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Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I come to the floor with my colleague from Wyoming, Senator Cynthia Lummis, to mourn one of Wyoming's most beloved and fiercest champions. He passed earlier this morning. That would be former U.S. Senator Al Simpson--not just former Senator; former member of the Wyoming House of Representatives and former Army veteran. He passed away earlier today at the age of 93 in his hometown of Cody, Wyoming. I talked to his wife Ann this morning. She said it was a beautiful, full Moon, and Al went to Heaven on a moonbeam.

He is known in Wyoming and in this body and across the country for his incredible life of service and really an unparalleled sense of humor.

Throughout his life, Al boldly fought to uphold the values and the ideals of this great Nation. Whether he was serving in the Army or the Wyoming House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, his commitment and his contributions were evident everywhere.

He was well known for rolling up his sleeves and working with anyone regardless of party to do what he thought was best for Wyoming and the Nation. When the Nation called on Al Simpson, when they called on him to serve, he was always there fighting for our best interests.

Al once said:

Never let them distort who you are.

So let me tell you about the real Al Simpson. His life and his legacy are defined by the c's--the c's standing for his hometown of Cody, and collegiality is a big part, but also there was courage, character, and credibility.

He represented Wyoming in this Chamber as a U.S. Senator from 1979 to 1997, and for that reason alone, Al looms very large in Wyoming's political history. There is a lot more. He left an indelible mark here in the Senate. While others ran from tough issues, Al welcomed them. It was an opportunity to serve. He actually never backed down from a fight. He embraced the fights as long as he was fighting for what he thought was right.

He sponsored legislation that helped protect our clean water and our clean air. He secured better grazing rights for Wyoming farmers and ranchers. He fought to secure our borders and imposed stiff sanctions on employers who hired illegal immigrants.

He once said:

The first duty of every nation is to secure its border.

He was so right.

He was elected by our Republican conference in the Senate in 1985 to serve as the assistant Republican leader. He was the first Republican whip from the State of Wyoming. He was the whip for 10 years, and he did it under the leadership of Senator Bob Dole. So I am proud to hold the office today that he once held. His leadership brought Wyoming values to Washington, and he left a lasting national impact.

Al came from a family of public servants. His father Milward was both Wyoming Governor and Senator. His dad Milward was Al's role model for public service and civic leadership. His big brother Pete once explained:

The extent to which we became men we owe to our father.

Everyone who knew Al well knows that his most important influence in his life came from the love of his life, his wife Ann--his wife of 70 years. Al and Ann first began dating when they were students at the University of Wyoming. They were married in 1954. For seven decades, Wyoming was fortunate to listen to and learn from Al and from Ann.

They were an inspiration to all of us--to me, to my wife Bobbi, and they were, I know, to Cynthia and her husband Al. They made a legendary team, always working together to make both Wyoming and Washington a better place.

Al liked to say:

Everything in Wyoming is political, except for politics, which was personal.

Yet, for Al, politics was never personal. His debates were passionate and they were principled. He was friends with Ted Kennedy. They collaborated together on legislation. From energy, to border security, to fiscal responsibility, Al worked across the aisle to tackle the tough issues. He always did what he believed was best for the country. In today's political environment, Al's example of bridging partisan divides is more important than ever.

In the art of persuasion, Al Simpson could teach a master class. One reason Al was so persuasive was his humor. He had an incredible sense of humor. He had close personal relationships with Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush. The title of his biography tells a lot about Al. It is called ``Shooting from the Lip.'' Al was a gunslinger when it came to clever quips. There are too many to count. We don't want to recount some of them on the floor of the Senate; they would probably be stricken from the record. But that is who Al Simpson was. He made you laugh. He also made you think. And that is what made Al so special. He took his service seriously, but he never took himself too seriously.

Al and Ann returned to Wyoming after he retired from the Senate. Fortunately for Wyoming and our Nation, that service did not end because they never really retired. Al enthusiastically served numerous groups and organizations, which all have benefited from his presence. From his beloved alma mater, the University of Wyoming, to the world- renowned Buffalo Bill historical center, Al Simpson devoted his time, his talent, and his treasure.

When Al saw an unmet need in his community, he worked to see that it was addressed. He was especially active in mentoring future leaders. It is no wonder that he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022. It is the highest honor an American civilian can get for service to our country.

He was a model of leadership for everyone, regardless of party. He did it all across Wyoming and through the years here in Congress. Once, he said:

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.

Integrity, work ethic, incredible whit--Al truly leaves behind a legendary career. For Wyoming, Al is a native son and also a North Star and a rock star.

For the U.S. Senate, Al is a leader, a legislative craftsman, and a principled lawmaker.

For me, he was a mentor and friend.

To Ann; to their children, Bill, Collin, and Sue--I talked to Bill and Collin this morning; to their entire extended family, I join the Nation and Wyoming in sending you our heartfelt condolences.

We can take solace in knowing that the decades of work Al did to make Wyoming and our country a better place will be felt for generations to come.

Senator Lummis.

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