S10400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 2, 2008 

fighting unit, fighting shoulder to 

shoulder in the jungles of Cambodia. 

Mr. President, in the span of less 

than a month, these two brothers each 

had the chance to save the other’s life. 

Not only did they have the chance, but 

they took that chance and they were 

successful. Here is one account: 

One of the soldiers . . . hit a trip wire, setting off a mine that had been placed in a tree 

so that it would detonate at face level. Bodies, body parts and shrapnel were blasted 

back into the ranks as the squad was crossing a stream. Tom picked himself up and 

looked for his brother. What he saw was a 

‘geyser’ of blood gushing from Chuck’s chest. 

Tom, then only 19, stanched the bleeding and 

bandaged the wound, only then noticing that 

he’d been hit himself in the arm. Twenty-five 

days later, it was Chuck’s turn to rescue 

Tom when their troop carrier hit a hand-detonated mine as it emerged from a village in 

the delta. Tom had been in the turret behind 

a .50-caliber machine gun. He was unconscious, not obviously alive, when his brother 

got to him. The blast had blown out Chuck’s 

eardrums and severely burned his left side, 

but knowing the carrier might soon explode, 

he worked feverishly to pull Tom from the 

wreckage, then threw his body on top of 

Tom’s as Vietcong fighters in ambush 

sprayed the area with gunfire. 

For this remarkably courageous service, SGT CHUCK HAGEL was decorated 

with the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Army Commendation 

Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, 

and two Purple Hearts. 

After the war, CHUCK HAGEL came to 

Washington and worked on Capitol 

Hill. By the age of 26, he was chief of 

staff to Congressman John McCollister 

of Nebraska. Within 10 years, he was 

appointed by President Reagan to be 

the second highest ranking official in 

the Veterans Administration. But very 

typical of CHUCK HAGEL, after just a 

few months during his term of service, 

he spoke out against a cut in benefits 

to Vietnam veterans and quit the Department in protest. This was not the 

stepping stone to an impressive career 

in Washington, as some had thought, 

because CHUCK HAGEL spoke out 

against something he thought was 

wrong. 

When Senator HAGEL left Capitol 

Hill, he scraped together whatever 

money he could find by selling a car 

and cashing in life insurance policies 

to invest in an upstart business that 

built networks for wireless phones. 

Within a few years, CHUCK HAGEL’s 

company was one of the most successful cellular telephone providers in 

America. He entered the American system of free enterprise and was extremely successful. But after succeeding in business, CHUCK returned his 

attention to politics and won a seat in 

the Senate in 1996. 

I have served with CHUCK HAGEL in 

the Senate for 12 years. One would be 

hard-pressed to find a more conservative Member than the senior Senator 

from Nebraska. Although our political 

philosophies differ, I know CHUCK

HAGEL to be one of the bravest and 

most fiercely independent Members of 

this legislative body. He has been a deficit hawk when others in his party 

abandoned fiscal restraint. 

He crossed the aisle and worked with 

my predecessor, Senator Daschle, as 

well as Senator KENNEDY and Senator 

MARTINEZ on the Republican side, to 

seek a comprehensive immigration 

plan that would be both tough and 

compassionate but, above all, fair. 

He served the people of Nebraska well 

as a member of the Foreign Relations 

Committee, the Banking Committee, 

the Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, the Intelligence Committee, 

and the Rules Committee. 

I will be forever grateful for the courage Senator HAGEL has shown on the 

Iraq war. He spoke out early against 

the war, he spoke out often, and he was 

right. As all Senators know, speaking 

up against a hallmark policy of one’s 

own party is no easy task. With Senator HAGEL’s help, we were able to 

move the debate forward and to finally 

provide some oversight on the incompetent management of the war. Although Senator HAGEL will not see the 

end of the war as a Member of this 

body, there is no doubt that his courage has brought us closer to that day. 

One of the most remarkable days in 

my political career was the time when 

we were working on how to do something to change the course on the war 

in Iraq. I went and visited Senator 

HAGEL in his office. As you walk in, 

you see a picture of Tom and CHUCK

HAGEL in a mechanized vehicle in the 

jungles of Cambodia—or Vietnam. I 

don’t know exactly where it was, but 

Southeast Asia. He is very proud of his 

military career. But we visited, and I 

probably wouldn’t be a very good salesman, selling automobiles or a house because it was hard for me to close the 

deal, saying: CHUCK, will you vote with 

me? At home that night, he called me 

and said words to the effect: I listened 

to you; I’m going to vote with you. 

His vote made the difference. It allowed us to carry the day and send a 

bill to the President that the President 

vetoed. Senator HAGEL didn’t wait for 

me to close the deal, he closed the deal. 

I have great admiration and respect for 

him and what he did that night. I think 

he changed the direction of the country 

and how it felt about the war in Iraq, 

and it allowed the people in America to 

know that we could do something, that 

we are not powerless. 

It is well known that Senator HAGEL

has been considered on more than one 

occasion as a candidate for President 

or Vice President. Here is what he said, 

though. 

I don’t have to be President. I don’t have 

to be a senator. I just have to live with myself. 

So whatever path CHUCK HAGEL follows next, he, his wife Lilibet, and 

their daughter Allyn and son Ziller, 

should have the deepest pride in the 

lasting impact of Senator CHUCK

HAGEL’s patriotism and service for the 

betterment of the Nation we love 

through both the military and the Senate, where he has served so gallantly. 

RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 

leadership time is reserved. 

f 

MORNING BUSINESS 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 

Senate will proceed to a period of 

morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 

minutes each. 

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the 

quorum call be rescinded. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

Mr. REED. I ask unanimous consent 

that I be allowed to speak as in morning business. 

The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO SENATORS 

Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise this 

morning to recognize and pay tribute 

to several colleagues who are concluding distinguished careers in the 

Senate. These gentlemen have distinguished themselves. They have dedicated themselves to representing their 

States and representing the best interests of the Nation. 

PETE DOMENICI

Senator PETE DOMENICI is an individual who has worked many years to 

strengthen our country in so many different ways. He has been a key member 

of the Committee on Energy and 

Water, and he has been a key member 

of the Appropriations Committee and 

the Budget Committee. 

He was first elected to the Senate in 

1972—36 years of outstanding service to 

the Nation and to his State of New 

Mexico. 

He will be remembered for many 

things but particularly for his unswerving commitment to mental 

health parity in the health care system. It is fitting that legislation we 

passed will bear his name, along with 

that of Senator Paul Wellstone. Senator DOMENICI’s advocacy for those 

with mental illness, his understanding 

of these issues in a profoundly personal 

way, accounted for the momentum and 

ultimately the success of the legislation. I commend him and thank him 

for his service. 

LARRY CRAIG

Senator Larry Craig, with whom I 

had the privilege to serve on the Committee on Appropriations, is someone 

who has vigorously defended his positions in the Senate. We have disagreed 

more often than agreed, but our debates have been both vigorous and 

civil. I can recall managing the legislation, Senator CRAIG on the opposing 


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