Max Baucus: “1 year ago the Senate, Minnesota, and our Nation suffered a great loss. I remember that day clearly. I was in Great…”

“1 year ago the Senate, Minnesota, and our Nation suffered a great loss. I remember that day clearly. I was in Great Falls attending the Montana Farmers Union Convention. I was in such disbelief. Senator Wellstone, his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, three of his staffers Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin, and two pilots tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in northern Minnesota. Senator Wellstone, known to everyone simply as Paul, served his state of Minnesota for 12 years. Paul was a special person for whom I had the highest personal regard. Though I may not have always agreed with Paul on all the issues, I always respected him as he expressed his views with such passion and conviction. Paul was frequently seen on the Senate floor giving impassioned speeches on different issues. He was always fighting for the little guy, the underdog. Whether it was providing disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers, working mental health parity, or helping the less fortunate in our society, Paul was always fighting for what he believed in. I was fortunate to sit with Paul on the Senate Agricultural Committee. Though Paul may not have sat at the head of the table, he made it clear that his message was important and that everyone heard it. I was proud and grateful to have Paul on my team fighting for natural disaster assistance for farmers in 2001 and 2002.”