TRIBUTES TO HON. KAY R. HAGAN 

Kay R. Hagan 

U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
Kay R. Hagan 

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office 


91903.001
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2015

S. DOC. 113–29 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Kay R. Hagan 

United States Senator 

2009–2015 

÷ 

Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

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

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

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Bennet, Michael F., of Colorado ................................................ 5 

Boxer, Barbara, of California .................................................... 11 

Casey, Robert P., Jr., of Pennsylvania ..................................... 9 

Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware ......................................... 5 

Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois ................................................... 3, 5 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 9 

Heitkamp, Heidi, of North Dakota ........................................... 6 

Hirono, Mazie K., of Hawaii ...................................................... 10 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 8 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 3 

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

Shaheen, Jeanne, of New Hampshire ...................................... 9 

Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan ................................................. 12 

[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

Senator KAY R. HAGAN and her husband, Chip Hagan, 

have lived in Greensboro, NC, for more than 30 years, where 

they raised their three children: Jeanette, Tilden, and 

Carrie. After 10 years in the North Carolina State Senate, 

Senator HAGAN was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 by 

North Carolinians seeking an active, effective leader who 

would bring North Carolina ideas and values to Congress. 

After coming to the Senate in January 2009, Senator 

HAGAN worked tirelessly for North Carolinians. She served 

on four Senate committees that were integral to the needs of 

the State: Armed Services; Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). 

Hailing from a proud military family, Senator HAGAN was 

committed to maintaining North Carolina’s status as the 

‘‘most military-friendly State in the Nation.’’ Senator 

HAGAN’s father-in-law was a two-star Marine general, her father and brother both served in the Navy, and her husband, 

Chip, a Navy Vietnam veteran, attended Wake Forest Law 

School with help from the GI bill. Senator HAGAN has two 

nephews who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Senator 

HAGAN regularly visited North Carolina military bases and 

traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait to meet with 

North Carolina troops on the ground and to Pakistan to meet 

with military personnel. 

As the chair of the Senate Armed Services Emerging 

Threats Subcommittee, Senator HAGAN made it a priority to 

ensure Federal policies work for our active duty military, 

veterans, and their families. Legislation she cosponsored ensures partisan budget battles will never again interfere with 

funding for veterans’ health care. In addition, she backed a 

law to give necessary support to family caregivers of veterans. Along with her North Carolina colleague Senator 

Richard Burr, Senator HAGAN fought to get the families who 

were affected by water contamination at Camp Lejeune the 

answers they deserve. 

Senator HAGAN understood that small businesses drive 

economic growth in North Carolina and across the country. 

[ vi ] 

She was committed to creating a better climate for businesses to create jobs and grow. While traveling the State as 

a Senator, she saw first hand the determination and innovative spirit of North Carolina’s small business owners. As a 

member of the Senate Small Business Committee, Senator 

HAGAN supported legislation to put North Carolinians back 

to work. 

Senator HAGAN focused on making her Senate office as 

open and accessible as possible and ensured constituent service was a hallmark of her office. She had five offices across 

North Carolina to serve constituents—in Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, and Greenville. She also regularly 

hosted ‘‘Conversations with KAY’’ in towns across the State. 

This provided an opportunity for members of the community 

to talk with her directly about their concerns and get help 

from her staff to navigate any issues they had with Federal 

agencies. Every Wednesday the Senate was in session, she 

hosted North Carolinians in her Washington office for ‘‘Carolina Coffee’’ where constituents could meet Senator HAGAN

and her staff over coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. 

Senator HAGAN was a champion for education throughout 

her career in public service. As a member of the Senate 

HELP Committee, she worked to include her first piece of 

legislation, the Financial Literacy for Students Act, into education reform. The bill builds on her work in the State senate by incentivizing States to incorporate financial literacy 

into student curriculums for grades 6–12. Senator HAGAN

also led a group of moderate Members to improve education 

in public schools to ensure the United States remained competitive in the global economy. 

A mother of two daughters, Senator HAGAN is proud that 

the first piece of legislation she cosponsored in the U.S. Senate was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which reestablished a fair rule for filing claims of pay discrimination based 

on race, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability. 

Senator HAGAN was also a leader in the successful fight for 

justice for African American farmers—including more than 

4,000 North Carolinians—who were discriminated against 

when applying for financial help in the 1980s and 1990s. 

Along with Senator Chuck Grassley, she introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure these farmers received their due 

settlements, and worked tirelessly with her colleagues to 

right this wrong for our farmers. 

Senator HAGAN was born in Shelby, NC. A graduate of 

Florida State University and Wake Forest Law School, she 

[ vii ] 

worked at North Carolina National Bank (a predecessor to 

Bank of America) for 10 years, becoming a vice president in 

the estates and trust division. She left the bank to spend 

more time with her children and was an active participant 

in her Greensboro community, becoming involved in local 

charities, and shuttling carpools to soccer practices. 

Senator HAGAN got an early start in public service when 

she helped her uncle, ‘‘Walkin’ Lawton’’ Chiles, the former 

Governor and U.S. Senator from Florida, paste bumper stickers on supporters’ cars. Senator HAGAN and her husband 

were both active in Guilford County Democratic politics, and 

in 1992 and 1996, Governor Jim Hunt asked her to run his 

gubernatorial campaign in Guilford County. In 1998, Senator 

HAGAN ran for the North Carolina State Senate, where she 

served for 10 years and cochaired the budget committee. She 

was named one of North Carolina’s ‘‘Ten Most Effective Senators’’ three terms in a row by the nonpartisan North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research. 

[ ix ] 

Farewell to the Senate 

Thursday, December 11, 2014 

Mrs. HAGAN. Madam President, it is with great honor 

and gratitude that I rise to reflect on the last 6 years, which 

have been some of the most rewarding and transformative of 

my life, and to thank the people who have been by my side 

as we worked to make our great State and this great country 

even better. 

First and foremost, I wish to thank the people of North 

Carolina for allowing me to serve them in the Senate. Six 

years ago you sent me to Washington to fight for the priorities that make our State great, and I have put North Carolina first every single day. I have been honored to stand up 

for our teachers, our students, to fight for our seniors, to 

help create a business climate that promotes job growth, to 

build an economy that works for everyone, and to make sure 

we keep our promises to our servicemembers and to our veterans. 

I am extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish, and I am forever humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve. 

I also wish to thank my family; my husband Chip, who is 

my rock, and my three children, Jeanette, Tilden, and 

Carrie, and my two great sons-in-law, Will and Martin. 

These past 6 years have been extremely full of exciting 

milestones for the Hagan family. Since my term began, my 

two daughters have both gotten married and they both had 

babies. I have a 1-year-old grandson Harrison and a 1-weekold granddaughter Christine. So when I said earlier that 

these past 6 years have been transformative, I wasn’t kidding. 

I also wish to thank my dad Joe Ruthven, who is one of 

my most trusted advisers and a constant source of inspiration for me, and his wife Judy, my stepmom, for all of her 

love and support. 

I wish to thank the Capitol Police here in Washington. I 

don’t think we recognize these people enough for the incredible work they do to keep us safe. 

[ x ] 

And, of course, I wish to thank my unbelievably hardworking staff whom I consider to be a part of the official 

Hagan family. These folks are topnotch. Their commitment 

to our State and the people we serve is unmatched. They are 

passionate and compassionate, and I am so grateful to have 

had them by my side over these last 6 years. I ask unanimous consent that a list of their names be printed in the 

Record. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 

printed in the Record, as follows: 

STAFF OF SENATOR KAY R. HAGAN

Michelle Adams, Ayo Adeyeye, Tyler Aiken, Natalia Aldana, Stephanie 

Allen, Patrick Ayers, Devan Barber, Micah Beasley, Caroline Brantley, Patrick Brennan, Nancy Brenner, Emorie Broemel, Christopher Cannon, Angelo Caravano, Bess Caughran, Marshall Cesena, Justin Clayton, Molly 

Conti, Carrie Cook, Perrin Cooke, Travis Cooke, Ashley Copeland, Kathryn 

Davidson, Curtis Davis, Andrew Devlin, Sage Dunston, Ashley Eden, Brittany Ellis, Karen Evans. 

John Fain, Elizabeth Farrar, Sharon Fisher, Colleen Flanagan, Margaret 

Freshwater, Amanda Gabriel, Tiffany Germain, Jennifer Gradnigo, Mary 

Hanley, Simone Hardeman-Jones, Mike Harney, Freddie Harrill, Jenny 

Hartsock, David Hartzler, Christopher Hayden, Christina Henderson, David 

Hoffman, Julie Holzhueter, Cristina Jacome, Jennifer Johnson, Michael 

Jones, Rosemary Kennedy, Meenal Khajuria, Crystal King, Catherine 

Kuerbitz. 

John Labban, Tasmaya Lagoo, Stephen Lassiter, Samuel Lau, Margaret 

Lawrynowicz, Caitlin Legacki, Jason Lindsay, Travis Manigan, Elizabeth 

Margolis, Shaniqua McClendon, Patrick McHugh, Will Medley, Kathryn 

Merrill, Forest Michaels, Melissa Midgett, John Minor, Joyce Mitchell, 

Amber Moon, Christopher Moyer, Sara Mursky-Fuller, Brian Nagle, Adeline 

Noger, Thomas O’Donnell, Emily Osterhus, Elizabeth Outten, Allison 

Parker, Tyler Patrick, Joseph Peele, Roger Pena, John Pfeiffer, Benjamin 

Piven, Stanley Purple. 

Cierra Raleigh, Rikkia Ramsey, Hanna Raskin, Jean Reaves, Ryan Regan, 

Matthew Rumley, Leo Schmid, Tatyana Semyrog, Christopher Sgro, Lindsay 

Siler, Valarie Simpson, Leland Slade, Hannah Smith, Tremayne Smith, 

Aaron Suntag, Joshua Teitelbaum, Clayton Thomas, John Tillman, Karen 

Wade, Brittany Wakefield, Muthoni Wambu, Brandy Warwick, Timothy 

Webster, Alissa Sadie Weiner, Mesha White, Andrew Wilkins, Johnnie Williams, Sue Wink, Margaret Winslow, Abigail Youngken, Tracy Zvenyach. 

Mrs. HAGAN. My staff knew how important it was to me 

that my office be as open and as accessible as possible to the 

people of North Carolina, and my team worked every single 

day to help us reach that goal. Over the last 6 years, we held 

a townhall in each of the 100 counties across North Carolina. 

In DC, we have held a Carolina Coffee every Wednesday and 

we welcomed thousands of North Carolinians to come visit 

us. We have also resolved more than 36,000 constituent 

[ xi ] 

cases for the people of North Carolina, from helping veterans 

access their benefits with the VA to helping families struggling with high mortgage rates to be able to stay in their 

homes, to helping small businesses cut through the bureaucratic redtape. 

While my North Carolina staff was there for the folks in 

our State day in and day out, my DC team was helping me 

fight for North Carolinians in Washington. 

North Carolina is proud to be the most military-friendly 

State in the Nation. As a member of a military family, it is 

important to me to work every single day to keep our State 

the most military-friendly State. My husband is a Vietnam 

veteran. My dad and my brother served in the Navy. My 

father-in-law was a major general in the Marine Corps. I 

have two nephews on Active Duty. One is an F–15 fighter 

pilot and the other one is a Navy seal. So when I say one 

of my top priorities was ensuring Federal policies worked for 

our veterans in Active Duty military, they are not just 

words, it is truly a personal obligation. 

That is why nearly 6 years ago, when Jerry Ensminger, a 

retired marine, shared with me the story of his daughter 

Janey, my heart broke for him. Janey died of leukemia at 

the age of 9 because of contaminated water on the base at 

Camp Lejeune. He dedicated his life to seeking justice for his 

daughter and other Camp Lejeune victims. I found it absolutely unconscionable that the Federal Government had denied this man, who served our country, the answers he needed after all he had been through. I wanted to do whatever 

I could to help, and it was one of the greatest honors of my 

life to work alongside my North Carolina colleague Senator 

Burr to pass the Janey Ensminger Act, to help Jerry and the 

servicemembers and families affected by water contamination at Camp Lejeune and to give them the answers and the 

health care they deserved. 

It was also important to me that all Americans remembered and understood the sacrifices made by our military 

and their families. During my time in the Senate, I had the 

opportunity to speak on this very floor about some of the 

brave servicemembers from North Carolina, many of whom 

made the ultimate sacrifice, and many of whom lost their 

lives while trying to make the world a better place and safer 

for the rest of us. I had the opportunity to speak with many 

of their families and their stories were both moving and 

heartbreaking. 

[ xii ] 

I spoke with Terry Marquez, whose son Justin died from 

small arms fire wounds he received while on foot patrol in 

the Wardak Province in Afghanistan just 1 month after he 

arrived in theater. He was only 25 years old when he died. 

According to Justin’s mom Terry, as Justin grew up in the 

Army, he was like a fine wine, he just kept getting better 

with age. He believed in protecting others. He believed in 

making the world a better place. He believed in standing up 

so that others might not have to. Justin embodied the selflessness and courage that defines the men and women of our 

armed services. 

Shortly after sharing Justin’s story on the Senate floor, I 

invited his mother to be my guest at the State of the Union 

Address. Her presence reminded not just me but so many of 

the Senators that she met that night—and she knew them 

all—how important it is that we uphold our promises to the 

men and women who put their lives on the line for each and 

every one of us. It has been an honor to help be one of those 

voices for our servicemembers, veterans, and their families 

in Washington. 

As one of 20 women in the Senate, I have also enjoyed 

being a voice for women and children. As women Senators, 

we bring a unique perspective to the policymaking dialog. 

We understand the issues facing women and families because we have been there. Some of us are moms and some 

are grandmoms. We know what it is like to balance that 

family checkbook and simultaneously run the business and 

a carpool, and to want the best possible future not only for 

our children but for all the children throughout the United 

States. 

More important than that, the women of the Senate know 

how to bridge the partisan divide to get the job done. Together we passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first 

bill I cosponsored as a U.S. Senator. We kept student loan 

rates from doubling. We pushed for initiatives such as my 

newborn screening bill to ensure that every child has a 

healthy start in life. I am proud of the work we have done 

together to support our families and to set this country on 

a path to a brighter future. 

But the fact is we need a lot more of that in Washington. 

If we are going to address the biggest challenges facing our 

country, we have to break through the political gridlock and 

confront these issues together—head on, united; not as Republicans and Democrats, but working together on behalf of 

the American people. We need to work together to tackle the 

[ xiii ] 

rising cost of college that is putting higher education out of 

reach for too many students and then burdening them with 

unsustainable debt. We need to reform our education system 

to ensure that every child has the tools and the technology 

we have to have today and that we have to understand and 

be an expert in that technology in order to be successful in 

this competitive environment. 

The economy is improving, but wages are stagnant. We 

must find ways to ensure that Americans working full time 

are not living in poverty. 

We need to help middle class families get ahead and ensure that working women are receiving the support they 

need, whether it is fair pay, affordable childcare, or time to 

care for new babies or seriously ill family members. There is 

so much work to be done. It is my hope these issues can be 

addressed in the 114th Congress, but doing so is going to 

take cooperation from all 100 Members of this body. 

The men and women I have worked with during my time 

are some of the most dedicated, passionate people I have 

ever met. And though there are so many, I am only going to 

name a few. 

Barbara Mikulski was my first mentor, the dean of the 

women. She walked me down the aisle to get sworn in. She 

is one of the greatest advocates for women and for families. 

I know that Patty Murray, the mom in tennis shoes, is a dynamite negotiator. Mark Warner, one of my 2008 classmates, 

is a leader in seeking bipartisan solutions. Susan Collins is 

a great friend and a proven consensus builder. Chuck Schumer is a trusted adviser who embodies what it means to be 

a fighter. 

There are so many to name, and I love them all. I know 

the Members of the Senate can make progress on these 

issues that matter so long as we put politics aside and work 

together. 

One of my guiding principles is ‘‘to whom much is given, 

much is expected.’’ Six years ago, North Carolinians gave me 

an opportunity to be a voice in Washington, and I have put 

North Carolinians first every single day. I urge my colleagues to do the same—to remember who they are fighting 

for, not who they are fighting against, to see past the D or 

the R, to work together in a bipartisan fashion as I have 

tried to do to move this country forward. 

Working with all of my colleagues and serving North Carolina in the U.S. Senate is a huge honor. 

[ xiv ] 

God bless you all, and God bless the U.S. Senate. Thank 

you. 

I yield the floor. 

(Applause, Senators rising.) 

TRIBUTES 

TO 

KAY R. HAGAN 

[ 3 ] 

Proceedings in the Senate 

TUESDAY, December 9, 2014 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are departing the Senate 

at the end of this year with the conclusion of the 113th Congress: Mark Begich of Alaska, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, 

Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, KAY HAGAN of North Carolina, 

Tom Harkin of Iowa, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Carl 

Levin of Michigan, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jay Rockefeller 

of West Virginia, Mark Udall of Colorado, and John Walsh 

of Montana. 

They have all worked hard, ceaselessly giving their energy 

and considerable time and service to their constituents, to 

their home States and to our country. I want to thank them 

for their service and for their kindness to me over many 

years in so many cases. In particular, I want to say a few 

words about these colleagues. . . . 

I have served with KAY HAGAN on the Banking, Housing, 

and Urban Affairs Committee and on the Armed Services 

Committee. We have worked together on a number of initiatives, including efforts to keep student loan interest rates 

low. We traveled together to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan 

in 2010. She has been a tremendous advocate, especially for 

our military families and for small businesses. . . . 

Along with all of my other colleagues who are leaving us 

at the conclusion of the 113th Congress, let me thank them 

for their service, their dedication to improving the lives of 

Americans, and on a very personal level for their friendship. 

I wish them all well. 

WEDNESDAY, December 10, 2014 

Mr. DURBIN. I have some tributes here for my colleagues 

who are retiring, leaving the Senate. It is a lengthy list of 

tributes. . . . 

[ 4 ] 

KAY HAGAN, my colleague from North Carolina, has done 

an amazing job. In her one term in the Senate, she really 

made a name for herself when it came to public service. She 

stepped up time and again and took tough votes. I know it 

because as whip I asked her to take on some important 

issues that would make this a better and stronger nation. 

When KAY entered the Senate in those perilous days, 

America was in crisis. The economy was in free-fall. Millions 

had lost their homes to foreclosure. America was fighting two 

wars—and though our military is the finest in the world, 

many of its members were exhausted from multiple deployments. 

Six years later, we have made progress in all of these 

areas. Historians will record that Senator KAY HAGAN helped 

to make America stronger and better. 

Senator KAY HAGAN comes from a family that knows a 

great deal about serving and sacrificing for America. Her 

maternal uncle, Lawton Chiles, was a Korean war veteran 

who represented Florida in the U.S. House and Senate and 

served as Florida’s Governor. Her father-in-law was a twostar marine general, her brother and father both served in 

the Navy, and her husband is a Vietnam veteran who used 

the GI bill to help pay for law school. 

Senator HAGAN first learned the ups and downs of Congress—literally—by operating the Senators-only elevator 

while interning for her uncle. 

Senator HAGAN is a former ballet dancer—a discipline that 

demands great discipline and hard work. As a Senator, she 

has used those same qualities to benefit her State and our 

Nation. 

She served 10 years in the North Carolina State Senate 

and in those 10 years, she earned a reputation as a commonsense hard worker interested in results, not partisan fighting. As cochair of the State Budget Committee, she increased 

the State’s ‘‘Rainy Day’’ fund and balanced five straight 

budgets. You heard that right—five straight budgets. She 

also helped make record investments in education, raised 

teacher pay, and increased the minimum wage. 

Here in the U.S. Senate, she has continued to be a leader 

on education issues, most notably helping to lead a group of 

Senators to start fixing No Child Left Behind. With her family’s military background, it is no surprise that Senator 

HAGAN has fought hard for military families and veterans. 

She introduced another bill that is close to my heart and 

that I will continue to work for. It would prohibit for-profit 

[ 5 ] 

colleges from using the phrase ‘‘GI bill’’ in aggressive marketing efforts aimed at separating veterans and servicemembers from their hard-earned education benefits. And she 

led the successful effort to provide health care to those affected by water contamination at Camp Lejeune in North 

Carolina, the largest Marine Corps base on the east coast. 

KAY HAGAN will leave this Senate with a proud record of 

dauntless accomplishment and I am proud to have had the 

privilege to call her colleague. I thank her for her friendship 

and service, and I wish her the best in all her future endeavors. 

Mr. COONS. . . . As I close, I would also like to thank those 

of our colleagues who will be leaving the Senate after the 

New Year. 

It is an incredible privilege to work in this Chamber and 

to represent the people. Every day I am awed by the dedication and talent of many of my colleagues, public servants 

who come to work to fight for their States and their government. 

To those who are ending their service in the Senate, know 

that I value your friendship and partnership. It has been an 

honor to work with you, and I thank you for all you have 

done for our Nation. 

ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENT 

Mr. BENNET. I ask unanimous consent that the tributes 

to retiring Senators be printed as a Senate document and 

that Senators be permitted to submit tributes until December 23, 2014. 

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

THURSDAY, December 11, 2014 

Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, first let me commend my 

colleague from North Carolina, KAY HAGAN, who has been an 

extraordinary asset in the U.S. Senate. She has shown political bravery to the highest degree over and over again, taking what she knew were the right votes even when they were 

politically tough votes. I just listened to her farewell address 

and I couldn’t agree with her more, that she put the people 

of North Carolina ahead of everything else in terms of her 

service in the U.S. Senate. It has been an honor to serve 

[ 6 ] 

with her, to get to know her husband Chip and her family, 

and I wish her only the best for whatever her future undertakings may be. 

Ms. HEITKAMP. Madam President, I rise today to honor 

my colleague from North Carolina, Senator KAY HAGAN, who 

is departing from the Senate at the end of this year. Senator 

HAGAN has been a strong voice for North Carolina’s families, 

first during her decade in the North Carolina State Senate 

and during her service here in the U.S. Senate. Over the last 

2 years, I have been consistently impressed with Senator 

HAGAN’s compassion for and advocacy on behalf of her constituents and her willingness to forge the tough, bipartisan 

compromises that our country needs. 

KAY actually first came to the Senate in the 1970s as an 

intern in the Capitol, where she operated the elevator that 

continues to carry Senators to and from the Chamber. After 

finishing her college education and pursuing her law degree, 

KAY became an attorney for North Carolina National Bank 

and eventually became a vice president in the estates and 

trust division. 

Senator HAGAN’s business and banking experience has 

been a tremendous asset during her time as a member of the 

Banking Committee, where we serve together. Senator 

HAGAN’s understanding of the housing finance system and 

commitment to affordable housing was invaluable as she and 

I worked together with a bipartisan group of committee 

members to draft and advance legislation reforming the system to make sure the American taxpayer is protected and 

made whole. During the debate Senator HAGAN used her expert knowledge of the industry to craft a commonsense, bipartisan solution. Our proposal makes sure taxpayers are 

never left holding the bill again, while preserving the 30- 

year mortgage and supporting affordable housing—a huge 

accomplishment. 

Senator HAGAN comes from a family and a State with a 

rich military history. Her father and brother both served in 

the Navy, and her husband, Chip, is a Navy Vietnam veteran. She has diligently supported and honored servicemembers and veterans as a member of the Armed Services 

Committee. She visited North Carolina troops in the Middle 

East to better understand their mission and needs, and she 

helped found the Military Family Caucus to raise awareness 

of the difficulties faced by those with loved ones abroad. In 

conjunction with her work on the small business committee, 

she introduced legislation to reduce veteran unemployment 

[ 7 ] 

by providing employers a work opportunity tax credit for hiring a member of the National Guard. 

As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on Children 

and Families, Senator HAGAN has consistently fought to 

make sure America’s children have the education, tools, and 

resources to build a better tomorrow. In fact, Senator 

HAGAN’s first bill was on a subject very dear to me—financial literacy. Far too many young Americans fall victim to financial scams or take out too many loans because they 

haven’t been given an adequate education on personal finances. Senator HAGAN’s legislation—which she has pressed 

every Congress—would have helped States integrate financial literacy into middle and high school curriculums. That is 

the kind of commonsense legislation Senator HAGAN is 

known for and Congress should be passing. 

Senator HAGAN has been an outstanding public servant for 

the people of North Carolina. Although I am saddened to see 

such a well-respected female colleague depart from the Senate, I know KAY will continue to be a champion for North 

Carolina’s families in the years ahead, and I wish her all the 

best. 

MONDAY, December 15, 2014 

Mr. REID. Madam President, North Carolina’s official 

motto is a Latin phrase which means, simply translated, ‘‘To 

be, rather than to seem.’’ ‘‘To be, rather than to seem’’ means 

don’t talk about being a hard worker—be a hard worker. 

Don’t just pretend to be honest—be honest. If you talk about 

being sincere, be genuine about it. Senator KAY HAGAN, a 

native of Shelby, NC, embodies her State’s motto. She is as 

genuine and honest as anyone could be. It is no wonder that 

in 2008, when the country was seeking change, the people of 

North Carolina elected KAY HAGAN to the Senate. From the 

moment she arrived, she got to work. The very first piece of 

legislation she cosponsored was the Lilly Ledbetter Act. Having worked as a corporate executive, KAY is aware of the difficulties working women face. This legislation was personal 

to KAY, and she saw it through until completion. The daughter of a veteran, KAY spent her time in the Senate creating 

sound policies to protect and benefit members of the U.S. 

armed services and their families. She has done this by virVerDate Aug 31 2005 15:05 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91903.TXT KAYNE
[ 8 ] 

tue of her position, not only as a Senator but as a member 

of the important Armed Services Committee. 

As a former executive of North Carolina National Bank, 

KAY knows all of the challenges facing businesses in her 

State and how women have a little different view of how difficult it is to work their way through the corporate world. 

She has fought tirelessly to create a better climate for small 

businesses to create jobs and grow. On any given issue, at 

any given time, KAY HAGAN has advocated her position and 

has done it well. She refused to give up until meaningful solutions were discovered. 

While I am sure Senator HAGAN will take some welldeserved time off to think about her future, I am convinced 

that her service on behalf of the people of North Carolina 

and the American people is not going to end. 

Senator HAGAN has a lovely family. We all like Chip very 

much. He is a Navy Vietnam veteran. She has three children—Tilden, Jeanette, and Carrie. I wish her family the 

very best as they transition into a new chapter of their lives. 

On a personal basis, no one has impressed me more as 

being a hard worker. We are so disappointed that she is now 

going to have to find different public service. I have no inside 

information, but she could be back in this body. I have no 

doubt the people of North Carolina are going to miss her 

dearly. 

I applaud KAY HAGAN for serving the American people 

with conviction, and I look forward to the great things she 

will accomplish for North Carolina and our country in the future. 

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, back when I was in law 

school, I tried to get an internship here on Capitol Hill, with 

no luck. Senator KAY HAGAN has a different story. She first 

walked these Halls as an intern in the 1970s. 

Her tenure here in the Senate has been too short, but she 

has represented her constituents in North Carolina with 

vigor and dedication. She has been a tireless advocate for 

women and children and was a key ally in my efforts to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. I have 

long felt that she has placed conscience above politics. She 

has shown a willingness to take tough votes on difficult 

issues, from LGBT rights to gun safety. 

Senator HAGAN comes from a strong military family. North 

Carolina has one of the highest per capita enlistment rates 

in the country, and Senator HAGAN has understood that behind every officer, behind every enlisted member of the miliVerDate Aug 31 2005 15:05 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91903.TXT KAYNE
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tary, is a family that needs our appreciation and support. 

She was an active partner in our efforts to strengthen the 

National Guard, and she authored such important legislative 

initiatives as the Hire a Hero Act. 

After decades of public service, I know that North Carolina 

can expect more service from Senator HAGAN. I wish her, her 

husband Chip, and their wonderful children the best. 

TUESDAY, December 16, 2014 

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, as we wind down the final 

days of the 113th Congress, it is a good time both to reflect 

on the past and to look toward the future. I have been very 

moved as I listened to the farewell speeches of our departing 

Senators, and I wish I had time to pay tribute to each one 

of them. They have all been wonderful colleagues, and I enjoyed working with and getting to know every one of them. 

I wish them all the very best in all their future endeavors. 

They will most certainly be missed. . . . 

Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, before this Congress ends, I 

wanted to pay tribute to several of my colleagues who will 

not be here when we convene next year. Some chose not to 

run again, and others unfortunately lost their reelection 

campaigns, but we will miss them all next year. I begin in 

order of seniority. . . . 

Mr. President, Senator KAY HAGAN spent 10 years serving 

in the North Carolina State Senate before being elected to 

the U.S. Senate in 2008. I have had the pleasure of sitting 

next to KAY on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

Committee and working with her on issues such as medication therapy management to help ensure our seniors are taking the prescription drugs that help keep them healthy and 

the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act that 

provides funding for the screening of newborn babies for 

heritable disorders, allowing them the earliest possible access to treatments. Through her position on the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Senator HAGAN has 

pushed to protect and grow North Carolina jobs. On the 

Armed Services Committee, she has fought for North Carolina’s military families. I wish KAY and Chip well in the 

years ahead. . . . 

Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, Senator HAGAN and I 

came to the Senate 6 years ago with a shared commitment 

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to bipartisan problem solving reflective of the independent 

spirit of the States we represent. I am glad to say that in 

Senator HAGAN I found not only a strong partner in policymaking but also a good friend. 

Born in Shelby, NC, Senator HAGAN got her start in politics, as many of us do, at the State level. During 10 years 

in the North Carolina Senate, she built a reputation as a 

committed public servant, and that reputation would eventually propel her to the U.S. Senate. 

In Washington, Senator HAGAN has used her position on 

the Senate Armed Services Committee to support the military families stationed at Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, and 

other military installations in North Carolina. Thanks to her 

efforts, Congress passed legislation in 2012 to provide health 

care and compensation to military families impacted by 

water contamination at Camp Lejeune. Also a member of the 

Small Business Committee, Senator HAGAN’s private sector 

experience has been a tremendous asset to the legislative 

work of the committee. 

I would like to wish the very best to Senator HAGAN, who 

I know is looking forward to the opportunity to spend more 

time with her family, especially her grandchildren. 

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I thank my colleague KAY

HAGAN for her service in the Senate. KAY has spent every 

day of her 6 years fighting for North Carolina’s families. 

KAY’s father, brother, husband, and father-in-law are all 

veterans. She has two nephews on Active Duty. Their experiences—and the stories of thousands of North Carolina 

servicemembers and veterans—have helped guide KAY’s 

work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, SASC, 

where I have been privileged to serve with her. 

As a member of SASC, I have seen first hand KAY’s deep 

knowledge and commitment to our servicemembers, veterans, and military families—in North Carolina and around 

the country. North Carolina, like Hawaii, has a large number of servicemembers and veterans, and KAY has worked to 

make sure our troops get the support they need while they 

are in harm’s way and when they get home. 

Making sure veterans get the benefits they have earned 

and are treated with respect is another area where KAY has 

been a strong leader. She has worked to make sure veterans 

are able to transition to civilian life and prepare for college 

and career. Whether that means protecting veterans from 

scams or making sure colleges are serving veterans effectively, KAY has their back. 

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KAY also is a strong advocate for children and families. 

She has worked on reauthorizing newborn screening legislation to make sure illnesses are detected and treated early. 

Just last week she got her bipartisan newborn screening bill 

across the finish line, and it will soon head to President 

Obama’s desk. 

On education, KAY has worked on financial literacy in middle school and high school and turning around the highestneed K–12 schools. She has fought for minority-serving institutions and making sure job training and college help adults 

earn an associate’s degree or industry credential as soon as 

possible. 

As I was running for the Senate, I got a chance to get to 

know KAY, and upon my election, she was very helpful in 

showing me the ropes as a new Senator. The 20 Senate 

women have regular bipartisan dinners where we leave politics at the door, get to know each other, and relax. KAY is 

well known for her tireless work on behalf of her constituents, her graciousness as a host of Super Bowl parties, and 

her indefatigable positive attitude that rubs off on the rest 

of us. 

I and the Senate sisterhood will miss KAY. However, I expect that she will continue the spirited advocacy on behalf of 

the people of North Carolina whatever she next undertakes. 

Aloha KAY and a hui hou, ‘‘until we meet again.’’ 

Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I wish to celebrate and thank 

the 13 outgoing Senators who have worked tirelessly to represent their home States in the Senate: Senator Mark 

Begich, Senator Saxby Chambliss, Senator Tom Coburn, 

Senator KAY HAGAN, Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Mike 

Johanns, Senator Tim Johnson, Senator Mary Landrieu, 

Senator Carl Levin, Senator Mark Pryor, Senator Jay Rockefeller, Senator Mark Udall, and Senator John Walsh. 

I have worked side by side with these men and women for 

years—some for decades—and witnessed first hand their extraordinary commitment to public service and to the people 

they so proudly represent. 

Even when we didn’t see eye to eye on every issue, I always deeply respected and admired their service to our Nation and their dedication to fight for what they believe in. 

It has been a privilege to serve alongside each and every 

one of these extraordinary colleagues. I will miss their leadVerDate Aug 31 2005 15:05 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91903.TXT KAYNE
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ership and their friendship, and I wish them all the best as 

they embark on the next chapter. 

FRIDAY, January 2, 2014 

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to 

my dear friend and colleague, Senator KAY HAGAN from 

North Carolina. 

KAY HAGAN has quite a collection of hats. There is the hat 

she wore as a lawyer in Greensboro. She wore one hat as a 

banker, another as a State legislator helping to write North 

Carolina’s State budget. When she excelled in each of these 

roles, the voters of North Carolina gave her another hat to 

wear, as their U.S. Senator. 

KAY HAGAN joined us in January 2009, which was a difficult time for our Nation’s economy. With her background in 

the banking sector and her knowledge of the housing finance 

system, she got right to work on rebuilding our economy, 

with a stronger foundation. 

At the same time, she never allowed herself to be distracted from the needs specific to her North Carolina constituents. She recognized that North Carolina workers and 

small businesses were being threatened by unfair trade practices abroad, and she sought to address it. 

She recognizes how vital military bases are to North Carolina’s economy and to its culture, so she worked to protect 

them from cuts and closures. She was a leader for military 

families who care for disabled children, seeking to provide 

payments for them from the Survivor Benefit Plan. It was 

Senator HAGAN who stepped up to help families at Camp 

Lejeune get access to health care, following one of the worst 

cases of water contamination in American history. 

With two daughters of her own, Senator HAGAN knows 

about the demands of balancing child care with a career, and 

as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families, she called attention to the need for paid leave. Senator 

HAGAN and I share important health care priorities: she cosponsored a bill to improve the care of mothers and babies 

by establishing higher quality standards for maternity care 

through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. She has been a valuable ally on the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act, which would help doctors detect this disease 

earlier and provide more support for those taking care of a 

family member with Alzheimer’s. 

[ 13 ] 

I had the distinct honor of teaming up with Senator 

HAGAN earlier this year to help pork farmers get disaster assistance after a deadly virus devastated their livestock. We 

worked together to sound the alarm on student loan debt 

and to try to stop interest rates on Federal loans from rising. 

We both come from States where hunting, fishing, and 

wildlife are important components to residents’ quality of 

life. So I was pleased this past year to help Senator HAGAN

push for her Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act, which sought to expand access to Federal lands while taking significant steps 

toward conserving the land we use for recreation. 

I deeply regret that I will not be able to work with Senator 

HAGAN in the next Congress. But knowing how dear public 

service is to her, and how deeply that tradition is established 

in her family, I have no doubt that she will find new ways 

to serve the people of her beloved home State, and our Nation. 

Senator HAGAN, thank you for your service and thank you 

for being a wonderful friend. I wish you the very best of luck 

in all your future endeavors. 

Æ