Tributes to Mike Johanns

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FISCHER. Madam President, I rise today to celebrate the legacy of my dear friend, my colleague, and my fellow Nebraskan, Senator MIKE JOHANNS.

Senator Johanns has dedicated more than three decades of his life to serving the people of Nebraska and also this Nation. His career in public service began at the local level, where he was elected to the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners. He later joined the Lincoln City Council, and eventually became mayor of Nebraska's capital city where he served for two terms.

Perhaps the most infamous decision Senator Johanns ever made throughout his career in public service was in his days as mayor of Lincoln. After an early season winter storm dropped more than a foot of heavy wet snow on Lincoln in late October, Mayor JOHANNS decided to cancel Halloween. He cited power outages and hazardous downed power lines.

As you can imagine, this news was not received well among some of those Lincolnites. To this day, constituents haven't forgotten and they still occasionally remind him of how he deprived an entire city of trick or treats on that fateful October evening. He made up for it, though, when he and his wife Stephanie treated children who came to trick or treat at the mansion.

Fortunately, this incident didn't deal a death blow to Senator Johanns' political career. He went on to serve as Governor of Nebraska and was reelected to a second term.

As Governor, he focused on fiscal discipline and the responsible use of limited State tax dollars, principles he upheld here in the Senate as well. At one point, as Governor, he even vetoed an entire 2-year budget proposal because it raised taxes to expand government power.

He also championed ambitious mental health reforms that allowed patients to receive care in the stability and in the security of their own communities where they could be near their loved ones. A decade later, these reforms in Nebraska are still regarded as a major milestone in improving mental health care.

Before he was a Senator or a Governor or a mayor or a city councilman, he worked on his family's dairy farm. That is not easy work. And as MIKE puts it, it is a job that builds character and humility. Growing up on a dairy farm, he would milk cows every day before school, sometimes even taking the tractor halfway to town in the winter months when the roads were so bad that the schoolbus couldn't get out to his farm.

This upbringing gave Senator Johanns a great appreciation and a deep understanding for the needs of our Nation's ag producers, so it was no surprise when President George W. Bush selected him to lead the Department of Agriculture as its Secretary. MIKE dutifully served in this role, overseeing a new reform-oriented farm bill and opening doors to new global markets for our Nation's ag producers.

As Secretary of Agriculture, he saw firsthand the challenges facing hungry nations. It was in this role that he fell in love with the people of Africa, and he has worked here in the Senate to develop food aid programs that not only feed but also empower hungry populations around the world.

Senator Johanns has tirelessly worked for our State and our Nation. He brought to the Senate a unique perspective, having served virtually every level of government. His well-rounded approach to his work here reflects that rare wisdom. Many of us here have had the pleasure of working closely with him because he always makes a point to work with his colleagues regardless of party affiliation, whether it be on complex legislation or that annual Senate secret Santa tradition.

We are all familiar with the confident, peaceful demeanor he brings to the Senate, and his plain-spoken clarity will truly be missed once he leaves Congress. This is who Mike Johanns is. It is who he has always been: a quiet workhorse with a soft spot for the world's most disadvantaged, and a burning desire to help wherever he can. Friends back home who have known him since before he began his career in public service will tell you that he is the same man today he was back then--never losing sight of his goal of helping people, never getting a big head, and always putting Nebraska first.

The Senator's wife Stephanie has been by his side throughout every step of this tremendous journey, always supportive and steadfast. Anyone who knows MIKE knows he and Steph are inseparable. I am sure they are both looking forward to having more time to spend with family next year.

MIKE, you are a statesman and a model citizen. I am thankful for all the work you have done for Nebraska and for the entire Nation. You have set such a great example for your fellow Senators, and we all appreciate your dedication over these past 32 years. You have served Nebraska with dignity and integrity. Good luck. I wish you and Stephanie all the best. God bless you both.

I yield the floor.

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