Wayne Allard: “I rise to honor my friend Craig Thomas, the Senator from Wyoming who passed away last night, and to express my sympathy…”

“I rise to honor my friend Craig Thomas, the Senator from Wyoming who passed away last night, and to express my sympathy to Susan, his wife, and to his family and to the people of Wyoming. Joan and I and my staff feel we have had a very special relationship with Craig and Susan and his staff. Two weeks ago the Senate passed S. Res. 130 declaring July 28 as National Day of the American Cowboy. This was the last piece of legislation Senator Thomas pushed through the Senate. It is so true to his spirit. Senator Thomas was himself a cowboy, a roper. He understood that as a symbol of the American West, cowboys represent much more than men on horses. They stand for courage, determination, hard work, and respect for nature. They stand for the West itself and for those who wish to protect and preserve it. His work on the Energy and Environment Committees was a testament as well to his belief that the land we have been blessed with needs stewardship and care, and that those who live on and work with the land are often the best at doing so. Craig tried to take care of the land, especially the Wyoming he loved so much. This connection with the West, his concern for land management, and the way of life of those who lived on the land, should be his legacy. Craig rode forward into the end of his life so bravely that most of us never knew how bad his health was. He told us he was seeking treatment, but the end came quickly and, for him, stoically.”