Orrin Hatch: “I wish to join everyone here in thanking Kay for her great service in the Senate. I have worked closely with her on a…”

“I wish to join everyone here in thanking Kay for her great service in the Senate. I have worked closely with her on a wide variety of issues. I have to say she is a fierce advocate. In fact, I have to say all our women Senators have been fierce advocates, and we have benefited from them being here. Kay has paved the way for Senators--both male and female--to truly become better Senators and in many cases great Senators. Kay Bailey Hutchison is a great Senator. She worked her guts out the whole time she was here. She is still here, but she is going to retire at this time and she has represented Texas well. All I can say is she has been my friend all this time. When I needed help from her, she was always there. I tried to be there for her when she needed help as well. She has not only been a delightful person to be around but a very intelligent lawyer. She fought for what she believed--most of which I believed in--in a way nobody could truly ever get mad at Kay Bailey Hutchison. She is a wonderful person, wonderful mother, and we are going to miss her terribly. This is a body where we could use a few more women Senators--maybe a lot more than a few. They are very good people who work very hard and not the least of whom is Kay Bailey Hutchison. I remember at times when I had difficulties with the BRAC system and difficulties with special NASA problems, and so forth, we always worked together.…”