Isaacson, and were expecting to break this afternoon so they can attend their caucus meetings. Now live here on the floor of the senate on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will open the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Our father, be with us not only in great moments of experience but also during mundane and common tasks. Through the power of your spirit, may our senators mount up with wings like eagles, running without weariness and walking without fainting. Give them the wisdom to be patient with others, ever lenient to their faults and ever prompt to appreciate their virtues. Lord, rule in the hearts of our lawmakers, keeping them from sin and sustaining their loved ones in all of their tomorrows. Surround us all with the shield of your mercy as you provide us with a future and a hope, and blessings too numerous to be stored. We pray in your sovereign name. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting
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 enjo
Johnny would win in a bipartisan landslide. Quite possibly in a unanimous vote. He commands bipartisan respect andti affection. To a degree thats truly remarkable. If you think about it, it makeso sense than a man his personal mantra goes like this. This is what he says, theres only two kinds of people, friends and future friends. For most people, that might be a noble aspiration. But unrealistic. But for johnny its a statement of fact. Nobody is an enemy, nobody is a stranger, just friends and future friends. Thats it. With a motto like that, its no wonder that johnnys first career was a successful step in real estate. A field in which relationships are everything. It strikes me two ways. You can strive it and the business with friendships and Connections Matter so much. You could either be good at making a smile, at feigning interest in others, or you could genuinely love meeting everybody and learning how you might be able to help them. That second kind of person, as exactly who ed
The end of the year. Over the last few months there have been numerous tributes to johnny here on the senate floor. Hes been called a real friend, mentor, more than a colleague, humble and tenacious. They dont come any better. Thats just by democrats. Thats one of the reasons i suggested to leader mcconnell we have a lunch for Johnny Isakson which were having this afternoon. Just like theres good reason to praise Johnny Isakson and the ways democrats did, theres good reason that during his chairmanship isaksons committee passed so many bipartisan bills, 57 to be exact, to help veterans, because he treated everyone democrat, republican, independent, newly elected or Committee Chair with respect. And johnny never let the cynicism of our political times dim his faith in our ability to get something done. He didnt have the loudest voice in the room but it was often the most influential. Thats because he built up years worth of trust. He never doubted his word. He was an honest broker. When
Isakson, what a fine man. Members of this chamber today will hold a bipartisan lunch to say goodbye to one of our most beloved colleagues Johnny Isakson who is retiring before the end of the year. Over the last few months there have been numerous tributes to johnny here on the senate floor. Hes been called a real friend, a mentor, more than a colleague, humble and tenacious, they dont come any better. Thats just my democrats. Thats one of the reasons i suggested to leader mcconnell that we have a lunch for Johnny Isakson which were having this afternoon. Just like theres good reason to praise Johnny Isakson in the ways that democrats did, theres good reason that during his chairmanship isaksons committee passed so many bipartisan bills, 57 to be exact, to help veterans. Because he treated everyone, democrat, republican, independent, newly elected or Committee Chair with respect and johnny never let the cynicism dim his faith in our ability to get something done. He didnt have the loude