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PEOPLE WHO KNOW HER BEST LOVE
HER MOST.
AND I CAN'T THINK OF A FINER
THING TO SAY ABOUT ANY PERSON.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND I YIELD THE FLOOR.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SNOER FROM MASSACHUSETTS.
MR. PRESIDENT,
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY WHAT
A PLEASURE IT IS TO WELCOME
SENATOR SARBANES BACK HERE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF CUTTING
BESIDE -- OF SITTING BESIDE HIM
COMMITTEE.
ON THE FOREIGN RELATIONS
HERE.
WE MISS HIS JUDGMENT AND WISDOM
WE COULD USE IT THESE DAYS, AND
IT IS GREAT TO SEE HIM BACK
HERE.
I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME GOVERNOR
O'MALLEY HERE.
I CAN'T THINK OF A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE HAVE STOOD UP TO LAUD A
FELLOW SENATOR THAT THE GONE OF --
IS --
THAT THE GOVERNOR OF THEIR STATE
IS SITTING HERE AND LISTENING.
THIS IS ECHO THE REMARKABLE
AFFECTION THAT EVERYBODY HAS FOR
BARBARA MIKULSKI AND
PARTICULARLY THE HIGH REGARD IN
WHICH SHE IS HELD.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL
CELEBRATION.
THE LONGEST-SERVING WOMAN IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS, 12,862 DAYS TODAY AND
COUNTING, AND IN THAT TIME, I
RECALL WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE,
THERE WAS ONE WOMAN SERVING --
NANCY KASSEBAUM.
AND IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT
BARBARA MIKULSKI HAS BEEN ONE OF
THE PIVOTAL FORCES IN CREATING
HERE, ASSEMBLING WHAT I WOULD
CALL A TRUE BAND OF SISTERS, THE
WOMEN WITH WHOM SHE HAS SERVED
IN THE SENATE, EACH OF WHOM
MAKES EXTRAORDINARY
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS
INSTITUTION.
HEARD FROM OTHER
COLLEAGUES THAT HER CLEAR CAREER IS
JUST FILLED WITH MILESTONES, AND
IT IS.
THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC WOMAN TO
SERVE IN BOTH HOUSES OF
CONGRESS, THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC
WOMAN ELECTED TO LEADERSHIP, THE
FIRST WOMAN ELECTED TO STATEWIDE
OFFICE IN MARYLAND.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW.
WHEN SHE CAME TO THE SENATE IN
1986, AFTER TENGE YEARS IN TEN YEARS IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WOMEN
WERE STILL, IN HER WORDS,
REQUEST BIT OF A NOVELTY IN THE
SENATE."
AND INDEED THEN IT WAS ONLY
BARBARA AND SENATOR NANCY
KASSEBAUM.
BUT NOW BARBARA SAYS, AND I
QUOTE, "WE'RE NOT VIEWED AS
NOVELTIES.
WE'RE NOT VIEWED AS CELEBRITIES.
WE'RE VIEWED AS U.S. SENATORS."
AND ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT
IS THAT BARBARA MIKULSKI HAS
DEMONSTRATE ADD SERIOUSNESS OF
PORNPURPOSE, AN ABILITY TO LEGISLATE
AND BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT
DEFINED HER ROLE AS
SENATE.
THE DEAN OF THE WOMEN IN THE
SOME OF THE WOMEN IN THE SENATE,
SOME OF HER COLLEAGUES CALL HER
"DEAN," AND OTHERS CALL HER
"COACH BARB."
BUT NO MATTER WHAT THEY CALL
HER, SHE HAS BROUGHT THEM
TOGETHER IN THIS BIPARTISAN
SISTERHOOD.
SHE HOLDS WORKSHOPS, SERVES AS A
MENTOR TO ALL NEWCOMERS,
ORGANIZES MONTHLY DINNERS.
THE DINNERS ARE WHAT SOME OF
CIVILITY."
THEM HAVE CALLED A "ZONE A
WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE
SENATE COULD USE A LITTLE MORE
OF THESE DAYS AND AGAIN IT IS
BARBARA MIKULSKI'S ABILITY
DIRECTION.
EXAMPLE--EXAMPLE THAT HELPS POINT IN THAT
I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT BARBARA
MIKULSKI'S CAREER HAS NEVER BEEN
DEFINED BY OR -- IT'S NOT REALLY
ABOUT GENDER.
IT'S ABOUT THE AGENDA.
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
WORKING WITH HER ENOUGH ON
DIFFERENT ISSUES ISSUES, BEING WHAT SHE
CALLS ONE OF HER GALLAHADS.
I'VE SEEN THIS LASER FOCUS ON
WHAT'S RIGHT, ON HER CONSCIENCE,
ON HER GUT, ON HER SENSE OF WHAT
THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND WANT AND
WHAT SHE THINKS IS HER DUTY AS A
UNITED STATES SENATOR.
THAT'S WHY I WANTED HER ON THE
SPEAKER'S PLATFORM IN 2004 IN
BOSTON AT THE CONVENTION, AND
SHE DELIVERED JUST THE RIGHT
MESSAGE IN HER FORCEFUL AND
COMMANDING WAY.
SHE STOOD UP THERE AND SHE
DECLARED, "WHEN WOMEN SEEK
POWER, WE DON'T SEEK IT FOR
OURSELVES; WE SEEK IT TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHER
PEOPLE."
AND THERE'S NO ARGUING, AS WE'VE
HEARD FROM A UMIN OF COLLEAGUES
-- AND WE'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER
OF COLLEAGUES, ABOUT WHAT AN
EXTRAORDINARY DIFFERENCE BARBARA
HAS MADE IN THE LIVES OF OTHER
PEOPLE, NOT JUST MARYLANDERS BUT
ALL AMERICANS.
SHE'S BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY
ADVOCATE FOR THE GODDARD SPACE
CENTER, FOR THE WALLOP'S SPACE
FACILITY, FOR THE JOHNS HOPKINS
CENTER, THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
CLEANUP EFFORTS.
FOR DECADES SHE PROUDLY WORKED
BESIDE MY COLLEAGUE OF 26 YEARS,
TED KENNEDY.
SHE LOVED TED KENNEDY AND TED
KENNEDY LOVED HER, AND TOGETHER
ON THE HEALTH COMMITTEE THEY
WORKED TO MAKE UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE A REALITY.
AND HER ROLE WHEN STHOR SENATOR
KENNEDY WAS SICK WAS AN
EXTRAORDINARY ROLE OF PICKING UP
THAT BATON AND HELPING TO BRING
IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
ALONG THE WAY SHE BECAME A
LEADER ON WOMEN'S HEALTH,
FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY AND HEALTH
RESEARCH AND MAKING SURE THAT
WOMEN GET THE QUALITY OF CARE
THAT THEY DESERVE.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE CHIEF
SPONSORS OF THE MEDICAID
FINANCING OF MAMMOGRAMS AND PAP
SMEARS.
AND I WILL NEVER FORGET
PERSONALLY HOW BARBARA
WHEN--REACTED WHEN THE N.I.H. SAID IT
WOULD NOT INCLUDE WOMEN IN THE
TRIALS OF AASPIRIN BECAUSE THEIR
HORMONES PRESENT TOMB BIOLOGICAL
VAICIALSZ.
BARBARA FIRED BACK, MY HORMONES
RAGE BECAUSE OF COMMENTS LIKE
THAT.
HER PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT SHE
SAYS IS THE SPOUSAL ANTI
ANTIIMPROVEMENT ACT WHICH HELPS
TO KEEP SENIORS FROM GOING
BANKRUPT WHILE PAYING FOR A
SPOUSE'S NURSING HOME CARE.
BUT THROUGHOUT HER CAREER
BARBARA MIKULSKI HAS FOUGHT TO
STRENGTHEN THE SAFETY NET FOR
SENIORS, FOR CHILDREN, FOR
ANYONE WHO NEEDED SOMEBODY TO
STAND UP FOR THEM OR PUSH OPEN
THE DOOR FOR THEM.
THAT FIGHT STARTED IN EAST
BALTIMORE, WHERE HER POLISH
IMMIGRANT GRANDPARENTS RAN A
BAKERY AND HER FATHER A GROCERY
STORE, AND SHE SAYS SHE OFTEN
WATCHED HER FATHER OPENING THE
DOORS OF HIS GROCERY STORE FOR
LOCAL STEELWORKERS SO THEY COULD
BUY THEIR LUNCHES BEFORE THE
MORNING SHIFT.
SHE DPOT GOT IT IN HER HEAD AT THAT
TIME THAT SHE'D SHE'D RATHER BE
OPENING DOORS FOR OTHERS ON THE
INSIDE.
SHE GOT A JOB AS A SOCIAL WORKER
HELPING AT-RISK CHILDREN AND
EDUCATING SENIORS ABOUT
MEDICARE.
SHE GOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS BY
ORGANIZING COMMUNITY GROUPS TO
STOP A HIGHWAY FROM GOING
THROUGH THE HIGHLANDTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SHE GREW UP.
LET ME TELL YOU, MR. PRESIDENT,
NOBODY HAD EVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE HER.
AT ONE RALLY SHE JUMPED UP AT A
TABLE AND SCRIED, "THE BRITISH
COULDN'T TAKE FELLS POINT.
THE TERMITES COULDN'T TAKE FELLS
POINT.
AND, GOD DAMN IF WE'LL LET THE
FELLS POINT."
STATE ROADS COMMISSION TAKE
AND AS THEY SAY ON ESPN, THE
CROWD WENT NUTS AND THE ROADS
COMMISSION NEVER KNEW WHAT HIT
THEM AND I ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT
WAS A NONPROFANE USE OF OUR
LORD'S NAME.
NO SURPRISE, THAT LED TO
HER ELECTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AND I THINK THAT EXPLAINS A LOT
ABOUT JUST HOW GOOD A POLITICIAN
SHE IS, HOW WELL SHE KNOWS THE
STREET.
I THINK EVERY WERE UNOF HER
COLLEAGUES, ALL OF -- I THINK
EVERY ONE OF HER COLLEAGUES, ARE
IN AWE OF HER ABILITY TO FOCUS
IN ON THE STREET EMOTION, ON THE
SIMPLE POLICIVE AN ARGUMENT --
ON THE SIMPLICITY OF AN
ARGUMENT, AND TO BE ABLE TO SUM
IT UP IN A RAZOR-LIKE COMMENT.
WHETHER IT IS AS CAMDEN YARDS,
FELLS POINT, THE EASTERN SHOARKS
THE WASHINGTON SUBURBS OR OUT
ALONG THE MASON-DIXON LINE,
BARBARA UNDERSTANDS HER
CONSTITUENTS CONCERNS, SHARES
THEIR ASPIRATIONS AND SUMS UP
THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS IN A FEW
SHORT SENTENCES THAT NOBODY ELSE
CAN PARALLEL.
MR. PRESIDENT, IF ANYONE
MIKULSKI TO
ACCEPT BEING JUST A NOVELTY OR
CELEBRITY IN CONGRESS, THEY HAD
NO UNDERSTANDING OF HER DEEP
ROOTS AS AN IMMIGRANT, URBAN
AMERICAN AND THE VALUES SHE
LEARNED ABOUT HARD WORK IN HER
FAMILY.
IF ANYONE BE EXPECTS HER TO SLOW
DOWN JUST BECAUSE SHE'S NOW THE
LONGEST-SERVING WOMAN IN THE
HISTORY OF CONGRESS,, THEY DON'T
KNOW HER.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO BARBARA AND I
TALKED ABOUT HOW SIMILAR
MARYLAND AND MASS ARE IN CERTAIN
WAYS, ESPECIALLY THE RURAL AND
FISHING HISTORIES WHICH WE
ACTUALLY BOTH HAVE.
SHE TOLD ME SHE WASN'T MUCH OF A
FISHERMAN BUT SHE LIKED TO HUNT.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS, SHE CITED
THE RESOIL OF THE RIFLE GIVE
THAN SHE STANDS 4 POUF 11" ."
WELL, IT IS CLEAR FROM THE
RECORD, CLEAR FROM THE COMMENTS
OF ALL OF HER COLLEAGUES, CLEAR
FROM THIS EXTRAORDINARY
LONGEST-SERVING RECORD IN THE
CONGRESS AND ALL THAT SHE HAS
ACCOMPLISHED THAT SHE STANDS AS
THE TALLEST UNITED
STATES SENATORS AND PACKS A
PUNCH WAY BEYOND HER 4 '11".
WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE HER AS A
COLLEAGUE AND ARE IN AWE OF HER
ABILITY TO GALVANIZE ACTION,
WHICH IS WHAT THIS INSTITUTION
SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT.
MR. PRESIDENT?
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM MARYLAND.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
KNOW -- FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY
I'M ENORMOUSLY TOUCHED AND
GRATITUDE ABOUT THE WARM WORDS
THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SPOKEN
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
AND I'M PARTICULARLY MOVED BY
THE FACT OF THE MEN OF MARYLAND
WHO ARE HERE TODAY, THE
WONDERFUL WORD OF SENATOR
CARDIN, MY COLLEAGUE, AND ALSO
HERE TODAY GOVERNOR O'MALLEY AND
THE SENATE
MY SENIOR COLLEAGUE, PAUL
SARBANES.
GOVERNOR O'MALLEY AND SENATOR
SARBANES ARE OVER HERE, BUT THEY
CERTAINLY -- THEY'RE ON THE
BENCH, BUT THESE MEN ARE
CERTAINLY NOT BACK BENCHERS.
AND I MUST SAY ABOUT THE
GOVERNOR AND SENATOR SARBANES,
SENATOR S.A.R. CARDIN, THEY PROVE THE
ADAGE THAT MEN OF QUALITY WILL
ALWAYS SUPPORT WOMEN WHO SEEK
EQUALITY.
I'VE ENJOYED THEIR SUPPORT,
THEIR WISE COUNSEL, AND THEIR
COLLEGIAL IFORTSES INCOLLEGIAL EFFORTS IN BEHALF OF
THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE
PASSING THIS SIGNIFICANT
BENCHMARK WHERE I HAVE BECOME
HISTORY OF THE CONGRESS.
THE LONGESTTHE LONGEST-SERVING WOMAN IN THE
IT IS A GREAT HONOR FOR ME TO BE
THE HISTORY
BOOKS WITH AN ESTEEMED PERSON
LIKE SENATOR MARGARET CHASE
SMITH, AND WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT
IN JANUARY 2011 WHEN I WAS SWORN
IN.
THERE WERE TRIBUTES THAT DAY AND
WONDERFUL WORDS WORDS COMING FROM
WOMEN SENATOR.
AND TODAY ACTUALLY OVER THE
WEEKEND I SURPASSED THE RECORD
OF EDITH MORSE ROGERS WHO WAS
THE LONGEST-SERVING WOMAN IN THE
HOUSE.
BOTH OF THOSE WOMEN CAME FROM
NEW ENGLAND.
THEY WERE BOTH HEARTY, RESILIENT
AND FIERCELY INDEPENDENT.
I, A, AS I READ THEIR HISTORIES,
SO ADMIRED THEM.
THEY WERE KNOWN FOR DEVOTION TO
CONSTITUENT SERVICE AND
UNABASHED SENSE OF PATRIOTISM,
AND KIND OF TELLING IT LIKE IT
IS.
I HOPE THAT AS I JOIN THEM IN
THE HISTORY BOOKS THAT I CAN
ONLY CONTINUE WITH THE SAME
DEVOTION TO DUTY AND
THAT FIERCE INDEPENDENCE AND
PATRIOTISM.
MR. PRESIDENT, I DIDN'T START
FIGURE.
OUT WANTING TO BE AN HISTORIC
YOU DON'T SAY, OH, WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
I WANT TO BE AN HISTORIC FIGURE.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, IT WAS
ABOUT SERVICE.
FOR ME, ITS NOT HOW LONG I
SERVE.
IT'S NOT ABOUT HISTORY.
YOU KNOW, FOR ME HISTORY BOOKS
WERE JANE ADAMS AND ABIGAIL
ADAMS AND POWDERED WIGS AND I
JUST WELCOME A DAY WHEN I EVEN
HAVE TIME TO POWDER MY KNOW, LET
ALONE POWDER MY WIG.
THE FACT IS THAT WHEN I WANTED
TO GROW UP I WANTED TO BE OF
SERVICE.
I LEARNED THAT IN MY HOME, IN MY
FAMILY, IN MY COMMUNITY, AND
WITH THE WONDERFUL NUNS WHO
TAUGHT ME.
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT
MY WONDERFUL MOTHER AND FATHER.
I HAD A TERRIFIC MOTHER AND
FATHER.
AND I'M SO HAPPY TODAY THAT MY
TWO SISTERS AND MY FANTASTIC
IN LAWS ARE JOINING ME
HERE TODAY.
I ONLY WISH MY MOTHER AND FATHER
COULD BE HERE WITH ME BECAUSE
THEY WORKED SO HARD TO SEE THAT
MY CITIES TERSE SISTERS AND I HAD AN
EDUCATION, AT SIGNIFICANT
SACRIFICE TO THEM.
BUT THEY WERE REALLY WONDERFUL
PEOPLE AND YOU SAW THEM IN THE
LIFE OF BUSINESS.
EVERY DAY MY FATHER WOULD OPEN
HIS GROCERY STORE AND SAY, GOOD
MORNING.
CAN I HELP YOU?
AND WHEN I HE DID, HE WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT HIS CUSTOMERS GOT
A FAIR DEAL.
HE OPENED HIS GROCERY STORE
DURING THE NEW DEAL BECAUSE HE
BELIEVED IN ROOSEVELT, AS MY
FATHER SAID, "I KNEW ROOSEVELT
BELIEVED IN ME."
THEN I HAD THE BENEFIT OF THE
WONDERFUL CATHOLIC NUNS WHO
EDUCATED ME.
I HAD THE BENEFIT OF GOING TO A
SCHOOL CALLED THE INSTITUTE OF
NOTRE DAME AND THEN MOUNT SAINT
AGO NECESSARY COLLEGE, THE
SISTER OF NOTRE DAME AND THE
SISTERS OF MERCY.
THESE WOMEN WHO HAD CONCENTRATED
HER LIFE TO THE MESSAGE OF
CHRISTIANITY AND THE MESSAGE OF
JESUS CHRIST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WOMEN IN AMERICA COULD
LEARN AND BE PART OF OUR
SOCIETY.
THEY DIDN'T ONLY TEACH US OUR
THREE R'S.
THEY TAUGHT US ABOUT LEADERSHIP
AND SERVICE, BUT THEY ALSO
TAUGHT US ABOUT OTHER VALUES.
THE VALUES OF LOVE YOUR
NEIGHBOR, CARE FOR THE SICK,
WORRY ABOUT THE POOR, BE HUNGRY
AND THIRST AFTER JUSTICE.
WHEN I WAS AT THE INSTITUTE OF
NE TREMENDOUS DAME, THE SCHOOL
THAT NANCY PELOSI WENT AS WELL,
THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED THE
CHRISTOPHER LOGAN AFTER SAINT
CHRISTOPHER.
IT SAID IT WAS BETTER TO LIGHT
ONE LITTLE CANDLE THAN TO CURSE
THE DARKNESS.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
I WANTED TO BE A SOCIAL WORKER.
I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT BEING A
DOCTOR.
ONE TIME I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT
BEING A CATHOLIC NUN, BUT THAT
VOW OF OBEDIENCE KIND OF SLOWED
ME DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
BECAUSE, MR. PRESIDENT, IN THIS
COUNTRY WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN.
WHEN MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER CAME
TO THIS COUNTRY, SHE HAD LITTLE
MONEY IN HER POCKET, BUT A BIG
DREAM IN HER HEART THAT SHE
COULD BE PART OF THE AMERICAN
DREAM, THAT SHE COULD OWN A HOME
IN HER OWN NAME, IN HER OWN
RIGHT, THAT SHE COULD HAVE A JOB
AND SO COULD THE PEOPLE IN HER
OWN FAMILY.
AND THAT BASED ON MERIT AND HARD
WORK, YOU COULD BE SOMETHING.
WELL, IN THREE GENERATIONS, I'VE
BECOME A UNITED STATES SENATOR.
ONLY IN AMERICA THE STORY OF MY
FAMILY COULD HAVE OCCURRED.
MODEST BEGINNINGS, HARD WORK,
EFFORT, NEIGHBOR HELPING
NEIGHBOR.
AND AS MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT
MY FIGHT FOR THE HIGHWAY, I WAS
REALLY THINKING ABOUT GETTING A
DOCTORATE, A DOCTORATE IN PUBLIC
HEALTH AT JOHNS HOPKINS.
BUT THEY WERE GOING TO RUN THAT
HIGHWAY THROUGH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, THE OLDER ETHNIC
NEIGHBORHOOD, AFRICAN-AMERICAN
NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE WERE VIEWED IN SOME OF THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS AS THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE TRACKS.
I WANTED TO FIGHT TO KEEP THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS ON TRACK.
TOOK ON CITY HALL, AND I
DID FIGHT THEM.
AND IN THIS COUNTRY, WHAT
HAPPENED.
IN ANOTHER COUNTRY THEY WOULD
HAVE TAKEN A PROTESTER LIKE ME
AND PUT ME IN JAIL.
INSTEAD IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, THEY SENT ME TO THE
CITY COUNCIL.
I WORKED HARD THERE, AND FIVE
YEARS LATER WHEN SENATOR PAUL
SARBANES, WHO WAS A CONGRESSMAN,
RAN FOR THE SENATE, I RAN FOR
HIS HOUSE SEAT.
AND I GOT THE JOB.
WHEN I ARRIVED IN THE HOUSE IN
1976, ONLY 19 WOMEN WERE
SERVING.
14 DEMOCRATS AND 5 REPUBLICANS.
ONLY FIVE WOMEN OF COLOR.
IN 2012 THERE ARE 74 WOMEN IN
THE HOUSE, 50 DEMOCRATS, 24
REPUBLICANS, 26 WOMEN OF COLOR.
AND HERE IN THE SENATE THERE ARE
NOW 17 WOMEN SERVING: 12
REPUBLICANS.
TODAY WE SAW HERE VISITING US
WAS SENATOR CAROL MOSELEY-BRAUN,
A WOMAN OF COLOR WHO SERVED WELL
WHILE SHE WAS HERE.
THOSE WERE THE NUMBERS AND THOSE
WERE THE STATISTICS.
AND THOUGH I JOINED THIS LONG
NUMBER OF FIRST, FOR ME IT'S NOT
HOW LONG I SERVED BUT HOW WELL I
SERVED.
WHEN I CAME TO THE CONGRESS, I
BECAME A MEMBER OF THE FABULOUS
THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
MY JOB WAS TO REPRESENT A
BLUE-COLLAR COMMUNITY THAT WAS
IN ECONOMIC TRANSITION.
WHAT DID WE DO?
WE WERE A COMMUNITY THAT BUILT
THINGS HERE SO WE COULD SHIP
THEM OVER THERE.
WE BUILT CARS.
WE BUILT SHIPS.
WE MADE STEEL.
WE KNEW THAT IF A COUNTRY DIDN'T
MAKE SOMETHING AND BUILD
SOMETHING, IT COULDN'T MAKE
SOMETHING OF ITSELF.
I FOUGHT FOR THOSE BLUE-COLLAR
PEOPLE.
I FOUGHT TO KEEP THOSE JOBS IN
MANUFACTURING.
WE FOUGHT FOR THE POOR OF
BALTIMORE, ITS DREDGING, SO WE
BRING IN THE BIG SHIPS SO
THAT WE COULD HAVE EXPORTS.
WE WORKED AGAIN FOR THOSE PEOPLE
IN THOSE MANUFACTURING AREAS
WHILE WE SAW JOBS GO OVERSEAS.
AND THEN WE WORKED VERY HARD FOR
CITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
CITIES WERE SAFE, THAT WE HAD
GREAT SCHOOLS AND THAT THEY HAD
A CHANCE OF MAKING IT.
I FOUGHT HARD FOR HEALTH CARE.
ONE OF MY GREATEST PIECES OF
LEGISLATION WAS THE SPOUSAL
IMPOVERISHMENT ACT, THAT IF ONE
SPOUSE WENT INTO A NURSING HOME,
THE OTHER SPOUSE WOULDN'T HAVE
TO SPEND DOWN THEIR LIFE'S
SAVINGS SO THAT THEY WOULD LOSE
THEIR HOME.
AARP TELLS ME MY LEGISLATION OF
SO MANY YEARS AGO THAT STANDS
TODAY HAVE KEPT ONE MILLION
PEOPLE -- ONE MILLION PEOPLE --
FROM LOSING THEIR HOME OR THEIR
FAMILY FARM.
THOSE WERE THE BATTLES THEN.
THOSE WERE THE BATTLES WHEN I
CHANGED MY ADDRESS WHEN I CAME
TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
THOUGH I CHANGED MY ADDRESS, THE
BATTLES ARE STILL THE SAME:
SOCIAL JUSTICE,
OPPORTUNITY BASED ON HARD WORK,
PEACE IN THE WORLD, AND CONTINUE
TO FIGHT FOR THIS.
BUT FOR ME, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT
ISSUES.
ISSUES ARE SO ABTRACT.
ISSUES CAN BE SO BLOODLESS WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT IT.
FOR ME, ISSUES ARE ABOUT PEOPLE,
THE PEOPLE I REPRESENTED IN MY
OWN HOMETOWN, THE PEOPLE I
REPRESENT IN MY STATE, AND THE
PEOPLE I KNOW WHO LIVE IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
MY FAVORITE THING IS BEING OUT
THERE TALKING TO THE PEOPLE,
GOING INTO DINERS, GOING TABLE
TO TABLE LISTENING TO THEIR
STORIES, HOLDING ROUND TABLES
WITH PARENTS WITH CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS, MEETING WITH
SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE DISCOVERIES
THAT THEY THINK WILL LEAD TO NEW
IDEAS AND NEW PRODUCTS THAT WILL
BE NEW JOBS.
UNIVERSITIES THAT TRAIN OUR
WORKFORCE.
FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
SO AS I PASS THIS IMPORTANT
BENCHMARK, WHICH I'M SO HONORED
PEOPLE TO KNOW I
STILL AM THAT YOUNG GIRL THAT
WATCHED HER FATHER OPEN THAT UP
GROCERY STORE EVERY DAY AND SAY
"GOOD MORNING, CAN I HELP YOU."
I'M STILL THAT YOUNG GIRL THAT
WENT TO THE INSTITUTE OF NOTRE
DAME AT MOUNT SAINT AGNES
COLLEGE THAT SAID I'M GOING TO
LIGHT ONE LITTLE CANDLE.
DARKNESS.
I DON'T WANT TO CURSE THE
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT
FOR A STRONGER ECONOMY, A SAFER
AMERICA, THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND.
AND IN CONCLUSION I JUST WANT TO
SAY THANKS.
I WANT TO THANK THE DEAR LORD
FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO BE
BORN IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN
THE WORLD, TO BE ABLE TO WORK
HARD AND SERVE IN ONE OF THE
GREATEST INSTITUTIONS IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
BUT NOBODY GETS TO BE A ME
WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF THEE.
I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY.
I WANT TO THANK THE RELIGIOUS
WOMEN THAT EDUCATED ME.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY STAFF
THAT WORKED SO HARD TO HELP ME
DO A GOOD JOB.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE
COUNTLESS VOLUNTEERS WHO
BELIEVED IN ME AND WORKED FOR MY
ELECTION WHEN NOBODY ELSE DID.
AND MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK
THE PEOPLE OF THE THIRD
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN THE
STATE OF MARYLAND WHO ARE SAYING
BARB, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU
YOUR SHOT.
DON'T EVER FORGET THIS.
DON'T EVER FORGET US.
AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW THOUGH
I'VE NOW SERVED IN THE SENATE
12,892 DAYS, I WILL NEVER FORGET
THEM, AND EVERY MORNING I'M
SAYING IN MY HEART, GOOD
MORNING, CAN I HELP YOU?
MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
[APPLAUSE]
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
AM SO HONORED TO JOIN WITH SO
MANY OF MY SENATE COLLEAGUES AND
PEOPLE FROM MARYLAND AND ACROSS
THIS COUNTRY IN RECOGNIZING AND
CONGRATULATING THE AMAZING WOMAN
THAT YOU JUST HEARD FROM, MY
GOOD FRIEND FROM MARYLAND,
SENATOR BARBARA MIKULSKI, WHO AS
YOU HAVE JUST HEARD HAS JUST
BECOME THE LONGEST-SERVING
FEMALE MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY AN
ACHIEVEMENT THAT TAKES COURAGE,
COMMITMENT.
TAKES PASSION, AND IT TAKES
THOSE ARE THREE THINGS THAT ALL
OF US WHO KNOW HER SO WELL KNOW
IN ABUNDANCE.
MR. PRESIDENT, MY GOOD SHE TAUGHT US
ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS,
THE RULES ON THE FLOOR AND THE
FLOOR.
MANY MORE SUBTLE RULES OFF THE
IN SHORT, SENATOR MIKULSKI
SHOWED US THE ROPES AND SHE HAS
DONE IT EVERY DAY THAT I HAVE
BEEN HE HERE FOR ALL THE WOMEN
HERE.
THAT HAVE COME SINCE SHE'S BEEN
BECAUSE WHILE SHE KNOWS IT'S
IMPORTANT AND COURAGEOUS TO LEAD
THE CHARGE, SHE ALSO UNDERSTANDS
THE FIRST ONES HAVE TO BE
RESPONSIBLE AND SUCCESSFUL SO
OTHERS CAN FOLLOW.
MR. PRESIDENT, IT'S BECAUSE
SENATOR MIKULSKI HAS DONE HER
JOB SO WELL THAT OTHER WOMEN
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW HER IN
HER FOOTSTEPS.
SO SHE IS HERE TODAY AS THE
LONGEST-SERVING WOMAN IN
CONGRESS NOT BY ACCIDENT OR BY
HAPPENSTANCE.
SHE'S HERE BECAUSE SHE HAS
EARNED IT, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF
HER STATE KNOW SHE IS AN
INDISPENSABLE CHAMPION OF THEIR
CAUSES, BECAUSE SHE DOES WORK
ACROSS PARTY LINES AND BECAUSE
SHE DELIVERS RESULTS.
MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW MANY YEARS
FROM NOW WHEN WOMEN HAVE
ACHIEVED A LARGER, MORE
REPRESENTATIVE ROLE IN OUR
NATION'S CAPITAL, SENATOR
MIKULSKI WILL BE AT THE VERY TOP
OF THE LIST OF PEOPLE TO THANK.
THE PERSON WHO NOT ONLY FORGED
THE PATH BUT WHO WENT BACK AND
GUIDED SO MANY OF US DOWN IT.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I KNOW MANY
OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE ON THE
FLOOR TODAY TO THANK SENATOR
MIKULSKI, BUT I'M HERE
ESPECIALLY TO THANK HER AS ONE
OF THOSE WOMEN WHO HAS FOLLOWED
HER IN HER FOOTSTEPS FOR HER
MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO
HER STATE AND TO HER COUNTRY AND
THOSE OF US WHO KNOW HER WELL
KNOW SHE IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO
BEING FINISHED.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, MY VERY BEST
MIKULSKI.
TO MY VERY GOOD FRIEND, SENATOR
AND I WISH HER VERY WELL IN HER
NEXT 35 YEARS.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.
YOU KNOW, I TOO
WANT TO SPEAK OF MY DEAR FRIEND,
BARBARA MIKULSKI, WHO IS JUST
PRECIOUS.
SHE IS PRECIOUS TO HER FAMILY.
SHE IS PRECIOUS TO THE PEOPLE OF
THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
THAT SHE REPRESENTED FOR TEN
YEARS.
SHE IS PRECIOUS TO THE PEOPLE OF
MARYLAND, PRECIOUS TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND
PRECIOUS TO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE
PRIVILEGE OF SERVING WITH
HER IN THIS BODY.
SHE'S BEEN AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN
AS A FEW THINGS HERE: THE DEAN
OF WOMEN, THE BREAKER OF THE
CEILING, AS PATTY MURRAY JUST
SAID, SETTING THE STAGE, SETTING
THE RULE BOOK, WRITING THE RULE
BOOK FOR WOMEN IN THE SENATE.
THERE WILL BE, MR. PRESIDENT, 51
WOMEN IN THE SENATE ONE DAY.
THERE WILL BE.
AND IT WILL COME MUCH MORE
QUICKLY BECAUSE BARBARA MIKULSKI
WAS REALLY THE FIRST.
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE SENATE WILL BE A BETTER
PLACE FOR IT IN SO MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS.
SHE'S ALSO NOT ONLY KNOWN AS THE
DEAN OF WOMEN, WE LOVE HER.
SHE'S KNOWN AS BARB.
AND I LOVE CALLING HER UP ON THE
PHONE LATE AT NIGHT AND HAVING
HER SAY, "THIS IS BARB.
PLEASE CALL ME.
MAKE SURE YOU SAY THE WORDS.
LEAVE THE PHONE NUMBER TWICE.
AND OF COURSE WHEN BARB SAYS
SOMETHING, WE ALL DO IT.
SO I ALWAYS LEAVE THE PHONE
NUMBER TWICE.
NOW, ONE OF THE -- I ADMIRE SO
MUCH ABOUT HER, BUT ONE OF THE
THINGS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IS
WHO SHE -- SHE'S THE REAL DEAL.
SHE KNOWS WHERE SHE CAME FROM.
SHE HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN WHERE
SHE CAME FROM.
AND AS I HAVE TOLD HER
PERSONALLY, SHE HAS THAT
INTERNAL GYROSCOPE OF WHO SHE
IS, WHAT SHE SHOULD DO, HOW SHE
SHOULD DO IT, THAT GUIDES HER
ALMOST INSTINCTIVELY.
AND IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST
HAVE.
PRECIOUS THING A POLITICIAN CAN
AND NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE REALLY
HAVE IT.
BUT HERS IS ABOUT THE BEST I
HAVE EVER WITNESSED.
IT STARTED FROM HER UPBRINGING
AND HER FAITH, WH SHE
MENTIONED -- WHICH SHE
MENTIONED.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WILLIE.
SHE MENTIONED WILLIE.
BUT YOU NEVER FORGET HOW SHE
HER.
REMINDS US, BECAUSE IT'S WITH
YOU CAN SEE IT IN HER ACTIONS
EVERY DAY HOW WHEN PEOPLE WOULD
COME IN TO THE STORE THAT WILLIE
HAD, THE GROCERY STORE IN EAST
BALTIMORE, WHEN THEY LOST THEIR
JOB OR SOMEONE WAS VERY SICK,
WILLIE WOULD SAY, TAKE THE
GROCERIES AND PAY ME LATER.
IT REMINDED ME OF MY GRANDFATHER
JAKE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
HE WAS AN EXTERMINATOR.
NOT QUITE THE SAME AS WILLIE AND
NOT PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICES.
BUT HE WOULD TELL PEOPLE IF YOU
HAVE ROACHES AND RATS IN YOUR
HOUSE AND YOU CAN'T PAY, I'LL
STILL EXTERMINATE.
PAY ME WHEN YOU HAVE MONEY.
SO I UNDERSTOOD THAT
INSTINCTIVELY.
I'D LOVE WILLIE TO HAVE MET MY
GRANDPA JACK BECAUSE I'M SURE
THEY WERE KINDRED SOULS IN A LOT
OF WAYS.
THE GUIDANCE OF WILLIE AND
BARB'S MOM, YOU CAN SEE IT EVERY
DAY IN THE WAY SHE ACTS.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ANOTHER
THING ABOUT BARB.
SHE GOT IN TO PUBLIC SERVICE AS
A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST.
THERE WAS A HIGHWAY THAT WAS
GOING TO TEAR UP AN IMPORTANT
AND HISTORIC PART OF HER
COMMUNITY, AND SHE GOT INVOLVED.
SCHOOLED BY
HER AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES,
MANY WOMEN FELT, OH, THEY WOULD
BE EXCLUDED FROM POLITICS IF
THEY WENT INTO POLITICS
DIRECTLY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE A COMMUNITY
ACTIVIST AND YOU TAKE A LEAVE
BECAUSE SOMETHING IS BORROWING
YOU ABOUT YOUR HOME OR YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, POLITICS JUST
FOLLOWED SORT OF NATURALLY.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE PATTY
MURRAY'S STORY AS WELL.
THESE DAYS BECAUSE OF WHAT BARB
HAS DONE, I THINK MY DAUGHTERS
CAN ASPIRE -- I DON'T KNOW IF
THEY DO, BUT CAN ASPIRE TO GO
INTO POLITICAL LIFE DIRECTLY.
BUT IN THOSE DAYS, IT WAS MUCH
HARDER.
BUT THERE SHE WAS.
SHE LED THIS FIGHT.
SHE WENT ON TO THE CITY COUNCIL,
OF COURSE THE THIRD C.D. IN
MARYLAND AND NOW TO THIS AUGUST
CHAMBER.
SHE HAS DONE SO MUCH.
IT HAS BEEN CATALOGED BY ALL MY
COLLEAGUES.
MEDICAL RESEARCH.
THERE ARE PROBABLY MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE ALIVE TODAY BECAUSE OF
THE 35 YEARS THAT SHE HAS PUSHED
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
THEY'RE THERE.
THEY'RE LIVING HAPPY AND HEALTHY
BECAUSE OF BARB MIKULSKI.
HOW ABOUT VETERANS AND HEALTH
CARE NEEDS?
AGAIN, LITERALLY TENS OF
THOUSANDS, MAYBE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF OUR VETERANS ARE
LIVING MUCH BETTER LIVES BECAUSE
THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE HEALTH
CARE THAT MIKULSKI SPEARHEADED,
PARTICULARLY IN THE EARLIER DAYS
WHEN THIS WAS NOT A POPULAR
CAUSE.
AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND
ON.
SHE HAS DONE SO, SO MUCH, AND IN
OUR CHAMBER, SHE IS BELOVED,
BELOVED.
PEOPLE ARE SOMETIMES AFRAID OF
HER WHEN SHE GETS MAD.
PEOPLE WANT HER APPROVAL.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I THINK WHAT
MOST OF US SEEK IS HER ADVICE,
MANY YEARS IN
POLITICS, SHE HAS THAT GIFT TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE AVERAGE
PERSON NEEDS AND TO TALK
DIRECTLY TO THEM.
SHE DOESN'T TALK THROUGH HER
COLLEAGUES OR DOESN'T TALK
THROUGH THE MEDIA OR DOESN'T
TALK THROUGH SOME COMMUNITY
LEADER OR OTHER POLITICIAN.
SHE IS STILL TALKING TO THAT
FAMILY SITTING IN EAST BALTIMORE
OR HAGERSTOWN OR IN ANNAPOLIS.
SHE ALMOST HAS THEM IN FRONT OF
HER EYES WHEREVER SHE GOES, AND
THAT'S WHY SHE IS SO -- HER
SPEECHES IS SO EFFECTIVE.
SHE DOESN'T TRY TO POLISH THEM.
THAT'S NOT HER.
SHE SPEAKS FROM THE HEART
DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE, AND SHE
CARES SO MUCH ABOUT THEM THAT IT
COMES THROUGH.
IT'S AN AMAZING TRAIT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I MOST ADMIRE
ABOUT PEOPLE IN POLITICAL LIFE
IS PEOPLE WHO NEVER FORGET WHERE
THEY CAME FROM, MR. SPEAKER.
PEOPLE.
SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
NOT JUST WOMEN.
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE
IN AMERICA.
PERSONS.
MAYBE I'M SAYING THAT WRONG.
BUT SHE WOULDN'T BE MAD AT THAT.
AND YET, SHE IS THE REAL -- SHE
IS JUST TOO -- I DIDN'T KNOW
BARB MIKULSKI WHEN SHE WAS A
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST IN EAST
BALTIMORE, BUT MY GUESS IS SHE
IS EXACTLY THE SAME TODAY.
ALL THE POWER AND THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE PRAISE
ALL DESERVED HAVE NOT CHANGED
HER A WHIT.
THAT TO ME SAYS AN AMAZING THING
ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL.
SO, BARB, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES
ARE WAITING, BUT WE LOVE YOU, WE
CHERISH YOU, AND AS PATTY MURRAY
SAID, I WILL PUT IT MY OWN WAY,
I AM SURE WITH BARBARA MIKULSKI,
KNOWING HER AS WELL AS I DO, THE
BEST IS YET TO COME.
I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
MADAM PRESIDENT.
THE
RECOGNIZED.
SENATOR FROM RHODE ISLAND IS
MADAM PRESIDENT,
I'D LIKE TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES
IN A TRIBUTE TO SENATOR
MIKULSKI.
I SEE MY DISTINGUISHED FRIEND,
SENATOR COCHRAN, ON THE FLOOR,
AND I WANT TO KNOW IF HE WOULD
LIKE -- VERY GOOD THEN.
I'M DELIGHTED TO JOIN MY
COLLEAGUES IN JOINING IN THIS
TRIBUTE TO OUR -- PERHAPS OUR
FAVORITE COLLEAGUE, BARBARA
MIKULSKI, ON HER BECOMING THE
LONGEST SERVING WOMAN IN
CONGRESSIONAL HISTORY.
HER WORK IN THESE HALLS HAS MADE
OUR COUNTRY STRONGER, AND IN A
PLACE WHERE PARTISAN RANCOR TOO
OFTEN RULES THE DAY, SHE HAS
ESTABLISHED A LEGACY OF SERVICE
TO HER CONSTITUENTS AND TO ALL
OF US IN THIS BODY THAT STANDS
AS AN EXAMPLE TO EVERY ONE OF
US.
HER POLITICAL CAREER BEGAN IN
THE LATE 1960'S WHEN SHE
LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGHWAY OVER
HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS SHE
WANTED TO PROTECT IN BALTIMORE.
SHE WON THAT BATTLE AND WENT ON
TO RUN FOR THE BALTIMORE CITY
COUNCIL IN 1971.
MORE THAN 40 YEARS LATER AND
FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL STINT IN
THE U.S. HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, BARBARA
MIKULSKI CONTINUES TO BLAZE AN
IMPRESSIVE TRAIL.
DURING HER 27 YEARS IN THE
SENATE, SHE BECAME THE FIRST
WOMAN TO SIT ON THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, THE
FIRST WOMAN TO CHAIR AN
APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE AND
THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC WOMAN
ELECTED TO SENATE LEADERSHIP.
LAST YEAR, WE CELEBRATED BARBARA
AS SHE BECAME THE LONGEST
SERVING FEMALE SENATOR, AND NOW
SHE HAS CROSSED YET ANOTHER
MILESTONE, PASSING CONGRESSWOMAN
EDITH NORRIS ROGERS OF
MASSACHUSETTS, HAVING SERVED IN
THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
HISTORY.
LONGER THAN ANY WOMAN IN
OF COURSE, WE DON'T JUST
CELEBRATE THE QUANTITY OF
BARBARA'S SERVICE BUT ITS
QUALITY.
NO ONE IS BETTER AT DRILLING
HEART OF AN ISSUE
AND EXPRESSING IT IN PUNCHY,
UNFORGETTABLE TERMS.
NO ONE CHEERS US UP MORE THAN
BARBARA WHEN SHE TELLS US TO
STAND TALL, SQUARE OUR
SHOULDERS, PUT ON OUR LIPSTICK
AND RISE TO THE OCCASION.
WE DON'T ALL PUT ON LIPSTICK,
BUT WE ALL GET THE MESSAGE.
NO ONE BETTER COMBINES THE
IDEALISM OF PUBLIC WITH THE OWE
ACTIVE ABILITIES OF GOVERNMENT.
SHE TOLD ME ONCE WITH A TWINKLE
IN HER EYE, I'M A REFORMER BUT
I'M A BIT OF A WART HEALER, TOO.
PRACTICALLY AND PASSION COMBINED
IS WHAT MAKES POLITICS
SUCCESSFUL, AND NO ONE DOES THIS
BETTER THAN BARBARA.
WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ELECTED TO
THE HOUSE IN 1977, SHE WAS ONE
OF 21 WOMEN IN CONGRESS, 18 IN
THE HOUSE AND ONLY THREE IN THE
SENATE.
TODAY, THERE ARE 93 WOMEN
SERVING, INCLUDING 17 SENATORS.
AND BARBARA HAS EARNED THE
DISTINCTION OF DEAN OF THE
SENATE WOMEN.
BUT SHE NEVER, NEVER FORGOT HER
ROOTS AS A CHAMPION FOR THOSE
BUILDING.
VOICE IN THIS
IN HER YEARS IN THE SENATE,
BARBARA MIKULSKI'S DEDICATION TO
HER CONSTITUENTS AND WOMEN'S
RIGHTS HAS BEEN CLEAR.
FROM BECOMING A CHAMPION OF
WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES TO
ORGANIZING TRAINING SEMINARS FOR
WOMEN OF BOTH PARTIES ELECTED TO
THE SENATE TO SPONSORING AND
PUSHING THROUGH WITH A FORCE
THAT WE ALL REMEMBER, THE LILLY
LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT OF 2009.
DURING MY MUCH SHORTER TENURE AS
A UNITED STATES SENATOR, I HAVE
HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AND
PLEASURE TO WORK WITH BARBARA TO
PASS LANDMARK HEALTH CARE REFORM
COMMITTEE.
LEGISLATION OUT OF THE HEALTH
I HAVE ALSO SERVED WITH HER ON
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE AND
WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER ON THE
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE'S
CYBER TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE
CYBER THREATS AND ISSUE
COMMITTEE.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FULL
I HAVE TAKEN FROM THOSE
EXPERIENCES GREAT AFFECTION AND
MIKULSKI.
RESPECT FOR SENATOR BARBARA
THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE
AND COMPLICATED,
DIFFICULT AND OBJECT TRUCE
AND -- AND OBSTRUCE AND SHE
BROUGHT TO THEM THE VERVE AND
VIGOR TO THEM AND THOSE ARE HER
HALLMARKS -- VEVRE, VIGOR AND
VISION.
I KNOW THOSE OF US IN THIS
CHAMBER ARE PROUD TO CALL
SENATOR BARB OUR COLLEAGUE AND
FRIEND AS SHE MAKES HISTORY
AGAIN.
HER HARD WORK AND COLLEGIAL
SPIRIT HAVE ENRICHED THIS
SENATE, AND I WISH HER ALL THE
BEST IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AHEAD.
ON BEHALF OF ALL RHODE
ISLANDERS, SENATOR MIKULSKI, I
CONGRATULATE YOU FOR THIS
MILESTONE IN YOUR HISTORY, THE
SENATE'S HISTORY AND OUR
NATION'S HISTORY.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM GEORGIA IS
RECOGNIZED.
I CONSIDER IT AN
HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO RISE FOR
A MOMENT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO
SENATOR MIKULSKI FROM THE STATE
OF MARYLAND.
IN SO DOING, I THINK IT'S ONLY
APPROPRIATE THAT I QUOTE FROM A
ON NOVEMBER 22, 1922
BY THE FIRST WOMAN EVER TO SERVE
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
REBECCA LATIMER FELTON WAS THE
BE A WOMAN.
FIRST SENATOR IN THE SENATE TO
SHE WAS APPOINTED FOR ONE DAY.
GOVERNOR BROWN HAD RUN AGAINST
WALTER GEORGE OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.
WALTER GEORGE WON.
BECAUSE OF MISS FELTON'S
UNENDING HELP TO HIM IN HIS
RACE, HE ASKED THE GOVERNOR IF
HE WOULD APPOINT HER FOR A DAY
TO HIS SEAT BEFORE HE TOOK IT
AND WAS SWORN IN.
SHE CAME TO WASHINGTON, D.C., TO
SERVE FOR ONE DAY AND SHE MADE
ONE SPEECH.
IN THAT SPEECH, SHE HAD A
PARAGRAPH THAT TO ME EXEMPLIFIES
BARBARA MIKULSKI.
SHE SAID AND I QUOTE -- "LET ME
SAY, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT WHEN
THE WOMEN OF THE COUNTRY COME
AND SIT WITH YOU, ALTHOUGH THERE
MAY BE VERY FEW IN THE NEXT FEW
YEARS, I PLEDGE TO YOU THAT YOU
WILL GET ABILITY, YOU WILL GET
INTEGRITY OF PURPOSE, YOU WILL
GET EXALTED PATRIOTISM, AND YOU
WILL GET UNSTINTED USEFULNESS."
THAT WAS REBECCA FELTON IN 1922.
TODAY IN NOR OF 2012, WE HONOR A
SENATOR WHO HAS LIVED UP TO
EVERY ONE OF THOSE PROMISES MISS
FELTON MADE ALMOST 100 YEARS
AGO.
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO
SERVE ON THE HELP COMMITTEE WITH
THE SENATOR, WORKED VERY CLOSELY
ON THE ALZHEIMER'S LEGISLATION
WHICH SHE HAS BEEN SUCH A LEADER
ON, WORKED WITH HER ON MANY
OTHER PROJECTS, INCLUDING ONE I
AM HAPPY TO REMEMBER -- REMIND
HER ABOUT.
THAT WAS A CONFIRMATION OF WENDY
SHERMAN JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO
WHEN TOGETHER ON THE FLOOR OF
THE SENATE WE WORKED TOGETHER TO
SEE THAT SHE WAS APPOINTED AND
NAMED AND CONFIRMED UNDER
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SERVING
UNDER HILLARY CLINTON.
AND IN THAT NIGHT WHEN WE WORKED
ON GETTING THAT U.C. DONE, AND
IT WASN'T EASY, I SAW THE
TENACITY, I SAW THE GRACE, I SAW
THE PATRIOTISM AND I SAW THE
INTEGRITY OF BARBARA MIKULSKI.
IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO RISE
TODAY AND COMMEND HER ON A GREAT
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT BUT NOT
JUST FOR HERSELF BUT FOR ALL THE
WOMEN WHO HAD GONE BEFORE HER
AND ALL THE WOMEN WHO WILL COME
LATER ON AND FOR MY FIVE
GRANDDAUGHTERS AND MY DAUGHTER.
SHE HAS LIVED A LIFE IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE EXEMPLARY
OF THE CONTRIBUTION ALL WOMEN
CAN MAKE TO OUR SOCIETY.
HER ON HER SERVICE,
HER COMPASSION, HER INTEGRITY
AND ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE FOR
THE STATE OF MARYLAND, THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND
PEACE ON THIS EARTH.
SO, BARBARA, CONGRATULATIONS TO
YOU ON A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.
IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE.
IF I COULD ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT, I WANT TO MAKE ONE
OTHER RECOGNITION IF I CAN AND
ASK THAT IT BE SEPARATED IN THE
JOURNAL.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
THIS PAST WEEKEND,
GEORGIA LOST A GREAT, GREAT
CITIZEN.
FURMAN BISHER DIED ON SATURDAY
AFTERNOON OF A TRAGIC HEART
ATTACK.
HE WAS THE PREMIER SPORTSWRITER
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
COVERED EVERY SUPER BOWL, EVERY
MASTERS, WAS AT EVERY
HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT.
FROM THE TIME HE STARTED TYPING
ON HIS MANUAL TYPEWRITER UNTIL
THE DAY HE DIED, HE TYPED ON
THAT SAME MANUAL TYPEWRITER THAT
WAS OVER 65 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS A BRILLIANT WRITER, A
COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUAL, A
GREAT FRIEND AND SOMEONE I
LOOKED UP TO VERY MUCH.
A PACE SETTER.
HE ACTUALLY GOT THE ONLY
INTERVIEW OF SHOELESS JOE
JACKSON EVER DONE BY A REPORTER.
HE DID IT BECAUSE OF HIS
COUNTRYING ABILITY TO BE IN THE
RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
I PAY TRIBUTE TO HIS LIFE AND
ALL HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN TERMS
OF THE WRITING OF SPORTS IN OUR
STATE AND AROUND THE WORLD.
TO HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, I
EXTEND MY SYMPATHY ON BEHALF OF
NOT JUST MYSELF BUT ALL THE
CITIZENS OF GEORGIA.
AND I YIELD BACK.
THE
SENATOR FROM DELAWARE IS
RECOGNIZED.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I AM
HONORED TO FOLLOW MY GOOD FRIEND
AND COLLEAGUE FROM THE STATE OF
GEORGIA IN RECOGNIZING THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF SENATOR
MIKULSKI, NOW THE LONGEST
SERVING WOMAN IN THE HISTORY OF
THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
TODAY WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY
MANY GREAT MARYLANDERS.
WE HAVE HAD GOVERNOR O'MALLEY
AND SENATOR CARDIN AND FORMER
SENATOR SARBANES, AND SENATOR
MIKULSKI'S OWN FAMILY, HER
SISTERS AND BROTHER-IN-LAW IN
THE GALLERY.
I AM ALSO PLEASED THAT WE HAVE
GOT TWO OF HER FAVORITE
CONSTITUENTS, MY FATHER AND MY
BROTHER, WATCHING US TODAY AS
WELL.
THEY LIVE IN ANNAPOLIS AND THEY
HAVE KNOWN WHAT I HAVE KNOWN
SINCE CHILDHOOD WHEN I LIVED IN
THE SUBURBS OF BALTIMORE, THAT
SENATOR MIKULSKI IS A
REMARKABLE, A TIRELESS, A
PASSIONATE AND AN EFFECTIVE
SENATOR.
REFERENCE HAS BEEN MADE TO HER
START AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER,
SOMEONE WHO SAVED FELLS POINT
FROM A 16-LANE SUPERHIGHWAY,
SOMEONE WHO WASN'T AFRAID TO GET
INTO THE GRITTY ISSUES OF A
LOCAL COMMUNITY AND STANDING UP
FOR FOLKS WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE
TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
WE HAVE ALSO HEARD ABOUT HER
EARLY YEARS AS A SOCIAL WORKER,
HELPING FOLKS IN NEED UNDERSTAND
THE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO THEM
AND THEN FIGHT FOR THE PROGRAMS
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE
TO THEM.
AND IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ANY OF
US THAT THE DISTRICT SHE FIRST
REPRESENTED IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, THE THIRD, WAS
KNOWN AS THE STEEL DISTRICT
WHERE LOTS OF MEN AND WOMEN
WORKED IN THE BALTIMORE --
EXCUSE ME, IN THE BETHLEHEM
STEEL PLANT, AND IT'S NO
SURPRISE THAT SHE HAS EARNED A
REPUTATION HERE IN THE SENATE AS
A WOMAN OF STEEL WHO FIGHTS FOR
MANUFACTURERS, WHO FIGHTS FOR
FEDERAL WORKERS, WHO FIGHTS FOR
WESTERN MARYLAND, WHO FIGHTS FOR
POULTRY ON THE PENINSULA ON THE
EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND, WHO
FIGHTS FOR HER CONSTITUENTS DAY
IN AND DAY OUT.
IT IS INDEED JUST THAT IN THIS
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH WE WOULD
BE RECOGNIZING SENATOR BARBARA
MIKULSKI WHO HAS STOOD UP FOR
MARYLAND EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND ALTHOUGH LIKE ME SHE COMES
UP A LITTLE SHORT EVERY TIME SHE
STANDS, SHE STANDS INCREDIBLY
TALL IN THE COMPANY OF SENATORS
THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY.
SHE IS SOMEONE WHOSE PASSION FOR
PEOPLE WHOSE DETERMINATION TO
CONTINUE IN THE TRADITION OF HER
FATHER, THAT FAIR DEAL GROCER
WHO ASKS EVERY DAY THAT SIMPLE
QUESTION HOW CAN I HELP AND THEN
GETS BUSY ANSWERING IT.
SHE IS A ROLE MODEL FOR ME, FOR
ALL OF US, FOR MY DAUGHTER, FOR
MY FAMILY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE IS THE ONLY SENATOR WHO I
HAVE HEARD SAY TO ME FIERCELY
BEFORE GOING ON A VOTE ON THE
AND THE
ONLY PERSON WHO COULD SAY THAT
AND MEAN IT.
FOR A LIFETIME, SHE HAS BEEN AT
THE BARRICADES OF JUSTICE, SHE
HAS BEEN AT THE BARRICADES OF
SERVICE, SHE HAS BEEN AT THE
BARRICADES OF MAKING A
DIFFERENCE, AND FOR THAT, WE ARE
ALL GRATEFUL.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
THANK
YOU.
THE SENATOR FROM ALASKA IS
RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU,
MADAM PRESIDENT.
I, TOO, STAND TODAY TO PAY
RECOGNITION TO A FRIEND, A
COLLEAGUE, AND TRULY A WOMAN
WHO BRINGS A SMILE TO MY FACE
BECAUSE FOR AS MANY YEARS AS SHE
HAS SERVED HER STATE OF
MARYLAND, FOR AS MANY YEARS AS
SHE AS SERVED IN THE HALLS OF
CONGRESS, SHE HAS THE
ENTHUSIASM, THE SPONTANEITY,
THE EXCITEMENT WHEN SHE
AN ISSUE AS A
BRAND-NEW ROOKIE FRESHMAN COMING
INTO -- INTO THIS BODY.
AND THAT'S REALLY QUITE
REMARKABLE.
BECAUSE AROUND HERE, WE CAN GET
KIND OF DRAGGED DOWN BY THE
DAY-TO-DAY, THE POLITICS, THE
PARTISAN NATURE, THE CONFLICTS
THAT ARE INHERENT IN THIS
PROCESS.
BUT SENATOR BARBARA MIKULSKI IS
ONE WHO I THINK EMBRACES LIFE
AND EMBRACES THE
RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE PUT
BEFORE HER AND THAT THAT SHE HAS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT TO
HER CONSTITUENTS, SHE EMBRACES
THEM WITH A ENTHUSIASM THAT
SHOULD BE A REMINDER TO US ALL
OF WHY WE ARE HERE, TO SERVE.
I'VE GOT SO MANY DIFFERENT
STORIES AND QUIPS AND QUOTES
ABOUT SENATOR MIKULSKI WHOSE
NAME SOUNDS SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR TO
MINE, SENATOR MURKOWSKI, AND
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN WE HAVE AN
SHARE THE SAME
STAGE, SAME PODIUM, AND
THE -- THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS
INTRODUCING US WILL TRIP ON HIS
OR HER TONGUE AND REFER TO US
WRONGLY.
AND THERE WAS ONE OCCASION WHERE
WE WERE BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY.
AND SHE POINTED OUT TO THE
INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS MAKING THE
INTRODUCTION THAT, SHE'S THE
VERTICAL ONE, AND I AM THE NOT
SO VERT CAL ONE.
-- VERTICAL ONE.
JUST A RECOGNITION AGAIN THAT
REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION,
BARBARA MIKULSKI HAS A GOOD
COMEBACK, A QUICK QUIP.
SHE IS A QUIPMEISTER IF THERE
EVER WAS ONE.
AND IT SPEAKS TO HER ENTHUSIASM
AND THE PASSION THAT SHE BRINGS
TO THE JOB THAT SHE HAS IN FRONT
OF HER.
WITH A NAME LIKE MURKOWSKI OR
MIKULSKI, YOU CLEARLY HAVE A
POLISH HERITAGE THAT YOU LOOK TO
WITH PRIDE.
SHE REMINDS ME OF MINE BECAUSE
SHE IS PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE
CONNECTED TO THOSE POLISH
ROOTS, BUT AGAIN, A SENSE OF
PRIDE WITH WHO SHE IS AND WHERE
SHE HAS COME FROM AND WHAT HER
FAMILY HAS -- HAS DONE IN
PROCEEDING HER THAT ALLOWS HER
TO GO ON AND DO SO MUCH FOR SO
MANY.
WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK TOGETHER ON ISSUES THAT
COMING FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE COUNTRY TRULY DIFFERENT ENDS
OF THE COUNTRY, YOU WOULDN'T
THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE AS MUCH
COMMONALITY ON SOME OF THE
ISSUES.
AS THE CHAIRMAN ON THE
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, WE
HAVE WORKED CLOSELY ON ISSUES
THAT RELATE TO OUR FISHERIES AND
ENFORMATS, TO --
ENFORCEMENTS, THE COASTAL
ISSUES.
SHE'S ALWAYS REMINDING ME WE
HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR
FISHERMEN OUT THERE, MAKE SURE
RELY ON
OUR WATERS ARE APPROPRIATELY
CARED FOR.
WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER ON WOMEN'S
HEALTH ISSUES.
WE WERE JUST RECENTLY AT THE
SISTER-TO-SISTER EVENT, AND I
DO FEEL A KINSHIP, A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS POLISH
SISTER HERE AS WE TALK ABOUT
THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE SO
HEALTH.
IMPORTANT TO -- TO WOMEN'S
WE'VE SHARED THE SAME CONCERNS
ABOUT HOW WE DO MORE FOR OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS, FOR OUR
SERVICE MEMBERS, FOR OUR
VETERANS.
JUST THIS PAST WEEK AS SENATOR
MIKULSKI -- I ALMOST DID IT
MYSELF, ALMOST CALLED HER
MURKOWSKI -- AS SHE WAS
CHAIRING A COMMITTEE, AND I
BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE AS IT
RELATED TO LATE SENATOR TED
STEVENS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE INVESTIGATION THAT
FAILED SO ADVISE RABBABLY
AND -- MISERABLY AND WE ARE NOW
PURSUING THROUGH DIFFERENT
AVENUES TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY
SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT
SENATOR STEVENS DID.
SENATOR MIKULSKI STOPPED,
LITERALLY STOPPED THE COMMITTEE
HEARING TO REMIND THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL THAT, IN FACT, THIS WAS
NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE, THAT THIS
WAS AN ISSUE WHERE WE ALL SHOULD
BE CONCERNED, THAT IF -- IF
THERE IS NO JUSTICE WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHAT --
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US AS A
NATION?
AND SHE IS NEVER HESITANT TO
SPEAK UP AND STAND UP AND MAKE
VERY, VERY CLEAR.
WHEN THESE ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT
TO THE NATION, IT SHOULD KNOW
NO BOUNDS BY PARTY.
AND -- AND BARBARA MIKULSKI HAS
HELD TRUE TO THAT.
I THINK IN MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS THAT MAKE THIS MILESTONE
THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING TODAY
MORE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE I
THINK THERE IS -- THERE IS A
KIND OF A PILING-ON OF EVENTS
THAT CAN HAPPEN HERE IN THE
HALLS OF CONGRESS.
WHERE THE WEIGHT OF WHAT WE DO
ON A DAILY BASIS JUST GETS TO BE
A LOAD.
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, YOU CAN
GET TIRED.
YOU CAN GET WORN.
BUT BARBARA HAS NOT LET THE
WEIGHT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY
BRING HER DOWN.
I WAS JOKING WITH HER JUST A
LITTLE BIT AGO WHEN ALL OF THE
ACCOLADES WERE COMING HER WAY,
I SAID BARBARA, WITH ALL THESE
KIND WORDS THAT ARE BEING SAID
ABOUT YOU, BY THE TIME THE
TRIBUTES ARE DONE, YOU'RE GOING
TO BE SEVEN FEET TALL.
AND THAT WOMAN IS SEVEN FEET
TALL IN THE MINDS OF SO MANY OF
US.
SHE IS A GIANT FOR THE PEOPLE OF
MARYLAND.
SHE HAS PROVEN HERSELF TO BE A
WAYS AS SHE
WORKS TO -- TO DO GOOD FOR SO
MANY.
I'M PROUD TO STAND WITH SO MANY
OF MY COLLEAGUES TODAY IN
RECOGNIZING HER TENURE,
RECOGNIZING THIS HISTORIC PLACE
THAT SHE HAS CARVED FOR HERSELF
WITHIN CONGRESS AND TO CALL HER
MY FRIEND.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THANK
YOU.
THE SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY IS
RECOGNIZED.
MADAM PRESIDENT,
I RISE TODAY TO HONOR THE
SERVICE OF ONE OF OUR MOST
DISTINGUISHED, LONG-SERVING
COLLEAGUES, THE TIRELESS,
SOMETIMES RELENTLESS AND OFTEN
SPIRITED SENIOR SENATOR FROM
MARYLAND, SENATOR BARBARA
MIKULSKI.
TO SAY THAT SHE IS A TRAILBLAZER
FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS IS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT AS WE'VE HEARD.
SHE HAS BLAZED A BOLD TRAIL NOT
JUST FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS BUT
FOR ALL WOMEN IN EVERY ENDEAVOR.
SHE'S A FIGHTER, AN ADVOCATE,
YOU HOPEFULLY ARE ON
THE SAME SIDE ON, AND -- OF AN
ISSUE BECAUSE SHE IS A
FORMIDABLE OPPONENT WHEN YOU'RE
ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
AND SHE'S A ROLE MODEL FOR
LEADERSHIP IN GETTING THINGS
DONE.
HER IMPRESSIVE LIST OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS FAR TOO LONG
TO RECITE IN A FEW MINUTES OR
EVEN A FEW HOURS, AND IT WOULD
NOT ADEQUATELY DO JUSTICE TO HER
INCREDIBLE SERVICE TO THE STATE
OF MARYLAND AND THE PEOPLE OF
THIS NATION.
SENATOR MIKULSKI HAS DEDICATED
HER CAREER TO SERVING
MARYLANDERS AND DEDICATED HER
LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
SHE BEGAN THAT AS A SOCIAL
WORKER IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF
BALTIMORE, WORKING EVERY DAY ON
THE STREET HELPING AT-RISK
CHILDREN FIND THEIR WAY AND
GIVING SENIORS THE HELP THEY
NEEDED.
SHE WAS NOT AND IS NOT A
BLEEDING HEART, BUT THERE IS NO
ONE WHO HAS A FULLER HEART, A
MORE OPEN HEART TO THE DEEPEST
NEEDS OF THE LEAST POWERFUL
AMONG US THAN SENATOR MIKULSKI.
SHE'S SOMEONE YOU WANT ON YOUR
SIDE, SOMEONE EVERYONE WANTS ON
THEIR SIDE, AND SHE CAME TO
PUBLIC SERVICE WITH WHAT I LIKE
TO CALL THE LONG VIEW.
SHE CAN SEE BEYOND HERSELF TO
THE NEEDS OF SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE, AND SHE HAS FOUGHT FOR
THOSE NEEDS AND WON ON FAR MORE
OCCASIONS THAN SHE'S LOST.
WHEN SHE FIRST RAN FOR PUBLIC
OFFICE IN 1971, I KNOW SHE HAD
IN HER HEART THE DEEP AND
ABIDING MEMORIES OF THOSE KIDS
AND SENIORS SHE MET IN BALTIMORE
WHEN SHE BEGAN IN HER CAREER.
AND I KNOW SHE CARRIES THOSE
MEMORIES WITH HER TO THIS DAY.
TO THIS DAY, SHE HAS NEVER
FORGOTTEN THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND
WHO NEED HER THE MOST AND HAVE
HAD THE WISDOM TO ELECT HER TIME
AND TIME AGAIN.
HER POLITICAL CAREER HAS TAKEN
HER FROM THE BALTIMORE CITY
COUNCIL TO U.S. HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND THIS CHAMBER
WHERE SHE HAS HONORABLY SERVED
FOR THE PAST 26 YEARS.
FOR THE SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH
THIS CHAMBER, THERE HAS
BEEN NO STRONGER, MORE
KNOWLEDGEABLE, MORE COMMITTED
COLLEAGUE ON THIS SIDE OF THE
AISLE.
SHE'S AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF HER
COLLEAGUES DETERMINED TO WORK
ACROSS THE AISLE WHEN POSSIBLE,
AND READY TO FIGHT FOR HER
BELIEFS WHEN NECESSARY.
SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN ELECTED
TO STATEWIDE OFFICE IN
MARYLAND, THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC
WOMAN ELECTED TO THE SENATE IN
HER OWN RIGHT, THE FIRST WOMAN
TO SERVE IN BOTH HOUSES OF
CONGRESS, THE LONGEST SERVING
FEMALE MEMBER OF THE SENATE,
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS PAST
SATURDAY SENATOR MIKULSKI BECAME
THE LONGEST SERVING WOMAN IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS, SERVING MORE THAN 35
YEARS IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE.
AND IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT SHE
ACHIEVED THIS MILESTONE DURING
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, BECAUSE
SHE HAS NOT ONLY PAVED THE WAY
FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS BUT FOR
WOMEN EVERYWHERE.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH SENATOR MIKULSKI DURING THE
LONG AND DIFFICULT DEBATE AND
NEGOTIATIONS ON HEALTH CARE
REFORM.
AND HER WORK WAS INSTRUMENTAL
ENSURING THAT WOMEN HAVE ACCESS
TO THE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE
THEY ARE NOW GUARANTEED UNDER
THE LAW.
AND DURING THAT DEBATE, NO
ONE'S VOICE WAS CLEARER, NO
ONE'S VOICE WAS STRONGER, NO
ONE WAS MORE CONVINCING THAN HER
IN THE FIGHT FOR A WOMAN'S RIGHT
COVERAGE.
TO COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE
SHE FOUGHT FOR MANDATORY
INSURANCE COVERAGE OF ESSENTIAL
SFTIONZ LIKE MAMMOGRAMS AND
MATERNITY CARE, SERVICES MANY
COVER.
INSURANCE COMPANIES REFUSED TO
SHE FOUGHT TO END GENDER
DISCRIMINATION BY INSURANCE
COMPANIES.
AND AS A RESULT OF THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND IN LARGE
MEASURE BECAUSE OF SENATOR
MIKULSKI'S TIRELESS EFFORTS ON
BEHALF OF WOMEN, BEING A WOMAN
IS NO LONGER A PREEXISTING
CONDITION AS INSURANCE COMPANIES
USED TO SAY THAT CAN BE
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
THOSE INSURANCE COMPANIES WHO
ROUTINELY DENIED COVERAGE OF
BASIC WOMEN'S HEALTH SERVICES,
ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ARE NOW
RIVERSIDE TO COVER THOSE
SERVICES UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE
PROVISIONS OF THE LAW.
WHENEVER THERE IS A NEED IN
CHAMBER FOR A STRONG VOICE FOR
WOMEN, WHENEVER THERE IS A NEED
FOR AN ADVOCATE TO STAND UP FOR
THE POWERLESS AGAINST THE
POWERFUL, WHENEVER THERE IS A
CHILD WHO NEEDS A FRIEND, A
SENIOR CITIZEN WHO NEEDS A
HAND, BARBARA MIKULSKI IS
THERE.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY TIMES
SHE COMES TO THIS FLOOR
REMEMBERING AS SHE SAID, HER
DAYS BACK IN BALTIMORE, AND
SHE'S RIGHT THERE.
AN ADVOCATE'S ADVOCATE,
FIGHTING FOR CHILDREN AND SENIOR
CITIZENS SHE HAS MET LONG THE
WAY.
THE BEST OF US ARE BETTER OFF
BECAUSE SHE COMES WITH A FULL
HEART, READY TO DO WHAT'S
RIGHT, NOT SIMPLY WHAT'S
POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT.
HER BILL, THE LILLY LEDBETTER
ACT WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT
OBAMA DAYS AFTER HIS
INAUGURATION AND I WAS PROUD TO
WORK WITH SENATOR MIKULSKI WITH
THAT AND SO MANY OTHER EFFORTS
AS WELL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN THE LIVES OF AVERAGE
AMERICANS.
FINALLY, SENATOR MIKULSKI HAS
BEEN A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR
SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR
TO MY OWN HEART.
SHE'S BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR THOSE
WHO SUFFER FROM ALZHEIMER'S AND
THEIR FAMILIES.
AS THE SON OF A MOTHER WHO
BATTLED ALZHEIMER'S FOR 18
YEARS, AND WHO LOST HER LIFE TO
IT, I UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND THE
UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF PROVIDING
LONG-TERM CARE FOR A LOVED ONE.
AND SENATOR MIKULSKI HAS COME TO
THIS FLOOR ON COUNTLESS
OCCASIONS ADVOCATING FOR
INCREASED RESEARCH, EDUCATION,
AND PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS
WITH ALZHEIMER'S.
AND HAS FOUND THE SUPPORT FROM
HER COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE AISLE.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 5.4 MILLION
AMERICANS ARE CURRENTLY LIVING
WITH ALZHEIMER'S, AND MILLIONS
MORE HAVE BEEN TOUCHED IN SOME
DISEASE.
WAY BY THIS DEBILITATING
I WANT TO THANK THE SENATOR FROM
THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR HER
PASSION FOR HELPING THOSE WHO
FROM THIS DISEASE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
TO WORK WITH HER ON THIS ISSUE
UNTIL WE FIND A CURE FOR
ALZHEIMER'S.
THE BOTTOM LINE, SENATOR
MIKULSKI IS A DEEPLY COMMITTED
PUBLIC SERVANT.
THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS
RIGHTLY RECOGNIZED HER
INVALUABLE SERVICE FOR MANY
YEARS.
BECAUSE OF HER EFFORTS, THOSE
FAMILIES KNOW THEIR INTERESTS
ARE HEARD.
ARE PROTECTED AND THEIR VOICES
HER.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH
ALL OF US IN THIS CHAMBER CAN
HOPE TO SERVE OUR STATES WITH
THE SAME CONVICTION,
SELFLESSNESS AND PRIDE THAT
SENATOR MIKULSKI HAS HAD
THROUGHOUT HER 35 YEARS OF
MARYLAND.
SERVICE TO THE STATE OF
I'M REMINDED OF WHAT MOTHER
TERESA SAID WHEN SHE GOT THE
CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
SHE SAID IT'S NOT ALL THE AWARDS
AND ROIFTIONS THAT ONE
RECEIVES -- RECOGNITIONS IN
LIFE THAT ONE RECEIVES THAT
MATTERS, IT IS HOW ONE HAS
LIVED THEIR LIFE THAT MATTERS.
IN THAT RESPECT, SENATOR
MIKULSKI HAS LIVED AN
EXTRAORDINARY LIFE, AND WE
THANK HER FOR WHAT SHE HAS
DONE, NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE
OF MARYLAND BUT FOR ALL THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I
YIELD THE FLOOR.
THANK
THE SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
YOU.
IS RECOGNIZED.
MADAM PRESIDENT,
I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO JOIN MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE FLOOR THIS
AFTERNOON IN HONORING SENATOR
BARBARA MIKULSKI FOR HER SERVICE
TO MARYLAND AND FOR THE ENDLESS
CONTRIBUTION SHE HAS MADE TO THE
PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO ADEQUATELY
DESCRIBE A POLITICAL ICON AS
BARBARA MIKULSKI IS, AND FOR
ALL OF US WOMEN IN POLITICS,
SHE IS A MODEL OF WHAT WE CAN
ASPIRE TO, WHAT WE WOULD HOPE
TO ASPIRE TO.
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL A SIMPLE
THAT I THINK
REFLECTS HER ABILITY TO GET
ALONG WITH PEOPLE, HER ZEST FOR
LIFE, AS SO MANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE DESCRIBED, AND
THE CONNECTION THAT SHE MAKES
PEOPLE.
THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR
SHE AND I WERE ON A FLIGHT WITH
FOUR OTHER SENATORS TO THE
SECURITY FORUM IN HALIFAX, NOVA
SCOTIA A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND
THE WEATHER WAS BAD SO OUR
FLIGHT WAS DIVERTED TO BANGOR,
MAINE.
IT WAS WINTER IN NEW ENGLAND AND
OF COURSE WHEN THERE'S BAD
WEATHER IN NEW ENGLAND IN THE
WINTER, IT STICKS AROUND FOR
AWHILE.
SO WE WERE TRAPPED OVERNIGHT IN
***.
-- IN BANGOR.
NOW, MOST OF US JUST SAT THERE
WAITING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS
GOING TO BE DONE WHILE WE WAITED
FOR A FLIGHT THE NEXT DAY, BUT
NOT BARBARA.
BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T SIT STILL.
SHE'S NEVER AFRAID TO PICK UP
THE PHONE AND TO TAKE ACTION,
WHAT SHE DID.
SHE DIALED UP HER OLD FRIEND AND
COLLEAGUE, ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUE,
SENATOR COLLINS, SUSAN COLLINS,
AND SAID, GUESS WHERE I AM?
AND THAT'S HOW THOSE OF US WHO
WERE ON THAT FLIGHT, THE SIX
SENATORS, THE SECRETARY OF
HOMELAND SECURITY WOUND UP
JOINING SENATOR COLLINS AND THE
LEGENDARY TROUPE GREETERS OF
BANGOR, MAINE, TO WELCOME TROOPS
AT THE AIRPORT AS THEY RETURNED
HOME FROM OVERSEAS.
SO WHAT SEEMED LIKE WAS GOING TO
BE AN INCONVENIENCE TURNED INTO
A REAL FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY TO
THANK OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN IN
UNIFORM AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME
WHILE WE WERE DOING IT.
AND YOU FIND THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS HAPPENING IF YOU SPEND
TIME WITH BARBARA MIKULSKI.
IT'S A BYPRODUCT OF HER
RELENTLESS ENERGY, HER DRIVE TO
BETTER HER COMMUNITY AND OUR
NATION AS A WHOLE, HER DEEP
COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING FOR
WOMEN'S HEALTH, AND HER
UNFAILING GRACE AND GUMPTION AS
A LEGISLATOR, A COLLEAGUE, AND A
FRIEND.
AND AS HAS BEEN SAID, SHE GOT
HER START AS A SOCIAL WORKER
TRYING TO MAKE THE LIVE OF MEN
AND WOMEN IN HER NATIVE
BALTIMORE A LITTLE EASIER TO
BEAR.
SHE WAS WORKING IN THE SERVICE
OF VALUES THAT WERE TAUGHT TO
HER BY HER FAMILY, WHO OWNED THE
NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE.
AND AS SO MANY HAVE COMMENTED,
SHE TELLS THE STORY OF HER
FATHER OPENING THE STORE EARLY
SO THAT STEELWORKERS COMING IN
FOR THE EARLY MORNING SHIFT
WOULD HAVE TIME TO BUY THEIR
LUNCH.
BARB HAS CARRIED THAT SPIRIT,
THOSE VALUES THAT SHE LEARNED
FROM HER FAMILY IN THAT GROCERY
STORE HERE TO THE SENATE AND
OFTEN IT IS SORELY NEEDED HERE,
THOSE VALUES.
BUT AS DEAN OF THE WOMEN'S
CAUCUS, SHE HAS BUILT A SENSE OF
COMMUNITY WITHIN THE WOMEN'S
CAUCUS.
HER BIPARTISAN WOMEN'S DINNERS
ARE LEGENDARY.
AND, OF COURSE, WHAT HAPPENS AT
DINNERS.
THOSE DINNERS STAYS AT THOSE
THOSE ARE MIKULSKI'S RULES.
BUT WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO LOOK
ANY FURTHER THAN THAT WINDY
NIGHT IN MAINE TO KNOW HOW
EFFECTIVE SHE'S BEEN IN MAKING
THINGS HAPPEN FOR PEOPLE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF HER
DINNERS, TO MORE CONVERSATIONS
WITH THE SENATOR, TO MORE
CHANCES TO WORK WITH HER AS SHE
FIGHTS ON BEHALF OF WOMEN AND
SENIORS AND VETERANS AND ALL
THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN
GOVERNMENT.
AND AT THE TABLE.
I THANK THE SENATOR FOR HER
FRIENDSHIP, FOR HER LEADERSHIP,
AND FOR HER MANY YEARS OF
SERVICE.
THANK YOU.
A SENATOR: MADAM PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA IS
RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I, TOO, AM
HONORED TO BE ABLE TO RISE TODAY
AND SPEAK OF OUR DEAR FRIEND,