Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Ms. AYOTTE. Mr. President, I rise to thank my friend Saxby Chambliss. Senator Coburn spoke about leadership. We are very much going to miss Senator Coburn, Senator Johanns, and Senator Chambliss in this body.

But what he said is very true; because as someone who has only served here for 4 years, one of the people who has been most welcoming to me and a mentor and role model and someone from whom I have sought advice is Saxby Chambliss.

As we look at this body and people whom we can emulate as role models, Saxby Chambliss is one of those role models. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable on the issues that are so important to this Nation--and I can say, having served with him on the Armed Services Committee, he is one of the most knowledgeable people in this country, not only on what we need to do to keep the country safe because of his role on the Intelligence Committee, but also what we need to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the very best to keep our country safe. Saxby has a deep understanding and very much loves our men and women in uniform, and has stood up for them in ensuring that they have gotten what they need to keep this country safe.

From my perspective, he is someone who is going to be so missed in this body, because he has understood that you can stand on principle, as he has, for the important challenges facing this Nation--whether it is keeping us safe, or addressing the national debt that threatens not only our security but the prosperity of America; but he has also done it in a way that he has been able to build relationships--relationships within our own conference in the Republican Caucus, where he is a go-to leader, where people like me seek his advice on how to get things done--but also, as we can see here, relationships across the aisle.

As we go into the new Congress, I hope as Saxby goes on to do other important things with his lovely family and Julianne and his children and grandchildren, that we will follow the example of Saxby Chambliss of what it means to work together, of what it means to be respectful of each other to get things done for this country, and to address the great challenges that Saxby has done so much important work on--including keeping our Nation safe and making sure that America remains strong.

Saxby, I want to thank you for being so welcoming to me, for being a role model, and for being someone who I think is an example of what it means to serve this country with distinction.

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