Senate Record - January 8, 2007
From dKosopedia
| Congressional Record | |
|---|---|
| Senate - January 8, 2007 - week 2 | |
| 110th - United States Congress | |
| |
| Senate Majority Leader | Harry Reid |
| Minority Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Previous | Thursday - January 4, 2007 |
| Next | legislative session |
These are consolidate excerpts from the Congressional Record, covering the major actions of the United States Senate in the 110th United States Congress on January 8, 2007. For the daily summary of the actions in the Senate click here. For a summary of the actions in the House click here, and for Congress as a whole on this date, click here.
Only major action or debates are usually included in these excerpts. For the complete Congressional Record for this date, click on the THOMAS link (i.e. the date within the title of the opening header) in the article below.
On the Floor
Morning Session - Senate - Monday, January 8, 2007
The Senate met at 11:30 a.m. and was called to order by the Honorable Herb Kohl, a Senator from the State of Wisconsin.
Prayer
The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer:
- Let us pray.
- Eternal God, who restores the soul and gives life in the midst of decay, empower our Senators to do Your will. Be to them a faithful guide on the challenging road they travel. Teach them to find contentment in striving to please You, and provide them with Your powerful companionship.
- As tomorrow's difficulties loom large, remind them that You can move mountains and create opportunities. Blaze the trail ahead for our lawmakers with Your might and wisdom, for You are our shelter and hope. Keep them from flinching before the unknown ways that spread before them and give them Your peace.
- We pray in Your holy Name. Amen.
Pledge of Allegiance
The Honorable Herb Kohl led the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows:
- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Herb Kohl named to perform the duties of the Chair for the session
The PRESIDING OFFICER - The clerk will please read a communication to the Senate from the President pro tempore (Mr. Bryd).
The assistant legislative clerk read the following letter:
- U.S. SENATE,
- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE,
- Washington, DC, January 8, 2007.
- To the Senate:
- Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby appoint the Honorable Herb Kohl, a Senator from the State of Wisconsin, to perform the duties of the Chair.
Mr. Kohl thereupon assumed the chair as Acting President pro tempore.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore - The majority leader is recognized.
The Majority Leader announces the agenda for the Senate today
Mr. Reid - Mr. President, the time until 12 noon will be divided between the majority and minority. I know Senators Levin and Stabenow and Salazar want to make statements regarding President Ford. At noon we will have a rollcall vote on the adoption of S. Res. 19, which is a resolution honoring the late President.
Following that vote, we are going to begin consideration of S. 1, the ethics package. This will be for opening statements. The minority has agreed that we could go to this bill in the morning. I appreciate that very much. We are going to work through this bill as quickly as we can. We would hope that people who want to offer amendments will be here tomorrow to offer amendments. The majority of the management of this bill will be by Senator Feinstein, whose committee, Rules, has most of the jurisdiction. Senator Lieberman will comanage it because there are some aspects of this legislation under the jurisdiction of his committee.
For the information of the Senate, there should be no other votes today after the 12 o'clock vote. Members are advised that the remainder of the week we should and will have rollcall votes during the day and into the evening. And we will have votes Friday. We hope to complete the voting by 12 noon if all goes right. But there will be votes Friday.
We will not finish this ethics bill this week, but we will finish next week, unless something untoward develops.
On the death of Gerald Ford
The Majority Leader - Harry Reid of Nevada
Mr. Reid - Mr. President, I never had the opportunity to meet with Gerald Ford when he was President, but I did when he was Vice President. I was chairman of the National Lieutenant Governors Conference. This was during the height of the energy crisis, and we came to Washington. One of the pleasures was meeting with the Vice President in the White House. That was really a big deal for me, a young Lieutenant Governor from Nevada. And a week or so after having met with the Vice President, he sent a picture to my home, a picture of me and the Vice President. That was really a significant event in the Reid family, but also my boy thought it was a significant event, and he took a crayon and marked all over that picture--my prized picture of my being in Washington, sitting with the Vice President. So my wife and I labored for some time and worked to get the crayon off that picture. We did a pretty good job. I still have the picture, but you can see my boy's marking on that with his crayon. I wish I had the opportunity to talk to the Vice President about that. I am sure he would have laughed.
President Ford was a wonderful man. We all know he died the day after Christmas. He was 93 years old. There were celebrations, as there should have been, in the Capitol Rotunda, at the National Cathedral, the Ford Presidential Library in Grand Rapids, Michigan (MI), and the Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, MI, where I had the opportunity to attend at the invitation of the former First Lady. The speeches were good. Former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld spoke, President Jimmy Carter spoke, a noted historian spoke. It was really a quite moving event.
We have heard tales during the past couple weeks of Gerald Ford and the athlete he was. We have even read from Chevy Chase, who became famous literally making fun of Gerald Ford. He made fun of him because--he was a big man--coming out of an airplane once, he hit his head on the airplane door, and that was the beginning of Chevy Chase's career.
The fact is, even though Chevy Chase became famous making fun of President Ford, we have never had a more athletic President than President Ford--All-Big Ten; he was a great, outstanding football player at the University of Michigan.
As a Member of Congress, he was outstanding. He was praised by people who served with him. He served for about 25 years in the Congress and became the Republican leader. He, of course, was Commander in Chief as President of the United States. But one of the things we have learned so directly during the last couple weeks is how great he was to his wife Betty. She, during the time of their real public presence, had breast cancer and had a bout with alcoholism, and she approached both in a very strong, courageous way. The Betty Ford Clinic in Palm Springs is a place where people go to find that they are addicted and need help. But we have learned what a wonderful wife she was to President Ford and what a great First Lady she was to her entire country.
We have heard tributes from Senators, Governors, clergy, newsmen, and Presidents. They differed in tone and substance, but they all made the point of stressing one thing: Gerald Ford was, above all, a man of integrity, a man of honesty, and, ultimately, a role model for all of us who serve in Government.
He, of course, is the only man to become President who was never elected. Yet, time and time again, he proved himself the right man at the right time, healing the Nation after the scars of Watergate and moving our country forward.
Husband to his wife Betty, father to his beautiful children, Michael, John, Steven, and Susan, World War II veteran, star athlete, even an Eagle Scout--Gerald Ford was the core of what America is all about, a shining example of what we hold best in America. He took office at a dark time in our country's history and shepherded this Nation through the trials of Vietnam and Watergate, with a bipartisan spirit of reconciliation and grace, a shining example to us all. He reminded a wounded nation of the honesty and decency of its leaders.
Mr. President, we all hope when we pass on our friends and colleagues will look back and say we left the world a better place. With Gerald Ford, there is no doubt. This Government, this Nation, this world are better from Gerald Ford's life and service to our country, and for this the Senate honors his life today.
Mr. Warner - Mr. President, do I understand from the distinguished majority leader that the resolution does include an insertion by the distinguished Senator from Michigan, Mr. Levin, and myself?
Mr. Reid - Yes, I say to my distinguished friend. I ask unanimous consent that S. Res. 19 be modified with the changes now at the desk. This modification has been cleared by the Republican leader. That takes care of the problem the Senator raised.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore - Is there objection?
Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. WARNER - Mr. President, I thank the distinguished majority leader. Assuming we have time here--I am going to yield the floor to my leader--I will address that inclusion of the amendment.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore - The Republican leader is recognized.
The Minority Leader - Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Mr. McConnell - Mr. President, many praiseworthy things have been said about Gerald Rudolph Ford over the past 2 weeks, and this is good. It is good to see so many people speak so well of a man who was often wrongly criticized in life, and it has been uplifting to watch an entire nation stop and reflect on what it means to live a good life, good to see that old virtues still have the power to inspire.
Of course, Gerald Ford didn't seek out the Presidency, and certainly he came into the highest elected position in the land in the unlikeliest of ways.
I was recently reminded that his life didn't get off to the most promising start. Born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., in Omaha, NE, his mother and father divorced when he was 2.
His mother picked up and moved back home to Grand Rapids, where she married a paint and varnish salesman. Gerald Ford, Sr., gave Dorothy three more boys--and her first son a new name that he would carry into history.
The childhood home was pleasant, but since money was tight, Junior had to mow lawns and grill hamburgers after school.
The experiences of the boy had an effect on the man: Ford would later gain a reputation in Congress as a fiscal conservative, as someone who thought that Government, like any household, should live within its budget. He didn't learn this from a policy paper. He didn't need to.
We have heard that Gerald Ford was a great athlete, that he could have played with the Packers or the Lions, but he took a job as an assistant coach at Yale instead. And determined to go to Yale Law School, he convinced the faculty to let him on parttime. They did.
Gerry Ford once said:
- The harder you work, the luckier you are. I worked like hell.
He ended up in the top fourth of a law school class that included a future Supreme Court Justice, a future Secretary of State--and a future President.
We have heard how President Ford signed up for the Navy after Pearl Harbor; that he put duty and country first, and nearly got swept off the deck of the USS Monterey in the middle of a typhoon. It wouldn't be his last brush with an early death.
And we have heard a love story: that Ford came home to Michigan after the war and married a pretty young dancer named Betty Bloomer; that he started to think about politics, and that Betty wasn't worried at all about it distracting from family life. "I never thought he'd win, she said.
But, of course, he did.
The Fords moved east, and decided to stay awhile, and stayed together through it all--until last week, when Betty, older now but no less graceful, said good-bye to her husband, the President, in the same church where they said "I do 58 years ago.
We have been inspired by the story of President Ford's political career--how he didn't make a name for himself with high-profile speeches or partisan broadsides; how he did his job, and did it well, in big and little things.
He built a reputation as someone who could bridge the gap, who brought people together and worked problems out. Gerry Ford summed up his approach to lawmaking this way:
- You have to give a little, take a little, to get what you really want. But you don't give up your principles.
All this is what we have heard about Gerald Rudolph Ford's life before the President of the United States called him at home on October 6, 1973, to see if he would be willing to replace a Vice President who had resigned in disgrace.
Congressmen all over Washington were sitting by their phones that night, hoping the call would come for them. Gerry Ford was swimming laps.
And 8 months later, when the President himself resigned, Ford was there again.
There's a plaque at the Ford library which says that Gerald Ford may have been among the unluckiest Presidents of the 20th century. Where I come from we don't call that luck. We call it providence.
As Ford himself put it: 1975 was "not a time for summer soldiers and sunshine patriots. It was a year of fears and alarms. Gerry Ford was the right man for the moment because he was a good man all along.
And what did he bring to the presidency? Exactly what we needed in that dark and painful hour: honesty, simplicity, and what he liked to call, "a little straight talk.
Ford's sincerity may have been his greatest gift, but it almost surely cost him the greatest honor the voters could have given him. He told them plainly, just a few months after taking the oath, that the state of the Union wasn't good.
He gave them bad news again the next year, an election year when most people would have been tempted to gloss over problems. The state of the Union was better, he said, but it still wasn't good enough.
And when he lost, he wasn't bitter. He even made a point to make sure the transition was smooth. He didn't want Jimmy Carter to face the same problems he did, he said.
I remember those days. I was a young lawyer in Ford's Justice Department. I remember how the new President restored hope in our country, in the presidency, and in the Republican Party.
I remember how he lost his own race for reelection but cleared the way for another great Midwesterner to win 4 years later.
This Nation has owed a tribute to Gerald Ford for a long time, and it is good that he has gotten it in these last days.
In weaker moments, we tend to think that victory goes to the fast, the brilliant, the well-born. But in one of our Nation's weakest moments, Gerald Ford showed us leadership through the gentlemanly virtues of honesty, integrity, and plain hard work.
The tributes now are almost done. But the greatest tribute we can give to Gerald Rudolph Ford lies ahead. The American people have shown how much they admire leaders who are honest, straightforward, kind.
In the early days of a new session, we best honor the memory of our 38th President, and the Nation he loved and served so well, by making those qualities our own.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore - The Chair recognizes the Senator from Virginia.
John Warner of Virginia
Mr. Warner - Mr. President, I thank our distinguished majority leader and minority leader for their initiative in putting this resolution together. I, also, thank both of our distinguished leaders for including in the resolution a reference to the action by the Senate, an initiative we took in the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time that I was privileged to be chairman and the distinguished Senator from Michigan, Mr. Levin, was the ranking member, to name one of America's future aircraft carriers, now under construction, the USS Gerald R. Ford. This initiative then was taken into consideration by the Department of Defense, the Secretary at that time, and, indeed, the Secretary of the Navy. The Secretary of the Navy has, traditionally, responsibility for the naming of ships. And whereas the Armed Services Committee recommended during floor consideration of the annual defense authorization bill that the naming be written in law, in conference, at the request of the Secretary of the Navy, we made it a sense of the Congress.
The Department of Defense will host a ceremony on January 16th, with the Ford family and others to formally name the ship in honor of President Ford.
I, also, thank Jack Marsh, former Secretary of the Army and former counselor to President Ford, for his participation in the effort by the Senate to take this initiative, as well as former Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. I collaborated with both of those distinguished gentlemen. Secretary Laird was a lifetime friend and served in Congress with, then, Gerald Ford.
As we go forth in our careers, we always should look back to acknowledge those who made it possible for us to achieve our goals. I am always very humbled by the many people who helped inspire me to run for the Senate and who helped me win election. Gerald Ford was right there at the beginning of my first race with sound, practical advice.
I ask the indulgence of my colleagues where I recount some of that advice: It started, I remember, in the summer of 1960. I was an advance man for then Vice President Nixon. We were on a campaign train trip through the Middle Western States, that included a stop in Michigan. This was the old-fashioned train with the observation car, where the candidate would go out on the rear platform and give a speech to the crowds that gathered in all the little towns and communities along the route. But we had one very memorable stop, I remember the town was Muskegon, Michigan.
My job was to get the candidate, the Vice President, and some of his senior staff off the train and to the auditorium in town. In performing these tasks, I was joined by an elected Michigan official. In a moment, I will provide his name. As we entered the building, we went into a holding area. I was awaiting a cue from the master of ceremonies on stage to bring on the Vice President. He was escorted by this local official. As we were waiting, unbeknownst to us, in the balcony, some mischievous people--I don't think it was evil, but it was mischievous--suddenly pelted us all with raw eggs. There we were, the Vice President with eggs streaming down off him. I took out my handkerchief and did the best I could to polish him up a bit, and the local official did the same. The Vice President went on the stage, fully composed, and gave an excellent speech.
I went back to the train thinking that I would be severely reprimanded and my first job in politics terminated. Well, it turns out that the local official who helped me get him up to the stage and who also helped to polish-up the Vice President joined me in the observation car, where they were serving beer. As he came in, I thanked him, but said: You know, I think this is the end of my political career.
And he said: Why so?
And I described my responsibility. And he then said: Well, of course, I am a local Congressman and I should bear the responsibility.
And we joined each other with a beer, he said to me: You know, I think both of us will survive.
That was Gerald Ford, showing the magnanimity of that marvelous man and his understanding of those types of situations.
I want to thank that wonderful American for his contribution to inspire me later in years to try for the Senate. He was then Vice President, and he used to counsel me on how to get started in public life. I was then Secretary of the Navy, having succeeded John Chafee, a former Member of this body, the much revered Senator from Rhode Island. And John Chafee had left the Navy Secretary's Office and ran for the Senate and was defeated in his first bid. And I was ready to plunge in and try my first race when Ford said to me: No, you want to kind of get behind you this career in the Department of Defense, because it was a highly controversial period of history. There was much concern among the citizenry, not unlike what we see today.
I took his advice. And he said: Go run the Bicentennial. I will get you appointed to that Presidential Office.
I said: Mr. President, I don't even know how to spell the word.
He said: Study up on it.
Not only did he do that, but he came down as Vice President and administered the oath to me on the steps of his beloved House of Representatives. The Bicentennial was a marvelous career opportunity to learn the fundamentals of public office. I worked with him closely, took an enormous interest, as he knew the Bicentennial would become a healing mechanism for the country in the aftermath of Watergate. He was right. I traveled with him on July 4, 1976, in his helicopter, and we made stops along the way. I will never forget going to New York Harbor on the final day of the two year celebration. And there we were on the deck of a carrier. And he struck the ship's bell such that it triggered church bells all across the United States to celebrate that day in American history.
While we were standing there, he told me about his trip to sea in 1944. I read from his biography:
His closest call with death came not as a result of enemy fire, however, but during a vicious typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. He came within inches of being swept overboard while the storm raged. The ship, which was severely damaged by the storm and the resulting fire, had to be taken out of service. Ford spent the remainder of the war ashore and was discharged as a lieutenant commander in February 1946.
During the course of the war, he was awarded the Bronze Star, and other decorations for his valiant service. But I remember when I went overseas in 1951, as a communications officer for a Marine Corps squadron. We were aboard the same class of ship. It was a small carrier. We also went through a typhoon in the South Pacific en route to Korea. It was 72 hours of memory that will never be erased, but I know what he went through because I think that typhoon was far more severe than the one our ship experienced. So I take my hat off to this magnificent American, who was among those who made it possible for me, in many respects, to eventually be privileged to represent the State of Virginia in the Senate.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the sense of Congress naming the CVN-78 aircraft carrier as the USS Gerald R. Ford be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
- SEC. 1012. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NAMING THE CVN-78 AIRCRAFT CARRIER AS THE U.S.S. GERALD R. FORD.
- 1. (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
- (1) Gerald R. Ford has served his country with honor and distinction for the past 64 years, and continues to serve.
- (2) Gerald R. Ford was commissioned in the Naval Reserve in 1942 and served valiantly at sea on the U.S.S. Monterey (CVL-26) during World War II, taking part in major operations in the Pacific, including at Makin Island, Kwajalein, Truk, Saipan, and the Philippine Sea.
- (3) Gerald R. Ford received 9 engagement stars and 2 bronze stars for his service in the Navy during World War II.
- (4) Gerald R. Ford was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1948.
- (5) During 25 years of service in the House of Representatives, Gerald R. Ford distinguished himself by an exemplary record for character, decency, and trustworthiness.
- (6) Throughout his service in the House of Representatives, Gerald R. Ford was an ardent proponent of strong national defense and international leadership by the United States.
- (7) From 1965 to 1973, Gerald R. Ford served as minority leader of the House of Representatives, raising the standard for bipartisanship in his tireless fight for freedom, hope, and justice.
- (8) In 1973, Gerald R. Ford was appointed by President Nixon to the office of Vice President of the United States under the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, having been confirmed by overwhelming majorities in both Houses of Congress.
- (9) On August 9, 1974, Gerald R. Ford became the 38th President of the United States, taking office during one of the most challenging periods in the history of the United States.
- (10) As President from August 9, 1974, to January 20, 1977, Gerald R. Ford restored the faith of the people of the United States in the office of the President through his steady leadership, courage, and ultimate integrity.
- (11) As President, Gerald R. Ford helped restore the prestige of the United States in the world community by working to achieve peace in the Middle East, preserve detente with the Soviet Union, and set new limits on the spread of nuclear weapons.
- (12) As President, Gerald R. Ford served as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces with great dignity, supporting a strong Navy and a global military presence for the United States and honoring the members of the Armed Forges.
- (13) Since leaving the office of President, Gerald R. Ford has been an international ambassador of American goodwill, a noted scholar and lecturer, a strong supporter of human rights, and a promoter of higher education.
- (14) Gerald R. Ford was awarded the Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999 in recognition of his contribution to the Nation.
- (15) As President, Gerald R. Ford bore the weight of a constitutional crisis and guided the Nation on a path of healing and restored hope, earning forever the enduring respect and gratitude of the Nation.
- (b) Naming of CVN-78 Aircraft Carrier.--It is the sense of Congress that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the Navy designated as CVN-78 should be named the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford.]
Mr. Warner - I yield the floor.
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Stabenow - Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of Michigan's great sons. Today we honor the remarkable life and lasting legacy of President Gerald R. Ford. I thank our leaders and colleagues for the wonderful tribute that will be voted on at noontime today.
This past week our Nation mourned the passing of a President, while Michigan mourned the loss of a family member. Throughout his decades in public service, including a quarter century representing Michigan in the Congress, Gerald Ford worked tirelessly to serve the people and the interests of our great State and his beloved country.
It is an honor that the State of Michigan will serve as the final resting place for one of our Nation's great leaders. The funeral last Wednesday, which I was fortunate enough to attend, was truly a moving tribute to a man who cared deeply for the city of Grand Rapids, his home State of Michigan, and the country. The thousands of mourners who came to pay their respects is evidence of what he meant to us. People standing in line for hours, on into the night, and the wonderful, gracious way the family greeted so many of those coming to show their respect for Gerald Ford was a wonderful, meaningful act to watch.
I would be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to speak about Gerald Ford's family. Betty Ford's grace and strength throughout the past few weeks have stood as a reminder not only of the importance of family in the life of Gerald Ford but also how much she has given to America through her courage, her example, and her charity. Betty Ford stood shoulder to shoulder with President Ford as a true partner throughout his life, while redefining the role of First Lady and serving the country with her own dedicated work on issues such as alcohol and drug abuse. Together the Fords raised four remarkable children--Michael, John, Steven, and Susan. It is a testimony to Gerald Ford's character that he will be remembered not only as a great leader but as a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Born July 14, 1913, in Omaha, NE, Ford moved at a young age with his mother to Grand Rapids, MI, to live with his stepfather.
While attending South High School in Grand Rapids, Ford proved himself an academic and athletic prodigy, being named not only to the honor society but all-city and all-State football teams.
In 1931, Gerald Ford entered the University of Michigan, playing center and linebacker for the Wolverines. He played on two undefeated teams and was named the team's most outstanding player in 1934. Ford's legacy will always be felt at the university. To this day, his number 28 is one of only 5 football jerseys retired by the University of Michigan, while the School of Public Policy bearing his name will shape and produce America's leaders for generations to come.
Gerald Ford's childhood in Grand Rapids and his education both on and off the field at the University of Michigan helped forge a man whose character and actions throughout his life exemplified what is best about Michigan--hard work, loyalty, honesty, and selflessness.
After graduating from Michigan, Ford rebuffed offers from the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers in order to attend Yale University Law School. He continued his love of athletics there by serving as a boxing coach and assistant varsity football coach. In 1941, he earned his law degree from Yale, graduating in the top quarter of his class.
Gerald Ford then returned to the city he considered his home, Grand Rapids, to practice law before joining the U.S. Naval Reserve in April 1942, serving as an assistant navigator with the USS Monterey in the Pacific during World War II. Ford was discharged from the Navy in 1946 as a lieutenant commander, returning to Michigan to practice law.
Entering politics with the encouragement of his stepfather, Gerald Ford ran for Congress in 1948, unseating incumbent Bartel Jonkman in the primary and going on to receive 61 percent of the vote in the general election. Gerald Ford would go on to represent the people of Michigan in Congress for the next 25 years, in 1965 rising to become the minority leader in the House.
In late 1973, Ford was called on to serve the country in a different capacity, as we all know, being named and confirmed Vice President. Within 8 short months, he was again called on to take the mantle of responsibility he had not sought, taking the oath of office as the 38th President of the United States. Stepping into the Oval Office during one of America's greatest constitutional crises, President Ford's quiet demeanor and steady hand helped calm a nation and kept the Government moving forward during some of its darkest days.
It is a testament to President Ford and his time in public office, highlighted by his years in the White House, that even those who disagreed with his policy positions respected him as a person and a public servant. Gerald Ford dedicated his life to make our State and our Nation a better place to live, work, and raise a family. He was a man who understood that integrity and service are more than just words, they are ideals--ideals he learned in our wonderful Michigan and practiced every day of his life.
As a husband, a father, a Congressman, and our President, he led quietly by example, earning respect and friendship on both sides of the aisle through the hard work and honesty for which he was known. President Ford was a man utterly deserving of the words inscribed on a football resting on a homemade memorial outside the Ford Museum in Grand Rapids this week:
A true American and a hometown hero.
President Ford, we thank you for your service. You will be missed. Our continuing prayers and support go to your family.
Thad Cochran of Mississippi
Mr. Cochran - Mr. President, I am very pleased the Senate is formally expressing its respect and appreciation for the life and public service of President Gerald R. Ford.
No person in public service in my memory did more to restore confidence in our political institutions than President Ford.
He was a friend and mentor to me as a member of the body, giving me sound advice and serving as a wonderful role model during my career in Congress and in the Senate.
I admired him enormously. His seriousness of purpose and his common sense approach to solving our national problems were qualities that enabled him to give our nation a new sense of confidence and direction.
We are deeply grateful that he served so ably as our Republican Leader in the House, Vice President, and President of the United States.
Barack Obama of Illinois
Mr. Obama - Mr. President, I rise today in memory of Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States. President Ford shouldered his burden with a unique sense of humility and good humor, in an office not known for nourishing those traits. President Ford's unusual combination of courage, strength, and conviction led America out of a deep crisis, healing our wounds and strengthening our Constitution in the process.
Gerald Ford was a self-made Michigander who worked part-time jobs as a young man to help support his family, and later to put himself through Yale Law School. A man of many talents, he could have been a professional football player, or lived well as an attorney. But instead, he chose a life of service, first as a decorated naval officer, then a 24-year Member of Congress, leader of his party in the House of Representatives, and Presiding Officer of this Chamber as Vice President.
Domestic turmoil and foreign policy challenges marked the mid-1970s, and President Ford addressed them both. History has favorably judged his actions to move the country beyond the Watergate scandal, although he paid a heavy price at the time. He also acknowledged the severe economic difficulties faced by millions of Americans and worked head-on to alleviate them.
Despite the host of domestic challenges America faced, President Ford remained a committed internationalist. He advanced the cause of peace in the Middle East, helping to end hostilities between Israel and Egypt and laying the groundwork for a peace between those two countries that endures to this day. His backing of the Helsinki Accords, while controversial, gave important support to dissidents living under Soviet rule who sought respect for their human rights.
Throughout his life, Gerald Ford handled the responsibilities and challenges that circumstance thrust on him without losing his Midwestern openness and sensibility. To many who disagreed with him, he still came across as a comforting figure who had the Nation's best interests at heart. Central to this ability to connect with people was his self-deprecating sense of humor, summed up by the quip, "I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln.
And while he may not have been a Lincoln, he certainly was not a common President. America is a better place because of him, and we all owe President Ford and his wife, Betty, a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Pete Domenici of New Mexico
Mr. Domenici - Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to President Gerald Ford. His passing on December 26, 2006, was marked with a yearning for the unity he brought to our Nation over 30 years ago. I extend my sincerest and most heartfelt sympathies to his family.
Gerald Ford and I were in Congress together for a brief period of time. He was a friend to me when I was a freshman Senator and throughout my career. I will always remember and appreciate his support and counsel.
President Ford came into office at a very difficult time and faced multiple tasks. He met those challenges and successfully brought the Nation through a tumultuous period in the history of the presidency. While his time in the White House was relatively short, his legacy continues to persist. President Ford's leadership and credibility worked to bring the Nation through the Watergate crisis and its aftermath. That proved to be invaluable and underscored the resiliency of our democratic government.
My wife Nancy and I send our condolences and prayers to First Lady Betty Ford and to the entire Ford family. We join the Nation in mourning President Ford and in honoring a long life of service. May his soul rest in peace.
Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas (speech inserted)
• [Text not spoken on the Floor but inserted]
- Mrs. Hutchison - Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 38th President of the United States.
- Gerald Ford was an honest man, a modest man, and a patriotic man who cared deeply about this country. During World War II, he answered his Nation's call to duty, serving in the Navy aboard the USS Monterey in the Pacific Theatre. He later trained new naval officers for sea duty. Shortly after his discharge as a lieutenant commander in 1946, he began his storied political career.
- During his 25 years of service in the House of Representatives, Gerald Ford earned the respect and admiration of nearly everyone in Washington. Gerald Ford's impeccable integrity made him the ideal choice to lead America at a time of considerable division.
- When he was nominated by President Nixon to become Vice President, he was confirmed overwhelmingly by the Senate and the House. The Senate vote was 92-3, and the House vote was 387-35.
- Before President Nixon submitted his nomination for Vice President, he asked the leadership of both parties who they would choose were they in his shoes. The obvious response was Gerald Ford.
- When Gerald Ford assumed the Presidency following President Nixon's resignation, he moved quickly to bring our country together. He did this by always remaining true to his character. He also adhered to the common-sense principles that guided him throughout his career and his life. He never lost touch with his Midwestern values. And he never wavered from doing what he thought was in the best interests of the people of our country.
- President Ford also attracted very talented employees. Among those who served in the Ford Administration were Alan Greenspan, Council of Economic Advisers; George H.W. Bush, CIA Director; James Baker, Undersecretary of Commerce; Dick Cheney, Chief of Staff; and Donald Rumsfeld, Chief of Staff and later Secretary of Defense.
- I had the pleasure of working with President Ford when he appointed me vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board in 1976.
- President Ford was a reliable friend and invaluable counselor. I will never forget his coming to Texas to campaign with me during my first race for the Senate. President Ford was always available to offer advice and remained in close touch with those of us who were his many appointees, staff, and colleagues over the years. This is the kind of person he was. It was an honor and a privilege to consider him a friend.
- He cared deeply for his family, for his loving wife Betty, and for his four children: Michael, John, Steven, Susan.
- He cared for everyone he came to know during his magnificent political career.
- My thoughts and prayers go out to Betty and the entire Ford family as we honor a public servant who gave tirelessly to our country. He will be missed.
• [End Insert]
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore - Under the previous order, the leadership time is reserved.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore - Under the previous order, there will be a period for the transaction of morning business until 12 noon, with the time equally divided between the two leaders or their designees.
The Senator from Michigan is recognized.
Carl Levin of Michigan
Mr. Levin - Mr. President, I don't know if my friends on the other side of the aisle want any of the 3 minutes remaining. If not, I will proceed.
I wanted to comment, briefly, on the life and passing of Gerald Ford during this period. I was listening to the remarks of my good friend from Virginia, and except for the part about eggs being thrown in Michigan, it struck an absolutely accurate chord, everything he said. It was kind of hard to imagine that anyone would throw eggs in Michigan, but I have to defend my home State. Other than that, I am sure his memory is very accurate and even the location no doubt is accurate.
He talked about Gerry Ford and what he did heroically in World War II and how he survived the typhoon. Gerry Ford, when he became President, inherited a typhoon. Most Americans will remember President Ford for righting the ship of state during that stormy time when he became President. We all remember him for that because it was heroic what he did then for our Nation, a different kind of heroism from what he displayed in World War II but heroism nonetheless. He was deeply respected on both sides of the aisle for his civility, his bipartisanship, his integrity.
We, in Michigan, in addition to remembering him as all others will for what he did to right that ship of state of ours, also remember him for a lifetime of service, including 13 terms in the House of Representatives from Michigan's Fifth Congressional District. And we, also, take particular pride in this son of Michigan and the manner in which he always treasured his west Michigan roots. There were many eulogies that were recently given about Gerald Ford, but in all of them it was noted that he never forgot where he came from. That was a very important part of this absolutely wonderful man, a friend of mine, someone with whom I had a number of dealings.
Before time runs out for our morning business, I wanted to thank the Senator from Virginia. I don't know if this has been mentioned this morning or not. The Senator from Virginia authored an amendment during the last authorization bill which we adopted here which, by the way, is the John Warner Defense Authorization Act for the next fiscal year, named after John Warner in tribute to his chairmanship. But in that bill, Senator Warner offered an amendment that would name the first of a future class of aircraft carriers the USS Gerald Ford. I understand that the Navy recently announced that it is going to follow the suggestion which was incorporated in the Warner amendment, which I was proud to cosponsor, but in presenting that amendment at that time, Senator Warner recounted some of the heroism of our dear friend, the recently departed President Ford, and his heroism both in war and peacetime.
I thank Senator Warner for the initiative he took to honor Gerry Ford's service to our country in a way which I think will have a very special meaning to President Ford because, as a Navy man, having the first of a future class of aircraft carriers named after him would bring a special pride to his heart.
Gerald Ford began his service to our country in the Navy during World War II, where he displayed great valor in combat, and this will be a fitting tribute.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Gerald Ford's beloved wife Betty and his family as we celebrate his life and legacy.
Mr. WARNER - Mr. President, I thank my colleague, and I acknowledge the Senator's help on that. It was a joint project by the two of us.
The Acting President pro tempore - Morning business is closed.
Legislative Session
The legislative session of the Senate for January 8, 2007 can be found here, and begins with...
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