TRIBUTES TO HON. JOHN W. WARNER 

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John W. Warner 

U.S. SENATOR FROM VIRGINIA 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


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John W. Warner 


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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2010

S. DOC. 110–29 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

John W. Warner 

United States Senator 

1979–2009 

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Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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CONTENTS 

Page 

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

Farewell to the Senate ............................................................................. vii 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii ..................................................... 16, 24 

Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee ............................................... 8, 73 

Allard, Wayne, of Colorado ........................................................ 60 

Bingaman, Jeff, of New Mexico ................................................ 13 

Bond, Christopher S., of Missouri ............................................. 37 

Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky ....................................................... 12 

Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia ............................................. 73 

Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland ............................................ 7, 30 

Carper, Thomas R., of Delaware ............................................... 31 

Chambliss, Saxby, of Georgia ................................................... 6, 81 

Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi ................................................... 59 

Coleman, Norm, of Minnesota .................................................. 65 

Collins, Susan M., of Maine .................................................... 5, 39, 43 

Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota ................................................. 57 

Corker, Bob, of Tennessee ......................................................... 56 

DeMint, Jim, of South Carolina ................................................ 30 

Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut ....................................... 43 

Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico ............................................ 10 

Dorgan, Byron L., of North Dakota .......................................... 73 

Durbin, Richard, of Illinois ........................................................ 53 

Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming ................................................... 71 

Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin ............................................ 12 

Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska ........................................................ 61 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 69 

Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas ............................................... 18 

Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii ..................................................... 66 

Kennedy, Edward M., of Massachusetts .................................. 17 

Kerry, John F., of Massachusetts ............................................. 57 

Kyl, Jon, of Arizona ................................................................... 63 

Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana ............................................... 27 

Lautenberg, Frank R., of New Jersey ...................................... 30, 56 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 75 

Levin, Carl, of Michigan .................................................... 7, 24, 26, 61 

Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut ....................................... 3, 27 

Lugar, Richard G., of Indiana ................................................... 67 

McCain, John, of Arizona .......................................................... 23 

McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky ................................................. 19 

Menendez, Robert, of New Jersey ............................................. 43 

Nelson, Bill, of Florida ............................................................... 74 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 59 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada ............................................................. 5, 6, 47 

Salazar, Ken, of Colorado .......................................................... 10, 22 

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Page 

Proceedings in the Senate:—Continued 

Tributes by Senators—Continued 

Sessions, Jeff, of Alabama ......................................................... 80 

Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine .................................................... 77 

Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania ................................................ 68 

Thune, John, of South Dakota .................................................. 64 

Warner, John W., of Virginia 5, 

6, 21, 25, 31, 36, 37, 41, 43, 46, 52, 55, 56 

Webb, Jim, of Virginia ............................................................... 31, 36 

Whitehouse, Sheldon, of Rhode Island ..................................... 13, 56 

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Biography 

Senator WARNER was born on February 18, 1927. He is the 

grandson of John W. and Mary Tinsley Warner of Amherst 

County, VA, and the son of Martha Budd Warner and Dr. 

John W. Warner, a physician and surgeon. 

The Senator’s first public service opportunity began during 

World War II when, in January 1945, at age 17, he enlisted 

in the U.S. Navy. He served on active duty until the summer 

of 1946 when he was honorably discharged as petty officer 

3d class, electronic technician’s mate. Following the war, he 

attended Washington and Lee University on the GI bill, and 

was awarded a B.S. degree in 1949. He then entered the 

University of Virginia Law School. 

At the outbreak of the Korean war in the summer of 1950, 

Senator WARNER interrupted his law studies and commenced 

a second tour of active military duty, beginning in October, 

this time as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. A year 

later, in October 1951, as a first lieutenant in communications, he volunteered for duty in Korea and served as a 

ground officer with the First Marine Air Wing. Following his 

active service in Korea, he remained in the Marine Corps Reserve for 10 years and was promoted to the rank of captain. 

Upon his return from the Korean Peninsula, Senator WARNER finished his law degree at the University of Virginia, 

and, in 1953, he was selected by the late Chief Judge E. Barrett Prettyman of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as his 

law clerk. In 1956, he was appointed an assistant U.S. attorney, and served 4 years in the trial and appellate divisions. 

He entered private law practice in 1960 with the long-established firm of Hogan & Hartson. 

Senator WARNER’s next public service began as the U.S. 

Senate confirmed his Presidential appointment to be Under 

Secretary of the Navy in February 1969. For over 5 years 

during the war in Vietnam he served in the Department of 

the Navy, and led the Department as Secretary from 1972 to 

1974. 

During his 5 years in the Navy Secretariat, Senator WARNER was engaged in two key diplomatic assignments: representative for the Secretary of Defense to the Law of the 

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Sea Talks in Geneva (1969–1973), and subsequently, principal negotiator and signatory for the United States of the 

‘‘Incidents at Sea Executive Agreement’’ between the United 

States and the former Soviet Union (1970–1972). This executive agreement remains in effect today and has been used as 

a model for similar agreements between other nations covering the operational directives for naval ships and aircraft 

in international sea lanes throughout the world. 

Following his work in the Navy Department, Senator WARNER was appointed by the President to coordinate the celebration of the Bicentennial of the founding of the United 

States of America, directing the Federal role at events in all 

50 States and in 22 foreign countries. 

Senator WARNER won five consecutive elections to the U.S. 

Senate, beginning in 1978. In 2005 Senator WARNER became 

the second-longest serving U.S. Senator from Virginia in the 

218-year history of the Senate. 

Senator WARNER served as chairman, and second-ranking 

Republican of the Senate Armed Services Committee, having 

begun his association with men and women in uniform 60 

years ago. In this capacity, and throughout his career, he has 

shown unwavering support for the men and women of the 

Armed Forces. He has also been a champion of modernizing 

the structure and operations of the military to ensure its effectiveness in the 21st century. 

Senator WARNER also served as the second-ranking Republican on two other committees, the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Committee on the Environment and 

Public Works. In addition, he served on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 

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Farewell to the Senate 

Thursday, November 20, 2008 

Mr. WARNER. I simply say to my State two words: Thank 

you. I thank all those Virginians who have supported me 

these 30 years. It was a humble challenge for me. I accepted 

it and I look back on it with the deepest of respect for the 

trust and confidence you gave me—all Virginians—over 

these 30 years. 

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TRIBUTES 

TO 

JOHN W. WARNER 

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Proceedings in the Senate 

THURSDAY, September 11, 2008 

Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, today I am introducing 

legislation to designate a portion of the Rappahannock River 

in Virginia as the ‘‘John W. Warner Rapids.’’ 

These manmade rapids are a testament to Senator WARNER’s long-standing commitment to protect and preserve the 

environment, as they are the remains of the Embrey Dam, 

whose removal he championed. 

The Rappahannock River in Virginia flows over 180 miles 

from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay. At 

historic Fredericksburg, founded in 1728 along the river’s fall 

line, the Rappahannock was blocked by a wooden crib dam 

built in 1853 and a 22-foot high concrete dam built in 1910. 

Until the 1960s, the dam was used to generate hydroelectric power, and until 2000 it was used to divert water 

into a canal as a raw water source for the city. In the 1990s, 

the city began to develop a new regional water supply; and 

it was determined that the water facility connected to the 

dam could be closed. 

Funding to remove the dam was a significant hurdle. The 

city sought support from the Federal Government and found 

a strong advocate in Senator JOHN W. WARNER. In the mid1990s, the local river conservation group, Friends of the Rappahannock, invited Senator WARNER to a discussion about 

the removal of the dam. After discussion and a paddle to the 

site, Senator WARNER pledged that if the group could demonstrate community consensus regarding the dam’s removal, 

he would personally support the effort. 

On February 23, 2004, on Senator WARNER’s signal, 600 

pounds of explosives set by the Army and Air Force Reserves 

opened a 130-foot breach in Embrey Dam, setting the Rappahannock River to flow free for the first time since 1853. By 

reopening the Rappahannock River, more than 1,300 river 

and stream miles immediately became available to migratory 

fish in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

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On July 30, 2005, the Friends of the Rappahannock and 

the City of Fredericksburg honored Senator WARNER in a 

‘‘Rappahannock River Running Free’’ celebration. The American Canoe Association, established in 1880 and the Nation’s 

oldest and largest canoe, kayak, and rafting organization, 

stated: 

For over 150 years the Rappahannock River has been holding its breath 

behind a wall of iron, concrete, and wood. U.S. Senator JOHN W. WARNER’s 

efforts have allowed the Rappahannock River to breathe free once again. In 

appreciation of his efforts, the community of paddlers and river users has 

bestowed upon him their highest honor. So, let it be known, on behalf of the 

City of Fredericksburg, the Friends of the Rappahannock, the American 

Canoe Association, and the community of paddlers, that the new rapids 

formed at the removal of the dam be known, now and forever, and recorded 

on all maps, as ‘‘John W. Warner Rapids’’ and may all your travels through 

be smooth. 

On November 1, 2008, Senator WARNER will be presented 

with a bronze plaque that will be affixed to a permanent 

monument along the banks of the Rappahannock River at 

the rapids formed by the remnants of the dam. 

The actions that I have described are a shining example 

of the commitment Senator WARNER has shown to the environment during his 30 years in this body. He recognizes the 

importance of protecting and preserving natural treasures 

for the enjoyment of this and future generations. 

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be able to work 

so closely with him in this regard. For many years, Senator 

WARNER and I have served together on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. At the start of 

this Congress, I became the chairman of that committee’s 

Global Warming Subcommittee. I was honored and delighted 

when Senator WARNER became, at his request, the ranking 

minority member of that subcommittee. In February of last 

year, the two of us held a subcommittee hearing on the impacts of global warming on wildlife. Senator WARNER spoke 

with conviction and eloquence about his commitment to wildlife conservation, and about his particular love for rivers and 

streams. 

In an example of the courage and statesmanship for which 

he is rightly known, Senator WARNER joined with me to 

write a bill to reduce the manmade greenhouse-gas emissions that are disrupting wildlife, threatening our national 

security, and imperiling our economy. Last October, we introduced our Climate Security Act, and the next month both 

our subcommittee and the full Environment and Public 

Works Committee reported the bill favorably. That had 

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never happened before with a climate bill in the U.S. Congress, and it would not have happened without the leadership, credibility, patience, and wisdom of Senator WARNER. I 

join many others in looking up to him, and I am privileged 

to call him my friend. 

The bill that I introduce today is a fitting tribute to the 

legacy that Senator WARNER leaves behind as he retires. I 

encourage my colleagues to honor him by passing this legislation. 

FRIDAY, September 12, 2008 

Mr. REID. . . . Having said all that—and I could a say a 

lot more—one of the reasons we should pass this bill is because of Senator WARNER. I am sure the State of Virginia 

has had great legislators over the years. I don’t know them 

all. I have served with a number of them. But I have to say 

that in my experience in government, you don’t very often 

run into somebody of the caliber of JOHN WARNER. The Commonwealth of Virginia has been well served by this great 

American patriot, and he has devoted so much time—I was 

trying to come up in my mind on a percentage basis how 

much of his time has been spent on the defense duties he 

has. 

Mr. WARNER. Thirty years. 

Mr. REID. But the vast majority of his 30 years in the 

Senate, Mr. President, has been spent legislatively on securing the security of our Nation. 

There will be other opportunities, I am confident, to express my admiration and respect and affection for JOHN

WARNER, but I hope people on his side of the aisle appreciate 

him as much as we do. He is truly a wonderful legislator and 

human being. We need to get this bill done for him. . . . 

TUESDAY, September 16, 2008 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for finally working this out. 

I rise today in strong support of the Fiscal Year 2009 National Defense Authorization Act. Let me begin by thanking 

the committee’s distinguished chairman, Senator Levin, for 

his leadership, and also Senator WARNER, who is taking on 

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double duty, acting as the ranking Republican on the committee in the absence of Senator McCain. I want to take this 

opportunity to thank the senior Senator from Virginia for his 

years of service on the committee. He has been a true friend 

to me and to the members of our committee and the armed 

services of this Nation, and his guidance, wisdom, and, above 

all, his civility in all matters will be greatly missed. I deeply 

admire him, and I thank him for his leadership on this bill 

and on so many other issues. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I humbly thank my distinguished colleague and longtime friend. I am certain she can 

take my place. 

Ms. COLLINS. I thank the Senator. . . . 

Mr. CHAMBLISS. . . . Chairman WARNER will always be 

chairman to me. He has been my dear friend through many 

years. What a great service to our country this great American has provided in the true Virginia gentleman tradition. 

He has always been such an asset to this body and such an 

asset to our men and women in uniform. I thank Senator 

WARNER for his great service, I thank him for his friendship, 

and I thank him for what he does every day for our men and 

women in uniform. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I humbly acknowledge the 

gracious remarks, and I express my appreciation. 

Mr. REID. . . . My friend, the distinguished Senator from 

Arizona, says they are not ready to end this debate. We have 

a professional staff. The Republican staff of the Armed Services Committee is as professional as you can get, and that on 

the Democratic side is as professional as you can get, led by 

two of America’s all-time great Senators: Levin and WARNER. 

I say that without any degree of trying to make them feel 

good. It is the truth. They are two of the great Senators in 

the history of our country. They have worked as hard as they 

could to put together a defense authorization bill. . . . 

I wish I had words adequate to express my personal appreciation—and I can speak for everyone on this side of the 

aisle—for the work done by Chairman Levin and JOHN WARNER. There are no two more honorable people in the world; 

whether they are rabbis, priests, ministers, there is no one 

who has more credibility and honesty than these two men. 

I have had conversations with these two fine Senators, 

where they said: ‘‘This is what I am going to do.’’ Do I need 

to check back with them and ask: ‘‘Do you really mean what 

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you said?’’ No. Their word is their bond. Once they have said 

it, that is it. 

I feel very bad. Senator Levin is going to have another opportunity to do one of these bills, but this man, Senator 

WARNER, won’t unless we invoke cloture. We need to do that 

so that he can participate in coming up with the final bill 

that will lead to a conference with the House of Representatives. For 30 years—as I have said on the floor before, I don’t 

know his predecessors—I served with a number of them— 

but the State of Virginia could not have had a better Senator 

than JOHN WARNER. They could have had one as good but 

nobody better. These two men have done their very best. I 

accept the product they have given us, the product we have 

right here, now, today. I accept it. . . . 

WEDNESDAY, September 17, 2008 

Mr. CARDIN. . . . Mr. President, in closing, I commend my 

colleagues Chairman Levin, Senator WARNER, and all the 

other members of the Armed Services Committee for their 

hard work to craft and pass this bill. I look forward to casting my vote to support it. I also want to take a moment to 

congratulate Senator WARNER for his work on countless 

other critical pieces of legislation in years past. I will miss 

his wise counsel on issues of national and regional importance, I will miss his good humor, and I will miss his grace. 

I wish him only the best in retirement. 

Mr. LEVIN. . . . I next acknowledge our former chairman, 

Senator WARNER, because of everything he did to make this 

bill possible and to get to the point where we are today. 

Working within arm’s reach of JOHN WARNER for the past 29 

years has truly been one of the highlights, if not the highlight, of my Senate career. He is truly a good friend, not just 

to me and my wife Barbara but also to this institution and 

to the Nation. He has stood watch over national defense for 

almost three decades with unwavering dedication. Before 

that, he stood watch because of his being Secretary of the 

Navy. Because of his being in the Navy, the Marines, he is 

truly a profile in courage. Next year, we promise we will pick 

up his banner. We will carry on in his honor, just as he has 

always done for the Nation. 

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WEDNESDAY, September 24, 2008 

Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, Senator Pete Domenici, 

who is retiring from the Senate this year after serving since 

1972, once said to me that we don’t say goodbye in the Senate very well. As a matter of fact, we don’t say hello very 

well either. We have a little orientation program, but we 

abruptly arrive and leave. We leave in the midst of a lot of 

turmoil and discussion with very little time to say goodbye. 

Yet in between that arrival and leaving, we have very intense personal relationships. We virtually live with each 

other. We see each other often for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We see each other more than we see our families. So 

when there is a time for saying goodbye, we look for ways 

to say it a little better. 

There are five Members of our body, all of them Republicans, who have announced their retirement for this year. 

While I won’t be speaking at length about them here today, 

I want to recognize their service. I will do it in the traditional way in the Senate, which is to start with seniority. By 

‘‘seniority,’’ I mean from the time I have known them. 

I first met JOHN WARNER 40 years ago, in 1968. I was a 

young lawyer, and he was head of United Citizens for Nixon. 

I went to work for him in Washington, DC, at the Willard 

Hotel. He had been an advance man for President Nixon in 

1960. He had been a businessman who was a striking figure, 

as he still is. I remember one of my assignments was to recruit a Mississippi chairman, and I found an outstanding 

young man named Thad Cochran who became chairman of 

Citizens for Nixon in Mississippi. Then we went to Indianapolis for the national meeting of our organization, and the 

mayor of Indianapolis was Richard Lugar. 

JOHN WARNER was 17 years old and enlisted in the Navy 

in World War II. He served as a Marine officer in Korea. He 

was appointed by President Nixon as Under Secretary of the 

Navy in 1969 and became Secretary. He has served in this 

Senate since 1978 with distinction. He has added civility, a 

sense of institution, and perhaps his greatest continuing contribution has been his expertise and independence and leadership on matters of military affairs which he has discharged 

in a bipartisan way with Senator Levin for many years. . . . 

I say to all five of those Senators, we will miss them. We 

are grateful for their service. I know people must look at the 

Senate in many different ways. 

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Let me conclude by telling a story about how some teachers look at it. We have a tradition in the Senate of making 

a maiden address. It is kind of a funny name, but we still 

call it that. We pick the subject of most interest to us. My 

subject was to put the teaching of U.S. history and civics 

back in its proper place in the school curriculum so our children would grow up learning what it means to be an American. There is not too much the Federal Government can do 

about that, but what we were able to do is to begin summer 

academies for outstanding teachers and students of American history. One group of those teachers was here in July, 

one from each State. I brought them on the Senate floor 

early one morning. I took them to Daniel Webster’s desk, 

which is occupied by the senior Senator from New Hampshire right here by me. I took them back to that part of the 

Senate where Jefferson Davis’ desk is, occupied by the senior 

Senator from Mississippi, and told them the story of how the 

marks in the desk are because a Union soldier came in during the Civil War and started chopping on it with his sword. 

His commanding officer came in and said, ‘‘Stop that. We are 

here to protect the Union, not to destroy it.’’ 

This Chamber is full of history, full of our country. Anyone 

who stands on this floor and sees the engravings of ‘‘In God 

We Trust’’ or ‘‘E Pluribus Unum’’ and gets a sense of what 

has happened here has respect for it. The teachers had that 

respect. When we got to the end of our visit, one teacher said 

to me, I think it was the teacher from Oregon, ‘‘Senator, 

what would you like for us to take home to our students 

about our visit to the Senate floor?’’ 

I said, ‘‘I hope you will take back that each of us takes our 

position a lot more seriously than we take ourselves. We understand we are accidents, that we are very fortunate and 

privileged to be here, that each of us reveres our country, 

and we respect this institution. I can only speak for myself, 

but I think it is true of Senators on both sides of the aisle 

that we get up every day thinking first of how we can make 

a little contribution before we go to bed at night that will 

help the country be a little better off than it was in the 

morning. That means serving in the Senate is a very great 

privilege. I hope you will take that back to your students. I 

don’t know what they see on television or read in the newspaper about the Senate, but that is how we feel about the 

privilege we have to serve here.’’ 

To these five Senators—WARNER, Domenici, Craig, Hagel, 

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ily. We appreciate their service. We know they have believed 

it has been a very great privilege to serve in the Senate. For 

us it has been a great privilege to serve with them. 

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I wish to make a few comments about some of our departing colleagues who will not 

be joining us for the next session of Congress. They are great 

colleagues, people whom I have enjoyed working with in my 

31⁄2 years here in the Senate. They include Senator Allard 

from Colorado, Senator Pete Domenici from New Mexico, 

Senator JOHN WARNER from Virginia, Senator Chuck Hagel 

from Nebraska, and Senator Larry Craig from Idaho. . . . 

I want to say a word about my very good friend, Senator 

JOHN WARNER of Virginia. I often call him Moses because, as 

we have debated on the floor of the Senate over the last several years on one of the major issues of our time, the issue 

of war and peace and how we create a framework for a more 

peaceful world for our generation and those to come, it has 

often been Senator WARNER we have gone to to get direction 

and counsel on how we might move forward. I had the opportunity of traveling with him to Iraq and Afghanistan and 

other places along with his very good friend, Carl Levin, 

chairman of the Armed Services Committee. The friendship 

between the two of them, between Senator Levin and Senator WARNER, is one that exemplifies the types of relationships that are important for this Chamber and for the good 

of America. I will miss my good friend, Senator JOHN WARNER, the man I call Moses, because of his willingness to try 

to bring people together to try to resolve major and difficult 

issues that face us in America. . . . 

I will miss my five colleagues. All of them are Republicans 

who are departing. Many of them brought a true spirit of bipartisanship and working together, which is worthy of the 

emulation of many Members of the Senate who will serve in 

this Chamber in the next Congress and in many Congresses 

to come. 

I yield the floor. 

THURSDAY, September 25, 2008 

Mr. DOMENICI. Madam President, I rise today with a 

heart that is not totally joyful because I am going to be talking about four of my colleagues who are leaving the Senate. 

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ate but not today. I will save that for another day. The first 

one I want to talk about is JOHN WARNER of Virginia. I have 

gotten to know him and his wife Jeanne. 

It is with great pride and honor that I pay tribute to my 

friend and distinguished colleague from the Commonwealth 

of Virginia, Senator JOHN WARNER. He served in this body 

for 30 years; I have served for 36. So the arithmetic is simple: I have been with him for all of his 30 years in the Senate. He dealt almost exclusively, and with perfection, on 

military matters. I did the budget for the Senate for a long 

time, and I have been privileged to work for the last 5 years 

on energy matters. In between, it was nothing but joy on my 

part to work on matters of the Senate. I believe the same 

was true for JOHN WARNER, who not only worked on military 

matters and worried about our troops, but he also from time 

to time got over into public works. 

Early in his Senate career, Senator WARNER and I served 

on the Environment and Public Works Committee. More recently, our work together has centered on defense and national security and, as I indicated, of late, homeland security. 

He earned the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the 

aisle because of his unique ability to negotiate and foster 

positive working relationships with fellow Senators. There 

was much being said about working across the aisle and 

being bipartisan. Clearly, when things had to be partisan because it was the nature of things, JOHN WARNER was a partisan. But obviously, when it was a matter that pertained to 

something that could be worked out between Democrats and 

Republicans, one could bet that he was quick to raise his 

hand and lift it across the aisle and work with Senators from 

the other side. 

He has been a leader on a broad range of issues. As I indicated, he is someone who makes me proud. 

Prior to his five terms in the Senate, JOHN served his 

country as a U.S. Marine, was later appointed Under Secretary of the Navy and was eventually appointed and confirmed as the 61st Secretary of the Navy. Early in our Senate career, Senator WARNER and I served on the Environment and Public Works Committee together. Over the past 

several Congresses, our work together has centered on defense, national security, and homeland security matters. 

During his Senate tenure, JOHN has earned the respect 

and admiration of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle 

because of his unique ability to negotiate, accommodate, 

compromise, and foster positive working relationships with 

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fellow Members. Through this approach, JOHN WARNER has 

been a leader on a broad range of issues such as strengthening our defense and national security, fighting the global 

war on terrorism and decreasing carbon and other emissions 

globally. While in the Senate, he dutifully served on the 

Armed Services Committee, Intelligence Committee, Environment and Public Works Committee, and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. 

JOHN has been a longtime colleague of mine, and I will 

dearly miss him. The Commonwealth of Virginia has been 

fortunate to have JOHN on their side. He has been an asset 

not only to his State, but also to our Nation. In the course 

of working together for so many years, I have developed genuine respect for Senator JOHN WARNER. I thank him for 

years of distinguished service and wish him the very best in 

all his future endeavors. My wife Nancy and I wish JOHN

and his wonderful family all the best during his retirement. 

Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I thank Senator 

JOHN WARNER for his service to our country. Through his 

five terms in the Senate, and before that as Secretary of the 

Navy, Senator WARNER has been an outstanding public servant. In the Senate he has worked hard for our country, and 

for the people of Virginia. As chairman and now ranking 

member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator 

WARNER has been a leader on a wide range of issues affecting our national security, and he has always approached 

those issues with the utmost determination to do what is 

best for the Nation and the American people. 

Finally, I thank Senator WARNER for his vote in support 

of the McCain-Feingold legislation when it passed the Senate 

in 2002. It was his support, along with 59 other Senators, 

that gave us that victory after a long fight to ban soft money. 

I appreciate his effort on this and so many issues, and I 

thank him for his dedicated public service over so many 

years. 

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

friend from Virginia, Senator JOHN WARNER. JOHN and I 

have been friends since I was elected to the Senate in 1998. 

As a true Virginian, JOHN has dedicated his life to serving 

his country. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy 

beginning his long career of public service. After serving on 

active military duty in both World War II and the Korean 

war, JOHN went on to serve in the Department of the Navy, 

and led the Department as Secretary from 1972 to 1974. 

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Elected in 1978, JOHN is the second-longest serving Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia in the history of the 

Senate. JOHN has served the people of Virginia well for 30 

years and I know his family and the people of Virginia are 

proud to call him one of their own. 

JOHN has a long list of accomplishments to show for the 

people of Virginia and the Nation. His leadership in the Senate will be missed and it has truly been an honor serving 

with him. 

I would like to thank JOHN for his contributions to the 

Senate and wish him well as he opens a new chapter to his 

life. 

FRIDAY, September 26, 2008 

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I want to take just a few 

minutes to speak about our colleagues who have announced 

their plans to retire at the conclusion of this Congress. We 

obviously will miss them. There are five individuals about 

whom I wanted to say a brief word: Senators Allard, Hagel, 

Craig, WARNER, and Domenici. They have all brought their 

intelligence, principles, and perspectives on the issues confronting our Nation. The Nation is better for their efforts. . . . 

With the exception of Harry Byrd, JOHN WARNER has represented Virginia in the Senate longer than any other Senator in its history. He has done so with great enthusiasm, 

skill, hard work, and style. To many people, JOHN WARNER

embodies what a Senator should be. He knows the world, he 

knows this country, and he knows, of course, his beloved 

State. He is an outstanding citizen of each of those. 

He is a patriot in the old-fashioned and in the deephearted 

sense of that word. He has demonstrated his love of country 

through years of service both in and out of uniform. The 

miles he has traveled to all corners of the world to see our 

forces in action and the hours—innumerable hours—he spent 

hearing committee testimony, he has absorbed. That has 

equipped him to really be an expert in this body on military 

issues. His leadership will be missed on those issues and 

other issues as well here. 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, we are all awaiting efforts of the negotiating teams who are working on a rescue 

plan to the current financial crisis. Many of us—as I know 

the distinguished Senator from Montana has—have cobbled 

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together our thoughts and ideas, and now we are waiting 

anxiously to see how they have fared in the negotiations. 

And I would like to take this time while we wait to address another subject because a few months from now our 

colleague, JOHN WARNER, will retire from the Senate after 30 

years of service to the people of Virginia and the people of 

America. His work in this Chamber and all these halls has 

made our country stronger. And in a place where partisan 

rancor too often rules the day, his is a legacy of honor and 

dignity that will stand long after he has gone. So I wanted 

to take a few moments to salute this man. 

When JOHN WARNER’s country called, he answered. In 

1945, at 17 years of age, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and 

was sent to fight in World War II. When the war was over, 

JOHN attended a great Virginia institution, Washington and 

Lee University, on the GI bill. In 1949, he entered law school 

at my own alma mater, the University of Virginia. But 

America called again, and JOHN answered again, interrupting his studies to serve as a ground officer with the 1st 

Marine Aircraft Wing in Korea. He returned home again, 

went back to UVA, and received his law degree in 1953. I 

would graduate almost 30 years after him. JOHN continued 

to serve in the Marine Corps Reserves after the war, attaining the rank of captain. 

JOHN WARNER’s mother once said she hoped he would one 

day become the Secretary of the Navy. Well, in 1972 he fulfilled that hope, serving until 1974, during the challenging 

years of the Vietnam conflict. In that office, he succeeded his 

dear friend John Chafee, a fellow Marine, later to become a 

U.S. Senator. It is John Chafee’s seat that I am now privileged to hold. 

During his first campaign for the Senate, Senator WARNER

told the Washington Post: 

When I was Secretary of the Navy I drove the admirals crazy. When I 

went to visit a ship I liked to go all over it and talk to sailors. 

He is, in the words of Adm. Mike Mullen, ‘‘a man whose 

love of country is matched only by his love [of] those who defend it.’’ 

In the Senate, JOHN WARNER’s commitment to the men 

and women of America’s armed services is evident in nearly 

everything he does. Alternating as chairman and ranking 

member of the Senate Armed Services Committee with his 

dear friend Carl Levin of Michigan, he has fought to ensure 

that those who serve this country receive the best possible 

health care and benefits. In 1999, they achieved for our 

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troops their first major pay increase in 16 years—and this 

year, did it again. 

In his 30 years in the Senate, JOHN WARNER has dedicated 

himself to helping his constituents and keeping our Nation 

secure. He has supported the hundreds of thousands of members of the military who are based in Virginia and serve at 

more than 90 installations throughout his State. He has 

helped keep Virginia’s storied shipbuilding industry strong, 

preserving jobs and sustaining communities on Virginia’s Atlantic coast. 

In my home State of Rhode Island, on top of our State 

House dome is a statue of the Independent Man. The statue 

represents a spirit of liberty and freedom that has been cherished in Rhode Island back to the days of Roger Williams. 

Well, JOHN WARNER is Virginia’s Independent Man. Over 

and over again, he has put his country first and done what 

he thought was right no matter what the politics. 

Senator WARNER saw the need for a change of course in 

Iraq, and he has worked for real, urgent solutions to the 

threat of global warming. As part of the Gang of 14, he 

sought middle-ground answers to the challenging, controversial topic of judicial nominations. He refused to support 

President Reagan’s nomination of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court in 1987—a principled stand with a political 

cost. 

In 1994, when the Virginia Republican Party endorsed Oliver North for the State’s junior Senate seat, JOHN WARNER

refused to support the candidacy of a man who had been convicted of a felony. He said then: 

I do not now, nor will I ever, run up my white flag and surrender my fight 

for what I believe is in the best interest of my country, my State, and my 

party. 

His relationship with our colleague, our fellow freshman in 

the Senate, Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, is a model for the 

rest of the Senate of collegiality, enabling them together to 

extract from the difficult logjam of judicial nominations talented judges to serve Virginia. 

Former Virginia Governor Linwood Holton paid Senator 

WARNER what I’d call the ultimate compliment around here: 

‘‘He wants to solve problems.’’ 

We will all miss JOHN WARNER when he leaves the Senate 

this January. His hard work and independent spirit have enriched Congress for the past 30 years. And I count myself 

very fortunate to have served with him. 

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On a personal note, I thank JOHN WARNER for his exceptional, I daresay even avuncular kindness to me in my first 

term. From the vantage point of 30 years’ seniority, I am a 

mere speck in the sweep of his tenure here. He has served 

with 273 Senators, I believe, and yet he has made me feel 

so welcome. In that kindness, I am the beneficiary of his 

friendship of many years with my father, a friendship that 

lasted as long as my lifetime to date. My father was a fellow 

World War II veteran, a fellow Marine, a fellow public servant, and a man who I remember today as I express my affection and gratitude to the distinguished senior Senator from 

Virginia. 

Reporters interviewing JOHN WARNER have noted his tendency to close his eyes and lean back in his chair while answering questions. It’s not a sign of disrespect, they know, 

but rather a sign of deep concentration. I’ve seen him concentrating that way myself in deliberations behind the heavy 

steel doors of the Intelligence Committee. 

I envision sometime, when the press inquiries, staff updates, legislative proposals, and constituent requests have 

slowed, that Senator JOHN WARNER will take a moment to 

close his eyes, lean back in that chair, and reflect on what 

an extraordinary career his has been. I hope he remembers 

all the good he has done and all the good will and admiration he has earned among those who have been privileged to 

serve with him. Senator WARNER, I wish you, your wife 

Jeanne, and your family Godspeed and best wishes in all 

your future endeavors. 

Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today I wish to make a few 

comments about some of our departing colleagues who will 

no longer be with us next year. I have known some of them 

for just a little while, others I have known for a long time. 

And, to all of them I bid a fond farewell and mahalo for their 

service to their State and to this country. They are dear colleagues and friends of mine and I know that even if they 

leave this fine establishment, our friendships will continue 

long into the future. 

The Senators that I am referring to are Senator JOHN

WARNER from Virginia, Senator Pete Domenici from New 

Mexico, Senator Larry Craig from Idaho, Senator Chuck 

Hagel from Nebraska, and Senator Wayne Allard from Colorado. Please allow me just one moment to reflect on my service with each of these valuable Members. 

I want to extend my deepest appreciation and warmest 

mahalo to my friend and colleague, Senator JOHN WARNER. 

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His lifetime of devoted public service is truly admirable, and 

his integrity and dedication to duty make him a role model 

for all Americans. Few that have ever held the position of 

U.S. Senator have been able to combine his graciousness, intelligence, and absolute commitment to the public good that 

have allowed him to be such an effective bipartisan leader. 

His experiences as both a sailor and a Marine during a 

time of war, combined with his executive responsibilities as 

former Secretary of the Navy, have given Senator WARNER

the ability to tackle complex policy issues during his time in 

the Senate. His leadership and experience on the Armed 

Services Committee, as well as his ability to reach across the 

aisle to get vital legislation passed, will be irreplaceable. He 

is a gentleman of impeccable character, and will be sorely 

missed by us all. I am honored and humbled to serve with 

him. . . . 

Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I wish very much that I 

could be here in person today to pay tribute to the extraordinary career of my friend JOHN WARNER. I know that when 

we return to the Senate in January, all of us on both sides 

of the aisle will miss the decency, thoughtfulness, commitment, and friendship of our outstanding colleague from Virginia. 

We often speak about the high value of friendship in the 

Senate, about the importance of sustaining it despite the 

strong political and philosophical differences that often erupt 

between Senators, and about the way it sustains us in times 

of personal and political crisis. I know that many of my colleagues feel the same way, and I am sure we all cherish our 

friendship with JOHN WARNER. 

The Senate will not be the same without him. In many 

ways, he epitomizes the words of Shakespeare, that we 

should ‘‘do as adversaries do in law, strive mightily, but eat 

and drink as friends.’’ 

JOHN’s life is proof that individual persons make a difference for our country, if they have the will to try. From the 

time he enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 during World 

War II, to joining the Marine Corps in 1950 after the outbreak of the Korean war, to his service as Secretary of the 

Navy, and to his brilliant career as a Senator representing 

the people of Virginia, JOHN WARNER has demonstrated a 

commitment to public service that few people in the history 

of this Nation can match. 

As my brother, President Kennedy, once said: 

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Any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life 

worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, 

‘‘I served in the United States Navy.’’ 

It has been a special privilege, as a member of the Armed 

Services Committee, to serve with JOHN WARNER, particularly during his years as chairman or ranking member of the 

committee. JOHN deserves immense credit for his contributions to our country, and America is a stronger and better 

Nation today because of his life’s work. 

Perhaps more than anyone I know, Senator WARNER understands that we are Americans first and members of a political party second. Throughout his 30 years in the Senate, 

he has consistently demonstrated an all-too-rare willingness 

to reach across the aisle to achieve results for the American 

people. 

When the partisan passions of the day become heated in 

this Chamber and threaten progress on fundamental issues, 

we always know that JOHN WARNER is available to help find 

the way forward—even if it costs him politically. President 

Kennedy would have called him a profile in courage, and I 

agree. 

It is no secret that JOHN and I don’t agree on everything, 

but even in times of disagreement, I have never questioned 

that his position was the result of deep thought and his special wisdom and experience. Our Founders would regard the 

Senate career of JOHN WARNER as a shining example of the 

type of person they envisioned should serve in this body of 

our government. 

I am sad to see him leave, but as JOHN and his wife 

Jeanne look to the future and the new challenges and possibilities that lie ahead, we know that he will always be available to answer the call of service, and we are very grateful 

for the opportunity to have served with him. We will miss 

him very much. 

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, JOHN WARNER is a Senator who has served his country heroically. 

During World War II, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the 

U.S. Navy. At the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950, Senator WARNER interrupted his law studies and started a second tour of active military duty. 

Senator WARNER’s next public service began with his Presidential appointment to be Under Secretary of the Navy in 

1969. He served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974. 

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Following his work there, JOHN WARNER was appointed by 

the President to coordinate the celebration of America’s bicentennial. 

Beginning in 1978, Senator WARNER was elected to the 

Senate five times. In 2005, Senator WARNER became the second-longest serving U.S. Senator from Virginia in the 218- 

year history of the Senate. Now serving in his 30th year in 

the Senate, Senator WARNER rose to become chairman of the 

Senate Armed Services Committee. In that capacity, and 

throughout his career, he has shown unwavering support for 

the men and women of the Armed Forces. 

Every time I am with JOHN WARNER, I learn something 

new, valuable, insightful, or humorous. He is truly a unique 

blend of a military leader, country gentleman, historian, 

great storyteller, and statesman. His hard work and devotion 

will be missed by all his friends in the Senate. 

SATURDAY, September 27, 2008 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise also today to pay 

my respects to another retiring Member of the Senate, the 

squire from Virginia, a longtime colleague of the occupant of 

the chair, and a truly remarkable man. 

It is not a stretch to say that if most Americans were 

asked to conjure up in their minds the image of a U.S. Senator, the man they would see is the senior Senator from Virginia. To most people, JOHN WARNER seems as though he 

were born to be a Member of this body, and in a remarkable 

30-year career, he has proven they were right. He has 

matched the image with the skill and, though it certainly 

never was, he made it look easy. 

Virginians are very proud of their history. They are proud 

of their traditions. And JOHN WARNER has lived up to the 

best of them. Like our Nation’s first President and Virginia’s 

most famous son, he has always been a patriot first. 

The son of a World War I field surgeon, JOHN first heard 

the call to serve while still in high school, dropping his studies at age 17 and enlisting in the Navy in the closing months 

of World War II. The call to serve later led him to interrupt 

law school in order to join the Marine Corps in the Korean 

war. After that, it led him to fulfill his mother’s dream by 

becoming Secretary of the Navy; to take charge of America’s 

bicentennial in 1976; and, for the last three decades, to serve 

America and the people of the Old Dominion with distinction 

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in the Senate. These are the deeds that define JOHN WARNER. They are the only things that can explain a career that 

has been as significant to the strength of our Nation—and as 

beneficial to the people of his State—as his. 

JOHN always balanced the interests of his State and the 

Nation masterfully. Virginians have honored him for it, 

sending him back to the Senate four times after that first 

election in 1978, and he has repaid them time after time. 

Over the years, JOHN has earned a reputation as one of 

the most knowledgeable, hardest working, respected Senators on Capitol Hill. He has distinguished himself among 

his colleagues on both sides of the aisle as a man of intelligence, deep humanity, and courage. The people of Virginia 

can be proud of his many years of service in the Senate. 

JOHN’s entire Senate career speaks of his skills as a legislator and his love of Virginia and country. 

But any list of his legislative accomplishments would have 

to begin with the work he has done on behalf of the men and 

women in our military. He has vastly improved the quality 

of life for military men and women by fighting for substantial increases in pay, including increases in separation, hardship duty, and imminent danger pay. 

He has played a central role in improving benefits for widows and survivors of fallen soldiers. 

And many of us are not too young to recall JOHN leading 

the fight for the 1991 Gulf war resolution. 

He played a major role in ensuring that America’s missile 

defense system was built, and deployed. 

On being named chairman of the Armed Services Committee from 1999 to 2001, and then for 5 more years from 

2003 to 2007, he worked closely with Democrats and Republicans to ensure that the interests of American security and 

the interests of our servicemen and women were met. 

As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator 

WARNER saw an emerging threat from radical terrorists that 

many others overlooked. And he acted on it by creating a 

new Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee dealing with terrorism, chemical and biological warfare, and 

cyberwarfare. 

He pushed and succeeded in approving a major increase in 

the Nation’s submarine fleet. 

He has guided the annual Defense Authorization Act 

through Congress for years, using it in recent years to modernize our Armed Forces and to meet current and emerging 

threats in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

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He has been a firm supporter and a trusted friend to the 

men and women bravely serving the cause of freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Closer to home, Senator WARNER secured major Federal 

funding to rebuild the Woodrow Wilson Bridge that connects 

Alexandria to Maryland, easing the commute for millions 

and improving the flow of commerce along the I–95 corridor 

between Maryland, Virginia, and the DC area. 

He has worked hard to improve the water quality and to 

restore wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay. He has designated 

thousands of acres of National Forest as wilderness, expanded Virginia’s National Wildlife Refuges and National 

Parks, and secured funds to demolish the Embrey Dam. 

He led a 3-year campaign to preserve the Newport News 

shipbuilding shipyard in Hampton Roads—a show of grit and 

persistence that paid off with thousands of jobs for Southeastern Virginia. 

Senator WARNER has been unafraid, at times, to part ways 

with his colleagues when he disagreed with them—but he 

has never lost their trust, their confidence, their respect, or 

their deep admiration. 

In everything, he has been the consummate Senator, and 

always a gentleman. And the Senate will never be the same 

without JOHN WARNER. 

On a more personal note, the entire Senate family shared 

JOHN’s happiness when he married Jeanne, not least of all 

because we all enjoy her company so much. 

Elaine and I have valued their friendship over the past 

several years. 

JOHN, I know, is a proud graduate of Washington and Lee. 

The school’s motto—‘‘Not Unmindful of the Future’’—is 

meant to impress on graduates a sense of responsibility to 

the future, rooted in the past. 

In a long career of service to the current and future good 

of his country, JOHN WILLIAM WARNER has made that motto 

his own. 

Virginia has produced some of America’s greatest leaders. 

JOHN WILLIAM WARNER is one of them. 

His colleagues in the Senate are deeply grateful for his 

service, his friendship, and his many contributions to this 

body and to the Nation. 

(Applause, Senators rising.) 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am deeply humbled like 

my dear friend, Pete Domenici. I don’t know if I am going 

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to measure the courage to say goodbye to the Senate, but 

that will wait until next week. 

I remember going back to a day when the Republican leader, then Bob Dole, came to me. I adored him, as I do to this 

day. He said to me, ‘‘You need to do something for the Senate.’’ 

I said, ‘‘What is that?’’ 

He said, ‘‘I want you to give up your seat on the Rules 

Committee because the Senate has been joined by a young 

man who I believe can best serve the Senate—because of the 

complexities of the rules of the Senate, because of the problems that face the Senate—if he were to serve on this committee.’’ Senator Dole said, ‘‘I will assure you if you wish to 

return you may do so without loss of seniority or otherwise.’’ 

So I said, ‘‘Who is this man?’’ 

And he described him. 

I said, ‘‘Well, if that is for the best interests of the Senate, 

I will step down.’’ 

I did, and you, Mitch McConnell, joined the Rules Committee. Not long after that, Dole again expressed his appreciation to me, and he said, ‘‘You know, I predict that someday that man will become the Republican leader of the Senate. 

I was a bit taken aback. I hadn’t been here that long, but 

that is quite a prediction for someone to make. 

Well, it has come true. It is almost as if the hand of Providence has directed it because here, in these final hours, 

these final days that my dear friend, Senator Domenici and 

I will serve in this institution, we will be a part of making 

a decision, a decision with regard to the future of America 

and our economy. It is a decision of a magnitude that I am 

not sure any other Senate has made in its 218-year history, 

save perhaps during the Civil War, a decision that this body 

will make affecting every single American. 

I just say in concluding, the Senate, the country is fortunate to have you and others in the leadership role in this institution today, on both sides of the aisle, to guide us 

through to make that decision. That comes from my heart. 

Good luck, God bless you, bless the leadership of the Senate and every Member of this institution as we assemble 

within the coming days, each of us in our seat, to cast this 

most important vote. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I want to make a few comments about my good friend, Senator JOHN WARNER from 

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Virginia. When you first come to this body, you get to know 

people. Soon I got to know him as a Senator’s Senator, because he was one of those people who was always trying to 

bring people together and take on the major issues that confront our country. 

I had the distinct honor of traveling to Iraq and other 

countries with him and with the distinguished presiding officer. I admired the relationship between Senator Levin and 

Senator WARNER as a template for how things should run in 

Washington, DC, as we represent the 325 million people of 

America. There are two people from two different parties 

who work together to make sure that what we were doing 

was the very best job that we could to protect America. 

So you are, both the presiding officer as well as Senator 

WARNER, two of my most significant role models in this 

Chamber. I admire you both for your service. 

The Senator from Virginia was a member of pulling together the Gang of 14. It was now some 2 years ago when 

we were debating whether there would be a ‘‘nuclear option’’ 

and whether we would move forward in saving some of the 

procedures and the very functioning of the institution of the 

Senate. I remember working in awe with him as he and Senator Byrd and others worked on that historic document at 

that time, and on so many other occasions where he has 

been the person who has been the glue to bring people together. So he is a Senator’s Senator, because he is such a 

proud American and such a wonderful leader for Virginia 

and for the Senate. 

But he also is a wonderful Senator because he has a very 

unique ability of bringing people together. I would hope that 

all of us, the 100 Members of this Chamber, always continue 

to look to him for the kind of inspiration and great example 

he has been. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. MCCAIN. . . . Before explaining my concerns with this 

bill, let me take a moment to express my sincere gratitude 

to Senator WARNER for his many years of service to this Nation, not the least of which are 30 well-spent years in the 

Senate where he has been a consistent and steadfast champion of our men and women in uniform. Senator WARNER

has been instrumental in providing needed oversight of the 

Department of Defense, and in ensuring that our soldiers are 

well trained, well equipped, and that they and their families 

are well provided for. I am particularly grateful for his contributions during this Congress when he so frequently 

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stepped in on my behalf. Let me be clear that my concerns 

with this year’s bill reflect in no way on Senator WARNER’s 

outstanding efforts: He deserves much credit for the many 

exemplary provisions contained in this bill. . . . 

Mr. AKAKA. . . . I want to take this last opportunity to extend my warmest aloha to my friend and colleague Senator 

WARNER who managed this bill on the minority side. In my 

many years of serving with Senator WARNER on the Armed 

Services Committee, I have never failed to be impressed by 

his character, graciousness, and collegiality. Mahalo Nui Loa 

for your friendship and for all that you have done for our Nation and the members of our armed services in particular. 

Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, first, let me thank the presiding officer. 

This is a bittersweet moment for me. This will be the last 

time the Senator from Virginia and I will be standing here 

and celebrating the passage of a defense authorization bill. 

We stood together in support of these bills and the men and 

women of our Armed Forces for 30 years. In this particular 

case—there have been previous examples of this, but this is 

perhaps the most dramatic one—we would not be standing 

here with a bill in hand now going to the White House but 

for the courage of the Senator from Virginia. 

I will not go into all the details as to how that came about, 

but it is because of his commitment to the men and women 

in uniform that we have a bill. We would not have a bill this 

year except that he took the steps which he was determined 

to take as a Senator of this Nation—not just of Virginia—to 

support the men and women in uniform. 

So on behalf of 25 committee members, 45 committee staff 

members, 2.3 million active duty and reserve members of the 

military and their families, I offer a heartfelt thanks for 

them for a job always well done by the Senator from Virginia. 

I will have more to say about the Senator from Virginia 

also next week. But for the time being, let me say this: In 

the future, when we cannot seem to find our way out of the 

difficult situations that a bill of this magnitude and complexity get us into, people will say: ‘‘Well, what would JOHN

WARNER have done?’’ That will be the question we will ask. 

When we ask that question, the right answers will follow. I 

thank my dear friend. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia. 

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Mr. WARNER. Madam President, I thank my dear friend. 

If I could take a moment. I wish to join the Senator in 

thanking our respective leaders, Senator Reid, Senator 

McConnell and the members of the committee and the staff, 

once again, and indeed the members of the leadership staff 

and the floor staff who made this bill possible. 

I wish to tell a short personal story since this is my last 

bill. 

I just walked through Senator Reid’s office. He asked me 

to come in and visit with him privately for a minute. As I 

passed by, I looked up on the wall, and there was a portrait 

of Harry Truman. I had the privilege of serving in the Navy 

in World War II—the closing year of World War II—as a 

young 17-, 18-year-old sailor, never dreaming I would ever be 

a Senator—that was the furthest thing from my mind— 

a 17-, 18-year-old sailor. 

It was one of the darkest hours of the United States. Roosevelt was then President. Truman was Vice President. It 

was the winter of 1945. I, similar to so many young men at 

that time—and those women who joined the military also— 

signed up and volunteered. We wanted to be a part of this. 

The war had gone unexpectedly the wrong way in Europe for 

a while when Hitler trapped our divisions and Allied divisions in the Battle of the Bulge. Iwo Jima was under way. 

Okinawa, a terrific battle, was on the horizon. 

America was all together, and we were determined to establish our freedom in the world. I remember my first 

night—I had been on a steam train for about 2 days, working its way up to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. 

It would stop at the station, and 17-, 18-year-old guys would 

get on the train, and they would be in those old cars, cold, 

shivering, with no food that I can remember to speak of. We 

arrived at the Great Lakes at about 4 a.m. We all were 

herded off the train into a great big gymnasium. A fellow, a 

chief petty officer—he was as big around as he was tall; I remember a very big fellow—got up, and he had a bullhorn, 

and shouted at us. I remember the words—here it was 65 

years ago, 66 years ago—as if it were this minute. He said, 

‘‘All you guys who can’t read and write, raise your hand.’’ 

Well, I had been in a wonderful home. My father provided 

well as a medical doctor, with the best of schools, even 

though I left school to join the Navy. I did not know people 

who did not know how to read and write. Some of the other 

guys’ hands were raised, and the fellow said through the 

bullhorn: ‘‘All right, you smart guys, fill out the forms for the 

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others.’’ So I and others went over to help those people fill 

out their forms—put their X on it. The next day, we were in 

the training camps side by side, all training. 

Those men went on to different tasks in the military but 

important tasks. There were many jobs in our military that 

did not require an education, but they were as important a 

part of the force as those of us, I guess, who felt we were a 

little smarter. 

But why do I tell that story? I later served in the Marines. 

So I look back over these 60 years. I have spent a great deal 

of my life associated with the men and women of the Armed 

Forces. My active service is of no great consequence. 

But the thing I have always remembered is that you and 

I, as a team, I say to the Senator—all these years we have 

been working here, we have been working to improve and 

make possible that the current generation of young men 

going into the uniform, and women, have the same advantages my generation had: The GI bill—working with Senator 

Webb recently to get that through. 

I always feel I am a Senator today because of all the military men and women whom I have served with, who have 

trained me, who have disciplined me, who have inspired me. 

They performed the same duty I did that cold night in 1945. 

They have helped me fill out the forms. I have learned from 

them, have had the wisdom to work with you and others to 

put together these legislative measures for their benefit. 

So I close my last words thanking all those in uniform who 

have so generously given to me their wisdom, their friendship, their inspiration, and their courage to do what little I 

have been able to do as a Senator to help me fill out the 

forms and put my X on this my last bill. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan. 

Mr. LEVIN. Well, Madam President, the men and women 

of this Nation would be grateful to JOHN WARNER if they 

knew him, had that honor of knowing him. They have been 

benefited by him even though they will never know him. 

Maybe as a 17-year-old sailor back in 1945, the last thing in 

his mind was that he would ever be a Senator. There is 

something about this Nation that makes it possible for men 

and women—in this case a man such as JOHN WARNER—to 

rise to the very top of the respect of his countrymen and 

women. It has been a true pleasure and honor to serve with 

him. 

I, again, will have more to say about that next week. 

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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. 

MONDAY, September 29, 2008 

Mr. LIEBERMAN. . . . I offer thanks and best wishes to 

other colleagues who are leaving—Senators Allard, Hagel, 

and Craig. 

I particularly wish to say a word about a colleague of the 

occupant of the chair, Senator WARNER of Virginia. Senator 

Webb was kind enough to ask me to join him in a tribute to 

JOHN WARNER, and I wish to say a few words about him because our lives have intersected so much in service here. 

I begin by quoting another great Virginian, Thomas Jefferson, who, when he arrived in Paris as U.S. Minister to 

France—what we would now call an Ambassador—presented 

himself to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. The 

French Minister of Foreign Affairs asked Jefferson, because 

he was replacing Benjamin Franklin, ‘‘Do you replace Monsieur Franklin?’’ Jefferson replied, ‘‘I succeed him. No one 

can replace him.’’ 

I would say of another great Virginian, JOHN WARNER, 

that no one can replace JOHN WARNER. He is a Senator’s 

Senator, a patriot, a true servant of our country and of his 

beloved State, the Commonwealth of Virginia, all of which 

will be forever grateful for his lifetime of service and dedication. 

Senator WARNER began his service to our country at the 

age of 17. Let me say, generally, without revealing his exact 

age, that would be more than 60 years ago. He enlisted in 

the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1950, at the outbreak 

of the Korean war, he interrupted his studies of law to return to active military duty. Similar to so many who served 

our country in that period—and I meet them all the time in 

Connecticut, particularly World War II veterans, the ones, 

for instance, whose families will call and say, ‘‘My dad or my 

grandfather thinks he may have been entitled to a medal, 

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but he never got it’’—they rushed back after the war to return to their families and to their work. We check the 

records. In almost every case, in fact, these veterans of 

World War II deserve medals. In almost every case, when we 

give the medals to them, as I have had the honor to do on 

many occasions, the veterans of World War II will say, ‘‘I 

didn’t want this for myself. I wanted it for my grandchildren.’’ Then they almost always say, ‘‘I am no hero, I am 

an ordinary American called to serve our country in a time 

of crisis.’’ 

The truth is, these veterans and those who followed them 

in succeeding conflicts, including the distinguished occupant 

of the chair, may each think of themselves as ordinary Americans but, in fact, together they have protected America’s security and saved our freedom. Those veterans of World War 

II defeated the threats of fascism and nazism. Think about 

what the world would be like if our enemies in World War 

II had triumphed and think about the extraordinary period 

of progress and economic growth that followed after the successful conclusion of World War II. 

JOHN WARNER was part of that. His service continued. In 

1969, he was appointed Under Secretary of the Navy. From 

1972 to 1974, he served as Secretary of the Navy. Throughout the rest of his career, including his long, distinguished, 

and productive service on the Senate Armed Services Committee, JOHN WARNER has shown unwavering support for the 

men and women of the Armed Forces and, of course, in a 

larger sense, unwavering support for the security of America 

and the ideal of freedom which was the animating impulse 

and purpose that motivated Jefferson and all the other 

Founders to create America, a country created on an ideal, 

with a purpose, with a mission, with a destiny. JOHN WARNER has always understood that. The fact that he is a Virginian is part of that understanding. 

It has been my great honor to serve with JOHN WARNER

in the Senate, particularly on the Armed Services Committee, where over the years I have come to work with him. 

Senator WARNER is a great gentleman, a word that can be 

used lightly but belongs with Senator WARNER, a person of 

personal grace, of civility, of honor, of good humor, someone 

who in his service here has always looked for the common 

ground. As all of us know, when we make an agreement with 

JOHN WARNER, even on the most controversial circumstance, 

his word sticks. He keeps the agreement, no matter how difficult the political crosscurrent may be. He has had an exVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Aug 26, 2010 Jkt 047111 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE08\47111.BST CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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traordinary record of productive service to America and to 

Virginia. 

One of the things I cherish is that in January 1991, after 

Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, I was asked to join 

with Senator WARNER to co-sponsor the resolution which authorized the Commander in Chief to take military action to 

push Saddam Hussein and Iraqi forces out of Kuwait which 

they, of course, did successfully, heroically, and with great 

effect on the stability and future of the Middle East. It 

turned out that in 2003, when it came time again for the 

Senate to decide whether we were prepared to authorize yet 

another Commander in Chief to take military action to overthrow Saddam Hussein—and I don’t need to talk about the 

causes for which we argued for that case—Senator WARNER

asked me if I would join him again as a co-sponsor. It was 

a great honor for me to do that, and it passed overwhelmingly with a bipartisan vote. 

In a very special way, notwithstanding this kind of work 

and work we did together, for instance, to establish the Joint 

Forces Command, located in Norfolk, VA, to make real the 

promise of joint war fighting that was inherent to the Goldwater-Nichols legislation but was not quite realized, I 

worked with Senator WARNER and Senator Coats, a former 

colleague from Indiana, to accomplish that. 

Fresh in my mind and expressive of the range of JOHN

WARNER’s interest and of his commitment to the greater public good was the fact that at the beginning of this session of 

Congress, he sought to become the ranking member of the 

Subcommittee on Climate Change of the Environment Committee, which I was privileged to about to be chair of. We 

talked about the problem. JOHN didn’t, as this challenge to 

mankind has taken shape, rush to the front of it. He was 

skeptical. He listened. He read. He concluded the planet is 

warming, that it represents a profound threat to the future 

of the American people, people all around the globe, and that 

it represents a threat to our national security, which has 

been the animating, driving impulse of his public service. We 

talked and decided to join together. I call it the WarnerLieberman Climate Security Act; he calls it the LiebermanWarner Climate Security Act, which is a measure of the relationship we have had and his graciousness. Without his cosponsorship, we would not have gotten it out of subcommittee, first time ever. We wouldn’t have gotten it out of 

the Environment Committee, first time ever reported favorably on this important challenge to the Senate floor. We 

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wouldn’t have been able to achieve the support of 54 Members of the Senate, the first time a majority of Members of 

the Senate said we have to do something about global warming, including our colleagues, Senator McCain and Senator 

Obama, which means the next President will be a proactive 

leader and partner with Congress in the effort to do something about climate change. It wouldn’t have happened without the support of JOHN WARNER, a final extraordinary act 

of leadership by this great Senator. 

He has a lot of great years left in him. I hope we can find 

a way for him to continue to be part of the work all of us 

have to do: One, to keep our country secure—and there is no 

one with more expertise and a more profound commitment to 

that—and, two, to get America to assume its proper leadership role in the global effort to curb global warming. 

He is a dear friend, a great man. It has been a wonderful 

honor to serve with him. I pray he and his wife and all his 

family, beloved children and grandchildren, will be blessed 

by God with many more good years together. 

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise today to ask my 

colleagues to join me in voting for cloture on this important 

rail safety and Amtrak reauthorization bill. I am pleased to 

be doing this with the distinguished Senator from Texas, 

Mrs. Hutchison, and am particularly delighted to have the 

chance to share in the twilight area of the distinguished career of the senior Senator from Virginia on this issue. JOHN

WARNER and I have been friends for many years. We both 

had some military experience in World War II, and Senator 

WARNER went on to Korea to continue his duty. We are 

grateful for not only his duty in the military but his service 

to the country. Senator WARNER is a man with balance and 

sensitivity. It doesn’t mean he always agrees, and when he 

doesn’t, you know that. He is not hesitant to let you know 

that he disagrees, but he always does it as a gentleman and 

always with a courtly touch, if I might say. . . . 

Mr. DEMINT. Mr. President, I do appreciate the leadership on this bill. I am particularly honored to serve with 

JOHN WARNER. He has been involved with so many great victories here, great leadership. He will certainly be missed. . . . 

Mr. CARDIN. Senator, you have been an inspiration to all 

of us on these issues and a model for how we should work 

together on regional issues. I congratulate you for a great 

record in the Senate. 

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Mr. WARNER. Thank you. I have been a lucky man. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware is 

recognized. 

Mr. CARPER. I say to my leader, from my days as a naval 

flight officer, how privileged I have been having served in 

Southeast Asia, to serve under his leadership when he was 

Secretary of the Navy and I was a young naval flight officer, 

pleased to serve under his leadership then, and delighted to 

be able to follow his leadership here again today on the important legislation we have been voting and debating here. 

I wish to comment on what Senator Cardin said. You provided an example for us regarding how we are supposed to 

treat other people. You treat other people the way you wish 

to be treated. You are an embodiment of the Golden Rule. 

If you look in the Bible, it talks about the two great commandments. The second one is to love thy neighbor as thyself; treat other people the way you want to be treated. You 

certainly embody that. I, personally, am going to miss you. 

I know a lot of others are as well. 

You talk about passing the mantle to Senator Cardin. 

Your mantle is so heavy, it is amazing to me you can even 

walk around, all you have done and all you have accomplished. 

You are the best. It has been an honor to serve with you, 

again, here in this capacity. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my good friend and 

colleague from Delaware. . . . 

Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, I know this afternoon at some 

point the majority leader intends to speak about the service 

of a number of the Members of this body who are going to 

be retiring at the end of the year. But seeing that people are 

elsewhere right now, I thought I might seize this moment 

and say a few words about two of my Republican colleagues 

with whom I have had long relationships, and both of whom 

I respect a great deal, and to wish both of them success as 

they leave this body. 

The first is Senator JOHN WARNER. Right now, with the 

situation facing this country, we are in more turmoil, we are 

facing greater problems than at any time, probably, since the 

combination of the Great Depression and the end of World 

War II. We need people who are willing to work to solve the 

problems of this country rather than simply falling back into 

partisan rhetoric or simple party loyalties. 

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I think it can fairly be said that throughout his lifetime of 

service, and particularly his service in politics, there is one 

thing everyone can agree on about JOHN WARNER: He has always put the interests of the people of Virginia and the people of this country ahead of political party. He has been very 

clear at different times that he and I are in different parties. 

But this is an individual who has served this body with great 

wisdom and a deeply ingrained sense of fairness, and someone who has the temperament and the moral courage of a 

great leader. 

Our senior Senator has a history and a family heritage involving public service. If you go into Senator WARNER’s office, 

you will see a picture of a great uncle who lost his arm serving in the War between the States. His father was an Army 

doctor who participated in some of the most difficult campaigns of World War I. Senator WARNER himself enlisted at 

the age of 17 in the Navy toward the end of World War II 

and was able to take advantage of the GI bill to go to college. 

Then when the Korean war came about, he joined the Marine Corps, went to Korea as an officer of Marines, and, in 

fact, remained as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve for 

some period of time. 

He, as most of us know, gave great service in a civilian capacity in the Pentagon. He had more than 5 years in the 

Pentagon, first as Under Secretary of the Navy, and then as 

Secretary of the Navy, and after leaving as Secretary of the 

Navy, was the official responsible for putting together our bicentennial celebrations in 1976. 

I first came to know JOHN WARNER my last year in the 

Marine Corps when I was a 25-year-old captain and was assigned, after having served in Vietnam, as a member of the 

Secretary of the Navy’s staff. JOHN WARNER was the Under 

Secretary at the time. John Chafee—later also to serve in 

this body—was the Secretary. Then, toward the end of my 

time in the Marine Corps, JOHN WARNER was the Secretary 

of the Navy and, in fact, retired me from the Marine Corps 

in front of his desk when he was Secretary of the Navy. I 

have been privileged to know him since that time. 

I was privileged to follow him in the Pentagon, when I 

spent 5 years in the Pentagon and also was able to serve as 

Secretary of the Navy. 

Shortly after I was elected to this body, Senator WARNER

and I sat down and worked out a relationship that I think, 

hopefully, can serve as a model for people who want to serve 

the country and solve the problems that exist, even if they 

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are on different sides of this Chamber. We figured out what 

we were not going to agree upon, and then we figured out 

what we were going to be able to agree upon. I think it is 

a model of bipartisan cooperation on a wide range of issues, 

ranging from the nomination of Federal judges, to critical infrastructure projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia, to 

issues facing our men and women in uniform, to issues of national policy. 

It has been a great inspiration for me, it has been a great 

privilege for me to be able to work with Senator WARNER

over these past 2 years. 

Last week was a good example of how bipartisan cooperation, looking to the common good, can bring about good results when Judge Anthony Trenga made it through the confirmation process, an individual whom Senator WARNER and 

I had interviewed and jointly recommended both to the 

White House and to the Judiciary Committee. 

I am particularly mindful—I see the Senator; the senior 

Senator has joined us on the floor—I particularly am mindful 

of the journey I took upon myself my first day as a Member 

of the Senate when I introduced a piece of legislation designed to give those who have been serving since 9/11 the 

same educational opportunities as the men and women who 

served during World War II. 

Perhaps the key moment in that journey, which over 16 

months eventually allowed us to have 58 co-sponsors of that 

legislation, including 11 Republicans, was when Senator 

WARNER stepped across the aisle and joined me as a principal co-sponsor, and we developed 4 lead sponsors on that 

legislation—2 Republicans, 2 Democrats; 2 World War II veterans, 2 Vietnam veterans—that enabled us to get the broad 

support of the Congress and eventually pass that legislation. 

History is going to remember JOHN WARNER as a man who 

accomplished much here during his distinguished tenure. He 

was the first Virginia Senator to support an African American for the Federal bench. He was the first to support a 

woman. He was the first Virginia Senator to offer wilderness 

legislation. Senator WARNER has never wavered in his determination to do what is right for America, even when it 

caused him from time to time to break with the leadership 

of his own party. 

There are important legacies, but perhaps more than anything else, we will remember Senator JOHN WARNER’s tenure 

here as having been a positive force for the people who serve 

in uniform. There is not a person serving in the U.S. military 

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today or who has served over the past 30 years whose life 

has not been touched by the leadership and the policies of 

JOHN WARNER and whose military service has not been better because of Senator WARNER. As a veteran, as someone 

who has served in the Pentagon, and as someone who served 

on the Armed Services Committee, he understood the dynamic under which they had to live, understood the challenges they had to face when they served, and understood 

the gravity of the cost of military service. Senator JOHN

WARNER has stood second to none in protecting our troops 

and their way of life. 

When JOHN WARNER announced his retirement 13 months 

ago on the grounds of the University of Virginia, he reminded us that at the end of the day, public service is a rare 

privilege. In my work with him over these many years, and 

particularly over the last 2 years, I can attest to the fact that 

he certainly approaches this work in that humble spirit. 

So on behalf of the people of Virginia and all those who 

have worn the uniform of the United States in the past 30 

years, I wish to thank Senator WARNER for his exceptionally 

talented leadership and all he and his staff have done for our 

State and for our country. This institution will miss JOHN

WARNER, his kindness, his humility, his wisdom, and his 

dedicated service. I know we in Virginia will continue to benefit from his advice and his counsel for many years to come. 

Mr. President, I also wish to say a few words today about 

Senator Chuck Hagel, who will be leaving this body. 

Chuck Hagel and I have known each other for more than 

30 years. We both came to Washington as young Vietnam 

veterans, determined to try to take care of the readjustment 

needs of those who had served in Vietnam. Senator Hagel 

had been an infantry sergeant in Vietnam; wounded, came 

up, worked in the Senate for awhile, became a high-ranking 

official in the Veterans’ Administration. He later ran the 

USO before he came to this body. He is known in this body 

as an expert on foreign affairs. 

Again, as with Senator JOHN WARNER, he is someone who 

puts country first, who puts the needs of the people who do 

the hard work of society first. It has been a rare privilege for 

me to have made a journey with someone, beginning in the 

same spot in the late 1970s and ending up here in the Senate. I know this country will hear more from Chuck Hagel 

in the future. I certainly wish him well. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

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The PRESIDING OFFICER. The senior Senator from Virginia is recognized. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am very deeply moved by 

this moment. As a matter of fact, now—this is just a month 

or so short of 30 years—I can’t think of another opportunity 

or moment in the Senate when I have been so moved and so 

grateful to a fellow Senator. I have served with five individuals, you being the fifth now, in the Senate to come from 

Virginia, to form the team we have all had, some different 

in different ways, but generally speaking, Virginia’s two Senators have worked together on behalf of not only the Commonwealth but what is best for the United States. 

I remember one time so vividly we stood together here at 

the desk on a rather complex issue, and there were clear political reasons for us to vote in a certain way. You turned to 

me and you asked what I was going to do, and I replied, and 

you said, ‘‘That is what I will do because that is in the best 

interests of the country though it may not be politically to 

our benefit, or possibly to our State.’’ That is this fine man 

with whom I finished my career in the Senate as my full 

partner and, most important, my deep and respected friend. 

Our relationship, as you so stated, started over 30 years ago 

when we worked with the Navy Secretary together. 

You mentioned Vietnam. To this day, I think about that 

chapter in my life. I remember John Chafee, whom I am sure 

you recall very well. He and I one time were asked to go 

down to the Mall. The Secretary of Defense sent us down 

there, and we put on old clothes and went down, and there 

were a million young men and women—over a million—expressing their concerns about the loss of life, the war in Vietnam, and how the leadership of this country had not given, 

I believe, the fullest of support to those such as yourself, 

Senator, and Senator Hagel, who fought so valiantly and 

courageously in that war. I might add a footnote that Senator Chafee or then-Secretary of the Navy Chafee, and I, 

Under Secretary went back from the Mall directly to the Secretary of Defense and sat in his office, and that was sort of 

the beginning of the concept of ‘‘Vietnamization’’ when we 

tried to lay those plans to bring our forces home. 

But anyway, in the years that passed, I remember so well 

working with Senator Mathias on the original legislation to 

establish the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I felt strongly 

that it would be some tribute fitting to the men and women 

who served, as you did, so valiantly during that period. I 

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troversy about that memorial, it has in a very significant 

measure helped those families and others who bore the brunt 

of that conflict, you being among them. 

I thank the Senator from Virginia for working together 

this short period we have been here. As I leave, I leave with 

a sense of knowing that for our Virginia, but perhaps even 

more important, for the United States of America, there is 

one man in Senator Webb who will always do what is right 

for his country and will fear absolutely no one in trying to 

carry out that mission. Whether it be a vote or a piece of legislation, or whatever it may be, he will persevere. He showed 

that on the GI bill legislation. 

I was privileged, as I might say, just to be a corporal in 

your squad on that, but you led that squad with the same 

courage that you fought with in Vietnam and that you will 

fight with today and tomorrow and so long as you are a 

Member of the Senate. I hope perhaps maybe you might exceed my career of 30 years in the Senate, and that wonderful 

family of yours will give you the support that my family— 

my lovely wife today and my children—have given me so 

that I could serve here in the Senate. 

America will always look down on you as a proud son. I 

don’t know what the future may be, but I know there are 

further steps of greatness that you will achieve, Senator. I 

wish you the best of luck from the depths of my heart. I 

thank you for these words today, similar to words we have 

shared, both of us, in speaking of our working partnership 

here in the Senate. I thank you, sir. I salute you. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

Mr. WEBB. Mr. President, if I might address the senior 

Senator through the Chair, it is a rare opportunity to say 

something like this on the Senate floor, but I will reiterate 

my appreciation for the leadership the senior Senator from 

Virginia has shown in my case since 1971—it is hard to believe—and for the example he has set here in the Senate for 

30 years in terms of how to conduct the business of government. I can think of no one with whom I would rather have 

shared the past 2 years in terms of learning the business of 

the Senate and having something of a handoff here in terms 

of how we take care of the good people of the Commonwealth 

of Virginia. There is only one other person in this body I can 

say these words to, but I say them from my heart: Semper 

fidelis, JOHN WARNER. Thank you very much. 

Mr. WARNER. I thank you. 

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TUESDAY, September 30, 2008 

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, today I join my colleagues in 

saying goodbye, thank you, and best wishes to good friends 

leaving the Senate, especially a couple of Senators with long 

and distinguished service. One of those, who has been a hero 

of mine for a long time and has become a good friend, is 

JOHN WARNER. He is a Member in the Senate well known for 

his patriotism, for his long service to both his State and his 

Nation, and perhaps more than any other Member of the 

Senate, he is known for being a gentleman in the true meaning of the word. I would say he is a Senator to whom we can 

all look up to. I did when I arrived, and from the beginning 

I learned a great deal. 

Now, as a fellow UVA Law grad, my good friend, the 

squire from Virginia, JOHN WARNER, who is retiring after 30 

years of service, has left an indelible mark on this body. We 

will miss as much, though, the presence of his wonderful 

wife Jeanne. I think all of us in the Senate, at Senate gatherings, at Senate family affairs, know how much Jeanne 

adds to our family. She is truly a wonderful lady. She has 

cleaned up the squire a good bit. My wife Linda and I enjoy 

and look forward to seeing Jeanne and JOHN after their service in the Senate because we are good friends. 

Not only do JOHN and I share the UVA Law connections, 

but he and I were on a panel at his school, St. Albans, along 

with several other distinguished Members of the Senate, and 

we had the opportunity to go back to the school that he had 

attended and my son attended. 

Let me go back to what JOHN WARNER has done in his impressive 30 years in the Senate. His service to the country 

began long before he was elected to this body in 1978. At age 

17, JOHN chose not to go back to St. Albans immediately but 

first chose to serve his country, enlisting in the U.S. Navy 

to help keep our Nation safe from Nazi Germany. 

He, again, answered his Nation’s call to service at the outbreak of the Korean war, when he served in the U.S. Marine 

Corps. 

Since his service in our Armed Forces, JOHN has been a 

tireless advocate for our military and for our veterans. For 

the soldier returning home after service, JOHN has worked to 

improve the care our veterans receive, the care a grateful 

Nation owes each and every one of our brave volunteers. 

As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, as vice 

chairman, as a ranking member, as a leader in the Armed 

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Services Committee, JOHN has worked to ensure that the 

military, particularly our troops on the field in battle, have 

the equipment and the resources they need. 

Under JOHN’s watch, the Senate always passed a defense 

authorization bill, a feat that is not only achievable because 

of JOHN’s skill but because of the respect he has for Members 

on both sides of the aisle. 

JOHN used this legislation year after year to modernize our 

military to make sure they met 21st century needs. In this 

way and all others, JOHN embodies the motto of his esteemed 

undergraduate Virginia school, Washington and Lee, which 

is ‘‘Not Unmindful of the Future.’’ 

JOHN has always kept that responsibility to the future in 

mind as he has worked to keep our fighting forces the best 

in the world. 

But he has also done much in other areas. It has been my 

pleasure to work with him on the Environment and Public 

Works Committee. He was an invaluable leader, from whom 

I learned much. He was a great friend in passing the highway bill in 1998. I followed his work later on while working 

on the current highway bill. I owe a great deal to the skill, 

to the advice, and the leadership he provided in making sure 

we could meet the needs of our highways and our bridges. 

His guidance and leadership were extremely vital for the 

success of the bill I worked on. He has also kept his responsibility of the future in mind during his tenure on the Senate 

Intelligence Committee. 

It has been an honor, a pleasure, and a treat to fight side 

by side with JOHN on the Intelligence Committee. He has always been looking to the future, to all our futures. He 

worked on the committee to help us prevent another devastating attack on our soil such as 9/11. 

JOHN was an invaluable ally on the committee in our efforts to reform and oversee our intelligence operations. With 

JOHN’s help, we passed probably the most important legislation I have had the opportunity to lead—the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act—to assure we had an early warning 

system against terrorist attacks. 

Because of JOHN’s work in the Senate, his heart on the 

battlefield, our Nation is not only a safer place but, under 

his guidance, wisdom, and leadership, it has become a much 

better place. 

It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve with 

JOHN WARNER. He is an icon of the Senate. He will be 

missed for his ability to work across the aisle, for putting his 

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country first, and for the friendship with Jeanne, his wife, 

and the rest of us. I join my colleagues in congratulating the 

Senator and his wife and thanking JOHN for his many years 

of service. 

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum. 

Ms. COLLINS. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, 

throughout our Nation’s history, the Commonwealth of Virginia has provided leaders of uncommon courage, dedication, 

and vision. The names that are revered in the Old Dominion 

are honored across America: Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, 

Mason, and Henry, to name but a few. 

Today, as the 110th Congress draws to a close, we say 

farewell to another great Virginian, a great patriot, public 

servant, and distinguished colleague whose name history will 

add to that honor roll: the name of our friend and colleague, 

Senator JOHN WARNER. 

Senator WARNER’s career mirrors those of the Founding 

Fathers in many ways. During World War II, when freedom 

was under attack, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at just 17 

years of age. 

Following the war, he rejoined civilian life, earned a college degree, and entered law school. At the outbreak of the 

Korean war, he suspended his studies to serve his Nation 

once again, this time as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. 

After he returned from Korea, he completed his law degree 

but remained an officer in the Reserves, always ready to answer the call of his Nation. Senator JOHN WARNER truly exemplifies the American tradition of the citizen soldier. 

As a civilian, JOHN WARNER continued to serve: as an assistant U.S. attorney, as Under Secretary of the Navy, and 

as Secretary of the Navy. During his 5 years in the Navy’s 

Secretariat, he demonstrated another American tradition: a 

commitment to both military strength and diplomacy. 

It is fitting that one so steeped in the best of America’s 

traditions was chosen by the President, in 1976, to coordinate our Nation’s bicentennial celebrations in all 50 States 

and in 22 foreign countries. 

It was in 1978 that the wise citizens of Virginia sent JOHN

WARNER to the U.S. Senate. For 30 years, the people of 

America have been grateful. The hallmark of Senator WARNER’s service in the Senate has been his absolute and unwavering commitment to a strong national defense. It has 

been my honor to serve with him on two committees that 

bear directly upon that commitment—the Senate Armed 

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Services Committee and the Senate Homeland Security Committee. 

As the chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Senator WARNER has consistently upheld 

the pledge he took to defend America when he enlisted in the 

Navy 63 years ago. His support for our men and women in 

uniform, for their families, and for our veterans is unwavering. He has been an effective and strong advocate for modernizing our military to meet the challenges of the 21st century. 

Senator WARNER also understands that America’s future 

does not just depend upon defending our Nation against attack. I am proud to have worked with him on climate change 

legislation, and his leadership on the America’s Climate Security Act with our friend, Senator Joe Lieberman, demonstrates his commitment to protecting our environment and 

to securing our energy future. 

Senator WARNER’s career has been defined by his involvement in some of the most pressing issues of our time. But 

he has also worked hard on those seemingly smaller issues 

that make a big difference in people’s lives. As just one example, he joined me in authoring the tax deduction for 

teachers who spend their own money on classroom supplies. 

Whether in uniform or in our classrooms, JOHN WARNER believes those who serve have earned our gratitude and our 

support. 

Also we remember JOHN WARNER’s pivotal role at a time 

when our institution of the Senate was at a threshold of 

chaos and dysfunction. I refer to his leadership in the socalled Gang of 14, which worked out a compromise on judicial nominations that helped save this institution from what 

would have otherwise been a very bleak time. 

Senator WARNER has continued and enhanced the best traditions of this Nation and of the Commonwealth of Virginia 

in countless ways. One that must be mentioned, before I conclude my remarks, is his unfailing civility and courtesy toward his Senate colleagues. Regardless of the significance of 

the issue or the intensity of the debate or the strength of his 

colleagues’ feelings, Senator WARNER has always tempered 

staunch advocacy for his convictions with the utmost respect 

for the convictions of others. 

On a personal note, he has been a wonderful friend and 

mentor to me, the Senator from Maine. I know all Americans 

join me today in thanking Senator JOHN WARNER for his 

dedicated decades of service to his country, whether in times 

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of peace or war, and in wishing him all the best in the years 

to come. 

Thank you, Mr. President. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, it is sometimes somewhat 

breathless to be seated on this Senate floor knowing that 

just maybe 48 hours remain of my career in the Senate. I 

shall remain in office through early January, but I tell you, 

it takes me a few minutes to assemble my thoughts. But in 

your case, I would say: Look at the many things we have 

worked on together. 

This fine Senator is so proud of the Naval installations in 

her State. We visited the shipyard together, indeed the facilities at Portsmouth. The ships are made there. The ships are 

berthed there. It has been home to the U.S. Navy, I imagine, 

from the earliest days of the formation of our Colonies and 

the first of the ships we had. 

I hope what I am about to say is fully understood. But 

those of us—I have had some modest career in the Navy in 

my lifetime—always refer to the ship in an affectionate way, 

as if it were a female. Indeed, it does protect the sailors at 

sea with its steadiness and its seaworthiness, and we often 

refer to the ships as the fighting lady. 

I say to the Senator, I would hope that you would accept 

that as an accolade, the fighting lady from Maine. We have 

watched you under the toughest of circumstances. One time 

I remember working with you and your tenacity was fierce, 

and you really sort of turned back a lot of my thoughts 

which I thought were so important. But it worked out in the 

end. You prevailed and that was the development of the legislation which reconstructed, reformulated so much of our intelligence community. That was truly a masterful accomplishment on your part. 

Again, the reason I am a bit breathless is when I first 

came to the Senate, these 30 years ago, there were not any 

ladies in the Senate at that time. We were joined in my class 

by Nancy Kassebaum from Kansas, a wonderful lady. Believe me, she very quickly established her own stature. We 

all admired her tremendously as a very strong Senator, 

which she was throughout her career. But from that small 

beginning commenced the transformation of the Senate in 

many ways—from the one lady—she certainly was a fighting 

lady, too—to where today we have many. As a matter of fact, 

we do not even count them anymore because they just have 

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gotten into the full fabric of the Senate and everybody is just 

totally unconscious to that except, I guess, people like myself, with a wandering eye, constantly taking a look at the 

dress one day and complimenting my dear friends. 

But on a serious note, we have had a marvelous, strong 

friendship and working relationship, and I shall miss you 

dearly, as I will this institution. But I do leave with the 

thought that you are one of the great strengths of this institution which will be called upon, as it is in this hour. The 

Nation calls upon this body to save it. 

I was looking last night, as I was trying to drift off to rest, 

at the famous poem that was written, ‘‘O Ship of State.’’ Do 

you remember that poem? And America today is looking to 

its Congress like few times in history. ‘‘O Ship of State’’—I 

have that poem on my desk. 

At this time, I ask unanimous consent to have that poem 

printed in the Record. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 

printed in the Record, as follows: 

O SHIP OF STATE

(By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) 

Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State! 

Sail on, O Union, strong and great! 

Humanity with all its fears, 

With all the hopes of future years, 

Is hanging breathless on thy fate! 

We know what Master laid thy keel, 

What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel, 

Who made each mast, and sail, and rope, 

What anvils rang, what hammers beat, 

In what a forge and what a heat 

Were shaped the anchors of thy hope! 

Fear not each sudden sound and shock, 

’Tis of the wave and not the rock; 

’Tis but the flapping of the sail, 

And not a rent made by the gale! 

In spite of rock and tempest’s roar, 

In spite of false lights on the shore, 

Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea! 

Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee. 

Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears, 

Our faith triumphant o’er our fears, 

Are all with thee,—are all with thee! 

Mr. WARNER. I see the Senator is desiring to speak. 

But those two things remind me that this great Ship of 

State will sail on and you will be at the helm. I wish you the 

best. 

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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from 

Virginia for his very kind and thoughtful comments. At a 

time when we are attempting to pay tribute to him, he, of 

course, is gracious to others. 

I thank the Senator from New Jersey for his tolerance on 

the extra time. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the 

Senator from New Jersey is recognized. 

Mr. MENENDEZ. I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 

morning business. 

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

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, I was happy to yield to 

the distinguished Senator from Maine on her recognition of 

Senator WARNER. I certainly join in her comments about 

Senator WARNER, as we did recently when the Senator appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and 

recognized his tremendous service to this institution and to 

the country. I often say, as I said to him before at the hearing, that, in fact, I am privileged I came to the Senate at a 

time when I got to serve with JOHN WARNER and to see some 

of the finest traditions of service in this country. I appreciate 

his tremendous service, not just to the people of Virginia but 

to the people of this Nation. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank the gracious Senator from New Jersey. I appreciate those remarks. Although 

it has been short lived, we have had a good, strong working 

relationship; not always on the same side on several issues, 

but that is what democracy is all about. I thank the Senator. 

Mr. MENENDEZ. I thank the distinguished Senator from 

Virginia. 

Mr. DODD. This is not a prearranged or prestaged event. 

It was my intent at this moment to spend a few minutes 

talking about my friend from Virginia with whom I have just 

shared, once again, another memorable moment, as he talks 

about the moment we are in. That is characteristic of my 

friend from Virginia. One of the reasons he will be missed, 

with his well-deserved retirement, is that throughout my 28 

years here—actually I have known JOHN WARNER a bit 

longer than that, but we have served here together for almost three decades—in every moment I can think of that we 

have been in a moment not unlike the moment we are in— 

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none quite so grave economically—it has always been the 

posture and position of JOHN WARNER to see this body not 

as one that is divided by this architectural divide that separates us by party, which must confound and confuse the public as they look at us, wondering if we ever begin to think 

of ourselves as Americans with a great privilege of serving 

in this historic institution, that we would come together to 

find solutions to problems. 

It has been characteristic of JOHN WARNER, from the first 

moments I have known him, to always see this divide as 

being sort of a silly barrier; that it probably would be a wise, 

although probably not a welcome idea, that the seating arrangements ought not to be based on party but maybe some 

other configuration where you actually have to sit next to 

someone you may disagree with or of a different party from 

time to time. That, in itself, may serve as a crucible in which 

better decisions might be reached. 

I am going to miss him very much on many different levels. We have only served on a couple of committees together 

over the years, not by choice but by circumstance. Yet on 

those occasions, I have enjoyed immensely the work of JOHN

WARNER. There have been times—and he will remind me 

often—when we haven’t shared a philosophical standpoint in 

common over the years. But on levels far more significant 

and far more important to me—and I would hope with other 

Members as well—my relationship with JOHN WARNER is one 

based on a love of this institution, the importance of it. The 

hope and the aspirations of a people depend upon it. That, 

more than anything else, is what I have enjoyed so much 

about working with JOHN WARNER, his reverence for this 

body. 

I will use the words of John Stennis, the former chairman 

of the Armed Services Committee—the position which JOHN

WARNER now holds—who spoke at a Democratic caucus 

meeting. He paused when he stood up for several seconds 

and said nothing at all, and the room quieted, as you might 

imagine, to a stillness. The first words of John Stennis were: 

I am a Senate man. 

I thought, what a remarkable moment, how he began his 

discourse with us, those of us who were new, by describing 

himself as a person of this institution. JOHN WARNER is a 

Senate man. He has done many things of great import in his 

life. But if I were to be asked by people what is a good example of a Senate person—I guess more politically correct 

today, given the fact that we have a lot of diversity of gender 

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in this institution—JOHN WARNER has been a Senate person. 

He understood the historical value of this institution and the 

importance it continues to play. While we have had our differences philosophically, we have enjoyed great friendship on 

a personal level. 

I cherish in my office a wonderful photograph of JOHN

WARNER and I sailing together in my Old Friendship sloop 

off the coast of Connecticut and Rhode Island, enjoying great 

dinners together, a game of tennis every now and then over 

the years. So beyond the political discourse and the substantive debates or disagreements, there are relationships 

here that are far more significant on a human level than 

that. 

I was thinking the other day about one of these battles 

that goes on from time to time. This one was over which 

State was going to win the contract to build the Seawolf submarine. The presiding officer from Rhode Island would have 

certainly taken the side of the New England point of view. 

It was a serious discussion about whether it would be in 

Newport News or in Connecticut and Rhode Island that the 

contract would be awarded. There was a lot of jockeying back 

and forth, a serious debate and discussion. It ultimately 

worked out well for both States and the country as a result. 

But the final decision came down that Connecticut was going 

to be awarded that contract. 

In a moment like that, after weeks and weeks of back and 

forth, you might expect that the delegation or the Member 

you have been dealing with on the other side would feel embittered or upset, a variety of emotions that would normally 

be put on the negative side of the ledger. I don’t think I have 

ever told this to too many of our colleagues. I arrived back 

in my apartment that night feeling good about the result and 

the fact that it worked out well. And there on the outside of 

my door was a package. I opened it and there was a first edition copy of Jack London’s ‘‘The Seawolf.’’ It was sent to me 

by my colleague from Virginia, with a congratulatory note on 

Connecticut and Rhode Island prevailing in this particular 

contest; that the country would be better if we all worked together to get this new piece of military hardware built. 

I thought to myself, what an incredible gesture at a moment like this, the sensitivity, the appreciation, seeking out 

a first edition copy of Jack London’s ‘‘The Seawolf,’’ the very 

program we were talking about. That is the kind of person 

JOHN WARNER has been. 

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While there will be great debate and discussion, and he 

has certainly done a fantastic job working with Carl Levin 

on the Armed Services Committee and has been a great custodian of guaranteeing and protecting our Nation’s security 

during that tenure, it is those moments of arriving home 

that night many years ago and picking up that book that I 

still cherish and have by the way. I will read it to my daughters at an appropriate time in their lives, a great story in 

and of itself. It is moments like that. 

I wish you the very best, dear friend. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my friend. I must 

say to you that John Stennis, if I had to name five individuals in this institution—I think I have served with 272 Senators—John Stennis would be one. He was a magnificent 

man. As a matter of fact, I have his old desk. In his final 

days here he called me in one day and he said, ‘‘I want you 

to have this desk.’’ Of course, it was a long story, but there 

it is. I still have it in my office. He was a great teacher. 

Scoop Jackson was another great teacher. I hope some of 

the young Senators have learned from you and me. Who 

knows. But in those days, those were men of formidable 

strength intellectually, command presence, and they were 

great teachers. Stennis was foremost among them all. 

I thank my dear friend for his comments. 

Mr. DODD. I thank my friend for his distinguished career. 

There are plenty of references to that in the Record. I 

thought I would share at least a couple of personal anecdotes. 

Mr. WARNER. We finally solved the submarine problem 

by, I think you built part of the ship—we call them ships 

now rather than boats—and we built the other part. They 

are put together in the yards of the two. They are sailing the 

seven seas today. That program is running on, and our sole 

production of submarines now is in Connecticut and in Virginia, putting the parts together. 

Mr. DODD. That is right. We hope it works. At the time 

that happened, I kept thinking of the person who once described a camel as being a horse that was designed by Congress in the sense of building two parts of this boat and 

welding them together. It was a perfect congressional result 

of a matter. Nonetheless, I cherish those comments. 

I wish you the very best. Thank you for your service to our 

country. . . . 

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Again, JOHN WARNER and Pete Domenici are classic examples of people who step out of what you might normally associate them with on an issue and get involved and make a difference, almost overnight, because they said this is worthy of 

our attention and certainly serious, so serious that it demands action. . . . 

Again, Mr. President, to my friend, JOHN WARNER, a special thanks, my dear friend. Now, when they say there is a 

white-haired Senator roaming around the floor, they will not 

have to guess whether it is the guy from Virginia or the guy 

from Connecticut, unless someone else arrives here with a 

full head of white hair. So to the white-haired caucus, again 

to JOHN WARNER, I thank you, dear friend. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank our distinguished 

colleague. 

Mr. President, I see the distinguished majority leader. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am going to give a speech regarding Senator WARNER in just a minute. 

I suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. 

The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

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

the order for the quorum call be rescinded. 

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

Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is very standard in the Senate, we say ‘‘the distinguished gentleman,’’ and we say that 

a lot, and we mean it. But it is never more meaningful than 

when you refer to JOHN WARNER as a distinguished gentleman because that says it all. If there were ever a distinguished gentleman, JOHN WARNER is that person. 

I can remember when I first came to the Senate 22 years 

ago, I was so fortunate. I was placed on the Environment 

and Public Works Committee. JOHN WARNER, even though 

he had been here a while, was one of the relatively new 

members of that committee. Some people had been there for 

so long. John Chafee was the ranking Republican on that 

committee. What a wonderful man he was. But anyway, 

JOHN WARNER took such good care of me. He looked out for 

me. I sat on the other side of the dais, but he took good care 

of me. We were able to do some good things. 

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I was fortunate, I was subcommittee chairman my freshman year. Senator WARNER will probably remember this. We 

worked on a number of things. One of the things we worked 

on was Alar. It was a product that people sprayed on cherries, apples, grapes to keep them from falling off the trees 

and vines too quickly. We legislated and legislated, and we 

were never able to get anything passed, but we accomplished 

what we set out to do because through the hearing process 

we focused so much attention on this that people stopped 

using it. 

JOHN WARNER is a distinguished gentleman. There is no 

more distinguished gentleman than the man we refer to as 

JOHN WARNER—JOHN WILLIAM WARNER. I love his stories. 

He talks about his dad who was a physician. 

When JOHN was 17, he had in his heart that it was important to wear the uniform of the American serviceman. He 

volunteered for the Navy so he could fight in World War II. 

He says he did not do any fighting, but he would have if he 

had been called upon to do so. 

After his first tour of duty, he returned home to his native 

Virginia, where he attended Washington and Lee University 

on the GI bill, and then the University of Virginia Law 

School, which, by the way, was then and is still now, a very 

difficult school to get in. It is always rated as one of the top 

10 law schools in America. It is a great school. 

His legal studies were interrupted again to be in the U.S. 

military, this time as an officer in the Marine Corps during 

the Korean war. His 10 years in the Marine Corps Reserves 

earned him the rank of captain, Captain JOHN WARNER. 

When he completed law school, he was selected as a law 

clerk by one of the outstanding and historic circuit court 

judges: E. Barrett Prettyman. What a name: E. Barrett 

Prettyman. But those of us who have been in the practice of 

law have always recognized that Prettyman wrote some pretty opinions. He was a renowned lawyer and, of course, now 

we have a Federal courthouse named after Judge Prettyman 

as a result of his being such an outstanding judge. JOHN

WARNER worked for him. 

After 4 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, JOHN WARNER

was appointed and confirmed as Under Secretary of the 

Navy, then as Secretary of the Navy. 

Then, one of my fond memories of JOHN WARNER is his 

telling a story. He was Under Secretary; John Chafee, whom 

I had the good fortune to serve with in the Senate, was the 

Secretary of the Navy. The Vietnam war was ongoing. They 

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were asked by the Secretary of Defense, Melvin Laird, to 

come down and see what was going on at the Capitol Mall. 

So, as Senator WARNER said, they left their Cadillacs someplace else that were supplied to the Secretary and the Under 

Secretary, and they took off their fancy clothes and came 

down to the Capitol Mall. And look around they did. There 

were tens of thousands of people here, tens of thousands— 

hundreds of thousands of people at the Mall. They were demonstrating against the war. Frankly, after listening to the 

speeches and watching the crowd and seeing the fervor of 

the crowd, both Secretary Chafee and Under Secretary WARNER returned to the Pentagon and recommended to Melvin 

Laird that he better take a close look at this war, that things 

would have to change, based on their observation of what 

was happening on the Capitol Mall that day. 

That is JOHN WARNER perfectly described: Someone who 

gathers the facts, and after having an understanding of the 

facts, issues his honest opinion as to what is going on. He 

and John Chafee, two wonderful human beings, two dedicated servants of the U.S. military, returned back to the Secretary of Defense and said: Things have to change. 

After serving in the Department of the Navy, he did a 

number of other things. But the story I try to tell is, I repeat, a real JOHN WARNER portrayal because he is always 

eager to listen to all sides of an issue. He is always willing 

to part from conventional wisdom in order to do the right 

thing, and then once he says he is going to do something, 

that is it. So after serving in the Department of the Navy, 

he decided he would accept the challenge of being the national coordinator for America’s bicentennial celebration in 

1976. As my colleagues know, there are a lot of things that 

happened during that period of time under his leadership. 

But as a little side story, there is a story about Virginia City, 

NV. Virginia City, NV, at one time was a thriving place of 

some 30,000 or 40,000. It was the reason Nevada became a 

State so far ahead of most Western territories. In 1864, we 

became a State. But as part of his going around the country, 

as you do when you have a job such as his, raising money 

and giving speeches, he was asked to go to Virginia City, this 

historic place in Nevada. He had never been there. It is a 

very winding road to get up there, and it is a dangerous 

road. But he was looking forward to being there because one 

of the patrons in the area—there are some people who are 

wealthy in Virginia City—decided to have dinner in honor of 

the bicentennial celebration. So JOHN WARNER and his enVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Aug 26, 2010 Jkt 047111 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE08\47111.BST CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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tourage arrived in little Virginia City, which now, by the 

way, is not 30,000 or 40,000, it is a very small community 

of maybe, if we are lucky, 1,000—but probably not. He went 

to the assigned place. He knocked on the door. There was no 

answer. He looked in the window, and saw the beautiful 

table, it was all set. It was a banquet in this beautiful home. 

So someone with JOHN WARNER went to the local law enforcement and said, ‘‘Could you help us?’’ Because they 

thought maybe something was wrong. So the local deputy 

came and looked in the window with everybody else, walked 

around the house, and he came to Senator WARNER and said, 

‘‘Mrs. So-and-so is in her vapors. The dinner will not go forward.’’ In Nevada, rather than ‘‘in her vapors,’’ we would 

have said she is too drunk to a have a party. But anyway, 

JOHN WARNER, being the gentleman he is, responded that 

was OK. Although he came to Virginia City, he did not have 

dinner at that home that night. He went someplace else for 

dinner. 

I heard Senator Dodd’s remarks about him. JOHN WARNER

is a unique individual. I see the presiding officer who is a 

brand-new Senator. During that time, we had something 

called the nuclear option, and I heard Senator Collins talk 

about this today. Senator Collins was talking about how 

JOHN WARNER silently was the leader of that situation that 

took place. I talked to JOHN WARNER during that period of 

time. JOHN WARNER told me what he was going to do. I 

never once told anyone publicly what he said he would do, 

but we all knew where he was. I knew where he was. He 

was on the right side of the issue. Because of his credibility, 

the issue, with the help of some new Senators such as the 

presiding officer from Colorado, was settled to the good of 

the country. 

JOHN WARNER is a person who has class. He has clout and 

he has tremendous courage. JOHN WARNER was sitting as a 

Senator. A Democratic Senator was his colleague. A person 

was running as a Republican against his colleague in the 

Senate, somebody whom JOHN WARNER didn’t agree with, 

and he said so. That takes courage. Think about that. You 

are a Republican from a Republican State. You are sitting 

with a Democrat. The person who is the nominee for the 

party is somebody whom you would think the senior Senator 

from Virginia would support. JOHN WARNER, as a matter of 

conscience, couldn’t do that, and he didn’t. Everybody said 

‘‘that is the end of JOHN WARNER. He will never get reelected.’’ But, of course, it only caused his popularity to grow 

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in the State of Virginia because they know JOHN WARNER is 

a person who supports people for who they are, what they 

do, not any political party. 

JOHN WARNER was elected in 1978 to the first of five terms 

representing the Commonwealth of Virginia. Three years 

ago, he became the second-longest serving Senator in the 

history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is without any 

elaboration or fluff of any kind that now, in his 30th year as 

a Senator, JOHN WARNER has rightly earned the reputation 

as one of America’s all-time great legislators. He is an expert 

in a number of different areas such as national security. He 

is a champion for the men and women in the military, there 

is no question about that; he served as chairman and now 

the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; he is a leader on environmental issues; he served as 

longtime senior member of the Environment and Public 

Works Committee, where I had the pleasure of serving with 

him. 

JOHN WARNER is going to return to private life at the end 

of the year. The family, our family, our Senate family will 

lose a tremendous leader and friend. In a place where one’s 

integrity is paramount, I have not known anyone more honest and honorable than JOHN WILLIAM WARNER. I have 

served throughout my career with lots of people at city level, 

county level, State level, in the House of Representatives, 

and in the Senate. I have served with hundreds of men and 

women. There may be, JOHN WARNER, people who are as 

honest and as honorable as you, but never have I met anyone more honorable and more honest than you. Our country 

is grateful to you for your service. Even though the people 

of Nevada don’t know you, if they did, they would be as 

grateful as I am for what you have done for our country: 

Dedicated service in the Senate, in the Armed Services Committee, for the cause of democracy. 

He knows everybody. I was talking to him the day before 

yesterday when Paul Newman died. I said, ‘‘Did you know 

Paul Newman?’’ He said, ‘‘Yes. My son went with his daughter for a couple years.’’ I said to him, ‘‘Was his daughter as 

pretty as Paul Newman was handsome?’’ He said, ‘‘More so.’’ 

That kind of speaks to his son, too, doesn’t it? 

JOHN WARNER, a man who had an estate in Virginia, decided a number of years ago to no longer have that and 

moved into the city. I wish I had the words to express, to 

communicate, to tell him of my affection, my admiration. But 

even though I may not be able to express it very well, I want 

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JOHN WARNER to know that JOHN WARNER will always be in 

my heart. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Salazar). The Senator 

from Virginia is recognized. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I think sometimes Senators 

should be seen and not heard from. That might be this moment for me. I am deeply moved and humbled by your comments, my dear friend and leader of this body, at this time. 

As I was talking with Senator Dodd about history and how 

both of us have an interest in the great events of our Nation, 

we talked about the challenges facing America tonight and 

how fortunate we are to have leaders such as yourself and 

Senator McConnell on this side of the aisle to lead our Nation out of this situation. I am glad we didn’t dwell on those 

heavy matters. We touched on the light ones as we talked together. How well I remember you as the chairman of the 

committee; you remember we worked on batteries. For some 

reason, the lead battery was the center focus at that time. 

Mr. REID. I say to my friend, now it is a big issue. We 

tried a long time ago. 

Mr. WARNER. That is right. But we got some money and 

put it into research of batteries, which hopefully might be 

contributing in the future to our deliverance from the problems we have with reliance on foreign oil and greater use of 

our motor vehicles operated by natural gas. But I could go 

on. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, could I interrupt my friend and 

say one thing? I wish to say this because I try not to be envious. Envy is not anything that is good, but I have to admit 

that I am so envious of your hair. I mean, for a man—I 

mean, I am envious. I have to acknowledge that. It is great. 

I wish I could get up in the morning and go to the mirror 

and have that. 

Mr. WARNER. I am about breathless at the moment, but 

if you will spare me a minute to tell a story about that. My 

mother lived to be 96 years old and she bequeathed this to 

me. But I can tell you a number of times calls come into my 

office and people will inquire and ask for the secretary, not 

me, and they will say my husband has a bit of a problem, 

but it can be solved if the Senator would say where he gets 

his wig. So I am not—that is true. It has happened about a 

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dozen times in my 30 years. So that is one of the great 

things—— 

Mr. REID. So you will forgive me of my envy? 

Mr. WARNER. Yes. 

Mr. REID. Thank you. 

Mr. WARNER. But I thank my distinguished leader. I also 

wish to say, on behalf of my wife, the deep affection our two 

wives have. They have been privileged to serve the responsibility of shepherding the annual event for the First Lady. 

When that occurred in my house, everything stopped. I mean 

all engines, everything. The total focus for weeks was that 

luncheon. I think my wife succeeded your wife. 

Mr. REID. That is right. 

Mr. WARNER. My wife learned the meticulous manner in 

which your wife planned that event. But the wives play a 

vital role in this institution. While we sit here and have 

what I call the good old democracy mind and we argue between each other in the quietude of the evening, our wives 

will put us together and all is forgotten. That is the strength 

of this institution. 

I thank my good friend. I do not deserve the rich remarks 

he made, but I accept them in the sense that he made them. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois. 

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I join in the tributes of my 

colleagues who are leaving the Senate on the Republican 

side. There are only three ways to leave the Senate. You can 

retire, you can lose, or you can die. They have chosen the 

best of the three options, to leave of their own will. 

The first Senator to whom I wish to pay tribute is on the 

floor. That is Senator JOHN WARNER of Virginia. I have listened to the tributes from Senators Harry Reid and Chris 

Dodd and so many others and I join in the chorus. I will not 

recount JOHN’s illustrious career and service to our country. 

But he was kind enough a few weeks ago, when I called and 

said I do a cable show, can I drop by his office, and he 

agreed to it. We have captured forever, in this little cable 

show I do, his office. Some of the memorabilia tell the story 

of his life and the story of Virginia and the U.S. Navy, I 

might add, and he also shared so many great stories of his 

service to our country in so many different capacities—in the 

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Navy, in the Marine Corps, in the President’s Cabinet, and 

in the Senate. 

I think of JOHN WARNER and his gentlemanly ways as I 

hope not a throwback to the Senate of the past but perhaps 

an inspiration of the Senate of the future because his friendship transcends party label. 

There have been times in the Senate when he has proven, 

with his independence, that he looks at issues honestly and 

directly and sometimes has broken from the ranks of his fellow Republicans when he felt it was necessary. I know he 

thinks long and hard before he makes those decisions. 

There have been times when he showed extraordinary 

leadership during this contentious debate over this war in 

Iraq. He and Senator Levin exemplified the very best in the 

Senate. Even when they disagreed, they were totally respectful of one another, they were deferential to one another’s 

feelings and interest. Yet they served the national purpose 

by engaging in a meaningful, thoughtful debate on an extremely controversial issue. 

During the course of the last several years—JOHN WARNER

may not remember this, but I will never forget it—when I 

got into hot water on the floor of the Senate for words that 

were spoken, JOHN WARNER was one of the first to come to 

me afterward. He put an arm on my shoulder and said, 

‘‘Look, we all make mistakes. Carry on.’’ 

I know it is probably something he has forgotten, but I 

never will. I thank him for that generous spirit and compassion, which I hope will be part of my public service career 

in the future, as has exemplified his own. He showed courage 

so many times and foresight that will be part of his legacy. 

As Harry Reid mentioned, the courage to step out in his 

own home State against all the odds and to take on a member of his own party with whom he disagreed in a very public way, that wasn’t missed. We noticed all across America 

that you were willing to show that kind of courage. 

In the Senate recently, if Senator Barbara Boxer was on 

the floor—if she hasn’t already done it, I am sure she will 

when she returns—she will tell you, were it not for JOHN

WARNER’s leadership, the debate on the issue of global 

warming would not have gone forward in the Senate this 

year. Both Senator WARNER and Senator Lieberman stepped 

up and found a bipartisan approach to deal with this issue. 

We did not pass it. I wish we had. But we certainly engaged 

in debate many thought was impossible. We brought it to the 

floor. We engaged the Senate and the American people in a 

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thoughtful consideration of an issue that will be here for 

generations to come. 

I consider it a great honor to have served with JOHN. I 

think he is an exceptional individual. Virginia was lucky to 

have him as their voice in the Senate for 30 years. America 

was lucky to have him in service to our country in so many 

different capacities. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his 

very thoughtful remarks. Our relationship has been one that 

included both wives. I recall an event we attended, and immediately the next morning my wife received from you a 

book which she, being an avid reader, stayed in that book for 

evenings that went on for a week or so. That is the way this 

great institution works. It is not all on the floor before the 

television cameras. 

Senator Durbin is a strong leader, a tough adversary. I 

wish to say how much I have enjoyed working with you 

through these years. I wish you and my other colleagues well 

because you have a great challenge in the next few days or 

two. We have to solve—and you will be part of that leadership team dealing with it, along with colleagues on this 

side—we have to reach the right solution to restore America’s confidence in the lifeblood of this Nation; namely, its economics. 

I thank the Senator. I wish to add that my mother very 

proudly always claimed Illinois as her State. 

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, we are honored being the 

home of your mother’s birthplace. I failed to mention one 

other bill that I think is so important, and that is the extraordinary assistance Senator WARNER gave to his colleague, Senator Webb, when it came to the new GI bill. That 

bill passed, and it will dramatically improve the lives of so 

many veterans and their families because we stepped forward in a bipartisan fashion. It was the first thing Senator 

Webb said to me as a new Senator was his goal, and he 

would be the first to add he could never have achieved it 

without the support of his colleague from Virginia. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, how thoughtful to raise 

that, not in the context of this Senator but Senator Webb. I 

have great respect for him, particularly his military career, 

which is extraordinary, where mine is of far less consequence. I joined him. He was the leader on that legislation. 

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I always said I was the sergeant in the mere ranks of his 

platoon. But it enabled me to add one more chapter to what 

I have tried to do so much: to repay to the current generation, the men and women who very bravely wear the uniform, all the wonderful things that were taught me by previous generations of men and women who wore the uniform 

from whom I learned so much throughout my entire career 

and public life. 

That is landmark legislation, I say to my good friend from 

Illinois. It is something that is well deserved for the men and 

women and their families. I commend you for bringing that 

up about our good friend and colleague, Senator Webb. 

I yield the floor. 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I had occasion to 

share my thoughts about the Senator from Virginia before 

and do not intend to expand on those remarks at this point 

other than to note that I think all of us, particularly those 

of us who are new, very much feel we are graced by this institution and by the opportunity we have to serve in it. Some 

of us have the opportunity to give the grace back, and Senator WARNER of Virginia has certainly done that. 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to express my appreciation, as always, to my good friend. This man will leave his 

mark in this institution. I tell all that with a great sense of 

pride, as will the presiding officer. I have come to know him 

and work with him on many occasions. 

I yield the floor. 

WEDNESDAY, October 1, 2008 

Mr. CORKER. Madam President, there are a number of 

distinguished Senators who are leaving this body this year. 

I know there have been a number of tributes given to all of 

them and their service. 

Senator WARNER is a very distinguished Senator whom I 

have known, it seems from afar, almost all of my life. I have 

watched him with great admiration, and I have watched him 

lead us on the Armed Services Committee. . . . I honor all of 

them. I wish them well. I think we are all better having had 

the opportunity to serve with them. 

Mr. LAUTENBERG. . . . I thank again my dear friend and 

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tion and affection—Senator JOHN WARNER. He and I each 

served in the war. I don’t want to tell which war. It goes 

back a long way. But we did serve in the war together, not 

in the same theater but we served. He will be missed. . . . 

Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, it is with real sadness that 

I bid farewell to one of the most distinguished public servants I have known. Over the 22 years I have spent in the 

Senate, I have respected and admired the work of the senior 

Senator from Virginia, JOHN WARNER. 

As a veteran of two wars and an unfailingly gracious man, 

he understands the needs of our men and women in uniform 

and has worked diligently to meet them. During his 6 years 

as the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, he was 

always helpful in my efforts to improve the quality of life for 

those serving at military installations in my State of North 

Dakota. I thank him for that. 

In the five decades since Arthur Vandenberg reminded us 

that partisan politics should stop at the water’s edge, it has 

not always been possible to live up to that ideal. In a day 

when there are huge disagreements about the best course for 

our Nation, we cannot always present a unified face to the 

rest of the world. But perhaps more than anyone else in the 

Senate today, JOHN WARNER has epitomized that ideal. His 

partnership with the Senator from Michigan, Carl Levin, in 

their leadership of the Armed Services Committee has been 

an example to all of us. 

JOHN has been a tremendous leader in the Senate on military affairs, but I have also been proud to work with him on 

a number of bipartisan initiatives. On big issues, Senator 

WARNER always puts country before party or ideology. Most 

recently, he has been a valued member of our Gang of 20 

working on a bipartisan, new era energy bill. I regret that 

we will not be able to finish it before he leaves the Senate, 

but we are proud to count him as part of our current group. 

After 30 years in the Senate, 2 years as Secretary of the 

Navy, and honorable wartime service in both the Navy and 

Marine Corps, our Nation owes a big debt of gratitude to 

JOHN WARNER. He has my great respect and my thanks. 

Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, it is a privilege to speak today 

about my good friend and colleague, JOHN WARNER, with 

whom it has been an honor to serve in the Senate for almost 

25 years. 

At age 17, JOHN enlisted in the Navy to serve our country 

during World War II. After that, he attended Washington 

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and Lee University on the GI bill and went on to study law 

at the University of Virginia. In 1950, he interrupted his 

legal education to deploy to Korea as a Marine, eventually 

attaining the rank of captain before receiving his law degree 

in 1953. Sixteen years later, JOHN was appointed Under Secretary of the Navy, and in 1972 rose to become Secretary of 

the Navy. In 1978, the people of Virginia elected him their 

Senator, and he has represented them and the rest of our 

country with courage and dedication for over 30 years. 

In particular, JOHN has fought relentlessly for our men 

and women in uniform in his leadership role as chairman 

and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. He 

has always had a special place in his heart for our country’s 

veterans. His background as a sailor, Marine, and Navy Secretary gave him the experience and insight needed to address extraordinarily complicated and wide-ranging issues of 

vital importance to our country’s defense. Today he is recognized by all as one of our country’s foremost experts on national security matters, and someone whose record of bipartisanship is simply unmatched. 

That is a legend’s biography, and through it courses the 

public virtues of service, patriotism, grace, and high-mindedness in a way few have seen, but I know many will read 

about. 

On a personal note, one of my fondest memories of JOHN

was of a debate between us that occurred on the Senate 

floor. It was late one night in June 2006, and I had proposed 

a resolution setting a deadline on our combat presence in 

Iraq that wasn’t a popular position at that time. I was clearly outnumbered, and the debate became heated and personal. In fact, my plan received only 13 votes, and Senator 

WARNER wasn’t one of them. 

But even in times of disagreement, JOHN had no trouble 

rising above partisan bickering in service of a higher purpose. In the best traditions and practices of the Senate, he 

rose to speak and engaged me in a respectful and substantive dialog on a controversial issue that calmed the Senate Chamber and I hope informed the American public. 

I want to close by saying that I, the people of Virginia, and 

this country are grateful for JOHN’s distinguished service and 

will miss him dearly. I wish him and his family my very best 

and look forward to continuing to receive his wise counsel in 

the years ahead. 

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Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, my friend JOHN WARNER, 

the very distinguished gentleman from Virginia, has decided 

to retire from the Senate after 30 years of exemplary service. 

JOHN and I were sworn in as Senators on the same day. 

While our paths had crossed a few times before becoming 

Members of this body, we became good friends and neighbors 

as well as competitors on the tennis courts. 

Before JOHN was elected to the Senate, he had achieved 

national prominence as the administrator of the American 

Revolution Bicentennial Administration. He also had served 

as Secretary of the Navy. 

As a Senator, JOHN has served prominently as chairman 

of the Armed Services Committee where he worked effectively on shipbuilding issues that were important to both of 

our States. 

JOHN WARNER has served with great distinction in the 

Senate. He has earned the respect of all Senators because of 

his stewardship and his sense of responsibility for our national security interests, which he has done so much to protect. 

The Senate, the State of Virginia, and the Nation will 

greatly miss having the benefit of JOHN WARNER’s steady 

hand at the helm. 

THURSDAY, October 2, 2008 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise this morning to recognize 

and pay tribute to several colleagues who are concluding distinguished careers in the Senate. These gentlemen have distinguished themselves. They have dedicated themselves to 

representing their States and representing the best interests 

of the Nation. . . . 

Senator JOHN WARNER was my chairman on the Armed 

Services Committee. Frankly, he represents the model of a 

Senator. His integrity, judgment, and decency resonate 

throughout this Chamber and will make a lasting impression 

on this body. He has served Virginia with distinction. He has 

particularly served the men and women of our Armed Forces 

with distinction and unfailing dedication. Part of that comes 

from his own experience. As a young man he joined the Navy 

and then later was in the Marine Corps. His own experience, 

later amplified by his service as Secretary of the Navy, left 

an indelible impression upon him. That impression is the 

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mately must be borne by young men and women who serve 

in uniform. He has never forgotten that. He has never forgotten that decisions we make play out in the lives of soldiers 

and sailors, Marines, airmen, and their families. That unfailing sense of obligation to these young Americans is a profound contribution he has made. 

He is also someone who on many occasions has defied the 

current tides of popular opinion. I recall that when the deplorable incident surrounding Abu Ghraib broke, there was 

a sense in some quarters that we should try to avoid mention of that, that we should minimize the issue. Senator 

WARNER recognized we couldn’t do that, that we owed it to 

the men and women in the Armed Forces to look at the issue 

carefully so it would not be repeated, to ensure that it was, 

as it truly was, an aberration in the otherwise extraordinary 

dedication of our forces, not just to the military profession 

but to the ideals of decency that have been the hallmark of 

the American fighting man and woman throughout our history. His efforts there will be ruled as a remarkable display 

of placing the needs of country and respect for the institution 

of the military above any partisan political concerns. He is 

someone who has made a huge contribution. Again, that contribution will resonate throughout the history of this country, particularly the history of the Senate. 

To these Members, I wish them well. I thank them personally for their kindness to me and their thoughtfulness on so 

many other occasions. 

Mr. ALLARD. . . . Then I have had the chance to serve on 

the Armed Services Committee. Senator JOHN WARNER, a 

great friend, and somebody who is retiring and who has been 

very helpful, served as the chairman of that committee while 

I was on the Armed Services Committee. . . . 

Senator WARNER I mentioned earlier. We couldn’t ask for 

a greater statesman. He has made a number of trips to Colorado. I worked with him on the defense authorization bill. 

He has been more than considerate and helpful to those 

issues that are important to Colorado. He has been supportive on matters that we worked on for Fort Carson and 

for Peterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Academy and 

the many other issues involving the military and military installations we have in Colorado. He has been tough at times, 

but his leadership has been greatly appreciated by me. I 

think the Senate and the country have been blessed because 

Senator WARNER has been willing to dedicate so much of his 

time and effort to making this a better country, a stronger 

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country. He is somebody I am very proud to have been able 

to serve with. 

Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I would like to begin my remarks this afternoon acknowledging four of our colleagues 

who will be leaving the Senate along with me at the end of 

this Congress, the 110th Congress, and then make some additional comments. 

Mr. President, this body will lose two of the most respected, highly regarded consensus builders in the history of 

this body. I speak of the senior Senator from New Mexico, 

Mr. Domenici, and the senior Senator from Virginia, Mr. 

WARNER. Between the two of these distinguished national 

leaders, they have given the Senate and this country 70 

years of service. 

Most Americans are aware of Senators Domenici and WARNER and the contributions they have made. Those of us who 

have had the privilege of serving with these two individuals 

know what they have meant to our country. They have been 

role models, leaders, men of conscience, of vision, of integrity, of courage. And all of those most-valued human characteristics have been evident when America has needed them 

most. 

For their voice and their courage and their vision, we 

thank them. For the kind of men they are, and the Senators 

they have been, we thank them. We are all much enriched 

by our association with Senators WARNER and Domenici, and 

this country will miss them greatly. 

But they leave strong legacies. They leave men and women 

who have been touched by their leadership and their values 

who will carry on behind them, emulating their leadership 

and their vision. . . . 

Senator Craig, Senator Allard, Senator WARNER, and Senator Domenici all leave the Senate a better institution for 

their service. 

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to pay 

tribute and to wish my warmest regards to my dear and 

truly close friend, JOHN WARNER. As I have told JOHN before, 

I feel very deeply that working so closely with him for the 

past almost 30 years now was truly one of the highlights of 

my Senate career. He is a gracious, civil, and wise man. He 

has been a great friend to me and to my wife Barbara. He 

has been a great servant to this institution and to the Nation. 

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From the time that he enlisted in the Navy and rose to the 

rank of petty officer 3d class during World War II, his service as first lieutenant in the Marines in Korea, to his continued service in the Marine Corps Reserve where he rose to be 

a captain, to his leadership as Under Secretary and then 

Secretary of the Navy, JOHN WARNER has reliably strengthened our national defense for a remarkable six decades. 

For the last three decades as a Senator, he has continued 

the unwavering dedication that he has shown throughout his 

military career to the men and women in uniform. He is a 

profile in courage and statesmanship. 

JOHN WARNER and I were elected to the Senate on the 

same day, November 6, 1978. We have been on the Senate 

Armed Services Committee our entire careers, and we have 

worked together on 30 consecutive defense authorization 

bills, authorizing funds for the armed services of the United 

States. We have served with some of the true giants of the 

Senate together, leaders such as John Stennis, Barry Goldwater, and Sam Nunn. They all understood the critical importance of bipartisanship on national security and defense 

issues. 

Over the past few years, as JOHN and I have passed the 

chairman’s gavel back and forth, we have worked together to 

maintain the spirit and practice of bipartisanship in our 

leadership of the Armed Services Committee. That spirit has 

lasted until the final days of this Congress and will last until 

this Congress is done, just as we have concluded work on the 

Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, with the 

lion’s share of the credit belonging to JOHN WARNER’s energy, his passion, and his commitment to supporting our 

Armed Forces. 

The bill this year could not have passed without JOHN

WARNER’s support and some very courageous actions on his 

part. If trust is the currency of Senate dealings, JOHN WARNER is a rich man. In our many travels together—to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia, and elsewhere around the 

world—we have had plenty of time to discuss issues. We 

focus on areas of agreement, and we have trusted each other 

completely, even when we stand on opposite sides of an 

issue. 

The Senate is an institution whose individual seats are occupied only briefly, compared to our long history. But this institution is placed in the stewardship of each Senator, and 

I can name no Senator who feels and recognizes and honors 

that responsibility and that stewardship more than JOHN

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WARNER. Time and time again, JOHN has answered the call 

of duty on behalf of our Nation’s defense, on behalf of the 

welfare of the men and women and families of our Armed 

Forces whom he loves and respects so deeply and whose 

cause he so ably and passionately champions. 

One of the very first Senators from Virginia, James Monroe, said, ‘‘National honor is the national property of highest 

value.’’ Speaking to JOHN’s honor, one of JOHN’s staff members used to comment that JOHN WARNER is a Senator who 

happened to be from Virginia. What he meant is that JOHN

always looks for the course of action that is in the Nation’s 

interest and in the interest of our national security, as well 

as in the interest of his beloved Virginia. 

JOHN WARNER has embodied the qualities that are our Nation’s national greatest honor—integrity, independence, fairness, civility, and strength. Throughout his lifetime of service, he has been an unyielding advocate for causes and policies that embody those qualities. In all of his work, he has 

upheld the tradition of the distinguished and valuable leaders and patriots from Virginia who have shaped our country 

over the last three centuries. That is what our country needs 

in the Senate, and that is what our country expects from the 

Armed Services Committee. On so many occasions, when important issues arose on a variety of matters which required 

bipartisan solutions, the search for a partner began and 

ended with JOHN WARNER. 

I cherish the time that we have worked together. I cherish 

the deep friendship that has evolved. Barb and I will forever 

appreciate JOHN and Jeanne’s friendship. We expect to enjoy 

it for a long time. 

Mr. KYL. Mr. President, considering the long and distinguished history of the State of Virginia, it is quite an accomplishment to be the State’s second-longest serving Senator. 

But, that is just one of Senator JOHN WARNER’s many accomplishments. 

Senator WARNER has been serving his country since 1945 

when he enlisted in the Navy. Later, he joined the Marine 

Corps and served in Korea. During the Vietnam war, he 

served in the Department of the Navy, ultimately attaining 

the position of Secretary. 

Senator WARNER’s service and knowledge of the military 

have guided his work in the Senate. He has served as chairman of the Armed Services Committee and has guided many 

bills through the Senate. His commitment to the men and 

women in uniform has never wavered, and he has used his 

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position to make sure that they have the resources they need 

to complete their mission. Debating a defense authorization 

bill without the leadership of Senator WARNER will be a new 

experience for most of us. 

On a daily basis, Senator WARNER provided a fine example 

for other Senators. For the Senate to function properly, there 

must be comity in the body. Senator WARNER was courteous 

and always willing to settle disagreements in a way that befits Senators. The Senate cannot work on behalf of Americans if Senators are unwilling to work in a courteous and bipartisan manner. Senator WARNER understood that fact well. 

Senator WARNER has served in the Senate for 30 years, 

winning five elections. Many Americans have never seen a 

Senate without JOHN WARNER, and many Virginians have always had JOHN WARNER as their Senator. 

When JOHN leaves the Senate, the body will lose not only 

a distinguished legislator but also a consummate gentleman. 

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I rise in tribute to the 

senior Senator from Virginia, the Honorable JOHN WARNER. 

Senator WARNER is without a doubt one of the finest Senators this Chamber has ever had, and the Senate will be a 

lesser place without him. 

Senator WARNER is truly a great American—a patriot who 

has devoted 45 years of his life in service to his country. One 

of America’s Greatest Generation, he served his country honorably during World War II, enlisting before he was 18 years 

old. When war in Korea broke out, he again answered his 

country’s call to arms. After earning his law degree, he 

served as the Under Secretary and later the Secretary of the 

Navy, again serving with great distinction and integrity. 

In 1979 Senator WARNER came to the Senate to begin his 

30-year Senate career. As in every one of his endeavors before, he immediately made an impact, eventually serving 

with distinction as chairman of the Senate Armed Services 

Committee. It is in this capacity that I have had the great 

privilege of working with him and getting to know him over 

the last 4 years. 

Senator WARNER’s leadership on the Armed Services Committee has been invaluable. There is no doubt that when he 

speaks, all are wise to listen. He provides unwavering, courageous leadership that all lean upon. There is never any 

doubt to his motives. His only motive is to look out for our 

men and women in uniform and ensure our Nation’s defense. 

His first priority is his country. 

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Senator WARNER has never failed to lead courageously. At 

times, some of the positions he has taken have been politically unpopular, but his latest reelection—with over 82 percent of the vote—attests that his constituents know he is 

only dedicated to doing one thing—the right thing. In times 

of crisis, there is no doubt that Senator WARNER becomes a 

rock that we all lean upon when we face the most challenging issues of our time. He was one of the leaders that 

worked on the Military Commissions Act and the incredibly 

difficult and contentious issue of detainees. Once again, just 

this year, he led again, this time by becoming one of the 

Gang of 20, trying to provide bipartisan solutions to American’s energy issues. And, of course, it took his leadership to 

bring about passage of the defense authorization bill this 

year, a bill that by tradition is passed each year, but which 

was looking extremely doubtful of passage for the first time 

in decades. 

I have only one regret regarding my service with Senator 

WARNER, and that is I did not have the opportunity to serve 

with him longer. He is one of the finest statesmen of his 

time, and I am proud to call him my friend. I aspire to his 

example and his name belongs in the pantheon of the Senate’s greatest figures. 

Last, I would like to tell him thank you. Thank you for 

your great service to our great Republic. Thank you for the 

untold sacrifices you and your family have made along the 

way in your 45 years of public service. Thank you for your 

integrity, patriotism, leadership, and honor. 

As I noted before, the Senate will be a lesser place when 

he leaves, but I wish Senator WARNER a fond farewell and 

Godspeed. 

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, as the Senate completes 

its work for the year, we have also reached the end of the 

distinguished career of the senior Senator from Virginia, 

JOHN WILLIAM WARNER, JR. 

In their wisdom, our Founders created the Senate to be a 

body like no other on Earth to harness the special wisdom 

that experience can bring. I think they had people like JOHN

WARNER in mind as the kind of person who would best serve 

the Nation in the Senate. 

Senator WARNER has lived a life of faithful, skillful service 

to his country. He served in World War II, enlisting as a 17- 

year-old. He interrupted his law school studies to also serve 

in Korea. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney. And for 

5 years he served in the Secretariat of the Navy, leading the 

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department from 1972 to 1974. That seems like a full career 

in itself, but it was just a prolog to five terms in the Senate. 

Over three decades, JOHN WARNER has worked with great 

energy, skill, and wisdom to protect the national security of 

the United States. The Department of Defense is a massive 

organization with a budget that staggers the imagination. 

But Senator WARNER has devoted himself to mastering the 

details of the DOD and has been a relentless advocate for its 

modernization and continuous improvement in effectiveness. 

Throughout his career, he has demonstrated tremendous caring for the millions of men and women who have worn the 

country’s uniform and been their best friend on Capitol Hill. 

Senator WARNER has been a counselor and mentor to me 

in my first 6 years here, and on behalf of the people I represent in Minnesota I thank him for his counsel to me on 

how to do this job right. He taught me that just as the 

human body has its bones and vital organs under the skin 

and out of sight, the most important work of the Senate 

takes place away from the television lights and the press 

conferences. 

The day-to-day work of achieving compromise on hundreds 

and hundreds of issues that come before us is where the real 

difference can be made, and JOHN WARNER excelled at that 

work. 

Another Virginian, George Washington, said during the 

darkest days of the American Revolution that, ‘‘spirit and 

perseverance have done wonders in all ages.’’ Today I honor 

the spirit of patriotism that has always motivated JOHN

WARNER and his perseverance through six decades that has 

made this a stronger and freer nation. May his sterling example of service inspire all of us to serve as nobly and as 

skillfully as he has done. 

MONDAY, November 17, 2008 

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I rise to recognize the 

service of a great public servant and an outstanding leader. 

Senator WARNER has been a tremendous and dedicated 

servant to his home State of Virginia and our Nation. His 

distinguished career spans 30 years in the U.S. Senate, making him the second-longest serving U.S. Senator from Virginia. 

Senator WARNER has always placed the well-being of Virginia and the United States ahead of partisanship and perVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Aug 26, 2010 Jkt 047111 PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE08\47111.BST CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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sonal feelings. He has been an ardent supporter for the men 

and women of the Armed Forces. As a respected leader, he 

pushed to modernize the structure and operations of the 

military to ensure its effectiveness in the 21st century. 

Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying 

tribute to this magnificent Senator. 

WEDNESDAY, November 19, 2008 

Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with 

other Senators in honoring our distinguished colleague, JOHN

WARNER, who will be retiring at the end of the 110th Congress. When he steps down, Senator WARNER will have the 

distinction of being the second-longest serving Senator in 

Virginia’s history. He stands as an example of the type of 

temperament, foresight, and dedication that the Founders 

envisioned when they created the Senate. For the past 30 

years it has been my privilege to serve with JOHN WARNER. 

During that time, we have shared a common commitment to 

the national security of the United States. We have worked 

together on innumerable issues, and I have witnessed with 

admiration his strong character, his intellectual independence, and his unfailing devotion to public service. 

Even before JOHN was elected to the U.S. Senate, he had 

distinguished himself in service to our country. He joined the 

U.S. Navy before his 18th birthday and went on to serve 

honorably in World War II. After college and before he was 

able to complete law school, he returned to the military as 

an active duty Marine during the Korean conflict. After his 

service, JOHN came home to complete law school. Subsequently he worked as a Federal prosecutor and private lawyer. President Nixon appointed JOHN to be Under Secretary 

of the Navy, and he went on to be Secretary of the Navy 

from 1972 to 1974. When he was elected to the Senate in 

1978, he was extremely well prepared to take on the role of 

a Senator and to contribute greatly to the national security 

of our Nation. 

Senator WARNER has played a prominent role in almost 

every major defense policy accomplishment of the last three 

decades. In the Senate, he has been a steadfast supporter of 

the well-being of the American soldier, sailor, and airman. I 

know that not a day goes by that he does not devote thought 

to how he can contribute to improving our Armed Forces and 

making our country more secure. It was a special pleasure 

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for me to have chaired the Foreign Relations Committee during the 4-year period from 2003 to 2007 when JOHN was 

chairing the Armed Services Committee. I believe relations 

between the two committees became stronger during this 

time, as we cooperated closely on arms control matters, policies toward Iraq and Afghanistan, arms sales, and many 

other matters. 

My friendship with JOHN has been strengthened by our 

mutual membership in the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, and I 

was privileged to participate in the awarding of Beta’s Oxford Cup to Senator WARNER in April 2008. The award ceremony and dinner took place in the Foreign Relations Committee hearing room, and this was a wonderful opportunity 

for us to share experiences with other Beta members. 

It is difficult for me to imagine the Senate without JOHN

WARNER. He loves this institution, and he derives great satisfaction from both its collegial nature and the daily opportunities Senators have to improve life in the United States. 

Senator WARNER leaves the Senate after 30 years, having 

established a legion of friendships and a memorable legacy. 

We will miss his kindness, his steadiness, and his unfailing 

confidence in the United States. Even as we will miss seeing 

our friend every day, we know that JOHN will be blessed by 

the opportunity to spend more time with his family. I am 

sure that he will continue to serve the public, and I join the 

Senate in wishing him all the best as he moves on to new 

adventures. 

Mr. SPECTER. Senator JOHN WARNER’s retirement is a 

great loss to the Senate. He brought to this body in 30 years 

of service wit, wisdom, and gallantry. An old-style southern 

gentleman, Senator WARNER held a unique position as the 

Senate squire. His experience in military matters going back 

to his sailor days in World War II, to Secretary of the Navy 

in 1972, and chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee, made him a preeminent figure in the Department of 

Defense legislation. When Senator WARNER made a recommendation on defense matters, his word carried great 

weight. 

Some of my fondest recollections of JOHN WARNER come 

from the squash court where we regularly engaged until he 

said his knees wouldn’t take the twists or turns any longer 

although he continued to be an avid tennis player. In a 

squash match more than 20 years ago, I sustained a serious 

gash under my left eye requiring six stitches for closure. At 

that time, I had read about a Washington hockey player who 

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sustained an eye injury but came back immediately to play 

with headgear and a plastic cover over the face. I secured 

one the same day of my injury and was back on the squash 

court the next day. 

Some of our longest discussions occurred in the Senate 

gym where we would talk while awaiting our turn on the 

massage table. He would always say we came at about the 

same time although he was precise to assert his 2 years’ seniority. 

Senator WARNER was a help to me even before I became 

a Senator when he and his new bride, Elizabeth Taylor, were 

the star attractions at a fundraiser for me in New York City. 

Senator George Mitchell tells an interesting story about 

Senator WARNER. Senator Mitchell recalls a filibuster where 

cots were set up in the Senate Marble Room where Mitchell 

was feeling sorry for himself about giving up a lifetime appointment as a Federal judge then becoming a Senator and 

wasn’t too happy about the all-night sessions. As George put 

it, he was stumbling his way through the cots during the 

1980 filibuster all-nighter when he stumbled across newly 

wed JOHN WARNER snoring on one of the cots. George commented that JOHN was giving up more than he was so it 

wasn’t so bad after all. 

My speculation is that Senator WARNER will be called back 

for more public service because he still has a lot of vim, 

vigor, and vitality, but we will sorely miss him in the Senate. 

THURSDAY, November 20, 2008 

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I wish to speak today in honor 

of my good friend, the senior Senator from Virginia. As you 

know, Senator WARNER is retiring at the conclusion of this 

the 110th Congress, and I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for his friendship and his years of 

public service. 

Senator WARNER’s retirement marks the end of a career in 

the service of the United States that has spanned six decades. JOHN, having been born in 1927 and raised right here 

in Washington, DC, enlisted in the Navy during World War 

II in January 1945. After the conclusion of the war, he left 

the military to pursue a legal education at the University of 

Virginia, only to rejoin the Navy, this time with the Marines, 

to serve in the Korean war. 

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In 1953, he finished his legal studies while still serving in 

the Marine Corps Reserves and spent the next 7 years as a 

government attorney, first as a clerk for a U.S. appeals court 

judge, then as an assistant U.S. attorney. Senator WARNER

left the public sector in 1960 to pursue a career in private 

legal practice, though it would not be long until he was 

called into service again. 

In 1969, he was appointed by President Richard Nixon to 

serve as the Under Secretary of the Navy. Just over 3 years 

later, he succeeded John H. Chafee as the Secretary of the 

Navy. This, of course, was a unique era in the history of U.S. 

diplomacy and, as Naval Secretary, JOHN was involved in a 

number of diplomatic efforts involving the Soviet Union, 

most notably the Sea Executive Agreement. 

JOHN’s political career began in 1978 when he was elected 

to represent the State of Virginia in the Senate. He is the 

second-longest serving Senator in Virginia’s history and, by 

a margin of many years, the longest serving Republican from 

the State. Of course, JOHN and I have crossed paths many 

times during our years in the Senate. We served together on 

the HELP Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence. But, for me, one of the most memorable times I 

shared with JOHN took place outside the Halls of the Senate. 

During the August recess of 1985, my son Jess and I were 

joined by JOHN and his son on a fishing and boating trip in 

Utah. During one day of the trip, after returning from a 

hike, I was surprised to see a ghostly-looking creature sitting 

in our campsite. As it turned out, JOHN and some of the others had formed a mudhole down near the river, and he had 

been diving in and out of it. By the time I had returned to 

the campsite, JOHN was covered head to toe in pumice mud. 

Apparently, the mud was good for the skin, but at the time 

I was unaware of this fact. 

On the last day of the trip, JOHN and I were fishing on 

Lake Powell and I was lucky enough to catch an 8 pound 

striped bass. He was impressed with my catch and he asked 

if he could keep it, apparently he wanted it as a trophy. That 

evening, we flew up north to an event in Deer Valley, UT, 

but because we didn’t have time to change after the flight, 

we showed up in our fishing clothes. JOHN strode into the 

fancy ski lodge to meet the shirt-and-tied crowd sporting his 

jeans and carrying my fish around with him! Though I can’t 

be certain, it sure seemed like he was proud of it. 

But, seriously, Mr. President, Senator WARNER will always 

be remembered for his even-tempered nature and for his 

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work on behalf of our men and women in the military. He 

has never been one to follow the crowd for partisanship’s 

sake, always choosing to follow his own conscience. I must 

admit that, over the years, JOHN and I have found ourselves 

in disagreement over issues that I believed to be of vital importance. But he was always one to respect the views of his 

colleagues in either party, even if he went a different way in 

the end. 

I wish JOHN and his wife Jeanne the best of luck in all 

their future endeavors. I think I speak for all my Senate colleagues when I say that the Senate will be a lesser place 

without JOHN in it. 

Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I appreciate having this opportunity to join with my colleagues in wishing JOHN WARNER

all the best as he retires from the U.S. Senate after 30 years 

of service to the people of Virginia. JOHN has had a long and 

distinguished career, and he will be greatly missed. 

Like so many of us, JOHN’s early years had a great influence on his life and helped to shape his character and mold 

his destiny. JOHN’s father was a surgeon and he saw to it 

that JOHN’s education began at an early age and included 

samples of just about everything there was to learn. JOHN

was soon picking up on a course of study that included math, 

music, science, Latin and much, much more. 

During those early years, JOHN felt the call to serve his 

country, so he joined the Navy when he was 17 years old so 

he could be part of our Nation’s heroic effort in World War 

II. He then joined the Marines in 1950 to be part of our 

forces fighting the Korean war. 

JOHN’s service in our Armed Forces and his tenure as our 

Secretary of the Navy has made him one of the Senate’s 

strongest and most knowledgeable voices on the use of our 

Nation’s military. He has been one of the Congress’ most respected and most sought after experts on our actions in Iraq, 

the war against terrorism, and our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. His experience has also made him a leader in the 

Senate’s oversight on defense spending. 

Through the years, JOHN has been an important part of 

the debate on global warming. His concern about the issue 

and the future of our Nation led him to ask us for our good 

ideas and commonsense proposals, regardless of our party affiliation, in an effort to reach a consensus on the issue that 

would ultimately lead us to a workable solution. 

There are two important reasons why JOHN has been such 

a tireless worker on this and other similar issues. JOHN

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shares my love of the great outdoors and all that it has to 

offer. He enjoys taking time from his busy schedule to hunt 

and fish with his grandchildren. He remembers the days he 

spent with his father taking part in those great activities 

and he wants to give his grandchildren the same gift. So do 

I. I think that shows JOHN WARNER has a streak of Wyoming 

in him and has fished there. 

In the years that I have served with JOHN I have always 

been impressed with his unique style and his ability to 

present his positions on the issues with great power and 

force. JOHN has always been one to reach out to Members on 

both sides of the aisle, and his ability to bring us together 

on the issues has helped us to develop answers to problems 

that seemed to elude us. I don’t think anyone has a better 

grasp of the importance of finding a third way to do things 

than JOHN. He knows that there are always three ways of 

beginning our work on the issues. The first two lead to gridlock as they are the extreme positions on the issue. The third 

way is closer to the middle and has elements in it that everyone can agree on. That is usually what gets things done. 

That has always been JOHN’s measure of success. He has 

never been one who was concerned about making points, he 

has always been interested in making progress. 

JOHN will always be remembered for the leadership he 

brought to the Senate on a number of issues that concerned 

him. As he worked on them all he showed his independence 

and his willingness to consider all viewpoints to find the one 

that he thought stood the best chance of succeeding, on the 

floor and in the field. JOHN would be an excellent diplomat 

because he knows how to disagree without being disagreeable. He has forged good working relationships with us all 

and that is why he has so many friends in the Senate. 

JOHN has been a great public servant, and his career 

shows the results he has been able to achieve in every area 

of his life. I am proud of his service in the Senate on behalf 

of the people of Virginia, his service in our Armed Forces, 

and especially, I am proud to call him my friend. 

It is always difficult at the end of the session to say goodbye to our colleagues who are retiring. We have worked together for so many years that we will miss their thoughtful 

suggestions, their well chosen words, and their commitment 

to the issues we have worked on together. 

For JOHN, the good part of goodbye is the knowledge that 

we will meet again and, I am sure, we will work together 

again, laugh again, and continue to enjoy all that life has to 

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offer again. This is not a time to say goodbye, just a reminder to be well until we see each other again. 

Diana joins in sending our best wishes to you, JOHN, and 

to Jeanne. You deserve nothing but the best life has to offer 

and you shall have it. I look forward to the days ahead and 

a time when we can get out our fishing poles and explore 

some of Virginia’s best rivers and streams. Good luck and 

God bless. 

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 

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. ALEXANDER. . . . With the departures of Ted Stevens 

and two other Senators of whom I have already spoken— 

Pete Domenici and JOHN WARNER—the Senate loses more 

than 100 years of service. More than that, this country loses 

three men whose view of America was rooted in the last 

years of World War II and the remarkable ascendancy of our 

country since then. Looking around the Senate, it will be difficult to find many among those of us who remain with the 

breadth of vision and old-fashioned patriotism that these 

men have contributed. 

TUESDAY, December 9, 2008 

Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, today is a day I have dreaded. 

Today I say farewell to my good friend and esteemed colleague, Senator JOHN WARNER. 

A few years ago, in an article for a Capitol Hill publication, Senator WARNER called attention to the courage of 

America’s war veterans. He explained that the men and 

women who serve in our military are ‘‘heroes [who] share the 

timeless virtues of patriotism and selfless devotion to duty in 

defending our country.’’ 

Mr. President, Senator WARNER is one of my ‘‘heroes.’’ He 

is a man who has always displayed ‘‘the timeless virtues of 

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patriotism and selfless devotion to duty in defending our 

country.’’ 

Indeed, Senator WARNER has spent his life in service to 

our country. He enlisted in the Navy at the tender age of 17 

in order to serve in World War II. A few years later, he 

joined the Marines in order to serve in the Korean conflict. 

From 1969 to 1972, he served as the Assistant Secretary of 

the Navy, and from 1972 to 1974, as Secretary of the Navy. 

In 1978, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, and is now the 

second longest serving Senator in the history of his beloved 

Commonwealth of Virginia. 

His entire Senate career has been marked by his dignity, 

style, grace, and integrity. He is one of those men with 

whom one can disagree without rancor. I cannot recall ever 

hearing anyone speak ill of JOHN WARNER. 

A few years ago, on another occasion in which I paid tribute to my good friend, I referred to him as ‘‘the classiest of 

class acts’’—and he is. We will miss his comity, his courtesy, 

and his refreshing bipartisan spirit always seeking consensus solutions for the good of the country. Whether in committee or on the Senate floor, he never succumbs to the bitter, destructive partisanship which has all too often characterized this Chamber in recent years. 

Senator WARNER has spoken out against his own party 

when he felt that the wrong course was being pursued. When 

the horrors of Abu Ghraib came to light, JOHN WARNER did 

not hesitate to help write the legislation to restrict the use 

of torture. 

Senator WARNER embodies the guiding principles set down 

by another of our country’s brave warriors, Gen. Douglas 

MacArthur, who proclaimed his leading lights to be, ‘‘Duty, 

honor, country.’’ 

Mr. President, without qualification, I can say that it has 

been an absolute pleasure to have served with this distinguished and esteemed Virginia gentleman, and I will miss 

him. 

THURSDAY, December 11, 2008 

Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, I wish to take 

this opportunity to pay tribute to a true patriot and a dear 

friend, Senator JOHN WARNER of Virginia. 

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It has been an extraordinary experience for me to serve 

with Senator WARNER on the Armed Services Committee and 

the Intelligence Committee. 

In the capacity of his service on the Armed Services Committee, which has been upward of three decades, serving as 

its chairman, the insight and guidance he has provided has 

been invaluable. Over and over, you will hear the members 

of that committee speak as if with one voice, how we appreciate his public service. He has great knowledge. He has 

great wisdom. It is tempered with a wonderful personality 

that is most studious and deliberative. Few have done as 

much to champion the cause of our men and women in the 

Armed Forces of the United States as JOHN WARNER. 

This Senator admires him for his sense of fairness, for his 

mutual respect of all the Members of the Senate. We know 

there has to be civility in the Senate for it to function. There 

has to be mutual respect. There has to be respect for the 

truth. There has to be respect for the dignity of individuals 

and those Senators’ families. All of that is certainly apropos 

of the senior Senator from Virginia. Over and over, I have 

been in situations with him that could have been adversarial. Yet his calm judgment and reason have brought people together. Of course, that is the admonition of the Good 

Book: ‘‘Come let us reason together.’’ 

Over and over, as I have sought his counsel on matters of 

some of the Nation’s highest secrets, JOHN WARNER has provided the leadership and the clarity, as we have made those 

decisions, sometimes making those decisions together. 

So it is with a great reluctance on my part that I see our 

colleague, Senator WARNER, retire after a very distinguished 

and long career. It has been a privilege to serve with JOHN. 

I will miss him as a colleague. I will miss his leadership, his 

fairness, and his great capacity as a gentleman of the Senate. 

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, for most of my time in the 

Senate it has been my privilege to serve alongside one of its 

most respected Members, the senior Senator from Virginia, 

Mr. WARNER. As he prepares to retire from his Senate service, I would like to pay tribute to him as a leader, a legislator, and as one of my closest friends in this body. 

JOHN WARNER is a living emblem of the finest the Senate 

has to offer. He is a skilled policymaker who actively contributes to the civility that helps the Senate function as the 

Founders intended. 

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Senator WARNER has represented the Commonwealth of 

Virginia with vision, persistence, and wisdom. He has helped 

lead the Senate through debates on some of the most nettlesome national security issues of our time. Always a gentleman, he has carried himself with the utmost integrity and 

honesty. He is a Senator of his word. We have worked together on many issues, and I am going to miss his counsel 

and his friendship. 

JOHN WARNER came to the Senate in 1979, after early 

service in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, which 

led to his successful tenure as the Secretary of the Navy. He 

quickly made his mark on one of Congress’ most important 

committees for steering our national security apparatus, the 

Senate Armed Services Committee. He rose quickly in seniority and has served as the committee’s chairman, ranking 

member, and chairman emeritus. 

He formed a now legendary partnership with Senator Sam 

Nunn of Georgia, and together they worked to fundamentally 

restructure the Nation’s war-fighting organization in the 

mid-1980s. He has worked closely with the committee’s current chair, Senator Levin, and with ranking member Senator 

John McCain, to support our troops through the wars in Iraq 

and Afghanistan. As a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I have seen how the two key defense 

committees have come together to make that extensive and 

crucial department work better. JOHN WARNER has been an 

important part of this superb working arrangement, and it 

was fitting that the fiscal year 2007 defense authorization 

bill was named in his honor. 

Senator WARNER is an accomplished advocate for Virginia—the home to a wide variety of military installations, 

as well as to rural and urban communities of varied needs. 

He has tackled the difficult transportation challenges of the 

Washington, DC, metropolitan area, making a real difference 

in the lives of millions. As a part-time resident of Virginia 

I have always called him my Senator away from home. 

Marcelle and I have enjoyed the friendship and company 

of JOHN and his wife Jeanne, including on the Senate’s delegation to the recent 60th anniversary of D-day. Foreign leaders know Senator WARNER extremely well; they see him, as 

we do here in the Senate, as a man of great stature and wisdom. 

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I thank JOHN for his service and for his friendship, and 

Marcelle and I join all Members of the Senate in wishing 

JOHN and Jeanne all the best in their future endeavors. 

FRIDAY, December 12, 2008 

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

my good friend and colleague, a true giant of this institution, 

and a consummate public servant, the gentleman—and I use 

that term with every fiber of the true definition of the 

word—the gentleman from Virginia, Senator JOHN WARNER. 

Mr. President, in delivering these remarks, and most especially in considering Senator WARNER’s impending retirement from the Senate, I have chosen not to focus on the tremendous loss to this body that will occur with JOHN’s departure—though the dimension of that loss is indisputably monumental. Rather, I prefer to recall the incalculable contributions JOHN has made to enhancing this institution since his 

arrival here nearly 30 years ago—and his unparalleled commitment to the State and the Nation he has served so honorably and so well. 

JOHN and I both came to the Congress at the same time— 

albeit to different Chambers. I had long been familiar with 

Senator WARNER’s outstanding reputation as a man of 

strength, character, knowledge, and integrity from my days 

in the House. And it didn’t take long for me to find out why 

when I joined him in the Senate. 

Among many memories is my service on the Senate Armed 

Services Committee as chair of the Seapower Subcommittee 

under JOHN’s leadership as chairman—and the command 

and the focus and the vision that he brought to that critical 

panel. I can tell you, with his long service on the committee—and of course as a former Secretary of the Navy, 

there wasn’t anyone who instilled greater confidence when it 

came to meeting the challenges of limited defense dollars 

and the reality of that post-cold war period than JOHN WARNER. 

I certainly well recall that at a time when our foreign policy had quite frankly made our Navy into America’s ‘‘Emergency 911’’ force, with a 331-percent increase in contingency 

operations at that time from the previous 10 years, at a time 

when the branches of the services weren’t meeting their recruitment goals and the Air Force and Navy were woefully 

short of pilots, at a time when China was continuing to make 

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quantum leaps in military technology, Senator WARNER’s expertise and leadership didn’t arrive a moment too soon. 

I remember an instance when he called our allies to account on Kosovo—when he saw that our European partners 

had deployed only 722 of the 1,264 policemen they had promised to provide as part of the Kosovo Police Force, he held 

them to their commitment. He exposed that inequity and 

thanks to his hand at the helm they began to change their 

course. 

From day one as chairman, Senator WARNER was relentless in scrutinizing existing defense programs as well as articulating a vision for the future. And nowhere was that 

more in evidence—or more prescient, for that matter, than 

when he created the Emerging Threats Subcommittee, to address everything from cyberterrorism to terrorist threats 

here at home. 

Indeed, as I said at an event at the time, ‘‘the fact is, since 

Soviet power has receded from the heart of Europe, the 

United States faces more regionally diverse and unpredictable challenges to its national security than ever before. And 

JOHN knew we must be prepared to respond.’’ Well, that was 

and is the JOHN WARNER I know—always looking ahead, always anticipating the next challenge, and always working to 

meet those challenges head on. 

And above all else, no one is more concerned about the 

welfare and well-being of our brave men and women in uniform than JOHN WARNER. 

Interestingly, Senator WARNER was Under Secretary of the 

Navy while the late Senator John Chafee served as Secretary. And might I just say as an aside, what an extraordinary duo would come out of the Pentagon to subsequently 

serve side by side in the U.S. Senate. And like John Chafee, 

JOHN WARNER earned the unwavering respect of our military 

men and women because of his unflagging respect for each 

and every one of them. 

Certainly, Senator WARNER has always had unlimited enthusiasm and commitment for the men and women of the 

Navy and Marine Corps. In fact, I understand that, in a time 

before there were elevators and escalators in the Pentagon, 

he was known for quite literally bounding up the steps ‘‘two 

by two’’ in the mornings, and that he did so every morning 

to get to his office to serve the officers, sailors, and Marines 

for whom he cared so much. 

I am certain it is that very spirit that explains why he is 

so beloved by our members of the Armed Forces of the 

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United States. I am certain it is also that spirit that’s made 

him so beloved by Members of this U.S. Senate. 

It’s a spirit not only of ‘‘can do,’’ but of ‘‘must do.’’ It’s an 

honor-bound dedication to the notion that we all have a 

sworn duty to our constitution and to our country to leave 

a better Nation for having acted in our country’s best interests. 

It’s a quality we witnessed once again during historic debates on our course in our war in Iraq. Senator WARNER consistently brought to bear his credibility, his gravitas, and his 

experience to elevate the Senate’s deliberations and rise 

above the din of partisanship. What JOHN WARNER said on 

the matter of Iraq—or on any military issue of vital import— 

carried the weight of an intellect pledged solely to the concept and pursuit of doing what is right. 

And at no time was JOHN’s sense of the greater good more 

evident than in his leadership in the so-called Gang of 14— 

at a crossroads when the very institution of the Senate was 

caught in the crosshairs of a struggle over judicial nominations. As we recall, at the time, the repeated, systemic filibuster of the President’s nominees had been a corrosive force 

on the Senate. At the same time, exercising the so-called 

‘‘nuclear option’’—that would have jettisoned the traditional 

rules governing these nominations—would truly have had 

long-standing consequences for the future of the Senate. 

But we set aside partisan differences to help forge consensus to safeguard a body constituted to be neither a rubber 

stamp nor a personalized veto. Just when we were about to 

cross a political Rubicon, this watershed compromise embraced and preserved the essence of our Founding Fathers’ 

vision to achieve results through accommodation—and embodied the best traditions of the Senate. And JOHN WARNER

was instrumental in standing up and leading that charge— 

once again, lending the gravity of his standing in the Senate 

to advance that crucial cause. 

So when I think of JOHN WARNER, I think of an embodiment of what our forefathers quite likely had in mind when 

they envisioned a U.S. Senator. Someone who is learned, 

who is deliberative, who is compassionate, who is considerate, who is experienced, who is reasoned and measured in 

approach—but who is most undeniably unafraid to act decisively when circumstances demand. 

That is the caliber of the man to whom this institution is 

about to bid farewell. And as we do so, I also cannot help but 

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ers that the great Commonwealth of Virginia has produced 

over centuries—the ranks of which JOHN WARNER is most 

unquestionably fit to occupy. What a credit he has been to 

his State, what a legacy he contributes to Virginia, and certainly to America. The people of Virginia could not have 

asked for a more eloquent and powerful voice in the U.S. 

Senate—and it was a powerful voice not for the brashness of 

its volume or tone, but because of the credibility and 

thoughtfulness behind the words and thoughts that voice delivered. 

Quite simply, he is truly one of the best—deeply respected, 

highly regarded, a principled, independent-minded voice of 

reason. He is what we need more of in government. And he 

sets an example for us all. 

He has also been a great friend to me—as he has to so 

many of us. I will miss the firmness and sincerity of his 

warm ‘‘hellos.’’ I will miss running into him in the hallways, 

on the Senate subway, on this floor. I will miss his institutional wisdom and depth and breadth on the issues. I will 

miss his kindness and camaraderie. And, I imagine, there 

are 98 others in this Chamber who feel likewise. 

So let me just say, farewell JOHN WARNER. And while none 

of us wants to see you go, there is certainly unanimous consent that—as you yield the floor for the final time—no one 

is more deserving of this time to now spend with your family, your friends, and with whatever personal pursuit you 

may choose—than you, JOHN, as a public servant of so many 

years, a public servant of great accomplishment, and a public 

servant of such positive and indelible consequence to the 

Senate, and to America. 

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, it has been one of my great 

honors to serve with one of the most distinguished Senators 

in our body, Senator JOHN WARNER of Virginia. A man of 

great wisdom, a man committed to the country that he has 

served for many decades in a host of important positions. 

JOHN WARNER has never failed his Nation. In addition to his 

knowledge and judgment which I so deeply respect and have 

so often followed, he is a true delight to be with and has the 

rare collegial skills to bring highly intelligent and committed 

Senators together for the common good. As chairman of the 

Armed Services Committee, as its ranking member and in 

the last 2 years as its de facto ranking member he has continued his record of superb service. We have gone through 

many difficult times, and without his leadership I don’t see 

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how we could have worked our way through some of our Nation’s great challenges. 

JOHN WARNER is a product of the heart of Virginia. Our 

affectionate title of ‘‘squire’’ reflects the recognition of his 

Virginia heritage and style. Among other good qualities no 

one is more delightful to travel with than JOHN WARNER. I 

cherish the opportunity to have listened to many of his stories both humorous and insightful. He is a walking student 

of American history. I urged him to seek reelection but he 

chose not to. He will be greatly missed. My best wishes go 

with him and his wife Jeanne. 

Mr. CHAMBLISS. I wish to speak of the retirement from 

the Senate of my friend Senator JOHN WARNER. Senator 

WARNER is the quintessential Virginia gentleman. He is gifted of speech, courteous, possesses courage and conviction, 

and is a defender of freedom and the Senator most committed to the protection of our men and women in uniform 

as well as their families. It has been my privilege to serve 

with Senator WARNER on the Armed Services Committee. 

His leadership as chairman was superb. His commitment to 

protecting America and Americans is unparalleled. 

From his days in the U.S. Navy to his years as Secretary 

of the Navy to his years in the U.S. Senate, JOHN WARNER

has provided the kind of service and leadership that Virginians and Americans appreciate and respect. 

I will miss JOHN WARNER but certainly wish him and 

Jeanne Godspeed as they continue life’s journey. 

Æ