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Mr. BARRASSO. First, Mr. President, I would like to express my deep appreciation, admiration, and respect to both Senator Enzi and Senator Carper for introducing this legislation to honor Bob Brown. There he is. This is actually a picture of us. I am next to him.
When you look at that smile, that is a smile that is as beautiful as the sunrise, as welcoming as a rainbow. What a wonderful man.
He was known by many in Thermopolis as Bob Brown, the nicest guy in town. It was his hometown, and it stayed with him from high school-- 1943.
This Greatest Generation, Mike and Tom, as veterans--having worn the uniform, borne the battle--know that we are losing the Greatest Generation so rapidly. What a generation--World War II, the European theater, the Pacific theater, returning home, working in the post office.
As Senator Enzi said, he was a postal clerk. There was a young lady, Jeralyn, who worked at the local bank, and she would come every day to pick up the mail. She caught his eye, he caught her eye, and they lived and married and were together for 70 years--70 years. They had two wonderful children--Mike Brown and my wife, Bobbi--and a granddaughter, who really was the apple of their eye, Hadley.
But this group--World War II and Korea, as the Senators both mentioned--in the Korean war, Bob was part of the 300th, the Cowboy Cannoneers, an incredible unit--Unit Bravery Citation. He was awarded the Purple Heart. He never talked about it. He was very humble.
He returned to Thermopolis, just took care of people in the community, to the point of serving as postmaster for many of his 44 years at the post office. People knew him, loved him, and admired him.
I know that Mike had a chance to talk to the postmaster in Thermopolis yesterday about what we were going to do. She had actually known Bob, as anyone in town had, and was very grateful for having known him.
Last year Bob and Jerry celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. We lost Jerry this spring, and on 9/11 we lost Bob. He passed away at the age of 94. He was surrounded by his loving family. And his daughter Bobbi truly is, as Senator Enzi said, the caregiver. I say she is a saint. People who know her know that to be true.
As we talk about this Greatest Generation, of which Bob was a very significant part, we can think back to the history of this country.
Mr. President, in the Chair, you are a marine, and you know this. It reminds me of the speech that Abraham Lincoln gave during his first year as President in the White House. On the Fourth of July, there was a flag-raising ceremony, and he gave a very short speech. The speech that Lincoln gave that day was: It is my job to raise the flag. And then to everyone else there, he said: And it is your job to keep it up.
Like you, Mr. President; you, Senator Enzi; you, Senator Carper--Bob Brown was one to keep it up.
Since we have bipartisan cosponsors and sponsors of this legislation, let me then talk about John Kennedy, who at his inaugural talked about this Nation being willing to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, and oppose any foe. That is Bob Brown, all-American.
Ronald Reagan talked about the fact that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not something that we inherited in the bloodstream. It is something that has to be fought for, protected, defended, and then handed down to the next generation to do the same. And that is Bob Brown.
This year is Wyoming's 130th birthday, turned 130 this summer. So, 30 years ago, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Wyoming, and George Herbert Walker Bush, then-President of the United States, came to Wyoming to talk about Wyoming and its history. He said: Wyoming is a very special and sacred place. And he said: The values and divisions of Wyoming continue to inspire America.
Bob Brown's values and his vision continue to inspire everyone who was ever privileged to know him. May he rest in peace.
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