National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 - Conference Report

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, it is such a pleasure and honor to rise to recognize a great son of Scranton--sitting next to me, another son of Scranton--a grandson of Ireland--sitting in this Chamber are many grandchildren of Ireland--and a Syracuse University graduate. How many others in the room can say that? More importantly than any of those, he is one of the most dedicated public servants, one of the most successful public servants I have ever had the pleasure to serve with during my time in Washington.

Everyone knows Joe is proud of his ancestry. His ancestors came from Ireland, as many millions have. He is deeply proud of being an Irish- American. Like so many others from the Emerald Isle, our Vice President inherited the gift of gab, and thank God for that because he has used his booming voice to speak out on so many issues.

We have only a little time today. I know my colleagues are eager to speak, so I will just focus on one of the issues that Senator Biden led the charge on and changed America. I worked with him on the Assault Weapons Ban and the Brady law when he was a Senator and I was Congressman and we were each head of the crime committees. But maybe the thing he was proudest of was the Violence Against Women Act. It sounds like a different world, but a few years ago, a few decades ago, rape and domestic violence and abuse were considered in many ways lesser crimes--crimes in which the victim was as much at fault as the perpetrator. It was disgraceful. If you were beaten, abused, sexually assaulted, you faced a hostile, skeptical criminal justice system. That got at Joe Biden and his sense of justice, so he exploded the myths behind domestic violence.

I remember hearing the speeches against sexual abuse and put together the strongest ever violence against women law on the books. Not only did the law make women safer; it made men better. It moved our society forward.

Our work on these issues is not nearly over, but I am certain there are literally millions of women who have avoided pain and suffering-- both physical and mental--because of the courage, the steadfastness, and the legislative brilliance of the then-senior Senator from the great State of Delaware.

I could go on and on and almost write a book on accomplishments like that where Joe almost singlehandedly changed the world. He was also a great friend and leader to so many of us.

I will conclude with one little story. I was elected to the Senate after 18 years in the House, and an issue I wanted to get going on was college affordability. I had run for the Senate on the promise of making college tuition tax deductible. So I get to the Senate, introduce my bill, make my speech, and get ready to lead the way on what I thought was my issue. We have all experienced this. A call comes into my office from Joe's chief of staff. Of course I spoke to him.

``Mr. Biden has been working on this issue for 10 years. Go work on something else.'' That was the nice version. Naturally, me and my brandnew office were in a panic. I was chastened. I didn't know what to do. I am sitting on the floor and feeling really forlorn. Why did I even come here? I was a senior Member of the House. I feel an arm on my shoulder, and I look up. There is the revered and exalted Senator Joe Biden. He says to me: I understand you have your college tuition tax deduction bill. Go ahead, take the issue. I know what it is like for new Senators to carve their own path.

How many times can any freshman say any senior Senator has said that to them? They can't because he is unique. Not only is he a towering figure and superb man, but he has a good heart and looks out for the Members of this body. He always has, does to this day, and always will because I know in Joe's heart, with all of his accomplishments, he is still a Senator--our Senator.

Mr. President, I say to Mr. Vice President, thank you. Thank you for your heart and passion, thank you for bringing every ounce of yourself to public service, and thank you for that lesson of humility and leadership you taught me when I first came to this Chamber.

I yield the floor.

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