CONRAD. . . . Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute to Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE. Senator CHAFEE has served 

the people of Rhode Island well. He has distinguished himself in a number of important policy areas, including 

strengthening environmental protections and strengthening 

our national security. 

I most appreciated his efforts to promote fiscal responsibility. Senator CHAFEE has been steadfastly committed to 

sound government budget policies. While he supported easing tax burdens for families by ending the marriage tax penalty and increasing the child tax credit, he had the courage 

to oppose irresponsible, budget-busting measures that, while 

politically popular, have resulted in huge fiscal deficits and 

an unsustainable increase in the Federal debt. 

Senator CHAFEE has also been an unwavering supporter of 

reinstating pay-as-you-go constraints on the Federal budget 

first implemented by President Bush’s father in 1990. Under 

those rules, any tax cut or increase in Government spending 

must be accompanied by an equal spending cut or revenue 

increase. 

I also appreciated Senator CHAFEE’s commitment to bipartisanship. He understands that reaching across the aisle and 

working together more often than not results in better decisions and better, longer lasting policy solutions. His efforts 

were not always appreciated by those in charge over the last 

couple of years. But those of us who worked closely with him 

know his commitment is genuine and his word is good. 

I was pleased to welcome Senator CHAFEE to the Senate 

in 1999 when he was appointed to fill the seat of his late father. I had the pleasure of working often with John Chafee. 

We were both members of the Senate Finance Committee. I 

was not surprised to find that the son, like his father, was 

tough but fair-minded and a man of strong principle. 

Senator CHAFEE brought a unique set of skills to the Senate. A native Rhode Islander, he earned a B.A. in classics 

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from Brown University and was captain of the wrestling 

team. Instead of following immediately in his father’s footsteps, however, he initially worked as a blacksmith at harness racetracks in the United States and Canada and later 

in manufacturing management. These experiences gave him 

a great deal of respect for working people and helped him 

build a strong sense of independence and plain old common 

sense. 

It is also clear that Senator CHAFEE never forgets his other 

important job. As a father of three school-aged children, he 

often reminds his colleagues to consider the impact of our decisions on the next generation. Whether he is working to preserve fragile wetlands in his beloved home State, helping 

strengthen our homeland security, or preventing massive 

debts from accruing, he talks often about our responsibility 

to our children. 

Senator CHAFEE has served the State of Rhode Island with 

integrity and compassion. He will be missed. . . . 

Mrs. CLINTON. . . . Finally, I also wish the very best to 

my Republican colleagues who will leave the Senate at the 

conclusion of this Congress. The Senate, at its best, is a body 

that promotes bipartisanship, deliberation, and cooperation, 

and the dedication to shared values. It has been a privilege 

to work with my departing colleagues on the other side of 

the aisle. 

FRIDAY, December 8, 2006 

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I have a few more minutes before the 10:30 vote, and I take this time to say a few 

words about some of my colleagues who are retiring. We had 

a good bit of time yesterday devoted to their tremendous contributions, and as each of us, the 100 of us, do know each 

other pretty well, I have come to the floor to say a few things 

about several of the colleagues I have had the distinct pleasure of working with very closely. . . . 

Mr. President, Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE of Rhode Island 

has been an independent voice for his State and the issues 

he believes in, regardless of partisan consideration. He will 

be missed by all of us. . . . 

To all of our retiring Members, I say thank you. Thank 

you for your efforts on behalf of my State when you were 

needed and thank you for your service to America. 

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Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I also will say a word about 

a couple of my colleagues who are leaving, and I will be 

brief. . . . 

Finally, LINCOLN CHAFEE. Although I mentioned Republicans in this list, I certainly don’t want to forget, of course, 

Paul Sarbanes, who will be leaving at the end of this year, 

and others in the House of Representatives with whom I 

served as well. I know we all move on at some time and that 

none of us is irreplaceable. But by the same token, these colleagues of ours who will be leaving will be missed and they 

will be remembered for their great service to the Senate, to 

their States, and to the United States of America. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. DEWINE. . . . I appreciate all the help Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has given me—a dear 

friend—especially when it came to passing my bills to improve the foster care and adoption system. I have worked 

with many Members of the Senate on this very important 

issue, foster care and adoption, including Senators Jay 

Rockefeller, Mary Landrieu, Larry Craig, Daniel Patrick 

Moynihan, John Chafee, Jesse Helms, Bill Roth, Jim Jeffords, Dan Coats. They all shared a passion for foster care 

children. They all shared a passion for the adoption issue. . . . 

Last year, I was extremely proud to be one of 14 bipartisan Members of this great body who decided to work together to break what had become a gridlock in the Senate 

over judicial nominations. In the grand tradition of the Senate, individuals from both political parties came together 

that time to solve a problem which threatened not only the 

judicial nomination process but was threatening to shut the 

Senate down completely. I want to thank my friends with 

whom I was proud to stand in that effort: John McCain, 

John Warner, Lindsey Graham, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, LINCOLN CHAFEE, Joe Lieberman, Senator Byrd, Ben 

Nelson, Mary Landrieu, Daniel Inouye, Mark Pryor, and Ken 

Salazar. They got it done. . . . 

Mr. President, I want to wish the best to all of my fellow 

Senators who were defeated this fall or who are retiring this 

year—Senators Frist, Santorum, Talent, Burns, Allen, 

CHAFEE, Dayton, and Jeffords. They are all good people and 

all good friends. I wish them well. . . . 

Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I want to say something 

about my departing colleagues on the other side of the aisle. 

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To my colleague from Rhode Island, I thank the Senator. 

In all actions it has been a tone of civility. We have always 

sought common ground. I express my gratitude for the Senator’s service to Rhode Island. . . . 

A lot is said about changing the tone, but when we hit the 

right tone we also hit some pretty high notes. I thank my 

colleagues and wish them well and Godspeed until we meet 

again. 

Mr. DODD. . . . Mr. President, today I pay tribute to my 

departing colleagues who have, for a time, lent their talents, 

their convictions, and their hard work to this distinguished 

body. I may have had my disagreements with them, but the 

end of a term is a time for seeing colleagues not simply as 

politicians, but as partners who have ‘‘toiled, and wrought, 

and thought with me.’’ Each, in his own way, was distinctive; 

and each, in his own way, will be sorely missed. . . . 

Next, I would like to send my best wishes to Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE. Senator CHAFEE and I have a fair bit in common: we are both lifelong New Englanders, and we both had 

Senators for fathers. After completing his undergraduate 

studies at Brown University, and while many of his colleagues were busy studying law or political science, LINCOLN

CHAFEE studied horseshoeing. I imagine he is the only modern Senator to have worked as a professional farrier for 7 

years. And while Senator CHAFEE eventually took up the 

family business and went into politics, he has always retained the humility and good humor that so often come to 

those who spend time working with their hands. 

Senator CHAFEE was a popular mayor of Warwick, RI, and 

on the death of his father, Senator John Chafee, was appointed to fill out the remainder of the term. He was elected 

in his own right in 2000, and has served a total of 7 years 

in the upper House, cementing a reputation as an independent thinker and one of his State’s most popular politicians. 

I especially enjoyed serving alongside Senator CHAFEE on 

the Foreign Relations Committee. He was a welcome travel 

partner. On trips to Latin America, it was always reassuring 

to have a familiar New England accent at my side. On a 

more serious note, I have come to respect Senator CHAFEE’s 

courage and principle, especially on the matter of John 

Bolton’s nomination as U.N. Ambassador. Senator CHAFEE

spoke out in favor of competent diplomatic representation at 

the United Nations. Because of his efforts, we are closer to 

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the day when our representative at the world body will work 

to win respect from the world, not alienation. 

On that issue and many others, Senator CHAFEE was 

never afraid to put his beliefs ahead of party pressure. He 

has voted to support stem cell research and a responsible 

exit strategy in Iraq; and his strong environmental record, 

including opposition to oil drilling in the Alaska National 

Wildlife Reserve, has earned him the endorsement of prominent conservationist groups. 

We will miss his independent mind and his true Yankee 

spirit. I wish all the best to Senator CHAFEE and his wife, 

Stephanie. . . . 

Mr. HATCH. . . . Mr. President, I am grateful for the opportunity to take a few moments to recognize the service and 

devotion to the U.S. Senate by my colleague and friend, Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE of Rhode Island. 

A true Rhode Islander, LINCOLN CHAFEE was born in Providence, attended a Warwick public school, and earned a degree from Brown University, where he captained the wrestling team. As an avid horse enthusiast, he attended the 

horseshoeing school at Montana State University and 

worked as a blacksmith at harness racetracks in the United 

States and Canada, but only a handful of years slipped by 

before he returned to his home in Rhode Island. 

LINCOLN then entered politics in 1985 as a delegate to the 

Rhode Island Constitutional Convention. A year later he was 

elected to the first of two successive terms on the Warwick 

City Council. In November 1992, LINCOLN became the first 

Republican elected mayor of Warwick in 32 years—and, with 

his positive vision, he so won over the hearts and minds of 

voters that he was reelected for another three terms in a reliably Democratic city. He held the mayoral post until appointed by Governor LINCOLN Almond in November 1999 to 

fill the unexpired Senate term of his late father, John 

Chafee. In November 2000, he was overwhelmingly elected 

to the U.S. Senate. 

As I, LINCOLN has a great interest in policy that affects 

the health of our Nation’s people, and I am proud to have 

had the honor of working with him on a number of initiatives that made Americans healthier. 

I admire LINCOLN for taking a stand on stem cell research. 

He has supported important legislation and joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in calling on President Bush to expand the Federal policy on embryonic stem cell research. 

Senator CHAFEE and I share similar views on this issue: he 

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is opposed to any cloning with the intention of creating a 

human life but strongly supports legislation that would allow 

stem cell researchers to use excess embryos which were created for in vitro fertilization purposes and would otherwise 

be discarded. I respect and appreciate his courage to stand 

up for his convictions in the face of such a controversial 

issue. 

LINCOLN has been a champion for breast cancer research 

since his arrival in the Senate in 1999. I am pleased to be 

an original cosponsor of his Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act, which would make Federal grants 

available for the development and operation of eight national 

centers that would conduct research on how environmental 

factors may contribute to the causes of breast cancer. In recognition of his outstanding leadership in this arena, LINCOLN

has been honored by the National Breast Cancer Coalition 

and also presented with the Avon Foundation Pink Ribbon 

Crusader Award. 

Senator CHAFEE has been a leader in the fight to reauthorize and maintain adequate funding for the State Children’s 

Health Insurance Program—also called CHIP. I worked very 

closely with his father to write that law in 1997. I recognize 

that LINCOLN is also dedicated to the goal of this program, 

which is to provide health insurance to low-income, uninsured children, and I thank him for his diligent efforts. We 

have worked tirelessly to ensure that funding continues to 

make the program available for these children. 

Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE is a great man, a loyal Rhode Islander, and a great American. I thank and commend him for 

all his selfless work. His contributions have made his State 

and the whole country significantly better than before his arrival in Washington. We will all miss his presence here in 

the U.S. Senate, but I doubt we have seen the last of LINCOLN CHAFEE in the way of public service. I wish him and 

his family health, happiness, and the best of luck in all future endeavors. . . . 

Mr. LEVIN. . . . Mr. President, as this session of Congress 

comes to a close, I want to take a moment to pay tribute to 

my friend LINCOLN CHAFEE. 

Following in the footsteps of his late father, John, Senator 

CHAFEE has been a voice of moderation and civility in the 

Senate. In a time of increasing partisanship, Senator 

CHAFEE has been a bridge between the parties and to an earlier era of less divisive politics. He votes his conviction and 

his conscience, not just a party line. 

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Senator CHAFEE’s legacy will be defined by his leadership 

on environmental protection and fiscal responsibility. On 

both, he has had a forward-looking approach, grounded in 

common sense, for which our grandchildren will be grateful. 

Senator CHAFEE has been a true champion for conservation, fighting for clean air, clean water, and a healthier environment. He has been willing to stand up to the administration when he believes it is wrong, including opposing the administration’s energy bill, its weak regulations on mercury, 

and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. For the 

past several years, Senator CHAFEE has led an effort with 

Senator Jeffords and me to fully fund the EPA Brownfields 

Program, which would accelerate the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites, protecting human health, and creating jobs. Senator CHAFEE is a member of the Senate’s 

Smart Growth Task Force, which promotes growth and development that protects the environment and preserves critical habitats. 

LINCOLN CHAFEE has also been a strong voice for fiscal discipline. He has repeatedly opposed reckless tax cuts and supported pay-as-you-go budget rules to bring the budget back 

into balance. The bipartisan Concord Coalition has recognized him for his fiscal responsibility. 

LINCOLN CHAFEE has also been an important voice on foreign affairs. He took a courageous stand in 2002 as the lone 

Republican to vote against the Iraq war authorization, and 

he has served well as the chairman of the Near Eastern and 

South Asian Affairs Subcommittee of the Foreign Relations 

Committee. 

I want to close by noting that LINCOLN CHAFEE remains 

widely respected and admired in Rhode Island, as well as 

among his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Senate. 

His father would have been very proud of how well LINCOLN

CHAFEE has served the people of Rhode Island. 

I thank him for his service to our country and wish him 

and his wife Stephanie all the best. . . . 

Ms. SNOWE. . . . Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute 

to my great friend, Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE, a public servant who exemplifies the idea that superior governance depends on people of good will working for the common good—

together. He epitomizes the New England pragmatism in 

government that sees not weakness but strength in reaching 

across the aisle to build consensus and make the system 

work for those it was formed to serve. 

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When I consider Senator CHAFEE’s tenure, I cannot help 

but think how he has so successfully forged his own pathway 

and legacy of exceptional service in the U.S. Senate, while 

honoring the formidable contributions of his extraordinary 

father, John Chafee. Senator CHAFEE has brought levelheaded leadership on myriad issues critical to our progress 

as a people, always with vigilant and careful attention to his 

beloved Ocean State of Rhode Island. 

He has been a stalwart colleague and friend in our mutual 

cause to revitalize and advance the political center, in our 

concerted effort to answer the challenges facing our Nation 

by producing not rancor but results, not acrimony but accord. 

His loss not only diminishes the Senate but is also a loss for 

the country because we need more voices seeking to craft 

compromise and consensus to forge solutions, not fewer. 

LINC CHAFEE was not only a political neighbor of mine in 

the center of the political spectrum—where most Americans 

consider themselves—but he has been a next-door neighbor 

in my hallway in the Russell Senate Building, a corridor also 

appropriately occupied by my good friend Senator Mike 

DeWine, who also epitomized the finest ideals of public service. So I will profoundly miss seeing them not only in the 

Senate but also simply walking down the hall outside my office. They were a constant reminder of what is best and most 

noble about public office. 

LINC and I worked hand-in-glove on issues of fiscal restraint and accountability by calling for and advocating the 

implementation of the pay-as-you-go approach to the Federal 

budget. And I believe it is instructive that he is rightly considered a champion of the environment, even as he championed economic growth. But that is LINC—for him, issues 

that may seem mutually exclusive to those with intractable 

dogmas could coexist naturally in his vision of a world not 

so easily or appropriately cast in hues of black and white. Indeed, Senator CHAFEE’s fight to strengthen air and water 

quality standards continues to resonate, a battle he has 

waged with innovation and resolve by combining business 

development with environmental advocacy. 

Unflagging in his dedication to the precepts of personal responsibility and freedom, fiscal accountability, and serving 

the public interest, LINCOLN CHAFEE has, with honor and 

distinction, brought intelligence, vigor, and courage to the 

U.S. Senate from debates about foreign policy and homeland 

security to marshaling health care efforts to confront breast 

cancer and long-term care. 

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Whether serving as captain of his university wrestling 

team, working as a blacksmith at harness race tracks, or 

serving the highest ideals of public service, LINCOLN CHAFEE

has demonstrated an independence, resiliency, and strength 

of purpose that has made him a credit to this institution and 

an example for his country. 

I wish Senator CHAFEE, his wife Stephanie, and their children all the best for the future. . . . 

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute 

to the Republican Members of the Senate who will not be returning in the 110th Congress. Senators George Allen; 

Conrad Burns; LINCOLN CHAFEE; Mike DeWine; Dr. Bill 

Frist; Rick Santorum; and Jim Talent have served their constituents with honor and distinction during their tenure here 

in the U.S. Senate. All care very deeply for this great Nation 

and I hope they will have continued success in their future 

endeavors. . . . 

Majority leader Bill Frist has run the Senate through difficult and trying times and he has done it well. Senator Mike 

DeWine, my neighbor to the north, has represented the 

Buckeye State with great distinction and has committed over 

30 years of his life to public service. Senator George Allen 

represented the Commonwealth of Virginia in the U.S. Senate for 6 years, and he worked closely with me to make 

America safer by helping usher through important legislation to arm cargo pilots. Senator Jim Talent has had a great 

career in Congress and wrote the blueprint to the welfare reform bill of 1996. And Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE has continued the proud legacy set forth by his father and my friend, 

Senator John Chafee. 

Mr. President, I would like to again commend all of our departing Republican Senators. I am proud of what they accomplished here in the U.S. Senate. They will all be missed, 

and I wish all of them the very best. 

Mrs. HUTCHISON. . . . Mr. President, it is no coincidence 

that Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE’s home State has an 11-foottall statue called the Independent Man standing atop the 

State House in Providence, RI. In fact, Senator CHAFEE has 

referred to this statue as his inspiration, as it represents 

Rhode Island’s founding principles of political and religious 

freedom. 

Senator CHAFEE has done an admirable job following in 

the footsteps of his father, Senator John Chafee. 

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During his time in the Senate, Senator CHAFEE has been 

committed to environmental issues as a champion for improved air and water quality. 

Senator CHAFEE has remained steadfast in his beliefs and 

a powerful voice for Rhode Island. . . . 

UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT—TRIBUTES TO RETIRING 

SENATORS 

Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the tributes to 

retiring Senators be printed as a Senate document and that 

Senators be permitted to submit tributes until December 27, 

2006. 

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

WEDNESDAY, December 27, 2006 

Mr. STEVENS. . . . Mr. President, I have known Senator 

LINCOLN CHAFEE and his family for a long time. I met his 

father, our former colleague, Senator John Chafee, while 

standing in line to register for Harvard Law School in 1947. 

LINCOLN’s uncle, Zachariah Chafee, was one of my law professors at Harvard. John and I served together in the Senate 

for more than 20 years. 

When John passed away in 1999, LINCOLN chose to continue his family’s tradition of excellence in public service. 

Senator CHAFEE and I have not always agreed on the issues, 

but I have always respected the courage of his convictions 

and his firm commitment to his ideals. 

Senator CHAFEE, it’s been my good fortune to serve alongside you and your father for nearly 30 years. It’s hard to 

imagine this Chamber without a member of your family. We 

will miss your spirit and dedication. . . . 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, LINCOLN CHAFEE came to 

the Senate in 1999 under the most difficult of circumstances. 

He had just lost his beloved father, and was being asked to 

fill the shoes of one of the most noble and principled Members ever to serve in this Chamber. He rose to that challenge, and I have been honored to work alongside him. 

Like the illustrious Senator John Chafee, Senator LINCOLN

CHAFEE came from a political tradition I am proud to 

share—that of the New England moderate. This tradition 

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sibility, for government that is unobtrusive in people’s lives 

when it can be, yet compassionate and involved when it 

must be. 

LINCOLN CHAFEE was a quiet voice of moderation, but 

spoke with a strong voice, a voice of conviction and integrity, 

on such issues of critical importance to our Nation as environmental protection and energy independence. When, in 

spring 2005, the very fabric of the Senate was threatened by 

a bitter impasse over the issue of judicial filibusters, I was 

proud to join Senator CHAFEE in the so-called Gang of 14 

that forged a productive, bipartisan solution. 

I had the opportunity to work closely with LINC in the 

109th Congress when he joined the Homeland Security Committee. The committee brought about great progress during 

that Congress with successful legislation on port security, 

chemical security, and rebuilding our Nation’s emergency 

management structure after the catastrophic Government response to Hurricane Katrina. Linc’s steady, thoughtful, and 

informed approach to the issues greatly aided these endeavors. 

I was especially impressed by Linc’s understanding that 

true homeland security begins at home. As the 2006 hurricane season approached, and as we were still struggling to 

overcome the failures of Government in the 2005 season, he 

called for and organized a homeland security field hearing in 

Rhode Island so his colleagues could better appreciate the 

daunting challenges faced by our first responders in coastal 

States and communities. That hands-on approach, devoid of 

pretense and directed toward results, exemplifies LINCOLN

CHAFEE’s approach to government. 

I know that the father would be proud of the son. And I 

know that all Americans join me in thanking LINCOLN

CHAFEE for 7 years of outstanding service, and in wishing 

him the very best in the years to come. . . . 

MONDAY, January 8, 2007 

Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, it is an honor indeed to pay 

tribute to a number of fine individuals who I am fortunate 

to call not just my colleagues, but also dear friends: Senators 

Bill Frist, George Allen, Conrad Burns, LINCOLN CHAFEE, 

Mike DeWine, Rick Santorum and Jim Talent. . . . 

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Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE also will be greatly missed in 

this Chamber. LINC served the people of Rhode Island with 

the utmost honor, integrity and compassion. 

I have great respect for LINC CHAFEE for his commitment 

to the principles of personal freedom, individual responsibility and fiscal discipline. Well-known for his reputation as 

a fierce deficit hawk, he has been a vocal advocate for responsible Government spending, and a strong supporter of 

abolishing the marriage tax penalty and increasing the child 

tax credit. LINC also took a very active interest in promoting 

the health care of women and children. 

LINCOLN CHAFEE also has been tirelessly dedicated to improving his home State. As a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, he secured more 

than $1 billion in Federal funding for Rhode Island’s infrastructure, including the Warwick Station project and the development of the East Providence shoreline. And as chairman of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water, 

he worked diligently to protect air and water quality in his 

State. 

LINC was a principled, independent Member, adamant 

about doing what he believed was right for the families he 

represented. Throughout his Senate career, he demonstrated 

a willingness to listen to all sides of an issue and work with 

members of both political parties. He is a man who speaks 

his mind, votes his conscience, and treats others with the 

dignity and respect they deserve. 

LINC is a refreshing politician, a diligent public servant, 

and a devoted family man to his wife Stephanie and their 

three children. It goes without saying that my colleagues in 

the Senate—and the people of Rhode Island—will greatly 

miss Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE. . . . 

As these men—Bill Frist, George Allen, Conrad Burns, 

LINCOLN CHAFEE, Mike DeWine, Rick Santorum and Jim 

Talent—conclude their service in the U.S. Senate, let me say 

that I am so proud to have worked with individuals of such 

character, strength, and intellect. Our Nation is grateful for 

their many contributions. And as they each will undoubtedly 

continue to contribute to our country’s greatness, their leadership and vision will be missed here in the U.S. Senate. 

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