S10434 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 2, 2008 

and damaging effects that the recession had on the people of my state. I 

don’t want to see our industries fail, 

thousands of people lose their jobs, or 

the kind of fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness that defined those times. 

Nothing matters more to me than 

helping West Virginia families hold on 

to their life savings, their jobs, their 

homes, their retirement, and their 

hopes for the future. 

Failure to act will severely hurt West 

Virginia families and that is a risk I 

am not willing to take. 

I also want to be clear that there are 

likely more tough times ahead. This 

plan is intended to prevent an economic catastrophe, but it alone will 

not put us on the path to prosperity. 

We still must turn our attention to 

broader economic recovery, from 

healthcare, to increased wages, to expanded job opportunities, to major public infrastructure investments, to restoring fairness to our tax system so 

that the middle class can once again 

prosper. 

The people of West Virginia deserve 

lasting solutions and I will fight every 

day to make sure this happens. 

TIMBER TAX PROVISIONS

Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I am 

concerned that this stabilization package, which includes package of business 

tax incentives, does not extend the 

timber tax provisions that were enacted in sections 15311 and 15312 of the 

farm bill and which are scheduled to 

expire in May 2009. I and others have 

long advocated the enactment of provisions that would permanently reform 

the tax rules for timber income. Given 

budget constraints, as part of the farm 

bill, we established the new rules for 1 

year as a first step. It is important 

that the provisions not be allowed to 

lapse. Otherwise, our good work could 

be undone because we will revert to the 

same situation as before in which companies that harvest timber are subject 

to higher tax rates simply because of 

their form of business organization. 

As we consider tax extenders legislation, my specific concern is that, by extending a variety of expiring tax provisions until the end of 2009 but not extending the timber tax provisions, we 

may create the impression that the 

timber tax provisions are not likely to 

be extended. Because of this concern, I 

am interested in learning, from the 

chairman and ranking member of the 

Finance Committee, about their plans 

for considering an extension of the timber tax provisions. 

Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I agree 

with Senator LINCOLN. We made good 

progress in enacting the timber tax 

provisions in the farm bill, but we 

must take the important next step of 

making the provisions permanent or, 

at the very least, extending them. 

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I 

would like to agree with the points 

made by my colleagues. The timber tax 

provisions are critically important to 

Washington and other States that rely 

on timber jobs, and the provisions 

must be extended promptly. I have discussed this matter with the chairman 

of the Finance Committee, and he has 

assured me that he will work to extend 

the provisions early next year. 

Mr. BAUCUS. I am happy to respond 

to the Senators from Arkansas, Oregon, and Washington, whom I have 

worked with for several years on this 

issue. They and others have persuaded 

me that the timber tax provisions are 

fair and are important. That is why I 

strongly supported including the provisions in the farm bill. 

That said, I believe that the timber 

tax provisions are in a different category than the extenders that are included in the current bill. The extenders in this bill are provisions that have 

been in the Tax Code for some time, 

and most already have expired. The 

timber tax provisions, in contrast, are 

new—enacted earlier this year—and, as 

the Senator said, they do not expire 

until May 2009. In light of that, although I strongly support the timber 

tax provisions, I believe that it is better to address them early next year 

rather than as part of this bill. I anticipate that we will be considering tax 

legislation early in the next Congress. 

I will work with Senator LINCOLN, Senator MURRAY, and other interested 

Senators to see that the timber tax 

provisions are extended. 

Mr. GRASSLEY. I agree with the 

chairman of the Finance Committee. I 

support the timber tax provisions and 

believe they should be made permanent 

or at least extended. I also agree with 

Senator BAUCUS that we have time to 

consider the matter early next year, 

and I will work with him to pass a 

timely extension. 

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to 

discuss the intent in section 105(c) of 

the Emergency Economic Stabilization 

Act of 2008, ‘‘Regulatory Modernization 

Report,’’ of the important requirements for analysis of regulation of the 

over-the-counter swaps market and for 

recommendations regarding the enhancement of the clearing and settlement of over-the-counter swaps. 

The OTC swaps market is enormous, 

estimated to be $600 trillion. This market is primarily made up of interest 

rate swaps and Credit default swaps. 

Corporations, banks, insurance companies, GSEs, pension funds, State and 

local governments and endowments all 

participate in the OTC swaps market. 

The OTC swaps market is a ‘‘bilateral contract’’ market which does not 

involve an exchange or a clearinghouse. It is directly between two parties, which results in each party bearing ‘‘counter party credit risk.’’ In 

other words, if one of the two parties 

goes bankrupt or fails to pay, the other 

party can suffer a complete loss on the 

transaction. 

Since the OTC swaps market has impacts on the financial system, it is appropriate and timely to look at it carefully. Some of the largest OTC swaps 

market dealers and market participants have been merged in federally arranged transactions into stronger market participants, taken into Government conservatorships or receiverships 

or provided a line of credit directly by 

the Federal Government. These actions 

were taken, in part, because of concerns by Federal authorities about either the losses in their OTC swaps 

books and or the potential cascading 

effect on OTC swaps market if such an 

entity failed. 

The Treasury Report should look at 

the OTC swaps market generally and 

the current and potential options for 

improvements in clearing contracts, 

such as through a Federally licensed 

clearinghouse, with a view to whether 

it would materially lower credit risk. 

The Report should consider issues such 

as the processing of confirmations, 

margining, collateral management, 

market access, transparency in pricing, 

and safety and soundness concerns. 

Mr. President, I want to acknowledge 

the efforts of the many staff members 

who have labored almost around the 

clock over the past several weeks to 

help craft this legislation. 

FROM THE BANKING COMMITTEE

Amy Friend, Dean Shahinian, Jonathan 

Miller, Aaron Klein, Julie Chon, Jenn FogelBublick, Lynsey Graham, Brian Filipowich, 

Drew Colbert. 

FROM SENATOR GREGG’S COMMITTEE AND

PERSONAL STAFF

Denzel McGuire, Jim Hearn, Allison Parent, Christopher Gahan. 

FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Russ Sullivan, Cathy Koch, Mark Prater. 

FROM SENATOR CONRAD’S BUDGET COMMITTEE

AND PERSONAL STAFF

Mary Naylor, Tom Mahr, Lisa Konwinski, 

Matt Salomon, John Righter. 

FROM THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Bruce Cohen, Kristine Lucius. 

FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER’S OFFICE

Bruce King, Mark Wetjen, Gary Myrick, 

Randy Devalk. 

FROM THE REPUBLICAN LEADER’S OFFICE

Rohit Kumar, Derek Kan. 

FROM THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL

Laura Ayoud, Rob Grant, Didem Nisanci 

with Senator REID, David Stoopler with Senator SCHUMER. 

Last but not least, our extraordinary Floor 

Staff, led by Lula Davis and Dave Chiappa. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO SENATORS 

CHUCK HAGEL

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, 

with the end of a session fast approaching, it is time once again to say farewell to some of our favorite colleagues 

in the Senate. And today that includes 

our friend, the senior Senator from Nebraska. 

CHUCK HAGEL’s long record of service 

is well known to many. What some 

may not know is that that record of 

service long predates his time in Washington. 

Responsibility was thrust upon 

CHUCK at an early age. A fourth generation Nebraskan, CHUCK became the 

man of the house at the young age of 16 

after the death of his father. 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE
October 2, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10435 

And he accepted the responsibility 

head on, working hard to support his 

mom and younger brothers. 

But even then working hard was 

nothing new to CHUCK HAGEL, who had 

taken his first job delivering papers at 

the age of 7. 

As a young man, CHUCK answered the 

call and volunteered to serve in Vietnam, and CHUCK’s fellow soldiers 

turned to him for leadership. 

One of the soldiers who served right 

alongside CHUCK was his younger 

brother Tom. By coincidence, the 

Hagel brothers ended up in the same 

unit and rode together in the same armored personnel carrier. 

In a defining act of heroism, CHUCK

once dragged his brother out of that 

carrier after it had struck a landmine 

and burst into flames. The blast left 

CHUCK badly burned and ruptured both 

his eardrums. Yet despite serious injuries to himself, he brought his brother 

through enemy fire to safety. 

After returning home from Vietnam, 

CHUCK worked his way through college 

and got his first taste of Washington 

working for Omaha Congressman John 

McCollister. 

Later, CHUCK would show his drive 

and his leadership in the business 

world. Taking a risk, he sank his entire 

savings into a business venture that 

eventually paid off. 

And then, 12 years ago, he took another gamble. And we are glad he did. 

A political newcomer, CHUCK defeated Nebraska’s sitting State attorney general in a primary, and then a 

popular incumbent governor in the 

general election for a seat in the U.S. 

Senate. 

I will note, Mr. President, that the 

governor he beat is now the junior Senator from Nebraska. And in a sign of 

CHUCK’s character and commitment to 

the people of Nebraska, the two former 

rivals have worked in tandem on many 

issues for the good of the people of 

their State. 

I know Senator NELSON would agree 

that Senator HAGEL’s departure is a 

great loss for this Chamber and for the 

people of the Cornhusker State. 

CHUCK’s advocacy for the people of 

Nebraska was reaffirmed 6 years ago 

when the voters sent him back to 

Washington for a second term. 

In a sign of his effectiveness and his 

popularity, he won reelection to the 

Senate by the biggest margin Nebraska 

has ever seen. 

The one-time political newcomer 

trounced his opponent, winning 83 percent of the vote—and all 93 counties in 

the State. 

In two terms in the Senate, CHUCK

has earned the respect of his colleagues 

and risen to national prominence as a 

clear voice on foreign policy and national security. He has consistently 

fought to expand free trade, particularly with Vietnam. 

CHUCK’s stature as a leading voice in 

foreign affairs has earned him a reputation, in just 12 years in the Senate, as 

one of Nebraska’s great statesmen. 

This is a tribute to his intelligence, 

hard work, and devotion to a country 

that he has served his entire adult life. 

Elaine and I have enjoyed getting to 

know CHUCK, Lilibet, and their family 

over the years. I know CHUCK’s a proud 

dad. And his kids should be proud of 

their dad. 

CHUCK, it has been an honor, and a 

pleasure, to serve with you. We all wish 

you well in whatever future endeavors 

you choose to take on. 

I am confident that, even though Nebraska is known as a flat State, whoever succeeds CHARLES TIMOTHY HAGEL

in the U.S. Senate is going to have a 

very steep hill to climb. 

LARRY CRAIG

Mr. President, one of the great sticking points for the framers of the U.S. 

Constitution was how small States 

would be represented in the new Government. 

In the end, the compromise that gave 

small and big States equal representation in the U.S. Senate broke the logjam, paved the way for ratification, 

and became one of the most distinctive—and best—features of our democracy. 

It has ensured that the interests of 

all Americans, including those who live 

in remote or secluded corners of the 

country, are felt in the halls of power. 

And, throughout the life our country, 

it has meant that men and women who 

understood those interests and who 

could communicate them with clarity 

and purpose would always have a central place in the U.S. Senate. 

For nearly two decades, LARRY CRAIG

has been that person for the people of 

Idaho—a fierce advocate and an effective legislator who understands the 

needs of his State, and always delivered. 

The grandson of a homesteader, Senator CRAIG was born on a ranch north 

of Boise and attended public schools. 

He graduated from the University of 

Idaho in 1969 and may have been its 

most prominent alumnus before the 

world got to know the current Governor of Alaska a few weeks ago. 

After college, Senator CRAIG served 

in the National Guard, worked as a 

farmer-rancher, and was elected to the 

Idaho senate in 1974. Seven years later, 

Idaho voters sent him to Washington. 

After a decade in the House, they 

sent him to the Upper Chamber. And he 

has been fighting their battles here in 

the Senate ever since. 

One of his favorite targets over the 

years are the Western lands policies favored by big city environmentalists 

but opposed by the native Idahoans 

who cherish and live off the land. 

He fought revisions of the Mining Act 

of 1872, and a Clinton-era proposal to 

introduce grizzlies into Idaho’s Bitterroot Range. 

Over the years, he’s fought anyone 

who tried to impose rules and restrictions on land use that natives oppose. 

Those battles heated up in the wake of 

the Supreme Court’s 2005 Kelo ruling. 

And over the last 3 years, he’s fought 

hard to protect the private property 

rights of farmers and ranchers, who 

have been left especially vulnerable by 

the Court’s Kelo decision. 

Senator CRAIG took a lead role in the 

Farm Bill debate over the last 2 years, 

making sure it included funds to support specialty crop producers in Idaho, 

one of the Nation’s top producers of 

specialty crops, and about one-third of 

the Nation’s potatoes. And he played a 

vital role in smoothing the way for the 

bill’s final passage earlier this summer. 

As chairman of the Public Lands and 

Forests Subcommittee, Senator CRAIG

fought to reform the Nation’s Forest 

Service, which drastically reduced the 

timber harvest on public lands during 

the Clinton Administration, cutting 

into the livelihoods of Idahoans in 

small towns across the State. 

For municipalities that couldn’t recoup the losses from lost timber revenue, Senator CRAIG reached across the 

aisle and worked with Senator WYDEN

to find compensation that helped them 

cope. It was a characteristic gesture of 

bipartisan work, and one he’s employed 

repeatedly over the years. 

He’s been a strong defender of free 

trade. 

As chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, he sponsored a bill 

that would enable seniors to buy Stateapproved long-term care policies. 

And he has been a good friend to our 

Nation’s veterans, serving as chairman 

of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. 

A new tower at Boise’s airport would 

not have been built without Senator 

CRAIG’s help. Neither would the new 

VA clinic that opened in Caldwell just 

last year. In a long Senate career, Senator CRAIG has fought with clarity and 

conviction for Idahoans. Along the 

way, he has been a friend of veterans, 

children seeking a home through adoption, and thousands of American farmers and ranchers, particularly those in 

the Pacific Northwest. 

And, along with three other Senate 

colleagues who’ve moved on, he entertained us as a member of the Singing 

Senators. 

With Senator CRAIG’s retirement, the 

last of the Singing Senators will have 

left the building. 

And the people of Idaho will have lost 

one of their greatest champions. 

JOHN WARNER

Mr. KYL. Mr. President, considering 

the long and distinguished history of 

the State of Virginia, it is quite an accomplishment to be the state’s secondlongest serving Senator. But, that is 

just one of Senator JOHN WARNER’s 

many accomplishments. 

Senator WARNER has been serving his 

country since 1945 when he enlisted in 

the Navy. Later, he joined the Marine 

Corps and served in Korea. During the 

Vietnam war, he served in the Department of the Navy, ultimately attaining 

the position of Secretary. 

Senator WARNER’s service and knowledge of the military have guided his 

work in the Senate. He has served as 

chairman of the Armed Services Committee and has guided many bills 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE
S10436 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 2, 2008 

through the Senate. His commitment 

to the men and women in uniform has 

never wavered, and he has used his position to make sure that they have the 

resources they need to complete their 

mission. Debating a Defense authorization bill without the leadership of Senator WARNER will be a new experience 

for most of us. 

On a daily basis, Senator WARNER

provided a fine example for other Senators. For the Senate to function properly, there must be comity in the body. 

Senator WARNER was courteous and always willing to settle disagreements in 

a way that befits Senators. The Senate 

cannot work on behalf of Americans if 

Senators are unwilling to work in a 

courteous and bipartisan manner. Senator WARNER understood that fact well. 

Senator WARNER has served in the 

Senate for 30 years, winning five elections. Many Americans have never seen 

a Senate without JOHN WARNER, and 

many Virginians have always had JOHN

WARNER as their Senator. 

When JOHN leaves the Senate, the 

body will lose not only a distinguished 

legislator but also a consummate gentleman. 

CHUCK HAGEL

Mr. President, when the 111th Congress convenes next year, the Senate 

will be without Senator CHUCK HAGEL. 

Senator HAGEL has decided to retire 

from the Senate after two terms. His 

career in public service, however, long 

predates his service in Congress. 

Like many public servants, Senator 

HAGEL entered politics after first serving the Nation in the armed forces. He 

saw combat in Vietnam and served 

with valor, receiving two Purple Hearts 

among other decorations. He would 

later serve as a congressional staff 

member, and in 1981, President Reagan 

tapped him as Deputy Administrator of 

the Veterans Administration. 

When Senator HAGEL came to the 

Senate, his actions often reflected his 

experience as a combat veteran. He did 

what he believed was best for the men 

and women in uniform, and he defended 

his positions forcefully. 

Senator HAGEL has continued to protect and defend the country, notably 

through his work on the Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. He 

had strong opinions, and he was never 

shy about letting them be known. 

I wish Senator HAGEL all the best in 

his pursuits after the Senate. I expect 

that he will devote much of his time to 

his wife Lilibet and their family, but I 

imagine he will save some time to follow his Nebraska Cornhuskers. 

PETE DOMENICI

Mr. President, the Senate will be a 

different place when Senator DOMENICI

departs at the end of this session. I say 

that as a colleague and as a neighbor in 

the great Southwest. 

Senator DOMENICI has served in this 

body for six terms, longer than any 

Senator in the history of New Mexico. 

Judging from the energy that he has 

displayed during the past months, he 

could serve another; but he has decided 

to retire, and it is well deserved. 

During his time in the Senate, Senator DOMENICI has been involved in 

some of the most difficult issues to 

confront the body. Recently, he has 

spoken eloquently about the financial 

stabilization plan the Senate just 

passed; and earlier in the summer, he 

was one of the more vocal advocates of 

securing this nation’s energy future. Of 

course, he has long supported reducing 

the country’s dependence on foreign 

sources of energy, but this summer he 

addressed the issue with renewed vigor. 

Senator DOMENICI has been of great 

help to his neighbors in Arizona. Without his assistance, we would not have 

an Arizona Water Settlements Act, one 

of the landmark settlements in the history of the country. He has also been 

working hard on a water settlement for 

New Mexico. It won’t be completed before he leaves the Senate, but Senator 

DOMENICI has been instrumental in getting the settlement as far as it has. 

Senator DOMENICI should also be 

proud that legislation he has worked 

on for some time now is poised for passage. Mental health parity has long 

been a priority for Senator DOMENICI, 

and it appears he will be able to add it 

to his long list of accomplishments in 

the Senate. 

When a Senator has served as long as 

Senator DOMENICI, it is difficult to 

imagine the Senate without him. My 

Senate colleagues and I will miss PETE

and Nancy, and we will remember his 

legacy of leadership and years of distinguished service to the nation. 

LARRY CRAIG

Mr. President, five colleagues on my 

side of the aisle are retiring from the 

Senate at the end of this session. They 

have served for many years, and I have 

come to know each of them very well. 

Senator LARRY CRAIG and I served in 

the House together until 1990 when 

Senator CRAIG moved to the Senate. I 

joined him four years later. We represent Western States, so we have had 

occasion to work together on issues 

that are important to the American 

West. 

In his position on the Energy and 

Natural Resources Committee, he has 

defended property rights and stood for 

the prudent use of our natural resources. He has also been a strong advocate of Americans’ second amendment rights. And, as a member of the 

Veterans’ Affairs Committee—for a 

time the ranking member—he has 

worked to ensure that veterans receive 

the benefits they were promised. 

Senator CRAIG has held a number of 

positions among Senate Republicans. 

He served as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, and he participated in the musical effort of Senators Trent Lott, John Ashcroft, Jim 

Jeffords, and himself—the Singing Senators. 

After almost three decades in the 

U.S. Congress, Senator CRAIG is now 

leaving public service. Idaho has lost a 

great Senator who always looked out 

for the interests of the State and its 

citizens. He has a great record of accomplishment on which to reflect—numerous legislative victories and, of 

course, one CD. 

We will miss Senator CRAIG in the 

Senate, especially the spirited remarks 

he so often delivered on the Senate 

floor. 

I wish LARRY and Suzanne all the 

best and hope they have many happy 

moments with their wonderful family. 

WAYNE ALLARD

Mr. President, as this session draws 

to a close and as we look forward to 

the 111th Congress, I would be remiss if 

I didn’t pay tribute to my colleagues 

who are retiring after years of service 

to their country. 

I have known Senator WAYNE ALLARD

since we served in the House together. 

Senator ALLARD served with distinction on the Armed Services Committee, and we have worked together 

to make sure that this country is prepared to meet national security challenges. Both of us believe strongly in 

President Reagan’s famous axiom, 

‘‘peace through strength.’’ 

Recently, we worked together to secure funding to study the possibility of 

basing missile defenses in space. As a 

result, policymakers will finally begin 

to have the information necessary to 

debate the overall feasibility of a 

space-based missile defense layer. The 

space threat will only grow in the 

years ahead, and I am pleased that I 

was able to work with Senator ALLARD

to make small, but measurable 

progress towards better defending the 

nation. 

Senator ALLARD is the model legislator. He’s not a professional politician, but a veteranarian by trade. He 

understands that the money we spend 

in Washington is not the government’s 

money, but the taxpayers’. And he 

proves it, returning over $4 million of 

his office’s funds to the government’s 

coffers. His votes are based on principle, not politics. 

I wish Senator ALLARD all the best. 

Colorado has lost a great legislator, 

but I am sure that his wife Joan, his 

children, and his five grandsons will be 

glad to have him at home more often. 

JOHN WARNER

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I 

rise in tribute to the senior Senator 

from Virginia, the honorable JOHN

WARNER. Senator WARNER is without a 

doubt one of the finest Senators this 

chamber has ever had, and the Senate 

will be a lesser place without him. 

Senator WARNER is truly a great 

American—a patriot who has devoted 

45 years of his life in service to his 

country. One of America’s Greatest 

Generation, he served his country honorably during World War Two, enlisting before he was 18 years old. When 

war in Korea broke out, he again answered his country’s call to arms. After 

earning his law degree, he served as the 

Under Secretary and later the Secretary of the Navy, again serving with 

great distinction and integrity. 

In 1979, Senator WARNER came to the 

Senate to begin his 30 year Senate career. As in every one of his endeavors 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE
October 2, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10437 

before, he immediately made an impact, eventually serving with distinction as chairman of the Senate Armed 

Services Committee. It is in this capacity that I have had the great privilege 

of working with him and getting to 

know him over the last 4 years. 

Senator WARNER’s leadership on the 

Armed Services Committee has been 

invaluable. There is no doubt that 

when he speaks, all are wise to listen. 

He provides unwavering, courageous 

leadership that all lean upon. There is 

never any doubt to his motives. His 

only motive is to look out for our men 

and women in uniform and ensure our 

Nation’s defense. His first priority is 

his country. 

Senator WARNER has never failed to 

lead courageously. At times, some of 

the positions he has taken have been 

politically unpopular, but his latest reelection—with over 82 percent of the 

vote—attests that his constituents 

know he is only dedicated to doing one 

thing—the right thing. In times of crisis, there is no doubt that Senator 

WARNER becomes a rock that we all 

lean upon when we face the most challenging issues of our time. He was one 

of the leaders that worked on the Military Commissions Act and the incredibly difficult and contentious issue of 

detainees. Once again, just this year, 

he led again, this time by becoming 

one of the Gang of 20, trying to provide 

bipartisan solutions to American’s energy issues. And, of course, it took his 

leadership to bring about passage of 

the Defense authorization bill this 

year, a bill that by tradition is passed 

each year, but which was looking extremely doubtful of passage for the 

first time in decades. 

I have only one regret regarding my 

service with Senator WARNER, and that 

is I did not have the opportunity to 

serve with him longer. One of the finest 

statesmen of his time, I am proud to 

call him my friend. I aspire to his example and his name belongs in the pantheon of the Senate’s greatest figures. 

Last, I would like to tell him thank 

you. Thank you for your great service 

to our great Republic. Thank you for 

the untold sacrifices you and your family have made along the way in your 45 

years of public service. Thank you for 

your integrity, patriotism, leadership, 

and honor. 

As I noted before, the Senate will be 

a lesser place when he leaves, but I 

wish Senator WARNER a fond farewell 

and Godspeed. 

JOHN WARNER

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, as the 

Senate completes its work for the year, 

we have also reached the end of the distinguished career of the senior Senator 

from Virginia, JOHN WILLIAM WARNER, 

Jr. 

In their wisdom, our Founders created the Senate to be a body like no 

other on Earth to harness the special 

wisdom that experience can bring. I 

think they had people like JOHN WARNER in mind as the kind of person who 

would best serve the Nation in the Senate. 

Senator WARNER has lived a life of 

faithful, skillful service to his country. 

He served in World War II, enlisting as 

a 17-year-old. He interrupted his law 

school studies to also serve in Korea. 

He served as an assistant U.S. attorney. And for 5 years he served in the 

Secretariat of the Navy, leading the department from 1972 to 1974. That seems 

like a full career in itself, but it was 

just a prologue to five terms in the 

Senate. 

Over three decades, JOHN WARNER has 

worked with great energy, skill, and 

wisdom to protect the national security of the United States. The Department of Defense is a massive organization with a budget that staggers the 

imagination. But Senator WARNER has 

devoted himself to mastering the details of the DOD and been a relentless 

advocate for its modernization and 

continuous improvement in effectiveness. Throughout his career, he has 

demonstrated tremendous caring for 

the millions of men and women who 

have worn the country’s uniform and 

been their best friend on Capitol Hill. 

Senator WARNER has been a counselor and mentor to me in my first 6 

years here, and on behalf of the people 

I represent in Minnesota I thank him 

for his counsel to me on how to do this 

job right. He taught me that just as the 

human body has its bones and vital organs under the skin and out of sight, 

the most important work of the Senate 

takes place away from the TV lights 

and the press conferences. 

The day-to-day work of achieving 

compromise on hundreds and hundreds 

of issues that come before us is where 

the real difference can be made, and 

JOHN WARNER excelled at that work. 

Another Virginian, George Washington, said during the darkest days of 

the American Revolution that, ‘‘spirit 

and perseverance have done wonders in 

all ages.’’ Today I honor the spirit of 

patriotism that has always motivated 

JOHN WARNER and his perseverance 

through more than five decades that 

has made this a stronger and freer nation. May his sterling example of service inspire all of us to serve as nobly 

and as skillfully as he has done. 

PETE DOMENICI

Mr. President, one of the lessons of 

our history is that America is not 

great because our leaders were somehow superhuman, but because regular 

people enjoy extraordinary freedom 

and use it to pursue ideals beyond their 

individual concerns. Senator PETE

DOMENICI is a wonderful example of 

this unique brand of American greatness, and as he completes his service to 

the Senate, I wanted to take a few minutes of the Senate’s time to honor him 

and thank him. 

PETE DOMENICI was born to Italian 

immigrants during the Great Depression in Albuquerque, NM, which was a 

long cultural distance from Washington, DC. He worked in his family 

grocery businesses and played for a 

farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers, 

which is enough to endear him to me 

right there. He became a junior high 

math teacher and then earned a law degree. 

He served in local government for 6 

years before his first election to the 

Senate in 1972. And he has served six 

full terms in the Senate, which is 

amazing in and of itself. But what is 

perhaps most amazing is he has remained the regular person he was 

brought up to be in Albuquerque and 

has always applied his commonsense 

values to the most complex national 

problems. 

Senator DOMENICI has been a stalwart 

in the difficult job of trying to curb 

Washington’s seemingly endless appetite for more spending. Politics tends 

to be a business in which all the rewards flow to those who say ‘‘yes.’’ But 

for the sake of the taxpayers and children and grandchildren of ours who 

cannot yet speak, PETE DOMENICI has 

been willing to say ‘‘no’’ to more 

spending in order to say ‘‘yes’’ to their 

economic future. 

Senator DOMENICI has made a tremendous contribution to the advancement of science by focusing resources 

and efforts to understand the human 

brain. For decades from now, a wide 

spectrum of discoveries and therapies 

to improve human life will come out of 

his insistence on progress of the basic 

science of brain research. It has been a 

great privilege to work with him closely on his signature issue for the last 

several years: mental health parity. 

His tireless commitment to ending insurance discrimination, and willingness to share his own family’s struggles, has broken down barriers to treatment and brought hope to millions of 

Americans living with mental illness. 

The legislative process has regrettably become more divisive and partisan over the last decade, but through 

it all Senator DOMENICI has been a role 

model of civility, diligence, and goodwill. The Senate was built to achieve 

consensus on the great issues of the 

day, and PETE DOMENICI was always focused on what we could get done, rather than on who got the credit. 

His ability and willingness to find 

consensus and produce legislation the 

American people need has been showcased by his 30 years of service on the 

Senate Energy and Natural Resources 

Committee. It is a testament to his 

abilities that as either chairman or 

ranking member, PETE DOMENICI has 

guided three energy bills into law in 

the last 3 years: the Energy Policy Act 

of 2005, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. 

PETE found a way to cut through a 

tough, partisan climate in the Senate 

to address our dependence on foreign 

oil. 

Personally he has been a connecting 

point for me with the great compromisers and policy experts of the Senate’s recent past. And he has always reminded me that we are not Senators 

who happen to be people; we are people 

who happened to be Senators for a 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE
S10438 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 2, 2008 

time, and we need to nurture the roots 

of faith, family, and friendship that 

give us life. 

PETE DOMENICI is a great American 

success story, and it has been an honor 

and privilege to serve with him in 

Washington. His influence on me will 

continue long after he has left this 

body. 

CHUCK HAGEL

Mr. President, one of the first experiences of a new Senator is to open their 

drawer in their desk here on the floor 

and learn a special lesson in Senate 

history. Traditionally, Senators do 

what we prevent sixth grade boys from 

doing: we write our names into our 

desks. When I first opened my drawer 

here, I saw decades of people who had 

occupied this particular desk, and it 

told me that for however long I am 

here, I am a temporary occupant. Many 

came before me and many will come 

after me. So at each 2-year interval, we 

say goodbye to many of our colleagues 

and await the new. 

I will be particularly sad to say farewell to the Senior Senator from Nebraska, Mr. HAGEL. He came to this 

body with an extraordinary career in 

communications, finance, and international business. He was like a Senator of a bygone era, when Members of 

this body often were the national experts in their fields. 

He made a tremendous contribution 

to the world of the Senate because he 

had first-hand knowledge of the dynamism and transformational nature of 

the global economy all around us. He is 

the kind of decisionmaker that is shaping the new economy and it has been so 

valuable to have him among us. 

CHUCK HAGEL’s whole life expresses 

his conviction that the world can and 

should be a better place, and it will not 

get that way by itself. He is fully engaged in life-long effort to make the 

world a better place, and he applies 

every waking hour to the quest. I know 

that ‘‘retirement’’ is not the word for 

his departure from this place—in a way 

he is released from this responsibility 

to pursue his passion of public service 

in multiple other ways. He is the embodiment of the ideal of a life of selfsacrifice for the betterment of others. 

Senator HAGEL brought his analytical, probing mind to the Foreign Relations Committee, where I served with 

him these last 6 years. His contributions to the committee’s work were always thoughtful and challenging—and 

that was just his Halloween costumes. 

CHUCK HAGEL is one of the most energetic people I have ever met. When you 

look at the list of organizations he supports with this ideas and his leadership, it looks like the combined resume 

of five people. He works with veterans 

organizations, antipoverty organizations, international cooperation organizations and the list goes on and on. 

He has been honored by dozens of organizations for excellence in public service. 

For some reason, Nebraska has a 

habit of sending independent-minded 

members to this body, and they play a 

key role in our deliberation. Perhaps 

because Nebraska is kind of plains 

State, kind of a Midwestern State, 

kind of a Western State, and in that 

way unique, Nebraskans have contributed a great deal of independence to 

our deliberations, which is so valuable 

in the Senate’s search for consensus. 

We in Minnesota are glad to be a part 

of CHUCK HAGEL’s life. Since some of 

his education occurred at the Brown 

Institute in Minneapolis, we too claim 

a piece of him. 

We thank the people of Nebraska for 

sharing him with the Nation as a Member of the Senate. We will certainly 

miss his razor sharp analytical mind 

and his wonderfully engaging personality. I am personally grateful to him 

for the way he introduced me to the 

habits and ways of the Senate and for 

helping me understand how to do my 

best for the people of my State. 

In the history of this Nation, different kinds of men and women have 

given some of their talents and vision 

to this place for the benefit of the 

whole Nation. We thank Senator 

HAGEL for his willingness to serve and 

for the way he made the most of every 

moment of his time here in the Senate. 

WAYNE ALLARD

Mr. President, with the conclusion of 

our business for the year comes the 

moment when we must say farewell to 

Members who have chosen to leave the 

Senate, and I want to take this opportunity to honor my friend and colleague from Colorado, Senator WAYNE

ALLARD. He is leaving as a matter of 

principle, believing in the value of 

‘‘citizen legislators,’’ which he is fulfilling by ending his service here after 

two terms. I greatly respect him for 

that choice. 

One of the wonderful things about 

the Senate is the distinctive experiences that bring people to this place. 

Senator ALLARD’s professional training 

is as a veterinarian, a skill that is of 

great importance to a State with as 

much livestock agriculture as Colorado. He began a successful veterinary 

practice from nothing in Loveland, in 

the eastern foothills of the Rocky 

Mountains. That experience has given 

him unique insight into the needs and 

concerns of America’s millions of small 

businesses, where the job growth and 

creative energy of our economy comes 

from. 

WAYNE ALLARD brought many values 

with him to the Senate, but perhaps 

the most important is the need to use 

more care in the way we spend the people’s money. He personally practiced 

that value by returning $42.2 million of 

his office allotment to the U.S. Treasury. As a member of the committees 

which handle appropriations, the Federal budget and banking policy, he has 

been a constant advocate for lower 

spending, improved efficiency in government programs, and steady progress 

toward a balanced budget. 

Our former colleague, Howard Baker, 

once said that you could trace the decline of the legislative branch of Government to the installation of air-conditioning in the Capitol. What he 

meant by that was that previous generations of Senators were driven from 

Washington by the tropical summers, 

and that gave them an opportunity to 

reconnect with their roots so they 

could return refreshed and reoriented 

toward the people’s wishes. Senator 

ALLARD needed no such climatic encouragement: he couldn’t wait to get 

back to Colorado where he would spend 

countless hours listening to and learning from the folks who sent him here. 

I will truly miss his example and his 

friendship here in the Senate. The Senate is a distinctive and valuable institution generation after generation because the senior Members pass on their 

lessons to the junior Members. Senator 

ALLARD taught me a lot about how to 

be a good Senator by working hard, 

sticking to your principles, and listening more than talking. 

Former Senator Harry S. Truman 

said that if you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog. But Senator ALLARD

has been my good friend, encouraging 

me when I was discouraged and keeping 

me humble when I was flying too high 

for my own good. 

I think the ideas of fiscal conservatism and frugality that he based his 

life and service on are returning to the 

forefront here in Washington as he departs. As we move toward a balanced 

budget, I think he can take pride in 

fighting for it for 12 years in Washington and pointing us in the right direction. 

WAYNE ALLARD is a good man who 

chose to serve in the Senate for a specific amount of time and he has done 

that. I honor him today as a person of 

character and wisdom, and I thank him 

for making me a better Senator and for 

making the Senate a place that better 

reflects the values of regular people. 

LARRY CRAIG

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the 

State of Idaho occupies a very special 

place in my life’s career. In the summer of 1943, during the height of World 

War II, I had the great fortune to find 

a job with the U.S. Forest Service. I 

was sent to Idaho, along with many 

other young men, to work in the forests. We performed a wide range of duties, from clearing trails to fighting 

forest fires. 

After brief service in the Navy in the 

final year of World War II, I attended 

college and at my first opportunity, in 

the summer of 1947, I returned to Idaho 

to once again work with the Forest 

Service, helping preserve one of nature’s greatest gifts—the mighty trees 

of the West. 

Those two summers of hard work 

trained and prepared me to always respect those who labor with their hands. 

Throughout my career in the Senate, 

I have enjoyed working with senators 

from Idaho, and sharing common interests, such as forestry and preserving 

the great outdoors, with those who represent that State. Senator LARRY

CRAIG is one of those. 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE
October 2, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10439 

Through the years, I have found his 

perspective on controversial issues, 

such as forests, mining and agriculture 

especially the potato and sugar-beet 

issues to be very valuable and informative. 

LARRY CRAIG and I also share an interest in the fine arts. My hobby is 

painting in oil; his is drawing with meticulous design. His creations are extraordinary in their detail. I hope, as 

he leaves the Senate, he will have opportunities to further utilize these exceptional talents to create pieces of art 

to be enjoyed by others. 

I wish him and his family well. 

f 

VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH AND 

OTHER CARE IMPROVEMENTS ACT 

Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise 

today to urge swift Senate passage of 

S. 2162, the proposed Veterans’ Mental 

Health and Other Care Improvements 

Act of 2008, as amended. This is an omnibus health care measure, which responds to the burgeoning mental 

health concerns of veterans and their 

families. The bill, as it comes before 

the Senate, is a compromise agreement 

developed with our counterparts on the 

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. 

I thank Chairman FILNER and Ranking 

Member BUYER of the House committee 

for their cooperation in this endeavor. 

I also thank my good friend, the committee’s ranking member, Senator 

BURR, for his great energy and cooperation as we have developed this bill. 

This compromise agreement is also 

focused on addressing homelessness 

among veterans, increasing VA’s efforts on pain management, promoting 

excellence in VA’s efforts relating to 

epilepsy, and improving access to care 

in rural areas. It also includes a series 

of necessary programmatic authorization extensions as well as major medical facility construction authorizations. 

The framework for this bill is my legislation, S. 2162 as originally introduced. This bill represents a bipartisan 

approach and was cosponsored early on 

by the ranking member, Senator BURR, 

along with Senators MIKULSKI, ENSIGN, 

ROCKEFELLER, SMITH, BINGAMAN, DOLE, 

CLINTON, COLLINS, SESSIONS, and STEVENS. 

Mr. President, I want to share how 

we began this process. The legislation 

did not stem from a lobbyist or an interest group. It came about because of 

one letter—a letter to me from the parents of Justin Bailey—Mary Kaye and 

Tony Bailey. 

Justin Bailey was a war veteran who 

survived Iraq only to die while receiving care from VA for PTSD and substance use disorder. A week after his 

death last year, Justin’s parents were 

naturally heartbroken by the death of 

their only son, but even more than 

that, they were concerned that other 

veterans might share his fate if VA 

mental health care did not improve. 

In their own words, they asked, ‘‘Everyone talks about the costs of sending 

troops to Iraq—what about the cost of 

caring for their injuries, both physical 

and psychological, when they return?’’ 

From this first letter, the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs held various hearings on the mental health needs of veterans. The media carried so many stories of veterans who were suffering, and 

various studies showed how prevalent 

mental health difficulties are in those 

who return from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

We worked with experts in the mental health field and others who were 

advocating for veterans, including 

those at the Disabled American Veterans, to craft a bill that responded to 

the problem. This legislation responds 

to the concerns of the Baileys and 

many others who have come to the 

committee to tell their stories, and 

does so with the clear understanding 

that veterans care is a cost of war. If 

we neglect to pay these costs when the 

service members first return from deployment, we as a nation will suffer incalculable human costs that can never 

be repaid. 

Provisions included in this compromise agreement are drawn from various bills which have all been reported 

favorably by the Senate Committee on 

Veterans’ Affairs, including S. 1233 as 

ordered reported on August 29, 2007; S. 

2004, S. 2142, S. 2160, S. 2162, as ordered 

reported on November 14, 2007; and S. 

2969, as ordered reported on June 26, 

2008. 

I will briefly outline some of the key 

provisions in the compromise agreement. 

This legislation would make comprehensive changes to VA mental 

health treatment and research. Most 

notably, it would ensure a minimum 

level of substance use disorder care for 

veterans who need such care. It would 

also require VA to improve treatment 

of veterans with PTSD co-occurring 

with substance use disorders. Additionally, in order to determine if VA’s residential mental health facilities are appropriately staffed, this bill would 

mandate a review of such facilities. It 

would also create a vital research program on PTSD and substance use disorders, in cooperation with, and building on the work of, the National Center 

for PTSD. 

It is not uncommon for veterans with 

physical and mental wounds to turn to 

drugs and alcohol to ease their pain. 

Many experts believe that stress is the 

primary cause of drug abuse and of relapse to drug abuse. Sixty to eighty 

percent of Vietnam veterans who have 

sought PTSD treatment have alcohol 

use disorders. VA has long dealt with 

substance abuse issues, but there is 

much more that can be done. This legislation would provide a number of solutions to enhance substance use disorder treatment, including an innovative approach to substance use treatment via Internet-based programs. 

Furthermore, the inclusion of families in mental health and substance use 

disorder treatment is critical. To that 

end, the compromise agreement would 

fully authorize VA to provide mental 

health services to families of veterans 

and would set up a program to 

proactively help veterans and their 

families to transition from deployment 

to civilian life. 

Beneficiary travel reimbursements 

are essential to improving access to VA 

health care for veterans in rural areas. 

This legislation would increase the 

beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement rate from 11 cents per mile to 28.5 

cents per mile and permanently set the 

deductible to the 2007 amount of $3 

each way. Senator TESTER has been a 

leader on this issue, and I thank him 

for that. 

Too often, veterans suffer from lack 

of care not only because they reside in 

rural areas but also because they are 

unaware of the services available to 

them. This legislation would enhance 

outreach and accessibility by creating 

a pilot program on the use of peers to 

help reach out to veterans. It would 

also encourage improved accessibility 

for mental health care in rural areas 

through coordination with communitybased resources. Mental Health America and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans 

of America brought to the committee 

the concept of using peers to help veterans, and I think it is a good one. 

It is crucial that all veterans have 

access to emergency care. This bill 

would make corrections to the procedure used by VA to reimburse community hospitals for emergency care provided to eligible veterans to ensure 

that both veterans and community 

hospitals are not unduly burdened by 

emergency care costs. This provision is 

based on legislation introduced by Senator BROWN in response to a situation 

in his own State of Ohio, where community hospitals were not being reimbursed timely from VA. 

The compromise agreement also addresses homelessness among veterans, 

a far too prevalent problem. The bill 

would create targeted programs to provide assistance for low-income veteran 

families. It would also increase the 

total amount that VA is authorized to 

spend on its successful Grant and Per 

Diem Program, which assists community-based entities that serve homeless 

veterans. Finally, the bill would expand a program to help formerly incarcerated veterans reintegrate into life 

and ensure facilities are up to par for 

women veterans who are homeless. 

Epilepsy is often associated with 

traumatic brain injury. This legislation would establish six VA epilepsy 

centers of excellence, focused on research, education, and clinical care activities in the diagnosis and treatment 

of epilepsy. These centers would restore VA to the position of leadership 

it once held in epilepsy research and 

treatment. Senators MURRAY and 

CRAIG worked together to bring this 

critical legislation to the forefront. I 

also add that the Epilepsy Foundation 

of America and the American Academy 

of Neurology were very helpful to the 

committee on this issue. 


rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with SENATE