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Floor Speech

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Mr. THUNE. Madam President, we all just had the opportunity to hear from our colleague--somebody who I am really going to miss--with his final remarks here on the Senate--well, I don't think his final remarks but certainly his, I guess you call it, going-away speech.

But I just appreciate so much having had the opportunity to work with Senator Portman.

I know that, as he pointed out, staff not only here in the Chamber, around the Capitol, his personal staff--all people who have made profound contributions to that incredible record of accomplishments that he just talked about. That doesn't happen. Anybody who works here for very long realizes the incredible contributions that staff make to getting things done around here. And so I express my appreciation, as he did, to all of them for all you did to make Senator Portman's time here so productive.

And it is great to see his wife Jane, daughter Sally here as well, who are all part of this partnership and this team that all of us know are so critical to being able to make a difference here in the Senate and the many sometimes sacrifices, contributions that they make on a day-in and day-out basis.

But Rob is someone I have gotten to break bread with a lot of times during our years together here in the Senate, and we have become really good friends, and I am going to miss having him here, as I said.

Rob has spent a lot of years in public service serving this country-- 12 years in the House of Representatives, where I first got acquainted with him; U.S. Trade Representative; Director of Office of Management and Budget; and, finally, 12 years here in the U.S. Senate.

I have served with him on the Senate Finance Committee for nearly 10 years, and his going, I will tell you, is a huge loss. He played an indispensable role in the historic tax reform legislation we passed in 2017, particularly with the transition to a modernized international tax system. Our outdated international tax rules had left America's global businesses at a competitive disadvantage in the global economy. And one of our priorities, when it came time to pass tax reform, was ensuring that American businesses could compete on a level playing field with their foreign counterparts.

Between his time in Congress and as Director of OMB and the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, Rob has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to American economic competitiveness and in the international tax system, and he quickly became the lead on that aspect of tax reform-- and not just on that, but on so many aspects on that very complicated piece of legislation.

Our final legislation brought the United States international tax system into the 21st century by replacing our outdated worldwide system with a modernized territorial tax system so that American businesses are not operating at a disadvantage next to their foreign competitors, and we saw an almost immediate positive effect for American businesses, which, of course, means that we saw positive results for American workers. And that is really, in large part, thanks to Rob.

It is an important legacy, and it joins Rob's long list of achievements in public service, some of which, he mentioned, from restraining unfunded mandates on States and securing resources for addiction prevention and treatment, to advancing a pro-world trade agenda good for American workers and businesses alike.

He has also been a strong voice for American leadership and values on the global stage, especially, as he mentioned, as a cofounder of the Senate Ukraine Caucus.

It is sad to see Rob leaving the Senate, but he spent a lifetime helping to build up our country, and I know his contributions won't end here.

I am also happy that he will have more time to spend with his family and with his wife Jane. Jane is terrific. Like me, Rob married up, and I know Rob is looking forward to having more time to spend together.

I also know Rob is planning to get more involved in the family business, the Golden Lamb Inn and Restaurant in Lebanon, OH, which has played host to at least a dozen U.S. Presidents over the years.

And, as I said, while Rob's time in the Senate may be coming to a close, I know that he fully intends to continue doing what he has been doing throughout his career, and that is working to make our country a better and more prosperous place.

Rob, congratulations on your years here in the Senate. I hope you get some very well-deserved rest in the coming months, and I, like everyone else here, look forward to seeing your next chapter.

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