[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.