John Thune: “Today I rise to honor Senator Craig Thomas, who, very sadly, passed away Monday evening. As all of us in the Senate…”

“Today I rise to honor Senator Craig Thomas, who, very sadly, passed away Monday evening. As all of us in the Senate know, Craig was a respected Member of this body. A number of my colleagues have made very kind remarks on the floor about their relationship with Craig. While I have not served as long in the Senate as have many of my colleagues who knew and worked with Craig over the years, I did have an opportunity to get to know him since being elected to the Senate in 2004. I think one of the most important things we have all witnessed with Craig's passing is the outpouring of support and stories about the people he impacted in the Senate, in Wyoming, and across the country. Without question, the Senate is a lesser place today without Craig's presence. One of the clearest indications of any politician's popularity is his or her support back home. Craig's leadership as the senior member of the Wyoming delegation was overwhelming--primarily due to the confidence he earned from his constituents back in Wyoming. That confidence was something he fought to keep since first being elected to Congress back in 1989. Craig's battle with leukemia was very indicative of the way he led his life and how he worked on behalf of his State and our Nation.”