Honoring Senator Ted Stevens

Floor Speech

HONORING SENATOR TED STEVENS -- (Senate - April 12, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, it gives me enormous pride to pay tribute to our senior Senator, to my senior Senator, Mr. Stevens, and to listen to the comments, to listen to the stories from so many of you as colleagues and friends.

For so many years--I think my whole life--I have grown up hearing the stories about Senator Stevens, and to understand how today--tomorrow, actually--he makes history as the longest serving Republican Senator.

What you all need to appreciate is that so much of the history of Ted Stevens is also the history of the State of Alaska. They are inextricably tied, and we know that. So to be able to share that with his friends and colleagues for so many years is so important.

I truly appreciate the words of the Republican leader outlining the history, the very storied military career that Senator Stevens had, understanding how he went on to be the U.S. attorney for the territory at the time, his schooling through UCLA, through Harvard. Coming back to the State of Alaska is where we all kind of pick up with the history that is now legendary and is seen in so many places.

Someone mentioned the Ted Stevens International Airport. We look around to so many of the monuments in the State, whether it is the Trans-Alaska Pipeline that has been delivering oil to the lower 48 for the past 25-some-odd years--we look at those and we think: Ted Stevens.

I don't know how many of you are aware of the history of our State as it relates to our lands and knowing and understanding that it was Ted Stevens who moved these forward, whether it was ANILCA, our land conservation act, the Native Claims Settlement Act, the effort to build the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act, the Denali Commission--these are living legends, if you will, through legislation that came about through the dedication, through the persistence, through the urging of Senator Stevens.

We all want to believe, certainly, that we work on behalf of the people we represent, but as we look to these legislative victories, these legislative successes that Senator Stevens has put in place over the years, I believe that truly demonstrates his commitment to the people of Alaska. When we think about providing the Native peoples with title to their lands, when we think about the educational challenges that face us in this enormous State with geographic and rural challenges that we can only imagine, when we think about how we provide health care in a State such as Alaska, all we need to do is look to the initiatives that have been put in place.

Senator Stevens has always--always--kept Alaska first and has been very selfless in his efforts to put his State, to put the people of Alaska first.

We lovingly call him throughout the State ``Uncle Ted.''

And you chuckle, but I think it is fair to say. They might not say it to your face, TED, but behind your back they are always calling you Uncle TED, because I hear it. They love it. The people of Alaska love it when you put on your Super Hero tie, when you wear the Hulk tie, because that is your signal that you mean business on behalf of the people of the State of Alaska.

You know, talk about people who have minds as sharp as a tack, TED will come up to me and we will be talking about something and he will say, You remember back in 1973 when so-and-so said something to so-and-so? And I am thinking, I was still in high school back then; no, I don't remember that. But he has such a grasp of the history and the facts. I appreciated his comment that he doesn't reminisce, but he is not going to let go of the factual background that has gotten us to where we are today.

Senator STEVENS mentioned those who have worked for him, and he and I have a unique relationship in that I was an intern for him. I credit him as my first political mentor here. Whether that means your staff will go on to succeed both you and me, who knows, but I look to what you have provided me as I have joined the family of the Senate here. I could not have asked for a better mentor, a better colleague to work side by side with as we move forward to advance the interests of the State of Alaska.

I know I will have you to work together with for years to come, and I join my colleagues again in acknowledging you on this truly historic occasion. I think it is fair to say, as an Alaskan, I feel personally blessed to have you and your leadership for our State and our Nation, and for that I thank you very much.

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