Honoring Senator Ted Stevens

Floor Speech

HONORING SENATOR TED STEVENS -- (Senate - June 04, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I would like to honor an esteemed colleague with whom I have had the privilege of serving in this body for the past 9 years.

As many others have already observed, Senator STEVENS is an institution in Alaska, the Senate, and in the United States. Our President pro tempore, already the longest serving Republican in the Senate, served our Nation heroically in World War II and worked previously in the Justice and Interior Departments. In the latter position, Senator STEVENS was an instrumental part of bringing statehood to Alaska--the State of Alaska literally is partly his creation.

Senator STEVENS and I share concerns about issues important to America but particular to the Pacific Northwest. Our States, with vast Federal land holdings, play a key role in energy resource exploration and development crucial to building viable and plentiful domestic energy supplies. We share views on ensuring local and State governments and communities have primacy in handling matters of direct impact on them. Both Idaho and Alaska are home to thriving indigenous populations, and we both work to ensure that they have their voices heard in Congress.

Idaho and Alaska have other similar Pacific Northwest resource and environmental issues. Senator STEVENS shares my care for and attention to these issues. He is an advocate for work to restore salmon fisheries and rural community development. I have had the pleasure to work with him on promoting the Pacific Northwest Salmon Recovery Fund and drinking water infrastructure needs for rural Alaska. He is a tireless defender of the interests of Alaskans and one of the greatest tourism promotion resources for the State.

I have always appreciated Senator STEVENS' strong voice and steady leadership in the Senate. He has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our military and against terrorism. He understands the enemies we face here and abroad and has spent many decades standing strong for his convictions, relentlessly pursuing funding for a strong military to defend our country and our heritage of liberty and freedom.

I admire Senator STEVENS' strong history of bipartisanship highlighted by his long friendship with the senior Senator from Hawaii, Mr. INOUYE. Their working and interpersonal relationship stands as a testament to what can be accomplished when we set party bickering aside and focus on our jobs to which we were elected--helping America remain the envy of the world.

We share an alma mater, and I am pleased to call him a colleague in the Senate. I am proud to honor the Senior Senator from Alaska, in his 39th year of public service as a Senator. Congratulations, and thank you for your service.

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