Statements on the passing of Sen. Ted Stevens

Ted Stevens' family:

Alaska and the nation, he so loved, have lost a great man. We have lost a tremendous husband and father and grandfather. He loved Alaska with all his heart. He was a guiding light through Statehood and the development of the 49th State. Now that light is gone but the warmth and radiance of his life and his work will shine forever in the last frontier. His legacy is the 49th star on the American flag.

In Washington, Ted was always willing to cross the aisle to accomplish great things. He was a tireless defender of our armed forces. He was a leader in so many endeavors: conservation of our fisheries, responsible development of our national resources and harnessing the potential of the state and nation he loved so dearly.

He was a patriot and a true American success story. He came from humble roots but willed his way through flight school, service in World War II, Harvard law school and all the way to the U.S. Senate. He loved the Senate and was a fierce advocate of its role in our Democracy and its responsibility under the Constitution which reserves the power of the purse to the legislative branch.

We grieve for the dear friends who also lost their lives and we thank the courageous men and women of the Alaskan Command, the Alaska National Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaska State Troopers for their rescue and recovery efforts.

President Barack Obama:

A decorated World War II veteran, Senator Ted Stevens devoted his career to serving the people of Alaska and fighting for our men and women in uniform. Michelle and I extend our condolences to the entire Stevens family and to the families of those who perished alongside Senator Stevens in this terrible accident.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar:

My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Stevens' family and the loved ones of all those killed and injured in the terrible tragedy near Dillingham. Senator Stevens was a friend and colleague. From his courage in World War II, his work for Alaska statehood and his time at the Department of the Interior to his years of leadership in the U.S. Senate, Senator Stevens left behind a lifetime of service. We have lost a dedicated public servant for our country, the United States Senate, and Alaska.

Sen. Mark Begich:

Alaska has lost one of its greatest statesmen and a true pioneer of our state with the passing of Senator Ted Stevens. Over his four decades of public service in the U.S. Senate, Senator Stevens was a forceful advocate for Alaska who helped transform our state in the challenging years after Statehood. Senator Stevens' many contributions to Alaska are enormous and his legacy of fierce devotion to Alaska will be long-lasting.

Deborah and I join all Alaskans in praying for Senator Stevens' wife, Catherine, and his extended family. Let us also remember the other victims of this terrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are also with their families.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski:

Last night, Alaska lost a hero and I lost a dear friend. The thought of losing Ted Stevens, a man who was known to business and community leaders, Native chiefs and everyday Alaskans as ‘Uncle Ted,' is too difficult to fathom. His entire life was dedicated to public service—from his days as a pilot in World War II to his four decades of service in the United States Senate. He truly was the greatest of the ‘Greatest Generation.'

The love and respect that Alaskans of all persuasions feel toward Ted Stevens is on a par with what the American people felt towards leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ronald Reagan. Ted had the vision of a John Kennedy that Alaskans are an exceptional people who would achieve great things in his lifetime; the compassion of a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in devoting his life to alleviating the Third World conditions that plagued Alaska's Native people; and the unwavering strength of a Ronald Reagan whether fighting for the men and women of our military or for Alaska's right to develop ANWR and its abundant natural resources.

On this sad and tragic day, we pray for all those who have perished, as well as the survivors and their families. I ask Alaskans to join me today in prayer.

Rep. Don Young:

My deepest sympathies and my prayers go out to all of the families of those who were killed in this plane crash. This is an absolute tragedy for Alaska and for its people. Ted was a very close, personal friend of me and my family. I used to babysit his kids, and he would babysit mine. He's been my mentor, first in the State Legislature, and then as our Senior Senator and I will miss him a great deal. Ted is a true Alaskan hero, and a hero for our nation. I am a man of strong faith and I know that he is in heaven continuing the good Lord's work as he did here on earth. I will continue to pray for Catherine, the kids, and the families of all of the other victims on board. May God bless them all.