the vice president: the senator from delaware. mr. coons: mr. president, is the senate in a quorum call? the vice president: it is in a quorum call. mr. coons: i ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with the following members -- the vice president: the senate is in a quorum call. mr. coons: forgive me. the vice president: is the senator seeking -- mr. coons: i ask unanimous consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be vitiated. the vice president: without objection. the senator from delaware. mr. coons: i ask unanimous consent that the following senators be recognized for up to four minutes each. senators who wish to speak in honor of the presiding officer. myself, the majority leader, senator mcconnell, minority

leader senator reid, senator schumer, senator hatch, senator leahy, senator mccain, senator durbin, senator isakson, senator feinstein, senator collins, senator mikulski, senator kirk. mr. reid: i am asking the senator from delaware if he would amend his request for senator mcconnell. i will use our leader time. that won't count against his hour. the vice president: is there objection? without objection, so ordered. the senator from delaware. mr. coons: thank you, mr. president, and it does bring me some joy to call you mr. president. i'm honored to be here today with so many of our colleagues, and i am grateful to majority leader mcconnell and leader reid for their support in pulling together this bipartisan tribute. i'm honored to be joined by my senior senator from delaware, tom carper, who will make the closing remarks this afternoon. before we begin, i'd like to remind my colleagues that there will be a reception for the vice president in the mansfield room after we conclude here, beginning sometime after 4:00. we have many senators who wish

to speak, and so we will move quickly through the order. and i encourage my colleagues to submit their remarks for the record, those who are not able to speak in the next hour. their remarks will be combined with all the other remarks given on the floor and the resulting speeches printed, bound and presented to the presiding officer. mr. president, in a place known these days for some disagreements, my colleagues, our colleagues, republicans, democrats and independents, are all here today because we agree on one powerful and simple thinr the difference that you've made in your decades in public service. the greatest honor of my life is to serve in the seat that you held for 36 years, and not just literally this seat in the senate but also a seat on the 7:15 amtrak train down from wilmington every morning. you logged over two million miles on amtrak and millions more traveling around the world fighting for our country, and as long as i have the privilege of representing our state in the senate, i'll be humbled by the

challenge of living up to your legacy, of fighting for and making a real difference for the people of our shared home. like so many americans, i've long been inspired by your loyalty to your family, and i'm so glad to see so many familiar faces in the gallery today. this job requires a strong partner and a teammate, and to dr. bidden, to jill, your unwavering support of your family, for delaware and your country, is something for which we are all deeply grateful. mr. president, as the son of delaware and of katherine and eugenis and joe sr., you've never forgotten from whom you came and for whom you are fighting. even as vice president, our fellow delawareans have the blessing of a surprise visit week in or week out of a surprise visit at columbus day. whether meeting personally with world leaders you've known for decades. whether chairing the judiciary or foreign relations committees or just stopping by claimont

diner, there is universal agreement about what you have brought to this work, your passion, your heart, your character and your integrity. that's because you generally listen to people. you ask them questions and then you lift them up. we know that when you give us your word as a bidden, you mean -- a biden, you mean it and you will keep it. through challenging times, you always worked across the aisle through eight presidents. you were willing to reach across to anyone willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work for the american people. mr. president, so many families across delaware and this country and i myself, as we've struggled with loss, maybe the loss of a job or loss of hope or the impending loss of a loved one, have experienced the incredible personal comfort and power of a call from you. when it comes to providing advice and inspiration that touches our hearts, it makes a real difference. no one, no one is better than you. we know you will share our challenges. you will give us meaningful comfort and encourage us, and

that you will fight for us. as we look ahead to next year and beyond, i know you and jill have so much more great, good work to do, starting with the fight to cure cancer through the cancer moonshot. this next chapter will be every bit as exciting and meaningful as the life of service you've led for 44 years. what an honor to see you in the chair earlier this week as the majority leader led the senate in a unanimous vote to rename a title of the 21st century cures cancer initiative after beau. that bill which we passed finally just an hour ago would not have happened without your leadership. now, mr. president, let me close with a line that you know all too well, a line you shared with me and many others countless times, somet >> >> but then once in a

lifetime the tidal wave of r justice can rise up with hope and history rhyme. no one, no one more than you. thank you mr. president for your counsel and friendship and leadership.nell: >> it is raising the presiding officer back in the senate good news for him because the rest of us have to call him mr. president laugh laugh good news for the rest of us letting everybody else talk. [laughter]he

>> key had a stutter and was teased for it so he overcame it with hard work.of with determination and supported his family and he is never stopped talking sense. and one of the most important lessons in his life hell led him down the path to win an election to the county council to become our nation's 47 vice president. the presiding officer would be the first to tell you he has been blessed in many

ways he is also then tested and pushed to the edge of what anybody could be expected to bear but from the grips grip of despair came a new man paid better man stronger and more compassionate and grateful for every moment and appreciative of what matters he heeded the a price of mike mansfield and said never attack another man's motive because you don't know his motive. look for the good anyhow -- with is the basis of a

simple philosophy in a very powerful one. he views his competitors has competitors with jesse helms or strom thurmond. or me. [laughter] over the years have worked together and with the of vote that was just took the 21st century cares and the cancer moonshot we also negotiated that would not have been possible without a negotiating partner about joe biden. i obviously don't always agree with him but i do trust him.

he does them break his word or telling me why i'm wrong. there is a is a reason for a time to get serious in my office. he has a well-developedse sense of humor, and doesn't take himself too seriously with the mock photo washing a trans am. in america embraced it and so did he.nd it is hilarious said. see so you can see what i mean. be

but the son of a used-car salesman little ways be a muscle guy. with the naval observatory to the senate his journey began his hand on the bible his heart and not swearing the same oath. a journey of those that still care about ham and hiser wife jill who understand the full life that he has lived he has done great joy and has been read his last ratest far but never lost myself

along the life. off -- along the way. a man is not measured if he is not down bed how quickly he can get up. that is joe biden right there. vice into convey the warm wishes to the vice president as the next death of the of long journey kind into view and i am reminding of somethingears from the university of louisville was the most popular lectures ever and he offered his theory as to why that might be.hink

remember these are young people to see if republican or democrat really like each other. came here to tell you that we do. it was true then and it is true today. is uh presiding officer would not mind if i have some words for the chair. mr. president, you have been a real friend and partner and it has been an honor to serve with you. we will miss you. >> joe biden's ben a life

and of which movies are madeto board in pennsylvania the first of four children once in awhile and not very often any he did get professional help of those reading mostly poetry and to restate the t poetry time after time this isn't easy for a young man. the he knew he could do that on his own. he worked hard at hilton to

overcome his stamina. stu with their all-time great orators. wide wide receiver his coaches never seen anybody with such paeans. he is a skinny kid. i the best pass receiver i have seen as the coach began traveling and he talked to

me about this. and will never forget that conversation. into get a tax return to take a vacation away from the cold of delaware. in a few dollars leftover from the tax returns. right next to them was anot expensive hotel mini timesaving the towel on the fence. to and they're not even what. and it went down to the private beach and he met a

young woman and i'm sure she was a knockout to look at. she went to syracuse and was on the dean's list. that was the beginning of a relationship in the joe was smitten. somet it was something that movies are made of.ut it is of a wonderful story landa

because i can identify so well. there came a time when her father said he is not that much. he comes from a family that is not like ours and she said stop. did not make me choose between you i will choose him. so that was the relationship. and many understand the story quite well. c they were married a short-time later had three children after starting his law practice in new castle delaware he stunned ande embarrassed a few of his friends and relatives did

think i can do it. the full so i cannot overcome certain things but i did.s they and bell went as hard as they could to pull off the incredible upset and and joe biden was elected to the united states senate. his life has been unique in special. on and then to be elected to the senate at 30 years old.

and then just a few weeks later tragedy struck card. injured in a terrible car accident just days before christmas. not even sworn in as a senator pat. his wife was killed the baby girl was killed and grievous -- majorly injured and hospitalize. to be grief-stricken is an understatement and i am usher to have to boys to raise he was not of great

means in strongly considered by cannot be sworn in to the senate. those that treated him as fathers. in with the help of his sister his life would have been completely different because what he got from her from democratic republican senators she wasn't there to replace their mom she was there to help with the boys.reps joe was a remarkable man.

this is a big deal. gcs senator come to nevada. he had one of his boys with the maritime he traveled. with his sister support and other members embarking on a 36 year career unsurpassed in the history of the senate. but that is not the end of his difficulties as you can see was very well conditioned and always has been but as the senator was hospitalized for longtime

one of the first people to call me was joe.ood just head to miss time in the senate does not mean you cannot be a senator he recovered and he and the senate judiciary committee, for relations chair, author of many pieces of legislation. mylan sickens when and to numerous to mention. and then the woman by his side of love story and surpassed joe biden be incredible love story. in the same with his boys

into come with that recommendation we should married jill. not you should married jill. [laughter] and before long they have the new sister ashley. not of family that i know of that were meant to bee biden's. e until bided musses family above all else terrific vice president and is a family man he has traveled the world dignitaries dignitaries, troublespots oftentimes the of president

obama. but as we have heard from the junior senator from delaware, that pales in comparison to the miles he has traveled more than 2 million miles. taking his train home to delaware it would dismiss this area to take care of his boys. i have been told that for

resident of our country using his skills to help with american diplomacy. t and one of the most ambitious plans of cancer research in without my friend lamar alexander this would not have happened in the know the first hand pain and heartache tragically last year beau, a veteran, the attorney general of the state of

delaware was diagnosed with terminal cancer which took his life because the fall of the of the heartbreak challenges joe biden continues his lifework to work hard and do the best that he can he continues to serve his country and to do what is right and to care for his family. i am glad to call senator biden the man of the senate vice president biden, a joken

, and on inspiring man steven spielberg the hollywoodish should be listening i yield the floor. >> it is such a pleasure and an honor to rise and recognize the grandson of ireland sitting in this. chair and a syracuse university graduate. hominy of others can say that but more importantly, one of the most dedicated public servants one of the most successful public-service i ever had's the pleasure to serve with my time in washington. his ancestors came from

ireland and is deeply proud like so many others and thank god for that to use his booming voice to speak out with so many issues we only have little bit of time so i will just focus on theed issues that senator biden led the charge to change america. i worked them on the assault weapons ban that may be what he was proudest was the violence against women act it sounds like a differente world but rape and domestic violence and abuse were considered crimes in which the victim was a much as

faults as the perpetrator if you were beaten and abused her sexually assaulted to be a skeptical criminal-justice system.. that got that his sense ofe justice. so he exploded the myth behind domestic violence i remember hearing his speech against sexual abuse to put together the strongest ever violence against women in law on the books. not only does it make when in safer but men better and pushed society for word. the work on this is not over but to there are literally millions of women you both physical and mental because of the courage and the

legislative brilliance of the then senior senator from the great state of delaware.rite i could go on and on you could almost right of book was where he almost single-handedly changed the world, also just a great friend and a leader to so many of us. aft i was elected to the house was with the issue that i wanted was college affordability. i had run for the city on the promise to make college which a and tax-deductible so introduce my bill and make my speech. i get ready to lead the way on what i thought was my issue.e i s and the call comes to my office from the chief of staff mr. biden has been s working on this issue 10

years to work on something else laugh laugh that was the nice version. of course, me in my brand-new office were in a panic for guided not know what to do i am sitting on the floor feeling forlornthe h why did i even come here as a senior member of that house? and i feel an arm on my shoulder and it looked up and there is a revered and exalted senator joe bidenon and he says to me i vendor states to have your college tuition tax deduction bill bill, go-ahead and take the issue i know what it is like for a new senator to carve their own path. how many times can anyan say freshman said that any senior senator said that to them? they can. because he is unique natalie

a towering figure ready has a good part and looks out for the members of this body always has, and does to this day and always will because a i know all of his accomplishments he is our senator. mr. president, mr. vice president, thing. . . earhart and passion to bring every ounce of yourself to public-service commission and thank you for the lesson of humility and leadership you taught me when i first came into leadership. i yield the floor san miguel like to rise and talk about l our friendship. toupees to be to a dedicated public servant and vice president joe biden.

so i have the distinct privilege of surveying as anybody knows he is not an ordinary senator. . . his genuine sincerity to allies. transcended partisan boundaries. he will never let politics stand in the way of friendship. one minute scalding you from the senate floor, the next minute hugging yo you in the hallway, hugging you and asking about see your grandkids and speaking from personal experience we found

ourselves on opposite sides of almost every major issue. that's not quite true. we've agreed on a lot of things but until this battle he proved himself to be a political opponent and enabled sparring partner whether on the senate floor or the judiciary committee indeed of occasions sometimes on a daily basis and we were at oddsy about as often as we were on c-span. joe biden was loved by everybody in the chamber even those he tht drove crazy from time to time, and i count myself among that group and the ability to forge s friendship she embodies the east coast of the generation of legislators, the generation that

embraced the compromise above all else. i believe this body and this nation could learn from the examples of kindness, courtesyn. and compassion. for 17 years, then senator biden served as the ranking member of the judiciary committee overseeing some of the most significant court appointments, at the time. chairing the senate judiciary committee is no easy task. i know because i've been there. on this site of the milky way for that matter it takes a certain kind of political genius for the lofty ambitions but joe is more than up to the task as both chairman and ranking member he was tough and tenacious but decent and fair and through his trademark work ethic, he won the respect of every member of the

committee. he also served admirably as the ranking member in the foreign relations committee and in this capacity he played an indispensable role shaping thert foreign policy. when he was tasked to be the nat vice president, venetian gain a wise capable leader withis unparalleled experience in public affairs. he was up and serving as the leg intermediary between the president and legislators on more than one occasion his relationships with lawmakers and the negotiating skills garnishes some of the greatest obstacles.v he was the trusted adversary and a valuable in late 2012, something i wasn't sure we could resolve. also a brilliant ambassador for the country leveraging the foreign policy expertise.

having experienced tremendous loss in his family life from the reservoir of everyday americans. ask anyone. mos he's perhaps the most personal public figure in american politics today joe biden has become a fixture of the life ano today.

although it is drawing to a close i am confident that his service to the nation will onlya continue to. he's one of the greatest people that served here in this body and i just want to remind him ws respect him and we'veen h appreciated him when he's put politics aside and spoke the truth. he's a wonderful man, and i wish him the best and they will be ie to help if he needs it. the senator from vermont. t

>> i enjoy calling you by that title. i hope you do, too. because you know that you can easily tell she's showing you the qualification for either one. let me speak as president. on some of the occasions it has been a constant for the nation. he would serve longer in this body than any other member here. i look at the fact you served longer than i have and so is the

other longest-serving member, i look at you as my senior senator and i'm delighted to be your junior. people told me i'm far too young to get elected to the senate. my predecessor is somebody elected here and served if you came for the party if your arm around me and said it would be r nice to have someone i can look up to, and i was 34. i

that helped of course. we served on the judiciary committee and worked on such duties as the supreme courtrimil nominations, civil rights, criminal justice system and theb when yo you're the chairman of e foreign relations committee anda bring to the rest of the world american guidance it's how much i enjoy traveling with you. the liberty taught him one story

when the four of us were in paris we had gone out to dinner, we were coming back you were tower behind you and i snapped a picture. th we never lie to each other but there was once annihilated because you asked where is the picture and i said i think i've we i apologize. we are conspiring and they know your wonderful wife gave it to t you for an anniversary present.

i think of the stories i canoor tell. somehow it came from iowa and we would tell irish stories. we worked together and bring others in from both parties. i remember you and the others showing all of us how you found common ground. you would get things together. and i respect you so much for

that. learned i learned something else on the judiciary committee. i learned the schedule.. [laughter] we were reminded that kind of trade was going to delaware. i know you kept in good shape because you could run in three minuteand threeminutes to the st on the train where you would go home to later joe and ashley because even though you were the pres senate, and later as vice president, you were first and foremost, father and husband. you and i talked about that this summer when you came to the

mound. you've gone through tragedy and glory that remained yourselves after all of it. there were evenings when you let this irish italian boy come in and said as a member of the and irish, when we speak of our values we speak of america we speak of friendship. i'm glad to be here on the floor with you.

i yield the floor.ew the occupant of the chair to commend his long and honorable service to the united states and to thank him for his friendship. ca mr. president, and i know how much you enjoy me calling you mr. president, we served together for three decades and we've been friends for almost 4o years. i used to carry your bags on overseas trips. i reasoned that it ever since but that was part of my job description escorting and handling logistics including making certain everyone's luggage arrived at destinations. back then, some senators unlike the 100 egalitarians that occupied the senate today could

be a little high-handed. a few held at the opinion of themselves and exceeded the esteem which their colleagues and constituents helped amanda. if they paid any attention to the staff it is only because we have annoyed them somehow. but not my friend joe biden. he was courteous to everyone even the people that didn't always deserve it as an example how a powerful person with character and class treats anyone in a subordinate position. he treats them with humility, as god's children, with dignity equal to his own. he was later observed dancing oe

a tabletop with senato table to. lovely wifein jill. i don't recall witnessing such an event like myself and actually having it happen eith either. he was lucky the moves and fewuh other senators would have seen. many years have passed since we shared those adventures and many have transpired personal, public for the reworked into disappointment and the challenges. we were still young men when we came to the senate. they both teste passed the bibll threescore intent.

this place, the united states senate has been central and here we worked together on the country's challenges. here we fought and argued over the country's direction who would compromise and join forces to serve the public interest. here we watched history made and made our small contributions. we've both been known to hold a strong opinion or two. we would rather make the points emphatically than electrically. i know that jill appreciates the adage i tried to follow in my public life. when we have had differences of opinion over the years we managed to make the positions crystal clear to each other.

they cling to the expectation that we can persuade the restatements. i think deep down we know bett better. a devoted father and husband in a genuine patriot who puts the country before himself. a i know that it's been a great privilege to call him my friend. mr. president, if i haven't made it clear to you over the years how much i appreciate your friendship and i've admired you, i beg your forgiveness. haven

i remember i remembered his impt historical figures but i haven't done one who was the better man than you.t you were an exemplary public coy servant and on behalf of the country and the senate, thank you for your lifetime service to america. thank you for your example. how to remain the same firs gooy you were when you got here. for friendship, my life and the lives of many have been enriched by it. thank you mr. president is a story about an irish band

walking down the street the past two guys that were fighting and asked them is this a private a fight or can anybody get into it. wow, you know a little bit about that, don't you mr. vice w president. 30 years or more you've always been ready to fight and never walked away from a good fight for good cause. your public career has been marked by so many amazing victories but also you have had the joy and passion, determination and accomplishments. your legislative achievements have been recounted on the floor today. and one of them i'm sure you arn most proud of as the violence against women act. you made a big difference in the lives of so many people that you will never meet in protecting them and giving them hope in the hopeless circumstance. between 1993 when your bill was vi

passed, 2010, the rate of violence declined by 67% in the united states. we often wonder when we passed and signed to the president whether they could make ang difference. we know that your unsparing effort came to many significant differences. in a i admit my nine years ago when i was running around forever in a recreational vehicle. it was with my fellow senator by the name of barack obama running for president and we were in the back as he was cruising through florida and we were talking about the potential running mates. someone who could be his vice president. we went through a short list. we came to your name and i said the soon-to-be president, then my colleague could get better choice than joe biden. i know him as a person, i know

him as a fellow senator. you would be blessed to have him on your team. he made that choice and even though at the beginning i'm sure both of you wondered is this going to work, and it did. i'm reminded of the famous poet. he wrote history shows don't l hope on this side of the grave but then the once-in-a-lifetime kind of along the tidal wave of justice can rise up and hope and history rhyme. hope you and history certainly did rise. things that you've been able to achieve this president has made a difference in america andf millions of lives. when we are losing 800 jobs a

month making sure wall street didn't make the same mistakes again and making sure some father didn't face the differe heartbreak of no health insurance and made a difference in their lives and just this hae week who knows what will happen as a result of this investment in your son's name but somethin. good is going to happen for a lot of people around this country and i'm glad that the name is closely associated with it. there is an old story that goes the day came i haven't had a chance to drive the car in a the long time i don't use it in the back and i will drive and the storiestory says he started drig the car, started speeding and got pulled over. ca and the policemen looked inside

the car and looked out again and looked back and said excuse me.e i've got an extraordinary circumstance. i pulled over a car with someone very important and he said who is it and he said i don't know but he has a pope for a driver. the reason i remember that story as i was on air force two with vice presidential biden and we flew him home to delaware. i was to attach an amtrak train that wilmington and you said no i'm going to take you up to the train. so the train is pulling in the station and you look at what i have for a ticket. you need a real ticket i will get it for you. you took off running with the secret service trailing behind k you and i'm thinking am i going to make this train, is he going to make it back to the secret t

service trailing behind you. all these passengers were lookinlooking as the vice presit ran up to me, handed me a ticket and said go ahead and get on the train. other people had no idea i wasg but a new i must be somebodyleee important.l [laughter] let me say another importanto be word. you embody what i consider to be the best of public life but only in your commitment to people that are less fortunate around the world, that your genuine sense of caring and good heart. i can't recall when my colleague had a son that was sick with cancer and that was one person who called every day to make sure he was doing well. that's the way that you are not only build a friendship, but you build a reputation with someoneb who really cares.ife

i rise to pay tribute to a person that had a chum and his impact on my life and career in the senate and also tremendous impact on the country and the united states of america. they said we have an opening for a republican on the floor and nobody will take it. will you take it? you're i didn't know price at any time you offer it don't look in the face and he saw me and the committee and said i'm glad you joined our committee.ubcomm i can't get a republican to take it., will you give it.

i've been down there 12 times since and it has become a passion in my career. i also remember the day when the swearing-in took place on the floor and i had my nine grandchildren here to watch me. joe stood there and we all raised our hand and repeated the ceremony that he did on the floor.at do jack who is 7-years-old stopped and he said what you like about the capital he said there is iso way does gore and joe biden said the next time you come here there will be one and i want to tell the vice president he is coming on january 2. and i'm going to tell them they are from joe biden. the credit is what influence het has and i can tell you from that

story is one of many that he has had. for me personally i will never forget the day that he caught me as vice president and said i have the mayor of baltimore and philadelphia to meet with me in deep the canal. i know the port is important tor you that you've been fighting. the port is being met and they e will be four more years. had it not been for the vice president of the united states but more importantly my friend. i don't have the words adequate to tell you i appreciate you as a leader that says more about what you are doing anything i can say.

best of all the people. it may be wise and true but i would rather get my lecture for i may misunderstand you you live the life o of a patriot and act like a gentleman you are my friend and may god bless you anr your family. and i will yield back. / you can watch all of this on the website, c-span.org at the end of the session to capitol hill producer took this video of

the vice president leaving the senate floor to attend a reception in his honor.

the navy and the national park service cohosted. this is an hour and a half.

>> good morning ladies and gentlemen and welcome to today's joint national park service united states navy national pearl harbor remembrance day ceremony. i am the lieutenant commander robert franklin deputy chief of staff for the commander naval service group and i am truly honored to serve as the master of ceremonies on this historic 75th anniversary this is honoring the past and future and we will pay tribute to the members of the greatest generation who paved the way for the current and future