December 8, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10801 

I am honored to know her and to 

have worked with her. I would like to 

thank Senator DOLE for her contributions to the Senate and to the country 

we both love. I wish her and her family 

the best in all of their future endeavors. 

JOHN E. SUNUNU

Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I wish 

to join my fellow Senators to honor a 

colleague and a friend, Senator JOHN E. 

SUNUNU, who is departing the Senate at 

the close of this Congress. I have enjoyed working with Senator SUNUNU

over the years—first in the House of 

Representatives and later in the Senate. 

While in the Senate, I have had the 

great fortune of serving with JOHN on 

the Senate Finance Committee. He is a 

revered advocate of fiscal discipline, 

personal responsibility, and free markets. The two of us have stood together 

on numerous issues—most notably 

tax—and I have always believed that 

we could accomplish any goal because I 

had his voice of conviction and intellect by my side. 

Representing New Hampshire, Senator SUNUNU has proven to all Granite 

Staters that he will fight for the simple motto that reads on their State license plate: Live Free or Die. Whether 

the item of the day was social security, 

trade, or any other topical issue, including the original intent of the Constitution, Senator SUNUNU has proven 

that he is up for any debate. 

The U.S. Senate will not be the same 

without Senator JOHN SUNUNU. In a 

time when many politicians try to increase the role of government in American life, Senator JOHN SUNUNU has always bet on the American people rather than government. I will miss JOHN

SUNUNU. 

Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, 

four of our most valuable Senators will 

not return next year and we will miss 

them. 

ELIZABETH DOLE

ELIZABETH DOLE began her career in 

public service at about the same time I 

did. We were both in the Nixon White 

House in 1969, and since then I have enjoyed following and watching and occasionally bumping into her remarkable 

career. She began that career at a time 

when women, even if they graduated 

from Harvard Law School as she did, 

had very few options. ELIZABETH made 

her options—in the Cabinet, heading 

the American Red Cross and pioneering 

in a Presidential race in 1999. I have 

thoroughly enjoyed working with her, 

as well as knowing even better Bob 

Dole during these last 6 years. She 

truly is one of America’s most admired 

women. 

GORDON SMITH

GORDON SMITH is the most eloquent 

among us Senators. Every Republican 

Senator would say that, and any Democrat who had heard him would agree. 

He has a quiet way, an intelligence and 

a way of speaking that commands attention and respect. He has his feet 

firmly planted on the ground in Pendleton, OR. He understands the private 

sector. He has been courageous in his 

willingness to support and chide and 

criticize his party when needed. He will 

be sorely missed. 

JOHN SUNUNU

I met JOHN SUNUNU when he was a 

college student and his father and I 

were Governors of our respective 

States. He arrives and leaves as the 

youngest member of the Senate. But, 

in our caucus, his voice is one of the 

voices most carefully listened to. His 

intelligence, his philosophical integrity and his persistence have made him 

a most valuable player in our Republican Conference. He has a bright career ahead of him. 

TED STEVENS

I have often thought that I should 

write a book called ‘‘some things you 

don’t know about the people I work 

with.’’ Someday I will. And I will start 

with TED STEVENS, who flew the first 

cargo plane into Peking, as it was then 

called, at the end of World War II. This 

was a dangerous, bold mission. It helps 

to explain the life of this remarkable 

man who helped Alaska become a State 

and then has defended and supported it 

in the Senate for 40 years. With the departures of TED STEVENS and two other 

Senators of whom I have already spoken—PETE DOMENICI and JOHN WARNER—the Senate loses more than 100 

years of service. More than that, this 

country loses three men whose view of 

America was rooted in the last years of 

World War II and the remarkable ascendancy of our country since then. 

Looking around the Senate, it will be 

difficult to find many among those of 

us who remain with the breadth of vision and old-fashioned patriotism that 

these men have contributed. 

f 

HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES 

CAPTAIN ROBERT YLLESCAS

Mr. HAGEL. Mr. Presdient, I wish to 

express my sympathy over the loss of 

U.S. Army captain Robert Yllescas. 

Captain Yllescas, a native Guatemalan 

and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, died on December 1 

from injuries he sustained from an improvised explosive device in the mountains of Afghanistan on October 28. He 

was 31 years old. 

After spending the first 18 years of 

his life in Guatemala, Captain Yllescas 

moved to Nebraska, where he enrolled 

in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

and joined the ROTC. He married his 

wife Dena in her hometown of Osceola, 

NE. A graduate of Army Ranger school, 

Captain Yllescas’ service included two 

tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, where he proved to be an exemplary leader. As the commander of B 

Troop, 6–4 Cavalry of the 3rd Brigade, 

1st Infantry Division, he led 90 U.S. and 

200 Afghan soldiers in Nuristan province. He was awarded the Purple Heart 

by President Bush on November 10. 

All of Nebraska is proud of Captain 

Yllescas’ service to our country, as 

well as the thousands of brave men and 

women serving in the U.S. Armed 

Forces. 

Captain Yllescas is remembered as a 

devoted husband, father, and son. In 

addition to his wife Dena, he is survived by his daughters, Julia, 7, and 

Eva, 10 months; and parents Otto and 

Barb. 

I ask my colleagues to join me and 

all Americans in honoring U.S. Army 

CPT Robert Yllescas. 

f 

67TH ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL 

HARBOR 

Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, yesterday, December 7, 2008, was the 67th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor in which more than 2,400 courageous sailors, soldiers, and marines 

died. To those in Hawaii who, like me, 

witnessed the attack, the events of 67 

years ago have a deep personal significance. I will never forget the courage 

and commitment of the soldiers, sailors, and ordinary men and women who 

did not hesitate to defend our Nation 

despite the enormous personal risk. 

For all Americans, young and old, it is 

important to remember that out of this 

dark hour arose the courage and 

strength of a unified Nation. I honor 

the memories of all the survivors of the 

attack as well as the fallen heroes who 

fought to defend our Nation’s principles of democracy and freedom that 

day. 

This year, with so many of our troops 

serving overseas, I would also like recognize our armed services families by 

honoring the sacrifices of those who 

lost loved ones during the attack on 

Pearl Harbor. Our Nation owes these 

family members a debt of gratitude for 

their strength and perseverance during 

such a grievous time. I want to thank 

all the members of our armed forces— 

those that served in World War II, all 

those that have served since, and those 

who still serve today. Your daily sacrifices protect and strengthen our 

country and allow us to enjoy the freedoms symbolic of the United States. 

Your courageous and dedicated efforts 

humble me, and may God bless you and 

your families as together we remember 

Pearl Harbor. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO LINDA LE 

Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise 

today to recognize the outstanding 

service Linda Le provided to the Senate Committee on Small Business and 

Entrepreneurship over the past 4 years. 

Linda is a dedicated individual whose 

penchant for critical insights and creative solutions will be sorely missed. 

Linda first joined the Senate Small 

Business Committee staff in 2004 as a 

staff assistant. She had previously 

gained invaluable experience on financial matters during her career at Fidelity Investments. Through hard work 

and determination here in the Senate, 

Linda rose through the ranks, first as a 

research analyst and finally as a professional staff member. Over the years, 


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