Orrin Hatch: “I wish to speak today in remembrance of former Senator Robert Stafford, who passed away this past December and for whom…”

“I wish to speak today in remembrance of former Senator Robert Stafford, who passed away this past December and for whom we will be having a memorial service this evening. I personally remember Bob as a moderate voice in the Senate, never putting partisan politics above his principled ideals. He and I served together on the Senate Committee of Labor and Human Resources in the early 1980s, beginning when I was a relatively young first-term Senator chairing the committee and Bob was beginning his third decade of congressional service. I often found Bob's advice and counsel to be helpful in handling many of the issues which came before the committee. I, personally, remember what a profound influence Bob had on the Labor and Human Resources Committee while I was chairman. As a young chairman and a relatively new Member of the Senate, I was sometimes frustrated with the way Bob and Senator Lowell Weicker often voted with the Democrats on almost every issue. This disparity of views within my committee forced me to work even harder to forge worthwhile and well-thought-out bipartisan compromises in order to move important legislation. This proved to be an enormous challenge but one that shaped my career and made me a better legislator. There is no question that challenges and beliefs of Bob and Lowell made me the legislator I am today.”