Kevin Roberts: “I rise today to honor the service of my friend and colleague Sam Brownback. Sam was elected to the House of…”

“I rise today to honor the service of my friend and colleague Sam Brownback. Sam was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 during the Republican Revolution and was subsequently elected to the Senate 2 years later when former majority leader Bob Dole made his bid for the White House. It has been both a privilege and a pleasure serving alongside Sam during these past 16 years. All of us who seek public service want to make a difference, and most certainly, Sam Brownback has done that. In these endeavors I have enjoyed working with Sam in achieving some noteworthy accomplishments for our State of Kansas. As I reflect upon our mutual efforts, it is hard to figure out who was driving the stage and who was riding shotgun. Simply put, it has been a team effort, and I have been both humbled and proud to work with my colleague who has provided unique and respected leadership. Sam's record speaks for itself: bringing the Big Red One back home to Fort Riley, KS, where it started and now belongs; bringing the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, NBAF, to Manhattan, KS; ensuring fair treatment of the general aviation industry in FAA bills; and working together to rebuild Greensburg, KS, after 95 percent of the community was literally blown away by an EF5 tornado.”