{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2000-12-15-pt1-PgS11850", "2000-12-15", 106, 2, null, null, "TRIBUTE TO SENATOR SPENCER ABRAHAM", "SENATE", "SENATE", "TRIBUTETO", "S11850", "S11850", "[{\"name\": \"Kent Conrad\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}, {\"name\": \"John Warner\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "146 Cong. Rec. S11850", "Congressional Record, Volume 146 Issue 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]\n[Senate]\n[Page S11850]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\n                   TRIBUTE TO SENATOR SPENCER ABRAHAM\n\n  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute and recognize\nthe accomplishments of a colleague, Senator Spencer Abraham of\nMichigan. Since joining the Senate in 1995, he has served with honesty,\ndedication, and integrity.\n  As members of the Budget Committee, I had the opportunity to work\nwith Senator Abraham on a number of important issues. A fiscal\nconservative, Senator Abraham work to balance the federal budget and\ncut government waste. He has also been a champion of keeping our Social\nSecurity dollars locked away. This is an interest in which Senator\nAbraham and I share a keen interest.\n  Most recently, Senator Abraham was the lead sponsor of the American\nCompetitiveness in the 21st Century Act, legislation that will help\nensure our nation's continued growth and leadership in information\ntechnology (IT). The bill authorized visas for 195,000 high-tech\nprofessionals to work in the U.S. to meet the growing demand for\nskilled IT workers throughout our economy. During consideration of the\nbill, I was pleased to work with Senator Abraham and his staff to\ninclude in the legislation long-term initiatives to ensure that\nAmericans of all ages are trained to fill critical IT positions in our\nInformation Age economy.\n  During his time in the Senate, Senator Abraham also worked to curb\nunfunded mandates, stiffen sentences for cocaine dealers, and advocated\nstronger privacy protections for consumers on the Internet. His work\nhas been thoughtful and our nation is a better place because of his\nefforts.\n  Mr. President, it has been a pleasure to serve in the Senate with\nSpence. I have the utmost respect for my friend and colleague from\nMichigan, and appreciate all of his contributions to the United States\nSenate and our nation. I would like to join with my colleagues in\nwishing the Senator and his family the best in the future.\n  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the\naccomplishments of my colleague and friend, Senator Spencer Abraham\nfrom Michigan.\n  Senator Abraham began his service in government in Washington, DC in\n1990, when he had the honor of serving in President Bush's\nAdministration as Deputy Chief to Vice President Dan Quayle. In 1993,\nSpencer Abraham returned to Michigan to run for the United States\nSenate seat vacated by Senator Don Riegle who was retiring. Senator\nAbraham won that Senate seat in 1994 and became the first Michigan\nRepublican elected to the United States Senate in 22 years.\n  I have had the pleasure of working with Senator Abraham on a number\nof issues including high technology and immigration over the last six\nyears. Not only is Senator Abraham a colleague of mine, Spence and his\nfamily are friends as well.\n  Spence Abraham is a dedicated public servant, and he has represented\nthe state of Michigan well in the United States Senate. During the past\nsix years, Senator Abraham took the lead in the Senate on high tech\nissues and immigration. He has been a strong supporter of tax cuts.\nSenator Abraham has also played a prominent role in trying to protect\nour Social Security Trust Fund--having fought hard for a Social\nSecurity Lock Box.\n  The Senate is going to miss Spencer Abraham's leadership. And, those\nof us who know him well are going to miss his friendship in the Senate.\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2000-12-15-pt1-PgS11850"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.41075004264712334, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}