[Senate Document 113-5]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Scott P. Brown
U.S. SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS
TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2014
S. Doc. 113-5
Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Scott P. Brown
United States Senator
2010-2013
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 2014
Compiled under the direction
of the
Joint Committee on Printing
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
v
Farewell Address......................................
vii
Proceedings in the Senate:
Tributes by Senators:
Cardin, Benjamin L., of Maryland...............
13
Collins, Susan M., of Maine....................
3
Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
4
Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
12
Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
10, 11
Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
15
McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
6
Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland..............
5
Murkowski, Lisa, of Alaska.....................
14
Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
9
Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
17
BIOGRAPHY
Scott P. Brown was born on September 12, 1959, in
Kittery, ME. He graduated from Wakefield High School,
Wakefield, MA, in 1977 and went on to earn a BA from Tufts
University in 1981 and a JD from Boston College Law School
in 1985. He has served in the Massachusetts Army National
Guard from 1979 to the present, attaining the rank of
colonel and serving in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps.
He began his career in public service as an assessor and
then a selectman in the town of Wrentham. He was a member
of the Massachusetts State house of representatives from
1999 to 2004 and the Massachusetts State senate from 2004
to 2010. As a State legislator he advocated for children's
and victims' rights, never voted for a tax increase, and
worked to promote environmental and good government
initiatives.
He was elected to the U.S. Senate in the January 19,
2010, special election for the seat previously held by
Senator Ted Kennedy. He took the oath of office on
February 4, 2010, and served until January 3, 2013. He
served on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs, the Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship.
Scott Brown is a free-market advocate who believes
America's strength as a nation derives from the ingenuity
and hard work of its people. He believes in a culture of
family, patriotism, and freedom.
In the U.S. Senate he fought for lower taxes, less
government spending, and pro-growth polices that will put
people back to work. He approached each piece of
legislation in an independent manner, always looking for
ways to work across the aisle and get the country moving.
He lives in Wrentham with his wife Gail. He has two
daughters, Ayla and Arianna.
Farewell to the Senate
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I rise to give my closing
floor speech for this session of the Senate.
From the date of my swearing in on February 4, 2010,
until the last day I serve in this great Chamber, which is
1 month shy of 3 years serving, I still say and believe
that, aside from my marriage to my wife Gail of 26 years
and the birth of my two children, Ayla and Arianna,
serving in the greatest deliberative body for the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the people's seat, has
been the greatest honor I ever had in my life. I thank the
people of Massachusetts for that opportunity. To think
that someone such as myself, whose parents were married
and divorced 4 times each, who lived in 17 houses by the
time he was 18 and was subjected to various forms of abuse
growing up, still has the honor to serve in one of the
greatest deliberative bodies, as I said, in the world, is
something I will not soon forget.
To the young people sitting here and who may be
watching, take it from me that in this country, even when
it seems that you are fighting against all odds, anything
is possible for you. There are no obstacles that cannot be
overcome so do not give up, and always follow your dreams.
As I have said before, people have no business in
politics unless they respect the judgment of the voters.
If you run for office, you have to be able to take victory
or defeat in a gracious manner. I do respect the judgment
of the voters. I accept their decision in this election
with the same attitude and sense of appreciation I held
when I arrived in this Chamber almost 3 years ago.
When I was sworn in, I was the 1,914th Senator accepting
the oath of office by signing the book right up at the
clerk's table. There were many Senators who served before
me and there will be many Senators who will serve after my
service is over. That my name is listed among them is very
humbling.
To all the people of Massachusetts, I greatly appreciate
the confidence you placed in me for the past 3 years in
allowing me to represent you in the Senate. To my
colleagues, I thank you for the courtesy and friendship
you afforded me during my time here. When I arrived, I
promised I would read the bills, see how they affected
Massachusetts, see how they affected our country, our
debt, and our deficit, and I would vote in an independent
manner based on the merits of that issue rather than
political partisan politics. I am proud I kept that
promise to be independent. I am proud my voting record has
identified me as the second most bipartisan Senator in the
Senate, as referenced by Congressional Quarterly, and that
I was named as the least partisan Senator in the Senate by
Washingtonian magazine.
It was that independent and bipartisan approach that
provided me with an opportunity to stand with the
President at the White House on three separate occasions
in the past 2 years to see bills I had either sponsored or
played a key role in securing their passage signed into
law. I was honored to work with my colleagues--many who
are here today and many who are listening--on both sides
of the aisle on legislation that was signed into law to
move our country forward, including the STOCK Act to ban
insider trading by Members of Congress--I know the
Presiding Officer [Mrs. Gillibrand] played a key role in
that as well--the hire a hero veterans bill to help our
veterans who are fighting for jobs actually have
opportunities to be hired by employers who are looking for
those heroes; the crowd funding legislation which will
help young entrepreneurs get access to new capital and
create jobs, something I hope the SEC will immediately
come up with a rule on so these people can start creating
jobs and raising money; legislation to reform Wall Street,
where I was the deciding vote to strengthen our country's
financial system; legislation to eliminate an onerous 3-
percent withholding tax; eliminating a stealth tax that
would have affected government contractors--that is also
gone; legislation to ensure our fallen heroes receive the
dignity and respect they deserve at the Arlington National
Cemetery, that is something new that is also fixed; and
many other congressional actions that have made a
difference not only in Massachusetts but in this great
country. These are all shared successes, and I was proud
to be part of each and every one of them.
I have always said in order to do our business as our
country's leaders we must do our work in a bipartisan,
bicameral manner to ensure the actions taken by Congress
benefit all Americans, not just those of one political
party or one political ideology. During my time here and
now as I am leaving, I have been and still am deeply
concerned about the lack of bipartisan efforts to solve
our country's most pressing economic challenges and in
turn move our country forward. Many times political party
and personal gain are put before the needs of our country.
I know we can do it better. The American people expect us
to do it better. As I leave, I challenge the leadership on
both sides of the aisle to make the process more open and
transparent. I challenge Members to work with each other
in a more open and honest manner, and I challenge the
President and the congressional leadership to also work
together immediately to address the concerns and needs of
our country because, after all, we are Americans first and
our country deserves better.
In closing, I see my staff here. Many of them were here
from the beginning. They came from applicants, over 4,000,
for a very select few jobs. I thank Vanessa Sinders, my
chief of staff, and each and every one of the staff for
the amazing work they have done in very interesting times.
To come here as the 41st or the 60th Senator and have the
media scrutiny and all the commentary from every special
interest group around the country, in the middle of a
Senate that was gridlocked--to come here and have an
opportunity to make a difference and do it well without
making any mistakes is something I think benefited
Massachusetts but also benefited this great country. It
allowed for the debate to resume once again to eliminate a
supermajority so one side could ram through things in
which the other side had no play or no involvement.
That is not what our country is about. That is not what
this Chamber is about. We deserve better. The people of
Massachusetts and the people of this country deserve
better. They deserve to have their voices heard. Every
person in this Chamber has one vote. To think that one
side or the other, depending on who is in charge, is going
to stifle that one Senator, from whatever part of the
country, not to let him or her have their moment to
express their views on something that is important to them
and their constituency, to shut that off and put your
thumb on it is not the way we should be doing it.
I am deeply concerned about any changes in the rules
that are being proposed to eliminate the ability for both
sides to do battle in a thoughtful, respectful manner. If
you see the movie ``Lincoln,'' you see that even back then
they were battling most of the time to convince each other
to go one way or the other. Since when has it been a
problem to have vibrant debate in the Senate, in this
great Chamber? Since when? What is everybody scared about?
I don't understand that. I am hopeful the leaders will
come together and recognize we need to have that vibrant
debate. That is what makes this Chamber unique among any
other form of government around the world. To take that
away and limit it I think is a big mistake.
I wish to say thank you, obviously, to the people of
Massachusetts for entrusting me to sit in the people's
seat for the past 3 years. I thank my colleagues who are
here, with whom I have had some great friendships and
opportunities to work together. As I said many times
before, victory and defeat are temporary depending on what
happens and where we go. All of us, obviously, may meet
again, and I am looking forward to continuing on with
those friendships, continuing on working with my staff.
I thank you for this opportunity to speak.
?
TRIBUTES
TO
SCOTT P. BROWN
Proceedings in the Senate
Monday, December 10, 2012
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, last week I came to the
floor and was honored to give tributes to some of our
departing colleagues. Tonight I am going to take advantage
of this time to pay tribute to two other outstanding
Senators, colleagues and friends of mine whom I will miss
greatly. They are Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Senator
Scott Brown.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine is
recognized.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, when Scott Brown, a fellow
New Englander, came to the Senate 2 years ago, I
immediately saw in him those traits shared by the people
of our two New England States: a strong work ethic, a
determination to always do what he thought was right, and
a spirit that was independent and dedicated to doing what
was best for his constituents and for his country.
My initial assessment was confirmed by our time working
together on so many issues. Scott conducted his inspiring
2010 campaign via his now legendary pickup truck. When he
got to Washington, he kept his foot on the gas. His work
in government at the State and local level in
Massachusetts and his distinguished service in the Army
National Guard prepared him with experience that made him
a respected and effective legislator from day one. His
intellect, energy, and character made him a valued
colleague and a dear friend.
Scott is a person one could always count on. I have had
the opportunity to work closely with Scott on so many key
issues. In each and every case he brought an informed,
thoughtful, and open-minded approach to every issue.
As the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs Committee, I have gotten to know
Scott very well and I appreciate his service on our
committee. He placed his top priority on helping to keep
our Nation safe from the continuing threat of terrorism.
He also worked hard to make our Federal Government more
efficient and transparent.
With Scott's leadership, the Senate passed bipartisan
legislation to help put the Postal Service back on a more
sound financial footing and to ensure that this
institution could endure. He also authored the STOCK Act,
the new law that clearly prohibits insider trading by
Members of Congress and their staff.
Scott has long been an effective champion for our small
business owners, working to ensure that entrepreneurs and
innovators in Massachusetts and across the country have
the ability to survive and thrive and, most of all, to
create good jobs. He has advocated for our Nation's
veterans through the Hiring Our Heroes Act that he
coauthored, which provides tax credits to small businesses
that hire a returning veteran or member of the National
Guard Reserve.
Scott has been a devoted advocate in the Senate for
fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget amendment. At
the same time, he kept a firm commitment to helping those
most in need. He fought hard for such vital programs as
the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is so
important to getting through those cold New England
winters.
Equally important to Scott's hard work in the Senate has
been the approach he has always taken in legislating. He
studies the issues. He seeks areas where a consensus can
be found. From the very first day in the Senate, he
demonstrated his belief that compromise is not a dirty
word but an absolute necessity if we are to meet the
challenges facing America. Scott always looked at the
issues before Congress not through the lens of a partisan
politician but, rather, through the lens of a pragmatic
problem solver.
Scott's tenure in the Senate has been far too brief but,
perhaps more important, it has been characterized by a
remarkable degree of success in transforming good ideas
into public laws. Given his Maine roots and strong
commitment to Massachusetts, I am sure we will remain good
friends in the years to come. But, oh, how I will miss
serving with my friend Scott Brown.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my
colleague, Senator Scott Brown, who will leave the Senate
at the conclusion of the 112th Congress. Senator Brown won
a special election in 2010 to fill the seat of the late
Senator Edward Kennedy, but his service to the State of
Massachusetts began many years ago.
Senator Brown began his career in public service in
1992, working as a real estate assessor for the town of
Wrentham, MA. In 1998, he was elected to the Massachusetts
House. Six years later, he was elected to the State
senate, where he was known as a strong advocate for
veterans issues. As a State senator, he championed
legislation that created a check-off box on State income
tax forms for veterans to indicate service in Iraq or
Afghanistan so that they could be efficiently notified of
benefits.
His work on behalf of veterans is not surprising
considering Senator Brown has proudly served in the Army
National Guard since enlisting at age 19 when he attended
college at Tufts University. Once elected to the U.S.
Senate, his commitment to military and veterans issues
continued as he served on the Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, Armed Services, and the Veterans'
Affairs Committees.
Although his time in the Senate was short, Senator Brown
advanced several initiatives, including several that
assist servicemembers and their families. He successfully
included a provision in the 2012 National Defense
Authorization Act, which made certain that members of the
National Guard and their families receive a fair housing
allowance when deployed overseas. Senator Brown also
worked across the aisle on legislation that demonstrated
his commitment to our troops. He fought to provide greater
oversight at Arlington National Cemetery, ensuring proper
burials of America's fallen heroes and secured a provision
to create the Office of Service Member Affairs at the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help returning
servicemembers avoid financial fraud.
The hard work and dedication that Senator Brown has
shown during his years of public service will surely bring
him continued success in the future. I thank Senator Brown
for his service in the Senate and wish him the best.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to comment about
some wonderful men in the Senate who are retiring on both
sides of the aisle. Earlier today I spoke about my deep
affection and sorry-to-see-go friends Olympia Snowe and
Kay Bailey Hutchison, but I want to rise as the dean of
the women in the Senate to say some very special words
about very special men on both sides of the aisle. Because
when I came to the Senate, it was only Nancy Kassebaum and
me, and yet we worked on so many issues together. There
are really wonderful men here who supported me, supported
our issues, but really stood up for those States and their
communities. ...
I wish to say a word about Senator Scott Brown. Many of
you know that I was a social worker and a child abuse
worker. I want to say personally, I so admire Senator
Brown's candor and being forthcoming when he shared with
the world his own child abuse experience in his book,
Against All Odds. He not only experienced the terrible
thing that happened to him, but he went on to talk about
how he handled this terrible tragedy. I must say, I
compliment him. It was a model, that as a young boy this
terrible event would not hold him back. I am sure his
powerful words helped many others come into the light. As
a former child abuse social worker, I want to thank him
publicly for what he has done not only in this institution
but to help other boys--and even girls--who also faced a
terrible tragedy and refused to be a victim but went on to
do well. I wish him well. ...
I wanted to be sure that the day would not end without
my acknowledging these wonderful people who have given a
big part of their lives to making this country a better
place. I want to, in the most heartfelt way--I am so sorry
we did not have a bipartisan dinner or party to be able to
express this. I would have liked to have been in the same
room, breaking bread with them, in order to be able to
tell them how much we appreciate them, across party lines,
across those lines that ordinarily divide us. They came
from different parts of the country, they arrived in the
Senate with different objectives, they will leave under
different circumstances. But I want to again let them know
that each and every one of them had a positive impact on
me and I think a wonderful impact on the future of this
country. So I wish them well. God bless and Godspeed.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I would like to continue
the difficult task of saying goodbye to Senators who will
not be with us in the next Congress. Sadly, that includes
Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts.
Senator Brown came to us already something of a
political legend. In just a few short years, he leaves
behind an outsized legacy. We all remember how Scott rose
to national prominence in the election literally heard
about around the world. After the death of Senator
Kennedy, there was an open seat in Massachusetts and a
special election to fill it. Few people even entertained
the thought of a Republican winning. And for good reason.
Few States are as synonymous with political liberalism.
Democrats outnumber Republicans in the State 3 to 1, and
the entire congressional delegation is composed of
Democrats. But supported by his wife Gail and their
daughters, along with some key early allies, including our
own Senator McCain, Scott appealed to the State's
political independents, ran a flawless campaign, and won.
As he put it on election night, he beat the odds and the
experts, and the people became the machine. I think the
2006 GMC Canyon that Scott drove around during the
election should actually go to the Smithsonian.
We all remember that night, and, in particular, Scott's
acceptance speech. Most people focus on what he said about
his daughters, but the speech itself was a masterpiece. It
perfectly summed up the political moment, and it captured
something essential about Scott's success; that is, the
notion that no politician has a right to his or her seat;
that we are all here to serve our constituents.
Scott said:
Every day I hold this office, I will give all that is in
me to serve you well and to make you proud ... [and] most
of all, I will remember that while the honor is mine, this
Senate seat belongs to no one person and to no political
party, and as I have said before, and you said loud and
clear today, it is the people's seat.
Scott lived up to his promise. He captured the
imagination of the entire country when he corrected David
Gergen by telling him the so-called Kennedy seat was, in
fact, the people's seat. He carried that message straight
to Washington.
I remember Scott telling me in our very first meeting
that I could not count on his vote, that I would have to
earn it. I told him he could do whatever he pleased. While
he has not been here long, he has certainly made his mark.
I have seen a lot of politicians in my day, but few have
been as talented as Scott Brown. He is a unique talent. I
have no doubt we will see him back in Washington someday
in the not too distant future.
The truth is, Scott's victory was not the first time he
had done what others thought impossible. As a young man,
he knew poverty first hand, and a broken home, and even
took to shoplifting to feed himself and his sister. Yet
Scott overcame these early challenges. As is often the
case, he owes a lot of it to an adult who saw his
potential early on.
In Scott's case, that adult was Judge Samuel Zoll. When
Scott showed up in his chambers one day, Judge Zoll saw a
troubled but decent young man who needed a friendly nudge.
``We had a long talk about [the] talent I thought he
had, and I didn't want to see him squander it,'' Judge
Zoll later recalled.
Scott, of course, remembers it a little differently,
saying the judge ``verbally kicked [his] butt.''
The judge ordered Scott to write a 1,500-word essay
about disappointing his family. After reading it, he told
Scott he would give him a break this time, but if he ever
stole anything again--anything--he would be sent to jail.
Judge Zoll's lesson stuck so deeply that the two men
remained friends until Judge Zoll's death last year.
Scott went on to be a baseball star in high school and
in college, earning the nickname ``Downtown Scotty
Brown.'' That was for his accuracy with a 3-point shot.
Then he went to law school, the Army National Guard, held
city and State political office, where he was 1 of just 5
Republicans in a body of 40 in the State senate and then
the U.S. Senate.
Senator Brown also famously found time to do a little
modeling in his youth, and it was through this work that
he met his wife Gail. I have had the pleasure to get to
know Scott and Gail well over the last 3 years. They have
two daughters and make an absolutely wonderful family. I
am sure Gail, Ayla, and Arianna are very proud of Scott
and just as sad as I am to see his tenure cut short. But
they should be proud of the fact that Scott has
accomplished a lot in 3 short years in the Senate.
He led the charge to repeal a burdensome withholding tax
that hurt small businesses. He crafted legislation for
crowd funding, which allowed job creators to raise startup
funds for their businesses over the Internet with less red
tape, and he introduced legislation to ensure that
children's hospitals have access to discounts on orphan
drugs that are used to treat rare diseases. All of these
bills are now law.
As a 32-year member of the National Guard, Senator Brown
takes a special interest in our men and women in uniform
and their families. He introduced legislation to give
businesses incentives to hire veterans, who, sadly, have
higher unemployment rates than the national average. He
introduced and saw to passage legislation creating the
Office of Service Member Affairs to protect troops who are
often targeted by financial fraud and scams. He saw to the
passage of legislation making it easier to void government
contracts with businesses found to be funneling taxpayer
resources to terrorist groups. He fought for National
Guard members and their families to receive their fair
housing allowance when deployed overseas.
Although his work in the Senate has come to an end, I am
sure Scott Brown's work in public service, in whatever
capacity, will not. He is still a young man with a bright
future ahead of him. I, for one, am very much looking
forward to seeing how he uses his talents next.
From the statehouse to the Senate, from the modeling
shoot to the basketball court, Senator Scott Brown has
always made his own success. I do not think he knows any
other way.
Scott, it has been an honor serving with you. You not
only made history, you made a difference. You should be
proud.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Mr. REED. Madam President, at this time, I wish to take
a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are retiring at
the end of this year with the conclusion of the 112th
Congress: Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Jeff Bingaman of New
Mexico, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Kent Conrad of North
Dakota, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Kay Bailey Hutchison
of Texas, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Jon Kyl of Arizona,
Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Richard Lugar of Indiana,
Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Jim
Webb of Virginia. They have all worked ceaselessly to give
their constituents the best representation and give the
country the benefit of their views, their wisdom, and
their experience. They are men and women who are committed
to the Nation, and they have every day in different ways
contributed to this Senate and to our great country.
I wish to thank them personally for their service, and,
in so many cases, their personal kindness to me; for
listening to my points and for, together, hopefully,
serving this Senate and this Nation in a more positive and
progressive way.
In particular, let me say a few words about some of the
Members with whom I have had the privilege to work more
closely. ...
Scott Brown has drawn from his over 30 years of
experience in the National Guard to advocate for our
servicemembers. I am particularly pleased we were able to
work together to create the new Office of Service Member
Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. ...
I could go on with all of my colleagues, just thanking
them for their friendship, for their camaraderie, and for
their commitment to the Nation and the Senate. As they
depart, they have left an extraordinary legacy. Now it is
our responsibility to carry on in so many different ways,
and I hope we measure up to what they have done. If we do,
then we can go forward confidently.
With that, I yield the floor.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I want to give my thanks to
Senator Scott Brown, who leaves the Senate at the end of
this session. I have not had the privilege of working with
Senator Brown for as long as I have worked with many of
the other Senators who are concluding their service here.
I am grateful for his work as a member of the Armed
Services Committee, and for his support for some of the
important reforms that helped put a cop back on the beat
on Wall Street.
Scott's road to the Senate was not easy. Like all too
many American children, he was the victim of abuse by
those who were obligated to care for him. Senator Brown
overcame great odds to become a U.S. Senator--odds that
had little to do with politics. He is an example of our
power to achieve despite great challenges, and we can all
learn from that example.
Senator Brown was one of a handful of Members who
crossed party lines to support the Dodd-Frank Act, which
provided vital reforms of the financial sector in order to
help prevent a repeat of the financial crisis that
crippled our economy. He and I disagreed on several
important provisions of the act, and we disagree in many
ways on how it can best be implemented. But his vote was
very important to its passage.
As a servicemember for more than three decades,
including a deployment to Afghanistan, Senator Brown has
brought a valuable perspective to the Armed Services
Committee. He has spoken eloquently of the need to honor
our Nation's solemn obligation to our troops, our
veterans, and our families. He has advocated for the
National Guard and supported significant policy changes
that are important for our servicemembers, such as
supporting victims of rape or incest and repeal of ``don't
ask, don't tell.'' I thank him for his contributions to
the committee's important work in fulfilling its
obligation to servicemembers and their families.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, now that the 112th Congress is
coming to a close, the Senate will have an opportunity to
acknowledge the efforts of those Senators who will be
returning home at the end of this session of the Senate.
One Senator I know I will miss in the days to come is
Senator Scott Brown.
Looking back it is hard to believe that Scott has only
been a Member of the Senate for about 3 years. He has had
an impact on our day-to-day deliberations over those years
that far outweighs the time he has been a Member of the
Senate. That speaks volumes about his ability to make the
best use of his resources so that he could have an impact
on those issues that concern the people of his home State.
When Scott was elected to the Senate he became the first
Republican Senator from Massachusetts to have made it here
in more than 30 years. For me, that is proof of the kind
of candidate Scott was and the effectiveness of the
campaign he ran.
His success in what was a very difficult race proved
that Scott is a natural politician. He has a remarkable
ability to grasp the core of the issues before the Senate
and determine their possible impact on the people back
home. He understands the people back home and he knows how
they think and how they feel about the issues before the
Senate. Equally important, Scott is able to explain those
issues in simple, easily understood statements that stick
in the minds of the people who hear him. He has a way with
words that helps to win people over.
When Scott came to the Senate people were not sure what
to expect. Was he going to tend to follow one party or the
other exclusively? No. Scott took up each issue
individually, measuring them all with the yardstick of his
principles and his determination to be an effective
representative of the people of Massachusetts who sent him
to Washington. It was not going to be easy, but Scott
proved himself to be well up to the task.
As soon as he arrived, Scott found himself in the thick
of a number of legislative battles. He took on each issue
carefully and thoughtfully, which thoroughly confused all
those who thought they had Scott all figured out. Scott
proved to be an independent individual who was determined
to do everything he could to make a difference in
Massachusetts and in Washington. He soon proved he was
able to do all of that and so much more.
For 3 years, Scott has been an important addition to the
day-to-day life of the Senate. I have no doubt we have not
heard the last from him. He only needs to take a moment to
see what he is interested in taking on in the next chapter
of his life. He has a wealth of talent and ability and
more important, he genuinely cares about the future of our
Nation and all of the people who make up his home State
and our Nation. There is a lot of opportunity out there
for Scott and I know he will take full advantage of it.
Thanks, Scott, for your service. Thanks for working so
hard to get here, and once you did, thank you for never
doubting in your ability to make a difference. You have
helped to make changes both here and back home in more
ways than you will ever know. Thank you, too, for your
friendship. For 3 years you have been a strong and
powerful advocate for the future of Massachusetts and you
can be very proud of all you have achieved during your
time in the Senate.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Senator Scott Brown came to
the Senate in an untraditional manner: winning a special
election to fill the seat left by one of the giants of the
Senate, Ted Kennedy. While his tenure has been just 3
years, I have appreciated Senator Brown's willingness to
work across the aisle on two very important issues:
reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, and working
to end human trafficking.
It happens that I have authored legislation to address
these two very issues, and so it has been through the
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act and the
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act that I
have seen Senator Brown take a dedicated approach to
protecting victims of violence. He is a cosponsor of both
these bills, a strong supporter of the goals behind them,
and a vocal proponent of their enactment.
Senator Brown has also been a friend of the National
Guard. Himself a Guardsman for over 30 years, he was one
of 68 cosponsors of my Guard Empowerment Act, to give the
head of the National Guard a seat with the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, where decisions are made every day about our
Nation's military, including the National Guard and
Reserve. As a Guardsman himself, he understands the
strains placed on families here at home when the Guard,
like any unit of the military, is deployed, as has
happened so many times in the last decade. I appreciated
Senator Brown's support on this important law.
Senator Brown has charted his own path in his short time
here in the Senate, and I expect the ventures he undertook
while serving here will continue. I wish him and his
family the best.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I would like to pay tribute
to the Senators who will not be returning when the 113th
Congress commences next month. I have already spoken about
Senator Kyl and about Senator Inouye, one of the truly
great Americans and giants of this institution. At the
time of his death, Senator Inouye was just a few weeks
short of celebrating 50 years of Senate service. Only
Senator Byrd served in this institution longer.
Turnover is a natural occurrence, but it's important to
acknowledge that the Senators who are departing have
served in the Senate for a combined total of 237 years, or
nearly 20 years per Senator, on average. Add Senator
Inouye, and the total is close to 300 years. That service
represents an enormous amount of expertise on issues
ranging from national defense and foreign affairs to the
Federal budget to energy policy. The departing Senators
will also take with them vast institutional knowledge and
bipartisan friendships and working relationships that will
leave a void we will need to fill. ...
Mr. President, Senator Brown shook the political
establishment when he won a special election in 2010 to
replace the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Senator Brown was
the first Republican to win a Senate race in Massachusetts
since Senator Edward Brooke won reelection in 1972.
Senator Brown previously served in the Massachusetts State
House of Representatives from 1998 to 2004 and then in the
State senate from 2004 to 2010.
Senator Brown has been here just a short time, but he
has been in the thick of things, given his willingness to
reach across the aisle. According to Congressional
Quarterly, he has the second-most bipartisan voting record
in the Senate, and helped the majority pass the Stop
Trading on Congressional Knowledge, STOCK, Act, which he
coauthored; the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act, which was passed with exactly 60 votes;
the repeal of the Department of Defense's ``don't ask,
don't tell'' policy; the Hiring Incentives to Restore
Employment, HIRE, Act, and the New START Treaty. In the
wake of the horrific shootings at the Sandy Hook
Elementary School in Newtown, CT, Senator Brown was one of
the first Republicans to express his support for
reinstating the assault weapons ban. On a more parochial
note, I would note that 9 months ago he started serving as
an active member of the Maryland National Guard, and we
are grateful for his service. ...
Mr. President, these men and women who will be leaving
the Senate soon have made extraordinary sacrifices to
serve our Nation. We are fortunate that they have chosen
to spend significant parts of their lives in public
service. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude. Those
of us who will be in the Senate next month when the 113th
Congress convenes can best honor the legacy of our
departing colleagues by reaching across the aisle as they
have done so many times to forge bipartisan consensus and
solutions to our Nation's most vexing problems. The men
and women who will be leaving the Senate at the end of
this Congress understand that compromise isn't a dirty
word; it is the genius at the heart of our political
system. We will miss them.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to recognize
Senator Scott Brown's service to the Senate. While we have
only had the opportunity to work together for 2 years, I
have truly appreciated Senator Brown's insight,
leadership, and friendship.
Senator Brown moved to Massachusetts as a young boy. He
graduated from Wakefield High School, then joined the
Massachusetts National Guard when he was 19. After
attending Northwestern University and graduating from
Tufts University and Boston College Law School, Senator
Brown began serving the people of Massachusetts in 1992,
first as a real estate assessor and then as a selectman in
Wrentham. In 1998, he was elected to the Massachusetts
House of Representatives, and after three terms he was
elected to the Massachusetts State Senate. In each of his
State senate reelection bids, he ran unopposed. As a State
legislator, he advocated for children's and victims'
rights as well as veterans affairs and worked to promote
good government initiatives.
Senator Brown came to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He
quickly found his voice on the Armed Services and
Veterans' Affairs Committees thanks to more than 30 years
of service in the National Guard. I was proud to join more
than 30 of my colleagues in cosponsoring his Stolen Valor
Act, which would make it a crime to knowingly misrepresent
military service if a person wanted to profit from his or
her lie.
Senator Brown also worked on good government initiatives
in the Senate, leading bipartisan efforts to repeal a
provision of law requiring Federal, State, and local
governments to withhold 3 percent of payments due to
contractors. I was proud to cosponsor his bill to avoid
making infrastructure improvements more costly and
business more challenging for health care professionals
who accept Medicare payments.
I have also been proud to work with Senator Brown on
another commonsense initiative in this Congress, the
Prompt Notification of Short Sales Act. Our bill would
improve the housing market by requiring banks to provide a
written response to a short sale offer within 75 days of a
request from a homeowner. There are neighborhoods across
the country full of empty homes and owners who have
legitimate offers, but unresponsive banks, and I commit to
Senator Brown that I will continue to work on this issue
in the coming year.
Clearly Senator Brown has served the people of
Massachusetts and the people of the United States well,
and he will be missed. I wish the best to him, his wife
Gail, and their daughters Ayla and Arianna.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise to express my
gratitude to Scott Brown, with whom I have enjoyed the
privilege of serving for the past 3 years. During that
time, Senator Brown and I served together on the Homeland
Security and Government Services Committee, which I have
chaired, as well as the Senate Armed Services Committee,
where he and I have worked closely together as chairman
and ranking member.
Senator Brown's life story is a testament to our power
to overcome any obstacle. His aptly titled memoir, Against
All Odds, describes how despite suffering through a
childhood in which he had to steal in order to help feed
his sister and in which he was the victim of abuse, he
rose to attend college and law school, serve in the Army
National Guard, and eventually be elected to the U.S.
Senate. Senator Brown should be a role model to every
young American who looks at themselves in the mirror and
wonders whether they can overcome the obstacles in their
path, because he has.
Senator Brown has been an invaluable Member of the
Senate and the committees on which he has served, lending
a voice of reason in an ever more partisan time. As a
member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator
Brown played a critical role in the debate on whether to
repeal the military's ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy,
grilling witnesses at the committee's hearings on the
issue throughout the year. Senator Brown was forthright in
his view that the law should not be changed until Congress
fully understood any possible risks associated with acting
on the issue, but after he had studied the report issued
by the Defense Department's working group tasked with
reviewing the issue, he lent his strong voice in support
of repeal. For that, I am grateful, as are the tens of
thousands of gay and lesbian servicemembers who no longer
serve under the threat of separation because of who they
are.
In the 112th Congress, Armed Services Committee's
Subcommittee on Airland, he and I were responsible for
overseeing the tactical aviation and land power programs
of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. It was a
great pleasure working with Scott on these important
matters, and I always benefited from his experience as a
guardsman when reviewing these programs.
As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee, Senator Brown fought for and achieved
passage of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge
Act, STOCK Act, a bill that forbids Members of Congress
and their staffs from profiting in any way from the
information they obtain as part of the job that is not
public. It is a testament to his service in the Senate
that one of Scott Brown's most notable accomplishments was
a bill to uphold the standards of the ethical behavior of
Congress. It was an honor to work with Senator Brown on
this important effort.
As ranking member on the Federal Financial Management
Subcommittee, Scott Brown joined his chairman, Tom Carper,
along with full committee ranking member Susan Collins and
me to introduce the bipartisan 21st Century Postal Service
Act, which the full Senate endorsed on April 25, 2012.
This bill reflected many hours of tough negotiations in
which Scott played a key role, and set out a balanced plan
to get the Postal Service's finances back in order.
Senator Scott Brown has enriched the work of the Senate
and the lives of his colleagues over the past 3 years. He
brought to the Senate not only his considerable talents
but a great sense of humor, which was particularly helpful
in the 3 tough years he was here. I wish him and his
family all the best as he opens a new chapter of his own
life. I know that he will continue to serve our country in
ways that really matter.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
ORDER FOR PRINTING OF TRIBUTES
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
there be printed as a Senate document a compilation of
materials from the Congressional Record in tribute to the
retiring Members of the 112th Congress.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.