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“TRIBUTE TO SENATORS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S640-S641 on Jan. 16, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO SENATORS
Joe Biden
Mr. REED. Mr. President, I thank you.
I welcome and commend Senator Kaufman as he succeeds Senator Joe Biden.
I particularly want to say a few words about Joe Biden. He has had an extraordinary career in the Senate, and he is going to be an extraordinary asset for President-elect Barack Obama.
Senator Obama, the President-elect, said very clearly why he chose Joe Biden. He said that when the tough decisions come, and they will come quickly and often, Joe Biden is the guy he wants in the room with him. And I think that choice was extraordinarily inspired because no one can bring the breadth of knowledge and experience, not only with respect to the Senate but with respect to domestic policy and indeed international policy, as Joe Biden.
The other thing Joe brings to this great challenge of the country is his profound decency and sense of fairness and his commitment to make sure America is still a place of opportunity for all citizens. Those values were shaped in Scranton, PA, where he grew up. They were shaped by his mother and father. His mother, Jean Finnegan Biden, is still an inspiration to him today, and I am sure one of the reasons he is the guy who should be in the room with the President is because if he needs advice, his mother is still there, and I think that is something he cherishes.
Joe has served in this body for many years. He was the author of the Violence Against Women Act to ensure that our criminal justice system, our system of law, recognized the particular dangers posed to women. He was the chief architect of the COPS bill, which put hundreds of thousands of police officers on the street, recognizing that the basic responsibility of government is to provide safety and security to its citizens. There are a lot of people who talked about that, but Joe recognized that if there are more police on the streets, that would happen, and indeed it has. We have seen that statistic over the last few years.
As the preeminent expert on foreign relations, he has traveled the world and brought his wisdom to foreign leaders but also sought their candid advice with respect to our leadership in the world, and he will continue to do that. He has just concluded a trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. I had hoped to be with him, but duties here prevented me. But that is typical of Joe--hands-on, go to the source of the issue, examine the problem, and move forward.
He has had an illustrious career. Beyond his success as a Senator, his success as a master of foreign relations, a leader in terms of domestic policy, has been his extraordinary family: his wife Jill, an extraordinarily gifted professional in her own right; Ashley, Hunter, and Beau; and I know the five grandchildren are particular joys to Joe. We are particularly respectful that today his son Beau serves in the uniform of the United States overseas and is someone Joe thinks of constantly. Once again, in those tough decisions in the White House, I think Joe will have a special equity because his son serves along with the sons and daughters of other Americans, and he will recognize that when they make difficult decisions regarding the deployment of our forces.
It has been an honor to serve with him. It is an honor to call him a colleague and a friend.
Hillary Clinton
Mr. President, I also wish to say a few words about our other colleague who is departing, Senator Hillary Clinton, an extraordinarily gifted lady. I had the privilege of traveling with her to Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003. I was impressed with her knowledge of international affairs and her personal knowledge of so many leaders; it was a first-
name basis. So I think we have, in the presence of Hillary Rodham Clinton, an extraordinary asset to the State Department.
Senator Obama made a wise choice. She brings not only great experience with great recognition but a tenacious attitude toward work and service. She is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. All of these skills are going to be important at this moment in our history. We have to reform and transform, indeed, our national security posture away from the unilateral military force, which I think was the wrong approach of this administration, to a much more nuanced, broader embrace of diplomacy, backed up by a strong military force. Hillary Clinton can and will do that, working together with President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.
She has been a friend to me, she has helped me, she has inspired me, and indeed, perhaps the true test, she has taught me a great deal about not only substantive issues but about how one conducts one's self to a higher standard. I believe she will continue to maintain those standards as she goes forward.
So we are losing several dear colleagues--Ken Salazar, Joe Biden, and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The good news is that America still has their extraordinarily valuable services.
I yield the floor.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Washington State is recognized.
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