Tribute to Tom Udall

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, just a little reflection on Tom Udall and working together on the Indian Affairs Committee that I chaired, and he was the ranking member. I will tell you that I will miss my friend Tom Udall.

Bobbi and I will miss your life partner Jill as well. We are so grateful for your friendship and your leadership in this body.

When Senator Udall started today on the floor, he mentioned that he was a son of the West and mentioned that it is something that runs in the family. Madam President, Tom's father, Stewart Udall, was Secretary of the Interior of the United States. If you go to the Interior Department office, you will see it is the Udall name on the building because of this ongoing commitment and love that the Senator has spoken about today.

What many don't know is the relationship between Wyoming and the Udall family. It was Stewart Udall, Secretary of the Interior, who came to Wyoming with a young President a number of years ago. That President was John F. Kennedy. It was September of 1963.

I went back to the archives at the University of Wyoming and found photos of Tom's dad and the President at the time, John Kennedy, and a number of Wyoming leaders at the time. I gave copies to Tom and to Jill to share the bond of our States.

It would surprise many, I think, in this body to know that I have a picture, actually, of John Kennedy hanging in my office up in the Dirksen Office Building--John Kennedy addressing the crowd at the University of Wyoming Arena-Auditorium in September of 1963.

As Tom this morning talked about conservation, John Kennedy talked of conservation that very day that he gave that speech with your father on the stage, together so many years ago. At the time, John Kennedy talked of the living balance between man's actions and nature's reaction to it and the living balance that must exist.

So, today, I come and thank my friend for his stewardship, for his leadership, and for his friendship, and I say this with a great deal of appreciation and admiration and respect.

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