TRIBUTES TO HON. GORDON H. SMITH 

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Gordon H. Smith 

U.S. SENATOR FROM OREGON 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


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Gordon H. Smith 


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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2010

S. DOC. 110–26 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Gordon H. Smith 

United States Senator 

1997–2009 

÷ 

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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 ............................................... 17 

Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky ....................................................... 17 

Chambliss, Saxby, of Georgia ................................................... 24 

Coleman, Norm, of Minnesota .................................................. 19 

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

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

Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut ....................................... 7 

Dorgan, Byron L., of North Dakota .......................................... 16 

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

Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin ............................................ 8 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 15 

Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas ............................................... 24 

Kohl, Herb, of Wisconsin ........................................................... 17 

Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana ............................................... 3 

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

McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky ................................................. 4, 7 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada .............................................................. 7 

Smith, Gordon H., of Oregon ..................................................... 6 

Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine .................................................... 22 

Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania ................................................ 12 

Warner, John, of Virginia .......................................................... 13 

Wyden, Ron, of Oregon .............................................................. 9 

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BIOGRAPHY 

GORDON SMITH served his home State of Oregon in the 

U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2009. He earned a reputation for 

independence and effectiveness, working with both Republicans and Democrats to do what is right for Oregon. 

Helping grow the Oregon economy was a top priority. As 

a member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, GORDON SMITH cut taxes and helped working families keep more 

of their hard-earned money. 

When it comes to health care, he was a leading advocate 

for mental health programs, expanding access to children’s 

health care, and providing coverage for the uninsured while 

protecting Medicaid. The Oregonian called GORDON SMITH

the ‘‘leading Republican voice against dismantling the nation’s health-care safety net.’’ 

Oregon’s farmers, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts have 

come to know GORDON SMITH as a friend. While others were 

looking to shut down the forests or fence off our farmers, 

GORDON SMITH was making public policy that does not leave 

Oregonians high and dry. Whether writing salvage logging 

legislation or preserving landmarks like Mt. Hood, he balanced the use of natural resources to protect Oregon’s treasures and people’s livelihoods. 

From preschool to college education, he worked to make 

sure Oregon’s schools are strong. In the Senate, he fought 

budget cuts to Head Start Programs for preschoolers and 

worked to make student loans more accessible for college 

students. As the chairman of the Senate Hunger Caucus, the 

Senator worked to alleviate hunger in Oregon and address 

the problem around the globe. 

GORDON SMITH was the preeminent Republican advocate 

in the U.S. Senate for bringing our troops home from Iraq 

and focusing their mission on fighting terrorists. The Register Guard said SMITH has ‘‘the courage to back up criticism’’ and that he spoke ‘‘honestly’’ about Iraq. La Grande 

Observer said he ‘‘spoke with conviction and sincerity’’ when 

calling for a change in tactics in Iraq. 

Known as GORDY to his nine brothers and sisters, he grew 

up in Pendleton and later in Bethesda, MD, where his father 

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Milan served in the Eisenhower administration. GORDON

SMITH played basketball and was an Eagle Scout. After serving on a church mission in New Zealand, he graduated from 

Brigham Young University and Southwestern University 

School of Law. 

Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate in 1996, SMITH operated his family’s frozen food processing company in Pendleton. He first entered public service in 1992 serving in the 

Oregon Senate, where he became Senate president in 1995. 

A native Oregonian, he and his wife Sharon live in Pendleton where they raised three children—Brittany, Garrett, 

and Morgan. 

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TRIBUTES 

TO 

GORDON H. SMITH 

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Proceedings in the Senate 

SATURDAY, September 27, 2008 

ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENT 

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 

that the tributes to retiring Senators that appear in the Congressional Record be printed as a Senate document and that 

Senators be permitted to submit such tributes for inclusion 

until Friday, November 21, 2008. 

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

WEDNESDAY, November 19, 2008 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, for nearly 70 years the film 

‘‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’’ has inspired Americans and 

people around the world with its uplifting story of how one 

man of conviction and character can make a difference. 

Today, I am honored to offer a few words to the Mr. Smith 

of our time: Senator GORDON SMITH of Oregon. 

Senator SMITH came to Washington to make a difference— 

and he has. He and I were sworn into the U.S. Senate on the 

same day, January 7, 1997. Although his State and mine are 

a continent apart, we quickly found that we had a lot in common. 

It has been a joy to work with GORDON SMITH on so many 

important issues. Of course, where I come from, the name 

Senator Smith conjures up not just the beloved movie but 

also a towering, real-life figure, and my inspiration in public 

service. Although Margaret Chase Smith of Maine and GORDON SMITH are separated by time, they are united in a spirit 

of independence and integrity. Both served with strong convictions but with respect for the principles of others. Both 

spoke up when they saw wrongdoing. Both had extraordinary courage that allowed them to speak out when they 

thought their own party was in error. Both saw the aisle not 

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as a barrier to progress but as a bridge to reaching consensus on behalf of the American people. 

This focus on moving forward is especially apparent in 

GORDON SMITH’s effective work on issues of great importance 

in Maine, in Oregon, and everywhere in between—health 

care, tax relief, small business, equal rights, and foreign policy. These challenges are ones that require careful consensus 

building, a responsible approach that has defined GORDON

SMITH’s service here. 

GORDON SMITH is simply a wonderful person and an extraordinary leader. We all remember the terrible tragedy he 

suffered with the loss of his son during his service here, a 

terrible tragedy that gave him and his family such sorrow. 

But it is typical of GORDON SMITH that out of that tragedy, 

he chose to do something to help prevent other families from 

enduring the tragedy of the loss of a child. That is so typical 

of GORDON SMITH—always thinking of others, always trying 

to do what is right, always committed to public service. 

Smith is one of the more common names in the English 

language, but in this Chamber the name has special meaning, one of uncommon principles and extraordinary accomplishments. It reminds us of a cherished film, of the great 

lady from the State of Maine, Senator Margaret Chase 

Smith, and now of Senator GORDON SMITH. I thank him for 

his service and his friendship, and I wish him all the best 

in the future. 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, I rise with sadness 

to say goodbye to our friend the Senator from Oregon, GORDON SMITH. For 12 years he has made the people of Oregon 

proud by serving as a model legislator: thoughtful, independent, and focused on getting results for our country and 

his State. 

GORDON heard the call to serve others early in life, becoming an Eagle Scout as a boy and taking a 2-year mission to 

New Zealand for his church. He earned his bachelor’s degree 

at Brigham Young University and his law degree at Southwestern University. 

He then bought back the family business, a frozen vegetable company, and transformed it into one of the largest 

and most profitable in the country. With GORDON’s departure, we are losing the Senate’s only member of the Frozen 

Food Hall of Fame. 

GORDON’s desire to serve led him to run for the Oregon 

State Senate in 1992. His peers recognized the star in their 

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midst when they elevated him first to minority leader, then 

to senate president during his first term in office. 

GORDON then entered a special election to fill a vacant 

U.S. Senate seat. Election day fell in January 1996, and 

GORDON lost that race—the winner was our colleague, his 

fellow Senator from Oregon. 

But then GORDON did something no one else has ever 

done, and proved to the people of the Beaver State how 

much he cared about making sure every Oregonian’s voice 

was heard in Washington. 

He ran for the Senate again in the regularly scheduled 

election later that year, making him the only American in 

history to run for two Senate seats in the same year. The 

people of Oregon gave him their trust and GORDON has never 

let them down. 

Oregonians can rightfully be proud of his conservation 

record, as he championed legislation to successfully secure 

the protection of 170,000 acres of wilderness on Steen Mountain and the Bull Run watershed. 

While protecting our natural resources, he also understands the importance of the many working Oregonians who 

depend on his State’s natural resources for their livelihood. 

The foremost example of his work in that regard is his tireless effort to protect the farmers of the Klamath Basin area, 

and to keep their agricultural lands in production. 

He has fought to lower the number of uninsured and drive 

health care costs down, and has been a tireless advocate for 

the disabled and mentally ill. 

He has sponsored legislation to strengthen the prosecution 

of child exploitation cases, fought for new protections against 

Internet predators, and led the effort to increase funding for 

programs that help victims of rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence. 

GORDON has also been a leading voice on issues of education, and has fought to secure rural schools throughout Oregon. He has fought for lower taxes, so more Oregonians can 

keep more of what they earn. 

But there is one issue in particular where GORDON led the 

way in a very personal manner for a cause close to his heart. 

In 2003, GORDON’s son, Garrett, committed suicide just one 

day before his 22d birthday. 

The torment a parent must feel after losing a child must 

be the worst horror imaginable. No amount of sympathy, no 

words, nothing any of us could do could possibly ease the 

pain in GORDON’s and his family’s hearts. 

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Yet even in his grief, GORDON showed us the strength of 

his character when he wrote about his loss in his moving 

memoir, ‘‘Remembering Garrett.’’ And he channeled his sadness into successful legislation, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, to create screening programs to identify and help 

youths at risk for suicide. 

I’ll never forget his powerful words on behalf of that legislation in this very Chamber. He said, ‘‘[There’s] no owner’s 

manual to help you bury a child, especially when the cause 

is suicide. So I’ve committed myself to trying to find meaning 

in Garrett’s life.’’ GORDON, with that brave act you prevented 

the tragedy of suicide from befalling countless other families. 

I can think of no more profound example of strength and 

leadership than that. 

Every Senator knows what a pleasure it is to work with 

GORDON. He believes we were sent here to find solutions, not 

confrontations. And for every day he has served in public office, finding solutions has been his goal. 

GORDON, it has been a privilege to work with you these 

many years, and to spend time with you and your wife Sharon. America is a stronger Nation thanks to your dedication 

and spirit of public service. Please don’t forget you have 

many friends here, and we all wish you well in your bright 

future. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Cantwell). The Senator 

from Oregon is recognized. 

Mr. SMITH. Madam President, I thank my leader, Mitch 

McConnell. Winston Churchill observed that ‘‘Democracy is 

not always a polite employer.’’ That is the case in my reelection effort. Yet I feel nothing but gratitude to the people of 

my State. 

I acknowledge the wisdom of the people of Kentucky in 

your reelection and of the wisdom of my colleagues for electing you again as our leader. You are an articulate advocate 

for causes that I think are important for America not to forget in the coming days. It is one of the high privileges of my 

life that I have been able to serve with you as a friend and 

as a colleague. 

I thank you and I thank my Senate family, without respect 

to party, for the help that was given to Sharon and me at 

the most painful time of our lives—to find additional meaning in the life of our son by helping the sons and daughters 

of others. I hope and pray that my Senate colleagues, while 

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ness. I am so proud of Senator Domenici, Senator Kennedy, 

and others who championed mental health parity. It has 

been a privilege to be on their team in this cause. It is a silent cause. It is one that does not get a lot of ink or much 

attention because America is still opening its mind to this 

important area of medicine. But we have blazed a new trail, 

and much of it was because of your leadership, sir. 

For the privilege of serving with you, of serving my State, 

of serving with these colleagues here, I thank God, and I 

thank the State of Oregon, and I say God bless America. 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, may I just add a 

word to my friend from Oregon. He has had an extraordinarily successful tenure here. In my view, I would say to 

my friend from Oregon, you can always look back on these 

12 years with a sense of accomplishment. You have been a 

major player in this institution on a variety of different, extremely important matters that will affect each generation to 

come. So on behalf of all of our Republican colleagues, and 

I am sure on behalf of everyone in the Senate, I thank you 

for your extraordinary service. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, before the Senator leaves the 

floor—I am sorry I had to leave, I was called away from my 

desk—I wanted to say through the Chair to my friend GORDON SMITH that I, of course, watched all the election results 

very closely. But my wife watched one election result, and 

that was yours, because of the long-standing relationship she 

has with you and Sharon. The record is very clear of our 

long-standing friendship and our having had a similar experience with our loved ones following suicide. 

I am sorry I didn’t have more time to maybe write something out that may have been more meaningful, but I hope 

the Senator from Oregon will always understand the affection, respect, and admiration I have not only for what you 

did in your Senate service but for what you do in your personal life. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut 

is recognized. 

Mr. DODD. Let me say as well, I don’t have a prepared 

statement to make either, but I want to tell my friend from 

Oregon how much I have enjoyed my work with him over the 

years on a number of very important issues dealing with the 

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issue that the Senator can speak of not only with eloquence 

but with a great deal of passion, and that is the issue of 

mental illness. We were able to pass, in the waning days of 

our session, of course, the mental health parity bill. How important that was. Pete Domenici, TED Kennedy, Paul 

Wellstone, and others worked on it, but GORDON SMITH was 

invaluable in that discussion. 

I enjoyed immensely my work with him during his two 

terms in the Senate. I will say to my friend, the Good Lord 

is not through with you yet. There are a lot of things you can 

do for our country. You have done a lot already. So I hope 

you come back often and see us and know you have friends 

who care about you and cherish you very much. Although 

there is an aisle here that separates us politically, the aisle 

doesn’t exist when it comes to respect and admiration. In 

those terms, I am your seatmate in terms of my respect for 

you. I thank you for all you have done. 

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

Senator GORDON SMITH for his service to the people of Oregon. During my time on the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee I have watched Senator SMITH

fight ardently for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS 

Relief that has saved countless lives around the globe. His 

leadership on legislation to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases has been vital to our efforts to bring help to many African nations. 

I also applaud his work to pass the Employment NonDiscrimination Act, which I was also pleased to co-sponsor. 

His efforts to end employment discrimination based on sexual orientation represent an important step toward ensuring 

equal rights for all Americans. 

Finally, I want to recognize Senator SMITH’s work on legislation to require health insurers to include mental health 

benefits in their health insurance coverage. This excellent 

example of bipartisan cooperation, the Paul Wellstone and 

Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity 

Act, was made possible in part by the commitment of Senator SMITH to ensuring those suffering from mental illness 

have access to medical treatments that will improve their 

quality of life. 

Once again, I thank GORDON SMITH for his dedication to 

the people of Oregon and the country while in the Senate, 

and I wish him all the best in the future. 

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Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, when a departing colleague 

has been a strong working partner as well as a friend, saying 

goodbye is not easy. I have had the pleasure of serving on 

several committees with GORDON SMITH over the course of 

his career. We have sat across the dais from each other at 

the Budget Committee, the Indian Affairs Committee, and 

the Finance Committee. 

I am proud of what Senator SMITH and I have been able 

to accomplish in promoting savings and capital preservation 

for people in their retirement years. He recognized a long 

time ago that the sooner workers begin saving for retirement—and the longer they sustain that commitment—the 

better off they and their families will be when they have to 

depend on those savings. 

The successes we enjoyed in getting some of our ideas included in the Pension Protection Act of 2006 led to more ambitious proposals to address the special retirement savings 

and income needs of women and older workers. And GORDON

SMITH was the first to join the effort to promote lifetime income instruments as a response to longevity advances, which 

constitute the greatest threat to the retirement income security of the baby boom generation. 

In view of the economic situation the country now faces, 

the efforts that Senator SMITH and I began must continue. 

I sincerely regret that he will not be my primary partner on 

this agenda in the 111th Congress. I certainly hope that he 

will continue to use his influence and intelligence to keep the 

focus on this clear national priority. 

Finally, I want to salute Senator SMITH for the character 

of his service to his State, this body, and to the Nation. He 

is the kind of deliberate, open-minded, and thoughtful public 

servant the Founders must have had in mind when they conceived the Senate. We will truly miss this distinguished gentleman from Oregon. 

THURSDAY, November 20, 2008 

Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, at this moment, exactly 

13 years ago, I was locked in the toughest political battle of 

my life against GORDON H. SMITH. I went on to narrowly win 

that race and continue to hold that Senate seat today. But 

GORDON SMITH dusted himself off only a few months later 

and took on yet another very tough battle, and that time he 

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won the Senate seat that had been held for 30 years by our 

remarkable Senator Mark Hatfield. 

At that point, Oregonians did not know what to make of 

their Senate delegation. They had two Senators, myself and 

Senator SMITH, who were replacing Bob Packwood and Mark 

Hatfield. Those two individuals were the chairman of the Finance Committee and the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. And, of course, the old story was that Bob 

Packwood got to raise all of the money because he was chairman of the Finance Committee, and Mark Hatfield got to 

spend it all because he was chairman of the Appropriations 

Committee. 

Of course, I was very much concerned about what was 

ahead because I thought it was very possibly going to be a 

long and uncomfortable 6 years serving with the fellow with 

whom I had just duked it out over many months of a political campaign that, as the two of us like to say, was not exactly for the fainthearted. 

One of the great surprises of my career came, however, 

when I discovered that my new colleague, GORDON SMITH, 

was as thoughtful and kind and decent outside the political 

arena as he was tough and competitive inside the political 

arena. It was that charm and that decency and his desire to 

meet me halfway on Oregon’s interests that got me closer to 

GORDON over the years and led to an unusually strong working relationship and what became a strong and genuine 

friendship. 

GORDON lost a very tough reelection race a few weeks ago 

in a State that has changed rapidly from what was a very 

small Democratic voter edge, back when we ran against each 

other in 1996, to what has become a significant Democratic 

voter edge in 2008. GORDON and his skillful campaign team 

battled hard and tough as they always have. They did everything they could to withstand a formidable political tide and 

a very strong Democratic challenger, a challenger whom I 

support. So it is with mixed and conflicting emotions that I 

come today to pay tribute to my colleague and my friend of 

12 years, GORDON H. SMITH. 

GORDON and I have had plenty of political differences, 

enough differences, differences that we knew would be the 

case, that made us say from our very first meeting, when 

GORDON won that race to replace Mark Hatfield, that we 

would be supporting each other’s opponents in years ahead. 

Political campaigns are important, and each of us was 

called upon to separate our friendship from our beliefs every 

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2 years. Yet I will say this afternoon that I have come to 

genuinely loathe much of what has become of the political 

process in our country. The relentless and omnipresent negative ads obscure and distort to the point that it can be difficult for the typical citizen to maintain anything resembling 

a healthy perspective on fundamentally good and decent individuals who seek public office. 

Thankfully, the negative ads are now off the air, and I 

want to make sure Oregonians once again remember the 

GORDON SMITH I have known for 12 years. GORDON has been 

a good and decent and selfless public servant. 

The fact is, GORDON SMITH did not need to serve another 

term in the Senate. He and his wife Sharon have built a 

strong and prosperous business, and they could have done 

countless things with their time that would have been more 

glamorous and certainly produced less strain and wear and 

tear on their personal lives. But GORDON ran because of his 

belief in the role that he believed he could play in shaping 

our country’s future. That, in my view, is the essence of 

being a good public servant. No one in this body or in the 

State of Oregon ought to lose sight of the extraordinary sacrifices that GORDON and his wife Sharon have made over the 

course of almost two decades of public service. 

Among GORDON’s many personal triumphs in the Senate, 

I would like to highlight two that are especially important to 

our State, to our country, and to me personally. I wanted to 

remind my colleagues and the people of our country of the 

very difficult decisions made by GORDON and Sharon to 

share with the public and the Congress their heartrending 

struggle on behalf of their son, Garrett. They did this selflessly to further the cause of mental health treatment, and 

particularly the cause of mental health parity. 

If not for GORDON’s courage in sharing their family’s story, 

I believe Congress might not have acted on mental health 

parity this past fall, and thousands of parents might never 

know that they are not alone in their difficult struggle. 

There were other critical tasks that GORDON shouldered 

and one that I was especially appreciative for his leadership 

on, and that was being the voice for rural folks, for people 

whose way of life and quality of life is connected to natural 

resources that are bountiful in our State. 

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munities that struggle to retain a voice in increasingly urban 

America. 

It was written fairly frequently in Oregon’s papers, and 

was in the New York Times at one point, that there was 

something in the State of Oregon that people came to say 

was the Senate’s odd couple. In fact, I think the headline in 

the New York Times when they talked about us was wildly 

inflationary, and GORDON and I came to laugh about it. I 

think the headline was, ‘‘Oregon’s Odd Couple Makes It 

Work.’’ It was essentially all about how there were two Senators from Oregon; one of them was a Mormon fellow. He 

was a Republican. He was from somewhere called Pendleton. 

GORDON and I were never convinced that folks in the New 

York Times knew exactly where Pendleton was, but that is 

how GORDON was described. 

Then they said the other Senator was a Jewish guy, and 

he was from Portland and he was a legal aid lawyer for the 

senior citizens, and he was an activist with the Gray Panthers. What in the world would these two people ever have 

in common? 

Well, I want people to know that gentle spirit, that Mormon from wheat and pea country taught this Jewish fellow 

from the city an awful lot about the too often forgotten 

voices, particularly those in our rural communities. 

In his absence, I will do everything I can to remind colleagues, particularly Democratic colleagues on my side of the 

aisle, of the challenges faced in rural communities, of the 

people and the issues that GORDON H. SMITH championed 

every single day in the Senate. I wish GORDON and Sharon 

well in whatever their future endeavors are. I have already 

made it clear they will always have my friendship and assistance in any project they pursue in the days ahead. But 

most important, I come to the floor and thank GORDON for 

his personal friendship to me and his service to our State. 

I ask my colleagues here and the people of our home State 

to voice their thanks today to two very special people, Sharon and GORDON H. SMITH. 

I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania. 

Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, I have listened to the 

eloquent comments of the Senator from Oregon, Mr. Wyden. 

I had planned to insert a statement in the Record complementing Senator GORDON SMITH on his tenure, but I would 

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like to add my voice of laudatory comments at the conclusion 

of the statement of Senator Wyden. I agree with him that 

Senator GORDON SMITH has made an enormous contribution 

to the Senate in his two terms, and he will be sorely missed. 

He is a member of a small band of moderates on this side 

of the aisle. I suggest that GORDON SMITH’s brand of Republicanism is very much in need in this body. Very frequently, 

Members on the Democratic side of the aisle seek cosponsors. I have been told on a number of occasions that the 

‘‘pickins are slim.’’ GORDON’s absence will make it more difficult. 

GORDON SMITH has been outspoken on many of the very 

important causes that require bipartisanship. He was one of 

the few on this side of the aisle to sponsor legislation to fight 

hate crimes, for example. At the outset, support for Federal 

funding for embryonic stem cell research was limited. GORDON SMITH was at the forefront of that effort, as I was. GORDON SMITH made a very eloquent speech from his chair a few 

rows behind me on the Iraq war. He was moved one day to 

come over and spoke from the heart, something which happens relatively infrequently in this Chamber. Sometimes 

people in this Chamber speak from the head. Even that has 

its limited aspects, if we take a close look at the Congressional Record. But GORDON SMITH was a big plus here. 

I would like to associate myself with the remarks of Senator Wyden. I know GORDON is a young, vigorous man. He 

has a bright future ahead of him. I think he will live to fight 

another day on the political wars. Some of us have had an 

election loss or two. It is a learning experience, not one I recommend, but there are ways to move forward. That can be 

a lesson that could stand anyone in good stead. I am sure 

Senator GORDON SMITH has a great future ahead of him. 

Mr. WARNER. Madam President, today may mark the last 

day of this session, although I shall not try to make that prediction. However, I would not want this day to pass without 

availing myself of the opportunity and the privilege to come 

to this floor and say a few words on behalf of the very dear 

and valued friends whom I have served with in this Chamber as they depart and go on the road of life to, I expect, in 

each case great challenges. 

GORDON SMITH and I have become friends for ever so 

many reasons. One, we both love the outdoors. He and his 

devoted wife Sharon and my wife have all been close friends 

through these years. As I look back, I will always remember 

GORDON. I remember when I was chairman of the Armed 

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Services Committee and entrusted with the extraordinary responsibilities—along with other committee members, as well 

as, indeed, every Member of this Chamber—entrusted with 

those decisions relating to this Nation’s Armed Forces who 

were fighting so valiantly then, today, and for the foreseeable future—I hope the short future—in Iraq. 

GORDON and I had many very quiet and private conversations about his deep concerns and convictions. His convictions emanated from the depths of his heart. Politics played 

no role in his approach to the conflict in Iraq. He was gravely concerned about the loss of life and limb, the image of this 

Nation, and, indeed, the families of the loved ones who are 

fighting in that conflict. So I say: GORDON, we had our differences, but I respected your stance. I can see him standing 

back there as erect as he always was, standing and voting 

against me and voting against others, but again, drawing on 

his own deeply held personal convictions. Time will tell and 

history will tell if I was right or if I was wrong, but I found 

his counsel, his willingness to listen, his willingness to share 

with me his most inner thoughts about that conflict a very 

valuable asset as I and others in leadership positions carried 

the heavy burden of that conflict. So I am grateful to him. 

He is a very sensitive man, and he showed that sensitivity 

every so often as he plunged into the complex issues with regard to health care, the almost insoluble problems—problems 

that he recognized have to be solved, particularly so that 

people of lesser means can achieve a measure of health care 

equivalent to those who have the means can receive for 

themselves. It is a hallmark of how this man proudly walked 

his way through life, with a loving wife by his side and the 

family whom he loves so dearly, and always thinking about 

those who perhaps have not had the opportunities that he 

and I and others have had, particularly as it relates to 

health care. 

He also loves the outdoors. A great golfer, we played together from time to time. His skill is far superior to mine in 

every way. He is a lover of art. We shared our interest in 

paintings, particularly paintings that had come from Scotland. To have had the friendship of GORDON SMITH is to have 

shared the life of a wonderful human being, and I thank 

GORDON for all that he has done for me and for this great 

Nation, and for his beloved State. I wish him well in his next 

venture, and I look forward to meeting him along the way. 

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Mr. HATCH. Mr. President. I thank you for the opportunity today to pay tribute to a very special man, caring husband and father, and great Senator, GORDON SMITH. 

Sadly, he will be leaving this august body soon and returning to private life. The U.S. Senate will be losing a great 

leader, a man of high integrity, and a true statesman. 

GORDON joined the U.S. Senate in January 1997, after 

winning an election as a rural conservative in a State defined by a more liberal landscape. After his election, Senator 

SMITH quickly made his mark as someone both sides of the 

aisle could work with for the good of his State and our Nation. He displayed the characteristics of what I believe 

makes a truly great Senator—someone who is willing to roll 

up his sleeves and battle for what he believes is right. 

His commitment to Oregon was exemplary. He focused on 

issues that were critical to the citizens of his State including 

education, health care, natural resources, and bridging the 

rural-urban divide. Along the way he displayed a true independent streak, bucking his party when he believed he needed to go a different direction for the good of those he represented. 

Senator SMITH’s leadership and abilities were greatly appreciated by the committee members he served with, and the 

positions he was asked to assume. As chairman of the Senate 

Special Committee on Aging he presided over critical issues 

facing our Nation’s aging population. In addition, he made 

tremendous contributions to four additional committees: 

Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Energy and Natural 

Resources; Indian Affairs; and Finance. 

He was also selected four times by the leadership of our 

party to become the deputy whip, an important position we 

could all look to for guidance and support. 

I had the distinct pleasure of traveling with Senator SMITH

on two occasions to Iraq to assess the situation first hand, 

visit with the troops, and become more intimately familiar 

with the challenges facing our country overseas. We shared 

a genuine interest and concern in the events taking place in 

that country, and I will forever be grateful to Senator SMITH

for taking that journey with me. 

Before joining the Senate, GORDON made his mark in the 

business world—assuming the helm of his family’s frozen 

vegetable processing company. His strength and commitment 

steered this company to new success, and established himself 

as a business leader with qualities to emulate. 

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You can’t talk about GORDON SMITH without talking about 

the love he has for people, especially his wonderful family. 

GORDON and his wife Sharon have raised three wonderful 

children: Brittany, Garrett, and Morgan. Even while meeting 

the demands of his job, you always knew his thoughts and 

actions centered on home. 

During his second term in office, GORDON and Sharon had 

to face a tragedy almost impossible to bear. Their son Garrett lost his battle with depression and grief. As I watched 

this deeply grieving father, I was so powerfully reminded 

that life isn’t always about what happens in the walls of the 

U.S. Capitol but it is about our families, our friends, and the 

love we share with those closest to our souls. 

Senator SMITH didn’t just let his grief consume him—he 

took action. Perhaps his proudest accomplishment in Senate 

service would be the passing of a suicide prevention law 

named after his son. This law passed unanimously and has 

made a real difference in programs across the country that 

are designed to help those in critical emotional need. 

I am truly grateful that I have had the opportunity to 

serve with this great man for 12 years. In a town where true 

friendships can be rare, I have been blessed to find a true 

friend in GORDON SMITH. Although we didn’t always agree, 

our deepest fundamental beliefs were shaped in the same 

bedrock of less government, opportunities for all, and integrity in public service. 

I always knew that whether in times of trouble or success, 

I had found a true comrade in service, someone I could trust 

to do what is right and hold fast to the notion of public service for the people. 

Robert Louis Stevenson stated, ‘‘We are all travelers in the 

wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our 

travels is an honest friend.’’ GORDON has been just that 

friend to me. 

I will miss working alongside this great Senator, and true 

American. However, I know that throughout his life he will 

continue to work for the good of others in whatever endeavors he chooses to follow. I want to wish GORDON and his wife 

Sharon and their children many years of continued success, 

happiness and peace as they travel life’s path together. 

Thank you for the opportunity to honor this extraordinary 

man. 

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

that the order from September 27 regarding tributes to retiring Senators be modified so that Senators be permitted to 

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submit such tributes for inclusion in a Senate document 

until Friday, December 12, 2008. 

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

MONDAY, December 8, 2008 

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I would like to honor my 

friend and colleague from Oregon, Senator GORDON SMITH. 

I have worked with GORDON since coming over to the Senate in 1998. It has been an honor and privilege to serve on 

both the Senate Finance Committee and Energy and Natural 

Resources Committee with him. GORDON has a long list of 

accomplishments to show for the people of Oregon and the 

Nation. He has served the people of Oregon well, and I know 

they are proud to call him one of their own. His leadership 

in the Senate will be missed, and it has truly been an honor 

serving with him. 

I thank GORDON for all of his contributions to the U.S. 

Senate, and I wish him and his family the best of luck in 

their future endeavors. 

Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, four of our most valuable Senators will not return next year and we will miss 

them. . . . 

GORDON SMITH is the most eloquent among us Senators. 

Every Republican Senator would say that, and any Democrat 

who had heard him would agree. He has a quiet way, an intelligence and a way of speaking that commands attention 

and respect. He has his feet firmly planted on the ground in 

Pendleton, OR. He understands the private sector. He has 

been courageous in his willingness to support and chide and 

criticize his party when needed. He will be sorely missed. 

WEDNESDAY, December 10, 2008 

Mr. KOHL. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute 

to my colleague, Senator GORDON H. SMITH of Oregon. We 

have served together on the Special Committee on Aging 

since he came to the Senate in 1997. For the past 4 years, 

I have had the distinct pleasure of leading the committee 

alongside him. 

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Our committee has a proud history of bipartisanship. Both 

the chair and the ranking member have the power to hold 

hearings, lead investigations, and conduct oversight for the 

good of older Americans. In every effort, the majority and 

minority staff involve each other, offering insights and inviting witnesses. The work we have done as leaders of the committee very much reflects the partnership we forged. And I 

am pleased to have had the opportunity to share many successes with Senator SMITH, the most recent of which—a 2- 

year extension of Supplemental Security Income, SSI, benefits for refugees and other humanitarian immigrants—was 

signed into law by President Bush this fall. 

As the end of our era comes to a close, I wish to applaud 

Senator SMITH for his commendable leadership of the committee, and thank him for the comity he ensured as we 

worked together to support older workers, improve rural 

health care and Medicare accountability, and strengthen 

elder justice. I will be honored to push forth on these issues, 

which represent just a few of the many priorities we shared, 

though I will certainly regret the absence of my collaborator, 

Senator SMITH. 

I wish Senator SMITH nothing but success and happiness 

as he leaves this institution. I, along with millions of older 

Americans, owe him a debt of gratitude for the work he has 

done here. 

THURSDAY, December 11, 2008 

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I would like to pay tribute 

today to the service of Senator GORDON SMITH, who has 

served the people of Oregon and his country with honor. I 

have had the pleasure of serving with Senator SMITH during 

his two terms here in the Senate, and during that time he, 

and his wife Sharon, have been become dear friends. 

Marcelle and I have often enjoyed traveling with Senator 

SMITH and his wife Sharon, including a couple of trips to 

Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. 

Senator SMITH began his political career in 1992 when he 

was first elected to the Oregon State Senate. There he served 

as minority leader and the president of the senate during his 

first term in office. Since his election to the U.S. Senate, 

Senator SMITH has always been willing to reach across the 

aisle to bring our colleagues together, and his leadership has 

produced a list of impressive legislative accomplishments. 

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During his two terms here in the Senate Senator SMITH

has committed himself to efforts on behalf of the people of 

Oregon, supporting both criminal justice reform and expansion of youth services. Following the tragic death of his son 

Garrett, Senator SMITH worked tirelessly as an advocate for 

the early intervention and prevention of youth suicide, establishing a grant program for youth mental health programs 

through the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which was 

signed into law by President Bush in 2004. I also appreciate 

the partnership that we forged in advancing the Innocence 

Protection Act, a package of modest procedural reforms relating to the death penalty, which I introduced in 2000, and 

much of which was enacted several years later. 

Marcelle and I have valued his friendship and wish GORDON and Sharon all of the best. 

Mr. COLEMAN. Madam President, when the Founders envisioned this Senate, I believe they hoped it would be a place 

where strong opinions, established life skills and varied experience would come together to serve the Nation. Senator 

GORDON SMITH of Oregon has matched that standard, and 

the whole Nation has benefited. 

I have always been encouraged and inspired by Senator 

SMITH’s forward-looking mind and his energetic advocacy of 

a better life for all Americans. He has fought for better 

schools for our children. He confronted the reality of America’s ‘‘drop-out culture’’ and fought for individualized attention for at-risk kids. 

We have worked together to ensure that the Medicaid Program fulfills its promise to America’s less fortunate, and to 

extend the excellent quality of American health care to a 

broader and broader share of the population. 

It has been an honor to work with GORDON SMITH on the 

Aging Committee in particular. His tireless advocacy to ensure that our seniors are afforded the dignity and respect 

they deserve has been an inspiration. 

GORDON SMITH has also been a strong voice for Oregonians 

on the environment and the natural treasures in their State. 

And he turned personal tragedy into a nationwide effort to 

prevent suicide. 

On issue after issue, GORDON SMITH has demonstrated a 

boundless enthusiasm for the process of reform, and a confidence that we can always make government programs more 

responsive, more relevant, and more effective for the American people. 

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Like the modern day Oregon pioneers he represents, GORDON SMITH has always demonstrated both a fierce independence and a strong belief that there is a better way—if we 

dream big, work hard, and stick together, there is no problem too big for America. 

In ‘‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,’’ Hollywood memorialized the commonsense man of impeccable character as the 

ideal Senator. GORDON SMITH would have fit the part perfectly. I will dearly miss his integrity, his enthusiasm, and 

his friendship in this place. But I am excited for what the 

next chapter of his leadership will mean to Oregon and this 

country. I hope we can all bring more of his can-do spirit and 

positive energy to the urgent challenges we face in the days 

ahead. 

FRIDAY, December 12, 2008 

Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, we have come to the end of another legislative session and we are all preparing to return 

home to celebrate the holidays with our friends and families 

back home. As we close the books on the 110th Session of 

Congress, it is good to have this opportunity take a moment 

to say goodbye to our colleagues who will not be with us 

when the gavel opens the next session of Congress. We will 

miss them all. 

One Senator we will particularly miss when the next session of Congress begins is GORDON SMITH. GORDON is a remarkable representative of his home State and he has been 

an important voice for the people of Oregon during his 12 

years of service in the Senate. 

I have enjoyed coming to know GORDON and having a 

chance to work with him on several issues of concern to the 

people of our States. During his service, he has compiled a 

remarkable record of success that has earned him a reputation for his ability to get things done in both the private and 

public sector. 

GORDON and I have something in common—a love of numbers and the intricacies of the law and how they impact the 

small businesses of our Nation. We are both aware of the importance of the small business community and the jobs they 

provide to the people of this Nation. Without them our local, 

State, and national economies would be in even worse shape 

than they are right now. With them, there is great hope and 

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confidence that we will be able to find a solution to the economic problems facing our country. 

GORDON knows something about running a small business 

from the days he spent trying to revive the frozen vegetable 

processing company that had been in his family’s hands. Because of the strength of his will, his determination to succeed, and his commitment to excellence, he was able to 

produce amazing results. He took what had been an unprofitable business and turned it into one of the largest frozen 

food companies in the United States. His incredible ride to 

the top earned him a place in the Frozen Food Industry Hall 

of Fame. 

It also earned him a spot on the Senate Finance Committee, where he has worked tirelessly to protect the small 

businesses of our Nation. His business sense and the practical experience he had of meeting a payroll and planning a 

budget helped him to master all of the details of our tax policy. He has an uncanny sense and a profound understanding 

of what works and what doesn’t—and why. Fortunately, he 

has been at the right place at the right time and has known 

what to do to fix things and right our country’s economic 

ship. 

GORDON’s commitment to our families has shown itself in 

many ways, most notably by his work to tackle the problem 

of uninsured children. He offered an amendment that passed 

the Senate providing for an increase in Federal cigarette 

taxes to fund a program to cover some 6 million uninsured 

children who were eligible for but were not enrolled in State 

health insurance programs or Medicaid. 

He fought for our children because GORDON understands 

full well that they are our most important resource. If we 

don’t provide them with affordable health care, a good education, and a supportive home environment that will make 

it possible for them to be successful in school and later in 

life, then nothing we do, no matter how well we do it, will 

matter much in the long run. 

GORDON knew it would not be easy to pass that amendment, but he was ready for a fight. He made it clear that if 

anything was worth fighting for, that was it. It really was 

no wonder, therefore, when he won a clear and decisive victory, not for himself, but for those 6 million children who 

now have a chance to live a happier and healthier life thanks 

to GORDON SMITH. It’s another proud chapter in his legislative career—and it’s part of a legacy of service to the people 

of Oregon that will never be forgotten. 

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As I have come to know GORDON, I have thought that he 

is a little like me because we both love to confound those in 

both parties who are surprised to see us working so well 

with Members on both sides of the aisle. We have both 

worked with Ted Kennedy and thanks to his willingness to 

help us pursue a common agenda, we have both been able 

to make progress on the issues that concern us and the people back home. 

In the months to come, I believe we will most remember 

GORDON for the way he faced the personal tragedy of losing 

a son. I can only imagine the pain that comes with such a 

loss. GORDON handled that time in his life with great 

strength and shared his experience with us, not to draw attention to himself, but because he knew that ‘‘his having 

been there’’ would enable him to reach out to help those who 

might be facing a similar struggle in the lives of their own 

families. 

As he began to heal from that painful wound, he took that 

personal tragedy and gave it added meaning by working to 

pass a suicide prevention bill that now bears his son’s name. 

It was another battle he fought because it was the right 

thing to do. He took up the cause because he believed in it 

with all his heart. As a result, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act will forever serve as a loving testament of a father 

to the life of his son. It will encourage us all to reach out to 

those facing similar problems so they can receive the help 

and support they need to go on with their lives. 

I have always known GORDON to be a man of great spiritual strength, a former Mormon bishop who has deep personal and moral convictions. He has a strong sense of right 

and wrong and his inner compass has helped to guide him 

in the direction that he felt was best for his State and the 

Nation. He is an individual blessed with a strong and determined spirit who has a special place in his heart and his life 

for his God and his country. 

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

Senator GORDON SMITH, with whom I have had the privilege 

of working throughout his 12 years of service in the U.S. 

Senate. GORDON has been a great friend to me as he has to 

so many of us—but most important he has been a tremendous asset to the Senate, the Nation, and certainly the great 

State of Oregon. 

Since his election to the U.S. Senate in 1996, the people 

of Oregon have benefited immeasurably from Senator 

SMITH’s leadership. Throughout his service on numerous 

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committees, including the Commerce and Finance Committees where we have served together, Senator SMITH has been 

a credit to this body and has left a positive and lasting 

mark—exemplified by his tireless work on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the leadership he took 

in defending the Medicaid Program from misguided budget 

cuts. 

Above all else, Senator SMITH always perceived his responsibility as representing his country before his party. There is 

no doubt that as we move forward into the next Congress, 

I, for one, will miss his independent perspective. 

Since 1992, when he won election to the Oregon State Senate, Senator SMITH has devoted his life to public service— 

and his integrity and dedication to the finest ideals of service 

make him a role model for all Americans. Few who have held 

the position of U.S. Senator have been able to combine his 

candor, civility, aptitude, and absolute dedication to the public good that have allowed him to be such an effective, bipartisan Member of the Senate. 

What many may not understand is the camaraderie that 

we build with our fellow Members of the Senate. We spend 

aggregate months each year separated from our homes, families, and friends and in doing so, each of us becomes a part 

of an extended family. So it was the most acute and profound 

sadness that we all felt in our hearts upon the loss in 2003 

of GORDON’s son, Garrett Lee. And, having read Senator 

SMITH’s book, ‘‘Remembering Garrett, One Family’s Battle 

with a Child’s Depression,’’ I still find it almost unimaginable—the grace and courage he displayed in continuing his 

work during the most difficult of times after Garrett’s tragic 

passing. 

As a testament to his humble nature, Senator SMITH

turned from his own loss to help others. And he forged a remarkable and indelible legacy for his son with the Garrett 

Lee Smith Memorial Act—legislation to which Senator 

SMITH has dedicated his life. This act, which the President 

signed into law on October 21, 2004, authorized $82 million 

for suicide prevention and awareness programs, and represented just the first step Senator SMITH has taken to help 

prevent other families from having to experience what his 

has endured. 

Our government is supposed to work for the people, and 

few individuals during my tenure in public service have exemplified this truism more so than Senator SMITH. In the 

Senate, GORDON never allowed a party label to determine 

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who he works with on critical legislation affecting our Nation. He had the skill to work across the aisle with intelligence and grace, and most of all, his highest priority was 

his constituents in Oregon. Whether he was fighting for 

transit funding in urban Portland or assistance in coastal 

fishing communities and rural timber towns, GORDON always 

knew where his roots were, and he was invariably an eloquent champion for those issues that truly mattered for the 

people of Oregon. 

GORDON, we thank you, we will miss you, and please know 

that you have left a positive and indelible mark on the Senate. All the best to you, Sharon, and your entire family for 

the future. 

Mrs. HUTCHISON. GORDON SMITH has served the people 

of Oregon extremely well. 

Before coming to the U.S. Senate, he served as director of 

the family-owned Smith Frozen Foods Company in Weston, 

OR, where he created jobs and spurred economic growth. 

GORDON SMITH entered politics with his election to the Oregon State Senate in 1992, and he became president of that 

body in 1995. 

Since winning election to the U.S. Senate in 1996, Senator 

SMITH has worked with his colleagues on both sides of the 

aisle on critical issues. 

Senator SMITH chaired the Special Committee on Aging, 

and he also served on the following Senate committees: Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Energy and Natural Resources; Finance; and Indian Affairs. 

Senator SMITH has also courageously used family tragedy 

as a way to educate and encourage Americans on a very important subject: suicide prevention for young men and 

women. 

In 2004, I was so proud when President Bush signed the 

Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, authorizing $82 million for 

suicide prevention and awareness programs at colleges. 

Senator SMITH also distinguished himself by championing 

rural Oregonians, including the many farmers and ranchers 

throughout the mountains and lake areas of his beautiful 

State. 

I thank GORDON SMITH for his dedication and service, and 

I wish him well. 

Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I too wish to speak of my 

good friend, Senator GORDON SMITH of Oregon. Senator 

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portant to represent the people who elected him, and he has 

done an outstanding job of doing just that. GORDON never 

shied away from the controversial issues and often went 

against the majority position of his own party. Every time he 

did so he articulated in a very professional way his reason 

why he was voting and the way he did. This always takes 

courage and conviction, and GORDON SMITH possesses both. 

I will always admire GORDON’s faith, which allowed him to 

survive personal tragedy as well as deal with the day-to-day 

decisions of the Senate. 

Senator GORDON SMITH is one of those Members who 

makes serving in the Senate a pleasure. I will miss his counsel, his advice, and his friendship. Godspeed to him, Sharon, 

and their family. 

Æ