congressional_record: CREC-2004-12-20-pt1-PgS12093-2
Data license: Public Domain (U.S. Government data) · Data source: Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API
This data as json
| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CREC-2004-12-20-pt1-PgS12093-2 | 2004-12-20 | 108 | 2 | TRIBUTE TO SENATOR JOHN BREAUX | SENATE | SENATE | TRIBUTETO | S12093 | S12093 | [{"name": "Paul S. Sarbanes", "role": "speaking"}] | 150 Cong. Rec. S12093 | Congressional Record, Volume 150 Issue 140 (Monday, December 20, 2004) [Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 140 (Monday, December 20, 2004)] [Senate] [Page S12093] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO SENATOR JOHN BREAUX Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, with the adjournment of the 108th Congress, Senator John Breaux is retiring. With his departure Louisiana loses a vigorous and effective advocate, the Nation loses a dedicated and skillful legislator, and the Members of this body, on both sides of the aisle, lose a trusted and respected colleague and a dear friend. John Breaux has spent 35 years serving the people of Louisiana in one capacity or another. In 1969, as a recent law school graduate, he came to Washington for the first time to become a legislative assistant to the Representative from Louisiana's Seventh Congressional District. When the seat became open 3 years later, John ran for Congress himself, and won. He was then 25 years old. From 1973 until 1977, we served together in the House of Representatives. John continued serving the House for another 5 years, before being elected to the first of three terms in the Senate, in 1986. The decision to come to Washington was a very major decision for the Breaux family, so much so that one child prayed: ``Good-bye God. We are moving to Washington.'' For the people of Louisiana and the Nation, it has proved to be a most fortunate decision. John Breaux's accomplishments over 18 years in the U.S. Senate are legion. He has served on the Finance Committee; the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; and the Rules Committee. He has chaired the Special Committee on Aging. For 8 years he served his Senate Democratic colleagues as Chief Deputy Whip. He has left his mark on virtually every piece of legislation that passed through the committees on which he has served. He has been a tireless advocate for older Americans, and a proponent of universal health care. Above and beyond any specific issue, John Breaux has sought to make government work. He has won the respect and affection of his colleagues--and, time and again, their attention--with what Charlie Cook, in ``The Cook Report,'' described as ``his moderation, personality, manner and legislative style.'' In commenting on John's decision to retire, The Shreveport Times called him ``a Louisiana natural resource'' and ``the bridge-builder in an era of burning bridges.'' ____________________ |