Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I wish today to congratulate Senator Ted Stevens on becoming the longest serving Republican Senator in U.S. history.…”

“I wish today to congratulate Senator Ted Stevens on becoming the longest serving Republican Senator in U.S. history. Senator Stevens has served in the Senate for over 38 years, and this milestone is a lasting tribute to his outstanding record for the people of Alaska and for the people of America. On a personal note, I have always enjoyed working with Senator Stevens, and it has been a true privilege to collaborate with him on some of the most important issues facing our great Nation--including energy, healthcare, and national defense. Senator Stevens' service to the United States didn't begin when he stepped inside this Chamber; rather, his service began decades earlier--during some of the most harrowing days of World War II. Senator Stevens was part of the ``greatest generation'' who fought and won that global struggle for freedom--flying a C-47 in the China Burma India theater. Incredibly, over 1,000 of Senator Stevens' fellow airmen died ``flying the hump'' and elsewhere in the Chinese Burma India theater--a sobering reminder of the high price of freedom. For his heroic efforts, Senator Stevens later received two Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air Medals, as well as the Yuan Hai medal awarded by the Republic of China.”