Congressional Record—Senate S4217
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June 17, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4217 our job seriously as stewards of tax- There is much to be done, and I will said: GARY PETERS can do it. I am im- payer dollars and look for places to work tirelessly for the people of Michi- pressed with him very much. He is a avoid unnecessary wasteful spending. gan. My weeks in Washington, unfortu- team player. He is willing to do the We also will not be able to accom- nately, keep me apart from my wife hard lifting. I appreciate that very plish anything without embracing Colleen and my children, Madeleine, much. He mentioned Senator Levin, of pragmatism and bipartisanship. We Alana, and Gary, Jr., but their love and course, whom we all admired so very cannot focus on whether ideas come steadfast support is with me each and much. Also, I wish to take a minute to from a Republican or from a Democrat. every day. Colleen was raised by her talk about his partner in the Senate We need to focus only on whether the parents Raul and Kathy Ochoa in Oak- today, DEBBIE STABENOW. As he men- idea has merit and is good for the coun- land County—like me—and together we tioned, she is a part of Senate leader- try. This is why I have spent my first share a passion for public service. I am ship. She is there because she deserves 5 months in office the way I intend to so pleased Colleen and Madeleine are it. There is no one who works harder spend the rest of my career in public here with me today in the Senate Gal- than DEBBIE STABENOW. And if there service, reaching across the aisle to lery. were a work ethic role model for my find common ground and the practical On the Senate floor, we are standing friend GARY PETERS to follow, DEBBIE solutions that will make our govern- on the shoulders of giants. This in- STABENOW is the perfect person. ment work better, drive innovation and cludes our Nation’s Founding Fathers So I thank the junior Senator from competitiveness, and keep Michigan and more recent predecessors. My staff Michigan for being who he is. We have and America safe and strong. and I recently moved into the Hart come to know who he is in 6 months, I have introduced legislation with Senate Office Building, named after and we like him very much. Senator GARDNER from Colorado to in- Senator Phil Hart from Michigan, a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- crease oversight of duplicative spend- man rightfully known as the ‘‘Con- ator from Michigan. ing and force Congress to act on deficit science of the Senate’’ and a role model Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, first, I am very deeply appreciative of our reduction. for all of us. I worked with Senator ERNST from I could not be happier that my office leader’s comments. Thank you very Iowa to introduce legislation to extend will be right around the corner from much. I just wish to add my words of pride a tax credit for small businesses that my close friend, mentor, colleague, and in the fact that we have such a wonder- support their activated military re- respected leader in the Senate Senator ful Senator now coming to the Senate servist employees. DEBBIE STABENOW, and I am honored and the fact that he is fighting so hard Senator LANKFORD of Oklahoma and I that DEBBIE has joined me on the Sen- for Michigan and already doing a won- worked on a bill that would ensure ate floor for this speech. Federal agencies use remanufactured derful job. Of course, I am deeply honored to I am so pleased he is my partner, and auto parts when maintaining their succeed Senator Carl Levin, another it was a wonderful speech. fleets, an idea that will save natural one of my mentors and a man who de- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The as- resources and taxpayer dollars while fined what it means to be a public serv- sistant Democratic leader. supporting our country’s remanufac- ant. The careers of Senators Levin, Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I con- tured parts industry. Just 2 days ago, Hart, Riegle, Griffin, and other gratulate the junior Senator from this bill unanimously passed the Sen- Michiganders who preceded me pro- Michigan for his opening speech in the ate. vided the foundation on which I hope Senate. My State of Illinois is sepa- I worked with Senator RISCH from to build our shared future and create rated from his State of Michigan by an- Idaho to move legislation through the the best Michigan possible—not only other State and a Great Lake, but we small business committee to extend the kind of Michigan we want to live in have many things in common. and preserve the Small Business Ad- but the kind of Michigan our children People of Chicago and Illinois, many ministration’s 7(a) Loan Program, so and grandchildren will want to spend of them, spend a lot of money in the our Nation’s small businesses can ac- their lives in, a Michigan that is a State of Michigan and particularly in cess the capital they need to grow and magnet for migration and unbridled op- western Michigan. We love the Sen- create jobs. portunity for families and small busi- ator’s State. It is a beautiful State. Senator CORNYN, Senator GRAHAM, nesses, and a State that will lead the Many of us vacation there and get to and I introduced legislation to create a world in innovation. know the people. bipartisan commission to examine our I look forward to working with my We have so much in common as mid- Nation’s judicial system from the top colleagues in the Senate and westerners, looking at the world from to the bottom and to make sure it is Michiganders across the State to make our vantage point, smack dab in the working for all Americans. a better future for all of us a reality. middle of this country, and bringing to Senator SULLIVAN and I worked to- Together, we will continue to build a the conversation in the Senate many of gether to introduce a bill to cut excise State and a country that embody the the values that have guided our lives taxes for small craft distillers, a opportunity, the possibility, and the and inspired our families. I listened growth industry in Michigan, Alaska, promise that has made our country a carefully and thought it is amazing and America. shining beacon for so many around the that we have such parallel back- I am also proud to say the legislation globe. grounds—a father who can trace his I introduced with Senator CASSIDY of I yield back the remainder of my family roots back to the Revolutionary Louisiana to provide training for med- time. War and, in both cases, mothers who ical professionals to identify victims of The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. COT- were immigrants to this country. So human trafficking was also signed into TON). The Democratic leader. being a first-generation American, I law after it passed the Senate as part f am sure the Senator feels as I do, a spe- of a larger effort to combat human cial honor, standing on the floor of the trafficking. CONGRATULATING SENATOR Senate, representing a State as great I was sent to the Senate to represent PETERS as Michigan—or Illinois. the people of Michigan, and they want Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wish to I wish to say my colleague’s back- Congress to work together in a bipar- take a minute to express my apprecia- ground in the House of Representatives tisan way to solve the challenges fac- tion to the junior Senator from Michi- prepared him well for this challenge. ing our country. We must focus more gan in his maiden speech. It was ter- Although he follows one of the greats on what we have in common and less rific. It was delivered so well, and that in the history of the Senate, Carl on our differences. We should work on is what Michigan is all about. We ap- Levin, he brings to this job an extraor- ideas that are good for our country and preciate it very, very much. dinary talent and a great partnership good for our States. I have worked to He has big shoes to fill, those of Carl with Senator STABENOW. Already, the be a practical problem solver in my Levin. We all know what a giant he two of them have been in contact with first few months, and it is what I in- was in the Senate. From Senator Levin me about Michigan’s needs as they re- tend to do in the years ahead. to Senator STABENOW, they have both late to our Department of Defense—and VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:53 Jun 18, 2015 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G17JN6.005 S17JNPT1 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S4218 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 17, 2015 it is a significant investment which diabetes and Alzheimer’s, and we said I heard the Republican leader say: Michigan has made over the years in we are going to make a 5-percent cut Well, this is an indication that the keeping America strong, one we want across the board. It made no sense Democrats are not committed to the to continue for many generations to whatsoever, nor did it make sense for defense of America.