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Floor Speech

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Ms. MURKOWSKI. 320, H.R. 6500.

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Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, I come to the floor today to congratulate my friend and former colleague in the Alaska State Legislature. This is an individual for whom I have great respect, Senator Lyman Hoffman.

Senator Hoffman is retiring after nearly four decades of service to Alaska. Few legislators leave behind legacies that are measured not only by their years of service but by the generations of lives they have improved. Senator Hoffman--the alltime longest serving member of the Alaska State Legislature--is one of those rare public servants.

Throughout his nearly 40 years in office, Lyman has dedicated himself to improving the lives of Alaskans, particularly those in our State's most remote and underserved communities. It has truly made a difference for them.

Everyone who has spent time in the capital city of Juneau knows exactly where the center of gravity has been. It has been with Lyman.

We have all come to appreciate and value his experience, his knowledge, and, really, the wisdom the man has. At first, you wouldn't expect it, as he comes across as kind of a quiet guy with a gruff, deep voice. It is true to say he is a man of not too many words, but he is also a man who knows just exactly the right thing to say and the right time to say it.

There have been many a legislator who have found themselves in some pretty tense budget negotiations in the senate finance committee. Senator Hoffman holds the gavel there. And in those settings, he can unnerve the most senior lawmaker just by sitting very quietly through an entire committee meeting before offering just a few choice words.

When Lyman does speak, everybody listens because, again, he has this remarkable--almost uncanny--ability to cut through the politics and just focus on what really matters. And that is Lyman. You aren't going to win a staring contest with him, but he can steer an entire negotiation with just a few carefully chosen words.

As the longtime cochair of the senate finance committee, Senator Hoffman has become one of our State's most influential leaders. Through administrations and periods of economic uncertainty, he has earned bipartisan respect for his careful stewardship of public resources, deep institutional knowledge, and the ability to build practical consensus.

And perhaps the accomplishment for which Senator Hoffman will be best remembered is Alaska's Power Cost Equalization Endowment. He worked, actually alongside, my father Gov. Frank Murkowski, and Lyman secured the long-term future of a program that helps make electricity more affordable in rural Alaska. Out in these regions, costs can be astonishingly high and can take up to half of a household's budget. But, today, PCE is a major success. Its endowment exceeds over a billion dollars, and it continues to serve families and schools and health clinics and businesses across rural Alaska.

Lyman is a little bit predictable, and I say that because I could always--always--count on Lyman Hoffman to ask me the hard questions. And I would give my annual address to the legislature, and Lyman would be sitting in the back of the chamber there. He would raise his hand, and he would say ``What are you doing to make energy cheaper?'' or ``What are you doing to help rural Alaskans?''

And I always knew it was coming. I always knew it was coming because Lyman was consistent that way. He was practical and he was purposeful and his clear focus--``What are you doing to help rural Alaskans?'' ``What are you doing to help lower energy costs?''--that helped guide me here on my own in the Senate.

Because what Senator Hoffman understands is that energy policy is not just kilowatts and price per barrel; it is about whether families can afford to heat their homes, whether elders can stay warm in the wintertime, and whether communities have the opportunity to grow. And, again, this is where Lyman made his mark.

As a leading advocate for Alaska's statewide weatherization program, he helped secure more than $600 million to make homes more efficient for Alaskans. And, again, his work reflected a very simple belief: that every Alaskan, no matter where you live, deserves a safe, warm home.

From the days that we served in the State legislature to the present, Lyman Hoffman has represented not only his district--which covers Southwest Alaska and out in the Aleutians--but really he helped all rural Alaska with genuine distinction and giving them voice, giving them hope, and delivering real results.

And just as important as those results is the example Lyman has set as a public servant. He has demonstrated that lasting public policy is built through collaboration, rather than division. His influence extended far beyond the bills that he passed, shaping both the great State that he loves, the individuals who have served alongside him, and those that will follow him.

And as I speak to Senator Hoffman's impressive legacy, I also want to acknowledge that no public servant achieves these things alone. Behind every legislative session, every late-night budget negotiation, and every year devoted to serving Alaska, stood some key people--certainly his staff over the years, but always--always--Senator Hoffman's family. His wife Lillian was always there. His children Trina and Douglas--I know that the family made countless quiet, meaningful sacrifices to make all this work possible. So you too deserve to be recognized.

Alaska is stronger because Senator Lyman Hoffman chose to dedicate his life to others, and his work will continue to benefit our State for generations to come.

So congratulations, Lyman Hoffman--my friend Lyman. Thank you. At some point--at some point--the special legislative sessions will end, and you will be able to conclude this incredible chapter of service to our State. And when that day arrives and long into the future, Alaskans will remember you. We will celebrate you, and we will remain grateful for all that you have done.

And I thank the Senator from Wyoming for the opportunity to speak.

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