[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2499-S2500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Tribute to  Jim Banks

  Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I am thrilled to be in the audience for my 
colleague's maiden speech.
  Senator Banks just delivered inspired words. And he gave a speech 
from his heart as well as his head, and those are always the best 
received.
  It is really--he has an amazing life story. He is a great public 
servant. I know his family is very proud of him. I know his hometown in 
Northeastern Indiana are very proud of him, people throughout the great 
State of Indiana and really beyond, and I am proud of him.
  I have known Senator Banks for a lot of years, and we have long been 
friends. And it is really remarkable what he has done up to this point 
in his professional career and what he is going to do.
  I want to thank Jim and his family for taking this step. It is not 
always easy serving in a public capacity. I want to welcome him 
formally to the U.S. Senate in front of the world, and I know Amanda is 
watching. Amanda, thank you so much for your service to this country. 
Sometimes it is like being the preacher's wife. You are not always 
given the credit that you are due. But certainly my colleagues here 
understand the sacrifices that are made as your husband serves the 
State of Indiana.
  So I am glad you are here, Jim. We have a lot in common. We are both 
IU basketball fans. We both have a degree from Indiana University. We 
are both veterans. We both have three beautiful daughters, and one of 
yours is here. Lillian, thank you for visiting and being part of this 
important moment.
  So I will just tell the world and to certainly my colleagues that Jim 
Banks is committed, committed to making our economy work for everyone. 
Jim Banks is committed to making sure that we satisfy our 
responsibilities of keeping the American people safe and secure by 
taking care of our warfighters and giving them all they need.
  And, Jim, if you are up to it, and I think you are, we are going to 
do some amazing things together on behalf of the people of Indiana. We 
are going to have to right some wrongs from the past--you alluded to 
that--rethink some preconceived notions that require rethinking, and 
offer solutions. And we will work together on that and drive those 
solutions to outcomes.
  More on that later, but I am just so appreciative to have you here, 
and I thank you for your words.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moreno). The majority leader.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I, too, just want to welcome, officially--
now that he has delivered his maiden speech--Senator Banks from the 
great State of Indiana. Like his colleague Senator Young, I, too, have 
had the opportunity to observe, and one thing I really appreciate about 
Senator Banks is he obviously served his country as a Member of the 
House of Representatives; he served his country in the military; he was 
deployed abroad.
  He is a veteran, and he is passionate about serving causes that are 
greater than himself. And that is a family passion, a partnership he 
and Amanda have and his girls. And I am just grateful that they are 
willing to roll up

[[Page S2500]]

their sleeves and go to work again on behalf of our great country.
  I am not a Hoosier, but my favorite movie, at least top five, is 
``Hoosiers,'' and I also had the opportunity to travel a couple of 
times with Senator Banks in his great State and had the opportunity to 
welcome him to ours for something he enjoys as passionately as I do, 
and that is pheasant hunting.
  But you have been a great addition already to the U.S. Senate. You 
are a great leader for Indiana, and we look forward to working with 
you.
  So welcome, and thanks so much for serving.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.