S714 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 21, 2009 many of my colleagues and of his For instance, I was proud to support tional security issues. Later I was very former colleagues about his abilities him in his tremendous work on the pleased to have her support for my ef- and his commitment to improving the COPS program. In turn I appreciate his fort with Majority Leader HARRY REID state of affairs in business operations steadfast support of campaign finance to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq, at DOD. I am excited by the oppor- reform issues over the years. and I look forward to continuing to tunity he has before him. And I am op- Most of all, I want to say how much work with her on these critically im- timistic about what he will accomplish I have enjoyed serving with Senator portant issues as she becomes our next alongside many others on the team BIDEN on the Foreign Relations and Ju- Secretary of State. Once again, I thank that will form at DOD. But I will be diciary Committees. I also can attest her for her service in this body, and I watching closely because this is my to his mastery of the complicated wish her all the best as she continues duty to the people of Missouri, to the issues he faced in both committees. It her service to the American people. people of America and to the command is a huge challenge to take on the KEN SALAZAR of our constitution. chairmanship of a Senate committee, Mr. President, I join my colleagues in and to do it well, but to serve with f thanking KEN SALAZAR for his out- such distinction as chair of two of the standing service to the people of Colo- TRIBUTE TO SENATORS Senate’s most important committees is rado over the last 4 years. It has been very rare, and it speaks volumes about a pleasure to work with him on a num- ’s service in this body. Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today ber of issues; he is extremely easy to I have always found Senator BIDEN to work with, both someone of integrity I want to take a moment to thank be someone who I could talk with seri- President Obama for his service in the and great personal decency. In par- ously about issues of mutual concern, ticular, he has been one of the Senate’s Senate. Our new President has some or when we disagree. He is open-minded very difficult challenges ahead, as he leaders when it comes to protecting the and he really listens. That quality will rights and freedoms of the American faces a serious economic downturn, and surely serve him well in his new posi- many critically important national se- people as we work to strengthen our tion. He also, in my view, can be national security. I was proud to work curity issues. But he has already shown uniquely persuasive. He is one of the his ability to handle tough challenges with him and a bipartisan coalition of few Senators who I have actually seen Senators on the SAFE Act to change through his outstanding work here in change people’s minds during a com- the Senate since his election in 2004. flawed provisions of the . mittee debate. In a policy fight involv- I also appreciated his critical support From the moment he arrived, Barack ing complex issues, JOE BIDEN is some- Obama showed himself to be an out- of the NSL Reform Act, to address the one who you want to have on your side. serious misuse of the FBI’s national se- standing legislator and public servant. Now Senator BIDEN becomes Vice curity letter authorities. I also know I was very pleased to work with him on President, and I know he will serve the Senator SALAZAR’s deep commitment ethics and lobbying reform issues, first Nation with the same outstanding to public lands and energy resources authoring a bill together, and then commitment and skill with which he issues, and I think he will be an excel- working together to pass the Honest served the people of Delaware. I thank lent Secretary of the Interior. Again, I Leadership and Open Government Act. him for his many years of distin- thank him for his service in this body, Passing that landmark legislation took guished service in the Senate, and look and I look forward to continuing to a determined, focused effort over many forward to continuing to work with work with him as he assumes the lead- months, and then-Senator Obama him, and President Obama, in the years showed that he was both a deeply prin- ership of the Interior Department. to come. Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I want to cipled, and very effective, member of HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON this body. I was also pleased to work say a word of good wishes to the senior Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator, albeit very briefly, from Colo- with him on a number of other issues, my colleagues in thanking Senator rado, KEN SALAZAR, as he leaves the including the presidential public fund- HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON for her out- ing legislation, and I look forward to Senate to become Secretary of the In- standing service in the Senate, and terior. his continued support on that issue in wishing her our very best as she be- this new Congress. As the son of 11th generation immi- comes our Secretary of State. One of grants, from a family that farmed I was proud to support his efforts, the many reasons I strongly support along with many other members, on ’s for a cen- her nomination for Secretary of State tury and a half, no one has a deeper, the efforts to support our wounded is because I have had the pleasure of warriors, which he championed. And, more powerful connection to what op- working with Senator CLINTON, and I portunity means in this country than finally, I thank him for his support of know what a skilled legislator and my bill, authored with Majority Leader KEN SALAZAR. committed public servant she is. We I can remember one of the first times HARRY REID, to safely redeploy our have worked on a number of issues to- I met Senator SALAZAR. After we had troops from Iraq. His support helped to gether over the years, including fight- exchanged greetings, I said to him, build momentum for our effort to rede- ing for family farmers and especially ‘‘My family came to America in the ploy the troops from Iraq and move to- the dairy farmers that are so impor- 1800s. When did your family come ward a better national security strat- tant to both New York and Wisconsin. here?’’ egy, and I thank him for it. Finding common ground, we worked He replied, ‘‘Oh, about 500 years ago.’’ We will miss his presence here in the together to make sure dairy markets Indeed, it is remarkable to think Senate, but of course the Nation needs functioned properly, to improve the that the descendant of a family that his unparalleled skills, and deep com- milk income loss contract or MILC settled in the American West almost mitment to public service, more than program, and pushing for country-of- half a millennium ago will soon be a ever as he is now President of the origin labeling, or COOL, legislation Member of the cabinet of first African- United States. I look forward to con- for dairy products. I was also proud to American President of the United tinuing to work with him on issues im- support the Paycheck Fairness Act, States. portant to the American people, and I which she authored, and to work with Only in America. thank him once again for his service her on many other issues. Indeed, though his parents, who here in the Senate. I also had the opportunity to travel served their country in World War II, JOSEPH BIDEN with Senator CLINTON and a number of were not college-educated themselves, Mr. President, it has been a pleasure other senators on an official trip to Af- they made sure that KEN, his brother, to serve with Senator JOE BIDEN for the ghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and Pakistan, John, and their six brothers and sisters last 16 years. He is an outstanding col- where we listened to service men and all graduated from college. league and a good friend, and I know women on the ground, as well as local To be sure, Senator SALAZAR is a son that he will make a terrific Vice Presi- leaders. On that trip Senator CLINTON of Colorado—a small businessman who dent. I have been pleased to work with deeply impressed me with her depth of owned ice cream stores and radio sta- him on so many issues over the years. knowledge on foreign relations and na- tions and a farmer for more than 30

VerDate Nov 24 2008 03:11 Jan 22, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G21JA6.037 S21JAPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE January 21, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S715 years. Indeed, he practiced water and immigration and border security; to because the Secretary has been an in- environmental law. Our colleague’s af- air, rail, and highway travel security; strumental ally in implementing legis- fection for the pristine, majestic beau- cybersecurity; science and technology; lation I was honored to draft with my ty of the Silver State and its people is biological and chemical security; and colleague on the committee, Senator embedded in his DNA. infrastructure protection. Unfortu- COLLINS, to transform FEMA into a Senator SALAZAR also made a mark nately, the Secretary gets no credit for stronger, more accountable, and more instantly on this institution. In 4 terrorist attacks that have been avert- coordinated agency. It is now elevated years, he developed a reputation for ed and, of course, would be blamed if an to a special status within DHS—like bringing people together in common attack were to occur. Let me say that the Coast Guard—so that its authori- purpose—whether it was advancing re- I believe our country is safer than it ties and assets cannot be changed with- newable energy policy, confirming was when Secretary Chertoff began his out congressional approval and its ad- judges, standing up to abuses at the tenure at the Department, and it is in ministrator is the President’s principle Justice Department, or championing part due to his attentive and forceful adviser in an emergency. Key FEMA the State Children’s Health Insurance leadership—and the dedicated service officials now are required to have rel- Program. of the men and women he had led—that evant emergency management experi- And I would add that as we work to the country has been spared from an- ence; its preparedness duties are united expand that latter program today, his other terrorist attack. His contribu- with its response functions so that the leadership will be missed. tion toward efforts to disrupt the plot same people who prepare for emer- His time in this institution was to destroy airplanes en route from gencies also respond to them. FEMA short, but he has made those moments Great Britain to the United States in now has responsibility for dispensing $2 billion in homeland security grants and count. As Senator SALAZAR seeks to August 2006 is especially noteworthy. find a balance between renewables and Secretary Chertoff brought a rig- its 10 regional offices are getting fossil fuels in the administration’s en- orous, clear-eyed intensity to the De- stronger by the day. To the Secretary, ergy choices, protect our public lands, partment’s many challenges. He has I would say that the Department’s and restore integrity to what has been worked hard to set priorities for the much improved internal coordination and coordination with State and local a deeply troubled Department, I am Department and lay out a roadmap to officials during the 2008 hurricane sea- confident that as Interior Secretary he achieve goals. While we in Congress son attests to the improvements that will bring the same temperament to have not agreed with all of his deci- have been made. the job that he has brought to his re- sions, he has spoken clearly about his There are many other areas in which sponsibilities in the Senate, never for- goals and been honest with us and the Secretary Chertoff’s leadership has getting those who came before us— American people about the difficult been instrumental, including border whose sweat and heart remain at the tradeoffs involved in many aspects of and port security, chemical security, very foundation of this great country homeland security. information-sharing, and developing of ours. Obviously, the Department is still a the architecture to protect the nation And so, today, we thank Senator work in progress with many challenges of terrorist attacks using weapons of SALAZAR for his service and wish him ahead. But the Secretary has made an mass destruction. And, of course, all well. As he has throughout his life, I indelible mark in a number of areas. I Americans who travel by air have been have no doubt he will do a remarkable will mention just a few that are of deep made safer by the Secretary’s focus on job for our Nation. importance to me. First, I would note improving the Transportation Security f that it has been under Secretary Administration. Chertoff that the serious work of pro- TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL CHERTOFF I cannot talk about all of the Sec- tecting the government’s information retary’s accomplishments today. But I Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I technology infrastructure began. Our would be negligent if I did not thank rise to express my deep gratitude to enemies and economic competitors are him for his assistance in achieving a Secretary Michael Chertoff for the highly skilled at using computer sys- goal that has a very low national pro- service he has given his country over tems to try to gain advantage over us. file, but which has significant rami- the past 4 years as head of the Depart- Secretary Chertoff realized this, took fications for the 200,000 employees at ment of Homeland Security. the threat seriously, and moved to se- the Department. I am talking about ef- Secretary Chertoff came to the job in cure government networks in a coordi- forts to consolidate most of the De- February 2005, upon the retirement of nated, comprehensive way through the partment’s headquarters under one the Department’s first leader, Pennsyl- creation of the comprehensive national roof at St. Elizabeths Hospital campus vania Governor , with an cybersecurity initiative, CNCI. CNCI is in southeast Washington. The Depart- impressive record of public service as a still in its nascent stages and many ment’s headquarters is spread through- Federal judge, an assistant attorney other agencies have responsibility for out more than 70 buildings across the general, and a prosecutor. He leaves of- its success, but I am pleased the Sec- Washington area, making communica- fice in the next few days with even retary moved with resolve to improve tion, coordination, and cooperation be- greater distinction for shepherding the our defenses against cyberintruders. tween its component parts a real chal- Department through the growing pains Under Secretary Chertoff’s leader- lenge. A unified headquarters would of, shall we say, its toddler years, mak- ship, DHS has made important strides allow employees to work more effi- ing great strides to turn the amalgam in improving its financial manage- ciently and interactively and is a crit- of 22 agencies—all with different cul- ment. DHS has taken important steps ical cornerstone of the efforts to im- tures and missions—and 200,000 em- toward improving its grades from OMB prove management and integration at ployees into a single, focused Depart- on information security, and, I am told the Department. I am pleased the Na- ment. His commitment to the security OMB’s latest data will show that the tional Capital Planning Commission of the American people remains un- morale of the Department’s employees recently approved a master plan for a swerving, for which he deserves the Na- has definitely improved. consolidated headquarters at St. Es. I tion’s appreciation. To his credit, Secretary Chertoff expect construction to begin later this Leading the Department of Homeland learned from his Department’s mis- year, And I thank Secretary Chertoff Security is one of Washington’s tough- takes responding to for his leadership in this effort. est jobs and probably one of the most and set to work to recreate FEMA, and In the short time since it was created thankless. The Department of Home- enable it to leverage DHS’ many other in 2002, the Department of Homeland land Security carries with it the awe- significant resources, so that it can be- Security has become an equal among some responsibility for safeguarding come, for the first time in its history, the most important government agen- the Nation against terrorist attacks an emergency management agency ca- cies responsible for our national secu- and natural disasters. It incorporates pable of responding to a catastrophic rity, such as the Department of De- many different agencies, with missions disaster. fense. Secretary Ridge launched the critical to the American people, rang- The fact is that today, FEMA is not process and admirably led the Depart- ing from emergency management; to the same agency it was in 2005. That’s ment through the initial challenge of

VerDate Nov 24 2008 03:11 Jan 22, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G21JA6.041 S21JAPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE