Harry Reid

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise with a real heavy heart. Our friend, Dan Inouye, just died. I have never known anyone like Dan Inouye. No one else has. The kindness he has shown me during my time here in the Senate is something I will cherish always. He was a man who has lived and breathed the Senate. If there were ever a patriot, Dan Inouye was that patriot. A week ago last Friday he and I spent some time together in his office, just the two of us alone. We spent an hour together, and we ended the meeting with both of us saying: You know, we need to do this again. Well, I won't be able to do that again. He won't be able to do that again. He was a wonderful Senator, brave soldier, a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He left an arm in Italy. He said to me at that last meeting together, when I asked him: Dan, did anything else happen to you, other than your arm? He said: Yeah, I got shot in the gut--that is what he said--and the leg a couple of times. We will all miss him, and that is a gross understatement. I wish I were capable of saying more, but that is all I can say. I have talked to his wife Irene. She is there, with his son. We have known for a few hours this wasn't working out well for Senator Inouye. But he was certainly one of the giants of the Senate. I remember what he said when his son asked why he fought the way he did after having been declared an enemy alien. He said he did it for the children. That was Senator Inouye. His commitment to our Nation will never be surpassed. His service in the Senate will be with the greats of this body. Now I should ask my friend if he wishes to speak upon this issue. It would be my hope the two votes that are scheduled could both be done-- these judges--by voice vote. I don't think it is appropriate to record a vote at this time. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the two judges be approved by voice vote.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I think we all, at a subsequent time--I just talked to his wife and walked out here--will have some more formal remarks.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I didn't mention, and I should have, but I really have been waiting the last hour or so to make sure it was okay with his wife that I come and say something, so I haven't had time to do much other than feel bad about Senator Inouye. As I indicated, I talked to Irene. I wasn't able to talk to Ken, but I did talk to Irene. I want to make sure everyone understands the depth of my feelings--and I know I am speaking for the entire Senate. Dan Inouye believed in me, even more than I believed in myself. Many, many years ago--a couple of decades ago--he said: You know, you're going to do great things in the Senate, and he always talked about my leading the Senate. And he always came and said: You did the right thing. He would always tell you that you would do the right thing. The chapter of Dan Inouye in the Senate is something that is remarkable, not only his military record but what he did with the defense aspects of our country, the security aspects of our country. And there was no one more bipartisan than Senator Inouye. He has a brother who lives in Las Vegas, and a wonderful person he is, but he was as close to Ted Stevens as he was to any person could be to a brother. They were brothers. They called themselves brothers. So he set an example always about bipartisanship, about working with others. And as far as being a good member of our caucus, no one was better than he was. No one has been a better American than Senator Inouye. And when we talk about people in Hawaii and who they revere, it is Senator Inouye. The State of Hawaii is going through a great deal at this time. Senator Akaka has announced his retirement, and now the death of Senator Inouye. On behalf of all Senators, I express my appreciation for his service and his friendship. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that we now proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to this matter be placed in the Record.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 246, S. 1792.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to H.R. 6223.

Mr. REID. I now ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Whitehouse substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; and that any statements related to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to S. 3687.

Mr. REID. I now ask that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any related statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 620.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 619.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 621.

Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID. Madam President, understandably, Senator Akaka wants to make a statement regarding our friend, Senator Inouye. But Senator McCain has been waiting here for hours. I ask unanimous consent that Senator McCain be recognized for a statement; that when we completes that statement, Senator Akaka be recognized.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. I further ask that the committee-reported amendment be considered; the substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to; the Whitehouse amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; a motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to this matter be printed in the Record.

Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 236, H.R. 2076.

Mr. REID

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise to recognize and honor one of Nevada's great sons and my friend, Jim Jones, on the important milestone of his 80th birthday. I appreciate the longtime friendship Jim and his son, Jimmy, have afforded me. Jimmy worked for me and has remained a good friend ever since. Jim Jones hails from one of Las Vegas' railroad families. In 1921, after Jim's father proudly served our Nation in World War I, he pioneered West in a boxcar and not much else. Jim's father arrived in Las Vegas, walked into a railroad shop and stayed for 21 years. It was on South Third Street that Jim remembers his early childhood, as he watched the trains go by in his small railroad town of Las Vegas. Jim has spent a lifetime working hard and giving back to his patients and community. His commitment to service began at the age of 12 as a Boy Scout in Troop 63. Jim grew interested in dentistry while a student at Las Vegas High School. But he knew he was unable to afford college, so he joined his father to work the railroad at 15. Jim tirelessly worked nights, weekends and summers; after graduating from Las Vegas High School, he attended East Los Angeles Junior College. During his second semester of college, he served in a Naval Reserve Unit when he was called into active duty during the Korean War. Although he could have applied to be exempted, he chose to serve as a dental technician and proudly worked on a Marine base in San Diego fixing recruits' teeth before they would head overseas. He later attended BYU's pre-dental/ medicine program and graduated with honors from dental school in Seattle. He returned to Las Vegas to work for the Nevada State Department of Health's Dental Division, which led him all across Indian country in Nevada. He traveled with a fold up chair in a station wagon across the most rural parts of Nevada providing dental care and services to Native American children in Schurz, Gabbs, Tonopah, Overton and Mesquite. The time he spent in Native American communities across Nevada taught him much about our State, and its first people, and because of this formed longtime friendships. In 1961, Jim opened his private dental practice, thus beginning a long career of providing dental care to many in Southern Nevada. He retired from his full-time practice in 2002, though he still works weekly caring for patients including Landra and me. He's lived a life of service as a longtime member of service organizations like Kiwanis Club and Rotary. He served in the leadership of Rotary as director, vice president, and president. He is passionate about Las Vegas, and he has remained involved in these service organizations, as well as in local commissions. Mr. President, I share only but a glance at Jim's life as we reflect upon his many contributions on the momentous occasion of his 80th birthday. My friend, Jim, embodies the story of Nevada, that the son of a working class man can build a good life for his family and still have legacy of that small railroad town, Las Vegas.