[Senate Document 111-25]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Doc. 111-25
TRIBUTES TO HON. SAM BROWNBACK
Sam Brownback
U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Sam Brownback
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Sam Brownback
United States Congressman
1995-1996
United States Senator
1996-2011
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Farewell to the Senate................................
vii
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
13
Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
3
Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
17
Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
9
Cornyn, John, of Texas.........................
14
DeMint, Jim, of South Carolina.................
14
Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
12
Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
12
Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
10
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
16
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
20
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
5
Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
21
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
8
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
5
Roberts, Pat, of Kansas........................
18
Warner, Mark R., of Virginia...................
9
BIOGRAPHY
Sam Brownback has spent his life in the service of
others. He was born in Parker, KS, and raised on a farm
where his mother and father still live. He was a leader in
high school, in Future Farmers of America as State
president, as student body president at Kansas State
University, and as president of his class at University of
Kansas Law School.
Sam served as a White House fellow in the first Bush
administration and was the youngest secretary of
agriculture in Kansas history. When he was 38, he was
elected to the House of Representatives with the
Republican Revolution in 1994. In 1996, he was elected to
the U.S. Senate seat held by Bob Dole.
In the U.S. Senate, Sam served on the Appropriations,
Judiciary, and Joint Economic Committees. He was the
ranking member on the Joint Economic Committee on the
Financial Services and General Government Appropriations
Subcommittee as well as the subcommittee responsible for
the Constitution. He also served on the Helsinki
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe,
cochaired the Senate Cancer Coalition and the Human Rights
Caucus, chaired the Senate Values Action Team, and was a
founding member of the Senate Fiscal Watch Team.
Sam earned a well-deserved reputation for expertise and
genuine concern in a wide range of issue areas. His
priority is growing the Kansas economy and creating jobs.
He strongly supports funding for aviation research and
expanding global aviation markets and promotes efforts to
strengthen military and veteran services and facilities in
Kansas. Sam is actively engaged in re-opening the U.S.
beef trade in Asia and increasing markets for Kansas
agriculture products while encouraging measures to protect
American farmers and food supplies. Sam also focuses on
promoting new energy sources and bio-technologies, and on
working to revitalize our rural heartland with tax
incentives and job creation.
Sam is pushing for meaningful tax reform and an optional
flat tax, a BRAC-like commission to review and terminate
failed or completed Federal programs, and to build market-
and consumer-based solutions to health care reform. He
believes passionately that we must defend and promote
traditional marriage, confirm judges who will interpret
the law and not legislate from the bench, protect and
renew our American culture, and defend human life at every
stage of development everywhere in the world. He is
actively engaged in stopping genocide in Darfur,
incentivizing drug companies to find cures to neglected
diseases throughout the world, and spreading democracy and
human rights around the world, especially in Iran, North
Korea, and China.
His colleagues say he is one of the most sincere people
in Congress, and even those who don't agree with him never
doubt his conviction and appreciate the respectful way he
debates even the most contentious of issues.
The Economist called Sam ``The Wilberforce Republican,''
and the New York Times declared that he is ``one of the
most conservative, religious, fascinating--and, in many
ways, admirable--politicians in America today.'' The
Weekly Standard said Sam is ``Mr. Compassionate
Conservative,'' and the American Spectator called him ``a
model of modern American conservatism.''
Over the years, Sam has been a radio broadcaster,
attorney, teacher, administrator, Congressman, and
Senator. Senator Brownback and his wife Mary have five
children and live in Topeka, KS.
Farewell to the Senate
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I thank the majority
leader for setting up this period of time. This will be my
last speech, probably, to the body. It is a speech I wish
to give in talking about leaving the Senate of the United
States.
I was just elected to be Governor of Kansas, and I am
very excited about that post. I have served here a period
of 14 years, which has been a wonderful chance to be able
to serve the people of Kansas--the people of the United
States. I love this body and I love this country.
A lot of folks, when they leave, talk about partisanship
and the bickering. I like to think about the beauty of the
country and the ability to come together because it does
happen. The predecessor of the person sitting in the
Presiding Officer's seat (Senator Paul Wellstone) and I
worked on one of the flagship pieces of legislation on
human rights protection. It was on human trafficking, the
initial bill. Senator Paul Wellstone from Minnesota was a
delightful individual. It was a great chance for us to
work together on something, and we couldn't have been
further apart. I think he was ranked the second most
liberal Member of the Senate. He aspired to be No. 1, but
he was second. He was a delightful man; he dealt from the
heart; and we got things done.
I say that because I think that is how we work in this
place; that we fight on about 20 percent of the issues--
and they are important, big issues--and then we cooperate
and work together on a whole host of broad bipartisan
issues, such as dealing with things like human
trafficking. You do that primarily with people who deal
from the heart--people such as Paul Wellstone, Ted
Kennedy, and Jesse Helms. There are a lot of others, and
many people get many things done in this body, but I think
it is best when people deal from the heart. When they do
that, then there is a chance for us to come together
around key and heartfelt things. This has been a great
body to serve in and I have delighted in being able to do
that.
There is much to be done for the country. We have to
deal with the creation of jobs in America. We have to deal
with our debt and our deficit. We have many issues to deal
with. My hope for here, and my hope for our country, is
that we go back to the virtues of the Greatest Generation
and look to them for ways to move forward. It is looking
back at the old path of what worked in tough times and
moving it forward on the new path.
I came into this seat after Bob Dole served in this
body. He served in this seat. Senator Dole from Kansas is
the iconic figure of the World War II generation, of that
``Greatest Generation.'' He just got out of Walter Reed
Hospital. He has been very ill this year. He is coming
back, recuperating. I think he is 87 years old.
Most everybody in America would agree about the Greatest
Generation. They would say that World War II generation
hit the mark of what it is to be an American, what it is
to sacrifice, what it is to fight for a good cause. They
did it with a set of virtues that are timeless, that are
known, and I think we have to emulate this time for us to
deal with the problems we have now. They were courageous;
they were selfless; they were courteous; they were people
who would fight for a cause. They were the ones who
exhibited charity and thrift. That was certainly known in
that generation. I think these are things we have to bring
back--hard work and compassion.
It seems to me, when I think of that generation--and
nobody is perfect and that generation is not perfect--
those are ideals I saw in practice, whether it was them on
the battlefield in World War II, raising their families at
home, or educating their families, saving for future
generations; that is what they did.
If you ask people of that generation, did you do this on
purpose, they might say we did or didn't. Most of them
would say this was the right thing to do, and it is the
thing we needed to do. I think it is what we need to do
now. I think we need to emulate those virtues of the
Greatest Generation and apply them to our problems.
Their problems were more foreign than ours. Ours I
believe are more domestic, dealing with our own debt and
deficit as a country and as a society and as individuals
and individual households; us creating and saving for that
next generation in the country and investing to do that,
and being selfless and sacrificial in doing that. Building
family structure and doing that which is for the good of
our families is what we need to do, as well as follow that
virtue and that old, ancient path they followed. They said
they did because it was a thing they needed to do. I think
we have to do the same thing. I hope we will as a country.
There has been a debate that started in America that I
do not agree with, and it is whether this is a special
country and whether America is an exceptional land. I for
one fully embrace the notion that this is a special place.
I believe in American exceptionalism and I have been in
many places over the world where you see this in action. I
have been in many places in America where you see this in
action, where somebody selflessly takes care of other
individuals.
Last night I was at the Korean Embassy. We were talking
about what is taking place in North Korea, and one of the
people working there at the South Korean Embassy was
amazed that people in the United States would care what
happens to people in North Korea. One of the people with
me was saying that is how we look at the world. If
somebody else is in bondage, if somebody else is in
difficulty, we feel that and we want to help to deal with
it. That, to me, is part of what American exceptionalism
is all about.
This is a special place and has a special calling. If it
is not us doing it, in many cases around the world it does
not get done. I have been in the Sudan and they are not
calling on the Chinese to lead Sudan into a freer time
period. I have been in other places--in Africa, on the
North Korean border. If you are looking for somebody to
solve the problem, it is the Americans who go in and do
it.
Our task now is to not only do that around the world,
but it is to do it domestically. I think we have to look
more and more at ourselves and say we are a special place.
We have to look at ourselves as the baby boomer generation
that I am a part of and say you have to prove and earn
your exceptionalism. I think we have to step up to the
mark as the Greatest Generation did and be willing to
serve in a tough way, in a sacrificial way, in the best
interests of the future of our country. We have to do it,
and now is the time to do it.
I am appreciative that the President had a deficit task
force he appointed and that they came up with some ideas,
some of which I agree with, and some of which I disagree.
But I am glad they started the discussion and the debate.
If the figures I have seen are accurate, half the American
households receive an entitlement check from the Federal
Government--half of the American households. We have a
deficit and debt that is structural. It is not based upon
one-time war funding, although war funding has contributed
to it, but it is structural in that we have more going out
than we have coming in. It is time this is dealt with. I
think that is part of the message from this last election
cycle. The American people are ready to have an
intelligent discussion, a difficult discussion of what we
are going to do to be able to save ourselves fiscally. Now
is the time to do it.
We actually have the structure set up to do it. With a
Republican House, Democratic Senate, Democratic
Presidency. This would be the time and the structure to
talk about this sort of difficult issue. Our generation
should step up and deal with it. I am not going to be here
for that discussion and debate, but it is time we have it
and it is time we bring back these timeless virtues to
deal with our domestic problems the way we have dealt with
international problems in the Greatest Generation.
As I leave this body, one of the rites of passage is to
sign your desk, and I just did that. I did it in pencil. I
figure that all of us will fade with time and that
signature will fade with time as well. But the things you
remember are what you touched and that touched you and the
souls that are touched. It is people who deal from the
heart who are the ones who touch your life and the ones
who touch your soul. I want to express my deep
appreciation to my colleagues who have touched my heart. I
hope I have been a positive statement to many of them.
The psalm that comes to mind is one that says: ``And his
place knew him no more.''
The psalmist wrote: ``His place knew him no more.''
After a period of time you sign the desk, you move on, and
then you look back and see the signatures in the desk and
you don't recognize many of them. The place will know us
no more. But the hearts that we touch, the hearts that
touch ours, we will remember forever, and I certainly
will.
I thank you and my colleagues in the Senate for letting
me serve with you. It has been a great joy. It is a
fabulous Nation, the greatest Nation on the face of the
Earth, and it was an honor to serve here.
God bless America.
?
TRIBUTES
TO
SAM BROWNBACK
Proceedings in the Senate
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, 16 Senators will retire
this year. There is a pretty big turnover in this body,
but that is a lot of Senators at once. We are losing an
enormous amount of talent, but, of course, we are gaining
a lot of talent with the new Senators.
I wish to show my respect for those who have served,
which I will do in a summary fashion because we are
talking about 16 individuals with very complex and
distinguished backgrounds.
One might ask, what are the characteristics of a
Senator? There are a lot of different answers to that,
depending on your background and attitude toward politics
and government. First, I have always thought that one
characteristic of almost every Member of the Senate is
that he or she probably was a first grader sitting in the
front row, hand in the air waiting to be recognized. This
is an eager bunch or you would not have gotten here.
Second, it is a group of risk takers. Most people who
end up in the Senate get here because a lot of other
people who wanted to be Senators were standing around
waiting for the right time to run. A lot of people who
were elected to the Senate seemed to have no chance of
winning at the time they decided to run, but the voters
decided differently, and here they are.
Third, we are almost all professional and congenial.
That is a big help. It is almost a requirement in an
organization of 100 individuals who spend almost all their
time with one another, who serve in a body that operates
by unanimous consent, when just one Senator can bring the
whole place to a halt, and whose job basically is to argue
about some of the most difficult issues that face the
American people. So it helps that almost every Member of
the Senate is an especially congenial person.
Back in Tennessee, people often say to me it must be
rough being in that job. They are awfully mean up there.
The truth is, I don't know of a more congenial group than
the Members of the Senate. We begin the day in the gym.
The next thing you know we are at a Prayer Breakfast, and
then we are at a committee hearing. Then we are on the
floor voting, and then we have lunch. It goes through the
day until 7 or 8 o'clock, or sometimes later. We live
together and we get along very well. We know and respect
each other.
Not long ago, the Presiding Officer (Mr. Udall of New
Mexico) and I were having dinner together with our wives.
We were lamenting the loss of families who know one
another, the way it happened when his father was serving
in Congress and when I first came to the Senate to work
for Senator Baker. And that's true. We've lost some of
that. Still, there is an enormous amount of affection and
good will here. You don't always get to be very close
friends in this job, but you get to be very good
acquaintances, and you learn to respect people for their
strengths.
Senator Domenici said, when he left, that we don't do a
very good job of saying goodbye here. That is true. As one
part of saying goodbye, I wish to say at least one good
thing about each one of the 16 retiring Senators. Much
more could be said about each, of course. Mostly, I am
going in alphabetical order. ...
Senator Sam Brownback is going the other way, from
Senator to Governor of Kansas. During the health care
debate, I often said that everybody who voted for the
health care law ought to be sentenced to serve as Governor
for two terms and try to implement it. Well, Senator
Brownback voted against the health care law, but he's
going home and will have the opportunity to ``enjoy'' all
those unfunded mandates on Medicaid and see how Kansas
deals with it. What we'll miss about Sam Brownback, in
addition to his extraordinary kindness, is his devotion to
human rights, including giving voice to the oppressed
people in North Korea and being an outspoken critic of the
genocide in Darfur. ...
It has been my privilege to serve with these 16
Senators. We thank them for their service to our country.
They have had a chance to serve in what we regard as the
world's greatest deliberative body; it is a special
institution. We will miss their leadership, and we hope
they will stay in touch with us because they are not just
retiring Senators, they are all our friends.
I yield the floor.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of
materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to
retiring Members of the 111th Congress, and that Members
have until Thursday, December 16, to submit such tributes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I rise in tribute to my
good friend and distinguished colleague, Senator Sam
Brownback, or I could also say Governor-elect Sam
Brownback of the great State of Kansas.
Sam promised his constituents that he wouldn't run for
more than two full 6-year terms in the Senate, and Sam has
honored that pledge.
Let me just say at the outset that Sam has been an
outstanding Senator and an example of principled
leadership to all of us. He has served the people of
Kansas with great distinction and honor, and I am certain
he will continue to do so as he takes on new challenges in
Topeka.
Sam is a born leader. He was raised in the small town of
Parker, KS, where his mom and dad still live and farm
today, and his many talents were evident early on. In high
school, he was State president of the Future Farmers of
America. As an undergraduate at Kansas State University,
he was elected president of the student body, and he was
elected class president in law school, too, at the
University of Kansas. After law school, Sam worked as a
lawyer in Manhattan, KS, for 4 years before being
appointed as the secretary of the Kansas Board of
Agriculture.
From 1990 to 1991, Sam was accepted as a White House
fellow under President George H.W. Bush, where he worked
for the U.S. Trade Representative. Three years after that,
he ran for Congress as part of the Republican Revolution
and was overwhelmingly elected to Kansas' Second District.
It was the first time in Sam's life that Republicans had
the majority in the Congress, and he was a part of it. He
planned to make the most of it by focusing on limiting the
size and reach of the Federal Government.
But Sam's tenure in the House was brief. In 1996, just 2
days after Senator Dole announced his plan to resign from
the Senate to run for President, Sam announced he would
seek the Republican nomination in a special election to
serve out the final 2 years of Dole's term. Sam handily
defeated the former Lieutenant Governor who had been
appointed to fill Senator Dole's seat earlier that spring.
In the general election, Sam's campaign message was
simple. He called it the three Rs: reduce, reform, and
return: Reduce the size of and scope of the Federal
Government. Reform Congress. Return to the basic values
that had built the country: work and family and the
recognition of a higher moral authority.
Sam's message resonated with the people, many of whom
feared their government had become, as Sam stated, ``their
master, not their servant,'' and easily defeated his
opponent with 54 percent of the vote. Sam would go on to
be reelected to full terms in 1998 and 2004, capturing an
astounding 65 and 69 percent of the vote.
While in the Senate, Sam has been a leader among his
peers. He has been outspoken and has fought hard for the
people of Kansas and for the underprivileged around the
world.
Sam is an ardent defender of life and of the protection
of the unborn. ``I see it as the lead moral issue of our
day,'' Sam said, ``Just like slavery was the lead moral
issue 150 years ago.'' Sam opposes Roe v. Wade, has a 100-
percent pro-life voting record, and sponsored numerous
bills in support of the unborn.
In 1995, Sam was diagnosed and treated for melanoma and
it had a profound effect on his life. Sam said:
With the cancer, I did a lot of internal examination. My
conclusion was that if this were to be terminal, at that
point in time I would not be satisfied with how I had
lived my life. I had tried to be a Christian, but I had
failed ...
Surviving cancer, Sam found out just how precious life
was, and with his new lease on life, Sam began to devote
his life and work in the Senate to humanitarian causes
around the world. Sam has actively fought to bring
awareness to the genocide in Darfur. Sam supported the
Sudan Peace Act of 2002 and the Darfur Peace and
Accountability Act of 2002. In 2004, Sam visited Darfur to
see violence and suffering first hand, and that same year
he supported the Congressional Declaration of Genocide.
In addition to his advocacy work on Sudan, Sam has
worked on numerous other humanitarian challenges
throughout the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Uganda,
the Congo, Pakistan, Ukraine, China, North Korea, and
Vietnam. The Weekly Standard wrote:
Arguably no Senator has done more to press for human
rights and democracy or to confront the spread of deadly
disease, such as malaria, which kills 800,000 children in
Africa every year.
In the Senate, Sam has crusaded for his humanitarian
causes in a bipartisan fashion, including cosponsoring the
Iran Democracy Act with Senator Evan Bayh, cosponsoring
the North Korea Human Rights Act with the late Senator Ted
Kennedy, and what Sam calls his greatest achievement,
cosponsoring the Trafficking Victims Protection Act with
the late Senator Paul Wellstone.
Another one of Sam's passions was his role as chairman
of the Senate Values Action Team. The group, consisting of
outside organizations, met weekly to discuss matters of
faith, family, and religious freedoms. Over the years,
they worked together to strategize on efforts to protect
the sanctity of life, school choice, and much more. Sam
devoted countless hours to this organization and rarely
missed a meeting.
In the Senate, I relied heavily on Sam's expertise and
his leadership. He was always someone I looked toward,
whether it was for guidance or perspective on many
different issues. Sam served on numerous committees,
including the Appropriations Committee, the Joint Economic
Committee, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, and the Senate Special Committee on Aging,
as well as the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources.
In 2008, Sam announced he would honor his pledge to only
serve two terms in this Chamber. Sam will be missed, but
his service to Kansas will continue. Last month, Sam was
elected Governor of Kansas with 63 percent of the vote,
winning 103 of the 105 counties. I wish to congratulate
Sam on his impressive victory, and I cannot think of a
better public servant or leader than Sam Brownback for the
people of Kansas.
On top of all of Sam's accomplishments, he is a loving
husband to Mary. They met in law school and have been
married for 27 years. Together, Mary and Sam have five
children, including one adopted from Guatemala and one
adopted from China. Sam said:
My family has been personally touched by adoption. My
wife and I adopted our two youngest children, and I
continue to experience joy from the relationships we have
built through our adoption experience.
I think right there tells us all we need to know about
the type of character and person Sam Brownback is.
Sam, this Chamber honors you today for your service to
this Nation, to the State of Kansas, and to the millions
around the world who dream of a better life. Thank you
from all of us, and good luck in the next chapter of your
life.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to
our colleagues who are departing the Senate after
distinguished service on behalf of their States and on
behalf of the Nation. I have been privileged to work with
these individuals, to learn from them, to collaborate and
cooperate with them, and to, in some small way, help them
do what they have done so well--represent their States
with fidelity, with great effort, and to move the agenda
of the Nation forward. ...
I congratulate Governor-elect Sam Brownback. He has
decided to leave the rigors of the Senate for the
tranquility of being a Governor. I see our Presiding
Officer (Senator Mark Warner), who enjoyed the tranquility
of being the Governor of Virginia. I know Sam is going to
do great, but I think at some moment he might mop his brow
and say that it wasn't quite as hectic back in the Senate.
Along with Mary and his family he has distinguished
himself. Sam is someone who is indefatigable when involved
in an issue. He does it from principle and conscience. We
appreciate that.
I was pleased to work with him on legislation I
introduced, the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, which became
law. That is one example of his great skills as a
legislator. In foreign affairs he was someone who kept
watch on areas of the world which otherwise might have
been neglected. His efforts to bring justice and peace to
Darfur are particularly commendable. I thank the Senator
for his service and wish him well as he assumes the
daunting responsibilities as Governor of the State of
Kansas. ...
To all of these colleagues and their families, my
deepest appreciation and my profoundest respect.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise again to recognize the
service of another great Federal employee. This is a
tradition that was started by our friend and former
colleague, Senator Kaufman, and I am proud to carry on
that tradition. But I want to first say that I appreciate
the remarks of the Presiding Officer (Mr. Reed) about our
colleagues who are leaving this body, and I share his
great respect for not only Senator Kaufman but all of the
colleagues who are leaving the body at the end of this
Congress. ...
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my
colleague, Senator Sam Brownback, who will be leaving the
Senate at the end of this term. Senator Brownback has
served the people of Kansas for 16 years in the Congress,
serving one term in the House of Representatives before
being elected to the Senate in 1996. Sam is leaving the
Senate to serve the people of Kansas as their Governor.
As rural, Midwestern States, Kansas and North Dakota
have a lot in common, sharing many of the same challenges
and opportunities. Agriculture is a key component of both
States' economies. In fact, North Dakota and Kansas often
vie for the position of top wheat producer. Senator
Brownback knows agriculture well, having been raised on a
farm near Parker, KS, and serving as a State leader of
Future Farmers of America in high school. Early in his
career, Sam served as Kansas secretary of agriculture.
These experiences prepared him for his work in the Senate,
where he championed producing more energy from biofuels
and opening overseas markets to American beef--two issues
that are just as important to farmers and ranchers in
North Dakota as they are to those in Kansas.
I worked closely with Sam on a program that helps ensure
that individuals who live in rural areas have access to
doctors. The Conrad State 30 Program allows foreign
doctors educated in the United States on J-1 visas to
obtain a waiver of the requirement to return to their home
country for 2 years if they agree to practice for 3 years
in a medically underserved area of the country. This
program has been vital for individuals in rural States
like Kansas and North Dakota. Without it, residents of
rural areas would have to travel long distances to visit
physicians. I am proud to have Senator Brownback's support
of legislation to expand this program and make it
permanent.
Senator Brownback's concern for his fellow man does not
stop at America's borders. Although he does not serve on
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sam has been very
involved in international affairs, and has dedicated
himself to causes that protect the most vulnerable. He was
instrumental in passing the Trafficking Victims Protection
Act, worked to bring peace to Darfur, and, most recently,
fought to end the trade in conflict minerals from the
Congo.
Sam is one of the most genuine Members of the Senate. He
is willing to listen to opposing views and engage in
respectful debate. This great body will miss Senator
Brownback's collegiality.
I thank Senator Brownback for his service in the Senate
and wish him the best as he continues to represent the
people of Kansas as their Governor.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, if I could sum up the service
of Sam Brownback in the Senate in just a few words, I
would choose a phrase that is very familiar to the people
of Wyoming and the West. Sam is an individual who says
what he means and means what he says. That is why when he
made a promise that he would step down after he had served
two full terms in the Senate--he did it.
Fortunately, as the classic old film reminds us,
whenever a door is closed, somewhere, God opens a window
and that window was Sam's opportunity to run for Governor.
Now that he has been elected, the Senate's loss will be
Kansas' gain as the people of that State will have the
benefit of his leadership for many years to come.
Here in the Senate, Sam followed a philosophy he calls
``pro-life, whole life.'' Simply put that means that the
great respect we have for life doesn't end at birth, it
continues throughout. If it sounds familiar I believe that
is what our Founding Fathers meant when they spoke of
``life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'' as the
great gifts that are given to us by our Creator that can
never be taken away from us.
Throughout the years, Sam has followed that philosophy
wherever it has taken him as he has worked to support
legislative initiatives that seemed to clearly follow from
it. That is why you would find him working with Members on
both sides of the aisle to reach out to ``everybody on the
planet'' who was in need ``everywhere on the planet'' they
could be found.
Looking back, there is so much that Sam has accomplished
that should serve as a great source of pride for him, his
staff, and the people of Kansas. He has taken a consistent
stand for human rights whenever he was called to do so and
this is another reason why his is a voice that will be
missed in the Senate in the months to come.
Through the years, I have never met anyone who had a
stronger or more firmly aligned inner compass when it
comes to doing what is right because it is right than Sam.
In everything he does, his faith and his relationship with
God have served to direct his efforts. That heartfelt
approach of his has helped to keep his work in perfect
alignment with his core values and the thinking of the
people of Kansas who sent him to Washington to do what he
thought was best to protect and preserve the American
dream and keep it available for generations to come.
Sam is someone we will always remember for the things he
did and how well he did them. He is a natural leader who
leads with actions--not words, because he knows that is
the only way to get the important things done--and done
quickly.
That philosophy showed itself in things like Sam's work
to address the needs of the people of Africa. He did not
have to do it--but because he did, countless lives were
saved. If you asked him why he was working so hard to make
a difference in a nation so far from home, he would
probably say that is just another example of his
philosophy that the whole world is his backyard and
everyone, everywhere, is his neighbor.
I am certain that Sam is very familiar with the Parable
from the Bible in which the Master expresses his
appreciation for the good work of his servant. ``Well
done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were
faithful in small matters, I will give you great
responsibilities.''
I mention that because Sam has done so very well in the
Senate, it is as if the people of Kansas have now placed
him in charge of great responsibilities as their Governor.
I have no doubt that he is the right person at the right
time for this difficult job the people of his State have
now entrusted to his care.
Sam has often told the story about a comment that was
made to him by an older gentleman as he traveled
throughout the State, listening to voters at the end of
his campaign for Governor. The message he heard from this
one voter was simple but it spoke volumes. ``Be a good
Governor,'' was all he said. It's good advice but easier
expressed than done. Still, I have no doubt in the years
to come Sam will be all of that and so much more.
Diana joins in sending our best wishes to Sam and his
special wife Mary. Together they make up a remarkable team
and they can and should be very proud of all they have
accomplished together.
Thank you for your willingness to serve and most of all,
thanks for your friendship. Although you won't be with us
in the Senate Chamber next year, you will be just down the
road in the Governor's office in Kansas. I hope you
continue to let your thoughts and suggestions be known as
we take up those issues that were such a source of great
interest--and action--during your service here. Good luck
in the months to come as you take on this new and very
difficult challenge in your life. God bless.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
the order for the printing of tributes be modified to
provide that Members have until sine die of the 111th
Congress, 2d session, to submit tributes and that the
order for printing remain in effect.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Mr. DODD. I would like to say a few words in honor of
Senator Sam Brownback, my colleague from Kansas for these
past 14 years. Like me, he will be ending his service in
the U.S. Senate at the conclusion of this Congress. I
would like to congratulate him on his election as Governor
of the State of Kansas, and I wish him and his family the
very best in his new endeavor.
His election to the governorship should come as no
surprise--he has proven time and again that his first
priority is serving the people of Kansas. He has a long
track record of service, beginning with his 1986 election
to the position of State secretary of agriculture. At the
time of his election, he was only 30 years old, the
youngest person ever to hold the position.
After serving as agriculture secretary, Sam was elected
to the House of Representatives as part of the famous
Republican class of 1994. He quickly ascended to the
Senate in 1996 with the departure of a Senate and Kansas
legend, then-Majority Leader Bob Dole. Sam had some big
shoes to fill, and he has done so admirably.
Senator Brownback will be remembered for many things,
his conservatism and his passion to name a few, but
perhaps the most important is his dedication to his faith.
His religious values provided an anchor for everything he
did, and led to his pursuit of issues that provided
assistance for those in need.
Senator Brownback's commitment to ending the genocide in
Darfur is an example of one of those issues. Tragically,
more than 200,000 people have died in Darfur and more than
2.5 million have been displaced as a result of the unrest
in Sudan. Senator Brownback's expertise and dedication to
this critically important issue has made a real impact on
the fight to end this horrific crisis. With his
retirement, the Senate will lose one of its great human
rights champions.
Senator Brownback and I may not have always seen eye to
eye, but no one ever questioned his commitment to
principle, or his commitment to the people of Kansas.
I wish him, his wife Mary, and their five children all
the best. While the Senate will miss him, I wish him luck
as he embarks on his next journey as the Governor of
Kansas.
Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to bid farewell
to a number of our friends and colleagues who are ending
their service in the Senate. Their contributions are too
numerous to mention, therefore I would like to take just a
few minutes to highlight some of the memories of the
Senators I came to know personally.
Some of the departing Senators I have served with for
decades. Others were here for only part of a term. All of
them worked hard for their constituents and our country.
...
I will miss my good friend Senator Sam Brownback.
Despite sitting across the aisle from me, he was always
approachable and friendly. I know him to be committed to
helping people in Kansas and across the country. He felt
so strongly about ending homelessness that I remember him
spending the night in a homeless shelter with a group of
homeless people to experience first hand the obstacles
they face. That is dedication. He cares about people.
Senator Brownback should feel proud about all that he has
accomplished to make life better for people in our
country. ...
In closing, the end of this Congress is bittersweet,
with so many talented and dedicated public servants
leaving this institution. All of them made a lasting
impact on the Senate and on our country. Mahalo nui loa,
thank you, for all your work.
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in
appreciation and admiration of Senator Sam Brownback.
Sam's commitment to public service grew out of the
farmlands where he was raised and where his parents still
reside. As a student, Sam earned the respect of his peers
as State president of the Future Farmers of America and
student body president at Kansas State University. The
people of Kansas have put their trust in Sam multiple
times: as their secretary of agriculture, as one of their
Members in the House of Representatives, and for 14 years
in the U.S. Senate.
Sam drew upon his experience in Kansas to shape
legislation here in Washington. He offered legislation to
create more opportunity for America's farmers, and to
reduce foreign trade barriers to their products. In time,
Sam rose to become a leader on the Senate Appropriations
Committee, as well as the Energy and Natural Resources
Committee.
Sam also has a heart for victims of disease and human
rights violations all over the world. He proposed
incentives for drug companies to offer discounts for
lifesaving medications for people of developing nations.
He boldly called for the end to human rights violations in
Darfur and Iran. I have been proud to stand with him on
numerous pieces of human rights legislation, including the
Iran Democratic Transition Act in this Congress.
Sam's tenure in the Senate has come to an end, but not
his service to the people of Kansas. They overwhelmingly
called him back home to serve as their Governor, and begin
the next chapter in his remarkable career. Sandy and I
wish him and his family all the best.
Mr. DeMINT. I rise in tribute to my good friend, Senator
Sam Brownback, who will soon be Governor Sam Brownback.
Senator Brownback leaves this Chamber as a man of
character and success. He made a promise to the citizens
of Kansas to only serve two terms in the U.S. Senate and
he is honoring it.
He will continue to serve his constituents well, as he
will soon join the ranks of Republican Governors who are
committed to saving freedom and free markets. Sam and his
fellow Republican Governors will stand sentry in their
State capitols, defending Americans from unaffordable
mandates and unprecedented intrusions by the Federal
Government.
The current Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, left Topeka to come to
Washington and impose an unconstitutional health care
takeover on all Americans. I am confident Republican
Governor-elect Sam Brownback, who is leaving Washington
for Topeka, will successfully fight for State rights in
court and preserve freedom for Kansans.
Sam won on a platform of opportunity, accountability,
and responsibility--the very principles his State was
founded upon.
His ``Road Map for Kansas'' is built on ideas to grow
the economy, create private-sector jobs, improve
education, reform the State government, and support Kansas
families. This is exactly the kind of leadership our
Nation so desperately needs. His five-point plan is as
clear and bright as the tips of the stars on the Kansas
flag.
In addition to the roadmap for Kansas, Sam has promised
to institute a spending freeze for his State his very
first month in office.
It has been an honor to serve alongside Sam, one of our
Nation's premier pro-life leaders. He knows no one should
be denied the right to life--especially the unborn. As he
said in a speech at the 2004 March for Life, ``If we
demean and degrade one human life, we demean and degrade
all human life.''
As a U.S. Senator, Sam relentlessly fought to protect
the unborn. He was the principle sponsor of the Unborn
Child Pain Awareness Act, the Prenatally Diagnosed
Conditions Awareness Act, the Human Cloning Prohibition
Act, and others. He has also worked to advance the
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Unborn Victims of
Violence Act, and the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act.
Sam has increased awareness about the joy of adoption.
He can personally attest to it. He and his wife Mary and
three children Abby, Andy, and Elizabeth have welcomed two
children in need of a loving home into their lives. The
Brownback's youngest son Mark is from Guatemala. Their
youngest daughter Jenna is from China, where families are
subjected to grave and callous one-child policy.
Thank you Sam for fighting for a better life for all of
God's children.
As we bid him farewell, I would like to reflect on one
short passage from his book, From Power to Purpose. In it,
Sam wrote ``The heart of the matter is the human heart,
which is where human goodness begins.''
That shows the kind of heart Sam has for public service.
His tenure in the U.S. Senate is marked by his compassion
and care for his fellow man.
He will be dearly missed here in Washington. But, as
Jesus said, ``There are many rooms in my Father's house.''
And Sam is just moving to another room where he will
continue to serve God.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in honor
of my good friend, the senior Senator from Kansas. Senator
Sam Brownback has been a devoted public servant and a
friend to all of us here in the Senate. At the end of this
session, he will be moving on to bigger and better things.
I will miss him dearly.
Senator Brownback was born in Parker, KS, in 1956. He
was raised on a farm--a farm on which his parents still
live to this day. Sam was leader in all aspects of his
life before coming to the Senate. In high school, he was
the State president of the Future Farmers of America.
While attending college at Kansas State University, he was
student body president. And, he was president of his class
when he attended law school at the University of Kansas.
After law school, Sam went to work as an attorney in
Manhattan, KS. In 1986, he was the youngest person ever
appointed to serve as the Kansas secretary of agriculture.
In 1990, he went to work in the White House of President
George H.W. Bush as a White House fellow. After another
stint as Kansas' secretary of agriculture, Sam was elected
to the House of Representatives as part of the 1994
Republican Revolution. And, in 1996, he was elected to
replace the former Senate majority leader, and my good
friend, Senator Bob Dole. The people of Kansas have kept
him here ever since.
Looking over his career in public service, it is clear
that Sam Brownback is a Kansas man in every sense. The
voters of Kansas have recognized this more than anyone
else. That is why they have elected him three times to
serve in the Senate. And, of course, that is why he is
currently the State's Governor-elect.
Throughout his time in the Senate, Sam has been a
tireless advocate for the rights of those who have no
voice, whether it is the rights of the unborn, the rights
of refugees, or the rights of the victims of human
trafficking. I believe this is due, in no small part, to
Sam's religious faith. For as long as I have known him,
Sam has never been afraid to speak publicly about his
religious convictions and his belief that those
convictions required action on his part. As a religious
man myself, I have always admired that part of Senator
Brownback's personality and found his openness refreshing.
Over the years, Sam and I have typically found ourselves
in agreement on most issues. We have worked together on
numerous occasions. While I regret that we won't be
working together any more after this session, I want to
congratulate him once again on his recent victory in the
Kansas gubernatorial election. I am confident that he will
be an effective and popular Governor for the people of the
State he loves so much.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my
friend from Kansas, Senator Sam Brownback.
Born in Parker, KS, Sam has dedicated his time to
serving the great people of Kansas. Beginning his service
as the secretary of agriculture in Kansas, Sam has
represented Kansas with dignity and honor.
Following his election in 1994, I have had the
opportunity to work with Senator Brownback in both the
House of Representatives and the Senate. While in the
Senate, Sam and I worked tirelessly on the Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to utilize the
energy resources we have in this great country.
Sam has created a long list of accomplishments on a wide
range of issues for the people of Kansas and this Nation.
I know his family and the people of Kansas are proud to
call him one of their own. His leadership in the Senate
will be missed, but our loss is a gain for the State of
Kansas as Sam prepares for his new role as Governor. It
has truly been an honor serving with him during these many
years.
I would like to thank Sam for his contributions to the
Senate and wish him and his family well as they embark on
this new chapter in their lives.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the
service of my friend and colleague Sam Brownback. Sam was
elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 during the
Republican Revolution and was subsequently elected to the
Senate 2 years later when former Majority Leader Bob Dole
made his bid for the White House.
It has been both a privilege and a pleasure serving
alongside Sam during these past 16 years. All of us who
seek public service want to make a difference, and most
certainly, Sam Brownback has done that. In these endeavors
I have enjoyed working with Sam in achieving some
noteworthy accomplishments for our State of Kansas. As I
reflect upon our mutual efforts, it is hard to figure out
who was driving the stage and who was riding shotgun.
Simply put, it has been a team effort, and I have been
both humbled and proud to work with my colleague who has
provided unique and respected leadership. Sam's record
speaks for itself: bringing the Big Red One back home to
Fort Riley, KS, where it started and now belongs; bringing
the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, NBAF, to
Manhattan, KS; ensuring fair treatment of the general
aviation industry in FAA bills; and working together to
rebuild Greensburg, KS, after 95 percent of the community
was literally blown away by an EF5 tornado.
But beyond our work together on State specific issues,
it is Sam's Federal legislative initiatives that I think
will have the longest impact on the Senate and the lives
of so many people, not only within Kansas and our Nation
but, indeed, around the world.
Since the late 1970s, the term ``compassionate
conservative'' has been tossed around quite a bit to
describe a philosophy that states by applying conservative
ideals, our government can best improve the welfare of our
society. I think many of my colleagues would agree that if
anyone in public service over the past 30 years embodies
this philosophy, it would be Sam Brownback.
What is unique about Sam and his approach to politics
these past 16 years is that his ideas went beyond words
and rhetoric. The Sam Brownback approach was simple but
effective. He applied his beliefs to action, reflected by
the many legislative accomplishments he championed during
his tenure in the Senate.
Sam is a big believer in forgiveness and second chances.
How to put that belief into action? Sam introduced a bill
that really shows his heart for those in society who many
times are not given an opportunity to make amends: the
Second Chance Act.
Signed into law during the Bush administration, this act
created a grant program for State and local governments to
fund job training and family mentoring programs to help
reintegrate past offenders as they are granted release
back into society.
But Sam's legislative victories did not focus solely on
domestic issues. Sam has a great love for the continent of
Africa.
Serving on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he
traveled to Africa on multiple occasions to gain a better
understanding of how he could help provide relief to those
most vulnerable. His experiences led him to champion the
Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006. Enacted that
same year, this law created sanctions against individuals
and groups responsible for the terrible crime of genocide
in Darfur, while establishing measures to protect
civilians and humanitarian efforts within the borders of
Sudan.
The more Sam did, the more he felt called to do, and no
one did more for the protection of victims of human
trafficking than Sam. In 2000, he helped enact the
Trafficking Victims Protection Act. This law created
criminal punishments for individuals caught in the United
States operating as traffickers. It established an annual
reporting mechanism to help track individuals engaged in
sex trafficking and created a new immigration status for
victims of sex trafficking.
Last, I believe Sam's prominence during his time in the
Senate had a great deal to do with his willingness to work
across party lines on issues where he could seek and find
common passion and ground.
The legislative item I think will leave the largest
impact on many of us in the Senate is the bill upon which
he worked tirelessly with the late Senator Ted Kennedy.
Signed into law by President Bush, the Prenatally and
Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Act provides those
families with children diagnosed with Down syndrome the
support services and networks they need to help them deal
with the unique challenges they face. Put another way,
what better legislation to help protect the lives of those
in our Nation uniquely challenged but who deserve every
right to the same opportunities we all enjoy every day.
I could easily and proudly recount many more of Sam's
achievements during his time in the Senate, but I would do
so in danger of Sam saying ``enough'' and giving me ``the
hook.'' I have often said that the high road of humility
is not often bothered by heavy traffic in Washington, but
in Sam Brownback, we have indeed enjoyed the friendship of
a humble man.
In closing, I leave my colleagues with one of Senator
Brownback's favorite quotes that I think sums up the man
that Sam is and the love he has for all people, regardless
of their nationality or place in society.
Sam likes to say:
I am pro-life and whole-life. Applying this belief to
the child in the womb and to the child in Darfur. It
includes the man in prison and the woman in poverty. It
does not fail to cherish the child with Down syndrome or
stand for the inherent dignity of the immigrant.
Sam, I remember the first campaign rally we attended
together. The featured guest speaker, Senator Phil Gramm
of Texas, introduced me as one who made significant
changes in the House of Representatives and then
introduced Sam as: ``One who not only wants to change
things, but to make the right changes.''
Sam, you have done just that and it has been an honor to
serve with you over these past 16 years. I thank you for
your courtesy, cooperation, leadership, example, and your
friendship and support. As you head west, my friend, to
lead our beloved State of Kansas, I look forward to
continued cooperation and success. The people of Kansas
are in good hands. God bless.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I would like to take a
few minutes to pay tribute to the 16 Senators who will be
departing this body at the end of the year.
I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve
alongside each of these Senators as colleagues and as
friends. All served their States with distinction and gave
their constituents strong voices in the world's greatest
deliberative body. Senators Evan Bayh, Robert Bennett, Kit
Bond, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, Roland Burris, Chris
Dodd, Byron Dorgan, Russ Feingold, Carte Goodwin, Judd
Gregg, Ted Kaufman, George LeMieux, Blanche Lincoln, Arlen
Specter, and George Voinovich--each left an indelible mark
on the Senate, and I wish them well as they take on new
challenges and opportunities into the future.
I would like to speak briefly about a few of the
Senators I knew best and served with in committees to
recognize their contributions and accomplishments and
share my fond memories of them and the legacies they will
leave behind. ...
While Senator Sam Brownback will certainly be missed by
the Senate, the people of Kansas will continue to benefit
from his leadership, as he serves as their newly elected
Governor.
Prior to being elected to public office, Sam's
professional experiences included working as a radio
broadcaster, attorney, teacher, and administrator.
From these varied professional experiences he brought
with him a unique and dynamic perspective to the U.S.
Senate.
Through his leadership as the ranking member on the
Joint Economic Committee, ranking member of the
Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, and ranking
member of the Energy and Natural Resource Subcommittee on
Water and Power, Sam established himself as a leader on a
wide range of issues.
During his tenure in the Senate, he has supported
aviation research and expanded global aviation markets.
Through these efforts, he has effectively spurred economic
growth and strengthened the U.S. military.
Some of Sam's most distinguishing characteristics are
his personal integrity and his commitment to his Catholic
faith. These principles came through in much of what he
did in the Senate. I will always appreciate his passion
and his work to translate his beliefs into his actions as
a U.S. Senator.
I am confident Senator Brownback will continue to serve
the people of Kansas with the same character and
dedication in his new role as Governor. ...
In conclusion, the departing Senators' contributions,
their dedicated service, and the issues they championed
will be remembered long after their final days in the
Senate.
I believe I can speak for my fellow Senators when I say
that we will all miss our departing friends.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, when the 111th Congress
draws to a close, we will bid farewell to 16 colleagues
who have collectively given more than 200 years of service
to our Nation through their service in the Senate. These
include seven of the Senate's most experienced Members.
People like Chris Dodd and Arlen Specter who have each
served five terms in the Senate. Kit Bond who has served
four terms and Bob Bennett, Byron Dorgan, Russ Feingold,
and Judd Gregg, who have each served three terms in this
Chamber. ...
Sam Brownback has forever earned a place in the heart of
our first Americans for his work on the adoption of a
joint resolution apologizing to American Indians and
Alaska Natives for centuries of ill-conceived policies
carried out by our Federal Government. He is known around
the world as a champion of religious freedom as well. ...
It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with each
of the people who will leave this Chamber when we adjourn
sine die. Each has made substantial contributions to their
States, to the Nation and to the Senate during their time
here.