ms. stabenow: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from michigan. ms. stabenow: mr. president, carl levin has been my senator for 36 years. and it has been one of the great honors of my life to serve for the last 14 years as his partn partner as well as his friend representing michigan. the year he was elected, greece was the year's highest -- "grease" was the year's highest grossing moving. "and "staying alive" was the nation's highest grossing movie. and you should see senator levin dance. so he's outlasted disco, the soviet union, and all six people who challenged him in elections, including an astronaut. that's because, mr. president, integrity never goes out of style. and senator levin has never wavered in his devotion to michigan and to his country. he's brought that patriotism as we've heard today and as we each know to the armed services committee. no one has done more to ensure that our men and women in uniform are battle ready with the supplies and technology they need to be the best military in the world other than him. or to make sure they receive good pa

ms. stabenow: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, there was an opportunity this session to work together in a bipartisan way to provide certainty around the tax code for families and farmers and businesses, at least for 2014 and 2015. there may still be a small window of opportunity to get things done. i certainly support doing that if we can. but i want to speak to the importance of having some certainty at least through the end of 2015 as it relates to our tax policy for investing, for the economy, for homeowners to make decisions. back in april, thanks to the leadership of chairman wyden and ranking member hatch, those of us on the senate finance committee worked together closely and passed the expire act, a bipartisan bill that would renew tax provisions for 2014 and 2015 so that, again, people can plan -- business, farmers -- at least through that two-year period. it would give businesses and families across the country the certainty that they desperately need. unbelievably, back at the time when we brought it to the

ms. stabenow: mr. president, first let me start by saying as senator harkin was so eloquently speaking today, it reminded me of a story of those going by the casket of president roosevelt and the reporter stopping someone and saying did you know president roosevelt? and he said no, but he knew me. there are people across this country, people with disabilities, workers, folks trying hard to get up that ladder want to know there's rungs on it or be able to stay in the middle class who may not be able to say they know senator tom harkin personally, but he knows them. and we are so grateful and i'm personally grateful for your friendship and your leadership and mentorship. and i want to speak just for a moment as chair of the agriculture and nutrition and forestry committee where i had to follow the tough act of senator tom harkin writing the previous two farm bills. he has shaped agriculture and food and nutrition policy in the house and senate for 40 years, having a tremendous impact, more than we can ev