Joseph I. Lieberman 

U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
Joseph I. Lieberman 

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office 


81109.eps
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2014

S. DOC. 113–11 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Joseph I. Lieberman 

United States Senator 

1989–2013 

÷ 

Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

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

Farewell Address ...................................................................................... vii 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Ayotte, Kelly, of New Hampshire ............................................. 16 

Blumenthal, Richard, of Connecticut ....................................... 7 

Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland ............................................ 23 

Coats, Daniel, of Indiana ........................................................... 28 

Collins, Susan M., of Maine ...................................................... 3 

Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota ................................................. 9 

Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware ......................................... 18 

Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming ................................................... 26 

Harkin, Tom, of Iowa ................................................................. 11 

Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota .................................................. 29 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 22 

Levin, Carl, of Michigan ............................................................ 20 

McCain, John, of Arizona .......................................................... 7, 13 

Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland .......................................... 10 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 15 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada .............................................................. 5, 30 

Proceedings in the House of Representatives: 

Tributes by Representatives: 

Norton, Eleanor Holmes, of District of Columbia .................... 31 

[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN was born in Stamford, CT, on February 24, 1942, and attended public schools there. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale College in 1964 and 

his law degree from Yale Law School in 1967. He was elected 

to the Connecticut State Senate in 1970 and served there for 

10 years, including 6 as majority leader. In 1980 he returned 

to private legal practice for 2 years, and from 1983 through 

1988 served as Connecticut’s 21st attorney general. As attorney general he took on polluters of Connecticut’s environment, strengthened child support enforcement, and built a 

strong reputation as a defender of consumers’ rights. 

He was first elected to the Senate in 1988 as a Democrat. 

He was reelected by wide margins in 1994 and 2000. In 2006 

Senator LIEBERMAN was elected to a fourth term as an Independent. He remained committed to caucusing with Senate 

Democrats. 

During his 24 years in the Senate, Senator LIEBERMAN embraced a foreign policy tradition that advocated policies that 

were simultaneously principled, internationalist, and tough 

minded in the pursuit of democracy, human rights and freedom abroad, and the survival of freedom at home. Early in 

his Senate career, he urged the lifting of a U.N. arms embargo against Bosnia; championed NATO as the most successful 

alliance in the history of the world; and voted to authorize 

the use of military force after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in August 1990. He was a steadfast supporter of U.S. 

actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Libya during the 

Arab Spring to end repressive policies of the governments involved and support the democratization, economic growth, 

freedom, and human rights of the people of those countries. 

Throughout his 24 years in the Senate, Senator 

LIEBERMAN worked to improve the environment. From helping to negotiate the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 to 

consistently working to protect the Arctic National Wildlife 

Refuge in Alaska and from oil and gas drilling exploration, 

to fighting to better fund conservation efforts along Long Island Sound and authoring several bills to combat climate 

change—including the first one ever to make it to the Senate 

[ vi ] 

floor for a vote—Senator LIEBERMAN has been committed to 

the preservation of our air, land, and water. 

He was a strong advocate for investing in public schools, 

empowering parents, and challenging all students to meet 

higher academic standards. He sought to give all Americans, 

regardless of income, the chance to go to college and develop 

the skills they need to succeed in our global information 

economy. He worked to expand quality and affordable health 

care for all Americans and to safeguard Medicare and Social 

Security for future generations. 

Senator LIEBERMAN was a vocal advocate for campaign finance reform and has written extensively on the dignity and 

nobility of public service. He urged America to be true to its 

tradition of tolerance by giving faith and its practitioners a 

place at the national table. 

He was chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is responsible for oversight 

of the Department of Homeland Security and ensuring the 

efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal Government. In 

addition to coauthoring the bill creating the 9/11 Commission, Senator LIEBERMAN spearheaded the congressional effort establishing the Department of Homeland Security and 

advocated numerous legislative proposals to provide for our 

national and homeland security. He was a member of the 

Senate Armed Services Committee, where he served as 

chairman of the Subcommittee on Airland and sat on the 

Personnel and Seapower Subcommittees, and on the Small 

Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. 

Senator LIEBERMAN supported equal opportunity for all 

Americans and economic policies that spark business growth, 

encourage innovation, expand markets for American products, and keep government’s budget books in balance. He 

was also a champion for the ordinary investor and consumer 

and fought to ensure that public and private watchdogs meet 

the highest standards of independence and integrity. Moreover, he led the successful legislative effort to repeal the 

military’s discriminatory ‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy, which 

prohibits patriotic gay and lesbian Americans from serving 

openly in the U.S. Armed Forces. 

He lives in Stamford with his wife Hadassah. They are the 

parents of 4 children and 12 grandchildren. 

[ vii ] 

Farewell to the Senate 

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 

Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, my fourth and final 

term as a U.S. Senator will soon come to an end. As I reflect 

on that reality, I am, of course, filled with many emotions, 

but the one I feel most is gratitude—gratitude first to God, 

creator of life and law, without whose loving-kindness nothing would be possible; gratitude to America, the extraordinary land of opportunity which has given someone like me 

so many opportunities; gratitude to the people of Connecticut, who have entrusted me with the privilege of public 

service for 40 years, the last 24 in the Senate; gratitude to 

my Senate colleagues, whom I have come to know as friends 

and with whom it has been such an honor to serve; gratitude 

to all the people without whose help, hard work, and support 

I never would have made it to the Senate or stayed here, the 

gifted and hard-working staff in Connecticut and Washington who supported, informed, and enriched my service 

here, and the volunteers in my campaigns who gave so much 

and asked for nothing in return except that I do what I believed was right; gratitude to all those who labor out of view 

in the corridors of this Capitol Building, from the maintenance crews to the Capitol Police and everybody else anywhere in this building—thank you for keeping our Capitol 

running and keeping us safe; and gratitude most of all, of 

course, to my family for the love, support, and inspiration 

they have given me every day of my life—my parents, grandparents, and siblings, my children and grandchildren, and 

Hadassah, my wife of almost 30 years now, the love of my 

life, who has been my constant companion, supporter, and 

partner through this amazing adventure. 

So I want to begin this farewell speech by simply saying 

thank you all. I have a lot to be grateful for. Mr. President, 

being a Senator, and since this is my farewell speech, I do 

have a few more things I would like to say. 

I am leaving the Senate at a moment in our history when 

America faces daunting challenges both domestic and foreign 

and when too often our problems seem greater than our govVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:20 Apr 24, 2014 Jkt 081109 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81109.TXT KAYNE
[ viii ] 

ernment’s ability to solve them. I can tell you I remain deeply optimistic about America’s future and constantly inspired 

by the special destiny I am convinced is ours as Americans. 

My optimism is based not in theory or hope but in American history and in personal experience. I think particularly 

about my time in public life and especially the changes I 

have witnessed since I took the oath of office as a Senator 

on January 3, 1989. The fact is that over the past quarter 

century, America and the world have become freer and more 

prosperous. The Iron Curtain was peacefully torn down, and 

the Soviet empire defeated. The eternal values of freedom 

and opportunity, on which America was founded and for 

which we still stand, have made global gains that were once 

unimaginable. We have seen the spread of democracy from 

Central Europe to Southeast Asia and from Latin America to 

the Middle East. Hundreds of millions of people have been 

lifted out of poverty in places such as China, India, and just 

about every other corner of the globe, and technological advances have transformed almost every aspect of our daily 

lives. 

When I started in the Senate, a BlackBerry was a fruit 

and tweeting was something only birds did. No more. None 

of these extraordinary developments happened by accident. 

In fact, to a significant degree, I would say they were made 

possible by the principled leadership of the United States, by 

the global economy and international system America created with our diplomacy and protected with our military and 

by the unique culture of freedom, innovation, and entrepreneurship that flourishes in our country and that remains the 

model and inspiration for the rest of the modernizing world. 

We have every reason to be proud of the progress of humanity that has happened on America’s watch and here at 

home to be grateful for the countless ways in which our own 

country has benefited in the process. We live in a world 

whose shape and trajectory the United States, more than 

any other nation, is responsible for. It is certainly not a perfect world. I know that. But it is a better world than the one 

we inherited. In my opinion, it is actually in so many ways 

a better world than has ever existed before. 

Here at home, over the past quarter century, we have 

moved closer to the more perfect union our Founders 

sought—becoming a more free and open society, in ways I 

would guess those same Founders never could have imagined. 

[ ix ] 

Barriers of discrimination and bigotry that just a few decades ago seemed immovable have been broken, and the doors 

of opportunity have been opened wider for all Americans— 

regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or disability. 

During my time in Washington, we have had our first female Secretary of State nominated and confirmed and our 

first African American President elected and reelected. It 

will forever remain one of my deepest honors that—thanks 

to Vice President Gore—I was given the opportunity to be 

the first Jewish American nominated by a major political 

party for national office—and, incidentally, thanks to the 

American people, grateful to have received one-half million 

more votes than my opponent on the other side. But that is 

a longer story. 

While there is still much work to do and many problems 

to be solved, I believe we can and should approach our future 

with a confidence that is based on the real and substantial 

progress we have made together. What is required now to 

solve the real urgent problems we still have is leadership of 

the kind that is never easy or common but which we as 

Americans know we can summon in times of need because 

we have summoned it before. 

Today, I regret to say, as I leave the Senate, the greatest 

obstacle I see standing between us and the brighter American future we all want is right here in Washington. It is the 

partisan polarization of our politics which prevents us from 

making the principled compromises on which progress in a 

democracy depends and which right now prevents us from 

restoring our fiscal solvency as a nation. 

We need bipartisan leadership to break the gridlock in 

Washington that will unleash all the potential that is in the 

American people. So I would respectfully make this appeal 

to my colleagues—especially the 12 new Senators who will 

take the oath of office for the first time next month. I know 

how hard each of you has worked to get elected to the Senate, and I know you worked so hard because you wanted to 

come here to make a difference for the better. There is no 

magic or mystery about the way to do so in the Senate. It 

requires reaching across the aisle and finding partners from 

the opposite party. It means ultimately putting the interests 

of country and constituents ahead of the dictates of party 

and ideology. 

When I look back at my own career, the legislative 

achievements I am proudest to have been part of—such as 

[ x ] 

passing the Clean Air Act of 1990, stopping the genocide in 

the Balkans, creating the 9/11 Commission and the Department of Homeland Security, reforming the intelligence community, reorganizing FEMA, and repealing ‘‘don’t ask, don’t 

tell’’—all were achieved only because a critical mass of 

Democrats and Republicans found common ground. That is 

what is desperately needed in Washington now to solve our 

Nation’s biggest problems and address our biggest challenges 

before they become crises or catastrophes. 

Our future also depends on our Nation continuing to exercise another kind of leadership; that is, leadership beyond 

our borders. This too has never been easy or popular. Americans have rarely been eager to entangle ourselves abroad, especially at times when we have faced economic difficulties at 

home, as we do now. There has been the temptation to turn 

inward, to tell ourselves that the problems of the world are 

not our responsibility or that we cannot afford to do anything 

about them. In fact, the prosperity, security, and freedom of 

the American people depend more than ever before on what 

is happening in the rest of the world—and so, too, does the 

rest of the world depend especially on us. 

I know we can’t solve all the planet’s problems by ourselves, nor should we try. But the fact is that none of the 

biggest problems facing the world can or will be solved in the 

absence of American leadership. Here, too, I appeal to my 

Senate colleagues—and, again, especially those who will take 

the oath of office for the first time early in January—do not 

listen to the political consultants or others who tell you that 

you shouldn’t spend time on foreign affairs or national security. They are wrong. The American people need us, the Senate, to stay engaged economically, diplomatically, and militarily in an ever smaller world. Do not underestimate the 

impact you can have by getting involved in matters of foreign policy and national security, whether by using your 

voice to stand in solidarity with those who are struggling for 

the American ideal of freedom in their own countries across 

the globe or working to strengthen the foreign policy and national security institutions of our own country or by rallying 

our citizens to embrace the role that we as a country must 

play on the world stage, as both our interests and our values 

demand. 

None of the challenges we face in a still dangerous world 

is beyond our ability to meet. Just as we ended the ethnic 

cleansing in the Balkans, we can stop the slaughter in Syria. 

Just as we nurtured the democratic transitions after comVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:20 Apr 24, 2014 Jkt 081109 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81109.TXT KAYNE
[ xi ] 

munism fell in Central and Eastern Europe, we can support 

the forces of freedom in the Middle East today. Just as we 

were able to prevail in the long struggle against the Soviet 

Union during the cold war, we can prevail in the global conflict with Islamist extremism and terrorism we were forced 

into by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. 

All that too will require leadership in the Senate. It will 

require leaders who will stand against the siren song of isolationism, who will support our defense and foreign assistance budgets, who will use, when necessary, America’s military power against our enemies in the world, and who will 

have the patience and determination when the public grows 

weary to see our battles through until they are won. 

I first set foot in this Chamber almost exactly 50 years 

ago, in summer 1963, inspired like so many of my generation 

by President John F. Kennedy and his call to service. I spent 

that summer right here in the Senate as an intern for my 

home State Senator, Abe Ribicoff. He was and remains another personal hero of mine. Although I never would have 

admitted so publicly back then, because it was so presumptuous, I came away from that experience with the dream 

that I might someday, somehow, return to serve in this 

place. 

I have been blessed to live that dream, and that is what 

America is all about. We have always been a nation of 

dreamers whose destiny is determined only by the bounds of 

our own imagination and by our willingness to work hard to 

realize what we have imagined. Indeed, long before the 

United States came into being as a government of institutions and laws, it was a dream—a dream, an implausible, incredible dream, animated by faith of a country defined not 

by its borders nor by its rulers nor by the ethnicity of its 

Founders but by a set of eternal and universal principles— 

that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are God’s endowment to each of us. 

That was the dream that gave us our existence and our 

purpose as a nation, and it is the dream that for more than 

200 years, through every passing generation, has been reinventing, renewing, enthralling, and surprising us—the very 

dreamers who are living that dream. 

I leave this Chamber as full of faith in the dream called 

America as when I stood here nearly one quarter century ago 

to take the oath of office for the first time—and as when I 

first came here nearly one-half century ago as a 21 year old, 

the grandchild of four immigrants to America, the son of 

[ xii ] 

wonderful parents who never had the opportunity even to go 

to college but made sure my sisters and I did and gave us 

the confidence to pursue our dreams, which was their American dream for us. 

America remains a land of dreams and a nation of dreamers. I know my own story repeats itself today in millions of 

American families and their children. As long as that is so, 

I know our best days as a country are still ahead of us. 

So I will end my remarks where our country began a long 

time ago—with a dream and a prayer that God will continue 

to bless the United States of America. 

I thank the Chair and I yield the floor. 

TRIBUTES 

TO 

JOSEPH I. LIEBERMAN 

[ 3 ] 

Proceedings in the Senate 

THURSDAY, December 6, 2012 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, we have a tradition in the 

Senate of referring to our colleagues on the Senate floor during debate as ‘‘my friend from this State’’ or ‘‘my friend from 

that State,’’ and oftentimes the word friend just means colleague. There is a fellow Senator whom I call friend in the 

truest sense of the word. That person is the senior Senator 

from Connecticut, my dear friend Senator JOE LIEBERMAN. 

When JOE LIEBERMAN announced earlier last year that he 

would not seek reelection to the Senate, he called himself a 

lucky guy for having had the opportunity to serve his State 

and his country. I would contend it is we in this Chamber 

and the people throughout Connecticut and across our Nation who are the ones who are truly fortunate for JOE

LIEBERMAN’s lifelong commitment to public service, including 

his 24 years in the Senate. 

For more than a decade it has been my privilege to serve 

with JOE as the leader of the Senate Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs Committee. Regardless of who has 

been chairman and who has been ranking member, ours has 

been a partnership. Indeed, I will never forget when I was 

losing the chairmanship because of the change in control, 

JOE leaned over to me and said, ‘‘Don’t worry, Susan, all that 

will change is that you will pass me the gavel.’’ 

It was typical of his thoughtfulness and generosity, and it 

is not coincidental that ours is the only committee in the 

Senate where we do not sit with Republicans on one side and 

Democrats on the other but instead are interspersed because 

we recognize, given our important mandate, that we must 

work together in a bipartisan and, indeed, a nonpartisan 

way. 

During the time JOE has been the chairman and that we 

have worked together, the committee has established a welldeserved reputation for bipartisanship, for thoroughness, 

and—most important—for getting things done. I know the 

American people have been so frustrated with the gridlock 

[ 4 ] 

that has prevented action on so many issues facing our Nation. For the most part, we do not see that kind of stalemate 

on our committee and that is a tribute to the leadership of 

JOE LIEBERMAN. That reputation for our committee—of accomplishment and bipartisanship—is the work of many 

hands, but JOE LIEBERMAN’s fingerprints are all over it. JOE

has always based his leadership on his unwavering belief 

that the great challenges America faces—such as combating 

terrorism, putting our fiscal house in order, and defending 

freedom—transcend party lines. 

The success our committee has achieved in helping to safeguard our Nation is the result of that nonpartisan—some 

might say independent—spirit that guides him. Those successes are many, from the landmark Intelligence Reform and 

Terrorism Prevention Act to providing the tools that 

strengthen our first responders, to our extensive investigations into the flawed response to Hurricane Katrina, the 

fatal communication failures in the Fort Hood terrorism 

case, and our current scrutiny of the attacks in Benghazi, 

JOE LIEBERMAN has always put country first. His actions are 

guided by deeply held principles and aim toward progress. 

He has demonstrated his willingness, time and again, to risk 

his political career to do what he believes is right for America. 

JOE brings the same dedication to everything he does. 

Working with him on the Armed Services Committee, I know 

first hand how devoted he is to our men and women in uniform and the deep respect he has for their service and their 

sacrifice. His leadership in bringing about the repeal of the 

discriminatory ‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy was nothing short 

of extraordinary, and it gives me great personal pride to 

have assisted him in achieving that important victory for 

justice. It was vintage JOE LIEBERMAN. He did what was 

right. He never gave up. He got the job done. 

Throughout his many years of dedicated service, JOE has 

demonstrated the kind of character America needs and the 

American people deserve. It is not by coincidence that the 

PowerPoint slide show I present to students throughout 

Maine includes a photograph of Senator JOE LIEBERMAN at 

work. The young pupils of today who will be the leaders of 

tomorrow could have no better role model than this leader of 

intelligence and integrity. 

A wonderful fringe benefit of working so closely with JOE

for so many years has been the opportunity I have had to get 

to know his wonderful wife Hadassah. She is a person who 

[ 5 ] 

also demonstrates remarkable strength and compassion. Her 

devotion to community service spans a range of issues, from 

advocating for women’s health and breast cancer research to 

providing women with opportunity through microfinance programs. 

The integrity and decency JOE brings to public service 

stands on the unshakable foundation of his deep faith. It is 

telling that his retirement announcement included these 

wise words from Ecclesiastes: ‘‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.’’ 

In closing, I offer my dear friend this traditional Jewish 

blessing: ‘‘May you live 120 years.’’ 

While none of us expects to attain the longevity achieved 

by the prophet Moses, I am confident the gratitude of the 

American people for the service of Senator JOE LIEBERMAN

will be everlasting. 

WEDNESDAY, December 12, 2012 

Mr. REID. Madam President, I want to talk this morning 

about JOE LIEBERMAN. 

The very modest apartment, with no hot water, where 

JOSEPH LIEBERMAN was raised has long since been demolished, but the values he learned in that little apartment— 

in the flat above his grandparents’ house—are still there. 

They are the same values of devotion and public service that 

have driven him not only to overcome humble beginnings but 

to serve the country for 24 years here in the U.S. Senate. 

Two years ago, on the day he announced his retirement 

from the Senate, JOE LIEBERMAN described his rise from 

cold-water flat to Congress as follows: 

My four grandparents . . . came to America seeking freedom and they 

found it. They came to America hoping for opportunities and they got them. 

But even they could not have dreamed that their grandson would end up 

a U.S. Senator. 

JOE was always a natural-born leader. He was president 

of his high school graduating class. He got undergraduate 

and law degrees from Yale—one of the most prestigious universities in the world—where he was chairman of the Yale 

Daily News. 

He was a civil rights activist early on as a young man. He 

was inspired, as many of us were, by the words of John Kennedy. JOE defeated an incumbent to win a seat in the Connecticut State Senate, where he served for 10 years, includVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:20 Apr 24, 2014 Jkt 081109 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81109.TXT KAYNE
[ 6 ] 

ing 6 as the majority leader of the Connecticut State Legislature. 

After returning to private practice for 2 years, he served 

as the first full-time Connecticut attorney general. It was 

during his years as attorney general that he met the love of 

his life, Hadassah. Today, they have 4 children and 12 

grandchildren. 

In 1988 he again took on one of the giants of politics in 

the State of Connecticut in a race no one thought he could 

win, but he did. He defeated an incumbent U.S. Senator, and 

for the last 24 years he has served the people of Connecticut 

and this country with honor and distinction. 

I was pleased to have had an opportunity to support Senator LIEBERMAN’s historic candidacy for Vice President in 

2000. JOE was the first Jewish major party candidate for 

Vice President. 

Senator LIEBERMAN is a devout and observant Jew. He has 

even written a book about the importance of keeping the 

Sabbath as a day of rest. I read the book. I was so impressed 

with that book. Our Sabbaths may be on different days, but 

the solemnity of the Sabbath is important to both of us. I 

was so impressed by that book I bought 20 of them and sent 

them to my friends and my family, whom I thought would 

gain a great deal by learning from this book that JOE had 

written. 

JOE LIEBERMAN says his faith is the basis for his strong 

desire to serve the State of Connecticut and our country. 

During his four terms representing Connecticut in the Senate, JOE LIEBERMAN played a key role in drafting and passing many different pieces of legislation, including the 1990 

Clean Air Act amendments, which have literally saved lives 

by eliminating harmful smog, acid rain, and other toxins in 

our air and water. He has been chairman of the very important Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He is a powerful voice on security issues, and he has 

been exemplary in working on a bipartisan basis with Senator Susan Collins, who has been the ranking member of 

that committee. 

JOE led the charge to create the 9/11 Commission and to 

implement its recommendations. He was a leading voice for 

the creation of that department, Homeland Security, which 

we now look to for keeping this country safe. 

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, 

Senator LIEBERMAN was a strong advocate for repeal of the 

discriminatory ‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy that unjustly 

[ 7 ] 

forced gay and lesbian servicemembers into the closet. He 

fought to ensure our military is the best prepared and best 

equipped fighting force in the world. We have much in common. We don’t always agree on policy issues, but we do 90 

percent of the time. Regardless of the few differences we 

have, I have never, ever doubted JOE LIEBERMAN’s principles 

or his patriotism, and I respect his independent streak as it 

stems from strong convictions. JOE said it best himself: 

I have not always fit comfortably into conventional political boxes. Maybe 

you’ve noticed that. Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative. Because 

I’ve always thought my first responsibility is not to serve a political party, 

but to serve my constituents, my State and my country. . . . Whatever the 

partisan or policy differences that divide us, they are much less important 

than the shared values and dreams that unite us. 

I have watched up close. He has been a wonderful member 

of the Democratic caucus. I so admire and respect him. I 

agree with Senator LIEBERMAN’s values. He has been an 

asset to the Democratic caucus and our country. I am 

pleased to have shared the dream of serving in the Senate 

with such an extraordinary man and exceptional Senator. I 

congratulate JOE and Hadassah on their years of dedicated 

service because they have worked together. I wish them both 

happiness. 

Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I will have a lot more to say 

about my friend from Connecticut [Mr. LIEBERMAN] in the 

next few days. In the meantime, I wish to thank him for a 

very important, a very visionary, and very wonderful statement [his farewell address]. We thank him for it. 

I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut. 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I wish to thank my 

colleague and friend from Connecticut on behalf of all the 

people of our State for his lifetime of public service. 

Our lives have been intertwined personally and professionally for almost 40 years. 

I had the privilege of coming to know Senator LIEBERMAN’s 

family, his parents who gave him the values and ideals he 

has expressed so eloquently and powerfully repeated 

throughout America as he did today on the floor of the Senate. That dream, which they inspired, is indeed a uniquely 

American dream, but it is rooted also in the Stamford and 

Connecticut community that we share, those ideals of faith, 

education, and intellect, and those qualities of independence 

[ 8 ] 

and courage and perseverance in the face of adversity which 

he has embodied and taught to so many young people and 

others around our State and around the country and, of 

course, the ideals and goals of civility and, maybe most important for this body, the ideal of public service, which he 

has exemplified through all of these years, an unremitting, 

unstinting, and unwavering commitment to making the 

world a better place, person by person, individual by individual, helping make America equal to that great ideal and 

dream he has articulated so eloquently. 

I have been privileged, also, to know JOE’s wife Hadassah, 

who has added so extraordinarily to his life and made possible so many of his achievements. This tribute is to her and 

his family as well as to him. 

For the past 2 years I have had the privilege of working 

with Senator LIEBERMAN, it has been a real honor, and I look 

forward to continuing my work with him, although it will no 

longer be in this Chamber, just as I worked with him before 

reaching here. In a sense, I followed his professional path as 

a State senator, as attorney general, and now here. 

Many of our colleagues will come to the floor in the remaining days of this session to commemorate the tremendous legacy he leaves. It is a legacy of action, not just of 

words as we have heard today, but action and achievement. 

He has been a steadfast supporter of family planning and a 

woman’s right to choose, raising awareness and garnering 

commitment of congressional colleagues for that cause. He 

has been a champion of equality and justice, exemplified, for 

example, in his advocacy of the repeal of ‘‘don’t ask, don’t 

tell.’’ He has been a leader on environmental conservation as 

attorney general of our State, as well as in this body, especially in the fight to protect Long Island Sound, a treasure 

of Connecticut and the entire Nation. 

He was a leader in bringing to the floor of this Chamber 

one of the first bills on climate change. His legacy will live 

on in these efforts: the clean air and water he has helped to 

protect, the urgency with which he has fought to protect our 

natural treasures in Connecticut and around the country. 

His spirit of environmental stewardship will inspire generations to come. That ideal of stewardship is also articulated 

by his remarks here, the stewardship of democracy, of our 

Republic. 

One of Senator LIEBERMAN’s signature accomplishments 

has been the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in which he aimed to consolidate disparate agencies to 

[ 9 ] 

facilitate interagency communication. In the wake of 9/11, he 

made that a mission and achieved it as chairman of the 

Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs 

as well as a leader on the Armed Services Committee. On 

that committee, Armed Services, he has championed a strong 

and vital national defense. That remains essential now as it 

has been throughout his career. 

I am grateful to Senator LIEBERMAN’s support for a bill I 

recently introduced, the End Trafficking in Government Contracting Act, which addresses the serious problem of human 

trafficking by Federal contractors and subcontractors. I think 

his support for that measure demonstrates, again, his commitment not only to equality but helping and working with 

others in this body on a bipartisan basis who share his goals, 

as that measure has been, and was, and will be, as is the 

cause of ending human trafficking and achieving human 

rights. 

Most recently, in a very personal way I observed Senator 

LIEBERMAN’s deep empathy for people who are victims of 

natural catastrophes. When the recent spate of storms struck 

Connecticut, Irene and Sandy, I toured with him to stricken 

places, seeing in his eyes and hearing in his voice his sense 

of how individuals and their families are affected by any 

kind of natural disaster. He is a person of heart and of 

soul—a big heart and a soul that reaches out to people. 

I thank him for his great work, his contribution, his 

unstinting generosity to the people of our State, Connecticut, 

through all of his years of service in many different positions, in many different ways, in a myriad of places throughout the State and throughout our Nation. 

I thank my Connecticut colleague for dedicating his life to 

public service. I look forward to being with him, if not in this 

Chamber, in many other places around the country. I continue to admire his great contributions to our country as well 

as to our State. Thank you, Senator LIEBERMAN. 

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my colleague, Senator JOE LIEBERMAN, who will be leaving the 

Senate at the end of this term. Senator LIEBERMAN’s long career in public service began in the Connecticut State Senate, 

where he served for 10 years, including three terms as the 

majority leader. JOE then put his Yale law degree to good 

use as the attorney general for the State before winning his 

bid for the U.S. Senate in 1988. He has served in this esteemed body for 24 years, and I am grateful for his dedication and service to our country. 

[ 10 ] 

JOE is a true patriot. As Senator, he has made ensuring 

the security and safety of our Nation his priority. He spearheaded the creation of the Department of Homeland Security 

in 2002 and has served honorably as the chairman of the 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. In 

this position, Senator LIEBERMAN promoted a forwardthinking security strategy of preparing our military to respond to the unique security threats posed in the 21st century. In particular, he has worked to address cybersecurity 

issues and prepare our military to respond to evolving warfare tactics. 

Senator LIEBERMAN has also worked to ensure that our 

Nation can stand strong in the face of natural disasters. In 

2006, he worked with Senator Collins to make the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, more effective and 

responsive to communities suffering from the effects of natural disasters. He insisted that FEMA centralize and upgrade its information technology, IT, system to better respond to disasters and the needs of the public. 

JOE and I have worked together as members of the AntiMeth Caucus to fight the methamphetamine epidemic. Senator LIEBERMAN recognizes the threat drugs like methamphetamine pose to the security of our borders, the health 

of our citizens, and the economic prosperity of our Nation. I 

was proud to work with him on this important issue. 

In 2000 Senator LIEBERMAN ran as the Vice Presidential 

candidate, becoming the first person of the Jewish faith to 

represent a major political party on a national ticket. Despite 

rising to the top of the ticket as a representative of the 

Democratic Party, Senator LIEBERMAN has frequently demonstrated his willingness to work across the aisle to achieve 

his vision. 

I respect JOE’s commitment to his personal convictions and 

his hard work on behalf of the people of Connecticut. I thank 

him for his service to our country and wish him all the best. 

I yield the floor. 

Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to comment 

about some wonderful men in the Senate who are retiring on 

both sides of the aisle. Earlier today I spoke about my deep 

affection and sorry-to-see-go friends Olympia Snowe and Kay 

Bailey Hutchison, but I want to rise as the dean of the 

women in the Senate to say some very special words about 

very special men on both sides of the aisle. Because when I 

came to the Senate, it was only Nancy Kassebaum and me, 

and yet we worked on so many issues together. There are 

[ 11 ] 

really wonderful men here who supported me, supported our 

issues, but really stood up for those States and their communities. . . . 

Then to my good friend, JOE LIEBERMAN—my friend JOE, 

a true independent. We have worked together on issues related to the Middle East and the safety and security of 

Israel. We worked to bring character education into our 

schools because we do believe that character counts. 

Working with JOE—whether it was to help create national 

service, move national legislation, or to say that in our 

schools we should come to understand the need to teach respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship—wow, 

these were values that should be not only in our schools but 

throughout our country. 

JOE has been so faithful to his religious beliefs. He has 

also been faithful to the Constitution he was sworn to uphold 

and to the people of Connecticut. I want him to know we so 

appreciate his service to Connecticut and to the country. 

I wanted to be sure that the day would not end without 

my acknowledging these wonderful people who have given a 

big part of their lives to making this country a better place. 

I want to, in the most heartfelt way—I am so sorry we did 

not have a bipartisan dinner or party to be able to express 

this. I would have liked to have been in the same room, 

breaking bread with them, in order to be able to tell them 

how much we appreciate them, across party lines, across 

those lines that ordinarily divide us. They came from different parts of the country, they arrived in the Senate with 

different objectives, they will leave under different circumstances. But I want to again let them know that each 

and every one of them had a positive impact on me and I 

think a wonderful impact on the future of this country. So 

I wish them well. God bless and Godspeed. 

THURSDAY, December 20, 2012 

Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, with the close of the 112th 

Congress, our friend and colleague Senator JOE LIEBERMAN

is retiring after nearly a quarter century of dedicated service 

in this body to the people of Connecticut and the United 

States. 

As we all know, Senator LIEBERMAN is a fiercely independent Senator who prides himself on speaking his conscience and reaching across party lines in order to get things 

[ 12 ] 

done. He is a pragmatist, not a partisan. Yet he has never 

allowed his ideology or his party or what is popular to stand 

in the way of doing what he believes is right for Connecticut 

and the United States of America. 

In the years since Senator LIEBERMAN left the Democratic 

Party to become an Independent, he has sometimes disagreed with his colleagues on this side of the aisle, but he 

has never been disagreeable. To the contrary, he has been 

unfailingly decent, gracious, and reasoned. He has been 

unfailingly a gentleman and a friend, a person with a great 

sense of humor, and he always has a smile. It is these sterling personal qualities that are a big reason he will be greatly missed by Senators on both sides of the aisle. 

During his four terms in this body, Senator LIEBERMAN

has earned a reputation as one of the Senate’s most influential and knowledgeable voices on interests of national security. In the wake of the attacks of 9/11, he was the lead 

sponsor of the bill to establish the Department of Homeland 

Security. As chairman of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Senator LIEBERMAN has been a vigilant leader in safeguarding America. 

Throughout his distinguished tenure in this body—and before that as a Connecticut State senator and attorney general—JOE LIEBERMAN has been a proud and principled progressive with a passion for social and economic justice for all 

Americans. 

To cite just one example: Senator LIEBERMAN deserves 

enormous credit for introducing and successfully championing legislation to repeal the military’s discriminatory 

‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy, which banned patriotic gay and 

lesbian Americans from serving openly in our Armed Forces. 

As we all know, JOE LIEBERMAN is a person of deep faith, 

a faith that inspires him to public service and informs his 

progressive vision for America. Last January, when he announced his decision to retire, he said: ‘‘I go forward with a 

tremendous sense of gratitude for the opportunities I have 

had to make a difference.’’ 

With Senator LIEBERMAN’s retirement in the days ahead, 

a truly distinguished career in formal public service will 

come to an end. I use the adjective formal because it is hard 

to imagine that JOE LIEBERMAN will not be finding new avenues for public service as a private citizen. 

Senator LIEBERMAN’s career in this body will end, but our 

friendship will continue. I know that his smile and his graVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:20 Apr 24, 2014 Jkt 081109 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81109.TXT KAYNE
[ 13 ] 

cious unfailingly gentlemanly ways will also continue. I wish 

JOE and Hadassah much happiness in the years ahead. 

Mr. MCCAIN. Madam President, one of the most overused 

quotes about this town is Harry Truman’s observation years 

ago that if you want a friend in Washington, go out and get 

a dog. I have spent a good many years here now. I suppose 

there is a little truth in that advice. Some Washington 

friendships are a little like temporary alliances between nations that for a brief period of time have mutual interests or 

enemies. But not all friendships here are like that, not all of 

them. 

Today I say a formal fond farewell to a departing colleague 

whose friendship has been and will always be one of the 

greatest treasures of my life. My friend Senator JOE

LIEBERMAN is retiring from the Senate after 24 years of service. Of course, he is not leaving, nor will he ever leave, the 

affections of those of us who have come to value him so highly as a statesman and as a friend, but we will not see him 

around the place as much. 

His office will not be near ours. We will not hear him 

speak from this floor or in committee hearings. We will not 

have the daily benefit of his counsel and his example. We 

will miss his contributions to the Senate. We will miss his 

good humor, his wisdom, and sincerity, especially in those 

moments when we find ourselves again wrapped around the 

axle of partisanship and politics that has taken primacy over 

the Nation’s interests, when tempers are frayed and we are 

consumed with putting each other at a disadvantage. That is 

when we will miss him the most, on those occasions when 

JOE’s thoughtfulness and patriotism stirred him to remind 

us again, as he did earlier this week, that the public trust 

and not our party’s fortunes is our most important responsibility. 

JOE’s presence, his wit, and courtesy and kindness have 

improved the conviviality of our institution. But more than 

that, he has set an example that I think our constituents 

surely wish more of us would emulate. It is his conscience 

and devotion to America, not his party affiliation, that has 

inspired his work. 

He has been a very accomplished legislator and a recognized leader on national security issues. He is a nationally 

prominent politician, majority leader in his State senate, the 

attorney general of the State of Connecticut, elected to the 

Senate of the United States four times, a Vice Presidential 

[ 14 ] 

nominee in 2000, a candidate for President, and I should 

probably add nearly a nominee for Vice President again. 

That he managed to achieve such prominence while being 

the least partisan politician I know is a credit to his character and to the exemplary quality of his public service and 

to the public’s too often frustrated desire for leaders who 

seek office to do something, not just to be someone. 

He has been a tireless advocate for the rights of the oppressed, the misfortunate, the disenfranchised, and tireless 

too in his concern for the security of the United States, for 

the strength of our alliances, the excellence of our Armed 

Forces, and the global progress of our values. He came here 

to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his 

God. 

It is hard to find anyone here who does not like and admire JOE. He is impossible to dislike, even if one only knows 

him a little. Most of his detractors seem to be people who do 

not know him and who tend to view people very strictly 

through the perspectives of their ideology and partisan identity. The only thing to resent about JOE LIEBERMAN is that 

he is so damn considerate of everyone that you can find 

yourself feeling a little ashamed when he catches you raising 

your voice to someone or behaving in other ways that fall 

short of his unfailing graciousness. 

He is not an easy example to emulate. I have fallen short 

of his standard more often than I care to concede. But I 

know, as I suspect most of us know, that our constituents deserve and our country needs more public officials who keep 

their priorities in the right order, as JOE always has, and 

who offer their respect for their colleagues without expecting 

anything in return but our respect. 

We spent a lot of time together, JOE and I. We have traveled many thousands of miles together. We have attended 

scores of international conferences together, met with dozens 

of world leaders, with human rights activists, and the occasional autocrat. We have visited war zones, shared the extraordinary experience with equal parts gratitude and awe of 

talking with and hearing from the Americans who risk everything so the rest of us may be secure in our freedom. 

I have been able to study JOE at close quarters. He has 

never failed to impress me as a dedicated public servant, a 

loyal friend, a considerate gentleman, a kind soul, and very 

good company. I have also been privileged to witness the sincerity of his faith. I have awakened in the middle of the 

night on a long plane ride to find JOE in his prayer shawl, 

[ 15 ] 

talking to the God he tries very hard to serve faithfully every 

day. I have witnessed the lengths he goes to always keep the 

Sabbath, and occasionally I have even filled in as his 

Shabbos goy. I have enjoyed every minute of our travels together. He is a quality human being, and time spent in his 

company is never wasted. 

I have worked with JOE on many issues and opposed him 

on more than a few. But I have always been just as impressed by him when we disagree as I am when we agree. 

He is always the same: good natured, gracious, and intent on 

doing his best by the people who sent him and the country 

he loves. 

He is leaving the Senate, and I am going to miss him a 

lot. I doubt any of the many friends he has made here will 

let him stray far from our attention. We will still rely on his 

wise counsel and warm friendship. I know I will. I hope we 

are not done traveling together. I hope to see him in other 

conferences and meetings abroad. I want to go back on the 

road and learn from him and just pretend he has not left the 

place that brought us together. He is as fine a friend as I 

have ever had and irreplaceable in my life, and I cannot let 

him go. 

Thank you, JOE, for all you have done for me; for your 

many kindnesses, your counsel, your company, and for teaching me how to be a better human being. I will see you again 

soon. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take 

a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at 

the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North 

Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey 

Hutchison of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona, JOSEPH LIEBERMAN of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of 

Indiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, 

and Jim Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly 

to give their constituents the best representation and give 

the country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and 

their experience. They are men and women who are committed to the Nation, and they have every day in different 

ways contributed to this Senate and to our great country. 

I wish to thank them personally for their service, and, in 

so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for listening 

[ 16 ] 

to my points and for, together, hopefully, serving this Senate 

and this Nation in a more positive and progressive way. 

In particular, let me say a few words about some of the 

Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more 

closely. . . . 

JOE LIEBERMAN and I have worked many hours to protect 

the submarine industrial base that is crucial not only to our 

strategic posture but also to our local economies. He has 

done it with great vision and great energy, and I thank him 

for that. . . . 

I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking them 

for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they depart, they 

have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways, and I hope we 

measure up to what they have done. If we do, then we can 

go forward confidently. 

With that, I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New 

Hampshire. 

Ms. AYOTTE. Madam President, I wish to say a few words 

about my friend JOE LIEBERMAN, the gentleman from Connecticut. 

Shortly after I arrived in the Senate, Senator LIEBERMAN

was assigned to serve as my mentor—someone from the 

other side of the aisle who would be a source of wisdom and 

guidance as I made my way in my first term in the Senate. 

I considered myself extremely fortunate that he agreed to 

mentor me. We are both from New England. We both had 

the privilege of serving our State as attorney general and 

have a deep respect for the rule of law. And we are both 

deeply concerned about issues impacting the security of our 

country. 

Over the last 2 years I have been able to work with Senator LIEBERMAN more closely, and I have personally seen his 

character, his courage, and his conviction. Both in tone and 

in substance, Senator LIEBERMAN has been one of the most 

respected and effective statesmen in the history of this institution—someone who transcended politics to stand up for 

what he believed in and what he believed was right on behalf of our country. 

Senator LIEBERMAN understands that neither party has a 

monopoly on good ideas and that the American people expect 

[ 17 ] 

Members of both parties to work together to get things done 

on behalf of our country. 

Senator LIEBERMAN understands that our children will not 

ask us whether we were Democrats or Republicans and how 

good we were at that, at being a member of a party; they will 

ask us whether we were willing to make the tough decisions 

necessary to ensure that they continue to enjoy prosperity 

and freedom in the greatest country on Earth. 

What I admire about my friend JOE LIEBERMAN is that he 

is someone who always puts country first above all else. For 

Senator LIEBERMAN, this has been especially true in the area 

of national security and homeland security. 

As our Nation has encountered difficult economic 

headwinds at home—over $16 trillion in debt—there have 

been Members of both parties who have argued for excessive 

cuts to our military and that we disengage from the rest of 

the world. Yet, in the great traditions of Presidents Truman, 

Kennedy, and Reagan, Senator LIEBERMAN has made the 

compelling case that the United States best promotes its values and protects its citizens when we remain engaged 

around the world, maintaining our military strength, having 

the best military in the world. 

Having had the chance to work with Senator LIEBERMAN

on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I observed his inspiring commitment to our men and women in uniform. He 

has shown a deep commitment to make sure they have the 

best equipment they need and that we remain the strongest 

military in the world; and that when our soldiers come home, 

they receive the support they need. He has been such an 

amazing advocate for the military and their families. 

I also appreciate that, like Winston Churchill, Senator 

LIEBERMAN understands the value of alliances between democracies and has spoken with moral clarity regarding the 

enemies of freedom. He has not hesitated to call terrorism an 

evil by its name and to speak out for dissidents and freedom 

fighters around the world. 

I will never forget a trip I had the privilege of taking with 

him to Asia, where we had the opportunity to meet individuals who were imprisoned. They spoke with tears in their 

eyes of the work Senator LIEBERMAN and Senator McCain 

and others had done to speak up on their behalf. 

Senator LIEBERMAN has spoken for those who have been 

oppressed around the world time and time again, and he has 

left his legacy on this institution in making sure that AmerVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:20 Apr 24, 2014 Jkt 081109 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81109.TXT KAYNE
[ 18 ] 

ica stands for our values and for people around the world 

who are struggling for basic human rights and freedom. 

In this Chamber, he will also, of course, be remembered for 

the incredibly important work he did as a strong and resolute member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and 

also as the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He helped to lead the Federal 

Government’s response to 9/11, to those horrible attacks on 

our country, and every American is safer because of the work 

JOE LIEBERMAN did as chairman of that committee, and the 

work he did on the Senate Armed Services Committee in this 

body—and the work I know he will continue to do when he 

leaves the Senate. 

My friend JOE LIEBERMAN represents the very best of public servants. He has stood firm for freedom, international engagement, and American military strength. He will be remembered among Members of this body not only for his accomplishments but for the way he has conducted himself. Always a gentleman, he has conducted himself with great decency, civility, and humility. 

At a time when our country faces great challenges, his 

quiet and effective leadership and commitment to working 

across party lines will be sorely missed in this body. He will 

certainly continue to serve as a model for all of us who remain serving in the Senate, and I know in future endeavors 

I will certainly seek him out to ask for his advice and counsel as we face great challenges not only here at home but 

also in terms of our military and the role America plays in 

the world. 

We all admire his leadership here, and it has been a true 

privilege for me to have had him mentor me the last 2 years. 

I have learned so much from him. Again, I think he serves 

as a model public servant of what it means to be committed 

to doing the right thing for your country. 

Thank you, Madam President. 

Mr. COONS. . . . There are so many other Senators I want 

to speak about today [besides Daniel Inouye], but let me turn 

to a few, if I might, and give some insight for the folks who 

only see Members of this Chamber on cable TV shows or in 

the give-and-take of election season or who only know them 

as the cutout and caricatures that the public thinks of as 

Senators. If there is a common thread between them, it is 

that they share that loyalty, work ethic, and humility that 

so characterized Senator Inouye in his decades here. . . . 

[ 19 ] 

Those who adhere to the Jewish faith around the world 

are inspired by the ancient concept of ‘‘tikkun olam’’—‘‘to 

heal the world’’—to challenge each of us who seek to serve 

each other and our communities. Like Senator Kohl, my dear 

friend Senator JOE LIEBERMAN has certainly risen to that 

challenge. He is a man deeply committed to his faith, which 

has significantly influenced his career and his drive to serve, 

and it is something I share with Senator LIEBERMAN. 

On my very first congressional delegation, my first trip as 

a Senator just a few months after being sworn in, I visited 

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Israel. Senator 

LIEBERMAN was on a different codel, and our paths crossed 

and we got to share a Shabbat dinner at the David Citadel 

Hotel in Jerusalem one night. As he was crossing the room 

for us to sit, I realized he could be elected mayor of Jerusalem. 

As we sat and broke bread and shared, it was a great comfort for me. Earlier that day I had gotten word that Delaware had lost one of our great leaders, Muriel Gilman, a personal friend and a remarkable leader and a person of kindness and spirit. She was a pioneer for women in my State 

and personified this spirit of tikkun olam. So over dinner 

that night in Jerusalem, Senator LIEBERMAN and I talked 

about Muriel, about what I had seen in Jordan and in Israel, 

Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and my experience on my first 

trip as a Senator. It was a remarkable moment. Senator 

LIEBERMAN was engaging and warm, interesting and passionate as we wove between talk about policy and faith, and 

he reflected with me on the point of his own life when his 

religion became his faith, when he really took ownership of 

the religion of his birth and how that faith and its lessons 

have shaped his public service. For me as a young Senator, 

it was a formative moment. 

His passion for the stability of the world and the security 

of the United States and our vital ally, Israel, and his dedicated work for the clarity of the air we breathe and his tireless advocacy for the equality of all Americans regardless of 

whom they love have been an inspiration. His desire to work 

together and find responsible compromise has been motivating. 

I am deeply grateful to JOE LIEBERMAN for his service, his 

counsel, his friendship, and his lesson that no matter what 

faith tradition we are from, we can use our service in this 

Chamber as an opportunity to repair our world. 

[ 20 ] 

So here we are, 5 days before my family celebrates Christmas and 12 days before the new year and the beginning of 

the so-called fiscal cliff. Our politics have paralyzed this 

Chamber and this town. But what the example of all of these 

remarkable Senators has shown us, what it has taught me 

is that we can still be better than our politics. 

The humanity of this place, too often shoved aside by the 

politics of the moment, shows us that we can do better. One 

by one, these Senators, in delivering their farewell addresses 

to this Chamber, stood at their desks and each in turn urged 

us to find a way to return to the days when Senators knew 

each other and worked together. What will it take to get us 

to that point again—a horrific tragedy in an elementary 

school, a dangerous economic cliff, some devastating attack, 

a cyberassault on America? 

Our retiring colleagues are each telling us, each in turn, 

that it is not too late to restore the humanity of this Chamber and make a positive difference in the lives of all we 

serve. Will we heed their call? I hope and pray we will because we can do better. We must do better. And in the spirit 

of each of these departing colleagues, I will do my level best. 

I hope we all can commit to doing the same. 

Thank you, and I yield the floor. 

FRIDAY, December 21, 2012 

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in a few days the Senate will 

no longer benefit from the service of a member who has left 

an indelible mark on national security policy and on the Senate. Senator JOE LIEBERMAN has been my colleague and 

friend for more than two decades. We have shared triumphs 

and challenges, agreed and disagreed with one another, and 

each of us has served as a member of a committee the other 

chaired. 

One challenge we have shared is the need to strengthen 

our Nation’s manufacturing sector, the economic backbone of 

our two States and indeed of the Nation. Senator LIEBERMAN

has served as chairman of the Senate Manufacturing Caucus, which has benefited greatly from his energy and leadership. He has been a dedicated supporter of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which helps U.S. manufacturers strengthen and grow in the face of international competition. In this work, Senator LIEBERMAN has been an ally of 

Michigan working families. 

[ 21 ] 

Of course, Senator LIEBERMAN and I have worked together 

on the Armed Services Committee, where he has been an active, thoughtful, principled and energetic member and subcommittee chairman. Senator LIEBERMAN joined the committee in 1993, and from the start, he made an impact. He 

was the author of what came to be known as the Lieberman 

Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 

Fiscal Year 1997, directing the Department of Defense to 

conduct a Quadrennial Defense Review. This review has become an integral part of our Nation’s defense planning, encouraging the Pentagon, Congress, and all who contribute to 

defense strategy to confront tough questions about strategy, 

capabilities, and resources. 

Over several years as chairman or ranking member of the 

Airland Subcommittee, Senator LIEBERMAN has played an influential role in oversight of important modernization programs. His constant attention and leadership has helped the 

Army push through the challenges of acquiring and fielding 

the truly networked tactical force our Nation needs, and of 

modernizing its helicopter force. He has provided close oversight of aircraft programs such as the F/A–18E and F, F–22, 

F–35 Joint Strike Fighter and the new KC–46 aerial refueling tanker. 

Of course, the committee has grappled with a number of 

difficult policy questions over the last two decades, from the 

need to repeal ‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell’’ to the conduct of the 

wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Senator LIEBERMAN was the 

original sponsor of the legislation that repealed ‘‘don’t ask, 

don’t tell,’’ and he played an important role in shepherding 

this legislation through the Armed Services Committee and 

the Senate. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Senator 

LIEBERMAN on these issues, it’s impossible to doubt his 

thoughtfulness and his dedication to finding the right solutions for our Nation. 

Senator LIEBERMAN is my chairman on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee. I’m privileged to 

chair that committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, where a small but incredibly talented and dedicated staff has made immense contributions to consumer 

protections, government oversight, and our defenses against 

financial wrongdoing. I am deeply grateful for Senator 

LIEBERMAN’s support for our subcommittee’s work. 

We also have worked closely on the committee’s efforts to 

protect Americans from potentially catastrophic releases 

from chemical facilities. I was a cosponsor on legislation he 

[ 22 ] 

authored with Senator Collins to address that threat, and I 

am thankful for his leadership in putting in place these vital 

protective standards. Senator LIEBERMAN’s work has also included badly needed reform of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster; improving our cybersecurity protections; and improving our defenses against disease pandemics. 

The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is also where Senator LIEBERMAN has accomplished 

what is likely his most lasting work: reform of our homeland 

security and intelligence communities in the wake of the 

2001 terrorist attacks. 

Reforms of this scope by necessity have many authors, but 

certainly Senator LIEBERMAN’s role was at the forefront. His 

leadership was instrumental in passage of legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security, and in achieving vital reforms to the structure and practices of our intelligence agencies in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. These were 

sweeping, once-in-a-generation reforms, and Senator 

LIEBERMAN was tireless in his advocacy for them. 

In these and so many other ways, Senator LIEBERMAN

leaves an important and lasting legacy as he prepares to 

leave the Senate. He is a trustworthy confidant and I shall 

miss him. Barbara and I wish JOE and Hadassah every happiness as they embark on their next adventure together. 

THURSDAY, December 27, 2012 

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, a Senator of 24 years, Senator 

JOE LIEBERMAN this year retires from this Chamber. He has 

represented the people of Connecticut for years, first as a 

State senator, and then as the State’s attorney general. 

Senator LIEBERMAN has been a constant voice in national 

security matters. I worked with him in the aftermath of the 

terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to establish the Department of Homeland Security, and since then, he has 

served as the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs Committee. He has worked to 

strengthen the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 

the aftermath of disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita. 

I worked with Senator LIEBERMAN in 2002 on the EGovernment Act, a key privacy law that required the government to improve access to information on the Internet. A 

[ 23 ] 

chief architect of that bill, it has become an important transparency law and a valuable tool in protecting individual privacy protections. 

Senator LIEBERMAN has been a dedicated proponent of examining the impacts of climate change. He has worked to 

find a compromise to move the Senate forward on meaningful climate change and cap-and-trade legislation. Despite 

Connecticut’s small dairy industry, Senator LIEBERMAN has 

been a true partner in advancing the needs of dairy farmers 

in Vermont and across the country. 

Senator LIEBERMAN has earned the respect of both Democrats and Republicans. Like so many other retiring Senators, 

he has urged the Senate to pursue avenues of bipartisanship. 

The bipartisan legacy he leaves is one example we can all 

follow moving forward. I wish him and his wife, Hadassah, 

the best in his retirement. 

FRIDAY, December 28, 2012 

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

the Senators who will not be returning when the 113th Congress commences next month. I have already spoken about 

Senator Kyl and about Senator Inouye, one of the truly great 

Americans and giants of this institution. At the time of his 

death, Senator Inouye was just a few weeks short of celebrating 50 years of Senate service. Only Senator Byrd served 

in this institution longer. 

Turnover is a natural occurrence, but it’s important to 

acknowledge that the Senators who are departing have 

served in the Senate for a combined total of 237 years, or 

nearly 20 years per Senator, on average. Add Senator 

Inouye, and the total is close to 300 years. That service represents an enormous amount of expertise on issues ranging 

from national defense and foreign affairs to the Federal 

budget to energy policy. The departing Senators will also 

take with them vast institutional knowledge and bipartisan 

friendships and working relationships that will leave a void 

we will need to fill. . . . 

Mr. President, few Senators have struck as independent a 

path in recent years as Senator JOE LIEBERMAN. He was the 

first prominent Democrat to chastise then-President Bill 

Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky, but did not support removing the President from office. He was the Democratic Party’s nominee to be Vice President in 2000—the first 

[ 24 ] 

Jewish candidate on a national party ticket in American history. Senator LIEBERMAN has confounded people because he 

has been willing to follow his conscience and to place principle over party loyalty. 

Senator LIEBERMAN is a proud son of Connecticut. His parents ran a liquor store in Stamford; both his paternal and 

maternal grandparents were immigrants from Poland and 

Austria, respectively. He graduated from Yale University— 

the first member of his family to graduate from college—and 

then received his law degree from Yale Law School. In 1970, 

when Senator LIEBERMAN was just 28, he was elected to the 

Connecticut State Senate as a ‘‘reform Democrat.’’ He served 

in the State senate for 10 years, including 6 as majority 

leader. In 1982 he won the first of two terms as Connecticut’s Attorney General, and was immensely popular for 

championing environmental and consumer protection. 

Senator LIEBERMAN pulled off perhaps the biggest upset of 

the 1988 election cycle when he defeated incumbent Republican Senator Lowell Weicker in a close race, winning by just 

10,000 votes. But 6 years later, when Democrats lost control 

of both Houses of Congress, Senator LIEBERMAN won reelection with over 67 percent of the vote. In 2000, while he simultaneously ran for Vice President, he received over 63 percent of the vote for the Senate seat he held. 

Here in the Senate, Senator LIEBERMAN has been a strong 

advocate of recruiting, training, and equipping a 21st century fighting force and using it to defend America’s security, 

values, and interests. Senator LIEBERMAN was one of five 

Democrats to cosponsor S.J. Res. 2, which authorized the use 

of force in the first gulf war in 1991. He partnered with Senator McCain to push for U.S. intervention in the Balkans in 

the 1990s, and he was a proponent of former President 

George W. Bush’s surge strategy in Iraq. 

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, 

Senator LIEBERMAN led the charge to establish the 9/11 

Commission, whose mission was to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the attacks. 

Then, in response to the Commission’s recommendations, 

Senator LIEBERMAN worked with Senator Susan Collins to 

implement the largest reorganization of the intelligence community in over half a century. As chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, Senator LIEBERMAN led congressional efforts to establish the Department of Homeland Security, which integrated all or part of 22 different Federal departments and agencies. He has since continued to oversee 

[ 25 ] 

the department’s work in his position as ranking member of 

the committee between 2003 and 2006 and as chairman 

again since 2007. 

Senator LIEBERMAN is a committed environmentalist. He 

played a key role in drafting and passing the 1990 Clean Air 

Act Amendments, which established the sulfur dioxide cap 

and trade program to combat acid rain, one of the most successful programs in history. He has introduced every major 

climate change bill in the Senate, and every bill that has 

been brought to the floor for a vote. In 1994 Senator 

LIEBERMAN worked with then-Representative Nancy Johnson, a Republican, to secure wild and scenic river status for 

the Upper Farmington River, the first in the State of Connecticut. He has led several successful filibusters against legislation that would have opened the Arctic National Wildlife 

Refuge, ANWR, to oil and gas exploration; he also has introduced legislation every 2 years to protect ANWR permanently. 

In 1994 Senator LIEBERMAN introduced the Video Game 

Ratings Act, held hearings on violence in video games, and 

played an important role in establishing a ratings system 

and restricting sales of mature games to minors. In the wake 

of the terrible tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School 

in Newtown, CT, he has called for the creation of a national 

commission to study gun violence in a comprehensive way. 

In 1998, Senator LIEBERMAN introduced and helped pass the 

Charter School Expansion Act, which expanded the number 

of high-quality charter schools available to children across 

the United States. Three years later, he was a lead sponsor 

of the No Child Left Behind legislation, NCLB. Because of 

his involvement, he was invited to join the NCLB Conference 

Committee despite not serving on the committee of jurisdiction. In 2007 Senator LIEBERMAN was a lead sponsor of the 

National Innovation Act and the National Innovation Education Act. These were underlying pieces of the final American COMPETES Act, intended to spur innovation and ensure that our workforce has the education and skills necessary to compete in a global economy. In 2010 Senator 

LIEBERMAN led the successful fight to repeal the Department 

of Defense’s ‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy. He also has introduced legislation to provide domestic partnership benefits to 

Federal employees, and was an original cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. 

Senator LIEBERMAN is a highly accomplished Senator because he has put pragmatism above ideology and because he 

[ 26 ] 

has been willing to forge bipartisan alliances and compromises. He is a deeply religious man whose motto might 

well be the prophet Isaiah’s plaintive cry, ‘‘Come now, and 

let us reason together’’ (Isaiah 1:18). The Senate will miss 

his devotion to public service, cheerfulness, and optimism. . . . 

Mr. President, these men and women who will be leaving 

the Senate soon have made extraordinary sacrifices to serve 

our Nation. We are fortunate that they have chosen to spend 

significant parts of their lives in public service. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude. Those of us who will be 

in the Senate next month when the 113th Congress convenes 

can best honor the legacy of our departing colleagues by 

reaching across the aisle as they have done so many times 

to forge bipartisan consensus and solutions to our Nation’s 

most vexing problems. The men and women who will be leaving the Senate at the end of this Congress understand that 

compromise isn’t a dirty word; it is the genius at the heart 

of our political system. We will miss them. 

Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, at the end of each session of 

Congress, the Senate takes a moment to acknowledge and 

express our appreciation for the service of those retiring 

Members who will not be a part of the next Congress when 

we reconvene in January. We offer each of them our thanks 

for a job well done. JOE LIEBERMAN is such an individual, 

and he has brought so much to our work in the Senate over 

the years. We will miss him. 

Ever since he arrived here in the Senate JOE has always 

seen our deliberations as not so much a matter of party so 

much as it has been about each issue taken individually. 

That is why we see him as such a thoughtful legislator. He 

examines every matter that comes before the Senate, taking 

stock of how it will impact his home State of Connecticut and 

the future of our Nation, and then he makes a decision on 

the best course of action for the Congress to take. His ability 

to sort through each issue focused more on policy than politics has helped him to work with Senators on both sides of 

the aisle—and bring something important to each discussion. 

That is why the people of Connecticut kept bringing him 

back for another term. Simply put, they saw him in action 

in the Senate, visited with him when he would return to 

Connecticut, and they liked what they saw. 

I got to know JOE as we worked together during a trip to 

South Korea. The Kyoto Conference had concluded and 

South Korea was in the midst of a series of problems. The 

outlook was troublesome and action needed to be taken on 

[ 27 ] 

a priority basis. The problems were magnified by the election 

that was going on and the monetary crisis that was being 

played out in the midst of all of that political campaigning 

and posturing. 

In an effort to be of assistance, the International Monetary 

Fund had stepped in and was willing to provide the support 

that was needed in exchange for South Korea’s willingness 

to take certain steps that they believed were essential if any 

additional elements of the crisis were to be avoided. 

The International Monetary Fund asked us to meet with 

the candidates who were running in South Korea and make 

them aware of the importance of the current problem and 

the need to work with the International Monetary Fund toward the solution that had been proposed. It was not going 

to be enough for them to privately state that they were open 

to the idea. We needed them to go public with their support 

for the proposal so that all the candidates would be on the 

record as being on board with the plan. That would help to 

strengthen and stabilize the economy and put South Korea 

on a track toward a long-term solution to their financial 

problems. 

We were so ‘‘effective’’ with our assignment that, after 

meeting with us, each of the candidates took to the airwaves 

the next day to make it clear that if they were elected they 

would rewrite the whole deal. 

As soon as they made it clear they were not interested in 

the proposal that had been made, the value of their currency 

began to sink like a rock. It hit the maximum loss for 3 days. 

That was enough to teach each candidate that they had no 

alternative but to move in the direction the International 

Monetary Fund had recommended. 

As soon as that realization became clear, each of the candidates went back on the airwaves and said that they would 

comply with the International Monetary Fund’s recommendations and pursue the policies that would place the 

nation on firmer ground. When there is only one viable alternative it makes taking a position on an issue like this a lot 

easier. 

I learned a great deal about JOE on that trip—and from 

him, too. It was in every sense time well spent both for me 

and JOE—and for the Government of South Korea as well. 

That experience has been with me ever since, and I have 

never forgotten it. 

JOE is completing his fourth term and through it all he 

has been a good representative of the people of Connecticut. 

[ 28 ] 

He has been a part of many difficult and complex issues during those four terms. Each day, strengthened by his faith 

and guided by his strong sense of values and principles, he 

has taken on each challenge that has come before us and 

done some very important work for the Nation. 

Thanks, JOE, for your willingness to serve. You have compiled a record during your years of service on the State and 

national level of which you can be very proud. As I thank 

you for your service, I also want to thank you for your 

friendship. I have enjoyed having the chance to come to 

know you and I hope you will continue to keep in touch with 

us in the months to come. 

MONDAY, December 31, 2012 

Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I wish to thank my friend, my 

longtime friend whom I hate to see leave this body, Senator 

LIEBERMAN from Connecticut, for his remarks. 

I didn’t have the opportunity to speak after he gave his 

farewell remarks. I do wish to say, before I get into the reason I came down here—I am happy to see him here so I can 

say this—it has been a joy to serve with him over the years. 

I am in my second life in the Senate, and during my first 

life we served together on the Armed Services Committee. 

We worked on a number of initiatives together, and I was 

proud to be associated with him. I believe that work 

strengthened our national economy and our security team 

around the world. We worked on school vouchers for DC and 

a number of other initiatives affecting the future of our military and other issues that were of importance to us. 

Most important, from my standpoint, we worked together 

to bring values that each of us cherish based on our faith. 

JOE is of the Jewish faith, and I am of the Christian faith. 

We discovered on a trip to Iraq, just after Desert Storm, that 

we, in talking to each other, shared our respective faiths and 

how it affected our lives, how it affected our families, and 

how it helped us form decisions we make. Of course, coming 

from two different parties, we didn’t find agreement on everything, but we found agreement on a number of things, 

particularly those things where we shared common values, 

where our faith shared common values and where individually we shared those values. 

Under the direction of a rabbi from Chicago we cochaired 

the Center for Jewish and Christian Values, bringing toVerDate Aug 31 2005 14:20 Apr 24, 2014 Jkt 081109 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE12\81109.TXT KAYNE
[ 29 ] 

gether Jews and Christians to talk about what they had in 

common and what values we could work together on for the 

betterment of our country and for the betterment of our society. Too often we bring groups together of different persuasions to discuss, argue, and debate the differences. This was 

different because we brought these groups together, distinguished leaders from both sides, prominent leaders from 

both sides, to set aside those differences and work to find 

those values we had in common. It was a joy to participate 

in that with Senator LIEBERMAN and to cochair that. 

We have remained friends. His contributions to our country, not just representing a State but representing America 

around the world, will long be remembered and will have 

great impact and effect. We are losing a real talent, and we 

are losing a real gentleman. We are losing someone who is 

an example of how he conducts himself and is an example 

for all of us as to how we ought to conduct ourselves, and 

we don’t always do that. 

JOE LIEBERMAN has left a lasting impression on me—and 

I know a number of our colleagues on both sides of the 

aisle—and he will be sorely missed. 

One thing I am happy about is that we will continue a lifelong friendship, and I am looking forward to many more opportunities for Senator LIEBERMAN to work on matters of interest but will enjoy a continued sharing of the commonalities of our Judeo-Christian faiths. 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I wish to recognize my 

colleague JOE LIEBERMAN for his many years of distinguished service and leadership on behalf of our country and 

the people of Connecticut. 

JOE will always have a special place in my heart. As many 

of my colleagues know, he was actually one of my professors 

in college. He gave me one of my first introductions to the 

political process through a seminar he taught on the subject 

of the national political parties. Interestingly enough, Senator Sherrod Brown also took that same class just a few 

years earlier. Even more interesting is the fact that everyone 

remembers what grade I got, but no one seems to recall what 

grade Sherrod got. 

But I digress. Not many political science professors can 

say they’ve taught two concurrently serving U.S. Senators. 

JOE can, however, and I think that’s an enormous tribute to 

his character and genuine zest for public policy. As one of his 

former students, I made a point of following his career over 

the years and always admired his political courage. But it 

[ 30 ] 

never occurred to me that I might someday be serving alongside him in the Senate. 

Working with JOE these last 6 years has been an incredible privilege for me. I’ve respected him as a policymaker, 

particularly for his work on national security and climate 

change. I’ve admired him for his outspoken leadership and 

commonsense approach to legislating. Maybe most important, I’ve genuinely enjoyed him as a friend and a colleague—for his kindness, his wisdom, and his famous sense 

of humor. 

JOE LIEBERMAN has been a truly outstanding voice for the 

State of Connecticut and a great leader for the people of this 

country. To say that he will be missed would be a tremendous understatement, but I know he will continue to find 

ways to improve our great country and give back to the State 

he loves so much, even in retirement. Thank you, Senator 

LIEBERMAN. I wish you the best. 

THURSDAY, February 7, 2013 

ORDER FOR PRINTING OF TRIBUTES 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 

there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the retiring Members of the 112th Congress. 

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

[ 31 ] 

Proceedings 

in the House of Representatives 

THURSDAY, December 13, 2012 

Ms. NORTON. I rise today in strong support of the D.C. 

Courts and Public Defender Service Act of 2011. I would like 

to thank Senator JOE LIEBERMAN, the chair of the Senate 

Homeland Security Committee, which has jurisdiction over 

the District of Columbia, and particularly Senator Daniel 

Akaka, the chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight 

and Government Management and the Senate sponsor of the 

bill, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia for 

ushering the bill through subcommittee and committee and 

getting it passed by voice vote. 

Both Senators LIEBERMAN and Akaka are retiring this 

year. They each will leave rich legacies of accomplishment to 

the Nation, and both Senator LIEBERMAN and Senator Akaka 

have always been good friends of the District of Columbia. 

They will be very much missed in both Chambers by all of 

us, I know, but particularly by the residents of the District 

of Columbia. . . . 

Æ