Transcripts For CSPAN2 U.S. Senate U.S. Senate 20240713

Mr. Isakson madam president. The presiding officer the senator from georgia. Mr. Isakson madam president , i ask unanimous consent to be able to address the senate. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Isakson thank you, madam president. Its an honor to be here today on whats not my last day but everybody is acting like it. A few months ago i had to an announce that after much consideration to be able to serve the people of georgia, when i knew i couldnt do the job i was going to quit and let somebody do it who wouldnt be hampered. Im not hampered yet. Im pretty tough. But its getting close. In august i decided to tell my wife about it, and we decided to go ahead and retire at the end of december, which ive announced and said i was going to do. The governor of georgia is making an appointment to take my place and you might look in the history books, current history and it might have an isakson in the glossary, but i doubt it. I have been here for 15 years. This is the most enjoyable thing i have ever done in my life, to be part of the United States senate. Politicians get a bad rap, a real bad rap. Some will take pot shots at people who are politicians and serve the people in their community. I never do that, not because i am one but because i am one i know what you have to do. Its a tough job. If its not done right, it doesnt get done the way it should for people there. So im making sure that when i leave, the last thing i do is to leave the people of georgia in good hands, given the senior senator from georgia retiring. Unfortunately today at lunch, the members gave me a luncheon and stole all my material. I had dont let this paper fool you. I threw it all away coming in here. They have stolen all my good jokes, took over all the things i was going to say. So im going to make this very brief. In the end, very brief is good. My dad told me one time, he said son, your words have more power by how few you use than how many you use. I always remember that. Speeches are really important. I make short speeches. I get to the point and i get out. I will give you some reasons that works. But i decided when i knew i was going to be outshined by the other members of the senate at this luncheon today that i would do the best i could to honor mitch mcconnell, who is the greatest leader ive ever worked for in my 45 years in public life. People like the Vice President of the United States who i am so proud is in the chair, and i can tell my grandkids, who are all here, by the way, i hope you remember the time you were there with mike pence, the Vice President. You will be president by then, mr. Vice president , to hear a speech i made. But everybody is here, thank you for being here. Im not going to call out names because i will miss somebody. Except tester. You cant miss tester. But everybody else i would miss, and i dont want to miss anybody because every one of you are important to me. The people that help us in the lunch room, the people that help us in the stores, get in and out of the cars, bad days, snowy days, icy days. It takes a lot of people to run a senate, and only one person to mess it up. I want to talk about one subject today and one subject alone. And its going to be short. But there has been something missing in this place. I am given credit sometimes for being a bipartisan person. Sometimes im known for being a bipartisan or being a softy. Some will say worse than that, but im not going to do that. But i am a bipartisan person. I never saw people get things done by not agreeing with each other. You have to come to an agreement. I made a living selling houses. You cant ever solve a problem if you have two people ant you want to agree to a price and a time to move. You have to find Common Ground. The same thing with a law. If you capital pass a law, you cant solve a problem, just period end of sentence. If youre one of the people who says my way or the high way, then were all in real trouble. I want to talk about bipartisan. What bipartisan really is i dont think most of you really know what bipartisan is. I shouldnt say that to an educated group like this who have been down a lot of tough trails like i have as well. Bipartisan doesnt mean a democrat and republican talk to each other every once in a while. It means that two people come together. Probably have differences. Probably have a lot of differences. But they find a way to get to the end of the trail where there is a possibility of a solution. Then they do the things you have to do to get that position. Americas today is built on people who found a way to get to that end of the solution. No question about it. I hate to ask this question when i came in the back door, is john lewis here yet . Wheres john . John, youre getting shorter. John lewis is one of the finest people i have ever known and a great friend of mine. We were invited i was invited to speak to the senate a couple days ago. I recognize john who was there, and he introduced me and said some things that meant more to me than anybody has ever said to me. I said i want you to come to my last speech because i want to say a few things about you. Because in essence, really, john, to a much greater extent than me, but john and i together represent that things can change. If people want to change and they are willing to do the things that let them change. John was born in the 1940s. I was born in the 1940s. John went to was born lived in alabama. I lived in georgia for a while. John got his good senses. Shelby was there, so he came to alabama. Hes a good guy. John came there and john worked and lived in a shotgun house. Thats where the hole in the back and hole in the front. If you shoot through, you dont hit anything. John was a great civil rights leader in his youth. He was the president of student nonviolent coordinating committee. And john walked the streets of atlanta, georgia, where i live. I was part of the people that earl war revenue who had all the signs around georgia i thought he was running for office. It said impeach warren. I never figured that out until i got older. Earl warren had been part of the brown versus board of education, schools were going to be intergrated. The only way to prove you were going to get it done was through the numbers. They figured how much of a percentage of how many black people would constitute a good number to say you were desegregated, and vice versa. Solving the problem with statistics. I was on some of those first bus that is rode through atlanta, georgia, taking black students to white schools. And i had some good friends who were black. Thats another thing southerners are blamed for. They always say we had some really good friends who are black. One of them is john lewis. John lewis is one of my real heroes in life, because i watched what he went through to help us see the light in the south, in my part of the south, georgia. And he was a hero, and he was a hero to me. When i got to congress, one of the things i am most proud of, john introduced me to be sworn in. Vice president of the speaker of the house swore me in. I was down at the podium. Let me tell you what happened that morning. The clerk said, mr. Isakson from georgia won a special election yesterday in atlanta, georgia, and has been declared the winner by the secretary of state. We would like to ask mr. Lewis to escort him to the front. Well give him one minute to make his acceptance speech. Well get back to business. I thought one minute. I only get one minute . I cant do anything in one minute. But i wasnt going to argue with the guy my first day at work. So i went to the back of the room with john. John walked down the aisle on the house side. Of course i was not paying a lot of attention. I figured the best thing to do is follow john. I followed john. When john got through introducing me, i followed him to the well. I said thank you to everybody and named three or four people that helped me get there. Then i said well, im going to work. And im honored to be here. What they didnt tell me was that if youre in the house, at that particular day, the mike for the people who were republicans was on the left. Republicans spoke from the right. This dummy followed john, who was smart, and went to the right where he was supposed to go. I went to the left. Where i wasnt supposed to go. I noticed these eyeballs on the front row just going around and around. Some guy slipped up behind me after i gave my oneminute speech, so youre going to start this day demonstrating what a liberal guy you are. Thats one of the voices that came over the back of my shoulder just like something hanging on my head. I turned around and looked. This other guy come up to me and said dont pay any attention to that. Named tom blakeman, he went on about his business. I asked what does that guy mean by that . The problem is you got labeled when you got elected. You got elected in a republican district but they say you said nice things about democrats. I said is that wrong to do . We were trying to get some way to get boehner to not appoint you to a committee. We heard you helped write no child left behind. Thats how i started out in the house of representatives. I was a republican in a majority Democratic House that was unwanted. In fact, newt lost some of you know this, because i see a few faces over there. Newt lost that race by seven votes in the house, Seven Members who said we wont vote for newt for speaker. Newt got reelected and tom knows this he couldnt get reelected speaker so he resigned. And i didnt know he was going to do that. I was going to speak at the National Realtors conference out at disneyland at a convention. I got to the hotel that afternoon and there were 72 phone messages for me. The guy came and said boy, i hope nobody died at your house. I said thats a great way to get to a hotel. He said you have 72 messages. I said let me see them. The first 71 were from my wife. I called her and she said have you heard. Heard what . Newt quit. Quit what . He quit as speaker and a member of the house. Everybody is calling on you to run. Nothing computed. Very quickly, i learned a lot about partisan politics. A lot of people wanted somebody to take newts place. His body wasnt even cold yet and they were picking over it. They wanted to pick as so in some kind of skirmish. To make a long story short, partisan politics was pretty rough in those days. Its a lot rougher now but it was pretty rough back then. People voted not with their hand but with a hammer. Not their heart, either one. So i learned in an area where if you were a republican, a republican, a democrat, a democrat, and dont ever cross. Dont work with anybody. Dont make it easy. If if you have the votes, use them. We kept getting beat or kept getting outtricked all the time. Or tricked. Outtricked is probably not the right word. The whole game plan was to have enough republicans to beat the democrats or vice versa. Its something everybody tried to do. I thought that was stupid. I didnt say that. 435 is a lot of people, you dont want to get run over. But a few weeks down the line, i made a speech on the floor of the house about something very important to me in my state. It was a problem that we had in the state where our state was divided rural and urban. Not republican and democrat, but rural and urban. But because republicans were pretty much rural back then and urban people were democrats in the suburbs, at that time, then you got divided on the political ways anyway even though it was an economic issue and an ag issue, things like that. They divided up over party. By the time the issue got to the floor on some kind of compromise vote, we couldnt pass anything. A kidney stone, we couldnt pass a kidney stone much less anything else. We couldnt get anybody to agree on anything. We had the parties cross each other and everybody else. I decided if im going to be in this thing i was at that age. I was about 60, i guess. Im not going to sit the rest of my life down here arguing about silly, stupid things. There were some silly, stupid things said over there. Im not going to say who was saying them, but you know who they were. Both parties. That was bipartisan, both parties i saw the stupid statements. We had some real battles. Finally i decided i will be an example of what we need to be like. I would try to do everything i could to be bipartisan, which meant to me i did what i thought was right. And i think thats the way to do it. Mark twain said when confronted with a difficult decision, do whats right. You will surprise a few and you will amaze the rest. I try to start amazing everybody. I voted for some things. They sent somebody over from the whips office. What did you do . Did you get confused . No, i didnt get confused. Finally they knew they had somebody to deal with. When the partisan people figure out they can deal with you, they will deal with you. Thats the way you build bipartisanship. Thats the way i did it on my own, going through my six years in the house of representatives and my 15 years in the United States senate. Trying to find that little thing that could bring two people together. Notwithstanding what party they are in. I never looked at the party first. That was the last place i looked. Chuck schumer said some nice things to me. One of the nicest he said to me was i was a kind person. He said i was a kind person. My wife might differ with that. I try to be a kind person. Somebody you like to sit down with. If you cant get along with somebody, you cant sit across the table from somebody. You build everything that way. I hope this senate and this congress and all of us in the years ahead, we have got some big problems. We will start having a main goal personally. Were going to do everything we can to be a part of the solutions and the decisions that are going to have to be made. If you dont want to do it, dont do it. You will find something if you figure out, if you try and do it, others watch you do it, you start making decisions, others solving problems, you will be more popular than other people. This is not a popularity contest and governing is not a popularity contest, but if this is a will of minds, bipartisanship is a state of being. Its a state of mind. There are people in the United States senate that i work with that i love working with every day. Im looking at some right now in the eye. And they have an attitude that i like. I can sit down and talk with them and if they say no, i will stick it. I wont stick my tongue out at them or call them bad names or anything else. But i will be there tomorrow and ask them to do something for me. The best way to get somebody to do something for you, is if you cant ask them to do something. Its a quid pro quo thats a bad word. Im glad i remember that joke. But those are the types of things you have to do. Even to level the playing field. So my words to you today are this. When you are fortunate enough to see a john lewis from georgia or someone like that, step out of his comfort zone, do what he thinks is right, if somebody tells you he is wrong, dont do that, judge your conscience and your heart, not some tv commentators or some who is filled with hate. We still have some people in the United States of america who play the hate card. We have some politicians who will dance around the issue of hate. They wont use the buzzwords, but they will get awful close to it. They did in charlottesville. I have had people in the basement of my house from Law Enforcement from time to time because it gets pretty close, the issues get pretty tough. Whether its College Scholarship admissions or whatever it may be. Weve got to stand up to the evenings of society today. I decided i was going to tell you what i really believe. And that is america, weve got a problem, just like apollo had and the problem is were not going to exist much longer. We live in the greatest country on the face of this earth. Nobody better than the United States of america. Everybodys trying to break in. Nobodys trying to break out. We are always placing laws people are trying to break in. It is the safe west, richest, happiests place in the world. Were people to protect that happiness and people who go into the military on a voluntary basis, less than 1 of the population has served in the military and makes us the greater defender of freedom. If we ever lose that with a club, with a two by four, well lose our coverage of ethics and Standby Support and all the other things we love and the things we do. Were that close, though. I see things happening that im asked about by people that scare me. And ive heard some people i know say some things that terrify me. Were better than the hate and vial statements that some people make and weve got to be better than that. Weve got to talk not over them or under them, weve got to talk to them. Weve got to the city down and say, why did you say that . Whats your problem . Weve got a problem. Lets get it out in the open. The best country in the world, the strongest country in the world cannot succumb to crushing itself. The challenges in life today are americas changing. Its changing for lots of reasons. A lot of people are big internet people and think they have all the solutions. I think the solutions are right here. I think its in their heart. Im telling you from my heart after 45 years in elected office, raising three children and eight grandchildren, which my kids have done a great job of raising them, living in a Great Community and going to a great church, i see some of that slipping away. The churches dont have the membership that they used to have and its significant, School Curriculum is getting a whole lot tough ter than it used to be and i was a chairman of the board of state for a few years. All of the things we love and believe in like god and country and school and religion and sunday school, there are challenges. Im rolling up my sleeves on whatever ive got left because i said i was going to leave on december 31. Its not because im leaving you. Im not leaving ufl. Ill leaving you. I want to be here for you and when the bell rings to say, america, we dont have a problem anymore. We solved it. You helped us do it through our tax policies, through our federal policies, education policies, how we treat people, we helped you do it. Lets dont get back in that shape again. We have the people and spirit of john lewis and other people i know in this room who are willing to do it and some who think this is just a bunch of sunday school from somebody who is leaving, dont believe it. I will be back to make a speech again sometime and give a progress report. We need some progress. Now, the last thing i want to talk about, the best thing the example to me of what bipartisanship means is a picture taken of john lewis and i last week. Bipartisanship doesnt mean one is black one is white. It could be one black and one white, it could be. But johns black and im white, but were different about other things. John and i were addressing the senate with a tribute to me, unfortunately for everybody else, i liked it. And we had a great time. When johns time to speak came, he made a beautiful speech it was very meaningful to me. We know what the buzzwords were. We know what we said to make it sound like we were really liberal or positive, with we knew we really werent. But john knew john knew who deserved cover and who didnt, which takes as much guts as someone who knows whats rye and right and whats wrong. John made a beautiful speech. I said this is a time to pay john back, all of these years that he helped me, i went to his 75th birthday. Im 75, i wanted to see what i was going to look like. But john and i turned out to be very good friends. I said, john, i want to thank you for that speech. That was the best i ever heard. I opened my arms an hugged him. Not for a show or display but because i loved him. I know what hes done for me and the country. As well as so many other things. John hugged me and it got pretty long there for a minute and it didnt bother me but the tv people went crazy and so the pictures that you saw last week on popular picture was john hugging me on the floor of the house. And tom graves and all the others from the georgia delegation are here. Im sorry i havent called everybody out. They said thank you for doing that. We hope everybody in georgia sees that. I said, thats what youre going to tell them as the senate next tuesday. We need to all be seen being seen doing the things they dont expect us to do because were doing whats right for a change and i just want them to feel good. Politics doesnt need to be a feelgood business anymore. It needs to do the right thing business. So i tell you im big on bipartisanship. Whether youre black or white, republican or democrat, whatever it might be, find a way to find Common Ground. Give it a chance to work, and if it doesnt, be a future friend. Thats my slogan. When i started my business, people wouldnt buy a house from me, i said thank you for looking for me and when you buy your next one call me because ill do a better job because all i have is a customer and future customers. I addressed everybody as a future customer. And i got something. When i got into politics and asked people to vote for me, i said all ive got out in georgia is friends and future friends. So when we walked away from a republican meeting somewhere and somebody give me their right hand to the face and said were not going to vote for you, i said, ill give you a chance in two years, so we can be a future friend not a less friend. Friends and future friends is what its all about. If you find anybody in business to make it through life, to make it through life treat that way. Life is a winwin proposition if you do it. Toes not a winlose proposition. Its winwin. You have to command it whichever side of the transition youre on, so on a day when i had more nice things said about me than i deserves, and in a place with the charity of how much this really means, im the happiest guy that could ever be, im happy because i think you know what im talking about. We can do it. We can do anything. We play be called liberal, we may be called rhino, we may be called whatever it is, lets solve the problem and see whatever happens. Most people who call names or point fingers, they dont have solutions but want to make sure you dont solve it. Bipartisanship will become a way you accomplish things, a way you live. A state of being. It will be the it will be the end of bad time and beginning after new one and i want to live long enough to see both. God bless all of you and thank you for your friendship and support to me. It means more than i can possibly ever tell you and i will always be there for you, whether its buying dinner, going to church or listening to one of your speeches, i dont have anything else to do. God bless all of you, and thank you very much. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from georgia. Mr. Perdue madam president , its always a privilege to come before the United States senate. I always feel humbled by that because i think of the people who have spoken on this floor since 1859, and im always measured in what i try to bring in terms of thought or whatever, but today is a special sense of responsibility. Senator coons and i have been chosen to lead our colleagues in honoring Johnny Isakson today. What we heard is historic, i believe. Its not the first time that weve had a speech on this floor that addressed that topic, nor will it be the last, i would predict. But we just heard johnny admonish us to judge with our conscience and our heart. And, with that, i feel somewhat unworthy to try to address what i feel and what he also talked about is his heart. Today is truly a bittersweet occasion. Its bitter because my friend, my mentor and partner in the United States senate, Johnny Isakson, is stepping down at the end of this month. For those of us who know this man, this is tough to come to grips with. Ill dearly miss him on many levels. Ill miss having him here in the United States senate alongside of me. Ill miss his words of wisdom. Ill miss him patience. Most of all, i think ill miss his example. However we can still find joy in this occasion as johnny and dianne head into the next chapter of their lives, all of us can take time to reflect who johnny is and what his Public Service has truly meant to not only us individually and not just to the constituents in our state, but to america. Johnny has actually meant the world to me and and for longer than ive been in the United States senate, madam president. When i got involved in the political process, i said i had never been personally elected to anything. Maybe in the eighth grade, you know how that goes. But this was a radically different experience than i personally had ever had and johnny helped me personally with that transition. He gave me advice, he befriended me, he introduced me to the colleagues here in the senate. Hes been the best partner anyone could ever ask for. I remember the best advice he ever gave me. I shared this with our colleagues at lunch. He said, david i have only one piece of advice for you, keep your head down, your mouth shut and dont ever vote against the farm bill. That was his advice and i listened to that over the last five years, its hard to believe its been five years, to dianne im sure it seems like five lifetimes. But in the last five years, johnnys advice has stuck with me on many levels. A lot of people in this town know how to talk. You stick around. Johnny has shown us how important it is to listen and learn from each other. He showed us how to Work Together on behalf of not just ourselves or our next reelection but truly for the people who put us here. Johnny is a true Public Servant. I said it at lunch. Next to the word servant in the webster dictionary is a picture of Johnny Isakson. Hes devoted to getting results, not just for the people in georgia but for everybody in the United States. Most importantly, he does it in a way that really is worthy of this august gust body. Agust body. I know this body has had controversial the last 230 years. Thats part of what makes us great is we have differing opinions but somehow in the last 230 years, we found a way to put those aside to find compromise. I made a living in business for 40 years finding ways to compromise with people who had differing views than i did. One example of johnnys statesmanship was with his longtime friend another great georgian, zell miller who happened to be a democrat. Zell was a former governor of georgia and a United States senator. Last year he sadly passed away. Most people forget is that johnny actually early in his career ran for governor against the same zell miller who ended upenning up being, as johnny calls him, the best friend he ever had. When zell miller passed away, johnny was asked to speak and he spoke on this floor. In that speech and i quote he called he said that zell miller and i quote was an individual i met through politics, became one of my best friends through politics, and probably had more influence on my life than anybody else i know in Public Service. Thats a democrat that Johnny Isakson is talking about. We get a little bit upset about that occasionally but johnny, thats a big deal. Thank you. Its almost hard to believe that johnny and zell used to be political opponents. Despite their political differences, johnny and zell remained Close Friends up until zells death. In fact, zell even appointed johnny as chairman of the georgia board of education seven years after zell had beaten him in that same governors race. We can have strong differences and rigorous debathes but we should always be civil and respectful to one another, johnny says, and johnny lives that out every day. Ive said before that Johnny Isakson is the howard baker of our time. Why do i say that . What do i mean . Well, johnny doesnt talk a lot. But when johnny talks, people listen. And what we just witnessed was, i think, historic. The paper that was on the podium in front of senator isakson just now was not a speech. I want everybody to understand this. It was a list of the 50 United States senators who have asked to come to this floor over the next few hours and give honor this man as he goes into retirement. What we just saw was straight from the heart, better than anybody ive ever witnessed. And in a way that i will truly always remember. Truly when johnny talk, people listen. It doesnt matter if youre a young child, a member of his staff, a colleague, or the president of the United States, not only do people listen to johnny but i will add one thing to what ive been saying for the last five years. When other people talk, Johnny Isakson listens. Thats a rare commodity in this town. Trust me. If you need help, Johnny Isakson is always there. We all know now that johnny will no longer be with us in this body every day. But we know hell still be around to help us in any way we can he can. Im hoping hell still call me and give me the pieces of advice that have been so valuable over the last five years. I know hell answer my call when i call him and ask him for the same advice. But i want to leave the body with this thought today and i think it echoes what he just said and i prepared these remarks some time ago in thinking about today. In the new testament in the bible in matthew 23, did says that the greatest among you will be the servant. And today i want to remind everybody in this body that the greatest among us is Johnny Isakson. Johnny, its been a true blessing. God bless you and dianne, your family. America will always be in your debt. Thank you for everything. God bless you and god bless the United States of america. Thank you, johnny. God bless you. A senator madam president . Madam president , its an honor to rise and speak in tribute to my dear friend and trusted colleague Johnny Isakson of georgia and to follow the junior senator from the state of georgia. Mr. Coons something remarkable happened just before this session on the floor of the senate. It was a bipartisan lunch in which virtually every currentlyserving senator, nearly a hundred, gathered not just because there was tasty barbecue but because we were there to thank our friend and colleague Johnny Isakson for his decades of Public Service, for his dedication to this body, for the ways in which he has really been the glue that has helped hold so many of us together. And you just married it again here on the floor, his compassion, his commitment to working across the aisle. Johnny isakson has been an effective, a capable, a powerful senator because hes never worried about who gets the credit for the work he does. Hes kept his word. He has a great sense of humor. Hes easy to be with. Hes persuasive. Hes persistent. And hes principled. So let me just start by saying to dianne, to john and julie and kevin and the grandkids, thank you, thank you for sharing johnny with the state of georgia and with our nation for decades. When i first got elected to the senate back in 2010, which was a somewhat unexpected election, i got seated right after the special election, a respected senior realtor from my hometown named kick Christopher Dick christopher came and told me i should look up a guy named Johnny Isakson from georgia, somebody he knew from business, from real estate. He said hes a good husband and father, a principled man. Youll enjoy working with him. I never heard of him. So i looked him up online. And if all you had to judge someone by was their rightleft positions, he succeeded newt gingrich. He and i on the surface, on a few positions would have nothing in common. But as luck or providence would have it, when i got here he was the trainer with Barbara Boxer for ethics for the new senators and to his misfortune, he got assigned to be my mentor. And i began what has been an adventure that hasnt yet ended and i hope never will. I have a friendship and companionship thats taken us to some pretty wild places. Early in 2011 i was made the chairman of the subcommittee on africa and johnny was the raving member and i could not have asked for a better companion or partner. We did dozens of hearings on foreign aid policy, on security and trade interests, on the growing role of china in africa, but then we also went and visited places, widely, places both easy and hard. We went to mali and congo, to senegal, south africa and to ghana. Over several trips we visited aids or fan ajs, Water Purification plants, and compact trips. We saw on these trips excuse me the material impacts of terrorism and grinding poverty in countries like nigeria and mali but he enjoyed some pretty good times, too. Seeing the fruits of the best pineapple plantation ive ever been on and enjoying a beautiful vineyard in capetown, south africa. But johnny didnt just go because it was an assignment. He went because it was his passion, even his calling. The first trip we took together was to a tiny impoverished country in west africa that hfnts had two hadnt had two senators visit. We went because a young peace corps volunteer from georgia had been murdered. Tragically and senselessly murdered because she tried to report child abuse back to the capital. We had a remarkable and memorable seerries of meetings there that i wont go into it. The thing about johnny is not just he persuaded me and others to join him in the quest for justice for kate puzey, he worked and worked til ultimately the peace corps volunteer protection act was law in 2011. That was followed by so many others. Johnny is the consummate legislator. And on this one small subcommittee of one of the many committees of this senate, he and many others of us worked and passed the electrify africa act, the global Food Security act, the build act, the peace corps reform act and of course a reauthorization, something we worked very hard on. You see, the secret to johnnys success is he doesnt focus on the two dimensional ways that youre different. He focuses on what youve got in common. By home state weve got a county that raised more chickens than any county in america and the whole state of georgia raises more chickens than any other state. So johnny suggested and i agreed that we would form a chicken caucus. You may not know theres a chicken caucus. You may not know about the great ways in which it has made the world safe and free for americas chickens, a tasty, localery, incredibly environmentally sustainable and foy arrested and affordable source of protein for a hungry world brought to you by the National Chicken council. At one point the chairman of the Foreign Relations committee mockingly called me the senator from chicken. But our Work Together on a goal reauthorization and our travel together resulted in opening new markets to american exports and on this floor and this body with all the things we deal with, that might seem like a small accomplishment but i tell you, the chicken farmers of delaware and georgia are grateful. Each of us comes here to represent our state and in the travels ive undertaken with johnny, i saw a remarkable passion and commitment to his home state which has made him such a great legislator. There are so many other things weve legislated on but i know we have literally half the Senate Waiting to speak. So let me move. The other joy ive had with johnny which has been at the other end of our decade together is hes now the chairman and im the vice chairman of the ethics committee. Its a very tough committee. We handle difficult subjects and johnny runs it well and will be deeply missed. We are joined here by many of the staff of the ethics committee, the folks who have seen his common sense and his humor, his decency but his focus on getting to a result. Its been for me just another opportunity to see how Johnny Isakson lives his values. Weve joined together almost every wednesday morning at a bipartisan Prayer Breakfast and johnny has taught sunday school for three decades at mount zion United Methodist and those of us who have gotten to know the blessing of his humor, his decency and his common sense, his attitude that everyone is a friend or future friend know that its rooted in his connection with the eternal. Johnny said something important here just a few minutes ago. America, we have a problem. And its my hope that after todays good, brave, important speeches, that some of us will step forward and take up the best way to honor johnny, which is to model, to mimic his style, listening to each other, respecting each other, committing to practice a brand of politics thats a little less combative and a little more focused on results, finding ways to trust each other and to Work Together. In some ways johnnys best work has been his tirelessly, relentless work on behalf of our veterans. As ive heard said, the best way to honor our veterans is to be the sort of americans for him they fought and serve. This senate, this body needs to step forward and be worthy of the service and sacrifice of Johnny Isakson. Johnny, i cant thank you enough for all the ways youve been an amazing partner and a colleague on issues large and small. Your kindness and friendship has meant the world to annie and me. As you and dianne go home to enjoy the blessings of family, just know that i will always look forward to another visit in georgia or delaware and im always up for another trip to ab obscure country that hasnt to an obscure country that hasnt seen an american senator in 50 years. Thank you for your service and god bless. A senator madam president . The presiding officer the senator from iowa. Mr. Grassley the one thing that im always going to remember about Johnny Isakson is always with every conversation with him, it always encouraged it always included some words of encouragement for the work that im involved in or how were working together. And i think you saw that in his remarks today that he wants to encourage all of us. In this town of washington, d. C. Where a lot of people think that theyre the most important person in the room, Johnny Isakson is known instead for his unassuming manner. Hes unfailingly kind and considerate to senators and staff alike, and i think i expressed that in my first statement about his giving encouraging words with almost every conversation you have with him. In fact, my staff told me a story where senator isakson came to the Senate Finance committee when i was chairman previously and asked to speak to a member of my tax staff. The staff assistant didnt recognize senator isakson, and when asked who he was, he simply said, senator isakson. It wasnt then until after my tax staff came out that he realized that it was senator isakson himself. Throughout my senate career, its safe to say that when it comes to me, all roads lead to iowa. And for johnny, its no exception. Johnny has Close Friendships with the famous knapp family of des moines, iowa. In fact, the knapp family is known all throughout iowa. Now youre probably thinking, how in the world does a southern boy from georgia get acquainted with iowans . Well, for johnny, a common answer is the golf course. Thats where he first became friends with the knapp brothers, paul and bill. In fact, johnny delivered a eulogy at pauls funeral in 2008. Paul and his wife, carol, were friends of the isaksons for more than two decades. Pauls brother, bill, is a senior statesman of the Democratic Party of iowa. But partisan glasses wont fool commonsense iowans, particularly when it comes to johnnys heart. Johnny reminds me that he was the first republican that bill knapp ever supported. And i guess, johnny, you beat me to the punch on that one. Today johnny said iowa produces some of the finest people he knows, but today i say that georgia produces very fine people as well. And at the top of my list is Johnny Isakson. Johnny brings a smile to each person he encounters when he walks the halls of the senate. As a result, he will be greatly missed by everyone. That includes me, our fellow colleagues, but it also includes a lot of people that dont get much attention around the senate the young staffers who answer the phone and the support staff who do things like cleaning the bathrooms. Johnny is always interested in how youre doing and has a wofford encouragement and has a word of encouragement to share, the same kind of encouragement that he gives me in our every conversations. Weve heard it before but i havent said it hes a workhorse, not a showhorse. No one can doubt Johnny Isaksons dedication to the people of georgia and the United States, not to mention our countrys veterans where hes worked very hard as a member of that committee and chairman of that committee to bring justice to our veterans and to keep our promises to those veterans. Johnny isakson is a true Public Servant. So im proud to have served with him, and im proud of the work that he does on the finance committee, which i chair. Now, johnny, im sorry to see you go, but i wish you and your wife, dianne, the best as he steps back from public life. I yield the floor. Mrs. Murray madam president . The presiding officer the senator from washington. Mrs. Murray thank you, madam president. Im a. Glad to have the chance to be here today to recognize senator Johnny Isakson. He is a dedicated Public Servant to the people of georgia and a dear friend of mine here in the senate, and im pretty sure every Single Person here in the United States Senate Building would say the same. Ive had the good fortune to be Office Neighbors with senator isakson for several years now, and like any good neighbor, senator isakson has been made it very clear his door is always open whenever i need someone to help work out a problem, to swap stories, or just share a laugh. Over the years, working together and walking together here to the senate floor, weve managed to take a lot of steps to help the families and the veterans back in our states and across the country. I remember back when senator alexander and i were working to replace no child left behind, and i kept telling him that Early Childhood education just had to be a part of this, and after i pushed and pushed and pushed, senator alexander finally said to me, okay, go talk with johnny. If you two can work something out, ill accept it in the committee. Well, i knew right then and there we were in business because i knew nor isakson was senator isakson was someone who cared about Early Childhood education. He understands that not everyone is going to have the same ideas, but he listens to other people, he respects their views and he works so hard to find Common Ground to pass something that can actually help our families. And thats exactly what happened there. When the every Student Succeeds act was signed into law, it included a strong focus on Early Childhood education thanks to efforts of thanks to the efforts of senator johnny azach son. Its also what happened when i worked had him to pass support for military caregivers. Every time something tried to d. E. A. Rail it, senator isakson was right there working with me to get things back on track because he understood it was not about politics, it was about people. It was about the spouses and the family members who step up to make sure our Service Members have the support they need no matter what. And thats something thats clear on every issue senator isakson works on. He always knows the people behind the words of legislation. He always understands how personal the work we do here is for our families back home. But thats possibly never been clearer than it was last year when we were working on legislation to respond to the opioid epidemic. Senator isakson spoke up throughout that process about the loss of his own grandson, a victim of the opioid crisis. He shared his familys story in the hope it would help other families who struggle with the disease of addiction so they would seek and find help. And i have no doubt that because of your work, they did. As usual, the bill that we passed was stronger thanks to senator isaksons efforts and thanks to the perspective he brought that always kept families top of mind. Now, of course, senator isakson hasnt just brought an important perspective to the senate but a distinctive voice. A few years ago we worked together to update our countrys workforce training programs, and that bill that we passed represented years and i mean years of bipartisan effort and an important step forward for workers in our country. I remember heading back to our offices after the bill passed and i said how excited i was to finally get this done. And senator isakson said and i quote me, too. I was grinning like a mule eating breyers. I am certainly going to miss terms like those. Colorful sayings arent the only reason his words have been so notable. The real reason is when Johnny Isakson gives you his word, you know he is going to keep it. Some people will Say Something to you to get you out of the way or without really meaning it. Senator isakson never did that. When he said, im going to get this done, you knew it would get done. Just as you kept his word to me so many times, i think its safe to say, as he leaves the senate, that he kept his word to the people of georgia. His number one priority has never been to get the most coverage on sunday talk shows or start political fights. Instead, his legacy will be that when he came into these halls every day he came in with the people of georgia in his head and in his heart. He did the absolute best he could each day to make their lives better. I am so grateful ive been able to work with him throughout our time here in the senate together, and i know so much families are grateful as well for the tremendous work hes accomplished. Im going to miss having a friend like Johnny Isakson across the aisle and down the hall from me. Johnny, as you head home to dianne and your family and to the state that you love so much and have done so much for, i hope when you think back on all of the work you did, you still grin like a mule eating breyers. Thank you so much. A senator madam president . The presiding officer the senator from kansas. Mr. Roberts madam president , thank you for the privilege and honor to pay tribute to Johnny Isakson. I dont know how i can top anything thats been mentioned by senator perdue, senator coons, especially senator coons. Chris has given us a charge to follow johnnys example, and senator grassley and now senator murray. And everybody that follows me. I got a problem. I did all this during veterans day and tried to point out that in his committee, the committee has passed 57 bills. I dont know of any other committee that has done that in behalf of the people who wear the uniform of the United States and do so much on our behalf and more especially with the v. A. And what thats all about. And theres never been a better chairman than Johnny Isakson. And so i said all of that and i said in this body there are those who choose ideology and partisan issues. John economy is someone who works with johnny is someone who works with his colleagues to pass legislation that benefits not only our nations veterans but every citizens pocketbook and daily life. We had just had lunch where virtually every senator was in are atten dance where virtually every senator was in attendance except those running for office. There are seven in attendance. As each member, both of the leaders and the people who have served with johnny either as a minority member or as a chairman, they gave their amazing tributes to this wonderful man. And isnt it amazing that in this very difficult time in the senate where the bar of civility is so its about four head high, you dont want to run into it here that here is a man that has given us a way out. So after ive never seen that before. And johnny has had, i think, 50 years of Public Service. I have got him beat. If you add in staff time and 40 years of Public Service of being elected, 240, by the way. And ive never seen such an outpouring of affection and genuine admiration for an individual, be they a member of the house or the senate, as was experienced in this lunch. And it was chris coons who during his tribute said, why dont we use this as a wonderful way to see if we can get past all of the trials and tribulations that we have gone through in the senate and Work Together for a change. People talk about the senate when they came it wasnt this way. Actually it washings but we look actually, it was, but we look very fondly upon the past. So i hope that people can take chris challenge to heart. It is a pretty easy deal. Johnny knows it by heart. Thats just who he is. But if a person or a group of people or any any senator in this body loves to come down here and make speeches after speeches and in many cases very partisan, many partisan. Many of the younger members, you know, do this. And i give them that. Thats their right. I remember in the house in the early days when i was there, i did that a couple of times and then was talked to by some of the senior members and said, we dont do that here in order to get along. Especially in the allpowerful house agriculture committee. And now the Senate Agriculture committee. We always Work Together because were nonpartisan on that committee. And so you ignore that and then if you really do take the time to know that individual as opposed to that individual that you see on the floor, you will find out that there is something that is very interesting, you will find out thats a person worth knowing, you will find out that you have Common Ground, and you can find out that you can get a vote for them for them to vote for the farm bill, for a veterans program, or for any other thing. So i think thats the example that is, you know, johnny has set. I dont know if there is any more that i can add after seven Standing Ovations and obviously many, many people actually telling the truth about you. I know, johnny, it must be a little much for you. Frankly, im getting a little tired of it. I would just like to say what i said back then when i was speaking of your tremendous success as chairman of the Veterans Committee. And i said, johnny, thank you for your service. Now thank you for your message. Now thank you for being simply who you are. And i said senators eventually come and senators go. I do not think we will see the likeness of senator Johnny Isakson for years to come. We love you. I love you. I will miss you greatly. Thank you for your fortitude and courage and fighting partisans as an example to so many. Semper fi, my dear friend. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from vermont. Mr. Leahy madam president , it really is a privilege to join with so many of my senate friends in honoring the service of senator Johnny Isakson. I also say to senator isakson, isnt it nice to hear all of these wonderful things while youre alive and can be enjoying it. You know, madam president , ive had the privilege of serving with 391 u. S. Senators. I respect the office they hold. But some of those 391 i respect not just for the office, but who they are. Johnny isakson stands out among the 391 because of who he is. A lifelong georgian through and through. Born and raised in atlanta. As we heard from others, he went on to serve in the Georgia International guard and a wildly successful career in real estate, his home state. Then that led to call to service to seek opportunities to represent his fellow georgians in the state legislature, the u. S. House of representatives, and to the benefit of every single senator in both parties, ultimately here in the United States senate. Ive seen him as chairman of the Veterans Affairs committee fight for our nations Service Members, try to make our system of care for our veterans more efficient, higher quality, but also more importantly, widely accessible. The v. A. Mission act, what a wonderful signature accomplishment for senator isaksons tenure on the veteran affairs committee. His commitment extends far beyond health care. He was a key leader in the former g. A. O. Bill which made g. I. Bill benefits available to every member without expiration. I hold in my mind a very special group of the 391 senators i serve with. Johnny, you know youre in that very, very special group because i remember when i first came to the senate in the wake of watergate, i spent time cultivating bipartisan relationships that might help my advocacy for vermonters and for the nation. I forged relationships with senators with whom i had strong differences of opinion, with whom i could find Common Ground. I value the partnership of members who when they gave their word, they kept it. Thats why i value senator isakson. He is a senator, that mold that i looked up to the most when i first came here. He reflects the best of those senators of both parties over the decades shaped by knowledge of this body. Hes a Public Servant and voted to his constituents. The senate needs more people like Johnny Isakson. I know that he and dianne will welcome the calmer days that lie ahead of them. The senates going to miss him. His efforts to promote bipartisanship, ive even learned to like georgian barbecue, which i never had before. With that, i also like the good spirit he brought with him and the fact that he had republicans and democrats across the political spectrum sitting enjoying each others company, enjoying the example of Johnny Isakson. Johnny, as i told you privately, im sad to see you leave, but i so value our friendship. Madam president , i yield the floor. Ms. Collins madam president. The presiding officer the senator from maine. Ms. Collins thank you, madam president. Madam president , the state motto for georgia is wisdom, justice, and moderation. Those three words aptly describe senator Johnny Isaksons more than four decades of service to the people of georgia and to our nation. He has indeed served with wisdom, justice, and moderation, setting an example for all of us. I would add to that description that johnny is extraordinarily effective and beloved on both sides of the aisle. His life of Public Service is characterized not only by his extraordinary integrity, intelligence, and statesmanship, but also by his kindness to everyone. As was mentioned several times at our luncheon honoring johnny today, if ever there were a poll held in the senate to determine the most popular senator, he would win hands down. It has been such a pleasure and honor to serve with this remarkable leader on issues ranging from supporting research and cures for rare pediatric diseases to improving education, johnny is always thoughtful, informed, and determined to achieve a result to make a difference. As a veteran himself and as chairman of the Veterans Affairs committee, johnny has led the way in reforming Veterans Health care to make the v. A. More responsive to those who have served. What a wonderful legacy to leave, to know that you have been responsible for improving health care for those who have worn the uniform of our country. Johnny, as weve heard today, has always sought Common Ground rather than partisan advantage. And i thought it was so telling as i listened to his farewell remarks today that johnny did not take the time to list his own legislative accomplishments even though they are so impressive and so numerous. Instead he posed a challenge to us. He called on us to put aside the petty bickering that has prevented progress in america. He called upon us to Work Together. He reminded us that we achieve the best legislation when we sit down and negotiate with one another, when we listen with respect to each other. Those were his final words to us as a United States senator. I have had so many wonderful experiences with johnny, whether it was working on legislation or having an informal dinner. But perhaps the most memorable occurred this past june on a bipartisan codel that johnny led to france to commemorate the 75th anniversary of dday. It was a privilege to join him in honoring the american heroes who began the liberation of europe from nazi tyranny. Johnny, i thank you for your service, but most of all for your friendship. You have indeed set an example of civility and bipartisanship that everyone who serves in this Great Institution should emulate. I wish you and your wonderful wife dianne, whom i enjoy so much, all the best. And i want to tell you that ill always miss your friendly greeting, your big smile, and your even bigger heart. Thank you for all that you have done. The presiding officer the senator from illinois. Mr. Durbin madam president , im honored to stand and join tributes to Johnny Isakson. A lawyer from springfield once gave a pretty famous speech and it was only 275 words long. This speech may be a little longer, but i dont believe a speech has to be eternal to be immortal so ill try just a few words to say what i feel in my heart at this moment as you are preparing to leave the United States senate. Your heart is good, and i know that because i saw something on the floor of the senate today, your relationship and your comments about your friend john lewis were so genuine and so heartfelt. And the fact that you would point to a photograph taken of the two of you embracing one another as one of the signature photographs of your career in Public Service tells me a lot about you, Johnny Isakson. Our lives have been led along the same paths. We know how many changes there have been in america during the course of our lives and how many more we need to be even better in the future. John lewis was one of the real leaders in our nation that led us all to look very closely at the issue of race and the issue of civil rights. It was painful, many times not popular. For his heroic work he was given the president ial medal of freedom, and he deserved it more than anyone i could think of. The fact that he counts you as a friend and comes over here for your farewell address and that you would embrace him and announce that to the United States and the world tells me your heart is good, Johnny Isakson. That simple experience tells me that. The other thing i know is that your word is good. It was two years ago when we had a debate on the floor of the senate about a measure that means quite a bit to me, the dream act. The idea that young immigrants brought to this country would have a chance to become part of americas future. Ive worked on that legislation for 19 years, so i remember when people vote with me on the dream act. And you voted with me. It wasnt easy two years ago. Immigration was not a popular thing. But you stood up, and when i went to you afterwards and thanked you, you said it was the right thing to do. Ill never forget that. You told me that your word is good and your heart is good. And finally, let me tell you youve struggled with affliction, illness, and youve done most of it very openly so that people with similar challenges in life can watch as you live through this challenging experience. All of us can remember moments here when you were willing yourself to come on this floor to that chair to cast your vote. Ive never seen courage like that. Your determination will stick with me forever. Now youre going to have some time to yourself with your family, dianne and others, and have some relaxing time together. But im going to miss you. Im going to miss you as a special colleague whose heart was right, whose word was good, and whose courage was there for all of us to see. Thanks, johnny. I wish you the best. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from wyoming. Mr. Enzi madam president , ive had the pleasure of serving in the senate alongside Johnny Isakson for close to 15 years, and its been a privilege to work and join with him on a number of legislative efforts. But more importantly, johnnys the big brother i never had, that i aspire to be like. And ill never have the speaking ability that he does, but hes a brother because although we grew up across the country from each other, we shared many experiences that shaped our affirmative years and continued to influence our work in the senate. We both were in business before entering politics, we both were sunday school teachers, and and even our spouses, dianne and diana have similar names. We both served in the state legislature before coming here. There are many things i will never match. Johnny served in the Georgia Legislature for 20 years and served as the he was erected elected to the house of representatives in 1999, and the u. S. Senate then in 2004, throughout his time throughout the state and federal legislators, johnny was nothing short but a pioneer for the state of georgia. Hes the first georgian to be elected to both houses of the Georgia State legislature and both houses of congress, he was the first to be elected to a third time in the United States senate and the only republican senator the only republican senator currently serving as the chair of two committees at is the same time. Now, despite these tremendous achievements, johnny never lost sight of what was important and remained committed to legislation thats important to the folks in georgia and across the country. I remember when i was chairman of the health, education, labor and pension, there was a mine accident in west virginia, and senator kennedy was the Ranking Member and i decided to go down there and look and senator isakson asked if he could come along. So we went down and we talked to the safety inspectors, we talked to the mine owners, and most importantly, we talked to the families of the men who had been trapped in this mine. And we learned the story of how coal mining had been decreasing over years so that people sell Safety Equipment quit inventing Safety Equipment because they never had the market for it. And consequently when coal mining started coming back up again, the equipment was not in place for it. We found out what was needed but johnny was the real salesman for it. He had a picture of one of the family members, and he carried that picture with him everywhere and every time that mine safety came up, he brought that iecture out so everybody picture out so everybody could see a real person a real person that we were trying to provide for the future for seeing that that didnt happen. I also had the pleasure of working with johnny on the Senate Finance committee and on the tax cuts and jobs act which gave hardworking families more choices about how their hardearned money should be used. We were both Business Owners in the private sector before politics and understand the burdens that heavy taxes and regulations can place on families and businesses, his expertise a insight was invaluable when the committee was looking at this instrumental piece of legislation. Throughout his time in the senate, johnny remained committed to ending reckless federal spending and reining in out of control national debt. This is an issue we cannot ignore anymore and its a focus of mine as chairman of the Senate Budget committee. Senate isakson has repeatedly introduced the biannual budget information act which would help to fix the appropriations process. It has been a pleasure to work with a friend who understands just how dire our situation is and has a commitment for finding Lasting Solutions that will not only benefit today but generations to come. Johnny understood that the United States owes all of its Service Members, veterans and families, a great debt of gratitude for the service and sacrifice they made. He knew our country would not be the nation it is today without those willing toive so much of themselves. Johnny took those values to heart as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and enacted a policy that significantly improved the lives of our most vulnerable veterans. He was instrumental in the Veterans Mission act which helped to reform the Veterans Health care through the department of veterans affair. Johnny understood it required sacrifices from not only the Service Member but the entire family. He ensured that those who gave so much for their country received not only the benefits they deserved but knowledge that those efforts in protecting their homeland did not go unappreciated. Probably most important, though is that johnny is a man of faith. Despite the tremendous achievements he never lost sight of what truly matters and never wavered in his commitment to god and to doing whats right. My mother said, do whats right, do whats best, treat others as they wish to be treated. Johnny lives by those words and never forgets why hes here which is to represent and serve the people of georgia and the United States to the best of his ability. Im deeply saddened that johnny will be leaving us soon. His experience, knowledge, and friendship will surely be missed, as you can tell from the speeches here so far today. Diana and i send our best wishes and appreciation to johnny and dianne, we wish them all the best as they take the time to spend with their children, grandchildren and great children. They have been great examples of the importance of Public Service and we wish them the best in whatever adventure they choose to pursue next. God bless you. I yield the floor. A senator madam president. Mr. Reed i join my colleagues in honoring Johnny Isakson, of georgia, who is retiring from this body. He is a dear friend and a great example of a great senator. Johnny and i had long worked together on a number of Public Health priorities. I had the privilege of serving with johnny on the health, education, labor and pensions committee. We forged a share commitment to improving Public Health from Cancer Prevention to better surveillance of neurological diseases, from strengthening regulations of indoor tanning dwoises. Devices. He had the c. D. C. Made up of some of the greatest professionals in the Health Care Field across the globe and hes always been a fierce advocate for the c. D. C. And the staff. Hes always been a fierce advocate for all his constituents in georgia. During our time on the help committee, we developed a partnership in working on skin Cancer Prevention. We spent many years of advancing legislation to require improved labeling on indoor tanning beds to better reflect their are dangers many we also worked hard to make sure that there was disclosure of the ingredients in tanning lotions and we were proud to see signed into law in 2014 the sunscreen innovation act. It was a work that johnny led with such distinction. And building on that skin Cancer Prevention and other Preventive Health measures, johnny was, again, a fierce advocate for improving the health of children, particularly children with cancer. And i was so proud to work with john on the conquer Childhood Cancer act and later the Childhood Cancer survivorship act, the starr act, has the starr act has benefited children who had cancer and that goes to johns deep, deep commitment to doing the right thing and doing it well and helping the most vulnerable in this country. As mentioned, johnny has been on the Veterans Committee and chaired that committee since 2015. Hes a veteran himself, a veteran of the Georgia Air National guard from 1966 to 1972, and he worked for veterans and as a veteran, i thank you senator isakson. He was instrumental in passing the v. A. Mission act, critical legislation that enhancing the ability of comprehensive caregivers to assist veterans. Further, after the v. A. Mission act, hes been working so hard, hes also been able to pass, and i was proud to support with him, the harry w. Comery, veterans Educational Assistance act. In is known as the forever g. I. Bill because it makes critical differences to the g. I. Bill, it ends the 15year limit on the g. I. Bill benefits allowing the use of those benefits throughout the lifetime of the recipient. He has been an extraordinary leader doing so much. I wish Johnny Isakson and his wife dianne and the entire family well. Finally, i want to say that the measure the true measure of an individual is not the sum of their legislative achievements. Johnnys had many of those. Not political victories, johnnys had many of those. Not success in any one realm of endeavor, public or private. The truest test of an individual is the sum of their kindnesses, of what theyve done for and with other people, and by that measure, no one surpasses the gentleman from georgia, and i thank him. Madam president , i yield the floor. A senator madam president. The presiding officer the senator from tennessee. Mr. Alexander madam president , i ill bet senator isakson is a little bit surprised that his at that his farewell address would develop such an eruption of bipartisan speeches, both in the luncheon we just had for nearly 100 senators, almost everybody was there, democrats and republicans, and then the 50 or so senators that are going to speak on the floor. As i listened carefully to senator isaksons own remarks about partisanship, it kinded reminded me of the preacher on on sunday talking to the congregation saying, im not so worried about what you do with this one hour during church, its your behavior between now and next sunday. I think what Johnny Isakson is saying is that the speeches about bipartisanship are admiral and good, but what hed like to suggest to us is what we need to do is have a little better behavior, follow those speeches a little better between now and the next time we have a group of speeches. Johnny learned a long time ago that if you if all you want to do is take a position or make a speech, that you dont need to go to all the trouble to come to the United States senate. You can get a Radio Program or you can get a street corner. If you want to come to the United States senate, youre supposed to get something done. Id like to say to our constituents in tennessee, i encourage them to look at washington, d. C. , as if it were a splitscreen television set. On the one side you see where most people are watching, you see impeachment tweets, Supreme Court controversies. On the other side, where very few probably watch, you see senators like Johnny Isakson working to pass an opioids bill or senators working to pay songwriters a fair amount for what they do or appropriations members working to set a record as senator blunt and senator murray have, for example, in terms of funding for biomedical research. All of thats on the side of the Television Screen where Johnny Isakson has spent most of his 15 years. Senator murray of washington, during her remarks, talked very accurately about what happened in 2015 when we were working on fixing no child left behind. That was not easy to do. Working on legislation to try to set rules for elementary and secondary education is is like being at a university of tennessee Football Game where you have 150,000 people in the stands, all of whom know what the next play ought to be and when the coach doesnt call it, they have an opinion about that. Well, everybodys had a little education, so they had a lot to say about how we would fix no child left behind and finally we just ground to a halt over preschool education and what the federal role ought to be. Senator murray felt very strongly about it, as she said, shes a former kindergarten teacher. She stood back and said, why dont you and senator isakson see if you can come up with a solution and if you do, well take that. They did. They presented it to us. They took it. It went into the bill. President obama signed the law fixing no child left behind and called it a christmas act. Again senators murray and isakson worked together to solve a problem the rest of us couldnt solve and senator reed worked with johnny on sunscreen or senator tester worked to make it easier for veterans to get care near their home or senator casey from pennsylvania all these democrats working with senator isakson on the most important piece of legislation to govern the sale of overthecounter drugs, which i hope the senate will adopt either this week or next week. Now all of that was done not because these senators gave up their principles or not because they are not good negotiators, i think johnny would say that senator murray is as touch a noterror as you can find in the United States senate, but the difference is they all also understood that were here to get results, not just to take pa position, not just to make a speech but to see if we can get a result. Thats why senator isakson has had so many senators praise him today, because he understands that its hard to get here. Its hard to stay here. And while youre here, you might as well try to accomplish something for the country. Johnny isakson knows its hard to get here. He started in 1974. He lost his first race. Then he was on the ballot 20 times. He won 18 of those times. He knows its hard to stay here