glenn and some bald guy. it was me, of course. we went there. we flew back, my son and annie were traveling around. on land the plane in a stiff crosswind. the pontoon in and out on it, blowing sideways. i didn't worry. it was john glenn. he turned to me with a big wink and said i have never been so frightened in my life. i don't think john ever got frightened by anything. my heart nearly stopped. i appreciate my friend from iowa.

john was one of the best people i ever served with. i speak about what it was like coming here as a brand-new senator. anytime i was asked about that, talk about the fact that i came here, was sworn in with john glenn. >> mister president, today our country lost an american hero, colonel john glenn, senator john glenn. i will be back at a later date to deliver a more formal tribute with my colleague senator portman but i want to share initial thought as i, my wife connie and so many ohioans join so many around the country that loved him and cared for him and

respected him. one of the great blessings of my life to get to know john glenn and for connie and me to count him as friends. we remember a few short years ago on the 50th anniversary of his flight into space, the night before we had dinner with john and annie, his children david and len and his daughter in law, david's wife and how interesting and joyous it was just to hear him recount his experiences, so much of what he has done. we loved him, we miss him, we will draw strength and wisdom from the lessons he shared with us over the years. first time i met john glenn, 1969. it was colonel glenn long before he was elected to the senate. colonel glenn 2n eagle scout dinner in mansfield, ohio. only a 4 - a few short weeks earlier, in my court of honor i was awarded the eagle scout award, was 16 years old.

i got to meet colonel glenn, his words inspired us, he stayed with me and we looked for ways to serve community and country. 38 years john granted me the honor of walking me down the center aisle, when senators are sworn in, any term they serve they are accompanied by a senator from their state or a former senator, that senator seem to be sworn in and i chose to walk down with my friend and former senator john glenn. john's kindness, he had a humility and kindness unusual in this business and somebody with his level of accomplishment. his kindness, intelligence and courage, his commitment to service set an example. his legacy will live on not just in the pages of history books

but through the americans he inspired whether it was passion for exploration that led him to join nasa. dedication to country the called him to the armed forces, a desire to make the world a better place but let him to public service. john will live on in the hearts of everyone who knew him including his wonderful wife annie and his children, len and david. i spoke with annie and john on their 73rd wedding anniversary and annie told me the story, i knew they knew each other in grade school, they dated, don't know exactly when which i asked if they wanted to marry in high school and she said yes but her parents said they couldn't do that because it wouldn't last so they waited until after pearl harbor, married for 73 years. ohio and the united states loss a great light today but that

pales in comparison to what we gained over 95 years on earth. i hope my colleagues will join me in sending love and prayers to john's family during this difficult time over the holidays which i heard john glenn at stories even today when the ceremony unveiling the portrait of democratic leader harry reid took place in the russell building. a number of former colleagues of john's came up to me and they had just heard of his death that afternoon so i thank them for their memories and remembrance. >> i rise today on a sad occasion to talk about the loss of an american icon. is a fellow ohio and. he held a seat in the united states senate, he is one of our true heroes, and astronaut, fighter pilot, successful business person, senator and later someone who helped young people across the state of ohio

through establishing his own school at ohio state university. we lost john glenn at age 95, i was watching the coverage on television about his career and focused a lot on his orbiting the earth, being the first person to orbit the earth in friendship 7. a capsule you can see at the air and space museum, not much bigger than two of these desks put together but somehow he wedged himself in and did something heroic and important to america in a spaceflight competition with the soviets. he is the one who did it. i did not hear much about his career before being a famous astronaut, what he did after that, amazing feat. i want to talk about the fact i appreciate my colleagues tomorrow help me paying tribute to him through a senate resolution was prior to his being a famous astronaut he was a famous american hero in my

mind because he was a fighter pilot who signed up after pearl harbor, the 75th anniversary of which we celebrate it this week. he flew 59 missions as a fighter pilot in world war ii. he later flew 90 missions in korea. he was highly decorated as a fighter pilot. as a test pilot he broke the transcontinental flight time record as a jet pilot. and then he decided to join the astronaut corps. he was part of that group of astronauts who became famous later being called the right stuff. he was the right stuff. he had a successful career in business and decided he loved public service, wanted to be in the united states senate, won election to the united states senate and was reelected in my home state of ohio and i served with him during part of his time. i was in the house, he worked in the senate, he was on the same committee as my colleague from delaware, both have chaired it, government affairs committee, he

loved the government. one of his big issues with stopping unfunded federal mandates. i was the sponsor on the republican side, he was democrat sponsor, we were in the rose garden for a ceremony. he was tenacious was an issue not all democrats agreed with him on but he did it in the name of good government. we worked on other project that his focus was always on his state, the people he represented and how to make their lives better. after his senate career he started a new project, public affairs at ohio state university. i had the honor of teaching there before running to the senate. i was a co-teacher of four different courses and got to know john glenn in a different way. he asked me to join the advisory board. i am still on the advisory board, we elevated the school to a college. this was john glenn's greatest single accomplishment in the latter years of his life.

an institution where young people can come and be inspired to go to public service, he loved that school and those students, he chaired a board meeting only last month, did it with humor as he always did and compassion. one of his big issues he talked about was he wanted to have a leadership institute to inshore more young people could understand the importance of government service which he felt was a noble undertaking, military service, government service, service greater than yourself. we lost an american icon. he was also a man who loved and loved his family. his wife, annie glenn, many of us know in this chamber. we love her because she was an amazing woman and her own right. 73 years they were married, they virtually grew up together.

annie glenn was at his side constantly and that relationship, their partnership is an example for my wife jane and me and all of us in this chamber. earlier this year, mister president, my staff and i had retreats in ohio, brought dc staff and ohio staff together to talk about how to better serve our constituents. i asked john glenn to address that group. our staff had the opportunity to sit and talk to john glenn about his career but more importantly to talk about his passion for public service. the mission he gave us was one of honor and respect and decency for our constituents and to serve the people. that was his life. john glenn's life story touches our hearts today and his life story also is part of american history. i yield back. >> mister president. >> senator from delaware. >> i want to thank our

colleagues from ohio for recalling the memory of the life of john glenn. i was privileged in ohio state, retired navy captain, huge admirer of john glenn in his prime. my finest memories of him, ohio state football team a few years ago. at halftime, the senator from ohio, football games at halftime, spelled out the words ohio and usually one of the two players dances around and.plaps the eye. for fans used to that happening on this particular occasion the tuber came forward to. the eye.

to the amazement and delight of several hundred thousand fans which the president's box -- i am not sure. maybe my friend from ohio as well, what a joyous memory. when he ran for president, i was pleased to support him. he didn't stay in the race for long. he was a great marine, great pilot, great astronaut come a great senator and would have been a great leader for our country. alan simpson, senator from wyoming, nothing else matters if you don't have -- nothing else matters. look up the word integrity in the dictionary you see john glenn's picture. thank you for your kind, wonderful words. thanks for letting me say a few words we

>> former astronaut in us senator john glenn has died. senator glenn was born in cambridge, ohio in 1921. after the attack on pearl harbor he quit college to enlist in the u.s. army air corps, he flew 149 combat missions in world war ii and gloria. he joined nasa in 1958 and on february 20, 1962, he became the first american to orbit the earth. john glenn served as us senator from ohio from 1974 to 1999. he died at james cancer hospital at ohio state university. he was 95. >> current government funding ends today, the senate works shortly extending until april 28, 2017. democrats holding up the continuing resolution to fund the government as they push for

a 1-year extension of healthcare for thousands of miners and their families, now includes a four month extension is one of the senators behind that, joe mentioned, was scheduled to meet with donald trump in new york, that has been postponed until monday, senate coming in, live coverage on c-span2. the president pro tempore: the senate will come to order. the chaplain, dr. barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. great and eternal god, we refue to forget your generous blessings that bring joy to our lives. you satisfy us with good things