Heidi Alexander: “my late friend Alex Haley, the author of ``Roots,'' lived his life by the motto ``Find the Good and Praise It.'' That is…”

“my late friend Alex Haley, the author of ``Roots,'' lived his life by the motto ``Find the Good and Praise It.'' That is an easy thing to do when talking about Barbara Mikulski, a friend and colleague with whom I have worked closely since I joined the Senate. I would like to add my congratulations to those of my colleagues on Senator Mikulski reaching the milestone of becoming the longest serving woman in Congress. This is a remarkable achievement for a remarkable woman. For over 35 years, that is almost 13,000 days, Barbara Mikulski has dedicated herself to serving the people of Maryland and representing them here in Congress. Although Senator Mikulski is a proud partisan, she is one of the best advocates of bipartisanship. She understands the need to work together, to learn from one another's point of view, and to strike a deal so that each side can get something of value and move forward. I have found that when you have Barbara Mikulski by your side in a debate you always seem to win. She brings passion and dedication and tenacity to every issue she works on. Her love of the Senate, Congress in general, and the American people is infectious. When Senator Mikulski and I have worked together it has always been a delightful experience.…”