Cord Byrd: “when one speaks of the State of Idaho, we think of her glorious and rugged landscape, her fertile valleys, her waters…”

“when one speaks of the State of Idaho, we think of her glorious and rugged landscape, her fertile valleys, her waters ideal for fishing, her world-class ski resorts, her national parks and forests, with land fit for hiking, or biking, and, of course, her reputation as the potato capital of the world. Following the end of the 105th Congress, I daresay that our associations to the State of Idaho will also include the name of Dirk Kempthorne, the state's junior Senator and one of this body's most respected Members. Although our friend from the west is leaving the Senate after only one six-year term, I, for one, will remember him fondly for years to come. Senator Kempthorne and I formerly served together as Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Personnel Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee. We worked together to introduce legislation requiring the study of gender integrated training in the military. That association has been pleasant, and, I believe, productive. To be sure, I have not always agreed with his policy proposals, or he with mine. On many issues, including the balanced budget constitutional amendment and the unfunded mandates legislation, we have held opposing views. Throughout the lengthy debate on the unfunded mandates bill in early 1995, the Senator was conscientious, thorough, and fair. His grace and courtesy in managing that bill were impressive, particularly for someone so new to the Senate.”