[Senate Document 105-9]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




 
                             Strom Thurmond

                    U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA

                                TRIBUTES


                           IN THE CONGRESS OF
                           THE UNITED STATES







                                                            S. Doc. 105 9 


                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress


                                   Strom Thurmond

                                United States Senator










                           Compiled  under the  direction

                                       of the

                              Secretary of  the  Senate

                                       by the

                      Office of Printing and Document Services



                                      CONTENTS

             Biography.............................................
                                                                    vii
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Prayer by the Senate Chaplain Dr. Lloyd John 
                  Ogilvie..........................................
                                                                      7
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Abraham, Spencer, of Michigan..................
                                                                     69
                    Ashcroft, John, of Missouri....................
                                                                     10
                    Biden, Joseph R. Jr., of Delaware..............
                                                                     42
                    Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
                                                                      1
                       Poem........................................
                                                                      4
                    Campbell, Ben Nighthorse, of Colorado..........
                                                                     54
                    Chafee, John H., of Rhode Island...............
                                                                     47
                    Coats, Dan, of Indiana.........................
                                                                     18
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                     12
                    Coverdell, Paul, of Georgia....................
                                                                     78
                    Craig, Larry E., of Idaho......................
                                                                     75
                    Daschle, Thomas A., of South Dakota............
                                                                     33
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     60
                    Domenici, Pete V., of Mexico...................
                                                                     35
                    Dorgan, Byron L., of North Dakota..............
                                                                     17
                    Enzi, Michael, of Wyoming......................
                                                                     50
                    Faircloth, Lauch, of North Carolina............
                                                                     36
                    Frist, Bill, of Tennessee......................
                                                                     45
                    Gramm, Phil, of Texas..........................
                                                                     41
                    Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
                                                                     22
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     30
                    Helms, Jesse, of North Carolina................
                                                                     59
                    Hollings, Ernest F., of South Carolina.........
                                                                      4
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     27
                    Kempthorne, Dirk, of Idaho.....................
                                                                     25
                    Kennedy, Edward M., of Massachusetts...........
                                                                     46
                    Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
                                                                     51
                    Lautenberg, Frank R., of New Jersey............
                                                                     53
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                     57
                    Lott, Trent, of Mississippi....................
                                                                   7, 8
                    Lugar, Richard D., of Indiana..................
                                                                     29
                    Mack, Connie, of Florida.......................
                                                                     55
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                     14
                    Moynihan, Daniel P., of New York...............
                                                                     74
                       Poem, Ulysses, by Alfred Lord Tennyson......
                                                                     75
                    Murkowski, Frank H., of Alaska.................
                                                                     68
                    Roberts, Pat, of Kansas........................
                                                                     48
                    Sessions, Jeff, of Alabama.....................
                                                                     56
                    Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama.................
                                                                     77
                    Smith, Gordon, of Oregon.......................
                                                                     23
                    Smith, Robert C., of New Hampshire.............
                                                                     39
                    Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
                                                                     63
                    Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
                                                                      5
                    Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
                                                                     37
                    Thompson, Fred, of Tennessee...................
                                                                     24
                    Thurmond, Strom, of South Carolina.............
                                                                  6, 71
                    Warner, John W., of Virginia...................
                                                                     65
                    Order for printing a Senate document...........
                                                                      8
             Proceedings in the House:
                Tribute by Representative:
                    Spence, Floyd D, of South Carolina.............
                                                                     81
               

                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Strom Thurmond, Republican, of Aiken, SC; attorney and 
             educator; committees: chairman, Senate Armed Services 
             Committee; ranking member, Judiciary; chairman, Armed 
             Services Committee; senior member, Veterans' Affairs; and 
             member, Labor and Human Resources. Family: born December 
             5, 1902, in Edgefield, SC; son of John William and Eleanor 
             Gertrude (Strom) Thurmond; married Jean Crouch of Elko, 
             SC, November 7, 1947 (deceased January 6, 1960); married 
             Nancy Moore of Aiken, SC, December 22, 1968; four 
             children: Nancy Moore (deceased April 14, 1993), James 
             Strom II, Juliana Gertrude, and Paul Reynolds. Education: 
             1923 graduate of Clemson University; studied law at night 
             under his father, admitted to South Carolina Bar 1930, and 
             admitted to practice in all Federal courts, including the 
             U.S. Supreme Court. Professional career: teacher and 
             athletic coach (1923-29), county superintendent of 
             education (1929-33), city attorney and county attorney 
             (1930-38), State senator (1933-38), circuit judge (1938-
             46), Governor of South Carolina (1947-51), serving as 
             chairman of Southern Governors' Conference (1950); 
             practiced law in Edgefield, SC (1930-38) and in Aiken, SC 
             (1951-55); adjunct professor of political science at 
             Clemson University and distinguished lecturer at the Strom 
             Thurmond Institute; and member, President's Commission on 
             Organized Crime, and Commission on the Bicentennial of the 
             Constitution. Military service: Reserve officer for 36 
             years; while serving as judge volunteered for active duty 
             in World War II the day war was declared against Germany; 
             served with Headquarters First Army (1942-46), American, 
             European, and Pacific theaters; participated in Normandy 
             invasion with 82d Airborne Division and landed on ``D'' 
             day; awarded 5 battle stars and 18 decorations, medals, 
             and awards, including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf 
             Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with ``V'', Purple Heart, 
             Belgian Order of the Crown, and French Croix de Guerre; 
             major general, U.S. Army Reserve. Honors and awards: past 
             national president of Reserve Officers Association (ROA) 
             of the United States (1954-55); Clemson University Alumni 
             Association Distinguished Service Award (1961), Clemson 
             Medallion (1981), and Clemson University Athletic Hall of 
             Fame (1983); Disabled American Veterans Outstanding and 
             Unselfish Service Awards (1964 and 1981); Military Order 
             of World Wars Distinguished Service Award (1964); Order of 
             AHEPA Dedicated Public Service Award (1968); WIS Radio-TV 
             (Columbia, SC) ``South Carolinian of the Year'' (1968); 
             33 deg. Mason (1969); first president of ROA to receive 
             ``Minuteman of the Year Award'' (1971); Noncommissioned 
             Officers Association L. Mendel Rivers Award for 
             Legislative Action (1971); Congressional Medal of Honor 
             Society National Patriot's Award (1974); The Retired 
             Officers Association Distinguished Service Award (1974); 
             Association of U.S. Army Distinguished Service Citation 
             (1974); American Legion Distinguished Public Service Award 
             (1975); Medal of the Knesset, Israel (1982); and 
             Distinguished Service Medal (1984); Military Order of the 
             Purple Heart Congressional Award (1976); AMVETS Silver 
             Helmet Congressional Award (1977); Veterans of Foreign 
             Wars Dwight D. Eisenhower Service Award (1977), and 
             Congressional Award (1985); Touchdown Club of Washington, 
             DC, ``Mr. Sam'' Award for contributions to sports (1978); 
             South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association Service Award 
             (1980); Navy League of U.S. Meritorious Service Citation 
             (1980); American Judges Association Distinguished Service 
             Citation (1981); South Carolina Hall of Fame (1982); Audie 
             Murphy Patriotism Award (1982); National Guard Association 
             of United States, Harry S. Truman Distinguished Service 
             Award (1982); NY Board of Trade ``Textile Man of the 
             Year'' (1984); Napoleon Hill Gold Medal Humanitarian 
             Achievement Award (1985); Order of the Palmetto Award; 
             Presidential Citizens Medal by President Ronald Reagan, 
             1989; Non-Commissioned Officers Association Lifetime 
             Legislative Achievement Award, 1990; Adjutants General 
             Association of the United States, George Washington 
             Freedom Award, 1991; U.S. Marshals Service America's Star 
             Award, 1991; ROA; Presidential Medal of Freedom by 
             President George Bush, 1992; over 20 honorary degrees; and 
             numerous Watchdog of the Treasury Awards and Guardian of 
             Small Business Awards. International awards: Order of 
             Distinguished Diplomatic Service Merit Medal, South Korea 
             (1974); Order of Kim Khanh Award, Republic of Vietnam 
             (1975); Grand Cross in the Order of Orange-Nassau, 
             Netherlands (1982); and numerous other distinctions; U.S. 
             Army Ranger Hall of Fame Medal (1994); Senior Army Reserve 
             Commanders' Association Hall of Fame Medal (1995). Named 
             in his honor: Thurmond Hall at Winthrop College, SC 
             (1939); Strom Thurmond High School, Edgefield County, SC 
             (1961); Strom Thurmond Student Center, Charleston Southern 
             University at Charleston, SC (1972); Strom Thurmond 
             Federal Building, Columbia, SC (1975); The Strom Thurmond 
             Institute of Government and Public Affairs at The Strom 
             Thurmond Center for Excellence in Government and Public 
             Service at Clemson University, Clemson, SC (1981); Strom 
             Thurmond Chairs and Scholarships (1981), and Strom 
             Thurmond Auditorium (1982) at University of South Carolina 
             School of Law, Columbia, SC; life-sized statue erected on 
             Edgefield town square by people of Edgefield County, SC 
             (1984); and streets in several South Carolina cities; 
             Strom Thurmond Lake, Dam and Highway, Clarks Hill, SC, 
             1987; Strom Thurmond Mall, Columbia, SC, 1988; has endowed 
             52 scholarships at 45 colleges and universities, 
             established the Strom Thurmond Foundation, which assists 
             in educating 80 to 100 needy, worthy students annually; 
             Strom Thurmond Soldier Service Center, Fort Jackson, 
             Columbia, SC, 1991; Strom Thurmond Room, U.S. Capitol, 
             1991; Strom Thurmond Highway (Interstate 20 from the 
             Georgia Line to Florence, SC), 1992; Strom Thurmond 
             Biomedical Research Center, Medical University of South 
             Carolina, Charleston, SC (1993); Strom Thurmond National 
             Guard Armory, Edgefield, SC (1994). Memberships and 
             affiliations: Baptist; Shriner; South Carolina and 
             American Bar Associations; numerous defense; veterans, 
             civic, fraternal, and farm organizations. Political 
             activities: States Rights Democratic candidate for 
             president of the United States (1948), carrying four 
             States and receiving 39 electoral votes; delegate to six 
             Democratic National Conventions (chairman of South 
             Carolina delegation and national committeeman, 1948); 
             switched from Democratic to Republican Party (September 
             16, 1964); delegate to five Republican National 
             Conventions (chairman of South Carolina delegation, 1984); 
             elected to the U.S. Senate November 2, 1954, as a write-in 
             candidate (first person in U.S. history elected to a major 
             office in this manner) for term ending Jan- 
             uary 3, 1961; resigned as U.S. Senator April 4, 1956, to 
             place the office in a primary, pursuant to a promise made 
             to the people during the 1954 campaign; renominated and 
             reelected to the Senate in 1956, resuming duties on 
             November 7, 1956; renominated and reelected in 1960, 1966, 
             1972, 1978, 1984, and again in 1990 for the term beginning 
             January 3, 1991; served as President pro tempore of the 
             U.S. Senate, 1981-87 and currently.
?

                 

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         to

                                   STROM THURMOND

                              Proceedings in the Senate

                                               Wednesday, May 21, 1997.
               Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, we are told in the Holy Bible 
             that Abraham lived to be 175 years old, that Isaac lived 
             to be 180 years old, that Jacob lived to be 147 years old, 
             and that Joseph lived to be 110 years old. I have 
             consulted Scripture to see if there is any account of 
             record with respect to the Senator who is the senior 
             Senator of this body, Strom Thurmond, and I found that 
             nothing had yet been entered in regard to that venerable 
             gentleman.
               I rise today to call attention to a very historic and 
             significant happening that will occur on this coming 
             Sunday, May 25, when the senior Senator from South 
             Carolina becomes the longest serving Senator in the 
             history of the U.S. Senate. On that day, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond, whose service began on December 24, 1954, will 
             surpass the record set by Arizona Senator Carl Hayden, who 
             served 41 years and 10 months between 1927 and 1969. In 
             the entire 208-year history of the U.S. Senate, only three 
             Senators--Strom Thurmond, Carl Hayden, and John Stennis of 
             Mississippi--served for more than 40 years.
               I should point out that Senator Hayden had previously 
             spent 15 years in the House of Representatives, giving him 
             a combined 56 years in Congress, a record matched by no 
             one else in either the House or Senate.
               I stand fourth on the overall list of seniority in the 
             Senate, with 38 years and 5 months of service to date, 
             which does not count the 6 years that I spent in the House 
             of Representatives, beginning in January 1953, before I 
             came to the Senate. The rest of the ``top 10'' include 
             Senators Richard Russell, Russell Long, Francis Warren, 
             James Eastland, Warren Magnuson, and Claiborne Pell. It is 
             worthy of note that while there have been Senators 
             throughout our history--1,843 Senators in our 208-year 
             history--at the time that Senator Hayden retired in 1969, 
             9 of these top 10 Senators were then serving together in 
             the Senate. That is quite a remarkable thing, I think. 
             Longevity of Senate service is clearly a modern 
             phenomenon.
               Longevity records have been set on three prior occasions 
             in the 20th century. In 1905, William Allison, an Iowa 
             Republican, broke the previous record of 31 years and 11 
             months. In 1928, Senator Francis Warren, a Wyoming 
             Republican, broke Allison's record. And in 1964, Senator 
             Carl Hayden, an Arizona Democrat, surpassed Warren's 
             tenure. Now Senator Thurmond, a Republican from the State 
             of South Carolina, will move past Senator Hayden's record.
               It is fitting for those of us in the Senate to pay 
             tribute to Senator Thurmond on this occasion. I note that 
             on February 19, 1962, the Senate honored Senator Hayden 
             when he became the first person to have served in Congress 
             50 years. On June 19, 1970, we commemorated Senator Mike 
             Mansfield's becoming the longest-serving Democratic leader 
             of the Senate. And on December 22, 1995, we similarly 
             celebrated Senator Bob Dole's breaking of his party's 
             leadership record.
               It is also fitting for us to recall the great sweep of 
             American history represented in Senator Thurmond's long 
             political career. And it is indeed a remarkable political 
             career. If one will just take the time to look at the 
             Congressional Directory, he will view with astonishment 
             and amazement the political record of Senator Thurmond. He 
             won his first election as Edgefield County superintendent 
             of schools in 1928, when he was 26 years old. Calvin 
             Coolidge then occupied the White House, soon to be 
             replaced by Herbert Hoover, who was elected President that 
             year. The boom times of the Roaring Twenties were soon 
             shattered by the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great 
             Depression that followed. Strom Thurmond and I remember 
             all about those things.
               During the 1930's, while President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
             promoted a New Deal in America, Strom Thurmond served as 
             city and county attorney, a member of the South Carolina 
             State Senate, and as a circuit judge. The United States 
             entered the Second World War in 1941. And in 1942, Strom 
             Thurmond volunteered for service in the Army. He was a 
             paratrooper at Normandy Beach on June 6, 1944, 53 years 
             ago. Returning to civilian life, he was elected Governor 
             of South Carolina in 1946, 51 years ago. Two years later, 
             he ran as the ``Dixiecrat'' candidate for President of the 
             United States against the incumbent Democrat, Harry S. 
             Truman.
               In 1954, during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 
             Strom Thurmond became the first and only person ever to be 
             elected to the U.S. Senate on a write-in vote. Senator 
             Thurmond took the oath of office on December 24, 1954. 
             Fulfilling a pledge he had made during that first 
             campaign, Senator Thurmond resigned from the Senate on 
             April 4, 1956, and ran again for his Senate seat in the 
             Democratic primary. He won both the primary and the 
             general election and returned to the Senate on November 7, 
             1956.
               During his first 10 years in the Senate, Strom Thurmond 
             was a Democrat. When I came to the Senate, Strom Thurmond 
             was a Democrat. I can remember looking up into the 
             galleries and seeing the late wife of Strom Thurmond, who 
             died early in her life, relatively speaking. I can 
             remember coming into the Chamber that day, and seeing 
             Strom on the back row of the Senate, I walked up to him 
             and expressed my sorrow for the loss of his wife.
               In 1964, during the Presidential campaign between 
             President Lyndon Johnson and Senator Barry Goldwater, 
             Senator Thurmond changed his party affiliation to become a 
             Republican. And he has been credited with devising the 
             ``Southern Strategy'' that has so significantly reshaped 
             the Republican Party.
               In 1981, when Ronald Reagan became President and the 
             Republican Party gained the majority in the Senate, after 
             26 years in the minority, Senator Thurmond became 
             President pro tempore and chairman of the Senate Judiciary 
             Committee. Today with Bill Clinton in the White House, 
             Senator Thurmond is again President pro tempore of the 
             Senate and chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
               Now, to that record of endurance we should add one 
             further statistic. In 1957 Senator Thurmond set the 
             record, as yet unbroken, and I imagine it will be unbroken 
             for a long, long time, for the longest individual speech 
             delivered in the Senate, for 24 hours and 18 minutes. From 
             August 28 to August 29, 1957, Senator Thurmond held the 
             floor, speaking against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
               As a Senator who once held the floor for 14 hours and 13 
             minutes, and I could have held it much longer and probably 
             would have held it much longer had I not honored a promise 
             that I made to the then majority leader Mike Mansfield 
             that I would give up the floor in order to let a vote 
             occur, I held the floor for 14 hours and 13 minutes, I can 
             attest that Senator Thurmond's exceptional stamina is 
             quite remarkable.
               Finally, I shall not allow the occasion to pass without 
             calling attention to a historical milestone that would be 
             set on December 31, 1997, by Senator Thurmond's colleague 
             from South Carolina Ernest Hollings--we all know him as 
             Fritz--who has now served 30 years and 5 months as the 
             junior Senator from his State. Senator Hollings will then 
             surpass the ``juniority'' record of 31 years and 52 days 
             previously held by Senator John Stennis of Mississippi.
               So we have two Senators from South Carolina who are 
             breaking records these days. I salute both of these 
             distinguished Senators.
               I am proud to serve on the Armed Services Committee now 
             chaired by Senator Strom Thurmond, and I am proud to sit 
             on the Appropriations Committee, where for these many 
             years I have worked at the side of Senator Hollings, a 
             very fine Senator, a very active and able Senator. Both of 
             these Senators have contributed greatly to the service of 
             their country. I salute these distinguished Senators and 
             their historical records, and I commend Strom Thurmond for 
             his lifetime of public service to his State, to his Nation 
             and to the U.S. Senate.
                 The hours are like a string of pearls,
                 The days like diamonds rare,
                 The moments are the threads of gold,
                 That bind them for our wear,
                 So may the years that come to you, Strom,
                 Such health and good contain,
                 That every moment, hour, and day,
                 Be like a golden chain.

               Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, no one is more qualified to 
             comment upon the distinguished service of the senior 
             Senator from South Carolina than Robert Byrd of West 
             Virginia, and certainly no one is more eloquent in this 
             U.S. Senate. I thank him for his very generous remarks 
             relative to me, but more particularly the comments 
             relative to Senator Thurmond, because he deserves them.
               I like work, Mr. President, and no one works harder than 
             Strom Thurmond. I love the State of South Carolina, and no 
             one loves South Carolina more than Strom Thurmond. I love 
             this country, and of course no one loves the United States 
             more than Strom Thurmond.
               My senior Senator is the epitome of Robert E. Lee's 
             comment that the most sublime word in the English language 
             is duty. He is the living example of that particular 
             admonition. The fact is that he has done his duty here for 
             the people of the State of South Carolina and this country 
             over the many, many years because he is the greatest 
             disciplinarian I have ever met. He is totally disciplined 
             with respect, not just to his physical being, which has 
             gotten him 94 years, but more particularly his disciplined 
             service and loyalty to his State and country.
               I, too, want to recognize on Sunday he will have most 
             deservedly broken the all-time record for length of 
             service in this U.S. Senate. It will not be the first time 
             the Senator has broken an all time Senate record. We all 
             know he holds the record for the longest extended debate.
               I know others are waiting. They have very generously 
             yielded to me, so I will not attempt to break that record 
             now. However, I will have more to say about Senator 
             Thurmond's record at another time, but I know everyone is 
             interested in hearing from our senior Senator. Let me just 
             say, the greatest privilege for this junior Senator has 
             been to serve under this senior Senator for 30-some years.

               Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I wish to add my voice and 
             tribute to our distinguished President pro tempore on his 
             magnificent record, and comment about how much I have 
             admired his work as chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
               When I joined this body after the 1980 elections, a few 
             days after the November election, in 1980, I was sitting 
             in my bed in Philadelphia and the telephone rang and that 
             distinguished southern voice said, ``This is Strom 
             Thurmond calling. I wonder if you would be willing to vote 
             for me for President pro tempore.'' I was really amazed 
             since Senator Thurmond did not need my vote that he would 
             call and ask for my vote.
               While I served with him on the Judiciary Committee I 
             found him to be very wise. One of the comments he made 
             soon after I joined the committee, when a judge was up for 
             confirmation, was asking the nominee if the nominee 
             promised to be courteous. I thought that was sort of a 
             meaningless question until Senator Thurmond followed up 
             after the nominee said yes by saying, ``The more power a 
             person has the more courteous that person should be.'' 
             There is a lot of wisdom in that short statement. Whenever 
             Senator Thurmond is not present and I am, I make that 
             statement to the nominees.
               During the first 4 years of my term here, Senator Howard 
             Baker, the majority leader, used to keep us all night, and 
             on many occasions I would join Strom for a bowl of soup 
             for about an hour, and I have listened to some of the most 
             fabulous stories because Senator Thurmond is a legend, 
             having been here when John Kennedy was a Senator, when 
             Lyndon Johnson was a Senator.
               I shall tell one very brief story. After Senator 
             Thurmond ran on the Dixiecrat ticket in 1948, in the 
             Presidential motorcade Inauguration Day in 1949 Senator 
             Thurmond rode in an open car with his wife. Senator 
             Thurmond tells a story of when he passed by the reviewing 
             stand of President Truman and Vice President Barkley. 
             Senator Thurmond stood up, took his hat off and bowed. And 
             Vice President Barkley started to wave to Governor 
             Thurmond. And I shall not tell the whole story, but 
             President Truman pulled down Vice President Barkley's hand 
             with a comment, which is a remarkable story.
               I asked Strom on a number of occasions if I could be his 
             biographer. He should have a biographer, if he does not 
             take the time to write his own. It is too bad, on this 
             very busy occasion of the Senate, that there are not more 
             Senators on the floor to hear the remarkable accolades 
             presented by our noted historian and conscience of the 
             Senate, Senator Byrd, and by the senior junior Senator, 
             Senator Hollings, but I wanted to have my words of 
             admiration for Senator Thurmond on this very auspicious 
             occasion.

               Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I planned to speak about 10 
             minutes on defense, but I did not know that these 
             wonderful accolades were going to come up at this time. I 
             wish to express my deep appreciation to the able Senator 
             from West Virginia, who has been minority leader, majority 
             leader, and every position the Senate had to offer. I 
             guess no man in the history of this country has filled 
             more important positions in the U.S. Senate than Senator 
             Byrd of West Virginia, and he has filled them well. 
             Everything he has undertaken he has done it well. I deeply 
             appreciate the kind words he said today.
               I wish to thank my able colleague, Senator Hollings. 
             Senator Hollings and I are different parties but we have 
             been here a long time together. We respect each other. And 
             I have had the opportunity to work with him on many 
             matters of various kinds and it has been a pleasure to do 
             that. We have never had an argument that I recall. 
             Although we do not always vote alike, we hold each other 
             in respect. I wish to thank him for his kind remarks. He 
             is, as someone stated, the longest-serving junior Senator 
             in the United States, but after this term, if he is still 
             here, maybe he will get to be the senior Senator. Again, I 
             wish to express to Senator Hollings my appreciation for 
             serving with him and working with him. It has been a 
             pleasure to do so, Fritz, and I thank you.
               I wish to thank the able Senator from Pennsylvania, 
             Senator Specter. When I came to the Senate I watched 
             different Senators come and go. When Senator Specter came 
             I soon recognized that here was a man of unusual talent, a 
             man of great ability. It has been a pleasure to serve with 
             him. He is a great historian. He can tell many stories 
             about different people on different things and amuse you 
             to the fullest. I deeply appreciate his fine friendship 
             and thank him for his kind remarks here today.

                                                  Monday, June 2, 1997.

               Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, since this is the first time I 
             have seen the distinguished Senator from South Carolina 
             since it has been official, I want to congratulate him, as 
             all Americans do, on the record you have set. We are very 
             proud of you. And I want to say that I enjoyed seeing you 
             on television when we were home, too.
               It is a magnificent record, and you are a magnificent 
             human being.
               We look forward to commending you further later on this 
             week, Mr. President.
               The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Thank you for your kind 
             remarks.
               Mr. LOTT. Thank you, Mr. President.

                                                 Tuesday, June 3, 1997.

                                       Prayer
               The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, offered the 
             following prayer:

               Almighty God, Sovereign of this Nation and Lord of our 
             lives, in each period of our history, You have blessed us 
             with great leaders who have exemplified love for You and 
             dedication to our country. Today we celebrate such a man. 
             Thank You for Strom Thurmond. By Your grace he has become 
             a legend in his own time, not just for the quantity, but 
             also for the quality of years of service here in the 
             Senate. On May 25, we all were moved by the fact that this 
             distinguished Senator became the longest serving Senator 
             in the Nation's history. Today we join with all Americans 
             in gratitude for 41 years, 10 months of faithful 
             leadership. You have blessed him to be a blessing to his 
             beloved South Carolina and to the Nation as a whole 
             through the decades. We cherish our friendship with him 
             and admire his patriotism. And Lord, he's pressing on with 
             the drumbeat of Your spirit beating out the cadences of 
             his indefatigable commitment to the American dream.
               Father, we thank You for Senator Thurmond's intellect, 
             keen grasp of issues, courage to speak his convictions, 
             and untiring loyalty to his Senate assignments. We marvel 
             at his health, vigor, resiliency, and stamina. But most of 
             all, we praise You for the personal ways he has inspired 
             each of us. He's an affirmer who spurs us on by his words 
             of encouragement. Your spirit of caring and concern for 
             individuals shines through this remarkable man.
               Gracious God, may the love and esteem we express this 
             morning spur on the Senator in his leadership for years to 
             come. Through Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

                        ORDER FOR PRINTING OF SENATE DOCUMENT
               Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             tributes to Senator Thurmond be printed as a Senate 
             document.
               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hutchinson). Without 
             objection, it is so ordered.

               Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to take this 
             opportunity to pay tribute to the distinguished senior 
             Senator from South Carolina.
               This is a very special occasion for the Senate, as we 
             take this time to honor the longest serving Member of this 
             body in history.
               Senator Thurmond is an institution within this 
             institution. Among the American people, he is probably one 
             of the best known--and most recognized--Members of the 
             Senate, every morning opening the Senate dutifully here; 
             almost every day when we open. On rare occasions he is not 
             in the chair. And within this congressional family, he 
             holds a place of respect that is truly unique. I have been 
             honored to serve with him, privileged to learn from him, 
             and proud to call him my friend.
               If the Senate had a Mount Rushmore, Strom would be on 
             it.
               As my colleagues know, Senator Thurmond's stature in the 
             Senate is not just a matter of longevity. It is a matter 
             of accomplishment.
               He was first elected to this body on November 2, 1954, 
             as a write-in candidate, and remains to this day the only 
             person elected to the Senate in that manner.
               He has served here on both sides of the aisle, and in 
             both the majority and the minority. But he will quickly 
             tell you that the majority is better.
               He has chaired both the Armed Services Committee and the 
             Judiciary Committee, and he thereby has made an enduring 
             contribution to both our Nation's security and our system 
             of justice.
               He has stood for causes that were popular and causes 
             that were less so. He has been fearless in defending his 
             views, and what may be more important, equally unafraid to 
             change those views when convinced of the rightness of 
             change.
               I can remember some of his speeches here in the Senate. 
             He holds the record for the longest speech in the history 
             of the Senate. But I remember as a brand-new Senator, he 
             was standing in this aisle here and giving the most 
             vigorous speech in behalf of the need for a criminal law 
             reform that I believe I have ever heard. It was 
             magnificent.
               When Strom Thurmond came to the Senate almost 42 years 
             ago, he brought with him enough accomplishments already 
             for a lifetime.
               He had already been a State senator and circuit judge in 
             his native beloved South Carolina. He had been Governor of 
             the Palmetto State and had been the States Rights 
             candidate for the Presidency in 1948.
               Most telling of all, he had landed in Normandy on D-day 
             with the 82d Airborne. Senator Thurmond has much to be 
             proud of in his Senate career. But I doubt that any honors 
             bestowed on him in the course of that career can rival the 
             decorations he won in the Normandy landing: The Legion of 
             Merit with oak leaf cluster and the Bronze Star for Valor.
               All of this, of course, is a matter of public record. 
             But what the public generally does not know, however, is 
             the personality and the fantastic character that Senator 
             Thurmond brings to his work in the Senate.
               I often wish I had his unfailing good humor, which, come 
             to think of it, probably has something to do with his 
             length of service here. He always comes in ready to go to 
             work with a smile on his face, as he did this very 
             morning.
               We all know firsthand how strongly he can argue his 
             point, how fiercely he can defend his values, and how 
             firmly he can put down an opponent who does not have the 
             facts on his side.
               But we also know how courteous he is when the debate is 
             over, how generous he is even to those who do not 
             reciprocate that conduct sometimes, and how respectful he 
             has always been to this institution--and to every Member 
             of this institution.
               He has been a master of the Senate's rules, for he has 
             always understood that those rules--frustrating and 
             bothersome as they may often seem--are what sets the 
             Senate apart as the most extraordinary legislative body in 
             the world.
               He has given so much to his country, in so many 
             different ways, and yet he would resist any attempt on our 
             part to thank him for his lifetime of dedication. For in 
             this regard, Senator Thurmond is truly of the old school: 
             He would rather thank his country for the chance to repay 
             the honor of being an American. After all his years, after 
             all those decades, that is the one appellation that best 
             describes him. Though he has been a Democrat, a Dixiecrat, 
             and a Republican, he has ever been and always will be, 
             most of all, Strom Thurmond, proud American.
               Thank you, Senator Thurmond for what you have done for 
             your State, for your country, and for all of us as 
             individuals.

               Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I rise to participate in 
             this opportunity to celebrate the service of Strom 
             Thurmond.
               When Abraham Lincoln stood on the battlefield at 
             Gettysburg to memorialize the outstanding service of those 
             who had died there, he put it succinctly: ``The world will 
             little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it 
             can never forget what they did here.''
               I do not suggest by my own remarks here this morning 
             that my remarks are long to be remembered. But the service 
             of Strom Thurmond is unforgettable, and is indelibly 
             marked, not only in the history of the Senate but in the 
             States of this great Nation as a part of the development 
             of the character of the United States of America.
               ``A nation reveals itself,'' said John Kennedy, ``not 
             only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, 
             the men it remembers.'' And so it is fitting that we 
             should honor the service of Strom Thurmond. For long after 
             his time in the Senate has ended--and the new millennium 
             has begun--Strom will be remembered; not just for the 
             elections that he won, but for the principles upon which 
             he stood, the State he helped to transform, the party he 
             helped to build.
               For Strom, winning elections became a habit. From the 
             time he ran his first campaign for Edgefield County 
             superintendent to his most recent reelection, his record 
             of electoral accomplishment is unparalleled in our time. 
             The punditry and political operatives have been left to 
             search for the secret to Strom's success. The answer is 
             really quite simple. At its most basic, it is this: His 
             word is his bond.
               Whether giving up his seat in 1956 to run for reelection 
             without the benefit of incumbency, or switching parties in 
             1964 to support Barry Goldwater, Strom has been true to 
             himself and to the people he represents. He embodies the 
             very essence of what it means to be a leader, ``decid[ing] 
             where he wants to go, figur[ing] out how to get there, and 
             then do[ing] it.''
               But Strom has done more than just win the voters' 
             hearts. He, along with Carroll Campbell, Governor Beasley, 
             Bob Inglis, and others, have helped take a State of low-
             country planters and usher them into the information age. 
             Today, South Carolina stands as one of America's great 
             success stories, part of the booming South Atlantic 
             seaboard; its factories, office buildings, and airports 
             are at the forefront of the Nation's economic growth. And 
             through it all, Strom has been there.
               Politically, this new South Carolina has also been 
             moving--more than any other southern State--toward the 
             Republican Party. And if ours is a movement of many 
             mansions, then South Carolina is the house that Strom 
             built. Under his watchful eye, the GOP has controlled the 
             governorship since 1986 and wrested four of the State's 
             six House seats from Democratic rule.
               Until Senator Thurmond, most would have scoffed at the 
             suggestion that a Republican could win statewide office. 
             But then Strom joined the GOP, and the impossible became 
             the possible. And so today, there are elephants in the 
             cottonfields, and we have Senator Thurmond to thank more 
             than any other.
               Mr. President, in his lifetime Senator Thurmond has seen 
             tragedy and triumph, known both midnight and high noon. At 
             times, he has been a solitary figure seemingly at odds 
             with the world. More often, however, he has stood for the 
             national interest and the Nation has stood with him. And 
             as South Carolina has flourished, so too, has he grown, 
             coming to see fully the diversity and richness of the 
             American dream.
               His secret is not what he gets, not what he gives, not 
             what he consumes, but how he serves. In the end, what 
             Douglas Southall Freeman said of Robert Lee four decades 
             ago might also be said of Senator Thurmond today. ``He 
             [is] one of a small company of great men in whom there is 
             no inconsistency to be explained, no enigma to be 
             solved.'' What he appears, he is. Not merely a man of 
             great faith, but a great and faithful friend.
               A final thought. I often hear the pundits and the 
             national press bemoaning what they call an absence of 
             leadership. Where, they ask, are the Thomas Hart Bentons, 
             the Calhouns, and the Clays? Well, let me suggest that 
             they look to the United States Senate; and there, just 
             beyond the camera's eye, you will find them. They go by 
             Helms, Gramm, Moynihan. And perhaps most of all, Strom 
             Thurmond--the Palmetto State's marble man--a ``figure lost 
             to flesh and blood and bones, frozen into a legend out of 
             life.''

               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, in 1950 when William 
             Faulkner accepted the Nobel prize for literature, he said 
             that man would not only endure, he would prevail.
               I recalled those words this morning when I was coming to 
             the Chamber to describe my impression of Senator Strom 
             Thurmond. He has not only survived and set a record 
             because of his endurance but he has prevailed and set an 
             example that all of us can study with profit. His 
             character, his integrity, his commitment, his energy, his 
             enthusiasm for his work and for the Senate, his respect 
             for our Government and our country and its people, and his 
             devotion to duty all set him apart. So it is not just 
             because of his tenure that I praise him this morning but 
             it is more importantly for all of these other qualities 
             that have made him so special and so much appreciated as a 
             Senator.
               I have felt it to be a real honor to serve in the Senate 
             with Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. He truly is one of 
             the most outstanding Senators who has ever served. And he 
             has been easy to get to know and easy to like, easy to 
             work with because of his cordiality, his warmth, and his 
             willingness to be helpful. He can also give you good 
             advice and be persuasive in a way that makes you want to 
             do what he wants you to do.
               I recall going to the well of the Senate to vote when he 
             was chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and I had planned 
             to vote against his position on an amendment. He grabbed 
             me by the arm and began holding it with his famous firm 
             grip, and he said, ``Now, you ought to do what's right on 
             this'' and started talking to me. And in that little while 
             I realized I was going to vote with him and not the way I 
             had thought I was going to vote when I went to the well of 
             the Senate. I later told somebody that I had been 
             ``Thurmonized.'' That's when you are talked to in a 
             fashion that is very persuasive, very courtly and 
             charming, very distinctively like Strom Thurmond can talk 
             to you.
               We have worked closely on agriculture matters. We have 
             worked to ensure that the farmers of South Carolina and 
             those involved in their specialty crops, such as the peach 
             orchard owners, have the kind of investment in research 
             that is necessary to maintain our technological edge, and 
             our productivity, so that we can be competitive in the 
             global markets. He is the farmer's friend. He has said on 
             a number of occasions, and I have heard him say it, ``We 
             have to be sure we do right by the farmers; they're very 
             important to this country.''
               He has the same kind of attitude toward those who serve 
             in the military, and as chairman of the Armed Services 
             Committee he has done as much as anyone, more than most, 
             to help ensure that we have a military which is well 
             equipped, well trained, and is second to none in the 
             world. By reason of his own personal experiences, he knows 
             what it takes in a time of crisis to prevail. He has been 
             a wonderful example in so many ways. He has been devoted 
             to his family. I can recall his talking to the then 
             majority leader, Senator Byrd, about getting out early one 
             night so we could go trick or treating with our children. 
             And he was, of course, in his seventies at that time. But 
             he wanted to be sure that family time was made available, 
             and we got out early that night, I recall, because of the 
             insistence of Senator Thurmond that we have time to spend 
             with our families on Halloween night.
               There are many other things that come to mind, personal 
             recollections. I never will forget being invited by him 
             when I was a brand new Senator, to come to Charleston, SC 
             to address the annual dinner of the Hibernian Society. He 
             told me all about what to expect. He said, ``The main 
             thing to remember is don't talk long.'' He said, ``They 
             don't want a long speech.''
               Well, I took that to heart. I didn't talk long. And what 
             I really came to realize when he was introducing me was 
             that the people there were interested in his introduction 
             a lot more than they would be in my speech. He brought the 
             house down. They were there to hear vintage Strom 
             Thurmond, and he was terrific. He started describing me as 
             he introduced me. He said, ``He is the first person to 
             ever win statewide office in the State of Mississippi on 
             the Republican ticket.'' Well, they cheered. And he said, 
             ``And he thinks just like we do. He believes in balancing 
             the budget.'' And they cheered and hollered. And then he 
             said, ``And he believes in a strong national defense.'' 
             And they jumped up and hollered again. And after a while, 
             I realized my speech following this was not going to be 
             worth giving; they were being entertained, but they were 
             also showing their respect, their love for their Senator, 
             Strom Thurmond. I was delighted to be invited and honored 
             to be the speaker, and I did not talk long. It was a very 
             successful experience because of that.
               It was a great pleasure working with Senator Thurmond on 
             the Judiciary Committee during my first 2 years in the 
             Senate, which was a very interesting time of transition. 
             Another part of the genius of Strom Thurmond is to manage 
             transition. The President talks about making change our 
             friend. Strom Thurmond has been doing that for so long it 
             is second nature. And the fact is he has been able to not 
             only manage transitions and help ease the pain of 
             transition for this country in so many different areas 
             that he has been a true leader of our country in that 
             respect. He is a wonderful example and a wonderful man, 
             and it is a great privilege for me to be able to speak 
             today in his honor.

               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I literally cannot 
             remember life without Strom Thurmond. My first awareness 
             of Strom Thurmond was one of the first things I remember 
             in my entire life. I was 6 years old. I was in the first 
             grade at Athens Elementary in Athens, AL. It was 1948. One 
             weekend we were on the porch at my grandfather's house, 
             and I was sitting there listening to my dad and to my 
             grandfather talk about the Presidential election of 1948.
               Now, I must confess at age 6 that was not a big item in 
             my life, but that was the first time I heard the name 
             Strom Thurmond. My dad and my granddad talked about the 
             election for a little while, and all I remember for sure 
             is that they said Strom Thurmond was a fine man, they were 
             going to vote for him for President of the United States.
               The second time I remember hearing of Strom Thurmond, my 
             family had moved from Alabama to Augusta, GA. My dad was a 
             civilian employee for the Army after having served in 
             World War II in the European theater, as did our fellow 
             Senator whom we honor today. My father was working at the 
             Savannah River plant in Aiken, SC, in 1954.
               And again, at age 12, obviously politics was not 
             something I was thinking about very often. It seems to me 
             baseball was most in my interest at that time. But that 
             was the year our colleague whom we honor today got elected 
             to the United States Senate on a write-in in South 
             Carolina. The only time that has been done in history, Mr. 
             President--a remarkable accomplishment.
               The next time I remember thinking about Senator 
             Thurmond's distinguished career I was 22, and it was 1964 
             and we had moved to Kentucky by that point. I had begun to 
             think of myself as a Republican and taken an interest in 
             politics, and I remember the excitement, having been a son 
             of the Deep South, when Senator Thurmond decided to become 
             a Republican. In those days, as the occupant of the Chair 
             certainly knows, too, there were not any Republicans in 
             the Deep South.
               I remember the story my dad told me about his father, my 
             grandfather, sitting him down at an early age and 
             explaining to him politics. He said, ``Now, son, this 
             won't take long, just a minute.'' He said, ``The 
             Republican Party is the party of the North and the 
             Democratic Party is the party of the South.'' And that was 
             the end of it. So imagine my excitement as a 22-year-old 
             college senior to see Senator Thurmond from the Deep 
             South, as deep as it gets, South Carolina, saying, I'm 
             going to be a Republican as a matter of conviction. Now, 
             that was a pretty courageous thing to do in 1964 in South 
             Carolina even if you were a pretty established figure, as 
             Senator Thurmond obviously already was. He didn't have to 
             do that. It would have been easy for him to continue to be 
             a Democrat. That was certainly what everybody was in the 
             South in those days. But, as a matter of conviction, 
             Senator Thurmond said, ``I can't be a Democrat anymore. 
             This party doesn't reflect my beliefs and I am going to 
             change.'' That was the beginning, in every real sense, of 
             the growth of the Republican Party in the South--which I 
             want to say the occupant of the Chair and myself have been 
             substantial beneficiaries of on down in subsequent years.
               The next time Strom Thurmond impacted my life was in 
             1969. I was a legislative assistant to a newly elected 
             Senator from Kentucky who got assigned to the Judiciary 
             Committee. And there was Senator Thurmond. I observed him 
             as a staffer for the 2 years that I was here. He was 
             invariably courteous to those who were beneath him in 
             rank. I oftentimes think that the true test of people's 
             worth is how they treat those people who are not on the 
             same level of influence as they. Senator Thurmond was a 
             favorite of the staff that worked at the Judiciary 
             Committee because he was unfailingly courteous to all of 
             us, and we respected him greatly.
               Obviously, the next time Senator Thurmond's life and 
             mine intersected was in 1985 when I was sworn into the 
             Senate and became a Member of the Judiciary Committee 
             myself and Senator Thurmond was our chairman.
               So, when I say I can't remember life without Strom 
             Thurmond I do not exaggerate. He has been somebody I have 
             heard about, observed and admired all of my life. And, as 
             other speakers have said this morning, and I'm sure others 
             will in the course of the morning, it is an honor for all 
             of us to be associated with this great American. He is 
             truly a legend in our time and a legend that goes beyond 
             simply his longevity, his tenure. Certainly that is a 
             remarkable record. I remember many of us were there at his 
             90th birthday, when Senator Thurmond looked out at the 
             audience and said, ``Now, if you'll eat right and exercise 
             and take care of yourself, you may be here for my 100th 
             birthday party.'' Obviously, that kind of optimism, the 
             looking forward, planning ahead, thinking about what you 
             want to achieve, that kind of uplifting optimism has been 
             an inspiration to all of us who have had the opportunity 
             to know and to learn from the senior Senator from South 
             Carolina.
               But, beyond the legend of tenure, there is also the 
             question of accomplishment. There isn't anybody in the 
             U.S. Senate who knows more about the issues that the 
             Senate Judiciary Committee deals with than Strom Thurmond. 
             And when it comes to national security matters, not only 
             has Strom Thurmond been a hero on the battlefield himself, 
             having ridden on one of those gliders in behind the lines 
             at Normandy in 1944, not only was he a hero himself, but 
             when it comes to the question of securing and standing up 
             for the solid national defense of the United States, Strom 
             Thurmond has no peer. He has been there for 40 years in 
             the U.S. Senate seeing to it that America had a strong 
             national defense in order to protect this country and our 
             way of life and our interests around the world.
               So, Mr. President, let me say again, the life of Strom 
             Thurmond--which continues; he is just getting started--has 
             been an inspiration to all of us who have had the 
             opportunity to know him and to love him over the years.

               Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I wanted to stop on the 
             Senate floor today on a mission to compliment my 
             distinguished colleague and friend, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond. He has achieved quite a remarkable record here 
             in the U.S. Senate. I didn't know Senator Thurmond very 
             well except by reputation before I came to the U.S. 
             Senate. But, as I have come to know him and his service to 
             our country, I wanted this morning to join all of my 
             colleagues who will come this morning and tell him thank 
             you for his service to our country.
               Senator Thurmond is serving in the U.S. Senate in 1997. 
             He was born in the year 1902. That means that Senator 
             Thurmond has spent a great deal of time in public service. 
             He is a remarkable person by any measure.
               When I read a piece about Senator Strom Thurmond about 4 
             years ago, I went up to him on the floor of Senate, after 
             I read the piece, and told him that I learned a great deal 
             about him I did not know.
               One of the things that impressed me so much was to have 
             read about his record in the Second World War. Senator 
             Thurmond volunteered for service in the Second World War, 
             I believe, when he was near 40 years of age. And when I 
             read about what he did in the Second World War, I was 
             really truly astounded. He received five battle stars and 
             18 decorations: the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, 
             the Bronze Star for Valor, the Purple Heart, the Cross of 
             Order of Crown Belgium, and so on.
               But what I read about Senator Thurmond was that 
             somewhere near the age of 40, he volunteered to go into 
             service in the Second World War and then further 
             volunteered on a mission, a dangerous mission, to go aloft 
             in a glider and crash-land behind enemy lines at night 
             during the D-day invasion.
               I asked Senator Thurmond on the floor, having read about 
             that, ``Weren't you terribly afraid that evening as you 
             boarded a glider to be sent aloft?'' And we had a little 
             visit about that. He said, no, he was not. He is a man of 
             enormous courage. If you evaluate the record, not only his 
             record during the Second World War, volunteering for 
             dangerous missions and having received so many decorations 
             for valor as a result of that, but also his record in 
             public service following that, you cannot be anything but 
             admiring of this remarkable and wonderful individual.
               We spend our time in the Senate here, and I suppose over 
             the couple hundred years that the Senate has been in 
             existence, debating each other and having the give-and-
             take of the competition of ideas, and sometimes I suppose 
             there might be those who watch these proceedings who think 
             that, gee, this is quite a vigorous debate and we do not 
             have the greatest of respect for each other. I would say 
             to those who watch and get that misimpression that, in 
             almost all cases in this body, those of us who come here 
             have enormous respect for others who have been here and 
             who have come under other circumstances.
               Senator Thurmond came to the U.S. Senate, I believe, in 
             1954, and he has served here with great distinction and 
             great honor. There might be times where he and I would 
             disagree on an issue, but when we disagree we do that 
             without being disagreeable. There have been other times 
             when Senator Thurmond and I have worked together on 
             amendments on the floor of the Senate, and I have been 
             honored to do so.
               No matter the circumstance, I feel privileged to have 
             been able to serve at a time in this Senate when someone 
             with as distinguished a record as Senator Thurmond has 
             compiled has been here. I have said on other occasions, 
             for example, that same feeling exists with Senator Byrd of 
             West Virginia, who, I am sure Senator Thurmond would 
             agree, is one of the great Senators of all times.
               I, as a young boy, watching and listening and paying 
             some attention to American politics, read about and heard 
             about and studied the works of U.S. Senators. Most of 
             those who I knew about when I was going to school I never 
             had the opportunity to meet and certainly did not have the 
             opportunity to serve with. But because of longevity and 
             because of the length of public service given this country 
             by the likes of Senator Byrd, and especially Senator 
             Thurmond, I feel pleased that I have come to the Senate 
             and had the opportunity to serve during my term with some 
             really wonderful Senators who have contributed a great 
             deal to this country and left this a richer place because 
             of their public service.
               Today, I simply wanted to come and say to Senator 
             Thurmond on behalf of the constituents I represent in 
             North Dakota, thank you for your service to this country. 
             This is a better country and a better place because you 
             have served.

               Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I am more than honored to come 
             to the floor today to pay tribute to our senior Senator, 
             Senator Thurmond, who has achieved such an outstanding 
             milestone.
               Last September 6, I had the privilege of being at Oriole 
             stadium in Baltimore to watch Cal Ripken break the 
             consecutive game record held by Lou Gehrig. It was one of 
             the most moving tributes in sports events that I have ever 
             witnessed or ever heard about. And yet, when I watched a 
             replay of that just the other day and understood the 
             significance of an individual who had, through sickness 
             and injury and personal concerns, established that 
             probably never-to-be-broken record, I could not help but 
             think of a similar individual who I have had the privilege 
             of serving with in the U.S. Senate who has established his 
             own record. And I think that the sacrifice and the 
             commitment and the perseverance and the dedication of 
             Senator Thurmond really can only be compared with that of 
             Cal Ripken--two extraordinary individuals who have set 
             their mind to a task and not allowed anything to come in 
             the way of performing that task and achieving the goal 
             that they have achieved.
               Of course, serving in the House of Representatives, all 
             you really know about Senator Thurmond is the legend. You 
             know he is a legendary figure who has provided 
             extraordinary service to his country and serves as a 
             distinguished Member of the U.S. Senate. So when you come 
             to the Senate and have the opportunity to serve with 
             Senator Thurmond, you bring with you a sense of awe, a 
             sense of, how does this individual do this? But you also 
             bring the perceptions that you read about in the press, 
             ``Oh, Senator Thurmond's remarkable service, but you know 
             he's getting older and he perhaps doesn't have the stamina 
             and the energy that he once had.'' Well, it does not take 
             you long here in the U.S. Senate to realize that 
             perception is wrong.
               The first thing you do is you meet Senator Thurmond and 
             you have to shake his hand. And after you shake his hand, 
             you have to take some aspirin because your hand is going 
             to be sore for the next couple days, because Senator 
             Thurmond has maintained a grip that few in the Senate half 
             his age have. So my advice to any new, incoming freshmen 
             or anybody who happens to run into Senator Thurmond in the 
             hall or meet Senator Thurmond is, have a bottle of aspirin 
             in your pocket because, after you shake his hand, your 
             hand is going to be sore for a couple days.
               The second thing you find out about Senator Thurmond is 
             that, as Senator Dole says, you watch very carefully what 
             he eats because you want to eat whatever Strom Thurmond is 
             eating if you want to stay healthy. And so we jockey to 
             sit near him at lunch to see what is the secret of this 
             man's success, his longevity, his contribution.
               And then, if you are like me and you are someone that 
             enjoys going down to our small, little workout facility 
             down in the Russell Building, you run into Senator 
             Thurmond down there and you ask him, ``Senator, how do you 
             get to be the age you are and maintain such good physical 
             health? How is it possible?'' And he looks at you and 
             says, ``Well, I get up every morning and I do my 
             stretching, do 20 minutes of stretching, and then I do 20 
             minutes on the bicycle, and then I'll do some 
             calisthenics, and then I swim every week half a mile at a 
             time.''
               Then he looks at you and says, ``If you want to stay 
             limber and you want to stay strong, you've got to pay the 
             price.'' And I wonder how many of us have the will to pay 
             the price at half his age that he pays at the age of 94.
               I could go on and on with these stories. I had the 
             privilege of coaching youth basketball here in northern 
             Virginia, and I had the privilege of having on my team 
             young Paul Thurmond. And so here I am in my forties--my 
             son is on the team along with Paul Thurmond--and Paul 
             Thurmond's father is considerably older than I am, and yet 
             there he is in the stands right behind where I am 
             coaching, watching those games and cheering his son on, 
             who is a remarkable athlete, now a nationally ranked 
             tennis player, I think, at Vanderbilt.
               We won the championship of that league, and in no small 
             part due to the terrific contributions of young Paul 
             Thurmond, who is now quite a young man. But I think what 
             is remarkable to me--it was not Paul's athletic prowess--
             is the fact that Paul's father, Senator Thurmond, was 
             right there cheering him on and with the parents of the 
             kids that won that championship.
               I have gotten to meet the rest of his family, and I have 
             gotten to see how Senator Thurmond handles a very, very 
             complex and difficult job and yet cares so deeply for his 
             children and for his family.
               I know that Senator Thurmond went through probably the 
             most difficult thing that any parent can go through, and 
             that is the loss of a child. I know how much he grieved 
             the loss of his daughter in that tragic accident that took 
             place. And yet, lesser people would have been broken by 
             that. Lesser people would not have been able to recover 
             from that. Senator Thurmond, I think due in large part to 
             his faith, due to his strength of will, and due to his 
             belief that despite the tragedies in our lives, life must 
             go on, and did go on, and did it in a spirit that is 
             commendable to all of us, because we know how deeply that 
             tragedy struck him.
               So there are so many aspects of this extraordinary man 
             that have left such a deep imprint on the lives of all of 
             us here in the Senate and clearly the lives of the people 
             he represents in South Carolina and to many people 
             throughout the world. The impressions I have, the stories 
             I have, the admiration I have for the remarkable person 
             that Strom Thurmond is, is really difficult to put into 
             words.
               Initially, I was going to sit down and write a speech, 
             but I really wanted this to be from the heart. I really 
             wanted to come over here and say to my colleagues and say 
             to Senator Thurmond, in my lifetime, I do not know that I 
             have ever met someone like you. I do not know if I ever 
             met someone who showed the courage and showed the 
             compassion and showed the loyalty and showed the 
             commitment to the people that he knows and loves and to 
             the people around him and to the people of this Nation.
               I bet you could go back 40 years and look up the pages 
             that have served in the Senate, and I will bet you every 
             one of them would say the person that went out of his way 
             to speak to me, to make me feel welcome, was Senator 
             Thurmond. I bet you could go back and talk to staffers 
             from over the last 40 years, or interns, who have worked 
             for Senator Thurmond and hear such remarkable praise from 
             them about the privilege they had of serving and working 
             for him in the Senate. You could talk to any of us who 
             have served with him and we talk about Strom almost in 
             awe. How does this man keep doing it? How are we possibly 
             going to have the energy and passion for the job when we 
             become the age, or we hope to become the age, that Senator 
             Thurmond has become--a unique person, a remarkable record, 
             something that I do not think will ever be broken.
               I just want to say to him today what a great privilege 
             it has been for me to serve with Strom Thurmond, what a 
             great example he has provided to me and to my family, how 
             much I admire him, and how much I want to congratulate him 
             for his remarkable service.
               Now, the standing story here, and said with all 
             seriousness, is when is Strom going to start preparing for 
             the next election? We just had an election, but no one is 
             about to say that Strom Thurmond is serving in his last 
             term. This man of such a remarkable constitution continues 
             to give fine representation to the people that he has 
             represented for so long.
               Mr. President, I have another dozen stories illustrating 
             the impact of this fine southern gentleman on this 
             institution, but others will recount many of those. I just 
             want him to know he has made a lasting and deep impression 
             on me and it has been one of the highest honors and 
             deepest privileges of my time in the Congress to be a 
             friend and associated with and to work with the Senator 
             from South Carolina, Senator Thurmond.

               Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise this morning to be one 
             of many to pay tribute to our distinguished senior Senator 
             from South Carolina.
               Mr. President, I, like all of Senator Thurmond's 
             colleagues, feel it is a privilege to serve with the 
             distinguished Senator, the man whom the Almanac of 
             American Politics calls ``the most enduring figure in 
             American politics.''
               As you and I both know, Mr. President, because you and I 
             are both new Members of this body, we are quickly learning 
             what it means to serve in the U.S. Senate. So it is with 
             genuine respect that I reflect upon Strom Thurmond's many, 
             many, many years of service here in this body, the votes 
             he has cast, the issues he has debated and the people he 
             has known, and the history that Senator Thurmond has 
             helped shape.
               Strom Thurmond was serving America for more than a 
             decade before, you, Mr. President, were born, or before I 
             was born. He landed at Normandy on D-day. Many people do 
             not know that Senator Thurmond was a legitimate hero of 
             World War II. He was jumping out of planes not at the age 
             of 21, but far beyond those tender young ages. He landed 
             at Normandy on D-day. He was a State legislator, a 
             Governor, and a candidate for President of the United 
             States, all before he came to the U.S. Senate.
               However, it has been his service in the U.S. Senate that 
             has made Strom Thurmond's boldest and most enduring mark, 
             service that began when I was in grade school in the sand 
             hills of Nebraska. Strom Thurmond came to this body when 
             there were only 48 stars on the American flag. He has 
             served with nine Presidents of both political parties, and 
             his leadership has spanned five decades with tremendous 
             change in American culture, society, and government. Strom 
             Thurmond is part of American history.
               This freshman, 6-month-old, humble Senator from 
             Nebraska, wishes to thank Senator Thurmond for the 
             opportunity to learn from his experiences and his 
             leadership. I wish to add my commendation to Senator 
             Thurmond for his dedication, his commitment to our Nation. 
             I admire the strong example he has set for all of us, 
             especially our young people. Mr. President, in a day when 
             we do not have enough strong role models in this country, 
             Senator Thurmond is one. He is an example of a life well 
             lived. He is a true American role model, an American hero.
               Senator Thurmond is the highest ranking 95-year-old in 
             the Nation, as far as I know, Mr. President. My only 
             request is that I hope that during my time in the Senate I 
             may conduct myself in such a way that Senator Thurmond 
             will remember me as his colleague and friend long after I 
             have departed this body and Senator Thurmond is still 
             presiding.
               Mr. President, I thank you for your time. I once again 
             commend my colleague and my friend, the distinguished 
             chairman of the Armed Services Committee and a most 
             distinguished American.

               Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, I would not be 
             surprised if Senator Thurmond did not even know my name, 
             and there is no reason that he should. He had served in 
             this body and had run for President before I was ever 
             born, and I want him to know that I was uncomfortable in 
             presiding here in seeing time pass by with too few people 
             rising to pay tribute to his name and the heritage of 
             political service he leads to this country.
               I, as a little boy, moved with my father and mother from 
             Pendleton, OR, to Washington, DC. My dad worked for Dwight 
             Eisenhower, and as a little boy I became interested in 
             political affairs and public life, and for all of the 
             memory of my life I remember hearing the name of Strom 
             Thurmond. I remember him as a Democrat. I remember him as 
             a Republican. I remember him always following the dictates 
             of his conscience in pursuing issues as he saw them to be 
             right.
               I, therefore, join with all who pay tribute to Strom 
             Thurmond. I thank him for his service to our country. I 
             thank him for his repeated reminders to us and the 
             Republican conference of the first constitutional 
             responsibility that we have--to provide for the common 
             defense. As the chairman of the Senate Armed Services 
             Committee he does that ably, and I, for one, hear his 
             message and am anxious to support him in providing a 
             strong national defense.
               I just had occasion to travel with the President of the 
             United States to Europe where we witnessed the signing of 
             the Russia-NATO agreement. I also participated in the 
             ceremonies for the 50th anniversary of the Marshall plan. 
             These are great contributions that America is making to 
             world affairs and to peace. It occurs to me that none of 
             this would have been possible absent a strong national 
             defense. Indeed, providing for an American role in 
             leadership, because we as Americans understand our 
             international responsibility and understand that the world 
             looks to us. Indeed, it looks to leaders like Strom 
             Thurmond to support our military services in making sure 
             that we are the leaders of peacefulness throughout this 
             very hostile and difficult world.
               Senator Thurmond, I come to the Senate today to say 
             thank you. I never served in the military and I suppose 
             every man would like one day to have his grandson ask him, 
             ``What did you do in the war, Grandpa,'' and I will not be 
             able to say I served in battle like you did, but in a 
             sense here in the U.S. Senate we go to war every day, but 
             nobody dies, because we have found a way in this country, 
             in this deliberative body, to fight without bloodshed. It 
             will be my great pleasure that when my grandson sits on my 
             knee and asks what did I do to contribute to the public 
             life of this country, one of the things I will say is I 
             served with Senator Strom Thurmond.
               Thank you, sir. I salute you and I commend you and I 
             want to say publicly it is a high honor and a great 
             privilege to serve as your colleague in this body of the 
             U.S. Senate.

               Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a few 
             words of congratulations and tribute to a great man.
               When the history of American politics is written, 
             somebody needs to put in a pretty good chapter just about 
             Senator Strom Thurmond. This gentleman has seen and lived 
             history as very few people have. He fought on the beaches 
             of Normandy at the age of 41. His grandfather fought in 
             the Civil War. And his long and dedicated service in the 
             U.S. Senate deserves our honor today. He is both the 
             oldest living and the longest serving Senator in U.S. 
             history.
               Like many of my colleagues, he has made a run for the 
             Presidency. That is not so uncommon. But Senator Strom 
             Thurmond ran against President Harry S. Truman. That is a 
             little bit different.
               Senator Thurmond's life has been spent in public 
             service. He has known every President since Franklin 
             Roosevelt. He has been a county superintendent of 
             education, State senator, Governor, circuit judge. He has 
             been a schoolteacher, a coach. He has worked on a farm, 
             and has even been a motorcycle rider, like my friend 
             Senator Campbell.
               Senator Thurmond is one of South Carolina's most 
             successful exports, and clearly their favorite son.
               I think it is worth noting that as times have changed, 
             so has Senator Thurmond. When you look back on his life, 
             you see a pretty good reflection of the way he lives. The 
             views of many Americans have changed in this century. I 
             think it is a good thing to know Senator Thurmond, because 
             his example shows us how someone who serves the public can 
             adapt to the times while still living by his core 
             principles.
               Strom is a fair man, a kind man, who steadfastly 
             believes in what he says. He believes in the rights of the 
             people he represents to conduct their lives as they see 
             fit. He has fought for that for years, and I think that is 
             extremely noteworthy. It is among the highest obligations 
             that elected officials can uphold.
               But aside from all the history, I think what Senator 
             Thurmond most wants to be noted for today is what he 
             sought to do throughout his life; and that is, there is no 
             denying that this man is unendingly thoughtful and is 
             faithful to his friends and family and the people around 
             him.
               There aren't too many folks in South Carolina who do not 
             have a firsthand story of Senator Thurmond picking up the 
             phone to offer congratulations or to offer condolences, 
             and getting a note in the mail where he expresses his 
             concern or his interest in something that has happened in 
             the life of a family.
               I think that is the mark of the best kind of public 
             service. You don't forget that at the end of the day what 
             matters is the people you can count as friends. And people 
             remember their friends. They respect a true leader who 
             sticks by his guns. Regardless of your politics, that is 
             the kind of respect any public servant strives for, and it 
             is the mark of a true statesman and a true gentleman, and, 
             in this case, a true Southern gentleman.
               I have read that my colleague wants to be remembered as 
             a man who is honest, patriotic, and helpful. I am here to 
             tell you that he is all three.

               Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, today it is a great honor 
             for me to join in this tribute to a remarkable man who has 
             established a remarkable career, Senator Strom Thurmond.
               Senator Thurmond has served America as a teacher, as an 
             athletic coach, an attorney, a judge, an Army officer, a 
             war hero, a State senator, a Governor, a Presidential 
             candidate, a U.S. Senator, and, perhaps most importantly, 
             a father and husband.
               What an honor it is to serve with Senator Thurmond in 
             the U.S. Senate.
               I mentioned his role as father and husband. Mr. 
             President, I am sure you have seen also, on those 
             occasions when we are all together with our family 
             members, the wonderful pride that you see in the eyes of 
             Strom Thurmond when he introduces his children to us, when 
             he talks about some of the great accomplishments of his 
             children, and the twinkle in his eye when he talks about 
             his family.
               While serving, Mr. President, in a variety of these 
             capacities, it was as a circuit judge when war with 
             Germany broke out. As a judge, Mr. President, he was 
             exempt from military service. But Strom Thurmond, as soon 
             as war was declared with Germany, traded in that robe for 
             the uniform of the U.S. military.
               Recently, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of World 
             War II. We think about all that that meant. And, for many 
             of us, we had not even been born at that point--World War 
             II. One of the key, key events of World War II was D-day, 
             the invasion. And it was on that day that this former 
             circuit court judge joined in the invasion of the occupied 
             territory, and, in a glider, went behind enemy lines and 
             fought for his country. Because of that, Senator Thurmond 
             received 5 battle stars and 18 decorations, including the 
             Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for Valor. And we see 
             that valor every day here in the U.S. Senate.
               Senator Thurmond set a record for longevity of service 
             in the U.S. Senate. But it is his record of 
             accomplishment, not just the length of service, that makes 
             his career legendary.
               It is my distinct pleasure and honor to serve with Strom 
             as my chairman on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
               As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, 
             Senator Thurmond is a tireless advocate of a strong 
             defense, a strong America, and the men and women who 
             volunteer to wear the uniform of the United States, and 
             with his distinguished, distinguished service in the 
             military here is a man who every man and woman in uniform 
             can look to with great pride knowing how much he cares for 
             them and the duty that they are called upon to carry out.
               My colleagues know the strength of Senator Thurmond's 
             convictions which can be measured directly by his grip on 
             your arm as he discusses those issues with you. Senator 
             Thurmond has never been afraid to stand up for his 
             principles and what he believes in, no matter how the 
             political winds may be blowing.
               In recognition of his career and his character, the 
             people of South Carolina have elected Strom Thurmond seven 
             times to represent them as their Senator, including the 
             first time in 1954 as a write-in candidate.
               Mr. President, when we think about this remarkable life 
             of Senator Strom Thurmond, who was born in the year 1902, 
             think of all of the changes that have taken place in this 
             country of ours, all of the advances in technology, all of 
             the changes in the progress, the achievements of this 
             Nation, of the world, here is a man who has seen it all. 
             Here is a man, though, who has absolutely remained 
             current. I hope that as I continue my life I can continue 
             to be contemporary. When Strom Thurmond goes back to the 
             wonderful State of South Carolina, it is the young people 
             who identify with him as well. Here is someone they admire 
             and look to. Here is a man who because of his inquisitive 
             mind, because of his wonderful sense of humor, his energy 
             for life, and his unending love for his country, people of 
             all ages admire.
               We need the Strom Thurmonds of this country because it 
             is the Strom Thurmonds of this country who are the role 
             models for the rest of us. At some point when I conclude 
             my career in the Senate, one of the things I will be able 
             to look back on is that I had the great honor of serving 
             with Senator Strom Thurmond.
               Senator Thurmond, as a citizen, I thank you for all that 
             you mean to the United States of America and God bless 
             you.

               Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I thank you for presiding 
             at this very important morning of celebration. We are here 
             to talk about someone who is truly remarkable--our 
             distinguished colleague, the President pro tempore of the 
             Senate, the Senator from South Carolina, Strom Thurmond.
               Pablo Picasso once said it takes a long time to grow 
             young. This is one point on which Strom and Picasso would 
             agree. Picasso was still a painter at the age of 92, and 
             of course, we all know what Strom Thurmond is doing today. 
             He is leading our Nation.
               Strom often reminds me that Colonel William Barrett 
             Travis, the commander at the Alamo, was from Strom's home 
             county in South Carolina. Although Strom missed the Battle 
             of the Alamo by a few years, he has displayed the spirit 
             of the Alamo time and time again--the sense of duty and 
             commitment to freedom that made Colonel Travis such a hero 
             at the Alamo.
               He was commissioned in the Army in 1924, and though he 
             didn't need to, he volunteered for service in World War II 
             at the age of 40. He wanted to. He served in both the 
             Pacific and the European theaters and landed in a glider 
             on the beach at Normandy on D-day. He earned 18 
             decorations, including the Legion of Merit, the Purple 
             Heart, and the Bronze Star for Valor. He remained in the 
             Army Reserve. He retired at the rank of major general, 
             following 36 years of active and reserve military service, 
             nearly 40 years ago.
               I remember something that made such an impression on me 
             in 1994 when I was a new Member of the Senate. We were 
             celebrating the 50th anniversary of the landing at 
             Normandy in 1944. I remember hearing--in absolute awe--
             that one current Member of Congress who landed at 
             Normandy, Strom Thurmond, was to be honored. He missed the 
             anniversary, and I remember thinking to myself how 
             extraordinary his reason was. Strom Thurmond, who 
             volunteered at the age of 40, and who landed on a glider 
             at D-day, missed the 50th anniversary because he had a son 
             graduating from high school. This is an extraordinary man. 
             He has served as a State senator, a circuit court judge, a 
             Governor, a soldier in time of war, a Presidential 
             candidate, and now is the oldest and longest serving 
             Senator in our Nation's history.
               It was my pleasure to serve with Strom Thurmond on the 
             Armed Services Committee, and I can say as one who was 
             there, he worked for only one purpose: To ensure our 
             country's national defense remained strong. During his 
             last campaign, Senator Thurmond asked the people of South 
             Carolina one simple question: Who can do more to help 
             steer the future of America toward the conservative 
             principles we believe in? Who can best continue to 
             diligently and effectively help all the people of South 
             Carolina? The people of South Carolina spoke resoundingly 
             that the person was Strom Thurmond and returned him to the 
             U.S. Senate. We are here today to honor their choice and 
             their confidence in this gentleman.
               Strom has announced that it is, after all, a man's 
             prerogative to change his mind. He has announced that he 
             will no longer support continual service without term 
             limits. So, now that he has embraced term limits, in a 
             magnanimous gesture he has announced that he will not run 
             for reelection in 2002. We think that really is 
             magnanimous because there are few South Carolina 
             politicians who would have the energy to take on the man 
             that we have affectionately dubbed ``The Thurmonater.''
               He began his career in public service as a coach in 
             1923, and 74 years later he remains a coach and teacher to 
             all of us.
               Senator Thurmond, it is a pleasure and an honor to work 
             beside you, and I wish you continued success in a long and 
             healthy life that I know you will have.

               Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, the celebration of the life 
             and recordbreaking Senate career of Senator Strom Thurmond 
             gives each of us an opportunity to underline strengths of 
             our friend and our colleague which we should emulate. 
             Senator Thurmond is the oldest of our colleagues, but my 
             most vivid memories of him have often involved his 
             interaction with young people.
               During a trip to military installations early in my 
             Senate career, I learned much about successful constituent 
             relationships from Strom. Even while on the road, Strom 
             Thurmond was receiving the names of South Carolinians who 
             had recently died, were married, or enjoyed personal 
             honors such as graduation or academic recognition. With 
             the assistance of his able staff, Strom obtained daily 
             lists of names and placed telephone calls, through his 
             Washington office, to at least 2 dozen of these persons, 
             according to my observations, leaving appropriate messages 
             when necessary. He displayed the greatest excitement over 
             students and could often identify their parents and their 
             grandparents as he shared pride in the accomplishments of 
             the entire family.
               Upon arrival at one naval base that shall remain 
             nameless, Strom demonstrated another attribute, which has 
             been partly responsible for his longevity of Senatorial 
             service. We were greeted by the naval captain who 
             commanded the base and, after just a few words of 
             conversation, Strom indicated that it was 4:30 in the 
             afternoon, he had been traveling for hours, and he wanted 
             to jog around the base. He invited the astonished 
             commanding officer to join him for the run and strongly 
             insisted that this would be an excellent opportunity. As 
             negotiations on the running assignment proceeded, the 
             captain successfully pled the press of urgent duties and 
             encouraged a young ensign to suit up for running duty with 
             Senator Thurmond. I saw this episode repeated on another 
             occasion.
               I noticed a remarkable excitement which young people 
             enjoyed when running with Strom Thurmond. This excitement 
             is not restricted to miscellaneous strangers that Strom 
             met across the country. Last summer, I found that Strom's 
             son, Paul, was a member of my fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, 
             and that several of his fraternity brothers were interns 
             in Senator Thurmond's office. I invited them to lunch in 
             the Senate dining room where, midway through our meal, 
             Strom entered with constituents from South Carolina. I was 
             deeply touched while watching Paul greet his dad and the 
             constituents and indicate to all the importance of the 
             reelection campaign in which the entire family was heavily 
             involved. Paul critiqued Strom's early morning TV 
             appearance and the current stress of various activities, 
             giving his dad advice. Then Paul and his fraternity 
             brothers shared with me great stories about their 
             experiences with Strom, including his intense interest in 
             their daily activities.
               All of us know from our daily visits with Strom Thurmond 
             on the floor of the Senate that he greets each of us 
             warmly. He is excited by these encounters, almost as if it 
             were the first time in a long while that he has seen us. 
             In visiting with these young men who were interns in his 
             office, and later with my own son, David Lugar, who had a 
             wonderful conversation with Strom at a fundraising 
             reception, I found a common theme.
               Strom, obviously, is invigorated by his meetings with 
             young people, and he has much to say to them about 
             successful patterns of living. His political instruction 
             is surely world class, and I suspect that all of us 
             recognize the power of a truly disciplined life that has 
             been lived with the setting of important goals and the 
             sustained activity necessary to achieve them.
               Very fortunately, Strom has not only set a record for 
             longevity of service in the Senate, he is still among us, 
             giving encouragement each day and inspiring the best of 
             our efforts. I am very grateful for the privilege of 
             serving with him.

               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise today to join in 
             honoring a legend, a legend not just in the Senate but 
             also throughout the United States of America.
               I have been privileged to serve with Senator Thurmond 
             for 21 of the last nearly 42 years that he has represented 
             the State of South Carolina as one of the premier U.S. 
             Senators in this body.
               When I first arrived in January 1977, Senator Thurmond 
             was my special mentor. As my senior on the Senate 
             Judiciary Committee, he gave me my first lessons of the 
             committee's processes. Ever since then, he has been a 
             personal and very special friend to me.
               I have admired Senator Thurmond's strong commitment to 
             federalism and his steadfast support of the prerogatives 
             of both State and local governments. I have admired his 
             toughness in the matters of criminal justice. I have 
             admired his objectivity and fairness when it comes to 
             matters concerning the judiciary. There can be no question 
             that Senator Thurmond has left his mark on the Senate 
             Judiciary Committee and the laws created by it.
               Nearly 42 years of distinguished service in the U.S. 
             Senate would be a lifetime accomplishment for anybody--
             certainly for most people. But Senator Thurmond was just 
             warming up when he arrived here for the first time in 
             1955. Before that he was county superintendent of schools, 
             county attorney, circuit judge, D-day hero with the 82d 
             Airborne, Governor of South Carolina, and Presidential 
             candidate in 1948.
               The problem with using the word ``legend'' is that many 
             times the exploits ascribed to a legendary figure are 
             exaggerated or apocryphal. But it is entirely safe to say 
             that Senator Thurmond is a legend. His accomplishments and 
             contributions both for his beloved home State and his 
             country are very well documented. And a lot of us are very 
             familiar with them.
               I will never forget his trip to Utah in 1991 to keynote 
             my Utah Seniors Conference. About 1,000 seniors from all 
             over the State of Utah and the intermountain West gathered 
             in Salt Lake City for a day of workshops and speakers on 
             everything from retirement finances to travel bargains. 
             Senator Thurmond is quite a role model. His enthusiasm for 
             his work, his family, for his country, and for life itself 
             was genuine and infectious. Our people in Utah were so 
             impressed, that he gave them so much to live for, so much 
             to strive for, so much to try to be, that I will never 
             forget that appearance out there in Utah.
               We have been together on so many occasions and we have 
             done so many things together that I think I am in a 
             special position to say how much I care for this wonderful 
             human being and how proud I am that he has reached this 
             milestone in the U.S. Senate. I am not sure that it will 
             ever be broken.
               Senator Thurmond is one who will leave a legacy not only 
             of achievement but of honor and integrity to the Senate 
             and the people of South Carolina. But, of course, it is 
             premature to think that the latest milestone is the last 
             milestone. I do not believe Strom Thurmond is finished 
             yet.
               I have a lot of friends in the Senate, and I care for 
             all of them. This is a wonderful body. It is a collegial 
             body. It is an important body, the most important 
             legislative body in the world today. But I have no greater 
             friend than my good friend from South Carolina, Strom 
             Thurmond.
               He has been my mentor. He has been my friend. He has 
             been my supporter. He has been a person who has taken time 
             to help me to know the ropes here. And he is a human being 
             who you cannot help but respect.
               I am proud that he has not lost a step. This man is as 
             effective today as when I got here in 1977, in fact, in 
             some ways maybe even more effective because of the 
             additional 21 years of experience that he has been able to 
             accumulate.
               Senator Thurmond has been good to his staff. He is good 
             to the people around the Senate. I have seen him shake 
             hands with almost everybody who comes his way. He takes 
             time with young people, children, older people, whoever. 
             He stops and says hello and always has a cheery salutation 
             for people as he serves in the Senate.
               I also know that there is nobody in the Senate who knows 
             more about his State and the people therein than Strom 
             Thurmond. I have seen him make phone calls to his State. I 
             have seen him worry about funerals, about deaths, about 
             graduations, about education, about so many things that 
             really have been important for people in his State. I 
             think it is probably true that he has basically touched 
             the lives and the hearts of virtually everybody in the 
             State of South Carolina. But it is also true that he has 
             touched the hearts of many of us throughout the rest of 
             the country.
               And I for one am a better person because of my 
             relationship and the friendship and brotherhood that I 
             have with Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.
               He is a great man. He is a legend. And I believe that he 
             is going to make these next number of years the most 
             important years of his life. And if anybody can do it, it 
             is my buddy, my friend, my mentor, Strom Thurmond.
               So I would have felt badly if I had not gotten over here 
             and at least said a few of the things that are on my mind. 
             I could go on for hours. But this is a great man, one of 
             the greatest that has ever lived in this country. He is a 
             great patriot, somebody who really loves this country and 
             has given blood for it.
               I want you to know, Senator Thurmond, I appreciate you. 
             And I know I am not supposed to refer to you in the first 
             person on the floor, but I am going to today. I appreciate 
             you and appreciate the kindness and the friendship you 
             have shown me all these years. And we are going to be 
             friends forevermore. So I am grateful to you and I am 
             happy to see you achieve this honor. And I wish you many, 
             many more years in the U.S. Senate. And I know that as 
             long as you will be here, that you will give it everything 
             you have.

               Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, in his thought-provoking 
             book, ``The Faith We Have Not Kept,'' Senator Strom 
             Thurmond writes:

               The nation that ceases to expand its consciousness 
             begins to die at that very moment. Once a nation loses its 
             conviction of truth, doubts, and self-doubts rob it of its 
             will and its strength.

               During his 41 years and 10 months in the U.S. Senate, 
             Senator Strom Thurmond has certainly helped ensure that 
             this great Nation continues to expand its consciousness 
             and to ensure that we never lose the conviction of truth. 
             In so doing, he has helped our Nation continue to thrive 
             and prosper and build its will and its strength.
               For these reasons, we admire as well as honor the man 
             who this past Sunday, on May 25, became the longest 
             serving Senator in the history of the United States.
               From the start, I want to make it clear I have not 
             always agreed with the senior Senator from South Carolina. 
             In fact, we probably disagreed more than we have agreed.
               But I also want to make clear that my disagreements with 
             him have never once diminished my admiration for him as a 
             man, as a lawmaker, and as an American. Never once have 
             our differences reduced my respect for his tenacious 
             fights for the causes in which he believes and his 
             adherence to what he has called the bedrock for all our 
             expectations, the Constitution of the United States.
               This historic achievement is another important milestone 
             in the life and career of a man who has become a political 
             icon of the South--a life and a career that has included:
               Being the first and only person to be elected to the 
             U.S. Senate on a write-in ballot;
               Delivering the longest speech in the history of the 
             Senate, 24 hours, and 18 minutes; and,
               Being the oldest person to have ever served here in the 
             Senate.
               One might be inclined to think that being a Federal 
             lawmaker is all that Strom Thurmond has ever done. 
             Actually, he has done a few other things. He has been a 
             farmer, a lawyer, a teacher, a coach, an education 
             administrator, a judge, a Governor, a State senator, and 
             an author. He is a soldier--a distinguished veteran of 
             World War II who participated in the D-day invasion and 
             has been awarded 5 military stars and 18 decorations. He 
             has been a Democrat, a Dixiecrat, and a Republican.
               What a life.
               What a career.
               In addition to the skill and intellect, the doggedness 
             and drive, and the other attributes that make for an 
             outstanding senatorial career, Senator Thurmond's historic 
             achievement marks the career of someone:
               Born before the birth of aviation--the year before the 
             Wright brothers took off in their plane at Kitty Hawk;
               Elected to his first political office while Calvin 
             Coolidge was President;
               Who began serving in the Senate before some of its 
             current Members, including this one, were born; and
               Who has served with about one-fifth of the 1,843 men and 
             women who have been Members of the U.S. Senate.
               For his long and distinguished career, the people of 
             South Carolina are naming much of that State in Senator 
             Thurmond's honor. Go to almost any town in his beautiful 
             and beloved State and you will find Strom Thurmond Street 
             or Bridge. You will similarly find named in his honor a 
             high school in Edgefield County, a student center at 
             Baptist College, a dormitory at Winthrop College, a 
             criminal justice building at the Greenville Technical 
             College, a Federal building in Columbia, the Center for 
             Excellence in Government at Clemson, an auditorium at the 
             University of South Carolina School of Law, a mall in 
             Columbia, and a vocational rehabilitation center in Aiken. 
             You will also find Strom Thurmond Lake, Dam, and Highway 
             in Clarks Hill, the Strom Thurmond Educational Center in 
             Union, the Strom Thurmond Biomedical Research Center at 
             the Medical University of South Carolina, and the Strom 
             Thurmond Defense Finance and Accounting Building in 
             Charleston.
               His office walls are covered floor to ceiling with 
             awards too numerous to mention. The people of South 
             Carolina are obviously pleased and proud of their man in 
             Washington just as we are pleased and proud to have him 
             here with us.
               It is interesting to note that the oldest and longest 
             serving Member in Senate history has announced his support 
             for term limits. After six decades in political office and 
             four decades in the Senate, this may be the only way that 
             he will ever leave the Senate.
               One of his staffers aptly pointed out that ``graveyards 
             in South Carolina are filled with people waiting for Strom 
             Thurmond to die so they could run for the Senate.''
               Mr. President, I congratulate Senator Strom Thurmond for 
             his remarkable career and his historic feat, becoming the 
             longest serving Senator in U.S. history. I thank him for 
             his contributions to the U.S. Senate, for his 
             contributions in making this a better country, and for 
             being a friend and a colleague. Finally, I thank him for 
             expanding the consciousness of this great Nation and 
             ensuring that we never lose our conviction of truth.

               Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I have served in the Senate 
             for 25 years. Obviously, when compared with Senator Strom 
             Thurmond, I do not even have any bragging rights yet.
               I thought I would come down here to remark, for the 
             Senate record and for the distinguished Senator Thurmond, 
             on a few of my thoughts about my 25 years here, and what I 
             remember most about Senator Thurmond. Rather than talk 
             about legislation, I will talk about some of his qualities 
             and characteristics that stand out most in my mind.
               I guess the most immediate thought that comes to mind is 
             that he is a real gentleman. I think when you have been 
             such an acclaimed, esteemed political leader for as long 
             as he has, it is a rare quality and rare compliment that 
             you can say he has never stopped being a gentleman. By 
             that, I mean he is considerate of everyone. He visits more 
             people and attends more events to honor other people, than 
             anyone I know, and he does it with great enthusiasm. He 
             attends events, whether for the chairman of the 
             Appropriations Committee or a brand new Senator--he puts 
             it on his list and he spends an hour to an hour and a 
             half, 3 or 4 nights a week, attending events to honor or 
             help other people. It is absolutely beyond belief how much 
             energy and time he spends on other people.
               Second--and I hope this characteristic is never passe, I 
             hope it is always important--I believe he is about as 
             loyal an American citizen as I have ever worked with, as I 
             have ever exchanged views with, and that I have ever been 
             privileged to call friend. By being a loyal American, what 
             I mean is he is constantly asking what is good for 
             America. When he speaks about our national defense, you 
             just know he loves this country. That is what I mean when 
             I say he is a true, loyal American. He is a patriot. He 
             has served America and his constituents in his State in 
             more capacities than anyone in this institution will ever 
             be privileged to serve. Yet, he is always optimistic and 
             he is always sure and certain that this country--that he 
             loves so much--is one of the great achievements of all 
             humankind. He speaks of it as something that we ought to 
             be proud of, that we ought to preserve.
               Mr. President, my last observation about Strom Thurmond 
             is that he knows how to be a team player.
               You know, it is entirely possible that a man of his 
             exquisite accomplishments and seniority wouldn't have to 
             be a team player. But I can tell you, as one who has had 
             to manage a large number of very, very tough measures on 
             the floor of the Senate, Strom Thurmond is one of the best 
             team players when he believes you are trying to do 
             something good for the country.
               There are many other characteristics that other Senators 
             will speak of. They are all well deserved. I am here to 
             speak of my own evaluation: a gentleman, a true and loyal 
             American, and a team player. That is how I view him. That 
             is how I think many will view him as they look at his 
             great accomplishments and marvelous life.

               Mr. FAIRCLOTH. Mr. President, I rise to congratulate my 
             good friend, colleague, and neighbor, Strom Thurmond.
               Mr. President, I cannot say much that has not already 
             been said about Senator Thurmond. When I think about the 
             life of Strom Thurmond, his life is literally a chapter of 
             American history.
               Strom was born in 1902. This was the year before the 
             Wright brothers did their first flight. He has lived 
             through four wars, and was a war hero in one of them--
             World War II. He was at Normandy in June of 1944 when we 
             liberated Europe.
               A funny and personal note, quickly: After I came to the 
             Senate, Strom said to me on the floor one day, ``What year 
             were you born?'' I told him I was born in 1928, which made 
             me pretty old. He looked at me and said, ``That was a good 
             year. That was the year I was county superintendent of 
             education.'' So I felt young again.
               I congratulate him as the longest serving Senator in the 
             history of the United States. I can think of no one more 
             fitting than Strom Thurmond to hold this honor. He has 
             devoted his entire adult life to serving the people of the 
             United States and the people of South Carolina.
               He first became a State senator in 1933, which was a 
             pretty long time ago. And he served as Governor from 1947 
             until 1951. He ran for President, and was a lot closer to 
             being elected than most people realized. But, more 
             appropriately, they elected him to the Senate in 1954 as a 
             write-in candidate--so far as I know, the only write-in 
             candidate ever elected to the Senate. And they have 
             reelected him ever since, as both Democrat and Republican.
               As his neighbor from North Carolina, I say to all South 
             Carolinians that they should be proud, and I know they are 
             proud of Senator Thurmond.
               Senator Thurmond is a man of deep faith, and he truly 
             has the courage of his convictions. In his long career, I 
             have never heard anybody question his integrity or his 
             dedication to public service. In this day and age of 
             attack politics, Strom Thurmond is forever the gentleman. 
             His manner should be a role model for aspiring politicians 
             and Senators.
               Further, I can think of no one in the Senate who I would 
             rather have as chairman of the Armed Services Committee. 
             He is a veteran, he is a war hero, and he is a man of 
             unwavering integrity and commitment to the causes he 
             believes in. And one of those principal causes is a strong 
             national defense. He is a man of principles, and one of 
             those principles, I again repeat, is a strong national 
             defense. It is the one identifying characteristic, if no 
             other, of Strom Thurmond.
               I know that he will not let anyone ever weaken the 
             national defense system as long as he is chairman. And I 
             hope he remains chairman for a long time to come.
               Mr. President, I thank Strom Thurmond for his service, 
             and as a nation we thank Strom Thurmond for his service. 
             Our veterans and men in uniform throughout the country are 
             aware of what he has done, what he represents, and he 
             still has the strong support of them.
               I look forward to continuing to serve with Senator 
             Thurmond far into the future.

               Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have been an occupant of 
             the Chair and listened to many statements now concerning 
             my good friend from South Carolina. So I am not going to 
             repeat some of the matters concerning Senator Thurmond's 
             personal background. I would like to just discuss some of 
             the memories I have of this great Senator.
               It is a matter of coincidence, I guess, but Senator 
             Thurmond came to the Senate by appointment on December 24, 
             1954. I came to the Senate by appointment on December 24, 
             1968. I thank the Parliamentarian for assisting me in 
             finding those dates. When I came to the Senate, Senator 
             Thurmond was 22d in seniority. It is an interesting thing 
             that he is now the first in line, and, on our side, I am 
             now the second.
               A great many people have come to the Senate, and left, 
             since the first day that I came to the Senate and joined 
             Senator Thurmond. But it was with great interest that I 
             met him because I read a great deal about the Senator from 
             South Carolina prior to coming to the Senate.
               As a matter of history, I was trained to fly gliders in 
             World War II and firmly expected to be deployed to the 
             European theater, when I was reassigned into the China 
             theater, and did not ever get to tow gliders into combat. 
             But I did train to tow them. And I was very interested to 
             find out that Senator Thurmond was one of those who led 
             part of our forces flying a glider into the invasion in 
             June 1944.
               You know, the whole concept of using gliders was to 
             insert troops far beyond the shore defenses out in front. 
             And that is, I think, what I would say about Senator 
             Thurmond: He has always been out in front.
               He has also been a leader by example. There is one thing 
             that young Senators coming into the Senate, whether in the 
             group that I came in 1968 or every new term that brings 
             more Senators, soon learn. If you want to see what a 
             Senator should act like, should be like, you should 
             emulate the Senator from South Carolina. As a matter of 
             fact, my brother, Bob, lives in South Carolina. When he 
             speaks of ``my Senator,'' he is talking about Senator 
             Thurmond--not me--because Senator Thurmond is a real 
             champion of the people of his State. They know him 
             personally.
               It was my privilege in one election to accompany Senator 
             Thurmond to South Carolina and to go to campaign events 
             with him. I want the Senate to know, if they want to learn 
             how to campaign, that they ought to try that. Because when 
             Senator Thurmond goes into an event--and we went to 
             several on that trip that I made with him to South 
             Carolina--he does not need someone standing beside him to 
             remind him who people are. He loves campaigning. You can 
             tell that he knows his people, and they love him because 
             it is a reunion. Each one of his campaign events are 
             reunions. They are not just something to go to, to try to 
             listen to; they are supporters coming to meet their 
             Senator. There is a great difference, Mr. President. I 
             think we all know that.
               But time passes very quickly in the Senate. It passes 
             quickly for those who are busy. Some people come and leave 
             very quickly because they never really become part of the 
             Senate family. Senator Thurmond has been a leader not only 
             in the Senate, but here on the floor and in the Senate 
             family.
               My daughter, Lily--this is Uncle Strom to her. I think 
             for almost every one of us who have had young children 
             here in the Senate, they have had that same relationship 
             to Senator Thurmond. She literally lights up when she sees 
             Strom because she is meeting a friend. He really vibrates 
             with young people. And I like that as a father. But I also 
             admire it greatly in terms of his qualities and the way he 
             approaches life.
               I was thinking, as I sat there in the chair, about what 
             I would say about Senator Thurmond. My message to the 
             Senate is, here is a man who loves life. There is a real 
             joy to his life. He has had some sadness. But he has had 
             the strength to overcome that. But he really enjoys life.
               I remember when he used to tell me that I ought to work 
             out more, that I ought to get more exercise. I thought I 
             was getting a lot of exercise. But I soon found out that I 
             needed that exercise because every time he grabbed me by 
             the arm, I went away with a bruise. And I had to get a 
             little bit more muscle there so I could be close enough to 
             him so he could talk to me. You watch. He will do that 
             when I finish. He is going to grab me by the arm and let 
             me know there is still strength in that arm. And it is the 
             strength of a strong heart, a heart that really loves our 
             country, and loves the Senate, and that really has 
             dignified the Senate in his years here.
               He has been in some battles. He has been in some battles 
             with me. But I will tell the Senate that no one in the 
             Senate could have a better friend than Strom Thurmond. I 
             am proud to be here today to call him my friend and to 
             acknowledge his great leadership.

               Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise to 
             join my colleagues in paying tribute to the distinguished 
             President pro tempore of the Senate, the senior Senator 
             from South Carolina, Senator Strom Thurmond.
               Senator Thurmond was born at the dawn of the 20th 
             century, on December 5, 1902, at Edgefield, SC. He has 
             lived nearly every day of this tumultuous century.
               Mr. President, I take particular interest and pride in 
             Senator Thurmond's early career. After graduating from 
             Clemson University in 1923, Senator Thurmond embarked on 6 
             years of service as a public school teacher and athletic 
             coach. Mr. President, that is how I began my own career 
             after my own graduation from college.
               Senator Thurmond subsequently served as his home 
             county's superintendent of education from 1929 to 1933.
               Having studied law at night under the tutelage of his 
             father, Senator Thurmond became a member of the South 
             Carolina Bar in 1930. He was a city attorney and county 
             attorney from 1930 to 1938.
               In 1933, Strom Thurmond was elected State senator, an 
             office that he held until 1938. He next served as a South 
             Carolina circuit judge from 1938 to 1946.
               It has been my honor, Mr. President, to have served on 
             the Armed Services Committee with Senator Thurmond since I 
             was elected to the Senate in 1990 and, for the past more 
             than two years, under his able leadership as chairman. 
             Given that connection, I want to call special attention to 
             Senator Thurmond's heroic service in World War II.
               Mr. President, in June, 1944, Strom Thurmond volunteered 
             to participate in D-day by parachuting into France, but 
             was told that he was too old. Instead, then-Judge 
             Thurmond, age 41, participated in the Normandy Invasion by 
             landing with members of the 325th Glider Infantry 
             Regiment, 82d Airborne Division.
               Ultimately, Strom Thurmond was awarded 5 battle stars 
             and 18 decorations, medals, and awards, including the 
             Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star 
             Medal with ``V,'' the Purple Heart, the Belgian Order of 
             the Crown, and the French Croix de Guerre.
               After World War II, Mr. President, Strom Thurmond served 
             as the Governor of South Carolina from 1947 to 1951. He 
             was the States' rights Democratic nominee for President in 
             1948. He carried 4 States, receiving 39 electoral votes.
               Following his service as Governor of his beloved state, 
             Strom Thurmond practiced law in Aiken, SC, from 1951 to 
             1955.
               Mr. President, Strom Thurmond was elected to the U.S. 
             Senate as a write-in candidate in 1954. He resigned in 
             1956, in the words of his official biography, in order 
             ``to place the office in a primary, pursuant to a promise 
             to the people during the 1954 campaign.''
               Subsequently, of course, Mr. President, Strom Thurmond 
             was elected to the Senate in 1956, and reelected in 1960, 
             1966, 1972, 1978, 1984, 1990, and 1996. He has spoken of 
             retirement after his current term, which will end after 
             Senator Thurmond's 100th birthday on December 2, 2002. I 
             am sure that I am not alone when I say that I hope that he 
             will reconsider.
               Mr. President, it has been my honor and privilege to 
             serve in the U.S. Senate with Senator Strom Thurmond for 
             the past more than 6 years. I respect him, I admire him, 
             and I value his friendship. I look forward to continuing 
             to serve with him, under his leadership as President pro 
             tempore of the Senate and as the Chairman of the Armed 
             Services Committee, for many years to come.

               Mr. GRAMM. Mr. President, last week, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond became the longest-serving U.S. Senator in 
             American history. That, in itself, is an amazing feat--42 
             years tirelessly representing his home State of South 
             Carolina and our Nation. While this milestone rightly 
             garnered much attention, it is because of Senator 
             Thurmond's many accomplishments in and out of this 
             Chamber, not simply the length of his tenure, that he will 
             always be remembered as one of the true giants of this 
             institution and why he will go down in history as one of 
             the most important figures in 20th century American 
             politics. I am proud to serve in the Senate with Strom 
             Thurmond and glad to have this opportunity to honor him 
             and his continuing record of achievement.
               We all know of Strom Thurmond's legacy. Teacher, State 
             senator, judge, soldier at Normandy, Governor, 
             Presidential candidate, and U.S. Senator. Always guided by 
             principle and a strong devotion to service, Strom 
             Thurmond's life and career are an example to each and 
             every one of us and are a poignant realization of the 
             American dream.
               Strom Thurmond grew up on a farm in Edgefield, SC, not 
             far from where William Barret Travis, the heroic commander 
             of the Alamo, was born. He began his career as a teacher 
             and athletic coach and his strong love of education soon 
             led him to be the youngest person ever to become 
             superintendent of education for Edgefield County. In the 
             ensuing years he would further serve the people of South 
             Carolina as a State senator and a circuit court judge. 
             When World War II came, Strom Thurmond chose to leave the 
             State he so loved to defend democracy overseas. As a 
             judge, he was exempt from military service, but Senator 
             Thurmond relinquished his robe and volunteered for active 
             duty in the military. His war record is the stuff of 
             legend: he fought in five battles, landed by glider at 
             Normandy on D-day and was ultimately awarded 5 battle 
             stars and 18 decorations for his service.
               After the war, Strom Thurmond came home and was elected 
             Governor, and in 1948, he ran for President. Soon after, 
             he was elected as a write-in candidate to the U.S. Senate, 
             becoming the first person ever elected to the Senate by 
             this method.
               Newly-elected Senator Thurmond, drawing upon his 
             firsthand experience in the armed services, quickly became 
             an expert on military and defense issues, beginning a 
             lifelong dedication to our fighting men and women and an 
             unwavering stand in favor of a strong national defense.
               Senator Thurmond began his political career as a 
             Democrat. But when he concluded that the national 
             Republican Party better embodied the principles and values 
             he held and cherished, he made a bold decision to become a 
             Republican in 1964. I know from experience that there are 
             many pressures and difficulties you face in leaving the 
             party you grew up in, but I know that Strom has never 
             regretted his decision.
               Throughout his historic tenure in the Senate, as 
             chairman of the Judiciary Committee, chairman of the Armed 
             Services Committee, and as President pro tempore, Senator 
             Strom Thurmond has served the people of South Carolina--
             and America--with uncommon distinction and honor. I 
             congratulate Senator Thurmond today. It is an honor to 
             call him a friend and colleague, and I look forward to his 
             continued strong leadership in the U.S. Senate.

               Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, in 1981, the Senate Judiciary 
             Committee had a new chairman, and a new ranking member, 
             and there were more than a few folks who were eagerly 
             looking forward to the fireworks. With the election of a 
             new, conservative Republican administration and a new 
             Republican majority in the Senate, The Judiciary Committee 
             seemed destined to be a battleground for many of the great 
             philosophical questions which divided us then, and which 
             divide us now. And to many ``Washington Insiders,'' there 
             was little prospect that Strom Thurmond--the veteran 
             conservative Republican chairman from South Carolina who 
             first made his mark on national politics as a principal 
             advocate of States rights--and Joe Biden--a northeastern 
             democrat still in his thirties whose interest in politics 
             was sparked in large part by the civil rights movement--
             could ever find common ground as we grappled with many of 
             those fundamental questions.
               I never shared those doubts, because by that time, 
             Senator Thurmond and I had served together for 8 years. I 
             knew that Strom Thurmond's personal strengths, which I 
             admired greatly regardless of our political differences, 
             would guide the committee toward responsible consensus 
             rather than divisive gridlock, and establish an atmosphere 
             of civil and constructive debate rather than divisive and 
             meaningless partisan rhetoric.
               In his 6 years as chairman, and for several years after 
             we switched roles in 1987, Senator Thurmond exceeded my 
             expectations in every way. While the Judiciary Committee 
             did indeed go through some heated debates and contentious 
             hearings--weathering the kind of controversy which I have 
             seen poison the well for other committees for years 
             afterward--Senator Thurmond and I worked together to 
             ensure that the committee's business, the Nation's 
             business, would go forward once the day was done. That 
             would not have happened had it not been for the strength 
             of character of our chairman.
               First and foremost, Strom Thurmond is an absolute 
             gentleman, unfailingly courteous and respectful of each 
             individual's dignity. Throughout a lifetime spent in the 
             political arena, he has never forgotten that those who 
             disagree with us are nonetheless entitled to being heard 
             out and treated with dignity. Indeed, that is an important 
             reason that his lifetime in politics has been such a long 
             and productive one.
               Here in the Senate, and--as I have seen firsthand--back 
             home in South Carolina, Strom Thurmond's honesty and 
             integrity are the hallmark of his public and private 
             reputation. His word is his bond, and each of us--even the 
             most partisan of political opponents--knows that through 
             the heat of political debate, regardless of the intense 
             pressure that may be upon him, Strom Thurmond can be 
             trusted to keep that word; not when it's politically 
             possible or expedient, but always.
               Here in the Senate, our integrity is, ultimately, our 
             most valued possession, and Senator Thurmond is a living 
             example of the value of personal integrity.
               Throughout our service on the Judiciary Committee, ``The 
             Chairman'', has distinguished himself by his commitment to 
             absolute fairness; to Republican and Democrat, political 
             ally and philosophical opponent, alike. During the years 
             when I held the gavel--and Strom will always be ``The 
             Chairman'' to me--I tried to match the example of fairness 
             that he set. Indeed, it is a legacy which I hope every 
             committee chairman--and every Senator--now and in the 
             future, can strive to follow.
               Long before he was a committee chairman; indeed long 
             before he came to the Senate so many years ago, Strom 
             Thurmond was the consummate public servant, dedicated to 
             the proposition that the political system is not an end in 
             itself, but an arena for doing the public good. To that 
             end, he has been committed to getting things done; to 
             meeting the challenges facing our Nation and our people; 
             and to accomplish those goals regardless of partisan 
             politics. Though he holds the record for the Senate's 
             longest filibuster, Strom Thurmond is a doer rather than a 
             talker, and his long list of accomplishments here in the 
             Senate is a testament to his determination to serve the 
             people of South Carolina and this Nation.
               ``Patriotism'' is a word that is used often in the 
             course of political debate, sometimes by those seeking to 
             further nothing more than their own personal or political 
             agendas. But patriotism has always been at the core of 
             Strom Thurmond's being, whether in the fields of Normandy 
             or in the Halls of the United States Senate. Senator 
             Thurmond has epitomized the notion that patriotism is 
             neither an outdated value nor a term for scoring political 
             points; but a living principle that challenges us daily 
             and refuses to let us rest on our laurels when it comes to 
             doing the public good.
               Today, we commemorate Senator Thurmond's record-setting 
             tenure here in this body. In recent weeks, because I am 
             his friend in spite of our ages and differing political 
             philosophies, I have been asked numerous times to explain 
             the secret to his long tenure. The truth of the matter is 
             that--in addition to the fact that he is a testament to 
             healthy living--the secret to Strom Thurmond's political 
             longevity lies, not with his considerable political skills 
             or with any local anomaly in South Carolina, but deep 
             within Strom Thurmond himself.
               It lies in his strength of character, his absolute 
             honesty and integrity, his strong sense of fairness, and 
             his commitment to public service. None of those things are 
             skills which you learn; they are qualities deep within you 
             which, when people know you well, they can sense. That is 
             the secret to Strom Thurmond's success.
               Strom Thurmond's ongoing legacy is not the number of 
             years, months, and days he has served in the U.S. Senate. 
             Rather it is his many accomplishments and the good that he 
             has done during those years.
               I have been honored and privileged to serve with and 
             work with Senator Thurmond for many of those years. I am 
             proud of the work we have done together on the Senate 
             Judiciary Committee. And I am proud to call him my friend.
               Mr. President, I join my colleagues in honoring this 
             important benchmark in Senator Thurmond's long career in 
             public service, knowing that he still has much to give and 
             looking forward to working with him as we confront the 
             challenges of the 21st century.

               Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on May 25, this Congress made 
             history. On that day, we became the Congress to have the 
             longest sitting Senator in the history of the United 
             States. Our distinguished colleague and friend, the senior 
             Senator from South Carolina--Strom Thurmond--set the 
             Senate longevity record, serving his State and Nation for 
             41 years and 10 months. And like that little bunny, he 
             just keeps going and going and going.
               However, as impressive as Senator Thurmond's legacy of 
             service are his record of successes and the example of 
             leadership he has achieved during his tenure. Today he 
             serves as President pro tempore--a constitutional office 
             that places him fourth in line to the Presidency. He has 
             served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the 
             senior member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and he 
             now serves as chairman of our powerful Armed Services 
             Committee.
               Senator Thurmond has been elected to eight consecutive 
             terms since winning his seat as a write-in candidate back 
             in 1954.
               We know of his breadth of experience: teacher, soldier, 
             lawyer, judge, administrator, Governor, and even 
             Presidential candidate; and we have been inspired by his 
             example.
               We see in his life the values and possibilities that 
             still distinguish our great Nation. Small town virtues, 
             selfless service, a sense of duty--roots buried deep in 
             lifelong membership in the local Mason Lodge, the Lion's 
             and Rotary service organizations, the community church and 
             hometown businesses. These all give Strom an authentic 
             quality--a richness of character--an accessibility that's 
             felt even by those who don't know him as well as we do.
               I cherish Strom's friendship. I count myself fortunate 
             to have served the many years I have served with this 
             great Senator, and I can say that I know of no one in this 
             Chamber who doesn't look to him as I do--as a friend. And 
             when you think about it, Mr. President, that's quite a 
             remarkable thing to say about a man who started his 
             political career when Calvin Coolidge was in the White 
             House.
               During this special time--as Senator Thurmond continues 
             to bring distinction to himself and to the U.S. Senate 
             through his historic service--I want to be counted among 
             those who recognize and appreciate all that he has offered 
             to South Carolina and to the United States of America.

               Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a privilege to join in 
             these tributes to our distinguished colleague, Senator 
             Thurmond and his extraordinary record of service to the 
             people of South Carolina and the Nation.
               In a very real sense, Senator Thurmond is the Cal Ripken 
             of the Senate. He has set a record of longevity in the 
             Senate that few if any of us ever thought would be broken. 
             His service to the Senate extends over four decades, and 
             we honor him today for that remarkable record of success 
             in public service and his enduring commitment to the 
             Nation's highest ideals.
               Senator Thurmond and I have served together for many of 
             these years on both the Judiciary Committee and the Armed 
             Services Committee. He was chairman of the Judiciary 
             Committee for 6 years in the 1980's and the ranking 
             Republican on the committee for many other years, and he 
             was always impressive and fair in dealing with all aspects 
             of the committee's work.
               Although we have often disagreed on the issues, we have 
             also worked closely together on many important challenges. 
             I think particularly of our decade-long effort together on 
             the Judiciary Committee to achieve Federal criminal law 
             reform, especially with respect to laws on bail and 
             sentencing. Our success in that important effort is an 
             excellent example of the ability of Democrats and 
             Republicans to achieve common ground and deal effectively 
             with major problems facing the Nation.
               In recent years, when South Carolina bore the brunt of 
             the tragic epidemic of church arsons, Congress enacted 
             bipartisan legislation to deal with these shocking crimes, 
             and Senator Thurmond played a vital role in obtaining the 
             resources needed for an effective response.
               We have also worked closely on a wide range of 
             immigration and refugee issues on the Judiciary Committee. 
             His leadership was indispensable for the enactment of the 
             landmark Refugee Act of 1980--the Nation's first 
             comprehensive refugee law. Its passage would not have been 
             possible without him.
               Senator Thurmond has also dedicated his life, both in 
             and out of the Senate, to protecting our national 
             security, and I welcome this opportunity to pay tribute to 
             his personal courage, heroism, and patriotism. Even though 
             he was a sitting circuit court judge in South Carolina, he 
             did not hesitate to enlist in the Army on the very day 
             that the United States declared war against Germany in 
             1941. He served in Europe with great distinction, 
             parachuting into Normandy with the 82d Airborne Division 
             during the D-day invasion. He earned five battle stars and 
             numerous other medals and awards, including the Legion of 
             Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart.
               Like President Kennedy, he is a member of the generation 
             that went to distant lands to preserve America's freedom 
             in World War II, and his public service here at home has 
             been dedicated to preserving that freedom ever since.
               As a Member and now chairman of the Senate Armed 
             Services Committee, he continues to demonstrate his strong 
             commitment to providing our Armed Forces with the 
             equipment, training, leadership, and quality of life that 
             they need to make the Nation's military the world's 
             finest.
               On this auspicious occasion, I commend Senator Thurmond 
             for his leadership and statesmanship and unparalleled 
             record of public service, and I extend my warmest 
             congratulations to the Senator and his family. I value his 
             friendship, and I look forward to continuing to work 
             closely with him in the years to come.

               Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I am delighted to join in 
             congratulating Senator Thurmond on attaining the 
             distinction of being the Nation's longest serving U.S. 
             Senator.
               Since coming to the Senate a little over 20 years ago, I 
             have respected Senator Thurmond's abilities, admired his 
             tenacity, valued his judgment, and treasured his 
             friendship. He is an inspiration to all of us, not only 
             because of the length of his service, but because of the 
             quality of his work and the depth of his commitment.
               All of us marvel at the sheer duration of Strom 
             Thurmond's tenure in the Senate--42 years. But we 
             congratulate him today not only for his longevity, but for 
             dedicating most of his adult life to public service. As a 
             school teacher and a coach, as an attorney, as a soldier 
             who participated in the D-day landing at Normandy, as a 
             State senator, as a circuit court judge, as Governor of 
             South Carolina, and as U.S. Senator, Strom Thurmond has 
             repeatedly sought out opportunities to serve his 
             community, State, and Nation.
               And, due to his reputation for hard work and effective 
             leadership, the people of South Carolina have repeatedly 
             demonstrated their confidence in him--a degree of 
             confidence among the voters that all of us aspire to but 
             few achieve.
               Senator Thurmond's unflagging vigor is evident to anyone 
             who shakes his hand--his handshake is firm and formidable. 
             All of us hope and expect that he will stay in the Senate 
             until he reaches the age of 100 and beyond.

               Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, it is both an honor and a 
             personal privilege for me to join my colleagues and rise 
             today to pay tribute to a great Senator, a great patriot, 
             and now the longest-serving Senator in our Nation's 
             history, the most distinguished Senator from South 
             Carolina, Strom Thurmond.
               Mr. President, the challenge for one trying to capsule 
             this great American's service to South Carolina and our 
             Nation is considerable. All Americans, however, should be 
             encouraged--and I certainly encourage them to do this--to 
             access Senator Thurmond's home page and discover the truly 
             remarkable and unprecedented achievements of this man.
               Mr. President, it has become very commonplace in public 
             service today, especially in this city, to refer to 
             individuals of accomplishment as ``great Americans.'' And 
             in some respects it is so commonplace that the term has 
             even been overused, and sometimes even in humorous 
             fashion. But that is not the case with Senator Thurmond 
             who has been and is truly a great American in every sense 
             of the word.
               This man has 27 honorary degrees to go with his BS 
             degree from his beloved Clemson University. He has been a 
             superintendent of education, a judge, a decorated veteran 
             and hero of World War II, and he earned 18 decorations, 
             medals, and awards. He has been a Governor of the Palmetto 
             State. He has been a candidate for President, the first 
             person ever to be elected to a major office on a write-in, 
             a leader within three--not two--three political parties. 
             And, obviously, he is our President pro tempore of this 
             body, and continues to serve as chairman of the Armed 
             Services Committee providing continued leadership in 
             behalf of our military and national security and the 
             individual freedoms we all enjoy and also take for 
             granted.
               If you think about this man's career, and as many of our 
             colleagues across the aisle have said, regardless of issue 
             or politics, it is unequaled, it is basically 
             unparalleled.
               Mr. President, the other challenge in paying tribute to 
             Senator Thurmond is what to say that has not already been 
             said by his many friends, his constituents, his family, 
             and his colleagues.
               But having said that, I do have a rather unique 
             relationship with the Senator. I am sure that my 
             colleagues have all heard of fathers-in-law and mothers-
             in-law and brothers-in-law. Well, I am proud to say that I 
             am a Thurmond staff-in-law.
               The number of South Carolinians and others who have 
             worked for the Senator in various capacities number in the 
             thousands. We could accurately call them ``storm troops 
             for Strom.'' And one of those former staff members is my 
             wife, Franki, who worked for the Senator back when I first 
             came to Washington as a new administrative assistant to 
             then-Senator Frank Carlson of Kansas. As a matter of fact, 
             it was Strom Thurmond who told me about all of the South 
             Carolina magnolia blossoms who came north and whose charms 
             attracted future husbands, always to return to South 
             Carolina. Put another way, Senator Thurmond said, ``You 
             can take the girl out of the South, but not the South out 
             of the girl.'' And that is what happened to me, a Capitol 
             Hill romance if you will, a South Carolina wedding, and in 
             our family a Kansas-South Carolina compromise, always to 
             South Carolina.
               So while many in this body have thanked the Senator for 
             many deserving contributions and accomplishments, mine is 
             somewhat unique.
               Thank you, Strom, for introducing me to my then future 
             wife and the mother of my three children, David, Ashleigh, 
             and Anne-Wesley. All three, by the way, are Strom Thurmond 
             fans, having met the Senator many times and sharing 
             occasions with his family. In that regard, my wife Franki 
             counts Mrs. Thurmond, Nancy, as a very good and a close 
             friend as well.
               As a matter of fact, Mr. President, while I was really 
             jotting down my remarks that I am making today, I noted 
             with nostalgia that my Senate office overlooks the 
             Methodist building that has served as home for many young 
             women when they first work on Capitol Hill when they first 
             come to Washington. When my wife, Franki, looked out that 
             window, we both noted in some respects our family had come 
             full circle. Her desk in my office looks out on her first 
             home in Washington.
               Again, thank you, Senator Strom Thurmond.
               I might add, Mr. President, with the privilege of 
             serving in this body I have finally achieved status in the 
             Thurmond universe. I am now Senator Roberts instead of 
             that Congressman who married Franki.
               And now, Mr. President, what with all of the Senator's 
             friends having paid tribute to him, what they really said 
             in their many deserving tributes to Senator Thurmond is 
             that the Strom Thurmond family has come first. Every time 
             I see the Senator he comes up to me with that smile and 
             that twinkle in his eye and, yes, that firm grip that many 
             of my colleagues have described on my arm--and it is a 
             firm grip--and he asks, ``How's your family, your lovely 
             wife and your family?'' And he means it. He cares.
               One of our treasured scrapbook pictures captured Strom 
             all dressed up as Santa Claus some years back with his 
             staff and his and their families. And there we sit in the 
             front row with all of the kids and the proud parents. To 
             me, that picture is Strom Thurmond, and enlarged it could 
             just as well be a picture of his beloved South Carolina, 
             or this great Nation, for South Carolina and America are 
             his family as well, and he has served them well.
               Senator Thurmond, a colleague, friend, patriot, and, 
             yes, a great American, thank you for your continued 
             service. It is a privilege to serve with you.

               Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, as one of the newly elected 
             freshmen it is a great honor and a privilege to have this 
             chance to extend my congratulations and best wishes to the 
             president of the senior class--Strom Thurmond. A term of 
             service that began on December 24, 1954, now enters the 
             record books as the longest, and one of the most 
             distinguished terms of service, by any Senator.
               Over the years, we have all witnessed Strom Thurmond's 
             great successes in the Senate and back home in his beloved 
             South Carolina. I think I have found the secret to his 
             success, and I would like to share it with my colleagues. 
             Simply put, Strom Thurmond listens to his constituents--
             otherwise known as voters--and he hears what they have to 
             say. Then he brings that South Carolina brand of common 
             sense back to the Senate as we tackle those thorny issues 
             that come to our attention in committee and on the floor. 
             Strom Thurmond has been doing that for over 40 years now, 
             and it is clear that the people of South Carolina like his 
             style.
               Anyone who has any doubts about Strom Thurmond's 
             popularity back home need only check the record. There is 
             no greater gauge of the strength of anyone's support in 
             his or her home State than to see how you fare at election 
             time. Again, Strom Thurmond has sole possession of the 
             record for he is the only one who has ever been elected to 
             the Senate on a write-in vote. Simply put, the people of 
             South Carolina love him as much as he loves them. That is 
             why they keep sending him back.
               Still, Strom Thurmond is not being celebrated and 
             toasted by all of our colleagues because of his longevity 
             alone. We take notice of his many years of service in the 
             Senate, but we also make mention of our great appreciation 
             of the wisdom, insight, and determined effort Strom 
             Thurmond brings to the work of the Senate every day.
               Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote a letter to Julia Ward 
             Howe on the occasion of her 70th birthday. In it he said, 
             ``To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful 
             and hopeful than to be forty years old.''
               As we mark Strom Thurmond's legacy of service in the 
             Senate, I think it is clear that no one is younger in 
             spirit, more cheerful in attitude, and more hopeful for a 
             better future for our children and grandchildren than 
             Strom Thurmond.
               It is an honor and a pleasure, as the Senator who sits 
             on the 100th rung on the current seniority ladder, to take 
             this opportunity to congratulate the Senator on the top 
             rung, Strom Thurmond, as he hits No. 1 on the all time 
             seniority list.
               From this day forth Strom Thurmond will set a new record 
             every day he comes to the Senate. He has been a powerful 
             and effective voice for his constituents. May he continue 
             to do so for many years to come.

               Mr. KYL. Mr. President, today I rise to honor a great 
             American and Senator, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. 
             The occasion for this tribute is Strom Thurmond's 
             remarkable achievement of becoming the longest serving 
             Member of Congress in history, surpassing the record held 
             by Carl Hayden of Arizona.
               This historical milestone gives each of us an 
             opportunity to publicly applaud Senator Thurmond, but it 
             is not the reason for our praise today. The reason I am 
             pleased and honored to pay tribute to Senator Thurmond is 
             that he is a great man and patriot who has served his 
             State and his country faithfully in times of war and in 
             times of peace.
               Senator Thurmond has had a remarkable life. When I 
             reflect on some of the positions he has held in his 
             career, including: attorney, superintendent of education, 
             State senator, judge, Governor, Army officer, Presidential 
             candidate, and U.S. Senator, I marvel at the skill, 
             determination and dedication that was required to achieve 
             each of these goals. Most men would be satisfied with just 
             one of these many careers. Not Strom Thurmond. He was on a 
             mission to serve the American people. That mission kept 
             pushing him to strive higher and farther in his lifetime 
             of public service.
               I came to know Strom Thurmond through my work on the 
             Defense Committee in the House of Representatives. I know 
             Senator Thurmond is a very capable legislator in many 
             issue areas. I now serve with him on the Judiciary 
             Committee, for example, and can attest that he is a most 
             capable attorney. I also know that the people of South 
             Carolina are enormously proud of him for all the good work 
             he has done for their fine State. From my perspective, 
             there is one area in which I believe Senator Thurmond has 
             stood out and has made the greatest contribution-- as an 
             active Member of the Armed Services Committee.
               Strom Thurmond deeply loves his country. This is 
             apparent in even little things such as the American flag 
             lapel pin he often wears. Or in vivid examples like 
             volunteering for service in World War II when he was in 
             his forties. Today, Senator Thurmond demonstrates his 
             strong affection for America and the men and women in 
             uniform by having the courage to take unpopular positions 
             to protect the defense budget and to ensure adequate 
             training and equipment for the Armed Forces. As chairman 
             of the Armed Services Committee he has presided over 
             tumultuous times in the military. The end of the cold war 
             and the social reengineering of the military have made it 
             a challenge to preserve military readiness. But, Senator 
             Thurmond has tried. He deserves much of the credit for 
             preventing our Armed Forces from becoming a hollow Army. 
             As Adlai Stevenson once said, he did this ``Not [through] 
             a short and frenzied outburst of emotion, but with the 
             tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.''
               Upon his retirement, Carl Hayden said ``I have always 
             dreamed of power and the good I could do.'' Strom 
             Thurmond, I believe, has the same motivation. He has not 
             wanted material things or glory, but has simply done the 
             best he could to help those who needed help. Carl Hayden 
             could not lose his longevity record to a finer man.
               I remember a recent visit to Senator Thurmond's office 
             where I was greeted by an impressive gallery of 
             Presidential pictures, beginning with Franklin Roosevelt. 
             He told me that these pictures are of Presidents with whom 
             he has served. It was then that I absorbed the magnitude 
             of the impact of the Thurmond legacy on history. Strom 
             Thurmond has been involved in every significant event that 
             touched Congress or the Presidency in the second half of 
             the 20th century. Very few people can say that, Mr. 
             President.
               Strom Thurmond was a good soldier and good citizen. His 
             high standard of allegiance has enriched our national 
             consciousness and has sustained a sense of purpose and 
             patriotism all across America. I believe history will 
             remember him not for his age or longevity in the Senate, 
             but for his contributions to improve the well-being of his 
             beloved America.

               Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, it is not often during 
             the course of our busy days here in the Senate that we 
             take time to recognize one of our colleagues for their 
             individual accomplishments. Today, however, we are doing 
             so on the occasion of Strom Thurmond's history making 
             event of having served longer in the U.S. Senate than 
             anyone since the founding of our country. I join with my 
             colleagues in paying special tribute to Senator Thurmond, 
             the Senior Senator from South Carolina, on this noteworthy 
             day.
               On May 25, Senator Thurmond became the longest serving 
             Member ever in the Senate's 208-year history by serving 
             more than the 41 years and 10 months Senator Carl Hayden 
             served between 1927 and 1969. Senator Thurmond's longevity 
             in Senate service is truly remarkable because, in addition 
             to length of service, he has been deeply committed to 
             providing leadership in the Armed Services Committee and 
             as the President pro tempore.
               Senator Thurmond has worn many hats during his 
             distinguished career in public service, which began well 
             before he was first elected to the Senate in 1954. As a 
             school teacher, State senator, judge, World War II 
             veteran, D-day fighter, and Governor, Senator Thurmond's 
             service to our country is very likely unparalleled. In the 
             Senate, Strom has been an indefatigable fighter on behalf 
             of his State of South Carolina and has demonstrated 
             enormous tenacity in championing our national defense and 
             veterans causes. His enthusiasm in all that he does is 
             truly unmatched.
               Mr. President, although Senator Thurmond and I may not 
             always see eye to eye, I respect his integrity, his 
             consideration of others, his love of country, and his deep 
             sense of responsibility to public service. His service 
             will have a lasting impact on this institution's history 
             because of the policies he promoted, the high standards he 
             set for us, and the lessons he taught so many of us about 
             the will to carry on no matter the obstacle. He fought 
             against the most painful of tragedies by trying to make 
             sure others were spared the grief he endured. I look 
             forward to continuing working alongside him for many years 
             to come and hope to witness his service at his personal 
             century mark.

               Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am privileged to 
             honor my friend and colleague, the distinguished Senator 
             from South Carolina, Strom Thurmond. Today we salute 
             Senator Thurmond, who becomes the Senate's longest serving 
             Member.
               It only seems fitting that I should be allowed to speak 
             in his honor today. Several years ago our roles were 
             reversed, and the distinguished Senator was thanking me. 
             Now I would like to return the honor and thank him for his 
             years of leadership. When Senator Thurmond was jostled in 
             the subway 2 years ago, I used my years of police training 
             to come to his aid and help the police to handcuff his 
             assailant. Fortunately, no one was hurt. The incident led 
             to a friendship between the Senator and me that I very 
             much enjoy.
               Now we are all here to recognize the achievements of 
             Senator Thurmond and commend his years of dedicated 
             leadership and service. The senior Senator from South 
             Carolina has used his skill and knowledge to serve the 
             Senate and provide direction for over 43 years.
               Senator Thurmond has provided strong leadership in this 
             institution, both on the floor and in committee. He has 
             drawn from his own personal knowledge from his decorated 
             service in World War II to contribute to and lead the 
             Armed Services Committee and the Veterans' Affairs 
             Committee.
               In 1942, Senator Thurmond joined the U.S. Army, and was 
             among those brave young men of the 82d Airborne Division 
             who landed in Normandy on D-day. For this service, he was 
             awarded 5 Battle Stars. After earning 18 decorations for 
             outstanding service in World War II, Senator Thurmond has 
             maintained his dedication to war veterans throughout his 
             years in the Senate. Senator Thurmond represents a wealth 
             of institutional knowledge and history.
               Senator Thurmond's tenure has spanned a number of 
             tumultuous decades, from the end of World War II, through 
             the turmoil of the Vietnam war, to the end of the cold 
             war, to this year, when the Congress finally agreed to a 
             balanced budget. Through it all he provided the strong 
             leadership which we are here to honor today.
               It gives me great pleasure to recognize our esteemed 
             colleague as he becomes our longest serving U.S. Senator. 
             Congratulations, Strom Thurmond, on making history as well 
             as being a major part of our Nation's history.

               Mr. MACK. Mr. President, I, like my colleagues, have 
             come to the floor of the Senate today to express my fond 
             feelings for Senator Thurmond, the Senator from South 
             Carolina. As he is fond of saying about so many of us that 
             he campaigns for, he is a man of character. He is a man of 
             capacity. And I would add that he truly is a man who cares 
             about his fellow man.
               Senator Stevens said a moment ago that Senator Thurmond 
             is someone we can all learn from. I can tell you as a 
             fellow who was running, campaigning for the Senate in 
             1988, Senator Thurmond volunteered to come to Florida to 
             campaign for me. One of the things he said prior to making 
             that commitment was that ``if I come, I want to be busy. I 
             do not want to come down there for just one or two events. 
             I want to come down there, I want to be busy.'' We picked 
             him up at about 5:30 in the morning and we finished that 
             day about 10 o'clock at night. We traveled from 
             Jacksonville, FL, down through the center part of the 
             State, to Lakeland and Tampa, and then an event close to 
             Winter Haven that evening, never missing a beat.
               And again, I say I learned not just about campaigning 
             but I truly learned about the heart of the man because 
             about halfway through the day there was a press conference 
             set up. He asked me if he could make a phone call before 
             we did that press conference. And, of course, I said sure. 
             And as I stood by him I realized what he was doing. He was 
             calling a family in South Carolina that experienced the 
             loss of a family member. Here is this man who has been 
             elected and reelected and reelected and reelected, and 
             loved in South Carolina in the middle of a tough day 
             campaigning taking a moment out of that busy schedule to 
             reach out to that family in South Carolina to say we 
             understand your concern, the pain that you are feeling, we 
             are concerned about you; I am concerned about you. Your 
             family member was a great, great person; he meant so much 
             to me.
               Can you imagine the sense of love the family felt that 
             day. If anybody ever questions why Senator Thurmond has 
             been elected and reelected and reelected and reelected, it 
             is because he is a man who truly cares about others, whose 
             heart is filled with love.
               I came to the Senate 9 years ago, and in a sense Senator 
             Thurmond acts as a bridge between one generation of my 
             family and myself. My step-grandfather retired from the 
             Senate in December 1952, and Senator Thurmond, if I have 
             that correct, was sworn in to the Senate in the next 
             Congress, and so he served in that interim period of time 
             between the time that my step-grandfather retired from the 
             Senate and I came to the Senate.
               What an inspiration he has been to me. Frankly, Senator 
             Thurmond, you have created a new dimension of what service 
             to this country is all about. You have created a new 
             dimension about service to the Senate. A moment ago I 
             heard Senator Stevens talk about a strong heart, and it 
             triggered in my mind that in essence, Senator Thurmond, 
             you are a modern day brave heart, and it is has been a 
             true honor to serve with you in the Senate.

               Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I am honored to be in this 
             great body and particularly honored today to be able to 
             say a few words from my heart about the Senator from South 
             Carolina. I have no doubt really that I would not be here 
             today if it were not for Senator Thurmond. I first met 
             him--and this is typical of his leadership and commitment 
             to this country--when I was a U.S. attorney in the early 
             1980's. I had just been appointed. There was a reception 
             the Attorney General of the United States had. He came to 
             that reception and stayed 30 to 40 minutes. As chairman of 
             the Judiciary Committee, he stayed and he met every U.S. 
             attorney in attendance that night before he left. That 
             demonstrated to me his commitment to law and order.
               Many people have talked about his leadership with regard 
             to military matters, and they are certainly legendary and 
             unsurpassed in this body. But in terms of law enforcement, 
             he has been an absolutely key figure in the reform of the 
             Federal criminal justice system in America, that makes our 
             Federal criminal justice system today, in my opinion, 
             superior to any State criminal justice system. He did that 
             in many bills, but in the 1984 act he was chairman of the 
             Judiciary Committee that eliminated parole and made every 
             person who is sentenced in America serve the full time 
             they are sentenced, that reformed the bail law so that 
             people could not be out on bail for years before they were 
             ever tried, and many other reforms--the most historic 
             criminal justice reform bill, I am certain, in my 
             lifetime. He was a key player and a leader.
               In 1986, I had the pleasure to be a nominee for U.S. 
             district judge. That was not an experience which worked 
             out good for me, but Senator Thurmond believed in me. He 
             fought for me. He stood by me day after day. He refuted 
             the charges that were made that were not true, and he 
             stood by me.
               A number of years later, he came to Mobile as a Patriot 
             of the Year. There were 600 people from the city of Mobile 
             there, and he recognized me in the audience. He said good 
             things about me. His support, his friendship, his 
             steadfast commitment to me and to this body was important 
             in my career and I want to say personally how much I 
             appreciate that, Senator Thurmond. It is amazing to me 
             that I have the honor and the privilege to be in this body 
             and to be able to say to you how much I appreciate your 
             support and friendship, to say how much I appreciate your 
             service to your country, as a military leader and as a 
             Member of this body. I know some may think it not 
             politically correct, but I will say this. Senator Thurmond 
             has represented his State with great fidelity and 
             character. He has represented his region as a southerner 
             with the highest of standards as a southern gentleman. He 
             has reflected the qualities of courage and integrity, 
             bravery and commitment to truth that have reflected great 
             credit on his community, his State, his region, his 
             Nation, and this body. I am honored to have the 
             opportunity to say how much I appreciate that.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is a pleasure to join with 
             so many of our colleagues today to honor the President pro 
             tempore of the U.S. Senate and the chairman of the Armed 
             Services Committee. Strom Thurmond achieved another of 
             many historic milestones when he became the longest 
             serving Senator in the history of this institution.
               Strom Thurmond had already served on the Armed Services 
             Committee for 20 years when I came to the Senate and 
             joined the committee in January 1979. I knew of him as a 
             passionate and effective advocate for a strong national 
             defense even before I joined the committee. In the 18 
             years I have served on that committee, I have come to 
             appreciate even more his commitment to the welfare of the 
             men and women who serve and who have served in our 
             Nation's Armed Forces, as well as their families.
               It is my privilege now to serve as the ranking Member of 
             the Armed Services Committee under the chairmanship of 
             Strom Thurmond. Over the years, one of the hallmarks of 
             the Armed Services Committee has been that we conduct our 
             business with a minimum of partisanship. Our former 
             colleague and chairman, Sam Nunn, was right when he said 
             that there was not a single national security issue facing 
             this country that has been or could be solved by one 
             political party. That legacy of bipartisanship on the 
             Armed Services Committee continues under Strom Thurmond's 
             leadership.
               Mr. President, one of the reasons Senator Thurmond has 
             been such an effective leader on national security issues 
             is that all of his colleagues know--and the American 
             people know--that he speaks from the heart and he speaks 
             from personal experience. He served his country in uniform 
             for 36 years. He was commissioned in the Army Reserve even 
             before he began his career in politics. He served 36 years 
             in the Reserves and on active duty before retiring as a 
             major general in the Army Reserve.
               In June 1944, Lt. Col. Strom Thurmond landed behind 
             German lines with the rest of the 82d Airborne Division as 
             part of the D-day invasion. As I and so many others 
             watched the 50th anniversary of the Normandy invasion 3 
             years ago, we gained an even greater appreciation for the 
             lifetime of service to this Nation by someone all of us 
             are proud to call a friend and a colleague.
               More than a half century after landing behind enemy 
             lines on D-day, Senator Thurmond continues to carry out 
             his responsibilities as a legislator with a skill and 
             perseverance that are the envy of his colleagues. I recall 
             a time several years ago when Strom Thurmond and I offered 
             an amendment to reform lobbying fees. Our amendment 
             prohibited lobbyists who were lobbying for contracts for 
             their clients from getting a contingent fee. We felt it 
             was wrong for lobbyists to be paid that way and we offered 
             an amendment together. The manager of the bill objected to 
             our amendment. What Senator Thurmond did was to hold back 
             for a couple hours while he talked to all of our 
             colleagues personally. He got 51 supporters for his 
             amendment, and then came back to offer it. That kind of 
             perseverance which we know in Senator Thurmond has paid 
             off in many, many ways for this institution and for this 
             Nation. We are proud to call him a friend and to recognize 
             that kind of capability.
               The Democratic Party lost a Senator of great ability 
             when Strom Thurmond joined the Republican Party in 1964. I 
             just want him to know that we would welcome him back on 
             this side of the aisle at any time, this century or next.
               Senator Thurmond cares about us as people. I cannot say 
             how many times he has given me advice--and I know this is 
             true of our colleagues--on exercise, on diet, and on other 
             human conditions. I wish I had followed his advice more 
             often.
               I will never forget the time early in my Senate career 
             when Strom and I and a few of our Armed Services Committee 
             colleagues were out visiting at a California air base. At 
             about 6 o'clock in the morning I was awakened by people 
             running below. They were talking to each other as they 
             were running. I heard this happen on a few turns of the 
             track and woke up and then would go back to sleep. A 
             couple of hours later when I was at breakfast I said, 
             ``Who was that out here running at 6 o'clock in the 
             morning?'' I should have known the answer. It was Strom 
             Thurmond.
               He has given us advice on how to try to achieve this 
             kind of longevity. He gives us that advice because he 
             cares about us. And I just want him to know that we care 
             about him. We wish him well. It has been a real privilege 
             to serve with him for 18 years, particularly as the 
             ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, and I am 
             proud to call him a friend.

               Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, our distinguished friend and 
             colleague from South Carolina has long been, as the saying 
             goes, a legend in his own time. And because of his hale 
             and hearty good health and his amazing longevity, Senator 
             Thurmond is a legend in the time of everybody else in the 
             Senate. I doubt that there is any one of us whose life has 
             not been touched by the distinguished Senator from South 
             Carolina. He has certainly touched mine time and time 
             again, beginning with that day back in early 1972 when a 
             very brief, speculative item appeared on page umpteen of 
             newspapers around the country saying that a fellow named 
             Helms might seek the Republican nomination for the Senate 
             from North Carolina.
               Early that morning, Senator Strom Thurmond, to my utter 
             delight, was on the telephone calling from Washington 
             urging that I do run and assuring me that if I did and if 
             I wanted him to, he would come to North Carolina and 
             campaign for me. Mr. President, I did and Strom did. As a 
             matter of fact, he did it time and time again. If I count 
             correctly, he flew with me that year, in a very small 
             plane, six times back and forth across North Carolina, 
             telling the people of my State, Democrats and Republicans 
             alike, that they ought to send Jesse Helms to Washington. 
             I will never forget it.
               I remember one episode in particular, since we are all 
             remembering nice things about Senator Thurmond. We were at 
             a farm rally outside of Hickory, NC, after a grueling day 
             of eight stops with that small plane, and he made a 
             stemwinder speech at every one of them. I was getting more 
             and more tired. We ended up at this farm, and there were 
             about 400 people at that rally because they were giving 
             away free barbecue and because Strom Thurmond was there. 
             The barbecue caterer was late. He got lost trying to find 
             the place. So they decided to let Senator Thurmond speak 
             and they asked me to introduce my guest. I was a weary guy 
             when I got up, and I introduced Senator Thurmond with such 
             eloquence as I could muster at that time of night after 
             such a day. Well, there came another stemwinder and the 
             last 10 minutes of the stemwinder, we saw the barbecue 
             truck roll in. Everybody had barbecue and then we went 
             home.
               In the car going to the motel I heard the most awful 
             sound I ever heard in my life. He said, ``Jesse, when we 
             get to the motel, I want to call my wife. She's in a 
             family way, you know, and I want to be sure she's all 
             right. And, after that, I understand it's about a mile to 
             downtown, would you want to run downtown and back with 
             me?''
               I said, ``Senator, if I could crawl to the bed, that's 
             the best I'm going to be able to do.'' But he did. He ran 
             downtown and he ran back and he was up at 6 o'clock next 
             morning.
               Thanks to my dear friend, the people did send me to 
             Washington, and I have been here for almost a quarter of a 
             century now, watching that great man from South Carolina 
             serve in the Senate and break record after record. I have 
             been enormously proud of a lot of things. I guess one of 
             the most profound things was when the Senator and Mrs. 
             Thurmond invited me to become the godfather of that 
             beautiful young lady, Juliana Thurmond.
               So I am proud to have served with Senator Thurmond. He 
             is a remarkable American because he has always been a 
             hard-working, honest, and reliable Senator. His friends 
             back home--as a matter of fact his friends all over the 
             country--know that they can always count on Strom Thurmond 
             to do what he says he will do. Let me tell you something, 
             Mr. President, South Carolina is far the better off today 
             because Strom Thurmond has been in the Senate representing 
             the State of South Carolina. Moreover, and just as 
             important, the U.S. Senate is better because Strom 
             Thurmond has been here. And so is the country, better off.
               Congratulations, my dear friend and Senator, you have 
             been a good and faithful servant, and all of us are proud 
             of you.

               Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I see my other colleagues here 
             on the floor. I, too, wish to rise this afternoon and pay 
             tribute to my friend and colleague from South Carolina. 
             This past Memorial Day, we recognized the significant 
             achievements and accomplishments of many Americans who 
             sacrificed their lives for this country. In a matter of 
             days, we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 
             famous speech that Gen. George Marshall gave at Harvard 
             University announcing the Marshall Plan on June 7, 1947. 
             But this past Memorial Day, we also recognized a milestone 
             achieved by our colleague from South Carolina, who became 
             the longest serving Member in the history of the U.S. 
             Senate.
               I was recalling the words of another famous American 
             given in a Memorial Day address in 1884. Chief Justice 
             Oliver Wendell Holmes, another great American known for 
             his longevity, said on that day, ``Life is action and 
             passion. It is required of a man that he should share the 
             passion and action of his time at peril of being judged 
             not to have lived.''
               Mr. President, whatever else may be said about our 
             friend and colleague, Strom Thurmond, he is a man of 
             action and passion. That has been the history of his 
             public life. It is a distinguished career that has covered 
             so many milestones, many of which have been mentioned here 
             this morning.
               One of his accomplishments which impressed me the most 
             was the fact that at age 41, when a lot of people are 
             preparing to play a round of golf, Strom Thurmond got into 
             a glider and flew behind enemy lines on D-day as a 
             volunteer. It was not required of him. He was not ordered 
             to do it. But at that age he decided this is something he 
             ought to do, to be a part of a major effort to retard one 
             of the greatest threats in history, certainly in the 
             history of this country, to democracy and freedom. A 
             remarkable statement about an individual.
               I am also deeply impressed by the fact that he was 
             elected to the Senate under four different banners: as a 
             Democrat, as a Republican, as a Dixiecrat, and, the most 
             impressive of all, as a write-in. The fact that citizens 
             of the State had to go and write his name in, that they 
             had to make the conscious decision to write his name on a 
             ballot--it wasn't just a question of going in and 
             supporting a political party--but for people to 
             consciously go in and write his name on the ballot was 
             truly a remarkable achievement. It is something that I 
             think clearly demonstrates the significance of the 
             affection with which he is held.
               Senator Thurmond has had to tolerate many things during 
             his Senate career, not least of which, he has had to put 
             up with two generations of my family. One of the dearest 
             friends my father had when he served in the U.S. Senate 
             was the Senator from South Carolina. In fact, among the 
             dozens of pictures I have hanging in my office's 
             conference room, I have just two pictures with colleagues 
             of mine. One of them happens to be a photograph which I 
             cherish of myself standing with the senior Senator from 
             South Carolina, which he very generously inscribed to me, 
             and he made special mention of my father and their 
             relationship. I am deeply appreciative of the loyalty and 
             friendship which Strom Thurmond shared with my father, who 
             has been gone these many years now, some 27 years. He 
             passed away that long ago. But theirs was a wonderful 
             friendship. They didn't always agree on issues, but they 
             did agree on some matters. They agreed about the great 
             threat that communism and Marxism posed to this country 
             and stood shoulder to shoulder in that regard. While they 
             disagreed on other issues, there was still a great 
             affection. So today I stand here, not just as a colleague 
             from Connecticut, but on behalf of a family that deeply 
             appreciates the loyalty and friendship that Strom Thurmond 
             has demonstrated over these many, many years.
               Let me just conclude because so many other things have 
             already been said which I would endorse and second. Strom 
             Thurmond and I don't always agree on the issues. We agree 
             on some, but not many. But what I love about Strom 
             Thurmond, and what I think America and what the people of 
             his State love about him, is not his particular views on 
             issues that come and go, that pass with the time; these 
             issues that are temporal. What people love about Strom 
             Thurmond, what his colleagues love about him, Democrat and 
             Republican, is that he is a man who, as Oliver Wendell 
             Holmes described, is a man of passion, action and 
             conviction. Whether or not we agree with Strom Thurmond is 
             really not the point. It is so refreshing, at a time when 
             everyone seems to end up sort of muddled, that you have an 
             individual who has deep, deep convictions and is willing 
             to stand alone and defend them even when he is the only 
             person in the room doing so. Even to people who disagreed 
             with him over the years, he ought to stand, as I know he 
             does to our colleagues, as a monument to principle, to 
             individuality, to conviction and to that passion and 
             action that Oliver Wendell Holmes talked about more than a 
             century ago.
               Mr. President, I am deeply honored to be able to stand 
             here today. When Strom completes this term, he will be 
             100. I look forward to standing on the floor of the Senate 
             with him sitting here, celebrating that milestone with 
             him, I hope, as his colleague. The fact that he has been 
             sent back here by the people of South Carolina eight times 
             through all sorts of changes in the political climate in 
             this country is a great tribute to the people of South 
             Carolina. But I think all of them would agree with me when 
             I say it is a greater tribute and higher tribute to the 
             man who represents that State and represents America in so 
             many different ways. I am deeply honored to stand with my 
             colleagues to pay tribute to truly an American original, 
             Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

               Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize one 
             of the extraordinary public figures of our time: Senator 
             Strom Thurmond.
               As we know, Senator Thurmond recently became the longest 
             serving Senator in the history of this august institution. 
             His record of service--over 41 years and counting--is 
             unparalleled, and his devotion to South Carolina and the 
             United States is unquestioned. His has been a life 
             committed to this Nation, and a life as rich and varied as 
             the years that have passed since his birth in the 
             fledgling days of this century.
               Indeed, the breadth and scope of Senator Thurmond's life 
             is truly remarkable. Born just before the dawn of flight, 
             Senator Thurmond is now chairman of a committee that 
             oversees the world's most sophisticated Air Force. He has 
             borne witness to an explosion of scientific knowledge, 
             fundamental changes in economics and labor, and tremendous 
             sociological transformations. Most remarkable of all, 
             Senator Thurmond can even remember the last time the 
             Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 1918.
               Senator Thurmond has been a full participant in this 
             century of monumental events, and in no way is this more 
             profoundly demonstrated than with his service in World War 
             II. As a member of the 82d Airborne Division, Strom 
             Thurmond was part of the invasion force that stormed the 
             beach at Normandy, France on D-day, and he will forever be 
             a heroic part of these events that changed the course of 
             history. For his courage and valor, he was awarded 18 
             decorations, medals, and awards--as well as the undying 
             gratitude of America and free nations everywhere.
               Before World War II broke out, as a State senator, Strom 
             Thurmond had already begun what would become a lifelong 
             dedication to public service. That commitment came to the 
             national stage for the first time with his run for the 
             Presidency in 1948--almost 50 years ago--when as an 
             independent candidate he garnered the third largest 
             independent electoral vote in U.S. history. Six years 
             later, he became the first person ever elected as a write-
             in candidate for the U.S. Senate.
               The rest, as they say, is history--history that is still 
             being written every day by this remarkable and enduring 
             man. The true iron man of the U.S. Senate, his energy, 
             enthusiasm, and love for this institution is as 
             inspirational to me as I know it has been for countless 
             Members of this body--past and present. Here is a 
             legislator whose labor of love is performed against a 
             backdrop of institutional knowledge and historical 
             perspectives unequaled among his 534 colleagues in 
             Congress. One cannot place a value on such service. One 
             can only express their respect and profound appreciation.
               That is why I feel privileged to be able to join with my 
             colleagues in recognizing the extraordinary story that 
             continues to unfold. And why I am especially honored to 
             serve with Senator Thurmond on the Armed Services 
             Committee. As a new Member of the committee, Senator 
             Thurmond has made me feel most welcomed and valued, and 
             for his wise guidance I am most grateful. After all, he 
             has been an integral part of the committee through change 
             and crisis, cold war and detente, conflict and peace.
               The defense of this Nation and our responsibility in the 
             world have always been of paramount importance to Senator 
             Thurmond. He understands that we must remain vigilant even 
             as the demise of the Soviet Union has left America as the 
             world's last remaining superpower. Senator Thurmond has 
             seen enough of the world to know that it remains, in many 
             ways, a dangerous place--and that we are uniquely capable 
             and indeed obligated to stand guard against the potential 
             threats which still exist. And most of all, he knows first 
             hand the importance of providing to our service men and 
             women--people willing to put their lives at risk for this 
             Nation--the best possible personnel, equipment, and 
             resources so that their risk is as low as we can humanly 
             make it.
               As a Member of the Judiciary Committee, he has brought 
             his breadth of experience and his reasoned voice to bear 
             on such issues as immigration and crime. And when it comes 
             to the matter of ethics, Senator Thurmond has always stood 
             strong and tall for the forces of integrity, supporting 
             limits on how much Senators can earn outside the Senate, 
             and bans on lobbying for foreign countries by former 
             Federal officials to name but a few of his initiatives in 
             this regard. His commitment to the honor of the Senate and 
             the confidence of the American people has been unflagging 
             for over four decades, and that is a record of which he 
             can be proudest of all.
               It is no wonder then that his Republican colleagues 
             would elect him to be President pro tempore of the Senate. 
             As one of only three constitutionally established officers 
             in Congress, it is a position of tremendous respect and 
             trust accorded only to those who have demonstrated an 
             unwavering adherence to the finest ideals of public 
             service and the U.S. Senate. I can think of no finer or 
             more appropriate choice than Senator Strom Thurmond, and I 
             am proud that he has come to embody this institution.
               Throughout this storied career--whether as a 
             superintendent of education, circuit judge, State senator, 
             Governor, or U.S. Senator--Senator Thurmond has never 
             forgotten the people of South Carolina. It is where his 
             heart is, the place from which he draws his strength. And 
             he is in turn beloved by South Carolinians--just ask the 
             folks at the Strom Thurmond Soldier Service Center in Fort 
             Jackson; the Strom Thurmond Educational Center in Union; 
             the Strom Thurmond Federal Building in Columbia; or, most 
             telling, the Strom Thurmond Center for Excellence in 
             Government and Public Service at Clemson University. They 
             know that the senior Senator from South Carolina has been 
             a strong, steady, consistent voice for them. And they know 
             he will always be so.
               Senator Strom Thurmond exemplifies a life worth living: 
             courage, enthusiasm, service to others, a willingness to 
             learn and grow, and a deep appreciation of the 
             opportunities this life--this country--offers. The mark 
             that he is leaving on the U.S. Senate is a positive and 
             enduring one, and I am proud to serve with Senator 
             Thurmond as he continues to make history.

               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, much has been said, and I 
             have listened with great interest, as have others. I could 
             summarize my brief remarks in two words: Thank you. Thank 
             you, Senator Thurmond, for your service to this country, 
             for your service to South Carolina, for your service to 
             the Senate, and for the privilege, I thank you, Mr. 
             Thurmond, of being a colleague who has served with you 
             these 18 years.
               Senator Thurmond was the first U.S. Senator to greet me 
             when I came to the U.S. Senate. We had known each other 
             because I had the privilege to serve for 5 years as Under 
             Secretary and Secretary of the Navy and testified before 
             the great Senator on many, many occasions and received his 
             counsel and wisdom during those really tragic and 
             difficult times of the Vietnam war, from 1969 through 
             1974. He encouraged me in that period of time to someday 
             seek elective office. I counseled with him, and, indeed, I 
             am here today in part because of his wisdom and foresight 
             to encourage young persons like myself, men and women, to 
             come and serve in the Congress of the United States.
               Thank you, Senator. Thank you for the opportunities that 
             you have given me, and I would like to say, and maybe 
             selfishly, thank you for a great deal of personal 
             attention. When I joined the Armed Services Committee in 
             my first year in the Senate, there were four individuals 
             on that committee referred to as the Four Horsemen. There 
             was John Stennis, there was Scoop Jackson, there was John 
             Tower, and there was Strom Thurmond. Those four 
             individuals together, in many respects with others--I do 
             not mean to slight anyone not mentioned--but those Four 
             Horsemen struck the maximum possible bipartisan 
             relationship because of their sincere belief that the 
             interests, the security interests, of the Nation always 
             came first and such partisanship as we indulge in from 
             time to time has to be relegated to second.
               It was his leadership on our side--in the committee, 
             seniority, of course, prevailed. When it came time for the 
             opportunity for Senator Tower to take the leadership role 
             of the Republicans, Strom Thurmond once again yielded the 
             seniority so that Senator Tower could have that very 
             proper recognition and give the strong leadership that he 
             did--followed by Senator Goldwater. Likewise, Senator 
             Thurmond yielded the seniority that was rightfully his so 
             that Senator Goldwater, one of his closest and best 
             friends, could have that opportunity. Then I say quite 
             humbly, he yielded again so the Senator from Virginia, for 
             6 years, could be the ranking Member.
               But it was always made clear to every Member of that 
             committee that, at some point in time, Strom Thurmond 
             would cap his distinguished career by serving as chairman 
             of the Armed Services Committee of the Senate of the 
             United States. That he has done for these many years and 
             given that committee the forceful leadership that it 
             deserves.
               Indeed, the last bill last year, he set a record in 
             terms of the time to complete the committee work and to 
             bring the bill to the floor. How well I know because it 
             was late into the night we had the markup sessions. But he 
             was always there, always present, and giving us his 
             leadership.
               If I may say, with the deepest of respect, I look upon 
             him as a brother, the big brother that I never had, but he 
             fulfilled that role in my life, not only here in the 
             Senate, but in many ways outside of the Senate.
               Today, Senators have shared personal recollections of 
             times spent with Strom Thurmond that they remember with 
             great fondness and respect. Mine was the 40th anniversary 
             of the landing of our forces on Normandy Beach. Senator 
             Thurmond was asked by President Ronald Reagan to lead a 
             delegation from the Senate. I was privileged to be with 
             that delegation.
               I remember as if it were yesterday when we arrived in 
             Normandy, President Reagan had helo No. 1, Senator 
             Thurmond had helo No. 2. He sat right up there with the 
             pilots. For 3 days we toured the entire area. I remember 
             one afternoon the helos landed in the vicinity of Sant 
             Mera'anglis where they reenacted that famous drop by our 
             courageous parachutists in the history of recounting the 
             tragedy that befell those airmen that parachuted.
               But we sat there with three of the senior officers that 
             participated in that battle. I remember one very vividly. 
             His name was ``Lightning'' Joe Collins. We sat on old ammo 
             boxes propped up and watched the drop. Senator Thurmond 
             recalled his own recollections throughout our trip of that 
             historic chapter in the march for freedom of the allied 
             forces to fend off Adolph Hitler.
               Senator Thurmond's helicopter, when we went back, 
             malfunctioned and we could not take off to go to the next 
             spot. So the President went on, and they sent in another 
             helo. Senator Weicker, who was with us, knew a great deal 
             about that part of the country of France because his 
             father had been chief of the Army Air Corps intelligence. 
             Senator Weicker said to me, ``Let's not stand here and 
             wait for this other helicopter to come in. Let's walk off 
             into the countryside, and perhaps we can knock on the door 
             of a French farmer and get a little cheese and a little 
             wine.'' We did just that. We found in abundance the 
             provisions among the Frenchmen. All of a sudden the 
             Senator's helicopter arrived, and two of his party were 
             missing. He sent out the gendarmerie to find us, and 
             indeed they did, and they hauled us back. What a scolding 
             he gave us for delaying his departure by some 20 minutes. 
             But, boy, we emboldened ourselves with the finest from a 
             French cellar of their wine and their cheese.
               Those are just moments that we have shared together. And 
             now I look forward to serving with him throughout his 
             career here in the U.S. Senate and particularly sharing 
             with him, as do all Members of our committee, the 
             responsibilities to keep America strong.
               I close with one other recollection. That is his great 
             fondness for children, not only his own, but he never 
             fails to ask me about mine. As I watch him go through the 
             Halls of Congress, there is one Senator who will stop and 
             take whatever time is required to greet every child. His 
             parting words are, ``Someday you can be a U.S. Senator.''

               Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I have listened to some of 
             my senior colleagues reminisce on their relationships with 
             our good and dear friend, Senator Thurmond from South 
             Carolina.
               As a new Senator coming into this body in 1981, I recall 
             my first meeting with Senator Thurmond. It was in the 
             elevator. I felt a very firm, strong grip on my upper arm. 
             As I turned around, he said, ``How you doing, Son?'' I 
             think, without exception, every time I have been in the 
             elevator with Senator Thurmond I have had that tight 
             squeeze--``How you doing, Son?''
               So it gives me great pleasure to join my colleagues in 
             honoring our dear friend.
               May 25, 1997--the longest serving U.S. Senator in our 
             Nation's history, a remarkable individual who has 
             unselfishly dedicated his entire life to the service of 
             others.
               Being from Alaska, the newest State in the Union, a 
             State that has only been around for about 39 years, I have 
             found Senator Thurmond to be most understanding of our 
             issues with regard to development. He comes from the 
             school that suggests that those who are elected from their 
             State ought to have a pretty good handle on what is in the 
             best interest of their State. I think his logic follows 
             that, if the folks back home think otherwise, well, they 
             are going to get new representation. I have respected him 
             for his support these 17 years that I have been in the 
             Senate.
               Perhaps one of the most memorable and lasting 
             recollections I have of Senator Thurmond is during the 
             years when I was chairman of the Senate Veterans 
             Committee. You know Senator Thurmond, as it has been 
             stated, landed behind enemy lines in a glider. He was a 
             volunteer. That was the Normandy D-day invasion of the 82d 
             Airborne Division. But he went on to earn 5 battle stars 
             during World War II, 18 military decorations during his 
             distinguished military career. He was made a Major General 
             of the U.S. Army Reserves. In working with him during the 
             years on the Senate Veterans' Committee, I found him to be 
             the most significant contributor toward the recognition 
             that we can never do enough to meet our obligation to our 
             veterans, those who did so much and gave so much.
               But his balance was that while we can never do enough, 
             we have to do a better job with what we have to keep up 
             with the changing needs of the veterans and do more and 
             get more input from the veterans' organizations and 
             accepting the responsibilities associated with our 
             obligation to meet our veterans' needs. He has been 
             honored many times by various veterans groups for his 
             contribution.
               But I particularly look back to the days when we worked 
             together in meeting our Nation's obligations to our 
             veterans and his contribution in that regard.
               I think one of the interesting things, in recognizing 
             the contributions Senator Thurmond has made and continues 
             to make, is his humble beginning as a teacher. He has 
             taught us all, but he began his teaching career back in 
             South Carolina in 1923. He wrote the South Carolina school 
             attendance law. He worked hard to increase pay for 
             teachers and longer school terms. I think it is noteworthy 
             that even today he sends congratulatory certificates to 
             every graduating South Carolina high school student.
               Senator Thurmond continues to teach us today, and he 
             will again in the next century. He has really taught us 
             all in this institution.
               I am honored to call him a friend. I am pleased to rise 
             today in tribute to this great man, this great American, 
             who has become synonymous with this great institution.
               Senator Thurmond, we honor you, and we are particularly 
             appreciative of your leadership and teaching which has 
             served us all. Thank you, my friend. I look forward to our 
             continued relationship.

               Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I am happy to be here today. 
             My plane arrived on time, which I was a little nervous 
             about because I was afraid I would miss the opportunity to 
             join our colleagues in talking about the great Senator 
             from the State of South Carolina to whom we pay tribute 
             today and whose recent accomplishment of becoming the 
             longest serving Member of this Chamber is one we all, I 
             think, celebrated from a distance a couple of days ago.
               When I was elected to the Senate in 1994, I found 
             myself, after the election was over, given the first 
             chance really to reflect on what it meant to serve here 
             and the people that I would have the chance to serve with. 
             I think during an election campaign you only focus on the 
             issues and the opposition and the campaign. But when it 
             was finished, I was able to think about the remarkable 
             chance I was going to have to come to this Chamber and be 
             a part of a Chamber filled with so much history and have 
             the opportunity to serve with such a distinguished Member 
             as is the Senator from South Carolina and the Senator from 
             North Carolina and others who have been here and who have 
             made their marks.
               No sooner did I arrive--I was listening to the Senator 
             from Alaska describe his first meeting with Senator 
             Thurmond. In my first meeting with him, I was amused 
             because he came up and said he was stunned that anybody 
             like me could get elected from the State of Michigan. I 
             remember when he said that, I was thinking that he was 
             taking note of the fact that I was the first member of my 
             party to win in that State since 1972, and his 
             recollection of how long it had been since a Michigan 
             Senator from my party had been elected made me feel pretty 
             pleased that I had become known to him and that he had 
             taken note of my success.
               I was then delighted when, as a consequence of the 
             committee selection process, I was able to secure a seat 
             on the Judiciary Committee, which gave me an opportunity 
             to serve directly with the former chairman of that 
             committee, who had distinguished himself in that role. 
             Indeed, some of the former staffers of that committee now 
             live in my State, and we have had the chance to reminisce 
             about some of the various accomplishments that took place 
             when Senator Thurmond chaired the Judiciary Committee.
               Then, indeed, as all the Members who have already spoken 
             have acknowledged, his leadership both in his State prior 
             to his election to the Senate and since coming here in a 
             variety of areas, ranging from the defense of this Nation 
             to the role he has played in the judiciary process and in 
             fighting to combat crime and lawlessness are all signs, of 
             course, of somebody who has made this country stronger 
             because of his presence in this Chamber.
               I want to single out, though, one particular incident 
             that I remember very vividly, and it showed me the other 
             side of Senator Thurmond.
               Shortly after my arrival here in 1995, we had, as many 
             of the Members will remember, a very busy first 6 months 
             in that year. We were here night after night after night 
             very late, often in situations where we could not share 
             with our families important occasions. One such occasion 
             was coming up--in fact, it is going to be repeated again 
             in a few weeks--which was the birthday of my twin 
             daughters. They were born on June 22, 1993. So our family 
             planned to have a birthday party for those twins on June 
             22, 1995. We had plans to take them to a restaurant and 
             have a birthday cake. At the last minute it turned out we 
             had votes that night. That was back when we were keeping 
             the Senate dining room open for Members and their families 
             on Thursday nights. And, happily, therefore, we were able 
             to still have dinner together, although not as we had 
             planned.
               We were down in the dining room, and it was just my 
             wife, myself, and our two kids. The folks who worked there 
             were nice enough to prepare a birthday cake at the last 
             minute. So we had two candles on that cake. Our little 
             daughters, after eating a little bit of their dinner, 
             immediately turned to the birthday cake and plowed into it 
             with their fingers and began eating, as 2-year-olds do, in 
             any fashion they could without using utensils. About that 
             time Senator Thurmond appeared in the dining room and 
             wondered what all the hubbub was over at Senator Abraham's 
             table. He came over and asked what the occasion was and we 
             told him it was our birthday party for twin daughters. He 
             took a lot of time and gave each of the girls a birthday 
             hug, and as he walked away I noticed a couple of 
             fingerprints may have adhered to the back of his coat that 
             night from one of our little girls.
               The degree to which he cares about all of us here and 
             the affection he has for us and our families which shows a 
             side beyond the leadership side that makes him such a 
             special person. I just want to say, Senator, I am very 
             proud to have been given the chance to come to the Senate, 
             and especially proud to have had the chance to serve with 
             you. I want to thank you on behalf of my constituents for 
             your contributions to our Nation.

               Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, it hardly seems that almost 
             43 years have passed since December 24, 1954, when I first 
             became a U.S. Senator by raising my right hand and taking 
             the oath of office from then Vice President Richard Nixon. 
             Though it is only 527 miles, this is certainly a long way 
             from where I began my career in public service in 1923 as 
             a teacher in a high school in rural McCormick, SC. I am 
             pleased to say that it has been a rewarding and gratifying 
             journey.
               When I graduated from Clemson College and took my first 
             job, my only ambition in life was to be able to help 
             people. As I worked to educate my students in McCormick--
             and later in Ridge Spring and in Edgefield--I quickly 
             realized that I could have a greater impact in providing 
             for the learning needs of the children of South Carolina 
             by shaping policy. I ran for, and was elected Edgefield 
             County Superintendent of Education in 1928, and during my 
             tenure in that post, I implemented many measures which 
             raised the standards of education in that county. I also 
             got my first taste of how much impact a person can have 
             through elected office.
               At that time, South Carolina was an economically 
             challenged place well before the great crash of the stock 
             market which sent the Nation plummeting into the Great 
             Depression. Without trying to sound melodramatic, life was 
             hard back then, the banks were failing, businesses were 
             closing, and people were very concerned about the future. 
             As someone who was eager to try and improve conditions in 
             my home county, as well as throughout the Palmetto State, 
             I declared for State Senator in 1932 and was elected to 
             office. For 5 years, I helped shape policy that guided 
             South Carolina out of the depths of the Depression by, 
             among other things, strengthening education; establishing 
             a rural electrification program; helping our farmers; and 
             by establishing the South Carolina Public Service 
             Authority known as Santee-Cooper.
               In subsequent years I became involved in a number of 
             different public service endeavors, some of which have 
             been mentioned by others here today in their flattering 
             floor statements about me. One position after another, and 
             though I did not deliberately set out on this path, each 
             job I had--State senator, State circuit court judge, Army 
             officer, attorney, and Governor--seemed to be leading 
             toward the U.S. Senate.
               To those who want to dedicate a part of their lives to 
             serving the Nation, I can think of no better place to do 
             so than in the U.S. Senate, and my time in this 
             institution has truly been the happiest and most rewarding 
             in my life. Over the past four decades, I have been 
             pleased to have been a part of hundreds, if not thousands, 
             of worthwhile endeavors through my duties as a Senator, 
             and my service on the Committees on the Judiciary and 
             Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs.
               I knew when I moved up here with my first wife, the late 
             Jean Crouch Thurmond, that I would never earn wealth from 
             my tenure in the Senate, but financial gain was never a 
             consideration for me when I ran for this office. In fact, 
             financial compensation is not why I or anyone else becomes 
             involved in public service. We do it for the opportunity 
             to help others and to give back to the Nation which has 
             provided us with so many opportunities.
               There is no other job in the world that allows us to 
             have a more direct impact in rendering service than that 
             of a Senator. The work we do here benefits millions of 
             Americans, and how can one not help but take great 
             satisfaction and pride in such important service. Through 
             oversight, legislation, and old fashioned constituent 
             service, each of us is able to help the citizens of our 
             respective States, as well as build a Nation which is 
             stronger and better for all who live here. I am very proud 
             of the fact that over the past four decades, I have had a 
             role in building the finest military force that history 
             has seen. I am proud of the work we have done on the 
             Judiciary Committee which has helped to safeguard the 
             Constitution, keep the judicial branch independent, and 
             provided sound policies to help make our streets safe. 
             Most importantly, I am pleased that I have been able to 
             use my Senate office to help hundreds of thousands of 
             South Carolinians interact with a government bureaucracy 
             that can sometimes be confusing, unyielding, and 
             intimidating.
               It has been a special pleasure for me to help the 
             veterans who serve this Nation in times of war, as well as 
             the families of those who have made the ultimate 
             sacrifice.
               As I stand here and reflect upon my career, I have 
             nothing but positive memories. During the course of my 
             tenure, I have had the privilege of serving with some of 
             the truly great figures in the history of this Body. I 
             have been fortunate to make many good friends through my 
             service in the Senate. I am often asked how I want to be 
             remembered, and my answer today is the same as it was in 
             1954, or would have been in 1923--for being an honest, 
             patriotic, and helpful person. I would like to be 
             remembered as one who cares; cares for his family, his 
             friends, and cares for his Nation.
               Though I look forward to completing this term, when I 
             finally retire in 2002, I hope that if I leave any legacy, 
             it is that answering the call of public service is an 
             honorable and worthy vocation. It is only through the 
             efforts of men and women, regardless of their political 
             ideology, who believe in working for the greater good that 
             we will be able to assure that the United States remains a 
             bastion of freedom, justice, and hope.
               In closing, I wish to thank my colleagues for their 
             beautiful words concerning my public service. It has been 
             a privilege to serve with such able dedicated, and 
             wonderful people. I thank them for their many courtesies. 
             God bless this magnificent body and the United States of 
             America.

               Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, of necessity, I was at the 
             Finance Committee hearing on trade negotiating authority 
             this morning, and so was unable to be on the floor to pay 
             tribute--as so many others have done--to our esteemed 
             colleague, Senator Thurmond, who now holds the record for 
             Senate longevity. But I would like to pay such tribute 
             now.
               Just about 1 year ago--June 13, 1996, to be precise--my 
             daughter Maura and I traveled to the White House for a 
             state dinner in honor of Ireland's President, Mary 
             Robinson, and her husband Nicholas. We stopped at the 
             northwest gate, to be scrutinized by White House security 
             officials. An earnest young man in a uniform peered into 
             our Jeep, studied my face, consulted a clipboard, and then 
             said smartly, ``Good evening, Senator Thurmond!''
               A fine compliment, to be mistaken for a man more robust, 
             more vigorous, more irrepressible than individuals half 
             his age or mine!
               I will leave to others the task of highlighting our 
             beloved colleague's absolutely extraordinary private and 
             public lives, which span the 20th century. A few things 
             come to mind which bear mentioning, however. He learned 
             his populist brand of politics from ``Pitchfork Ben'' 
             Tillman--a man born 150 years ago--whose Senate seat he 
             now occupies. And yet he was just re-elected for the 
             eighth time, again with little difficulty. Senator 
             Thurmond embodies the political and social transformation 
             of the South.
               As a 40-year-old, he volunteered for active duty during 
             World War II and landed at Normandy with the 82d Airborne 
             Division. Immediately after the war, he was elected 
             Governor of South Carolina. While Governor, in 1948, he 
             ran for President as a States' Rights Democrat and 
             garnered 39 electoral votes.
               He was elected to the Senate in 1954 as a write-in 
             candidate, the first person ever elected to major office 
             by this method. But true to a campaign pledge he made, he 
             resigned in 1956 and stood for re-election. In 1964, he 
             left the Democratic Party and became a Goldwater 
             Republican, presaging--or, perhaps, ushering in--GOP gains 
             in the South that continue to this day. He has served as a 
             delegate to six Democratic and eight Republican National 
             Conventions--a distinction I doubt anyone else shares. 
             Suffice it to say that if Strom Thurmond did not exist, it 
             might be necessary for us to invent him.
               Senator Thurmond has endured the loss of his first wife, 
             the loss of his daughter. But through it all, he has been 
             indomitable. Always optimistic. Unfailingly courteous, the 
             epitome of a Southern gentleman--despite living in our 
             current age, when good manners seem to elude us so 
             readily. I hope he has a sense of the respect and 
             affection we have for him.
               When I think of our colleague, I think of the wonderful 
             poem, ``Ulysses'', by Alfred Lord Tennyson--one of the 
             great English poets, who, I might add, died a mere decade 
             before Senator Thurmond was born, and I would like to 
             close my tribute with an excerpt from the poem:
                 I am become a name;
                 For always roaming with a hungry heart
                 Much have I seen and known; cities of men
                 And manners, climates, councils, governments,
                 Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;
                 And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
                 Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
                 I am a part of all that I have met;
                 Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'
                 Gleams that untravell'd world whose margin fades
                 For ever and forever when I move.
                 How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
                 To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!
                 As tho' to breathe were life!

               No one ever could accuse Senator Thurmond of ``rusting 
             unburnish'd''!

                                                Thursday, June 5, 1997.

               Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to add in a small 
             way to the many tributes being offered on behalf of one of 
             our colleagues.
               There are persons lucky enough to witness history, and 
             persons wise enough to study history. Then there are those 
             few who are dynamic enough to make history.
               This week we honor someone who has made more history 
             than most--our distinguished President pro tempore, Strom 
             Thurmond.
               Strom Thurmond was born during the Presidential term of 
             Theodore Roosevelt--probably the only other person in the 
             20th century to have a comparable energy level.
               And in the same way TR launched America on the great 
             adventure of the 20th century, Strom Thurmond has been a 
             real force in building up and guiding America during that 
             century.
               A few of our colleagues may have been friends with Jack 
             Kennedy; but Strom Thurmond is the one who ran against 
             Harry Truman--and came within a hair of denying him the 
             White House.
               He is the only sitting Senator today who actually was on 
             a general election ballot as a Presidential candidate.
               Strom Thurmond has always been a man of the people.
               In 1954, when the 31-member committee that represented 
             the political establishment of South Carolina froze him 
             out of a special election, Strom Thurmond did what no one 
             before or since has done--ran and won as a write-in 
             candidate for the U.S. Senate.
               Strom Thurmond has always been ahead of his time, with 
             his finger on the pulse of history.
               In the middle of the Johnson landslide in 1964, he moved 
             against the tide, from the Democrat to the Republican 
             party.
               With the next election, he became only the second 
             elected Republican Senator from the deep South since 
             Reconstruction.
               By the time the next two sitting Senators changed party 
             affiliation--30 years later--a majority of the Senators 
             and Representatives from across the Nation--and, for the 
             first time since Reconstruction, a majority from the 
             South--were now in Strom Thurmond's adopted party.
               In fact, he is the only Senator to have served as a 
             Democrat in the majority and the minority, and as 
             Republican in the majority and the minority.
               When we look at the New South today, we see the fruits 
             of the ``Thurmond Revolution,'' or the ``Thurmond 
             Realignment.'' He showed the way.
               The issue on which I've probably worked most closely 
             with Strom has been the balanced budget amendment to the 
             Constitution.
               When you work with him closely on an issue like that, 
             you see how, and why, his colleagues revere him.
               I cosponsored the first balanced budget amendment that 
             made it to the floor of the U.S. House in 1982. I've been 
             a part of writing every one since.
               But Strom cosponsored an earlier version in the 1950's. 
             Once again, he was ahead of his time.
               When we finally pass that constitutional amendment, and 
             permanently lock in that balanced budget we achieve in 
             2002, it will be the ``Thurmond Amendment.''
               When you ask Strom Thurmond what his secret is for 
             stamina and energy, he may say something about diet, 
             working out, swimming, or loving the work he does for the 
             people of his State.
               But his secret is, he thinks young--always.
               He probably still considers himself the junior Senator 
             from South Carolina--every time he stands with 
             constituents for a picture in front of the portrait of 
             John C. Calhoun just outside this Chamber.
               One year, his campaign camper was the ``Strom Trek.'' 
             Another year it was the ``Thurmon-ator.''
               And he loves to talk with young people.
               He always has time to talk to the pages and visit with 
             our staffers, treating them with respect and warmth, 
             making them feel special.
               He always remembers to ask about our families, and 
             always imparts some of that joy of life to those around 
             him.
               Strom Thurmond has a joy of life, a love of people, and 
             a sense of duty that give him purpose and energy.
               In a world that we fear is becoming too coarse, he is 
             gracious--and reminds us of the way back to civility.
               He is devoted to God and country.
               He is our most senior Senator and the highest-ranking 
             constitutional officer of the Senate. Best of all for us, 
             Strom Thurmond is our friend and teacher.

                                                  Monday, June 9, 1997.

               Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise today to join with 
             many of my colleagues in saluting a great friend, patriot, 
             and statesman--the senior Senator from South Carolina, 
             Strom Thurmond. Listening to the debate recently, I 
             realized that many were speaking of their personal 
             experiences while serving with Senator Thurmond. I, 
             however, would like to share with my colleagues the 
             greatest story I know about Senator Thurmond--the true 
             story of his life. To me it illustrates one key thing: 
             that the hallmark of Strom Thurmond's life has been his 
             dedication to serving others.
               Senator Thurmond was born in 1902 and raised in 
             Edgefield, SC. Following his graduation in 1923 from 
             Clemson University, young Strom Thurmond began his career, 
             first as a teacher and coach, then, at the age of 21, as 
             an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Eventually, Senator 
             Thurmond went on to become the county superintendent of 
             education, city attorney, county attorney, State senator 
             and circuit judge of South Carolina. From 1942 to 1946, 
             Senator Thurmond, along with millions of other brave young 
             men, served in World War II. For his service in the 
             American, European, and Pacific theaters, Senator Thurmond 
             earned 5 battle stars and 18 decorations and medals, 
             including the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the 
             Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star for Valor. Upon his 
             return to South Carolina, Strom Thurmond was elected to 
             serve as Governor of South Carolina. During his tenure as 
             Governor, Senator Thurmond was a candidate for President 
             of the United States. Five years later, in 1954, Strom 
             Thurmond was elected as a write-in candidate for U.S. 
             Senator and has served with distinction in this body as 
             chairman of two prestigious committees, as well as serving 
             as the President pro tempore.
               The many personal sacrifices that Senator Thurmond has 
             made over the past nine decades demonstrate his respect 
             for our institution of government and our Nation's 
             history. He knows all too well that when one fails to 
             stand for his principles, those principles will perish. 
             And Strom Thurmond, as a young paratrooper, as a 
             Presidential candidate, and now, as a U.S. Senator, 
             stands--sometimes all alone--for the greatest principles 
             on which America was founded.
               Strom even had to switch parties--not once, but 
             effectively, twice, to keep advancing his strongly held 
             principles and ideals. In a sense, though Senator Thurmond 
             has been a Dixiecrat, a Democrat and a Republican, he has 
             always been, most of all, a proud American.
               Strom Thurmond has witnessed incredible growth and 
             change in our Nation and our world, and his knowledge of 
             our past and vision for our future is crucial to our 
             present. The Senator's strong leadership, patriotism, 
             dependability, and devotion to duty is inspiring--and his 
             stamina is legendary. The people of South Carolina are 
             fortunate to have such an able gentleman represent them; 
             we here in the U.S. Senate are lucky to stand with him; 
             and all Americans should be grateful for Senator 
             Thurmond's 41 years of service in the Senate and proud of 
             his 94 years of service to this country.

                                                Tuesday, June 10, 1997.

               Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure 
             I come to the floor today to speak about a distinguished 
             colleague and dear personal friend, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond. I, like so many American citizens, have admired 
             the senior Senator from South Carolina for his outstanding 
             service to the United States in this Chamber, and for the 
             life he has lived through military service in World War II 
             to his years of teaching, coaching, and practicing law in 
             the Palmetto State.
               The accomplishments and achievements which have been a 
             part of Senator Thurmond's life are truly outstanding. 
             Accordingly, his reach across this country, particularly 
             the Southeast, is remarkable. One can go to the Georgia/
             South Carolina border, traveling along Interstate 20 to 
             Florence, SC, and be driving on the Strom Thurmond 
             Highway. Or one can take a stroll through the U.S. Capitol 
             and walk into the beautiful Strom Thurmond room, so 
             designated in 1991. These are just two of the many 
             facilities named for the distinguished Senator because of 
             his courage and patriotism. He has set a fine example for 
             all Americans--from the students he taught from 1923-28 in 
             Edgefield, McCormick, and Ridge Spring, SC, to the pages, 
             interns, and staffers to whom he has been so gracious, 
             friendly, and helpful since his arrival in the Senate in 
             1954.
               Senator Thurmond has served diligently on the Armed 
             Services, Judiciary, and Veterans' Affairs Committees. He 
             has not only been a champion for his State, supporting 
             such vital missions as those performed at the Savannah 
             River site, but also a leader on security issues for our 
             Nation as a whole. There is no question that his 
             knowledge, understanding, and expertise in military 
             affairs and foreign policy has strengthened our national 
             security and helped to maintain the status of the United 
             States as the world's preeminent military and economic 
             power.
               As a soldier, the Senator's record was no less 
             impressive. In World War II, Senator Thurmond volunteered 
             for active service on the day we declared war and flew his 
             glider behind enemy lines during the D-day invasion with 
             the 82d Airborne Division.
               Following these heroics, he was awarded 18 decorations, 
             including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star for Valor, and the 
             Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster. His military 
             service continued as he was promoted to Major General in 
             the U.S. Army Reserve in 1959. This is where he continued 
             to serve in distinguished fashion for the next 36 years.
               With the rest of his military and political career well 
             documented and chronicled on the floor by my colleagues, I 
             would just like to close now by saying thank you to 
             Senator Thurmond, as a citizen of the United States of 
             America and as a colleague in the Senate. I am honored 
             that I can say I served with you and called you my friend. 
             Moreover, I know that many Americans will join me in 
             commemorating the enduring record you have set and legacy 
             you will leave for future generations.


                              Proceedings in the House

                                                Thursday, June 5, 1997.

               Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, on May 25, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond became the longest serving U.S. Senator in the 
             history of our Nation. It is a pleasure for me to join 
             those who are honoring him on his distinguished career.
               Senator Thurmond is a truly amazing person. He has 
             served the people of South Carolina as a teacher, athletic 
             coach, county superintendent of education, city attorney, 
             county attorney, State senator, State circuit judge, 
             Governor, and U.S. Senator. He has also been a candidate 
             for President of the United States, carrying four States 
             and receiving 39 electoral votes, and he is the first 
             person in the history of our country to be elected to a 
             Federal office as a write-in candidate, in his election to 
             the U.S. Senate in 1954. He volunteered for active duty in 
             World War II on the day that war was declared by the 
             United States against Germany, serving with distinction in 
             the American, European, and Pacific Theaters, and he 
             participated in the ``D-day'' invasion in Normandy. He 
             also served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 36 years, 
             retiring as a Major General.
               Throughout his outstanding career, Senator Thurmond has 
             tirelessly dedicated himself to helping others. So many 
             people have benefited from his efforts on their behalf. 
             Also, Senator Thurmond has an extraordinary legislative 
             record. During his service in the Senate, he has crafted 
             volumes of key legislation and he has led the debate to 
             keep our country strong and free.
               Senator Thurmond is a true patriot, a valiant Army 
             officer, a statesman of the highest order, and a true 
             friend to all who know him. Our Nation has been blessed 
             with his leadership and stewardship. Senator Strom 
             Thurmond is a great American hero. He is wished much 
             continued success.
                 
                                       
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