Chris Coons: “I am honored to have the opportunity to join my colleagues and rise today to speak in tribute to my friend Senator Bob…”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to join my colleagues and rise today to speak in tribute to my friend Senator Bob Corker and in recognition of his remarkable service to our Nation here in the Senate of the United States. Senator Corker and his staff have left an astonishing legacy of tireless energy, engagement, and productivity, and I am thrilled to have a few minutes to follow on the comments of the majority leader and the senior Senator from his home State of Tennessee. When I first came here as a freshman in 2010, I partnered with Senator Joe Manchin, who was elected at the same time as I was in a special election. We decided that the first thing we had to do was to go to Afghanistan and see our troops in harm's way. Having never been a Senator before, I had no idea how one went about getting to Afghanistan, but Senator Manchin assured me he had it under control and it was all going to be just fine. Just a few weeks later, I ended up on an airplane with two Senators I had never heard of--Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Bob Corker of Tennessee. Maybe I had heard of them, but I certainly had never met them and knew little about them. As we all got engaged in this trip--we went to Pakistan and Afghanistan--I learned more and more about Bob Corker. You just heard it, but I will repeat it. Possessing a fierce work ethic, incredible intellect, and a determination to get things done, Mr.…”