TRIBUTES TO HON. MARK L. PRYOR 

Mark L. Pryor 

U.S. SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
Mark L. Pryor 

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office 


91909.001
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2015

S. DOC. 113–35 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Mark L. Pryor 

United States Senator 

2003–2015 

÷ 

Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

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

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

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Bennet, Michael F., of Colorado ................................................ 17 

Boozman, John, of Arkansas ..................................................... 17 

Boxer, Barbara, of California .................................................... 25 

Carper, Thomas R., of Delaware ............................................... 9 

Casey, Robert P., Jr., of Pennsylvania ..................................... 24 

Collins, Susan M., of Maine ...................................................... 4 

Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware ......................................... 16 

Durbin, Richard J., of Illinois ................................................... 6 

Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming ................................................... 16 

Graham, Lindsey, of South Carolina ........................................ 21 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 21, 24 

Heitkamp, Heidi, of North Dakota ........................................... 22 

Hirono, Mazie K., of Hawaii ...................................................... 25 

Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota .................................................. 13 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 23 

Nelson, Bill, of Florida ............................................................... 3 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 14 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada .............................................................. 18 

Sessions, Jeff, of Alabama ......................................................... 12 

Shaheen, Jeanne, of New Hampshire ...................................... 24 

Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan ................................................. 14 

[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

MARK PRYOR is an attorney and former attorney general of 

Arkansas who served as a U.S. Senator for 12 years. He 

earned a reputation as a voice of reason for having brought 

Democrats and Republicans and competing interests together 

to find common ground and get things done. Esquire magazine named Senator PRYOR as one of America’s ‘‘10 Best’’ legislators on Capitol Hill. 

Senator PRYOR helped build consensus on critical Senate 

panels, including the Appropriations, Commerce, Armed 

Services, Homeland Security, and Ethics Committees. He 

often built bipartisan coalitions to overcome stalemates, most 

notably on nominations, government spending, and energy 

policy. 

As a top-ranking Commerce Committee member, Senator 

PRYOR held chairmanships overseeing communications, technology, and consumer protection. He led the passage of landmark legislation to prevent dangerous toys and products 

from landing on store shelves. For these efforts, Parents 

magazine named him one of its three ‘‘movers and shakers’’ 

in Washington who have had a ‘‘profound effect on kids’ safety.’’ He also forged compromises among consumer advocacy 

groups and private industry that led to safer highways and 

more fuel efficient vehicles. 

As chairman of the Appropriation Committee’s Subcommittee on Agriculture, he directed funding to critical 

USDA and FDA programs on research, food safety, and rural 

development. On the Senate Armed Services Committee, 

Senator PRYOR passed legislation to improve tax benefits for 

soldiers and ensure Arkansas’ military installations and defense industry remain strong and vital. He leveraged his seat 

on the Small Business Committee to improve financing options and resources to help businesses compete in today’s 

global market. 

Senator PRYOR began his career in public service in 1990 

as a member of the Arkansas State House of Representatives. In 1998 he was elected Arkansas’ attorney general, 

making him the youngest chief law enforcement officer in the 

Nation. As attorney general, he led efforts to toughen laws 

[ vi ] 

against drunk drivers, protect children on the Internet, and 

establish the Morgan Nick Alert System, which helps to locate missing and exploited children. 

Senator PRYOR grew up around the law, politics, and policy 

as the son of a U.S. Senator and Arkansas Governor, living 

in both Arkansas and Washington, DC. He received a B.A. 

in history and his law degree from the University of Arkansas and worked in private legal practice for over 10 years. 

He has a son and a daughter who attend the University of 

Arkansas. 

[ vii ] 

Farewell to the Senate 

Monday, December 8, 2014 

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I have to begin today by saying one thing, that is, to God be the glory. I will finish with 

that too. But first let me say a few words. 

Since election night I have had many Arkansans come up 

to me and thank me for my service. I appreciate that. But 

I need to thank them for allowing me to do this for the last 

12 years. It sounds like a cliche, but it is not. Serving in the 

Senate has been the greatest honor of my life. It truly has 

been. I have loved it. I have always done it with a cheerful 

heart. When I go back to my beloved Arkansas, I have to 

thank the people of Arkansas for allowing me to work for 

them. I must confess I will miss waking up every morning 

and thinking, how can I make a difference for Arkansas and 

for America today? Those years were momentous in so many 

ways, for our country and for our world. I had a front row 

seat to making history, and I hope I made a little bit of it 

myself. 

On a personal level, those years were filled with family 

and friends, a remarkable staff, my Senate colleagues, and 

a whole series of rich, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

The Lord has given me two wonderful children who are 

now in college. I know many of you all saw them for the first 

time when they were in elementary school. I am very proud, 

and their mother is very proud, of Adams and Porter Pryor. 

I am very excited about their future. 

God has also brought an old sweetheart back into my life, 

Joi. She and I attended the sixth and seventh grades together. So when I say God has brought joy in my life, I mean 

it, literally. 

Many of you know my parents. Of course, I would be nothing without them. David and Barbara Pryor have touched so 

many lives. They continue to do so. 

For the last 8 years, I have lived with my brother David 

and Judith and Hampton Pryor in Washington, when I am 

here in Washington. I will always be grateful for their love 

and hospitality. 

[ viii ] 

Scott and Diane and Devin Pryor in New York have been 

a great inspiration to me as well. 

My staff is simply awesome. I love them all, and they are 

all part of my family too. There are too many to mention, but 

words such as talent, commitment, public service, effectiveness, all come to mind whenever their names come up. I 

have said this many times about my staff, and they keep 

telling me not to say it, but I am going to say it one last 

time: They do 99 percent of the work and I get 99 percent 

of the credit. So I want to acknowledge them for a job well 

done. They should all hold their heads high for the difference 

they have made. 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: 

Lisa Ackerman, Adrianna Alley, Ronnie Anderson, Suzanne Bartolomei, 

Tim Bass, Frank Bateman, Jason Bockenstedt, Patrice Bolling, Cathy 

Bozynski, Zac Bradley, Becca Bradley, Ruth Bradley, Rachel Brown, Sonya 

Bryant, LaRonda Bryles, Tamara Buchholz, Britton Burnett, Margery 

Buzbee, Macio Cameron, Lauren Carter, Rachel Colson, Kim Cooper, Paul 

Cox, Emily Culver, Laura Culver, Olivia Dedner, Shiloh Dillon, Martine 

Downs, Wes Duncan, Michael Fangue, William Feland, Greg Feldman, Jeff 

Fitch, Sherry Flippo, Bradford Foley, Derrick Freeman, Conor Frickel, Bess 

Ginty, Terri Glaze, Andrew Grobmyer. 

Russell Hall, Beth Hallmark, Julie Hamilton, Jacob Hargraves, Megan 

Hargraves, Ruth Hargraves, Justin Harper, Ehren Hartz, Tonya Hass, Mary 

Grace Hathaway, Whitney Haynes, Brigit Helgen, Larry Henderson, Lauren 

Henry-Cowles, Hannah Herdlinger, Carrie Hern, Tate Heuer, Gene 

Higginbotham, Brandon Hirsch, Emily Hoard, Sarah Holland, Greg 

Holyfield, Vincent Insalaco, Susie James, Mark Johnston, Louis Keller, 

Hank Kilgore, Caroline Kobek Pezzarossi, Shannon Lane, Stephen 

Lehrman, Autumn Lewis, Sam Losow, Shannon Lovejoy, Stan Luker, Scott 

Macconomy, Amanda Manatt-Story, Elizabeth Manney, Randy Massanelli, 

Eric May, Madra McAdoo, Nathan McCarroll, Lauren McClain. 

Marietta McClure, Audrey McFarland, Valerie McNeese, Kate Melcher, 

Rodell Mollineau, Melissa Moody, Reed Moody, Brook Mumford, Callie Neel, 

Eric Nelson, Wayne Palmer, Allison Pearson, Mia Petrini, Brad Phelan, Jim 

Pitcock, Marisa Pryor, Walter Pryor, Hayne Rainey, Candace Randle, Kris 

Raper, Robbie Reed, Mary Renick, Erin Ridgeway, Jenny Robertson, Kirk 

Robertson, Bob Russell, Paul Sanders, Amy Schlesing, Kymara Seals, Kristin Sharp, Ashley Shelton, Ashely Simmons, Jason Smedley, Haley Smoot, 

Lucy Speed, Brandon Spicher, Jeffrey Stein, Arthur Stokenbury, Michelle 

Strikowsky, Kelsey Stroud, Kelvin Stroud, Richard Swan, Frances Tate, Michael Teague, Jennifer Thompson, Courtney Van Buren, Joan Vehik, Crystal Waitekus, Brad Watt, David West, Preston Weyland, Deke Whitbeck, 

Libby Whitbeck, Amanda White, Marco White, Quinten Whiteside, Elizabeth Wilson, Andy York, Mary Claire York, Julie Zelnick. 

Mr. PRYOR. My colleagues. What can I say about my colleagues that has not been said before? Or maybe I could say, 

[ ix ] 

what can I say about my colleagues that they have not said 

about themselves before? 

You know, politics is about people; not just the people out 

there, but the people in here, the people the people elect. I 

have served with some greats and some giants. Robert C. 

Byrd, Ted Kennedy, Daniel Inouye, Ted Stevens are at the 

top of the list. But the truth is every single Senator I have 

served with is a giant. 

I have served with about 175 other Senators, so there are 

too many to single out. But I have made lifelong friendships 

here. We have done a lot of good things together. This is 

what I will remember: all the personalities, all the times 

when we came together to do the right thing, and all the successes we had together. 

While in the Senate, I had more than 70 initiatives signed 

into law. Almost all of those have been bipartisan. I ask 

unanimous consent to have that list printed in the Record. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 

printed in the Record, as follows: 

HIGHLIGHTS OF SENATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Opened a new opportunity for the forestry industry. Allowed domestic forestry products to be recognized by USDA as biobased, leveling the playing 

field with imports and ensuring such products can be procured by the Federal Government and sold as a greener alternative to consumers, P.L. 113– 

179. 

Funded critical agriculture needs as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. Crafted and passed $20 billion annual spending 

measure that allocates funds for agriculture programs, P.L. 113–76. 

Ensured veterans could collect retirement benefits without gimmicks. Restored the full retirement pay promised to disabled veterans and their survivors, P.L. 113–76. 

Honored former Senator Dale Bumpers for his conservation efforts. Renamed the White River National Wildlife Refuge to the Senator Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge, P.L. 113–76. 

Ensured patients have access to lifesaving medical treatment. Allowed the 

FDA to access industry-paid user fees that had been blocked by sequestration, P.L. 113–76. 

Ensured disabled veterans are treated with dignity during airport security. Ensured the dignity of wounded and severely disabled servicemembers 

and veterans during airport security screenings, P.L. 113–27. 

Protected food safety inspections from sequestration. Ensured USDA food 

inspectors were not furloughed, protecting 500,000 industry jobs at meat, 

poultry, and egg production facilities, P.L. 113–6. 

Sought greater employment opportunities for veterans. Allowed States to 

accept military training as fulfilling credentials or certifications for special 

skills required for certain civilian jobs, P.L. 112–239. 

Protected consumers from international scams. Extended the FTC’s ability 

to coordinate investigation efforts with foreign counterparts and obtain monVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Jun 23, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91909.TXT KAYNE
[ x ] 

etary consumer redress in cases involving Internet fraud and deception, P.L. 

112–203. 

Expanded the safety mission at the National Center for Toxicological Research. Allows the FDA to focus on the health and safety implications of 

nanomaterials, P.L. 112–144, P.L. 112–55. 

Kept fatigued truckdrivers off the road with electronic logging devices. Required truckers to use electronic logging devices to more accurately monitor 

hours on the job, P.L. 112–141. 

Prevented dangerous drivers from driving big rigs with national drug 

database. Established a national database of drug testing information for 

commercial drivers to ensure they can’t bypass the law, P.L. 112–141. 

Stepped up vehicle safety following numerous recalls. Updated safety and 

compliance standards, and increased resources at DOT to conduct additional 

research and address emerging technologies, P.L. 112–141. 

Reduced distracted driving. Established a grant program for States to 

enact and enforce laws discouraging distracted driving, P.L. 112–141. 

Provided flexibility in pension plan payments. Allows certain companies 

to invest in growth opportunities instead of setting aside millions to cover 

certain pension payments, P.L. 112–141. 

Protected homeowners from buying unnecessary flood insurance. Defeated 

a mandate that would force families and businesses behind certified levees, 

dams, and other protection to purchase unnecessary flood insurance, P.L. 

112–141. 

Stabilized Arkansas funding for Rural Schools Program. Authorized 

USDA to allocate Federal dollars for road projects in the State despite a 

missed deadline, P.L. 112–141. 

Expanded possibilities at the U.S. Marshals Museum. Enabled the sale of 

coins to raise $5 million to enhance exhibits at the U.S. Marshals Museum, 

P.L. 112–104. 

Ensured military families receive death benefits. Provided death benefits 

to a family should a reservist die at home during training, P.L. 112–81. 

Facilitated Camp Robinson land exchanges to improve training and safety. Twice waived a statute to allow the National Guard to gain land more 

conducive for training and for an aviation support facility, P.L. 112–81, P.L. 

109–13. 

Enabled first responders to help neighboring States during a disaster. Secured $2 million for a program enabling first responders to help their neighbors in times of emergency, P.L. 112–74. 

Fixed FEMA’s errors in disaster assistance repayment process. Used legislative privileges to stop FEMA from recouping disaster aid from an elderly 

couple who did nothing wrong, and granted FEMA the clear authority to 

waive debt in cases of FEMA error, P.L. 112–74. 

Leveraged funds for economic development in the Delta. Increased the 

Delta Regional Authority’s budget by nearly $2 million, P.L. 112–74. 

Expanded environmentally-friendly options for military construction 

projects. Encouraged DOD to recognize all American National Standards Institute approved building ratings and certification systems, P.L. 112–74. 

Provided community access to health care. Provided HHS with the authority to issue a waiver and preserve funding for Arkansas health education 

centers, P.L. 112–74, P.L. 112–10. 

Promoted exports abroad. Required the Commerce Department to develop 

an outreach plan to strengthen export promotion entities such as the Arkansas World Trade Center, P.L. 112–55. 

[ xi ] 

Expanded science parks. Enables the government to make loan guarantees and grants to create or expand science parks, P.L. 112–55. 

Protected taxpayer dollars from prisoner fraud. Required Federal and 

State prison systems to share information on inmates with the IRS. This 

step allows the IRS to cross reference tax returns with the list of inmates 

to determine if a legitimate return is filed, before tax refunds are paid, P.L. 

112–41. 

Expanded environmentally-friendly options for military construction 

projects. Encouraged DOD to recognize all American National Standards Institute approved building ratings and certification systems, S. Rept. 112–29. 

Modified product safety law to reflect lead limit capabilities. Allows flexibility for certain manufacturers and charities in complying with new lead 

limits, P.L. 112–28. 

Weeded out border corruption. Required applicants for law enforcement 

positions within U.S. Customs and Border Protection to receive a polygraph 

exam before they are hired, P.L. 111–376. 

Spurred innovation in technology through monetary prizes. Enables Federal agencies to hold competitions with monetary prizes in order to encourage innovation in research and technology, P.L. 111–358. 

Improved investments to advance U.S. manufacturing. Required the National Science and Technology Council to identify priorities for R&D programs and address challenges in those programs, P.L. 111–358. 

Incorporated entrepreneurship into STEM activities. Requires lessons in 

innovation and entrepreneurship be taught as part of science, technology, 

engineering, and math (STEM) education activities, P.L. 111–358. 

Improved technology access for blind and deaf. Ensures all Americans are 

able to fully utilize online devices, regardless of disability, P.L. 111–260. 

Prevented excessive financial regulation of nonbanks. Ensured banks and 

financial companies receive a higher threshold of review by the Federal Reserve, but that companies who were not part of the fiscal crisis, like Home 

Depot, do not have to undergo additional supervision, P.L. 111–203. 

Empowered consumers to make informed choices when selecting health 

plans. Ensured consumers have an easy-to-use Internet tool to select the 

best plan on the health care exchange, P.L. 111–148. 

Retired certain C–130Es. Retired outdated C–130Es and saved taxpayers 

millions of dollars in maintenance and storage costs, P.L. 111–84. 

Streamlined DOD research requirements. Eliminated a duplicative report 

to Congress on DOD development programs to allow the Pentagon to spend 

more time on research and less time on paperwork, P.L. 111–84. 

Blocked unreasonable regulation to end pocketknife sales. Prevented Customs and Border Patrol from banning certain pocket knives, bringing relief 

to consumers and the 20,000 employees that could have been impacted, P.L. 

111–83. 

Preserved President Clinton’s birthplace for future generations. Designated the former President’s home as a National Historic Site and unit of 

the National Park System, P.L. 111–11. 

Helped parents protect children from inappropriate content on the Internet. Required the FCC to fulfill its obligation to continuously review and implement blocking technology as it is developed, P.L. 110–452. 

Fixed housing contract problems for military families. Requires DOD to 

investigate and prevent base housing problems, P.L. 110–417. 

Fought for fairness for military pilots. Directed the Air Force and Navy 

to review pilot assignments to nonflying duties, and the effect these assignments have on these officers’ eligibility for flight pay, P.L. 110–417. 

[ xii ] 

Ensured farmers access to ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Required DHS to 

ensure that any person who produces or sells ammonium nitrate (AN) registers their facility and maintains records of sales. Buyers are checked 

against a terrorist screening database, which keeps AN out of the wrong 

hands without placing an undue burden on farmers, P.L. 110–329. 

Protected consumers from toxic toys and other dangerous products. Overhauled the Consumer Product Safety Commission and established strong 

product safety safeguards that cut fatalities in half and dramatically reduced toy-related recalls, P.L. 110–314. 

Fought for fairness in the Tax Code for military families. Enabled men 

and women in uniform to collect combat pay and other tax benefits, such 

as the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit, P.L. 110–245, P.L. 

108–311. 

Provided relief to military families affected by landlord foreclosures. Allowed the military to move household goods for members of the Armed 

Forces who are forced to relocate when the housing they are renting goes 

into foreclosure, P.L. 110–289. 

Advanced investment in cellulosic biofuel. Required USDA to conduct a 

nationwide analysis of where the greatest potential for development of cellulosic biofuel exists, P.L. 110–234. 

Updated regulations for private-public partnerships following disrupted 

rice exports. Improves quality control standards for university and private 

sector research, P.L. 110–234. 

Ensured soldiers receive fair time for rest and recuperation. Offered additional leave for troops serving extended tours, P.L. 110–181. 

Kept the Do Not Call List free. Permanently kept the Do Not Call Program free, simple, and effective, P.L. 110–188. 

Improved medical care for wounded warriors. Increased personnel and resources available to treat wounded warriors, with an emphasis on training 

health care workers on identifying and treating PTSD and TBI, P.L. 110– 

181. 

Made swimming pools safer for children. Requires drain covers to meet 

antientrapment safety standards, P.L. 110–140. 

Improved fuel economy standards. Negotiated an agreement that overcame 30 years of deadlock on fuel economy standards, P.L. 110–140. 

Maintained training for first responders. Secured funding for the Domestic Preparedness Equipment Technical Assistance Program, a nationwide 

training program for first responders, P.L. 110–53, P.L. 109–295. 

Tapped an Arkansas center to head rural transportation security research. Designated the Mack-Blackwell Rural Transportation Center at the 

University of Arkansas as a ‘‘National Center of Excellence for Transportation Security,’’ P.L. 110–53. 

Expanded online education opportunities for minorities. Established a 

pilot program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to develop online courses, P.L. 110–16. 

Improved energy efficiency in military housing. Directed DOD to consider 

products that meet Energy Star specifications in order to reduce the military’s energy bill, P.L. 109–364. 

Cracked down on foreign truckdrivers entering the United States illegally. 

Directed DOT and DHS to comply with measures that eliminate fraud in 

the commercial drivers license process and verify citizenship, P.L. 109–347. 

Put the FEMA mobile homes to good use. Ensured that mobile homes purchased by FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina went to serve the 

public good, P.L. 109–295. 

[ xiii ] 

Removed unnecessary obstacles for a local manufacturing company. Eliminated a 4.5 percent tariff on crotonaldehyde for Eastman Chemical Corporation, P.L. 109–280. 

Kept local manufacturer globally competitive. Eliminated a 4.5 percent 

tariff on LCD display panels in order to reduce production costs for Sanyo, 

P.L. 109–280. 

Funded the completion of the Little Rock Central High School Museum 

and Visitors Center. Secured more than $5 million to complete the center, 

P.L. 109–146, P.L. 109–54. 

Identified gasoline price gouging. Requires the FTC to determine if and 

where gasoline price gouging occurs in the supply chain, P.L. 109–108. 

Prioritized Cleburne County for water infrastructure assistance. Encouraged the Agriculture Secretary to prioritize Cleburne County, AR, for rural 

utilities service water and waste water loans and grants, P.L. 109–97. 

Improved medical care to soldiers. Increased funding for mobile medical 

shelter prototypes, and later urged FEMA to use up to $10 million to acquire a mobile medical system for evaluation, P.L. 109–90, P.L. 108–287. 

Prevented moving companies from holding goods hostage. Requires movers to release goods if a customer pays the estimate, P.L. 109–59. 

Promoted the commercialization of biodiesel and hythane. Requires DOE, 

in conjunction with universities throughout the country, to prepare reports 

that would evaluate how to best deploy biodiesel and hythane and create an 

infrastructure to support their potential, P.L. 109–58. 

Protected soybean industry. Directed the USDA to initiate a stronger response to combat Asian Soybean Rust, which resulted in $1.2 million for the 

effort, P.L. 109–13. 

Established tracking system for wounded servicemembers. Ensures families receive timely information when loved ones are wounded, P.L. 108–375. 

Mr. PRYOR. I do not do very many press conferences, as 

you all know, and I have always been first in line to work 

with any and all of my colleagues to try to get things done. 

The Senate is a special place. On a personal level, we talk 

about the Senate family. It is a family. When people mention 

the Senate to me, I think of other Senators, of course, and 

I think of legislation, but usually the first thing that comes 

to mind is the people who work here: the Parliamentarians, 

the clerks, the doormen, the Capitol Police. I am appreciative 

of the other Senators’ staffs and the committee staffs, and 

even to my House colleagues—most of them, anyway. No, 

even to my House colleagues. 

But I have always been mindful of the people who really 

make this place run: the janitorial staff, the folks in the restaurants, the maintenance guys, the painters, the carpenters, the tech people. The list goes on. All of them contribute to make the Senate what it is. We work here together. We go through life and budget cuts and changing political winds together. There is a bond we all feel because we 

all have been in the Senate together. 

[ xiv ] 

Please give me just a few moments of your time to make 

this next point. As great an institution as the Senate is, the 

Senate is broken. The American people know it. In fact, this 

is an area where the American people are way ahead of 

Washington. The people around our Nation look at Washington and they shake their heads. We sometimes cannot see 

the forest for the trees because we get bogged down in personalities or perceived wrongs or whatever the case may be. 

This is not a Barack Obama problem, this is not a George 

Bush problem. In fact, all recent Presidents have gone 

through periods of deep unpopularity. This is an ‘‘all of us’’ 

problem. The political environment today grinds the trust 

and confidence out of our system. Let me tell you, that is not 

good for anybody. 

The Republicans have a great opportunity in 2015 and 

2016. They convinced the voters they are the party that can 

govern. Now it is time for them to turn off the rhetoric and 

turn on the governing. In the Senate, if the new Republican 

majority will run the Senate the way they have said it 

should be run, then this is a very good start. If we can replay 

the tape over the last 2 years, we will hear Republican Senators time and again clamor for an open amendment process 

and for regular order. They were caustic when the Democratic majority changed the rules—a change, by the way 

which I did not support. So let’s change the rules back to 

what they were. Let’s govern the way we know we ought to 

govern. 

Democrats—this is an important message—Democrats 

should help the Republicans govern. The rules are not the 

problem around here. We are the problem, all 100 of us. 

Hyperpartisanship has gotten the best of us. When things 

get too partisan, good judgment and common sense go out 

the window. The biggest and most serious problem facing our 

Nation today is the dysfunction in our political system within Washington. America has incredible potential, but we cannot reach it unless Washington starts to work again for all 

of us. If we are to continue to be the greatest Nation on 

Earth, we must work together. That is, after all, the American way. That is our history. This country was created, this 

country was forged. The great melting pot is just that, a 

melting pot. E pluribus unum actually means something: 

Out of many, one. We have many differing viewpoints, many 

philosophies, many backgrounds, many priorities. So we 

have the pluribus part down pat. That is not the problem. 

No, the challenge comes with the unum. 

[ xv ] 

From my perspective, I see the ultimate question as a 

question of loyalty. Who are we loyal to? I just mentioned 

that we have many different viewpoints, philosophies, and 

agendas. But if we have different loyalties, then we are a divided nation. That will only lead to bad things. When each 

of us takes our oath of office, we swear allegiance to the Constitution, not a party, nor a President, nor an interest group. 

We do not swear allegiance to those who pay for our campaigns or to a certain agenda. We need to hash out our differences in the Senate in committee and on the floor, then 

hash them out with the House, but at the end of the day, 

produce legislation. That is the essence of the legislative 

branch. We also must exert our authority as article I, the 

first branch of government. 

We have checks and balances. We cannot provide the 

check or the balance if we are not functioning. Making this 

place function is part of our oath of office. One thing we 

should all remember: The Senate is bigger than we are. We 

do not have to look further than our own desks to see that. 

Look inside your desk and you see the names written in the 

drawer. In my desk I see Senator Gronna, elected in 1911 

from North Dakota. Names such as Everett Dirksen and 

George Mitchell, David Pryor, Joe Lieberman, and Carl 

Levin—these men molded history. These are Senators who 

shaped world events. These Senators were good stewards of 

what our Founding Fathers created for us. We should be too, 

each and every one of us. 

The Father of our Country had a lot to say about partisanship. In his Farewell Address, he warns us of the ‘‘continual 

mischiefs’’ and ‘‘ill-founded jealousies’’ caused by parties. We 

should take heed. It is the greatest mistake of our time to 

allow these prophesied mischiefs and jealousies to divide us 

and damage the American political character. 

Abraham Lincoln once famously said, ‘‘A house divided 

against itself cannot stand.’’ That is so true. His voice is 

echoing down through the halls of history to us. If we are divided, we cannot stand. We will not stand a chance in the 

future. Let Lincoln’s words be a clarion call to all Members 

of Congress. That includes all Senators. 

Look at what is happening to us. The Congress is getting 

more liberal and more conservative. Look at the wild swings 

in regulations that have occurred from President Clinton to 

President Bush to President Obama. No wonder we are seeing a sluggish economic recovery. 

[ xvi ] 

Washington is creating uncertainty and instability. The 

private sector cannot make investments or take risks with 

confidence. It should be the opposite. The Federal Government should be fostering economic growth. This country 

needs Washington to function. That starts in this Chamber. 

One thing I like to say in meetings is this: ‘‘Don’t just 

bring me the problem, bring me the solution.’’ So I have 

identified a big problem here this afternoon. It is fair for you 

to ask about the solution. Regardless of your political philosophy, bipartisanship is the answer. Let’s take off the red jersey and take off the blue jersey and let us all put on the red, 

white, and blue jersey. Our Nation’s challenges, large and 

small, require us to get on the same team; that is team USA. 

Remember, I mentioned Abraham Lincoln saying that, ‘‘A 

house divided against itself cannot stand.’’ Well, he was actually quoting an itinerant Jewish rabbi who said that about 

2,000 years ago. Jesus was right then and He is right now. 

A house divided against itself cannot stand. Good government is good politics. Although there are short-term gains to 

be had by political division, the long-term consequences are 

bad for the country. It is time for the giants of the Senate 

to emerge. Jesus has offered us some advice. Probably the 

best practical advice of wisdom He left us here in the Congress is called the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would 

have them do unto you. If we applied that around here, 

about three-quarters of our problems would vanish. Poof. 

Is that impossible? Not at all. Most of us claim to have a 

Judeo-Christian faith, so why not apply what we know to be 

true? The first step in this process is another one of Jesus’ 

admonitions—forgive one another. 

I know each Senator, from time to time, feels betrayed, let 

down, slighted, or somehow wronged. We need to forgive one 

another and let the healing begin. 

I am not trying to combine religion and politics, but I 

think most everyone in the world agrees that Jesus is one of 

the greatest moral teachers of all time. He has a lot to say 

about how we should treat one another. 

There are and there will be 100 Senators. Healing the Senate and getting it to function as it did for two centuries is 

up to each individual Senator. That means doing the right 

thing but also persuading others to do the right thing. It is 

not about us, it is about our country, our children, and our 

grandchildren. It is about being good stewards. 

In closing, let me say I loved my time with you. I will always remember you with fondness and I will always be 

[ xvii ] 

cheering for you. I expect great things from you because I 

know you are capable of doing great things. God bless the 

Senate and the work we do, and God bless the United States 

of America. 

I yield the floor. 

(Applause, Senators rising.) 

TRIBUTES 

TO 

MARK L. PRYOR 

[ 3 ] 

Proceedings in the Senate 

MONDAY, December 8, 2014 

Mr. NELSON. Mr. President, in just a few moments one 

of my best friends in the Senate is going to give his farewell 

address. Senator MARK PRYOR of Arkansas, a former State 

legislator, former attorney general, and two-term Senator, 

was caught in this tidal wave in the last election that caused 

those of us in the Democratic Party in the former old Confederacy, now known as the South—and of course parts of the 

South these days don’t look anything like the old Confederacy. As a matter of fact, my State of Florida is a good example. It is a compendium of people from all over the United 

States because folks from all over the country have moved to 

Florida, and thus it is a microcosm of the country. 

Arkansas is a State where the Pryor family has served 

with great distinction and enormous public service for decades. Although it temporarily comes to an end with Senator 

PRYOR leaving the Congress in January, that is not the end 

of his public service. His mom and dad served so ably for 

years in the Governor’s mansion, as well as the Senate, serving the people of this country and Arkansas. MARK and his 

family served our country so ably over the years and that 

public service will continue. 

I reflect back just a few days ago when Senator Rockefeller 

gave his farewell speech. He is another extraordinary public 

servant who has demonstrated selfless public service. He is 

a Senator who, because of his family heritage, could have 

done anything he wanted, but he chose—after a life of privilege, growing up as a young man, and after having spent 

time abroad—to go to one of the poorest States in the Union. 

He first was a volunteer to the poor and later developed a 

distinguished record of public service that included secretary 

of state, Governor, and now a five-term Senator. I will speak 

later about other colleagues who are leaving. 

These are just two examples. Senator Rockefeller and my 

seatmate Senator PRYOR are extraordinary public servants 

who when you talked to them and when you looked in their 

[ 4 ] 

eyes, if they gave you their word, that was it. You didn’t 

have to worry about it. 

Some say it is a throwback to the old days. The old days 

is a throwback that we ought to go to, when if a Senator 

gave you his or her word, that was it, when there was civility among Senators, when there was not an avalanche of outside money that came in to try to define you with statements 

that were not true. 

We see what has happened to our politics in America 

today with exceptional millions of dollars coming into a 

State, buying up television, to create a statement in 27 seconds often that is not true and that fact checkers say is not 

true, factcheck.org and Politifact. 

Yet when we talk to the TV stations and the broadcast stations and show them the fact checkers, they will still run the 

TV ads. But rather than talk about the mistakes that were 

made with the Citizens United Supreme Court case and 

missing by one vote in this Chamber several years ago—we 

had 59 votes and we needed 60 to cut off debate so we could 

get to the DISCLOSE Act, a DISCLOSE Act that did not 

counter the Supreme Court decision, it just said if you are 

going to spend all this money, you are going to have to say 

who it is that is doing the contribution. 

Of course, if we had been able to pass that, then all of this 

money would not be flowing because it is hiding behind this 

masquerade of the Committee for Good Government or the 

ABC committee for whatever. So they masquerade behind 

that veil to spend all of that money for their ultimate purposes. 

It caught a number of our people. Just look at what happened in the runoff election this last Saturday. Look at the 

imbalance of the spending on television that occurred since 

the general election and the runoff in the State of Louisiana. 

I will speak about Senator Landrieu, Senator Udall, Senator Begich, and Senator Kay Hagan later. 

I wanted particularly to talk about Senator Rockefeller, 

our chairman of the Commerce Committee, and Senator 

PRYOR, one of the finest public servants I have ever had a 

chance to serve with. 

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to give a tribute to 

Senator PRYOR, whose remarks we have just heard [see farewell address, page vii]. 

Through nearly a quarter of a century of dedicated public 

service, Senator MARK PRYOR has established a strong reputation as the voice of reason. 

[ 5 ] 

From an Arkansas legislator and attorney general to a 

U.S. Senator, Senator PRYOR has always put the people first. 

To me, he has been an admired colleague, a great collaborator, and a treasured friend. Working with Senator PRYOR

during his service in the Senate, I know that he acquired his 

voice of reason the old-fashioned way: He is such a good listener. 

All of us are pretty good talkers, or we wouldn’t be here, 

but Senator PRYOR has the distinction of being a good listener. Whether debating colleagues on the Senate floor or 

interacting with his guests on his Pryor-Side Chats back 

home, he has consistently demonstrated that he is one of 

those special individuals who can disagree without ever 

being disagreeable. He always sticks to his principles, yet he 

respects the principles of those with whom he disagrees. He 

is well informed but always open to new information. 

It has been a particular pleasure to work with Senator 

PRYOR on the Homeland Security Committee for many years 

and on the Committee on Appropriations. His work ethic, his 

attention to detail, his willingness, once again, to listen to alternative views have been great assets in addressing the 

challenges we face in our country. 

He has been a diligent fiscal watchdog for the Nation’s taxpayers. To me, Senator PRYOR’s approach to public service is 

best defined by the crucial role he played in ending the government shutdown in fall 2013 and as a member of the Gang 

of 14 in 2005. In each case he worked closely with me and 

with other Members to end a crisis and to achieve a responsible, commonsense solution. In each case he listened and he 

led. 

As a charter member of our Common Sense Coalition last 

year, Senator PRYOR stepped forward to restore both government operations and help to restore some modicum of citizen 

confidence in our Senate, in our government. 

These certainly were not the only times that Senator 

PRYOR’s bipartisan approach and concern for the well-being 

of Americans had been evident. In 2007, after a large number of recalls following injuries and deaths that caused parents throughout America to be concerned about the safety of 

their children’s toys—especially those manufactured overseas—he once again stepped forward to lead. After an extensive investigation in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator PRYOR worked with those 

of us on the Republican side on a bill to strengthen the Consumer Product Safety Commission so that we can now better 

[ 6 ] 

detect and counter threats to our children’s health before 

these threats even reach the store shelves, and eventually 

homes, schools, and daycare centers. 

From restoring trust in government to protecting our children, Senator PRYOR has proven over and over again that bipartisanship works. It is so significant that his message to 

us today is that the dysfunction and hyperpartisanship that 

have characterized the Senate cannot stand. 

That is a wonderful parting message, and it is typical of 

Senator PRYOR that rather than talking about all of his accomplishments, he instead is beseeching the Senate to work 

together in the interests of all Americans—whether we are 

Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Greens, or not affiliated with any party at all. 

The 2014 election did not produce the result Senator 

PRYOR had hoped for, but it did reveal another aspect of his 

extraordinary character. His message to the people of Arkansas and to the new Senator-elect on election night was genuine and it was gracious. To the people of Arkansas, he simply expressed his sincere gratitude for the opportunity to 

serve. But may these words, spoken that evening to us in the 

Chamber, which he echoed today, be his legacy. He said that 

night: 

The biggest and most serious problem we are facing in this Nation today 

is the dysfunction of our political system in Washington. We have incredible 

potential, but we won’t reach it unless Washington starts to work again for 

all of us. 

MARK PRYOR has been an extraordinary individual who always did what he believed was right. He has contributed 

enormously to our country and served his State well. 

I commend him for his service and I thank him for his 

commitment, his integrity, and, most of all, for his friendship. 

Thank you, MARK. 

I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The assistant majority leader. 

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the great Cesar Chavez once 

said, ‘‘If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s 

house and eat with him . . . the people who give you their 

food give you their heart.’’ 

That is true. Sometimes they give you more than that. 

Sometimes they give you an adventure in eating that you 

will never forget. 

[ 7 ] 

That is what happened to me when, in January, I was invited by MARK PRYOR to be his guest at a legendary Arkansas political event. I am talking about the historic, wellknown, annual Gillett, AR, coon supper. 

Never heard of the Gillett coon supper in Arkansas? It is 

to Arkansas what Tom Harkin’s steak fry is to Iowa, only it 

is nonpartisan, it draws about 1,200, and unfortunately they 

don’t serve steak. 

Coon is raccoon served in large buckets. Folks just reach 

inside and pull out a chunk of coon, as they say in Gillett. 

I was there that night with MARK PRYOR. I wanted to 

make sure I had my best manners as a visiting guest. I was 

certainly appreciative of the invitation to a packed room with 

the Governor and every walking politician in Arkansas. Bill 

Clinton had been there over and over again in his terms as 

Governor. He never missed that supper, and we weren’t 

about to miss it that evening. 

I watched as they put these bowls of coon and other meats 

on the table, and I noticed something interesting. All of the 

visitors like myself had bowls of coon put in front of them. 

All the folks from Arkansas were eating out of the beef platter. It struck me that perhaps this was a delicacy they were 

saving just for guests. We asked for advice from MARK

PRYOR about the proper selection of the cooked coon, and he 

said, ‘‘Get one with a big bone because they have the least 

amount of meat on them.’’ 

So we followed his advice, nibbled at the corners, smiled, 

and said what a great dinner it was. We looked around and 

saw that only a handful of the local people from Arkansas 

were actually eating the delicacy of the evening, including 

one old fellow whom I went up to afterward to introduce myself to who was wearing a real coonskin cap. He told me he 

shot the raccoon and this cap had been in his family for a 

long time. He passed it on to his daughter first, of course, 

and then to his grandson. 

Mark Twain, another Mark, it turns out, loved roasted raccoon as well, but he always kept an open mind when it came 

to the issues of the day, including the issue of the afterlife. 

Mark Twain once said, ‘‘I don’t like to commit myself about 

heaven and hell—you see, I have friends in both places.’’ One 

reason MARK PRYOR has been such a good Senator is that he 

has friends on both sides of the aisle. We just heard this 

warm tribute to MARK PRYOR from my friend Susan Collins 

of Maine, and I am sure others will join the chorus on both 

sides. 

[ 8 ] 

MARK PRYOR is a man of deep faith who takes seriously 

the admonition from the book of the prophet Isaiah, ‘‘Come 

now, let us reason together.’’ 

Like Kay Hagan and Mark Udall in our caucus, MARK

PRYOR has politics and public service in his bloodstream. 

MARK LUNSFORD PRYOR is the fifth generation of Pryors to 

serve in politics in his State. The first three generations 

served as sheriffs. 

MARK PRYOR served 4 years in the Arkansas House of 

Representatives and 4 years as Arkansas attorney general. 

In 2002, the people of Arkansas elected him to the Senate, 

the same seat his father David held in the Senate for 18 

years. MARK PRYOR placed on his desk the same motto that 

his father placed on his. It read, simply: ‘‘Arkansas Comes 

First.’’ 

But he made his own decisions, and he left a considerable 

mark in the Senate. Halfway through his freshman term, a 

new Member himself, MARK PRYOR was called on to join 

forces with the lions of the Senate—John Warner, Robert C. 

Byrd, and Danny Inouye—to forge a compromise over judicial nominations that averted a threat to a bigger confrontation. That compromise, MARK said, was the result of perspiration, not inspiration. 

I disagree. It involved the inspiration of a young Senator 

from Arkansas who realized that public service often meant 

trying to work together and to reason together and to try to 

break down in your own individual fashion the dysfunction 

of Washington. 

I worked with MARK on so many things over the years. As 

a whip I went to him many times, and we talked about difficult votes. I always found him to be honest, straightforward, and highly principled. We didn’t always come to the 

same conclusion on the vote, but I respected him every time 

because I knew he gave thoughtful consideration to both 

sides. When it came to his vote, he was going to do what was 

right in his own heart and especially what was right for Arkansas. I knew that would make the final decision when it 

came to the vote. 

I also want to put in a word of thanks to MARK as a grandfather of two 3-year-olds who are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus in just a few weeks. You see, MARK had 

the responsibility of reforming the Consumer Product Safety 

Commission. It was an assignment long overdue. That commission was grinding to a halt. It was not exercising its authority, and it wasn’t keeping Americans safe, as it should. 

[ 9 ] 

MARK stepped up, in a bipartisan fashion. He stepped up, 

and he ended up strengthening the Consumer Product Safety 

Commission through his efforts on the Senate Commerce 

Committee. That will keep toxic toys and harmful products 

out of stores. 

Many people recognize what MARK PRYOR contributed in 

that effort. Parents magazine applauded MARK PRYOR as one 

of the three movers and shakers in Washington in the year 

2005 for his work on the Consumer Product Safety Commission—work that continues to this day to keep America safer. 

Consumer protection has always been a hallmark of MARK’s 

service, dating back to his days in Arkansas as attorney general and certainly as a Senator. 

Fewer than 2,000 men and women have ever had the 

privilege of serving in the Senate. In our entire history, with 

hundreds of millions of people in our population, fewer than 

2,000 have been sworn in to represent their States in the 

Senate. In MARK PRYOR we have a person who did an extraordinary job as a Senator for Arkansas and for America. 

He has been a great friend of mine—someone I am going to 

miss very much, but I hope he will keep in touch. We say 

that somewhat loosely when people leave here, but I mean 

it, because MARK PRYOR always brought a smile to my day. 

I recognize that his work in public service aspired to the 

highest levels and always will. 

I yield the floor. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware. 

Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I came to the floor without 

any prepared remarks, but I want to say a few words, if I 

could, about our colleague MARK PRYOR. 

I have affectionately called him ‘‘Hey, man,’’ because in Arkansas, when you see one of your friends, you don’t just say 

‘‘Hi, Tom’’ or ‘‘Hi, MARK,’’ you say ‘‘Hey, man.’’ For the last 

12 years, we have been saying a lot of ‘‘Hey, man’s,’’ and 

hopefully we will do so for a long time to come. 

I was down in Honduras—murder capital of the world—10 

or 12 days ago, and trying to figure out how to help save a 

nation that may be a failing nation. They have a lot of gangs 

down there—gangs involved in extorting money from businesses, a lot of them kidnapping people, trafficking people. 

Gangs have a bad connotation in Honduras, as they should— 

here in Washington, DC, and in the Senate, not so much. 

Senator Collins and Senator Durbin have talked about 

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[ 10 ] 

volved in, which I think most of us would say are doing the 

Lord’s work, doing good work. MARK is a man of deep faith, 

as we know, and he has been a great role model for the rest 

of us. 

MARK has reminded me before—and maybe some others as 

well—that in the Old Testament, in Proverbs, we are reminded we should always pray for wisdom. That is something I pray for every night—not just for my colleagues, of 

course, but certainly for me. All I can say is the good Lord 

has answered his prayer. 

One of the reasons he has ended up as a member of these 

gangs for good is because he has so much wisdom. He is a 

good listener. He is just a very wise human being. 

It has been a joy serving with him. He got here in 2003. 

He raised his right hand here and took the oath of office in 

2003. He came through orientation for new Senators, and I 

talked to him about it later, and I asked, ‘‘How was orientation, MARK?’’ He said, ‘‘Well, it lasted about that long. It was 

over. If you are a Democrat, we are going to put you over 

here, and if you are a Republican, we will put you over here, 

and it was just like, have at it.’’ He and I talked about it, 

and we said, ‘‘That doesn’t make much sense.’’ 

As an attorney general and a member of the Attorneys 

General Association, and myself as a former Governor and a 

member of the National Governors Association, we had a robust orientation program for new attorneys general and for 

new Governors. The Presiding Officer is a former Governor 

of Maine, and he recalls that well. I think one of the reasons 

why the Governors are less partisan and more likely to work 

across the aisle to get things done together—and the same 

with the attorneys general—is because of that orientation 

that occurs a couple weeks after the election. We didn’t have 

anything like that in the Senate. So Senator PRYOR, along 

with former Governor and Senator Voinovich, former Governor Alexander and myself decided to see if we could get 

some kind of orientation program here for Senators. Now 

when people show up a couple weeks after getting elected 

new Senators, they no longer get put over in one corner as 

Democrats and one corner as Republicans and are told to go 

at it. They spend some time together—maybe the most concentrated time they will have together during the time they 

are here—with folks of the other party. Those of us who are 

Senators and spouses and chaplains and so forth go in and 

provide information and tell them to learn from our misVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Jun 23, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91909.TXT KAYNE
[ 11 ] 

takes—those of us who have made plenty of them—and you 

won’t make those same mistakes. 

One of the things Senator PRYOR is especially good at 

doing is trying to connect each new Senator with a mentor— 

a Democratic Member and a Republican Member—and he 

was dogged in that. Not that everybody needs a mentor, but 

we all need friends. We need friends on both sides of the 

aisle, and you will keep those friendships for a long time. 

I was a naval officer for 23 years. When I was a 17-yearold graduate from high school, I went off to Ohio State to 

eventually become a Navy midshipman. I did that for 4 

years, 5 years as a naval flight officer in a hot war in Southeast Asia, and 18 in the cold war until I retired in 1991. I 

started learning about leadership when I was pretty young— 

something I learned before I became a midshipman. But 

among the things I learned about leadership is that a leader 

should be humble, not haughty. A leader should say do as I 

do, not do as I say. Leaders should have the heart of a servant, and we should come here with the idea of serving. The 

Scriptures we read say, ‘‘He who would be a leader must be 

a servant to all; he who would be first should be a slave to 

all.’’ 

A leader should have the courage to stay out of step when 

everybody else is marching to the wrong tune. A leader 

shouldn’t ask what is the easy thing to do, the speedy thing 

to do; they should ask what is the right thing to do. And a 

leader, as has already been said, a leader should ask the 

question asked of a rabbi some 2,000 years ago. A rabbi was 

asked: What is the most important commandment of all? He 

mentioned what one was, and then he said the second one 

is love our neighbors as ourselves. I think that is the most 

important one of all. Leaders are like that. 

I just wish to say that I think my friend, ‘‘Hey, man,’’ also 

known as Senator MARK PRYOR, personifies that kind of 

leader. God knows we need more of them. He has demonstrated by his own character and behavior what he believes. 

I am tempted to say we are going to miss him, but we are 

still going to see a lot of him. In the Navy, when somebody 

has done a great job, we say two words: Bravo Zulu. So I say 

that to my friend. 

We also have this admonition. The Navy has the tradition 

of hailing farewell on a ship or submarine or aircraft carrier, 

whatever squadron you are on. When people come in, we 

have an event called a hail and farewell party. When it is 

[ 12 ] 

over, for those who are leaving, we say: Farewell and a following sea. 

So I would say this: Farewell and a following sea, and we 

will see much more of you in the future. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. King). The Senator from 

Alabama. 

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I thank Senator Carper for 

those good remarks, and I think they reflect the quality and 

the character MARK PRYOR has displayed as a Member of 

this Senate. 

I have been asked: Who are some of your favorite people 

across the aisle, Democratic people whom you respect and 

like? MARK PRYOR has always been at the top of that list. 

We have both served as attorneys general of our States. 

We have a number of things to talk about. I have been able 

to commiserate with him over Arkansas football in recent 

years. We kind of keep up with those things a lot. 

I just would wish to say something that I basically said at 

the National Prayer Breakfast several years ago. Senator 

PRYOR and I were cochairmen, and I was able to say, with 

great confidence, that MARK PRYOR is one of the best people 

I have ever served with in the Senate. He is a man of faith 

and integrity, and his ego is under control—not always so 

around this place, and it makes it run better. He is collegial, 

willing to work with people across the aisle, work within his 

own party, and not one who has had difficulty making decisions. He has done what he thought was right year after 

year here in this great Senate. 

We had the opportunity to lead the Senate Prayer Breakfast and then the National Prayer Breakfast twice, and it 

was a special time. MARK really did a great job and spent a 

great deal of time meeting with people from all over the 

world. I think the depth of his faith is quite obvious. 

To MARK I wish to say that you are special to me. Your 

service in the Senate has been very special. You have always 

done what you thought was right for your State and done so 

in a way that is so pleasant and collegial to work with. I 

know you will have some great adventures ahead. It looks 

even like the Razorbacks are coming back. They may give 

Alabama and Auburn a real hard time next year—who 

knows. Hope springs eternal. They did pretty well at the end 

of this year, I have to say. A monster may be arising in Arkansas—who knows. 

[ 13 ] 

We do have a great Senate, with less than 2,000 people 

having served in this body. We have people of talent and 

ability throughout, but there are people over the period of 

years that touch you as the genuine article, people whom you 

respect and admire, and, MARK, you are one of those. God 

bless you and Godspeed. 

I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor. 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR. I join my colleagues today in all the 

good words that are being said about my friend Senator 

PRYOR. I got to know Senator PRYOR best in the Commerce 

Committee, where early on he scored a major victory for the 

children of this country. That was at a time we learned that 

toys and children’s products that contained lead were being 

brought in from all over the world. We actually had a young 

child in Minnesota whose mom went out and bought a pair 

of Reebok tennis shoes, and with the tennis shoes came a little charm. That little child swallowed that charm, and that 

little child died. He did not die from choking on the charm; 

he died over a period of days when the lead went into his 

system. That is just one example. Senator PRYOR was heading up the Consumer Subcommittee, and we took a major 

vote to change the standards of lead in children’s products, 

including jewelry and toys, and it was a huge bipartisan 

vote, a very important bill, what was called one of the most 

important pieces of consumer legislation in decades. Senator 

PRYOR got that done. 

Later, while he was head of that subcommittee, we had a 

little girl in Minnesota named Abigail Taylor who died in a 

swimming pool. All she was doing was playing in a kiddie 

pool, and she happened to be sitting in the middle of the 

pool. The pool drain malfunctioned and basically sucked her 

insides out. She survived for a year. When MARK PRYOR

came to Minnesota, he met with that little girl and her dad. 

She later died after a surgery to try to save her life. 

We worked after that to get the bill passed—named after 

Howard Baker’s grandchild, who had also died in a similar 

circumstance—to make sure that all these public pool 

drains—from apartments to YMCAs; you name it—were 

checked. There has been a decrease in the number of deaths. 

We do not hear about them on the news like we used to, and 

that is because of MARK PRYOR’s work in the Senate subcommittee. 

So I know the Taylor family—that was my proudest moment, standing back in the Cloakroom and calling them. 

They believed after they met MARK PRYOR that it would be 

[ 14 ] 

easy to pass this bill, that we could get this done. It wasn’t 

quite that easy. It took a few months. We had to end up putting it in the energy bill to get it done. But being able to call 

Scott Taylor, who never gave up believing Congress could get 

something done—that is just one more example of the work 

Senator PRYOR has done. So I thank him for that. 

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. . . . 

MARK PRYOR and I have worked together on the Appropriations Committee. We have worked together on a number 

of initiatives. I want to thank him particularly for his role 

in trying to help States like Rhode Island be included in the 

Commodity Supplemental Food Program. I thank MARK for 

that. I offer him my fondest wishes. . . . 

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. 

Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today we honor the dedicated public service of my dear friend and colleague, Senator 

MARK PRYOR from Arkansas. 

For MARK PRYOR, public service is a calling—one that goes 

to the roots of who he is. MARK PRYOR is the fifth generation 

in his family to serve in public office. 

[ 15 ] 

Beholden to no party, no special interests, Senator PRYOR’s 

singular objective in Washington has been to make lives better for the people of the State his family calls home. The sign 

on his desk says ‘‘Arkansas Comes First.’’ It was his father’s 

campaign slogan a generation ago, and that’s the priority 

that guided MARK PRYOR from the day he arrived in the Senate. 

When Senator PRYOR learned that a widow in Greenwood, 

AR, was being deprived death benefits because her husband 

died at home, instead of in combat, Senator PRYOR crafted 

an amendment to change that Pentagon rule, restoring the 

full death benefit for the widow—and fixing it permanently 

so it would be available to other surviving spouses. 

A deeply patriotic man, with a profound respect for those 

who serve, Senator PRYOR is the author of the HIRE At 

Home Act, which encourages companies to consider military 

experience for servicemembers reentering the workforce. 

But he has also fought to bring down the costs of Arkansans’ prescriptions and to protect the social safety net. When 

FEMA demanded back pay for Federal disaster aid it provided to Arkansas, Senator PRYOR made sure the rule got 

changed. 

I was honored this past year to partner with Senator 

PRYOR on the Bring Jobs Home Act, to prevent companies 

from being rewarded for shipping jobs overseas and giving 

them an incentive to bring those jobs that have left our borders back home again. 

Of course, Senator PRYOR served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related 

Agencies. So as author of the 2014 farm bill, I relied on Senator PRYOR as a partner. He introduced the Forest Products 

Fairness Act, which helps timber farmers in Arkansas and 

across the Nation qualify for USDA’s BioPreferred Program. 

During an age of partisan strife, Senator PRYOR has provided sanctuary for those who seek compromise. I share the 

sentiment he expressed in his farewell address—it is imperative that we come to work not wearing jerseys of red or blue 

but ones that have red, white, and blue. 

It saddens me that my dear friend, Senator PRYOR, cannot 

join us in this enterprise, because he has truly been a voice 

of civility and reason. But I have no doubt he will find new 

ways to serve the country and the State that he loves. 

[ 16 ] 

I wish him Godspeed in his future efforts. 

WEDNESDAY, December 10, 2014 

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. 

Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, it is one of the Senate’s great 

traditions at the close of each session of Congress to take a 

moment to note the service of those of our colleagues who 

are leaving the Senate at the end of the year. It is a time 

for us to express our appreciation to our fellow Senators for 

their service and share what we have learned from them as 

we worked together to make a difference in our States and 

in our Nation. 

I have often thought that MARK has one great overriding 

rule that has guided him in his work in the Senate, ‘‘Is this 

what the people of Arkansas sent me here to do?’’ More often 

than not the answer to that question has helped him to develop a strategy to get things done that were designed to 

make his home State and our Nation better places to live. 

Ask just about any one of us here in the Senate what has 

made MARK PRYOR such an effective legislator and you will 

get the same answer—bipartisanship. In fact, he was so good 

at it, we might need to come up with a different word to explain his strategy, something like Pryor-itize. For MARK, the 

best way to get things done was to get everyone involved— 

all parties, all sides of an issue, and representatives of every 

point in between—together and then take the best of what 

everyone had to offer to form a coalition that would bring his 

legislative effort to a successful conclusion. 

That is why both parties would often try to recruit him for 

their legislative projects. Each party knew he had a great 

[ 17 ] 

ability to persuade that would help to bring other Members 

together to support their efforts. 

I have often said that serving in the Senate is a great adventure. If it were anything else, it would be too much like 

work and too hard a job to take on. Because it is an adventure it is something more—it is a chance to take on the 

greatest challenge there is, leaving the world a better place 

than we found it when we first walked through the doors of 

the Senate, and find new, creative, and inventive ways to 

make it happen. 

As he closes this chapter of his life, his Senate adventure, 

MARK can be very proud of his efforts, and his successes over 

the years. He has a great deal to be proud of and I hope it 

brings him the satisfaction that comes from knowing he has 

taken on a difficult job and done it well. 

I know I will miss seeing MARK around campus here in 

Washington, DC. I will miss his willingness to help on those 

tough challenging issues we always seem to have before us. 

I will also miss his words of faith and determination that he 

would share with us during our Prayer Breakfasts. 

I hope you will keep in touch with us in the days to come 

with news of your next great adventure in life. Thank you 

for your service to our country, thank you for your focus on 

making Arkansas and our Nation better places to live, and, 

most of all, thank you for your friendship. Good luck in all 

your future endeavors. God bless. 

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. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I am honored to stand 

here and recognize my colleague and friend, Arkansas’ senior 

Senator MARK PRYOR, for his service to our State, his contributions to our country, and his work across the aisle. 

I have worked with Senator PRYOR during his entire service in the Senate, both as a Member of the House and as a 

colleague in the Senate. While we don’t always agree on polVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Jun 23, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91909.TXT KAYNE
[ 18 ] 

icy, we always agree that we need to do what is best for Arkansas and what is best for our Nation. 

MARK is always ready to step forward, find a solution, and 

resolve an issue. He is always ready to extend a hand to the 

other side of the aisle to get support, and he always has Arkansas on his mind. 

Over the last 4 years, we have introduced several pieces 

of legislation together, and you will find our names as cosponsors of several other pieces of legislation that all have 

one goal—helping the people of Arkansas and helping the 

people of our country. 

There is a long-standing tradition of collaboration in the 

Arkansas delegation. When I was elected to the House in 

2001, longtime Arkansas Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt gave me some advice I have tried to live by since 

coming to Washington. He said, ‘‘John, always remember 

that once the election is over, it is time to put away the political differences and focus on helping the people of Arkansas.’’ 

That is how the delegation worked during John Paul’s 26 

years of congressional service, which included service with 

MARK’s dad, Senator David Pryor, and that is how MARK and 

I operated as well. 

I appreciate the welcome MARK gave to me and the help 

his office offered to my staff when I moved over here to the 

Senate in 2011. I value his friendship, thank him for his 

service, and appreciate all he has done for the people of Arkansas. I wish him well in the next chapter of his life. 

FRIDAY, December 12, 2014 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am going to take just a minute, 

because time is running out, to talk about a couple of Senators. 

I rise to honor Senator MARK PRYOR of Arkansas upon his 

departure from this institution. I have been in the Senate 28 

years, and there has been a Pryor here for 22 of those years. 

I first worked with MARK’s dad, David Pryor. David Pryor 

left this institution because he had quite a significant heart 

attack. What a fine Senator. I have said before, and I will 

say again, he was the best legislator I ever served with, 

whether during my experience in the State legislature of Nevada or here: David Pryor. He was very good. 

Six years after David left, MARK came. What a good legislator he is. He is just such a fine person. But it is no surprise 

[ 19 ] 

to me that he followed in his dad’s footsteps. After all, the 

Pryor family has worked as public servants in Arkansas for 

five generations. MARK’s great-great-grandfather was a sheriff. MARK’s great-grandfather was a sheriff. MARK’s grandfather Edgar was a county sheriff also in Arkansas. In fact, 

just last year, an Arkansan said to MARK, ‘‘I’m for MARK

PRYOR not because of his dad David but because of Edgar.’’ 

That is how deep the Pryor roots run in Arkansas. 

On MARK’s desk is a plaque that reads: ‘‘Arkansas Comes 

First.’’ This was a plaque that was on his dad’s desk and 

that MARK put on his desk. This has been MARK’s mission 

since he has been here—to put Arkansas first. The Senate 

and the entire country have benefited from the influence of 

the Pryors in the U.S. Senate—David and MARK. 

MARK was born in Fayetteville, grew up in Little Rock, 

and attended the University of Arkansas as an undergraduate and later to law school. While working as an attorney in private practice, he began his public service in 1990, 

when he ran for a seat in the house of representatives. He 

was elected and served there for 4 years. 

In 1996, MARK was faced with the fight of his life. He had 

a situation occur near his Achilles tendon on one of his legs. 

They tried physical therapy, but it didn’t seem to get well, 

and they discovered he had a very rare form of cancer— 

clear-cell sarcoma—in his left leg. So it is an understatement 

to say it was a trying experience for MARK. He was faced 

with the prospect of dying or losing his leg. 

MARK was buoyed in this difficult experience that he had 

by his family, his friends, and the people of Arkansas praying for him. It was quite a spiritual experience for MARK and 

his family. This experience deepened his compassion for 

those who suffer physically, financially, and emotionally, and 

he has translated that into his public service. 

In 1998, he was elected attorney general of the State of Arkansas. In his 2002 senatorial election he bucked the national trend to become the only Democrat to defeat a Republican incumbent. Bucking trends would quickly become one 

of his hallmarks here on Capitol Hill. As a Senator, he has 

shown courage in voting according to his conscience. 

Key among his legislative accomplishments have been bills 

to extend tax benefits and improve medical services for men 

and women to make the products that people buy, especially 

products for children, safe. He has also been a strong advocate for honest and transparent business practices in order 

[ 20 ] 

to preserve our American tradition of responsible free enterprise. 

His respect for tradition extends to the Senate itself. I say 

this for a number of reasons, but once a reporter asked him 

what he would do if he had absolute power over Congress. 

In his characteristic fashion, he responded he would instill in 

his fellow Senators greater respect for each other and for the 

world’s greatest deliberative body. That is what MARK PRYOR

said. 

While some may have disagreed with MARK, they never 

ever questioned his sincerity, his integrity. I admire his impeccable dedication to his conscience. 

Mark Twain said, ‘‘The proper office of a friend is to side 

with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will 

side with you when you are in the right.’’ 

With apologies to Mark Twain, if eternal agreement were 

the price of friendship, we would all have fewer friends. 

Friendship can transcend policy preferences, as MARK’s and 

mine do. We agree on most everything. There are a few 

things we don’t agree on politically, but that doesn’t matter. 

It doesn’t matter because he is my friend. 

He is a friend to my wife and me. It is no secret there are 

many people—the Republican leader and his wife—who 

reached out to console me and Landra during her terrible accident, and then when the cancer was ravaging her body. 

But she pulled through that. And one reason she did, I am 

convinced, is MARK PRYOR. MARK PRYOR, who almost died 

from cancer, called my wife often—texted her often telling 

her: You are going to be OK; don’t be afraid. So my wife 

loves MARK PRYOR. 

We were talking about the elections not long ago, and I 

said, ‘‘I have never prayed to win an election, and this election I didn’t either.’’ She said, ‘‘Well, I did.’’ That is how she 

feels about MARK PRYOR. 

I am really honored to have served with MARK PRYOR, who 

is such a genuine person, so sincere. He has been an invaluable asset, his service here in the Senate. I congratulate 

MARK on his exemplary service here in the Senate. 

MARK will always be my friend. There is a quote that 

bears directly on my feelings about Senator PRYOR: ‘‘A good 

friend is hard to find, hard to lose, and impossible to forget.’’ 

I will never ever forget MARK PRYOR. He is a unique, one of 

a kind, kind, thoughtful, considerate man. 

[ 21 ] 

Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I will now speak very briefly 

about my retiring colleagues and then turn it over to the 

Senator from Florida [Mr. Nelson]. I promise I will be brief. 

Everybody will face retirement, voluntarily or involuntarily. There will be a last vote to cast and a last speech to 

make. Only God knows when that day comes because we are 

all just one car wreck away from ending our careers. 

To the retiring Members, I have had the pleasure of serving with you, and I know you all. You did what you thought 

was best for our country and your State, and what more 

could anyone ask? My good friend MARK PRYOR, who tried to 

find common ground at a time when it is hard to find. Mary 

Landrieu, who would drill under the Capitol if she thought 

it would help American energy independence. We have good 

friends on the other side, and I will miss you, and I wish you 

well. But I would like very briefly to speak about four. . . . 

To all of you, Godspeed. I wish you nothing but the best. 

I am fortunate enough to go into my third term. To my colleagues, as we go into the next Congress, let’s try to do better. I know we can. If we do, all boats will rise. 

Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I honor my friend MARK

PRYOR. For 12 years Senator PRYOR has served the people of 

Arkansas in this body. He is independent, open-minded, and 

hard working. He will be missed. 

Senator PRYOR comes from a distinguished Arkansas political family. His father, David Pryor, was Governor of and 

later Senator from Arkansas. MARK was born in Fayetteville, 

AR, and attended college at the University of Arkansas. He 

received a law degree from the University of Arkansas 

School of Law and then spent several years in private practice. 

In 1991, Senator PRYOR was elected to the Arkansas 

House of Representatives. Eight years later he was elected 

attorney general of Arkansas. In 2002, MARK won election to 

the U.S. Senate from Arkansas, winning the same seat his 

father once held. 

In the Senate, MARK has distinguished himself through his 

independence and his willingness to reach across party lines. 

Although MARK and I have not always agreed, I have always 

known he has acted in what he firmly believes are the best 

interests of his State. 

Senator PRYOR has served on a number of important committees during his time in the Senate, including the Appropriations Committee, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Committee on Commerce, 

[ 22 ] 

Science, and Transportation. I have been fortunate to work 

with him on a number of important pieces of legislation, on 

topics ranging from medical care to homeland security to victim restitution. He has been a strong partner in these efforts, and I have been grateful to have him as an ally. 

Senator PRYOR is a decent and thoughtful man. He has 

served his State honorably. I wish him and his family the 

very best. 

Ms. HEITKAMP. Madam President, I wish to honor my 

colleague, Senator MARK PRYOR, who will be leaving the Senate at the end of this Congress. Senator PRYOR has been a 

tireless champion for the people of Arkansas for 12 years in 

this legislative body. However, his commitment and dedication to the State of Arkansas is reflected not only in his work 

here, but in the public service he and his family have given 

for decades. 

As the son of a former Governor and U.S. Senator, Senator 

MARK PRYOR grew up in a family that embodied public service, instilling his interest and desire to do the same in his 

career. After attending the University of Arkansas and working in the private sector as an attorney, he turned his sights 

to public service. While serving as a member of the Arkansas 

House of Representatives and then as attorney general for 

the State of Arkansas, Senator PRYOR honed his understanding of the needs of the State and developed strong connections through its institutions which served him well 

throughout his career. It was here that I first met MARK. He 

was serving as attorney general in Arkansas at the same 

time I was serving as attorney general in North Dakota. I 

was immediately impressed with this young public servant 

and grew to understand that he is intelligent and principled 

in how he approaches his life and career. In 2003, Senator 

PRYOR was elected U.S. Senator from Arkansas, reclaiming 

the seat his father once held. 

As a Senator, he served on various committees that allowed him to fight for the priorities of Arkansas, pass legislation and champion initiatives which helped this Nation. During his tenure on the Armed Services Committee, Senator 

PRYOR protected the interests of Arkansas servicemembers 

and their families. His work on the Appropriations and Commerce Committees created opportunities for growth in transportation, rural broadband, energy, and agriculture, all critical interests for Arkansas. Leading these issues with bipartisan proposals and working closely with his colleagues on 

marshalling these efforts Congress after Congress, Senator 

[ 23 ] 

PRYOR earned the respect of his colleagues for his quiet devotion and steadfast commitment. 

MARK is a Senator who promotes commonsense solutions— 

solutions that seek strong support and address some of the 

more important needs of this Nation’s citizenry. During my 

short time in the Senate, we served together on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Small Business 

Committees. I very much enjoyed working with him and 

serving together for the benefit of others. I continue to find 

him to be a man of great honesty and integrity. This type of 

stewardship is to be admired and appreciated by those inspired to serve on the local, State, or Federal level. 

I applaud my colleague for his years of tireless commitment in defense of his home State, for his service in the Senate and this country. I wish the very best to him and his 

family in the years to come. 

MONDAY, December 15, 2014 

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, since 2002, Senator MARK

PRYOR has been a dedicated representative in the U.S. Senate for the people of Arkansas. Throughout his career he has 

carried on a strong family tradition of service. I worked 

alongside his father, Senator David Pryor, for nearly 20 

years. Both father and son are two of the finest public servants I have known. Their conscientiousness and their decency are but two of the many distinguishing features of 

their work in this body. 

Throughout his tenure here, MARK PRYOR has been a 

fierce defender of and advocate for rural communities, a commitment both he and I share. He has promoted expansion of 

rural broadband infrastructure to ensure that families, farmers, businesses, and students in even the most rural communities in Arkansas, in Vermont, and across the Nation have 

access to the World Wide Web. As the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, he has been a 

partner of mine in working to ensure that farms small and 

large have the resources and support to maintain and contribute to the rich agricultural history of the Nation. We 

have also worked together to advance key conservation programs to help protect farmlands across the country. 

I have also greatly admired Senator PRYOR’s commitment 

to the National Guard. As cochair of the Senate National 

Guard Caucus I have seen how active and effective he has 

[ 24 ] 

been as a caucus member and as a valued ally in our bipartisan efforts to protect, defend, and bolster resources for the 

men and women of the National Guard. 

In the day-to-day work of the Senate, I will miss Senator 

PRYOR’s insight, his evenhandedness, and his friendship. He 

has been a passionate voice in the Senate for the people of 

Arkansas. I wish him and the entire Pryor family all the 

best in the years ahead. 

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 MARK PRYOR comes from a family 

with a history of public service. MARK served as Arkansas attorney general before being elected to the Senate in 2002, occupying the same Senate seat his father David held. As a 

member of the Agriculture Committee, MARK fought hard to 

protect the interests of Arkansas’ farmers, and through his 

position on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs 

Committee he pushed for regulatory reform, all the while 

asking how each decision he made would impact people back 

in Arkansas. Through his work, MARK embodied what it 

meant to be a public servant. . . . 

Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, Senator MARK PRYOR of 

Arkansas has served the people of Arkansas in the Senate 

for the last 12 years, guided by his strong faith and determination to bridge the partisan divide. 

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator 

PRYOR has successfully directed Federal assistance to his ArVerDate Aug 31 2005 13:48 Jun 23, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91909.TXT KAYNE
[ 25 ] 

kansas constituents, helping to strengthen his State’s economy. As a member of the Commerce Committee, he 

prioritized bringing broadband Internet service to the rural 

parts of Arkansas. When Senator PRYOR served on the Senate Armed Services Committee, he successfully introduced 

and passed legislation to provide tax relief for our 

servicemembers deployed in combat zones, as well as legislation to more quickly inform military families when their 

loved ones are injured in combat. 

Senator PRYOR has time and again proved his dedication 

to the State where he was born and raised, and I wish to 

thank him for his service in the Senate. 

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 leadership and their friendship, and I wish them all the best as 

they embark on the next chapter. 

FRIDAY, January 2, 2015 

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I wish to say a few words 

about my colleague, Senator MARK PRYOR of Arkansas, who 

will be ending his tenure in the Senate at the end of this 

Congress. 

The Pryor name is synonymous with public service in Arkansas. MARK’s father, David, served Arkansas in the U.S. 

House, as Governor, and in the U.S. Senate. In fact, MARK

succeeded his father in the U.S. Senate after serving in the 

State legislature and as attorney general. 

[ 26 ] 

Throughout his two terms in the Senate, MARK has been 

a workhorse and not a show horse. As he noted in his farewell remarks, he is not one to attend many press conferences. But he certainly has done a lot of work on behalf 

of the people of Arkansas. In 12 years in the Senate he has 

worked to get 70 laws passed—many on a bipartisan basis. 

His work improves the lives of Americans and our youth 

each day—from his work in consumer product safety, access 

to health care, veterans issues, and more. He has fought to 

protect Medicare, and to support Arkansas’ farmers, small 

businesses, and middle class families. 

That may be why in his 2008 reelection to the Senate he 

earned more votes than any statewide elected official in Arkansas history. 

Senator PRYOR told us in his farewell to look inside our 

desks and see the names written in the drawer, to see the 

predecessors who have come before us. These names can 

serve as a reminder of what we all are here for and what 

large shoes we must fill, as well as how we must collaborate 

to get things done. 

MARK has spoken about the fact that politics is about people—both the people we serve and the people we serve with. 

While there are many good people serving here, we will all 

miss the work ethic, warmth, and charm that MARK brought 

to the Senate during his service. 

It has been an honor serving as his colleague. 

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

Æ