Tim Johnson 

U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA 

TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
Tim Johnson 

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office 


91906.001
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2015

S. DOC. 113–32 

Tributes 

Delivered in Congress 

Tim Johnson 

United States Congressman 

1987–1997 

United States Senator 

1997–2015 

÷ 

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 ................................................ 10 

Boxer, Barbara, of California .................................................... 16 

Casey, Robert P., Jr., of Pennsylvania ..................................... 14 

Coons, Christopher A., of Delaware ......................................... 8 

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

Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming ................................................... 11 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 14 

Heitkamp, Heidi, of North Dakota ........................................... 8 

Hirono, Mazie K., of Hawaii ...................................................... 15 

Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont ................................................... 13 

Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island ...................................................... 5 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada .............................................................. 3 

Stabenow, Debbie, of Michigan ................................................. 16 

Thune, John, of South Dakota .................................................. 10 

[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

TIM JOHNSON learned early the value of a good education 

and the necessity of hard work. The son of a college professor 

and a homemaker, TIM’s roots run deep in the State. 

A fourth-generation South Dakotan, he was born in Canton to Van and Ruth Johnson. He has a brother, Tom, and 

a sister, Julie. His great-grandfather was a homesteader in 

Centerville, SD, and instilled in TIM the importance of a 

hard day’s work and an understanding of the State’s farming 

and ranching community. 

TIM attended school in Canton, Flandreau, and Vermillion, 

where he graduated from high school in 1965. He then attended the University of South Dakota (USD), graduating 

with Phi Beta Kappa academic honors. TIM went on to earn 

both a master’s degree in public administration and a law 

degree from the University of South Dakota. 

While earning his undergraduate degree at USD, TIM met 

Barbara Brooks of Sioux Falls, whom he married shortly 

after graduating. During their early years together, Barbara 

and TIM quickly learned how to balance family needs with 

academic and professional pressure. After completing his 

graduate studies, TIM worked as a budget analyst for the 

Michigan State Senate appropriations committee while Barbara completed her master’s degree in social work. During 

that time, the couple welcomed their first child, Brooks. 

In 1975, TIM began a private law practice in Vermillion 

and the couple welcomed their second child, Brendan. Three 

years later in 1978, TIM was elected to the South Dakota 

House of Representatives, and was later reelected in 1980. It 

was during his second term in the State house that their 

daughter, Kelsey, was born. During that time, Barbara put 

her master’s degree to work and became very active in children’s issues and services. Despite their schedules, both parents remained committed and active in their children’s lives. 

Following 4 years of service in the State house, TIM ran for 

the State senate and was elected in 1982 and again in 1984. 

During his years in the South Dakota Legislature, TIM

earned a reputation as a hard-working, effective author of 

sound fiscal and social policy. His achievements did not go 

[ vi ] 

unnoticed. In 1979, the Vermillion Jaycees presented him 

with the ‘‘Outstanding Citizen Award.’’ In 1983, he was the 

first recipient of the ‘‘Billie Sutton Award for Legislative 

Achievement’’ presented by the South Dakota Democratic 

Party. 

After 8 years in the State legislature, TIM decided to take 

his commitment to hard work and South Dakota values with 

him to Washington. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 with nearly 60 percent of the vote. During his first term in Congress, he was responsible for passing 

more legislation than any of the other 50 first-term Members. TIM received national awards by the National Farmers 

Union, Disabled American Veterans, and Mothers Against 

Drunk Driving. Within the House Democratic leadership organization, TIM served as regional deputy whip from 1991 to 

1994. TIM served as South Dakota’s Congressman for five 

terms before being elected to the Senate on November 5, 

1996. TIM was reelected twice, in 2002 and again in 2008. 

TIM served on several important committees, including the 

powerful Appropriations Committee; the Banking, Housing, 

and Urban Affairs Committee; the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Indian Affairs Committee. He 

served as chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, 

and Urban Affairs from 2011 to 2015. 

As South Dakota’s senior Senator, he worked to improve 

the lives of South Dakotans while establishing a strong 

record in the Senate. As an appropriator, TIM worked to secure $10 million to fund a deep underground science lab at 

the Homestake mine in Lead, and created incentives to benefit the State’s ethanol industry and farming community. 

TIM proved to be a strong voice for South Dakota in Washington, defending the State’s interests time and again, including fighting to save Ellsworth Air Force Base and keeping important projects like the Lewis and Clark Water System on track. 

Both TIM and Barbara have faced challenges together and 

have always fought to overcome them. In 2004, TIM battled 

prostate cancer. Barb, a two-time breast cancer survivor, was 

crucial to his recovery. The two remain committed to raising 

awareness about cancer prevention and early testing. 

On December 13, 2006, TIM suffered an intracerebral bleed 

caused by a congenital arteriovenous malformation. Following surgery and as his rehabilitation progressed, TIM remained committed to South Dakotans, working from home 

until he returned to his Senate office on September 5, 2007. 

[ vii ] 

While thanking South Dakotans for their prayers and support at the Sioux Falls Convention Center in August 2007, 

Senator JOHNSON said, ‘‘The greatest honor in my life has 

been to stand by your side and fight for you in Washington. 

Never in my life have I been so grateful that you have been 

standing by my side as well.’’ 

TIM remains an active member of numerous policy-based 

organizations and remains committed to advancing the lives 

of all South Dakotans and continues to be routinely honored 

for his work. In 2008, TIM joined the Operation Homefront 

Congressional Advisory Board, a nonprofit organization that 

provides emergency support and morale to our troops. When 

invited to join, the group noted TIM’s commitment to the 

members of our armed services, their families, and our veterans. Also that year, he was honored by the South Dakota 

Association for the Education of Young Children, the National Farmers Union, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. 

TIM and Barbara’s oldest son, Brooks, is in the National 

Guard following Army service in Bosnia, Kosovo, South 

Korea, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In May 2004, Brooks married 

Naida Snipas Johnson of Massachusetts. They have two children, a son Arijus and a daughter Aureja. 

Their second son Brendan is an attorney in Sioux Falls. 

He clerked for U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier in Rapid 

City, served as an assistant prosecutor for Minnehaha County, and as a partner in a private practice before being appointed by President Obama as the U.S. Attorney for South 

Dakota from 2009 to 2015 when he returned to private practice. He is married to Jana Beddow, M.D.; together they 

have four children: Trualem, Penn Neal, Sutton, and Cooper. 

The family was blessed when ‘‘Tru’’ and ‘‘Pen’’ joined the 

family in 2007. 

Their daughter, Kelsey, is a 2004 graduate of the University of South Dakota, and received her graduate degree from 

George Washington University in 2009. She worked for Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), the American 

Association for Cancer Research, and is currently a project 

manager for the Sanford Foundation in Sioux Falls. 

Throughout his career in public service, TIM JOHNSON has 

been a strong voice for South Dakota. A champion of fiscal 

responsibility and the State’s agricultural community, TIM’s 

commitment to family and hard work can be seen throughout 

his legislative accomplishments. 

[ ix ] 

Farewell to the Senate 

Thursday, December 11, 2014 

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. President, in 1986 

the people of South Dakota elected me to serve them in the 

100th Session of the Congress in the House of Representatives. In 1996 they gave me the honor and privilege of being 

their junior Senator. 

When I ran for the House in 1986, I told the people of 

South Dakota that neither party has all the answers, and 

that both parties have good ideas, as well as men and 

women of good will. My job, as I understood it, would be to 

work in a bipartisan manner, listening to all parties and 

reaching a good fit—also known as compromise. That is what 

I still believe. 

However, in each year of my 28 years of service this has 

become more difficult to achieve. Each party, rather than 

working cooperatively for the American people, is more and 

more focused on winning the next election. Today, days after 

the 2014 election, you can walk into the call center for either 

party and find Members dialing for dollars for 2016. Tonight 

there will be fundraisers across DC where Members will discuss policy not with their constituents but with organizations 

that contribute to their campaigns. We have lost our way. 

My thoughts are not original. My colleague and dear friend 

from South Dakota, Senator Tom Daschle, in his farewell 

called for finding common ground that ‘‘will not be found on 

the far right or on the far left. That is not where most Americans live. We will only find it in the firm middle ground 

based on common sense and shared values.’’ 

Ohio’s Senator Voinovich in his 2010 farewell speech said 

that his greatest frustration was the difficulty in finding 

common ground on significant issues, saying that ‘‘it doesn’t 

happen enough.’’ 

In fact, the need for bipartisanship and the lack of it in the 

Senate is a hallmark of Senate farewell speeches. Rather 

than expounding on this topic, I would like to share the instances where I have experienced it. 

[ x ] 

I found it working with my colleague Senator John Thune, 

as we put aside our political differences and worked as our 

constituents expected two Norwegians to work. We worked 

side by side as we pushed for farm bills, highway funding, 

emergency relief from droughts and from floods. We successfully fought the proposed BRAC closing of Ellsworth Air 

Force Base. However, honoring our Norwegian heritage, we 

never hugged. 

I found it on the Banking Committee, working closely with 

Ranking Member Crapo. Together, we reached middle 

ground on reforms in which both parties gave up significant 

priorities, compromising, finding the middle ground to pass 

bills out of committee. 

My best and most enduring memory of this magnificent 

body occurred during my 9-month absence following my 

AVM, a long and humbling journey. During this journey my 

committee assignments were respected and my friend from 

Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed graciously accepted extra 

responsibilities until my return. Senator Harry Reid told me 

that during my long absence my colleagues on the other side 

of the aisle never once tried to take advantage of my absence. More important, in so many ways the kind words and 

prayers from you and your spouses, on both sides of the 

aisle, supported both Barbara and me and gave us strength 

during my long and continuing recovery. 

I was grateful and humbled by your support on September 

9, 2007, the day I returned to the Senate when almost every 

chair in this Chamber was filled. Senator Reid and Senator 

McConnell, I thank you for your welcome back to the Senate 

family. 

In the years ahead, I will miss this family—not the bickering that I mentioned earlier, but the blessings that you 

have all been to Barbara and me. 

I would also like to thank another family that has been 

critical to my work for South Dakota—a family that goes by 

the name ‘‘Team JOHNSON.’’ This team is composed of highly 

talented and caring individuals. They have worked tirelessly 

in the Halls of Congress, in South Dakota, and on campaigns 

to make our State and our country a better place to live. 

I wish I could thank each one of you for your service. 

Please know how much I appreciated the long hours and late 

nights that you put in. In the years ahead I hope we will 

continue to celebrate the friendships we have forged. 

To my friend and chief of staff for 30 years, Drey Samuelson, thank you for joining my fledgling, uphill race for ConVerDate Aug 31 2005 17:11 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91906.TXT KAYNE
[ xi ] 

gress in 1986 and for staying with me until we close the Senate office in a few days. Few Members of Congress have been 

as fortunate as I have been to have the loyalty, friendship, 

and thoughtful guidance that you have given me. 

My legislative directors have all been remarkable, but time 

limits me to noting the services of two individuals who have 

served the longest. Dwight Fettig started with us in the 

House as a young man fresh from his internship with Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. Dwight rose through 

the ranks to legislative director and then became my first director on the Banking Committee. Todd Stubbendieck is my 

current LD, and his legislative guidance for over 10 years 

has guided the staff in moving critical legislation through 

the Senate. Todd and Dwight have worked on legislation for 

projects that now deliver water to hundreds of thousands of 

people across South Dakota, country of origin labeling bills, 

farm bills, national historic sites for Lewis and Clark and 

the Minute Man Missile, numerous projects for Ellsworth Air 

Force Base and the South Dakota National Guard with efficiency and collegiality. To Todd and Dwight, thank you for 

your outstanding legislative teams. 

Our No. 1 researcher, humorist, historian, and go-to person, Luci Weigel, has been with us since we opened the first 

offices. Thank you, Luci. 

To my South Dakota State director, Sharon Boysen, thank 

you for leading the three State offices, for ensuring that we 

were responsive to South Dakotans, and for coordinating 

with the DC office. 

Sharon Stroschein, who directed the Aberdeen office, and 

Darrell Shoemaker, who managed the Raid City office, have 

been outstanding leaders for 28 years. You and all the State 

staff have been great advocates for South Dakota. You made 

sure that I always knew what was on the minds of South 

Dakotans, that I visited crisis situations, nonprofits, local 

and tribal governments, promising businesses, schools, and 

much more. Thank you. 

Linda Robison, thank you for your dedication, willingness 

to go the extra mile, and your outreach to and service for our 

State’s veterans for 28 years. 

The Senate office only needed one office manager for the 

last 18 years. Nancy Swenson is the most efficient, precise, 

and insightful person I know. The University of South Dakota will be forever grateful when they receive the archives 

Nancy assembled. Thank you. 

[ xii ] 

To the Senate standing Committee on Banking and the 

Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, you have served our Nation well, and I know you will continue to do so in the future. 

Thank you for your leadership on important issues. 

I am looking forward to the years ahead and the time we 

will share. 

To my wife Barbara and our three children—Brooks, 

Brendan, and Kelsey—thank you for your unwavering support, for putting up with late-night dinners, for accepting 

that my work demanded that I be away so many weekends, 

and for working side by side with me on challenging campaigns. Without your understanding, love, and support, I 

could not have done the work I love. 

Finally, to the people of South Dakota, thank you for the 

honor and privilege of serving you in our State legislature, 

the House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. Thank 

you for working side by side with me to improve the lives of 

South Dakotans and our Nation. 

Pilamayaye. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

(Applause, Senators rising.) 

TRIBUTES 

TO 

TIM JOHNSON 

[ 3 ] 

Proceedings in the Senate 

TUESDAY, December 9, 2014 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, if the words Hemingway said so 

clearly—‘‘man is not made for defeat’’—applied to anyone in 

the world, they certainly apply to TIM JOHNSON. He is a testament to this sentiment because he never ever acknowledged defeat. He refuses to be defeated. 

TIM never lost an election. He served in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1997—for 10 years. He served in 

the State legislature. They weren’t all easy votes and weren’t 

all easy elections. He won his election in 2002 by 524 votes. 

Hundreds of thousands of votes were cast, but he won by 524 

votes. 

Senator TIM JOHNSON refused to succumb to defeat because he knew he was fighting for the people of South Dakota. He fought for South Dakota jobs when he fought to 

keep Ellsworth Air Force Base open and running. It was 

based near Rapid City, and he saved it from closing. He 

worked to this end, saving thousands of jobs, preserving a 

thriving economy based on that Ellsworth Air Force Base. 

During his tenure in the House and Senate he fought for 

water, which is so important. People from so many other 

States don’t realize how important water is to States such as 

South Dakota and many Western States. Water is something 

you always have to keep your eye on. He secured funding for 

the Mni Wiconi Rural Water Project and the Lewis and 

Clark Rural Water System. Combined, those two projects 

provided clean drinking water to some 400,000 people. That 

is half the population of the State of South Dakota. 

Without question though, TIM’s biggest fight took place in 

2006. I can still remember that so clearly. I got a call from 

his chief of staff saying, ‘‘You need to go to the hospital. TIM

has been taken by ambulance to George Washington.’’ So I 

went there because TIM had suffered a very bad bleed on the 

brain. He was born with this situation—no one knew of 

course—but it suddenly hit him. Lots of people have this condition, but most people don’t have a bleed on their brain, but 

[ 4 ] 

TIM did. I was there in the hospital with him. Barbara was 

there, his daughter Kelsey, and his two boys, Brendan and 

Brooks, came in as soon as they could. One was serving in 

the military after having seen combat duty as a member of 

the U.S. Army. The other boy is a lawyer and is now a U.S. 

attorney in South Dakota. 

It was a very difficult time for his family and a difficult 

time for him especially. He was in surgery on more than one 

occasion. His life was threatened. Many people don’t survive 

this difficult situation he was hit with. But he is a huge 

man. I, frankly, never realized how physically big and strong 

he was until I saw him lying there in the hospital. But TIM

met these physical challenges, and they were very difficult. 

Ten months later he was back working in the Senate. He 

was here on the floor. 

After this incident, his physical body would never be the 

same, but his mental capacity is better than ever. With the 

support of his wife Barbara, since 1969, and their three children, whose names I have already mentioned, he made this 

remarkable recovery. It was all very difficult. He had to 

learn to talk again, he had to learn to walk again, and much 

of his life now is physically different than it was before. He 

is now, a lot of times, in a wheelchair, but he has never 

asked for any sympathy. He has pushed forward as he always has his whole life. 

Regardless of these changes to his body, his honorable, indomitable spirit is the same. One newspaper recently said, 

in speaking of TIM’s return to the Senate: 

Loss of integrity is a greater handicap to any politician and, once lost, 

cannot be regained with confidence. JOHNSON’s integrity has never been in 

question. 

TIM JOHNSON has his integrity. He has his unbreakable 

determination to fight for the people of South Dakota and 

just fight to do the things he needs to do. 

TIM is retiring after 18 years in the Senate and 10 years 

in the House. To say he will be missed by the people of 

South Dakota is a gross understatement. He worked here 

with my predecessor, the Democratic leader Tom Daschle, 

and they got so many good things done for the State of South 

Dakota. Senator Daschle is missed as TIM will be missed, 

but their friendship is something I have long admired. 

To show the type of person he is, the person he beat by 

524 votes came back the next election and endorsed him— 

a Republican and longtime Member of the House and Senate, 

Larry Pressler. He endorsed TIM JOHNSON in his reelection. 

[ 5 ] 

That is the kind of integrity TIM JOHNSON has. People admire him very much. 

TIM JOHNSON leaves the Senate as he entered it, 

undefeated. I will miss him very much. My wife will miss 

Barbara. They are members of a book club, and I have seen 

their exchange of emails back and forth as to what books 

they should read, what they thought of the book, and where 

they are going to meet. So the Reids will miss the Johnsons. 

South Dakota will miss the Johnsons. But TIM will still proceed forward and be a great blessing to the State of South 

Dakota, as he has always been, and to his family. 

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. . . . 

TIM JOHNSON and I served in the House of Representatives 

together. We came to the Senate together in 1997. As chairman of the Banking Committee, he has been an extraordinary leader. He has dedicated himself particularly to community banks and to rural housing, which is consistent with 

the interests of his constituents in South Dakota. 

He has worked to build bipartisan compromise on issues 

like TRIA and FHA reform, among so many other matters. 

As the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on 

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies he has been a tireless advocate for our military personnel. I thank him. . . . 

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 

[ 6 ] 

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. . . . 

TIM JOHNSON and I came to the Senate together, TIM from 

South Dakota. He eventually became chairman of the Banking Committee after he faced one of the toughest physical 

challenges any Senator has ever faced, a debilitating brain 

injury that left him physically limited but never limited in 

spirit and intelligence. Thank God, with Barb at his side, he 

continued in public service to serve the State of South Dakota. 

I am going to miss my great friend TIM JOHNSON. 

He and I go back quite a ways. We served together in the 

House—and we came to the Senate together in 1996. That 

year, TIM JOHNSON was the only Senate candidate to defeat 

an incumbent U.S. Senator in a general election. 

He won that first Senate election the old-fashioned way— 

with dedication, hard work, and a lot of shoe leather. I think 

he knocked on every door in South Dakota—twice. Dedication, humility, and unbelievable hard work—those are the 

values TIM learned as a fourth-generation South Dakotan. 

They are the values that have exemplified his entire career. 

In 1986, TIM JOHNSON was a semi-obscure State legislator 

from Vermillion, SD, when he decided to run for his State’s 

only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. TIM might 

have been the only person who thought he had a chance of 

winning that race, but he surprised people. He did win—and 

he has never lost an election since. Eight consecutive statewide victories and zero losses. That is quite an accomplishment. 

Here is another interesting fact about TIM JOHNSON: During his first term in the House, he was responsible for passing more legislation than any of the other 50 first-term 

Members. 

In his 36 years of public service, TIM JOHNSON has been 

a strong voice for family farmers and ranchers in South Dakota and across America. He is a longtime advocate of Federal support for renewable energy—especially ethanol and 

wind energy. He helped lead the effort to pass the Country 

[ 7 ] 

of Origin Label Act—the COOL Act, for short—to let consumers know if the meat they feed their families was raised 

in America. 

Senator JOHNSON has been a leading advocate for Native 

Americans. He has fought especially hard for the members 

of the Lakota and Dakota tribes—descendants of the legendary Indian leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse—who 

call South Dakota home. 

TIM JOHNSON has fought for a livable minimum wage. He 

helped strengthen America’s health safety net by voting to 

create the Children’s Health Insurance Program and to expand Medicaid to those who need it. He voted for the Affordable Care Act, which passed this Senate without a vote to 

spare. That was a difficult vote for many but I believe that 

history will show it was the right vote for America, and TIM

JOHNSON was on the right side of history. 

As chairman of the Senate Banking Committee these last 

3 years, TIM JOHNSON has played a historic role in helping 

to implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law and 

prevent a repeat of the kinds of abuses that nearly crashed 

our economy in 2008. He has moved forward despite intense 

opposition to reform from both inside and outside of Congress. 

One of the most important of the Dodd-Frank reforms was 

the creation of a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

Chairman JOHNSON pressed successfully for Senate confirmation of Richard Cordray to head that new bureau so it 

would have a strong leader at the helm. 

While he is justifiably proud of the legislative victories 

that bear his imprint, TIM JOHNSON may be even more proud 

of the constituent services he and his staff have given the 

people of South Dakota. Helping a veteran secure a proper 

disability rating or helping a senior citizen receive the Social 

Security and Medicare coverage he or she is due may not 

make headlines, but it makes a huge difference in the lives 

of individuals. TIM JOHNSON and his staff understand that. 

I will never forget seeing TIM JOHNSON walk onto the Senate floor on September 5, 2007—less than a year after a 

brain hemorrhage nearly killed him. The courage and 

strength it took to come back from such a trauma is hard to 

imagine. Senator Mark Kirk, my partner from Illinois, told 

me that during his own recovery from a stroke, if he ever felt 

like giving up, he would ask himself: ‘‘What would TIM

JOHNSON do?’’ 

[ 8 ] 

Dedication to public service is a family trait in the Johnson family. Barb’s work on behalf of children and families 

has made life better for so many. Kelsey is an advocate for 

breast cancer awareness and research. Brendan is the U.S. 

attorney for the District of South Dakota. And Brooks is in 

the National Guard following Army service in Bosnia, 

Kosovo, South Korea, Afghanistan, and Iraq. 

Some time ago, the chief and people of the Cheyenne River 

Sioux Tribe honored Senator JOHNSON by bestowing on him 

a Lakota name. His Lakota name is Wacante Ognake. In 

English, it means ‘‘holds the people in his heart.’’ 

That is the spirit that has guided TIM JOHNSON throughout his public life. 

I wish TIM and Barb the very best in all their 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. 

Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my 

friend and colleague from South Dakota, Senator TIM JOHNSON, who is retiring at end of this year. TIM has an impressively long career in public service, representing his home 

State of South Dakota in Congress for the last 28 years. 

TIM is often described as ‘‘a workhorse, not a show horse,’’ 

and with good reason. His values, passion, and work ethic 

are reflected in the projects he has championed and the constituent services he has provided for the people of South Dakota. Following his AVM in 2006, Senator JOHNSON came 

into the national spotlight which he so seldom sought. All 

were inspired by his perseverance and dedication to the people of South Dakota to return to do the work he loves, and 

the Senate has been better for it. 

As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources 

Committee, TIM championed important water projects to 

bring clean drinking water to rural communities and Indian 

[ 9 ] 

reservations, pressed for the development of renewable fuels, 

and supported efforts to build vital infrastructure throughout 

rural America. Through his position on the Appropriations 

Committee, he fought to see these efforts through from planning to completion. 

Farmers and ranchers throughout his State could count on 

TIM to be a strong voice for agriculture, advancing their priorities in numerous farm bills. His leadership on country of 

origin labeling, COOL, laid important groundwork to support 

our Nation’s producers and ensure consumers know where 

their food comes from—a fight that continues today. 

TIM has also been a champion for veterans, working to improve the benefits they are owed and connecting South Dakota veterans with support and services in their communities. He was able to secure advanced appropriations for the 

Veterans Administration, providing budget certainty and ensuring access to health care for those who have so bravely 

served their country. 

TIM has a strong relationship with the tribes in South Dakota and is considered a steadfast and valued friend in Indian Country. He has tirelessly pressed for the Federal Government to meet its treaty and trust responsibilities. While 

significant challenges remain, TIM JOHNSON’s legacy as an 

advocate for Native American issues has improved the quality of life on many reservations. This commitment will be 

missed both in the Senate and on the Indian Affairs Committee. 

Senator JOHNSON brought his passion for rural and Native 

American issues to the Senate Banking Committee. Under 

his chairmanship, the work of the committee highlighted the 

often-overlooked needs in these communities—and he was a 

champion during our efforts on housing finance reform to 

make sure they could receive the resources they so desperately need. Strengthening small community banks, improving housing, and reauthorizing critical highway and 

transit programs are just a few of the initiatives Chairman 

JOHNSON undertook, and it was a pleasure working under 

his leadership. 

Throughout all of these accomplishments, accolades, and 

challenges, TIM has remained true to his roots. He has never 

taken his public service for granted and has always considered it a privilege to serve the people of South Dakota. The 

impact of his work during his time in Congress will be seen 

in communities throughout his State for years to come, and 

he has certainly left his mark on South Dakota politics. I 

[ 10 ] 

wish him the very best as he and his wife Barbara embark 

on this new chapter and get to enjoy more time with their 

family back in South Dakota. 

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. THUNE. Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell to 

my colleague and friend Senator TIM JOHNSON. 

TIM has deep roots in South Dakota and in the towns of 

Canton and Vermillion in particular. He has served our 

State for more than 35 years, first in the State legislature 

and then, after winning a highly competitive primary against 

two well-known Democratic opponents, in the Halls of Congress. In 1996, after a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives, TIM won his first of three terms in the U.S. 

Senate. I am well acquainted with his second election because I came out on the short end of that stick. But I have 

had the privilege of serving with TIM now in the South Dakota delegation for over 16 years, and the last 10 have been 

here in the Senate. Today I want to pay tribute to his many 

years of public service and all he has done for our home 

State. 

I would also like to take a moment to thank Senator JOHNSON’s staff for their dedicated work. They have worked closely with my staff for many years, and I am grateful for their 

efforts. 

Like many South Dakotans, I will always remember TIM

as a fighter. South Dakotans are tough, rugged folks, and 

TIM has exemplified that spirit every day in the Senate. A 

big part of his legacy as a public servant will be his tenacity, 

his work ethic, and his unwavering focus on the policies he 

believed to be in the best interest of South Dakota. 

TIM and I haven’t always seen eye to eye on every issue, 

but we have always been able to come together and work 

with South Dakotans in times of crisis. From drought relief, 

to flood and tornado responses, to protecting the Black Hills 

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from wildfires, Senator JOHNSON and I have always been 

able to quickly respond to the needs of our State regardless 

of party differences or past disagreements. 

Mr. President, when you represent a State like South Dakota—what some people like to call a flyover State, a State 

some of our colleagues here in the Senate occasionally mix 

up with North Dakota—there are days when it can seem as 

though the concerns of rural Americans aren’t given fair consideration and the needs of rural America are not being 

heard by the administration or the more densely populated 

areas of our country. 

I have had the great pleasure of working with TIM to bring 

a voice to the concerns of rural America and those of us who 

hail from the middle of the country. To highlight just one of 

the many examples I could bring up, since his first term in 

Congress TIM has fought tirelessly for water infrastructure 

to deliver clean drinking water to families in South Dakota 

and throughout the Great Plains. Water is a vital resource 

in the rural expanses of South Dakota, and TIM’s efforts 

have helped meet this basic need in underserved Indian reservations, small towns, and rural areas across the State. 

These investments will pay dividends well beyond his tenure 

in the Senate. 

Throughout TIM’s long career in public service—from his 

beginnings in the legislature to his ascension to the chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee—he has had a 

hand in numerous efforts that will help South Dakotans and 

Americans alike for generations to come. 

I know I speak for all South Dakotans when I say thank 

you, TIM, for your dedication and your service to our great 

State. It has been an honor to serve with you here in the 

U.S. Senate. Thank you for your example, your efforts on behalf of our beloved South Dakota, and most of all for your 

friendship. On behalf of my wife Kimberly and me, I wish 

you, Barbara, and your family the very best as you begin 

your retirement. 

Mr. President, I yield the floor. 

FRIDAY, December 12, 2014 

Mr. ENZI. Madam President, it is a tradition here in the 

Senate to take a moment before the end of each session of 

Congress to express our appreciation for the service of those 

Members who will be retiring at the end of the year. It is alVerDate Aug 31 2005 17:11 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91906.TXT KAYNE
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ways a difficult time to lose some of our best and brightest. 

One fellow Senator I know we will all miss is TIM JOHNSON. 

TIM has had quite a remarkable career and legacy of service to South Dakota of which he should be very proud. He 

came to the Senate to work for the people of his State and 

he did such a good job they kept sending him back. It has 

been a mutual admiration society—the people of South Dakota and TIM. 

TIM followed a proven path of success for his service in 

Congress by first serving in the South Dakota State Legislature. He had a knack for getting things done there that it 

prompted him to serve in the House as South Dakota’s atlarge Representative. He quickly developed a reputation in 

the House as someone who had an abundance of good ideas. 

As a freshman he had a list of bills he had dropped in that 

was longer than any other freshman in the House. It was 

clear to everyone that TIM was the kind of person who knew 

how to get results. 

TIM and I were part of the same freshman class of the 

Senate. Over the years I have enjoyed having a chance to 

come to know him. He has proved to be a good friend, a 

great ally, and someone who was willing to work with Members on all sides to get things done for South Dakota and our 

Nation. 

For me, it meant a great deal to have a Senator from a 

neighboring State who had an understanding of our agriculture industry. As I have often said, urban life is very different from rural life and it was good to have someone to 

work with whose background made those issues and the 

need for action clear to him. 

That is one of the reasons why TIM has such a strong understanding of one of the key issues of the West—water. For 

many of us water is something that we take for granted. It 

is easy. You turn on the tap and you can have as much as 

you want. 

Unfortunately, for our rural communities, it is not that 

easy. Water is a precious commodity—down to the last drop. 

In fact, just about everyone from the West has heard the old 

adage, ‘‘Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting!’’ 

It is a message that has stayed with TIM throughout his 

service in the House and the Senate. It has been a priority 

for him to ensure that good, clean water supplies are available to everyone in South Dakota and the West. That is why 

you will find his legislative record of accomplishments filled 

[ 13 ] 

with his efforts to pass infrastructure projects to ensure our 

water supplies would be both reliable and available. 

I could go on about his other accomplishments and our 

work together on agriculture issues but I would be here for 

quite a long time and not begin to make a dent in what he 

has been able to achieve during his career. Let me just say 

that the work TIM began in the State legislature and continued when he came to Congress has helped to make South 

Dakota what it is today. I think by any standard he has done 

a good job and made the people of his home State proud. 

Through the years, TIM has had some health problems, but 

he never let them stop him or slow him down in his work 

for South Dakota. Sometimes I think of him as a warrior— 

a quiet one—who is blessed with a spirit to work for the people of South Dakota that just cannot be diminished. 

When I think of TIM I will always think of him as someone 

who leads the best way, by example. I have learned a lot 

from him over the years and I think we have made a difference together in our shared commitment to our Nation’s 

agriculture industry. We have worked on a lot of bills together and by placing both our names on a bill we made it 

a bipartisan effort that I would like to think drew a lot of 

other Members to our side to work with us. 

Thank you, TIM, for your service, not only to South Dakota 

but to the West and to all our Nation. You have a lot to look 

back on with the satisfaction that comes from having done 

a job and done it well. Diana joins in sending our best wishes to you for your hard work and determined effort to address the problems and challenges of our Nation. Thanks, 

too, for your friendship. Good luck on the next chapter of the 

great adventure of your life. 

MONDAY, December 15, 2014 

Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, the senior Senator from 

South Dakota, TIM JOHNSON, is as fine a public servant as 

I have known. These are words I have used before about 

Senator JOHNSON. As he approaches his retirement from the 

Senate, they are as true now as ever before. 

Senator JOHNSON embodies the traits of a dedicated public 

servant. He represents South Dakotans with every fiber of 

his being. He is the great-grandson of a homesteader who 

settled in South Dakota when it was still a territory. And he 

has never lost sight of the interests of the constituents he 

[ 14 ] 

has served in Congress for more than 25 years. Never one 

to rest on the job, he introduced more legislation in his freshman term than any of the almost 50 new Members of Congress that term. 

Vermont and South Dakota share similar rural challenges, 

and in Senator JOHNSON, I have found a partner in such efforts as protecting rural schools and giving them a voice in 

national competitions like Race to the Top. He and I share 

a strong commitment to supporting small family farms, an 

effort he has been recognized for by the National Farmers 

Union and others. Through the Appropriations Committee, 

Senator JOHNSON has been a stalwart defender of our Nation’s veterans, and through his chairmanship of the Banking Committee, he has fought for middle class families with 

steadfast diligence. 

Senator JOHNSON has faced no shortage of challenges in 

his life. But with his wife Barbara by his side, he has met 

all of these challenges with determination and with grace, 

and he remains a fierce defender of South Dakota and a 

friend. As he retires from the Senate, I wish him, Barbara, 

his children and grandchildren and his entire family all of 

our best wishes. 

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, I wish to begin with Senator TIM JOHNSON. 

After several years of service in South Dakota, where he received the Outstanding Citizen Award and the Billie Sutton 

[ 15 ] 

Award for Legislative Achievement, TIM was elected to the 

House of Representatives in 1986. He served there for 10 

years, earning many distinctions, among them, one for passing more legislation than the other 50 first-term Members. 

In 1996 he was elected to the Senate, where he has served 

three terms. In recent years Senator JOHNSON has served as 

chairman of the Banking Committee, of which he has been 

a member since 1997. Over the years he has advocated for 

community banks in South Dakota, worked to pass the Safe 

and Fair Deposit Insurance Act of 2005, which updated the 

Federal deposit insurance system, and pushed to deal with 

the special needs of consumers in rural areas. TIM has also 

shown immense courage in dealing with health issues and 

has been an exemplary public servant. We will miss him 

next year and wish him and Barbara well. . . . 

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the contributions of Senator TIM JOHNSON of South Dakota, who is 

retiring at the end of this year. 

Senator JOHNSON has served South Dakota in the House 

and the Senate for nearly 28 years. He was elected to the 

House in 1986 and was elected to the Senate in 1996. During 

those 28 years, Senator JOHNSON has been an advocate for 

bipartisanship to get results in Congress. In fact, bipartisanship could be considered one of the campaign platforms that 

first got him elected to Congress. As he related in his farewell remarks on this floor last week, when he first ran for 

the House of Representatives, he told the people of South 

Dakota that neither party had all the answers, that both 

parties had good ideas, and that both parties had men and 

women of good will. ‘‘My job, as I understood it, would be to 

work in a bipartisan manner, listening to all parties and 

reaching a good fit—also known as compromise.’’ 

Twenty-eight years later, it is clear that he not only understood his job well then, but his efforts to compromise have 

paid big dividends for South Dakota. Over the years he has 

worked on a number of issues, from the farm bill, to highway 

funding, to flood relief and to protect South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base. 

No one Senator can deliver results on their own, but by 

working across the aisle, TIM has not only done well for his 

constituents but has gained a good reputation here in the 

Senate. He has served in leadership positions on the Senate 

Banking Committee, which he currently chairs, as well as 

the Senate Appropriations, Energy and Natural Resources, 

and Indian Affairs Committees. On each of these commitVerDate Aug 31 2005 17:11 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91906.TXT KAYNE
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tees, Senator JOHNSON has championed issues that are important to the people of his State but has always done so 

with an eye toward fairness—listening to all parties, promoting compromise, and doing what is right for working people across the country. 

For these reasons, Senator JOHNSON is well-respected and 

has earned the good will of the Senate. When he was faced 

with the challenge of a lifetime—a brain hemorrhage in 

2006—he was supported by a Senate community that set 

aside partisanship and political calculations. Everyone wanted to see him recover. When he returned to the Senate after 

months of recovery, he was welcomed by the whole community. TIM continues to be a profile in courage. 

His legacy is one of compromise and collaboration—two attributes that are critical to the functioning of this body and 

two attributes which we would do well to remember. 

We will all miss Senator JOHNSON in the Senate. Aloha to 

him, his wife Barbara, his three children, and his six grandchildren, 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 leadership and their friendship, and I wish them all the best as 

they embark on the next chapter. 

FRIDAY, January 2, 2015 

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

a man I have admired throughout my career in this ChamVerDate Aug 31 2005 17:11 Jun 22, 2015 Jkt 091900 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\BYEBYE\BYEBYE14\91906.TXT KAYNE
[ 17 ] 

ber, Senator TIM JOHNSON of South Dakota. I am proud to 

call TIM my friend. 

Long before Senator JOHNSON and I crossed paths in the 

Senate, we were both studying at Michigan State University—I was an undergrad while Senator JOHNSON was doing 

postgraduate studies. In fact, his parents retired in the East 

Lansing area. I know that Senator JOHNSON considers the 

University of South Dakota to be his alma mater, but I will 

always think of him as a fellow Spartan. 

All of us here are committed to public service, to defending 

the Constitution and to protecting our Nation against foreign 

threats, but few of us have had our commitment tested as 

Senator JOHNSON has. 

In 2004 Senator JOHNSON learned that he had prostate 

cancer, but he was determined to beat it and to continue representing the people of South Dakota. ‘‘I wish this was something that wasn’t happening to me,’’ he said. ‘‘But I will deal 

with it head on,’’ and he did. He had surgery, then he made 

a full recovery, and was soon back to work. 

In 2006 we were all shocked to learn that Senator JOHNSON suffered a brain hemorrhage—and for weeks we hoped 

and prayed for him and his family. Incredibly, he again 

made a full recovery—and he again came back to work. 

That is commitment. That is a Senator with a deep appreciation for the privilege of serving the people of South Dakota. That is TIM JOHNSON

Despite the personal health issues Senator JOHNSON experienced, he succeeded in leading passage of the Safe and Fair 

Deposit Insurance Act of 2005, a law that 3 years later was 

critical to keeping America’s deposits safe during a time of 

great economic turmoil. As chair of the Senate Banking Committee we have relied on his leadership and judgment in reducing risk in the financial sector and in ensuring that 

Dodd-Frank reforms were implemented effectively. 

I will miss our work together to improve the health care 

of American veterans, and I will miss the opportunity I have 

had through the years to work with Senator JOHNSON on empowering small family farms to compete in the modern marketplace and to help ethanol producers expand their place in 

our Nation’s renewable energy future. 

Knowing how important it was for ranchers to be able to 

tell consumers their meat products came from the United 

States, Senator JOHNSON has been a champion of country of 

origin labeling since going back to the 2002 farm bill, and 

since then he has helped to strengthen and fully implement 

[ 18 ] 

the law, a mission that carried over to the 2014 farm bill 

that I authored as chair of the Agriculture Committee. 

In addition, Senator JOHNSON has been a forceful advocate 

for the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration rules that ensure that family farmers and ranchers 

are able to compete on a level playing field. 

I know how much Senator JOHNSON has loved policymaking, so I know he must have agonized over this decision. 

But I also know that the love and devotion he has for his 

family comes first, and now he will be able to spend more 

time with his wife Barbara, his two sons, his daughter, and 

all his grandchildren. 

TIM, thank you for being such a strong, resilient, and resourceful partner and friend through the years. I wish you 

a happy and successful retirement with your family. 

Æ