Alan Simpson: “I thank my friend from Alaska, Mr. President. Just let me pay my own personal tribute for a moment to Howard Greene.…”

“I thank my friend from Alaska, Mr. President. Just let me pay my own personal tribute for a moment to Howard Greene. When I came here to the Senate with Senator Warner, our first meeting, our first official conduct, our first official briefing, was with one Bill Hildenbrand and with Howard Greene, very special people, both of them. They worked so well together. These two smoothed my path in this place, and certainly Howard Greene was, in my role as assistant leader of the Senate, always there. He was there. He gave me full measure of himself, as so many have here who do the work of the Senate. Those who are here today who knew Howard, worked with him closely, he was always there for me in my role as assistant leader. As I say, he gave me full measure--loyal, helpful, persistent, a source of good counsel--and a strong, yes, yes, strong, taskmaster. He was good at organizing things, the official visits, the trips, the Presidential funerals, the official trips we had to do, and he was always well organized. He will be remembered for his love and loyalty to the Senate as an institution, for he loved this place from his youth and from his early beginnings. He was my strong right arm in my work, and I owe him my deepest thanks and respect. I shall miss his good humor, ribald as it was. I wish him well. There is much more for him to do in life. I wish him well. I wish him peace of mind. I wish him good health. He has many friends. He can certainly always know that this is one.…”