Orrin Hatch: “I rise today in honor of the memory of a humble statesman and an adored colleague and a dear friend, Senator Bob…”

“I rise today in honor of the memory of a humble statesman and an adored colleague and a dear friend, Senator Bob Bennett. Bob passed away peacefully in his house last week with his wife and children gathered around him by his bedside. In the wake of his passing, the Bennett family has witnessed an outpouring of love as thousands of individuals from across the country have reached out to pay their respects to a man who served selflessly to the very end of his service here. To the many expressions of love and admiration that have already been offered in Bob's honor, I wish to add a few words of my own. I had the distinct privilege of serving alongside Bob Bennett for nearly two decades as we jointly represented our beloved State of Utah here in the United States Senate. During the many years of our service together, Bob became more than a respected partner; he was a trusted confidante and a cherished friend. In this Chamber, Senator Bennett was widely revered as a wise and thoughtful leader committed to finding innovative solutions to the most difficult challenges of the day. But above all else, he was a passionate fighter for the people of Utah, who were always foremost in his mind. I have never met someone so committed to his constituency as Senator Bennett was to the people of Utah. It is no exaggeration to say that every Utahn has benefited from Bob's public service.…”