Congressional Record—Senate S670
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S670 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 20, 2009 (Performance by the U.S. Navy Sea Chant- Mr. REID. Mr. President, I would be to work on the orientation for the new ers.) happy to. Senators. So we had gotten to know (The Inagural ceremony was concluded at Mr. MCCONNELL. Is the Senator sug- the new Senators, including SALAZAR 12:36 p.m.) gesting that the time on Senator CLIN- and Obama and MARTINEZ, during that f TON’s nomination run through the period of time. So here is what I was thinking that MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT luncheons? Mr. REID. Well, what I would like to day—and let’s take them one by one. Messages from the President of the do: We would stop at a quarter to 1 and Here was Senator SALAZAR from Colo- United States were communicated to come back at 2:15 to complete that de- rado with a Spanish surname, but he the Senate by Mr. Williams, one of his bate at that time. will be quick to tell you that his fam- secretaries. Mr. MCCONNELL. That is fine. ily has been here for 14 generations and f The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- helped to found Santa Fe. He has had a pore. Is there objection? distinguished career here now. On that EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED Without objection, it is so ordered. day 4 years ago, his mother was in the gallery. As in executive session the Presiding f Officer laid before the Senate messages Senator MARTINEZ was sworn in 4 from the President of the United THANKING SENATOR ALEXANDER years ago as a new Member of the Sen- States submitting sundry nominations Mr. REID. Mr. President, I express ate, in this case from Florida. His which were referred to the appropriate my appreciation to the distinguished story, which he has just published in a committees. Senator from Tennessee for his usual remarkably good book which I have given to many of my friends, is the (The nominations received today are courtesies. He had to wait for me to get story of a young boy growing up very printed at the end of the Senate pro- here, and I appreciate his withholding happily in Cuba whose parents took ceedings.) until the Republican leader and I got here. The Senator from Tennessee is al- him to the airport one day, after hav- f ways a gentleman, and even though he ing bought him a new suit, when he was 14 years of age, and put him on an ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS and I do not agree once in a while on airplane to Miami, not knowing if they political issues, we always agree he is a S. 249 would ever see him again. He was in a gentleman. At the request of Ms. STABENOW, the foster home there, then moved to Or- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- name of the Senator from New Jersey lando. The story is all in the book. He pore. The Senator from Tennessee. (Mr. MENENDEZ) was added as a cospon- went to Florida State, met his wife Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I sor of S. 249, a bill to amend the Inter- Kitty, became the mayor of Orlando, thank the majority leader for his re- nal Revenue Code of 1986 to qualify for- then became a member of President marks. Unless the Republican leader merly homeless youth who are stu- Bush’s Cabinet, then a Member of the has some remarks, I would like to say dents for purposes of low income tax U.S. Senate. A very remarkable story. credit. a couple things. His mother, who put him on the air- f f plane in Cuba, was here that day. AMERICA: A REMARKABLE These same 4 years ago when we UNANIMOUS-CONSENT COUNTRY swore in these new Members of the AGREEMENT—EXECUTIVE SESSION Senate, we also had the Senator from Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, in Illinois. We all now know his story Mr. REID. Mr. President, I also ex- August 1963, I was a law student and a press my appreciation to my Repub- very well: a father from Kenya, a summer intern in the U.S. Department mother from Kansas. I don’t need to re- lican colleagues for the unanimous- of Justice here in Washington. I was consent request I am going to offer at peat that extraordinary story, about standing at the back of a huge crowd which he has written so well in his this time, which has been approved, as on a hot day when Dr. King spoke of I understand it, by the Republican autobiography. But what struck me his dream that one day his children was that his grandmother was in the leader and the other Senators. would be judged not ‘‘by the color of Mr. President, as in executive ses- gallery that day. It was either his their skin, but by the content of their grandmother or his grandfather, but I sion, I ask unanimous consent that to- character.’’ morrow, January 21, at the hour of 12 believe it was his grandmother. His fa- The inauguration of our former col- ther’s parent was in the gallery that p.m., the Senate proceed to executive league, Barack Obama, the day after session to consider the nomination of day on the first trip, I believe, from Af- Dr. King’s birthday, symbolizes both rica to this country to see the son of an HILLARY CLINTON to be Secretary of remarkable progress on America’s State; that there be 3 hours of debate, immigrant sworn into the U.S. Senate. most intractable problem—race—and a So I thought 4 years ago, and I think with the time equally divided and con- reaffirmation of our country’s most again today on this day on which we trolled between the leaders or their unique characteristic—a fervent belief swear in Barack Obama as President, designees; that upon the use or yield- that anything is possible. what a remarkable country this is. ing back of time, the Senate proceed to I thought about this in the same way Here in this Senate 4 years ago, the vote on confirmation of the nomina- 4 years ago at almost this time. I 14th-generation American KEN tion of Senator CLINTON; that upon formed a speech in my head that I SALAZAR is now going into President confirmation, the motion to reconsider wanted to make, but I did not make it. Obama’s Cabinet as Secretary of the be laid upon the table; that no other Senators are rarely guilty of Interior. MEL MARTINEZ, having had a motions be in order; that the President unexpressed thoughts. I have said long career in public life as mayor in be immediately notified of the Senate’s many things I wish I had not said, but Orlando, as Secretary of Housing and action, and the Senate then resume this is one time I wish I had said, 4 Urban Development, as U.S. Senator, is legislative session. years ago, what I was thinking. So I going on to other things in his life. ORDER FOR RECESS wish to say it today, right after Presi- Former Senator Obama, of course, is Mr. President, I further ask unani- dent Obama’s inauguration. And I am now the President of the United States. mous consent that the Senate stand in especially delighted Senator MARTINEZ But what was remarkable to me was 4 recess for our usual party luncheons, happens to be here too. years ago they came to this Senate, and that the recess begin, if it is appro- What I was thinking 4 years ago as and in that gallery were their par- priate with the distinguished Repub- the new Senators were sworn in was ents—and in one case a grandparent— lican leader, at 12:45 p.m., rather than that here were three Members of the reaffirming what I think Barack at 12:30, so some debate can move for- new class who had especially unique Obama’s inauguration represents for us ward. characteristics, and they had special today. It was historic in the sense that Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, if people in the gallery that day. it helped us symbolize the overcoming the majority leader would yield for a I, with Senator CARPER and some of one of our most intractable prob- question? others, had been asked by the leaders lems, the problem of race. But just as VerDate Nov 24 2008 06:29 Mar 03, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD09\RECFILES\S20JA9.REC S20JA9 mmaher on PROD1PC70 with CONG-REC-ONLINE January 20, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S671 important, it symbolized once again NOMINATIONS CECILIA ELENA ROUSE, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE MEM- BER OF THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS, VICE the characteristic that makes this Executive nominations received by DONALD B. MARRON, RESIGNED. country more remarkable than any the Senate: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION other country, the idea that anything DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MARY L. SCHAPIRO, OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, is possible. TO BE A MEMBER OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE THOMAS ANDREW DASCHLE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA, TO BE COMMISSION FOR A TERM EXPIRING JUNE 5, 2014, VICE People in other parts of the world SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. CHRISTOPHER COX, RESIGNED. look at the United States, and they DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OF STATE don’t always approve of us, but they KENNETH LEE SALAZAR, OF COLORADO, TO BE SEC- JAMES BRAIDY STEINBERG, OF TEXAS, TO BE DEPUTY RETARY OF THE INTERIOR.