July 9, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7285 about his family, his wife Laurie, and importance, legislation to benefit our any other National Guard unit in the their two children, Jacob and Sarah. State. The most dramatic example of country. And Norm and I worked to- Theirs is a family that has known tre- this spirit of cooperation was our re- gether to make sure we expanded the mendous tragedy. Two of their children sponse to the sudden collapse of the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program to died in early infancy from a rare ge- Interstate 35W bridge into the Mis- help those Guard and Reserve who real- netic disease. While Norm doesn’t talk sissippi River on August 1, 2007. Thir- ly have no base to go home to but go about this much, his reverence to life teen people were killed and 150 were in- home to little towns across our State. and his devotion to family are very jured, many with severe and permanent We worked on that together. clear. injuries. Literally our cities came to a Our State has a proud tradition of Second only to his family has been stop. For our State, out of this unprec- electing both Democrats and Repub- his dedication to public service. It has edented disaster, this public trauma licans to office. They expect us to work literally defined his adult life. Maybe was something to which they imme- together. From the very beginning, it was sheer destiny that he found his diately responded. Norm and I knew that was part of our way to the Senate. After all, he is a I still remember when Senator Cole- duty to the people of our State, that graduate of James Madison High man and I came in the very next morn- was part of our obligation, no matter if School in , which is also the ing—we flew in with the Secretary of we disagreed on issues, that we were alma mater of two of our Senate col- Transportation, Mary Peters—and going to work together. leagues—CHUCK SCHUMER and BERNIE there were already billboards up, lit- So today I acknowledge my former SANDERS. erally 12 hours later, directing people colleague, Norm Coleman, for the Norm hit the ground running in poli- where to go with the traffic and how to strength he has shown during this long tics, and he has not stopped. In college, get buses to get to where they had to campaign, for the grace he showed last he was a student activist, and in law go. As I said that day, a bridge in week when he made that difficult deci- school, he served as the president of his America should not just fall down, but sion, and for the fine work he did for class. Immediately after getting his when one does fall down, we rebuild it. the people of . law degree, he joined the Minnesota In the 72 hours immediately following Madam President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. Attorney General’s Office, recruited by the bridge collapse, Norm and I worked The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- my good friend, legendary attorney together to secure $250 million in emer- pore. The clerk will call the roll. general Warren Spannaus. Norm was in gency bridge construction funding. The bill clerk proceeded to call the the Attorney General’s Office 17 years, Representative led the roll. most of that time doing criminal pros- way in the House. Approval of this Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, ecutions, ultimately rising to the posi- funding came with remarkable speed I ask unanimous consent that the order tion of solicitor general for the State and bipartisanship. Capitol Hill vet- for the quorum call be rescinded. of Minnesota. erans tell me it was a rare feat, aided The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- In 1993, Norm was elected the mayor by unity among Minnesota’s elected pore. Without objection, it is so or- of St. Paul at a time when the city, es- leaders across the aisle, across the po- dered. pecially its downtown, was suffering litical spectrum. I am pleased to report f economically. During his 8 years as that just 13 months after that collapse, mayor, he worked to turn St. Paul Minnesota drivers were able to drive FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM REFORM around. Building public-private part- over a safe new 35W bridge and eight- Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Madam President, nerships, he redeveloped the industrial lane highway. That is just 13 months I am here to talk briefly today about riverfront into a recreational after the collapse. food safety, something about which I greenspace. A new Minnesota science While the bridge is the most visible care deeply. As you probably know, the museum was built overlooking the Mis- example, Norm and I had many other last few food epidemics, from the sissippi River. Most famously, he opportunities to work together on jalapeno peppers to peanut butter, brought hockey back to Minnesota, se- issues that mattered to the people in would not have been solved except for curing a new National Hockey League our State. the hard work of the University of Min- franchise that moved into the new There was another Minnesota dis- nesota and the Minnesota Department arena. Hockey is very important in aster in August 2007 when severe flood- of Health, which is a model for how we Minnesota. ing hit the southeastern corner of our can solve these epidemics. Thirteen In 1998, Norm was narrowly defeated State. We worked on this together, people died with the last peanut butter in a three-way race for Minnesota Gov- along with Congressman WALZ, to en- one. It was only when someone died ernor. The winner, of course, was Jesse sure a rapid, effective response by Fed- and was sick in Minnesota that it got Ventura—something not many people eral agencies to help communities, solved. across the expected to businesses, and families in need. Clearly, while we are proud of the happen. I think Norm once said that We worked together on the Agri- work we do, we have to bring out this not everyone can say they lost to a culture Committee. We both served on model nationally. I am proud to be candidate whose previous career high- that committee. We succeeded in pass- doing a bill with Senator CHAMBLISS to light was being killed by an alien crea- ing a new farm bill that was very im- try to bring out this model for the rest ture in the movie ‘‘Predator.’’ But he portant to our State. of the country. took it in stride. We worked together with a bipar- I do note today that the Washington In 2002, Norm was elected to the Sen- tisan group of Senators on energy leg- Post has a strong editorial recom- ate under tragic circumstances. Just islation, to move forward in unity. mending we do something to improve days before the election, my good We worked together in securing Fed- the food safety of this Nation. I think friends and his wife eral funds for the security costs of the it is worth reading that editorial. They Sheila and their daughter Marcia and Democratic and Republican National are talking about the need to get some- members of their staff were killed in a Conventions, along with our colleagues thing done. Just this week, the White tragic plane crash in northern Min- in Colorado. I still remember standing House came out with its food safety nesota. Norm became the Senator. before this Chamber saying that I recommendations which include, as I Like Paul, Norm took his duties very stood tall to obtain the funding to pro- said, building a new national trace- seriously, and I could see that in my 2 tect the security of the Republican back and response system, including years in the Senate. He cared deeply leadership from across this country. clear industry guidance, a new unified about the work he did in foreign rela- We did that together. incidence command system, and im- tions, some of which people never real- We joined to secure educational bene- proved use of technology to deliver in- ly talked about, never made the front fits owed to our National Guard and dividual food safety alerts to con- page of the newspaper, but it was some- Reserve troops returning from Active sumers. We can truly do better. thing he cared deeply about. Duty overseas. We are so proud of our There is also a bill—the bill Senator Together, we worked on several National Guard in Minnesota. The Red CHAMBLISS and I have sponsored fo- issues in our State which were of key Bulls have served longer in Iraq than cuses on the end of this problem when

VerDate Nov 24 2008 01:57 Jul 10, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G09JY6.013 S09JYPT1 wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with SENATE S7286 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 9, 2009 a foodborne illness is out there—there COMMENDING NORM COLEMAN outcome of your efforts. Norm was is also a bill to prevent it in the first Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I someone who was focused. He was in- place, a bipartisan bill in the Senate. would like to join some of my col- tent upon getting things done, getting Senator DICK DURBIN is heading up leagues today who have spoken pre- things accomplished, and I think dur- that bill, along with JUDD GREGG, TED viously in reflecting upon the service ing his service here he did some great KENNEDY, RICHARD BURR, CHRIS DODD, of our colleague, Norm Coleman. As we things for the people of Minnesota and and LAMAR ALEXANDER, and Senator all know, the election process in Min- for the people of this country. CHAMBLISS and I are also sponsors of nesota has come to a conclusion. We If he were here, I think he would tell that legislation. The idea of that legis- have welcomed his successor to the you that in coming to the Senate—and lation is to beef up the FDA to improve U.S. Senate. But I also want to just I would tell you the same thing—he our capacity to prevent food safety make some remarks about Senator can now look back on some of the things he was involved in getting done, problems. Coleman’s service in the Senate and such as being involved in the big de- As we all know, the tragedy that hap- sort of my recollections of that. pened in Georgia where the informa- Obviously, all of us come here moti- bates over the confirmation of Chief tion did not get to the right people, vated to do different things. We all Justice or Justice Sam where inspectors had come in or not have reasons we want to be in public Alito—these were big debates in which enough inspections had come in—the service, things we want to accomplish. we were all involved in seeing good information did not get up the food Senator Coleman, obviously, came people put on the Supreme Court of chain, so to say. No one knew what was from the State of Minnesota, having this country. We worked in areas that were specific to our States—again, ag- going on, that there were violations at been in an executive position where he riculture, renewable energy, putting this plant, and 13 people died. That has served as mayor of St. Paul. He accom- energy policies in place that I think to change. plished some wonderful things for the will drive America’s future in terms of We also have to improve our capacity State, not the least of which was bring- trying to lessen our dependence upon to detect and respond with inspections, ing hockey to Minnesota. That is some- foreign sources of energy and, obvi- surveillance, and traceability. We also thing that any of us from that region ously, trying to bring more economic have in this bill ways to enhance U.S. of the country know was greatly appre- opportunity to this country by pro- food defense capabilities and to in- ciated by the citizens of his city and moting the energy sources we have crease FDA resources. We have seen his State. right here, particularly in places such Norm and I came to the Senate under just recently the problem with the re- as the Midwest where we can produce different circumstances. I recall having frigerator cookie dough manufactured biofuels and wind and all those sorts of traveled around the country with Sen- by Nestle. So we know this problem things. has not ended and it continues. ator Coleman as we were campaigning Those are the kinds of issues Norm I am urging the Senate to take ac- together in 2002 trying to come to the Coleman was committed to because he tion, first of all, on the Food Safety Senate and having that opportunity to understood the profound impact they Modernization Act of 2009, the bipar- get to know him. When you travel with had on the citizens of his State of Min- tisan bill, to give the FDA more tools somebody on an ongoing basis, you get nesota. I also think sometimes around to do what it does. We have already to know them not on a superficial here people tend to—as we all do be- seen the good work the Agriculture De- basis—the way many of us here get to cause we all are elected to represent partment does with certain fields, and know people, sort of on a thin level— constituencies—sometimes feel pres- we need to build on this work and but you get a chance to really get a sured to make votes that might be make sure we are able to catch these glimpse into the soul of people when more political. But I have seen Norm things before they get out into the food you are in certain circumstances, when Coleman time and again come in here stream and the people of our country. you are in tough campaigns. Certainly, and make votes—sometimes tough Secondly, when it does happen, when Norm was no stranger to tough cam- votes—that he thought were the right salmonella or something does get out paigns. ones for the future of this country. there, we have to respond quickly. As it turned out, that 2002 election That, too, is a quality that sometimes I also urge the Senate, as part of Norm was elected to the Senate. I lost is lacking and can be rare in public these FDA measures, to pass the Food my election in 2002 and didn’t come life. Safety Rapid Response Act, a bill I here until a couple of years later. But So I just wanted to express my appre- have with Senator CHAMBLISS. This is a during the course of the campaigns, ciation for having had the opportunity smart bill. It uses these models of epi- and then having served with Norm to serve with Norm Coleman in the demiology tools that should be used all Coleman—representing a neighbor Senate. He is someone who I think was over the country. State in South Dakota—we shared a a tremendous reflection upon the State It should not have to be the case that lot of common interests. Whether it of Minnesota, the people of his State; people have to get sick in Minnesota was agriculture or renewable energy or someone who was intent upon doing before we solve this problem. Accord- the economy in our States and trying the right thing for the future of this ing to the Centers for Disease Control, to create jobs in the upper Midwest of country; and, frankly, someone who, in foodborne disease causes about 76 mil- this country, Norm Coleman was some- my view, brought an authenticity and lion illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, body who, more than anything else, a genuineness to this body and to this and 5,000 deaths in the United States cared about results. world of politics in Washington, DC, every year. There are so many instances here which sometimes is lacking in those We should not wait. We should be where we get drawn into debates in the qualities. He was sincere, he was gen- acting on these two bills. We have a Senate and the partisan lines get uine, and you knew exactly where he full agenda, but we have before us two drawn and a lot of ideology comes into was coming from. With Norm Coleman, bills that have bipartisan support. We play. Obviously, that is part of the what you saw was what you got. have not heard people attacking them. process as well. But the bottom line I was pleased to have had the oppor- They are the way to go. We have food was that Norm Coleman cared about tunity not only to serve with him in industry people involved in both of getting things done for the people of the Senate and to call him a colleague, these bills who also want to get them Minnesota. I think that was the kind of but more importantly than that to call passed. Obviously, they do not want to can-do attitude he brought to his job as he and Laurie and their family friends keep losing profits because of food mayor and to all the other areas of because that is something that is also scares across this country. Let’s get public service in which he was engaged rare in Washington, DC. Sometimes the these bills done and improve our food during the course of his career in pub- Senate can be a lonely place, and when safety system in the United States of lic life. you develop a friendship of the type America. But coming to the Senate, I am sure, and depth that I have with Norm Cole- I yield the floor. had to have been frustrating because man, I find that to be very rare around The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- this is a place where sometimes it is here and something I will treasure and pore. The Senator from South Dakota. very difficult to see the result and the remember for some time to come.

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