[Senate Document 107-12]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




 
                           Tributes Delivered in Congress
                                         to
                                   Strom Thurmond

                          To Commemorate His Service in the

                                United States Senate


                            One Hundred Seventh Congress

                                   Second Session

             
             


                                           




                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing

                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
                                                                     38
                    Allard, Wayne, of Colorado.....................
                                                                     20
                    Allen, George, of Virginia.....................
                                                                     25
                    Biden, Joseph R., Jr., of Delaware.............
                                                                     73
                    Bingaman, Jeff, of New Mexico..................
                                                                     25
                    Bond, Christopher S., of Missouri..............
                                                                     16
                    Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
                                                                     36
                    Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
                                                                     10
                    Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York...........
                                                                     39
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                     42
                    Conrad, Kent, of North Dakota..................
                                                                     45
                    Craig, Larry E., of Idaho......................
                                                                     55
                    Daschle, Tom, of South Dakota..................
                                                                      3
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     30
                    Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
                                                                     35
                    Frist, Bill, of Tennessee......................
                                                                     42
                    Gramm, Phil, of Texas..........................
                                                                 66, 70
                    Grassley, Charles E., of Iowa..................
                                                                     33
                    Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
                                                                     47
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     33
                    Helms, Jesse, of North Carolina................
                                                                 78, 80
                    Hollings, Ernest F., of South Carolina.........
                                                                      8
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     17
                    Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
                                                                     65
                    Kennedy, Edward M., of Massachusetts...........
                                                                     40
                    Kerry, John F., of Massachusetts...............
                                                                     54
                    Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
                                                                     51
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     70
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                     48
                    Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     44
                    Lott, Trent, of Mississippi....................
                                                                      4
                    Lugar, Richard G., of Indiana..................
                                                                     37
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                     28
                    Murkowski, Frank H., of Arkansas...............
                                                                     67
                    Nickles, Don, of Oklahoma......................
                                                                     32
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                  3, 56
                    Sarbanes, Paul S., of Maryland.................
                                                                     50
                    Smith, Bob, of New Hampshire...................
                                                                     68
                    Snowe, Olympia J., of Maine....................
                                                                     52
                    Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
                                                                     21
                    Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
                                                                     14
                    Thompson, Fred, of Tennessee...................
                                                                     36
                Response by Mr. Thurmond...........................
                                                                     57
                                      BIOGRAPHY

               James Strom Thurmond was born December 5, 1902, in 
             Edgefield, SC. After graduating from Clemson University in 
             1923, he became a high school teacher and athletic coach. 
             Soon thereafter he became the county superintendent of 
             education and then State senator. At night he studied law 
             under his father, and was admitted to the South Carolina 
             bar in 1930. He practiced law until 1938 when he became a 
             circuit judge.
               At the age of 21 he joined the U.S. Army Reserve, 
             becoming a second lieutenant. When World War II was 
             declared, he was 40 years old. Even though he was beyond 
             draft age, and, as a judge, held a draft-exempted status, 
             he volunteered for active duty the day war was declared 
             against Germany. He served with the Headquarters First 
             Army in American, European, and Pacific theaters.
               On June 6, 1944, Strom Thurmond took part in the D-day 
             invasion with the 82d Airborne Division by piloting a 
             glider onto the beaches at Normandy. He was awarded 5 
             battle stars and 18 decorations, medals, and awards, 
             including the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster, the 
             Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the Belgian 
             Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de Guerre. After 
             the war he became a major general in the U.S. Army 
             Reserve.
               In 1947 he became Governor of South Carolina. In 1948 
             Governor Strom Thurmond ran for President as a States 
             Rights Democrat, carrying 4 States and winning 39 
             electoral votes.
               In 1954 Strom Thurmond was elected to the U.S. Senate as 
             a write-in candidate. This made him not only the first and 
             only person in U.S. history elected to the Senate in this 
             manner, but the only person ever elected to any major 
             office in the United States in this manner.
               Senator Strom Thurmond set a record for the longest 
             individual speech ever delivered in the Senate--24 hours 
             and 18 minutes, from August 28 to August 29, 1957.
               In 1964 Senator Thurmond switched from the Democratic 
             Party to the Republican Party, a move that marked the 
             beginning of the ``southern strategy'' that has reshaped 
             the Republican Party.
               In 1981, when Ronald Reagan became President, Senator 
             Thurmond was chosen as Senate President pro tempore, 
             placing him third in the line of succession to the 
             Presidency.
               On March 8, 1996, Senator Thurmond, at the age of 93, 
             became the oldest person ever to serve in the Senate.
               On May 25, 1997, he became the longest-serving Senator 
             in the history of the Senate, surpassing the record of 41 
             years and 10 months held by Carl Hayden.
               In 1998, Senator Thurmond became the second Senator ever 
             to cast 15,000 votes.
               During his Senate career, he served as chairman and 
             ranking member of both the Armed Services Committee and 
             the Judiciary Committee. He was chairman emeritus of the 
             Veterans' Affairs Committee and a member of the Labor and 
             Human Resources Committee.
               Senator Thurmond has worked tirelessly for the State of 
             South Carolina and for the Nation in general. South 
             Carolina has shown its gratitude by honoring the Senator 
             in many ways. The people of Edgefield County, SC, have 
             built and erected a life-sized statue of Strom Thurmond on 
             the Edgefield town square. Things that have been named in 
             his honor include the Strom Thurmond Lake, Dam and Highway 
             in Clarks Hill; the Strom Thurmond Mall in Columbia; and 
             the Strom Thurmond National Guard Armory.
               There is a Strom Thurmond High School, Auditorium, 
             Student Center, and Biomedical Research Center. There are 
             numerous Strom Thurmond chairs and scholarships. There's 
             the Strom Thurmond Foundation, which assists in educating 
             80 to 100 needy, worthy students annually. And he has 
             endowed 52 scholarships at 45 colleges and universities.
               Some of the numerous awards that Senator Thurmond has 
             received in his 100 years on Earth are the Disabled 
             American Veterans Outstanding and Unselfish Service Awards 
             (1964 and 1981); the Medal of the Knesset, Israel (1982); 
             the Audie Murphy Patriotism Award (1982); the NY Board of 
             Trade ``Textile Man of the Year'' (1984); and the 
             Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush, 
             1992.


                                           

                           Tributes Delivered in Congress
                                         to
                                   Strom Thurmond

                          To Commemorate His Service in the

                                United States Senate
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                            Tuesday, September 24, 2002
                      ORDER FOR PRINTING STATEMENTS OF TRIBUTE
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the Members have until Friday, October 4, at 12 noon to 
             submit statements of tribute to Senator Strom Thurmond and 
             that the tributes then be printed as a Senate document.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
                          TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND

               Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, I join my colleagues today 
             in this special presentation to acknowledge the 
             distinguished Senator from South Carolina for his decades 
             of service in this Senate.
               America has changed in many ways in the 48 years since 
             James Strom Thurmond was first elected to the Senate. But 
             some things have not changed. Among them are Senator 
             Thurmond's fierce determination to do what he regards as 
             the right thing for the people of his beloved South 
             Carolina.
               While Senator Thurmond and I often reach different 
             conclusions and cast different votes, I admire his 
             devotion to his State, to our Nation, and to this Senate. 
             In recent years, fulfilling that obligation has seemed at 
             times to require an extraordinary exercise of will or love 
             or both.
               Someday another Senator will sit in Senator Thurmond's 
             seat, but it is hard to imagine anyone ever filling his 
             shoes. He is, as I have said before, an institution within 
             an institution.
               He has been alive for almost half the history of the 
             United States. Theodore Roosevelt was President when he 
             was born. He was 17 years old when American women secured 
             the right to vote. He is one of only a few Americans alive 
             who received votes from Civil War veterans. He has lived 
             through the term of 18 of America's 43 Presidents and 
             served as a Senator under 10 of them.
               His long and distinguished career is remarkable for its 
             many successes, both in and out of the Senate.
               In 1996 Senator Thurmond became the oldest person ever 
             to serve in the Senate.
               In 1997 he became the longest-serving Senator.
               In 1998 he became one of only three Senators, in 
             addition to our colleague, Senator Robert Byrd, ever to 
             cast 15,000 votes in this Senate.
               In addition, Senator Thurmond has served as a senator in 
             the South Carolina State Legislature and as Governor of 
             that great State. He has been a senior member of both the 
             Democratic and Republican parties and a Presidential 
             candidate of a third party. There is not another American, 
             living or dead, who can make that claim.
               He has also served our country in uniform. Senator 
             Thurmond entered the U.S. Army for the first time in 1924. 
             Twenty years later, he volunteered for service in World 
             War II, and on June 6, 1944, at the age of 43, he took 
             part in the first wave of the D-day invasion, the airdrop 
             of American troops on Normandy Beach.
               I am told that Senator Thurmond wanted to parachute into 
             Normandy Beach, but another officer who clearly did not 
             know with whom he was dealing, decided Senator Thurmond 
             was too old to jump out of an airplane. So Senator 
             Thurmond piloted a glider instead, landing, with the rest 
             of his company, behind enemy lines.
               Senator Thurmond is today a retired major general in the 
             Army Reserve, the President pro tempore emeritus of the 
             Senate, a member of the South Carolina Hall of Fame, and a 
             recipient of more honors and awards than any of us can 
             name, including the prestigious Presidential Medal of 
             Freedom.
               Simply said, we will never see another like him.
               I join my colleagues this morning in our heartfelt 
             expression of gratitude to Senator Thurmond for his 
             decades of service. We wish him, his family, and staff our 
             very best in his future, whatever life may hold beyond the 
             107th Congress.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.

               Mr. LOTT. Madam President, today the Senate takes time 
             to celebrate the life and career of one of its most 
             outstanding Members who, though always a loyal son of 
             South Carolina, has become, indeed, a Nation's treasure. 
             It is not enough to say Senator Strom Thurmond has lived 
             his life well. It has been an extraordinary life.
               Again and again today, we will hear points made about 
             various accomplishments in his life. Senator Daschle has 
             already noted many of them, but there is so much that can 
             be said about this particular Senator that words are 
             almost inadequate.
               As I was thinking about him over the weekend, I thought 
             about his life and what he has done and what he has seen 
             and the little acts he does on a human personal basis.
               First, when one thinks about it, his is a life that has 
             included being an educator, a judge, a soldier, yes, a 
             general, Governor, a Presidential candidate. In fact, when 
             I was 7 years old, Senator Thurmond was already running 
             for President and carried my State as well as three 
             others, I believe. As a U.S. Senator, he has served 
             admirably as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, chairman 
             of the Armed Services Committee, and President pro 
             tempore.
               I remember in my first couple of years in the Senate, 
             Senator Thurmond was managing a bill on the floor. I 
             believe it was a crime bill. I remember he got right out 
             in the center aisle and gave a fantastic speech, with 
             energy, all the enthusiasm one would expect from a much 
             younger man, but then he was young in spirit, and he made 
             us all feel good about what we could do as the years went 
             by.
               He has been a philanthropist. He has practiced what he 
             has preached. The record is replete with scholarships and 
             examples of generosity from this Senator, what he has done 
             for others on a financial basis but, more important, at 
             times, on a very personal basis, and I will talk about 
             that in a moment.
               Obviously, he has achieved the ultimate in life also as 
             a proud father. Watching him with his sons and daughters 
             is a marvelous experience for all of us.
               He truly has achieved the rank of statesman. Some serve 
             their country as teachers, jurists, or as State or local 
             officials, but Senator Thurmond has been all of those and 
             so much more: A counselor to Presidents, a warrior in the 
             cause of freedom, not to mention a humanitarian, a staunch 
             patriot, and a faithful friend. I do not think we will 
             ever see a life in history such as that of Senator Strom 
             Thurmond; he has served his country in so many ways.
               His public career spans the days of Franklin Roosevelt 
             and the present President, George W. Bush. Senator 
             Thurmond knew the veterans of the greatest war. He was 
             there. He saw it in real time. He knows the soldiers of 
             our current war on terrorism, and today, as a member of 
             the Armed Services Committee, he works to make sure they 
             have what they need to do the job because he understands 
             the importance of their job in the defense of freedom.
               When I was born 60 years ago, Senator Thurmond was 
             already a judge and well on his way toward a governorship 
             and his candidacy for President. Yet here we are today as 
             colleagues in this great institution. I know I am not 
             alone in feeling humbled by his presence.
               In the days to come, the newspapers will emphasize his 
             extraordinary political career, but the epic that is Strom 
             Thurmond is far too grand to be summed up as an enduring 
             politician and to leave it at that. No, we know better. 
             After all, it is not many of us who have a room in this 
             Capitol named for us while we are still here to use it.
               Another Senator from South Carolina, John C. Calhoun, in 
             his time was described this way:

               As a Senator, he was the model of courtesy. He listened 
             attentively to each one who spoke, neither reading nor 
             writing when in his seat.

               At one time or another, I believe every Senator in this 
             Chamber has been touched by Senator Thurmond's courtesy, 
             and we will honor him if we continue to follow his example 
             in that regard. Hardly a day goes by when Senator Thurmond 
             is on the floor, that he does not call me over and offer 
             support and offer a piece of candy for my beautiful wife. 
             He reassures me what a beautiful lady she is and what a 
             credit she is to this Senator from Mississippi.
               I wonder sometimes, too, if we all appreciate and even 
             our pages realize that a great man of history walks among 
             us every day, but he does it in such a humble way and such 
             a generous way. How many of us have taken the time to not 
             only acknowledge these pages who are seeing history in the 
             making and are working for us to make the institution look 
             better, but taken the time to bring them to the dining 
             room for a meal?
               I always loved it when I was in the dining room and 
             Senator Thurmond came with a whole string of pages right 
             behind him treating them to lunch. It was like a hen with 
             her biddies behind her, a beautiful sight--a little thing, 
             but typical of Senator Thurmond.
               There are the calls he has made when friends have had 
             trouble in their family or illnesses or deaths. There are 
             stories of Senator Thurmond calling people or even going 
             to the house of one of his former staff members after she 
             had a baby. Knocking on the door, he came to congratulate 
             her and to get a look at this newborn baby. Over and over, 
             that is the kind of man he has been.
               So while he has had these great achievements, he has 
             kept that common touch. In fact, I think the greatest 
             story about Senator Thurmond is not his list of 
             achievements but the fact he has never wavered in 
             defending, protecting, and working for the principles he 
             believes in and the importance of keeping that human 
             touch, that personal touch.
               Senator Thurmond is a different case in many ways. He 
             is, of course, of a different generation and he 
             exemplifies its strengths just as he has worked to leave 
             behind its shortcomings. During his last Congress with us, 
             it was sometimes difficult to remember that at the start 
             of World War II, a mere youngster of 39, he actually 
             resigned his office as a judge in order to enlist. He was 
             with the 82d Airborne Division and landed in the Normandy 
             invasion on D-day.
               Half a century ago, Gen. Douglas MacArthur addressed the 
             Congress and delivered his famous line about old soldiers: 
             ``They never die, they just fade away.''
               Well, Senator Thurmond decided to do neither. He 
             resolved to keep working for his country, devoting all of 
             his experience, all of his wisdom, all of his energy to 
             that task. We have been blessed and enriched by his 
             determination. He has been here every day, and I have not 
             checked the Record, but I think he has been here for every 
             vote this year, which is typical of the sheer iron will 
             that has been the example of his great life.
               He has seen the defeat of nazism, the collapse of 
             communism, and the bringing down of the Iron Curtain. He 
             has been an important part of making all of that possible. 
             He has worked with Presidents repeatedly to support their 
             efforts to do what needed to be done for our country.
               It has been 213 years since George Washington was 
             inaugurated as President and the first Congress assembled 
             to write laws for the new Nation. Senator Thurmond has 
             seen more than 99 of those years. It re-emphasizes the 
             fact we are still a young country. This great Republic is 
             still very young in the annals of history, and this one 
             man has seen almost half of those years. He is an 
             institution, a senior statesman, but he is much more than 
             that. He is a patriot. He loves this country of ours in an 
             old-fashioned way, a simple and deep way that seemed to 
             have gone out of style a few decades ago but a way we have 
             re-learned during this past year.
               Our centennial Senator's life is a part of the rich 
             rolling tapestry that is America's history. This soldier 
             who fought at Normandy, this cold war warrior who helped 
             Presidents overcome communism, has lived to witness a new 
             enemy of freedom strike at us and all that we hold dear. 
             He saw the tragedy last September that still tears at our 
             hearts, but he saw, too, the resurgence of what he 
             cherished most: pride in America, devotion, honor and 
             sacrifice for America. I do not know of any other Senator 
             who will earn this title, but it seems to be appropriate 
             to refer to Senator Thurmond as our centennial Senator. He 
             could have very easily been an inspiration perhaps for 
             that great quote that is attributed to Teddy Roosevelt 
             back in 1910 that sums up, I believe, the greatness of 
             this Senator.

               It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points 
             out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds 
             could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who 
             is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and 
             sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes 
             up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, 
             the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; 
             who at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high 
             achievement and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least 
             fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never 
             be with those cold and timid souls who know neither 
             victory nor defeat.

               Senator Thurmond has been in the arena. He has been 
             dusty and sweaty and, yes, probably even bloody, but he 
             still stands, the rock from South Carolina, a great 
             Senator, a great man, a great friend. The Senate will not 
             quite be the same when we convene next year, but we will 
             all be better because of the Senator from South Carolina.
               Senator Thurmond, you are the best. You are an 
             institution, but more than that you are a great friend. We 
             love you and we wish you many more happy days in your next 
             career.

               Mr. THURMOND. Thank you very much.

               Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.

               Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, the distinguished 
             minority leader has noted Strom's comment about the beauty 
             of his wife Patricia. Strom has also done that to my wife 
             Peatsy. I think the record ought to be made here that for 
             Strom Thurmond, all women are beautiful.
               Madam President, as the longest-serving junior Senator 
             in the history of the Senate, it is my distinct honor and 
             privilege to pay tribute to the longest-serving senior 
             Senator and the longest-serving Senator in the history of 
             the Senate. The story is told about a Washington matron at 
             one of these evening receptions, how she rushed up to a 
             Spanish Ambassador and allowed: ``Mr. Ambassador, this 
             bull fighting, the No. 1 sport in your country, I think it 
             is revolting.''
               After a pause, the Ambassador turned to the matron and 
             said: ``Madam, you are mistaken. Bull fighting is our No. 
             2 sport; revolting is our No. 1.''
               That has been the record of J. Strom Thurmond in the 
             field of public service. He has definitely been a 
             revolutionary with respect to public service. At age 29, 
             he served as the youngest county superintendent of 
             education in the history of our State; thereupon, being 
             elected as the youngest State senator from his home 
             county; thereafter, as the youngest circuit judge 
             presiding, being elevated there in the year 1938.
               Just a few days after December 7, when Germany declared 
             war first on us before we declared war on Germany, Strom 
             Thurmond, as a presiding circuit judge, took off those 
             robes and volunteered for service in World War II. He was 
             exempt from service under our judiciary rules in the State 
             of South Carolina, but he didn't hesitate. And as has been 
             noted here, made the invasion on D-day, June 6, 1944, in 
             Europe and served in five campaigns with valor and 
             courage, coming back to retire as a major general in the 
             U.S. Army.
               In 1948 he organized the only really successful third 
             party movement in this country as a States Rights Party, 
             and as a candidate for President he carried South 
             Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana--he carried 
             four States.
               Thereafter, in 1954 he was the first--and I take it the 
             only--Senator ever elected to the Senate as a write-in 
             candidate. Then, in 1964, having been a Democrat, he 
             changed parties. He saw the future of the State of South 
             Carolina and the South in the Republican Party, and he has 
             led the move ever since.
               There is no question in my mind that he has had the most 
             distinguished service up here, serving as the chairman of 
             the Judiciary Committee, chairman of the Armed Services 
             Committee, chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, 
             and the President pro tempore of the Senate. But I think 
             people back home know Strom best of all for his 
             constituent service. Whether it is the job found for a 
             constituent, or helping a family get a relative admitted 
             to the hospital, or sending a letter to the deceased's 
             family, or helping when the soldier is brought back home, 
             or whatever it is, you can count on Strom. I can tell that 
             to you right now. He has made his fame looking out for the 
             people of his home State.
               It has been noted that Strom was born when Teddy 
             Roosevelt was President. Elihu Root, who was the Secretary 
             of State for Teddy Roosevelt, once remarked that: 
             ``Politics is the practical art of self government and 
             someone must attend to it if we are going to have self 
             government.'' And he made the cogent observation: ``The 
             principal ground for reproach against any American citizen 
             is that he is not a politician. In representative America, 
             every citizen counts.''
               Heaven knows, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina has 
             counted at every particular turn, during illustrious 
             service of some 70 years. I think he is the living example 
             that the best politics is no politics. It is my privilege 
             to pay tribute to him now. I am sure I am going to have 
             the opportunity many times hereafter as we both move 
             along. But it has been a distinct pleasure to serve as his 
             junior Senator.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.

               Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I have listened attentively 
             to every word that has been spoken today about this 
             colleague of ours. Those words have been true. I well 
             remember when I first came to the Senate, I remember Strom 
             Thurmond's late wife used to sit in the gallery up here 
             and listen to the debates. She was a beautiful woman. I 
             remember very well the day she passed away. I remember 
             coming to the Senate and seeking out Strom Thurmond, and 
             here he was, sitting in the back row. I walked up to his 
             desk, and he stood, and I said: ``Strom, I'm so sorry to 
             hear about your great misfortune.'' And he stood with that 
             stoic way of his and thanked me and sat down.
               I also remember when Erma and I lost our grandson 
             Michael. It was 20 years ago. I remember the funeral 
             service, and I remember who was there. I recall who came 
             to share in the greatest sorrow of my life.
               Some of my colleagues were there. Howard Baker was 
             there, the majority leader. The then-Governor of my State 
             of West Virginia, Jay Rockefeller, was there. Who else? 
             Who else? No other Senator with the exception of one--
             Strom Thurmond. He came.
               I have seen him at funeral homes of others who were the 
             relatives of Senators and some who were not relatives of 
             Senators. I have seen Strom Thurmond there.
               I shall never forget when Strom met with tragedy in his 
             life not many years ago when he gave up the prized 
             possession, a daughter. I went to South Carolina to be 
             with Strom and to share his sorrow.
               Then, just a few days ago, a message came into my 
             office. Strom had called my wife. She had an operation--an 
             appendectomy. Who called to express concern for her and to 
             wish her an early recovery? That man--Strom Thurmond.

               'Tis the human touch in this world that counts,
               The touch of your hand and mine.
               Which means far more to the fainting heart
               Than shelter and bread and wine.
               For shelter is gone when the night is o'er
               And bread lasts only a day,
               But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice
               Sing on in the soul alway.

               Strom Thurmond, in a few more weeks, will be the first 
             sitting U.S. Senator to become a centenarian.
               What an amazing record. What an amazing man. In his 100 
             years on this Earth, he has been a teacher, a coach, an 
             attorney, a judge, a Governor, a soldier, a college 
             professor, an author, a lawmaker at both the State and 
             Federal levels, a delegate at six Democratic National 
             Conventions and six Republican National Conventions, and a 
             U.S. Senator who has served 47 years in this Chamber and 
             cast more than 15,000 votes.
               That is more votes than soldiers that Flaminius lost at 
             the Battle of Lake Trasimeno in the year 217 B.C.
               Senator Thurmond was born into the Old South. His 
             hometown of Edgefield was the home of the cane swinging 
             Representative Preston Brooks, who gained a place in 
             history for beating a northern Senator who had insulted 
             his family and his State. Senator Thurmond's grandfather, 
             George Washington Thurmond, was with General Lee at 
             Appomattox when Lee surrendered to Grant. His father, 
             Judge J. William Thurmond was a lieutenant of the 
             legendary South Carolina Senator ``Pitchfork'' Ben 
             Tillman, whom I used to read about before I came to the 
             arena of politics. A product of the Old South, Senator 
             Thurmond emerged to become an important leader in the New 
             South.
               Senator Thurmond's amazing life has spanned 20th-century 
             America. When he was born, the Wright brothers had yet to 
             make their historic, heavier-than-air manned flight. He 
             has lived to see man-made vehicles reaching the outer 
             limits of our universe. What a change in a single 
             lifetime. Perhaps an even greater, more monumental change 
             took place right here in the U.S. Senate. When Strom 
             Thurmond was born, on December 5, 1902, U.S. Senators were 
             not elected by the people of their States, but selected by 
             their State legislatures. The Senate had no permanent 
             office buildings; Senators had no professional staffs. 
             Boy, what a change Strom Thurmond has lived to see here.
               Even more amazing is how his life and career have 
             mirrored so much of the history of 20th-century America.
               In 1928, Strom Thurmond, a Democrat at the time, was 
             elected to his first political office, superintendent of 
             schools, Edgefield County, South Carolina--when Calvin 
             Coolidge was President. Those were the days of 
             mechanically sliced bread.
               In 1932, he was elected to the State senate of South 
             Carolina--that was the year Franklin Roosevelt was elected 
             President of the United States.
               How well I remember the days when the coal miners of 
             West Virginia marched--over 100,000 strong. John L. Lewis, 
             the leader of that great United Mine Workers Organization, 
             had his picture in every miner's home. Strom Thurmond was 
             there.
               It was Roosevelt's administration that marked the 
             emergence of the Democratic Party as the majority party. I 
             remind my colleagues that Senator Thurmond was a Democrat 
             in those days.
               In 1942, Strom Thurmond volunteered for service in World 
             War II--the war that marked the emergence of the United 
             States as a superpower. I might point out that Senator 
             Thurmond could have stayed safely on the sidelines of that 
             conflict. He was beyond draft age and, as a judge, he held 
             a draft-exempted status. Yet he volunteered to put himself 
             in harm's way and heroically served his country.
               On June 6, 1944, paratrooper Strom Thurmond took part in 
             the D-day invasion that began the Allied liberation of 
             Europe from Nazi tyranny and the defeat of worldwide 
             fascism.
               In 1946, like so many other World War II veterans, 
             including Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy, Strom 
             Thurmond returned home to a career in public service. 
             While Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Nixon were elected to Congress 
             that year, Mr. Thurmond was elected Governor of his 
             beloved South Carolina.
               In 1948, Governor Strom Thurmond ran for President as a 
             States Rights Democrat, carrying 4 States and winning 39 
             electoral votes. This means that President Harry Truman's 
             great upset victory over Thomas Dewey in the 1948 
             Presidential election included the defeat of Strom 
             Thurmond.
               In 1954, Strom Thurmond was elected to the Senate as a 
             write-in candidate. Imagine that. No other Senator was 
             ever elected as a write-in candidate to this body. This 
             made him the first and only person in U.S. history elected 
             to the Senate in this manner. He is the only person ever 
             elected to any major office in the United States in this 
             manner.
               In 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond set a record for the 
             longest individual speech ever delivered in the Senate--24 
             hours and 18 minutes, from August 28 to August 29, 1957.
               In 1964, Senator Thurmond switched from the Democratic 
             Party to the Republican Party--our loss, your gain--a move 
             that marked the beginning of the ``southern strategy'' 
             that has reshaped the Republican Party.
               In 1981, when Ronald Reagan became President, Senator 
             Thurmond was chosen as Senate President pro tempore, 
             placing him third in the line of succession to the 
             Presidency. And in the early days in the history of this 
             country, it would have been the Vice President and then 
             Strom Thurmond, because he would then have been second in 
             line of succession to the Presidency.
               On March 8, 1996, Senator Thurmond, at the age of 93, 93 
             years and 94 days--oh, to be 93 years again--became the 
             oldest person ever to serve in the Senate.
               On May 25, 1997, he became the longest-serving Senator 
             in the history of the Senate, surpassing the record of 41 
             years and 10 months held by Carl Hayden.
               He is a man with whom I have never had a cross word in 
             this Senate--never.
               On December 31, 1997, Senator Thurmond's colleague, 
             Senator Ernest Hollings, became the longest-serving junior 
             Member of the Senate, 31 years and 53 days, surpassing the 
             ``junior'' record of Senator John Stennis.
               In 1998, Senator Thurmond became the second Senator ever 
             to cast 15,000 votes.
               As I have said, what an amazing life. What an amazing 
             career. There is none other like it.
               But I am pleased and I am proud to point out that 
             throughout it all, Senator Thurmond has always remained a 
             man of his word. He is a devoted father, and a Senator 
             ready to defend his State, his country, and his values, a 
             distinguished leader, who is revered in his home State of 
             South Carolina. The State has built statues in his honor, 
             named buildings in his honor, named roads and dams and 
             lakes in his honor.
               Foremost, Senator Thurmond has remained a southern 
             gentleman of the first order: charming, polite, 
             optimistic, friendly, courteous, and enduring.
               May God bless you, Senator Thurmond. May God bless you 
             always.
               This is a man. Whence cometh another?

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alaska.

               Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I am humbled to be 
             following my great friend from West Virginia and the 
             statement he has just made.
               When I came to the Senate 34 years ago, this true 
             southern gentleman was among the first to make me welcome. 
             I came from a fairly new State. Senator Thurmond had 
             already served for 14 years as a Senator when I joined the 
             Senate. He was generous with his time, helping this young 
             Westerner to become familiar with the traditions of the 
             Senate, sharing his knowledge of procedures, and some of 
             the pitfalls, and emphasizing the importance of 
             maintaining a sense of dignity.
               I soon learned that the gracious Strom Thurmond was 
             extending to me friendship, which is part and parcel of 
             this man. His courtly manners and his helpfulness were 
             legendary even then.
               Today, all these years after he gave me that first 
             crushing handshake, he remains the dignified, gallant 
             gentleman of whom I became a friend in 1968. He continues 
             to demonstrate the spirit that has given him the courage 
             to beat the odds, overcome obstacles, and deal with some 
             of life's toughest challenges.
               As he prepares to leave us, after almost a half century 
             of serving the people of South Carolina and our Nation, I 
             just want to take a few moments to look back on the 
             personal relationship I have had with Senator Thurmond.
               While we share a bond of serving in the military during 
             World War II, Senator Thurmond far surpassed any of my 
             experiences. He landed, as people have already said, on D-
             day in Normandy. He served in both the European and 
             Pacific theaters. And he earned an astounding 18 
             decorations, including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze 
             Star for valor.
               When my first wife Ann died in a plane crash that I 
             survived, Strom's helping hand was there, ready to assist 
             always. The counsel and support he offered were born from 
             the experience of his own tragedy 8 years earlier, when he 
             lost his wife Jean. While he understood the importance of 
             dealing with my grief, he lobbied me to find a new partner 
             in life, as he had done.
               When Catherine and I were married, Strom made sure she 
             had a great welcome as the Senate's newest spouse. And 
             when our Lily--now a senior at Stanford, who visited the 
             Senate from time to time when she was a toddler--returns 
             to these halls, she always makes sure to see Uncle Strom. 
             As a matter of fact, there is not a day goes by that Strom 
             does not ask me: How is Lily? And last night, Madam 
             President, Lily sent me an e-mail. I would like to read 
             from it. I quote:

               When I think about some of my earliest memories, I 
             always come back to images in my head of entering the big 
             white Capitol to see you and your friends. Because, of 
             course, I didn't know anything about the important roles 
             of the people I knew or the grandness of the Capitol. What 
             I really remember is going to see friends like ``Uncle 
             Strom'' and running in circles around the patterns of the 
             tiles by the entrance to the floor. I can't think of how 
             many times I saw Strom's familiar face and ran to give him 
             a big hug, hearing his voice calling, ``Lily, look how big 
             you've grown,'' or, ``Miss Lily, you're such a pretty 
             girl!'' Seeing Uncle Strom was always a highlight of my 
             trips to the Capitol, and once I got to know Julie, being 
             with her also made some long nights of political 
             gatherings much more fun! Julie, like her father, is such 
             a generous, caring, and warm person, and I feel lucky to 
             have gotten to know her, Nancy, and Uncle Strom.

               Madam President, Lily had a great many birthday parties 
             here in the Senate. At that time, I was the whip, the 
             assistant leader, and Uncle Strom was always at the top of 
             her guest list, which she prepared herself.
               I think we can all testify to Strom's sweet tooth. He 
             never saw a birthday cake or a scoop of ice cream he 
             didn't like.
               I will leave it to others, who will also pay tribute to 
             Strom today, to tell of his many accomplishments. They 
             will note he has many titles in his 100 years: From 
             teacher to coach to superintendent of education; from 
             second lieutenant to general; from attorney at law to 
             judge; and from Governor to Senator. Those titles were all 
             earned through dedication and hard work, and they are 
             hallmarks of his distinguished career. I respect those 
             titles. But there is one that is more important to me than 
             all the others, and that is the title I used first: 
             friend. We are all the richer for having Strom Thurmond in 
             our midst. To be able to count him as a friend is the 
             greatest privilege of all.
               So I am here today, Senator Thurmond, to say thank you 
             for your dedication, your patriotism, your generosity of 
             spirit, but, most of all, on a very personal basis, for 
             your friendship.
               Thank you, Strom.
               Thank you, Madam President.

               Mr. BOND. Madam President, there are some times even in 
             the Senate when enough words cannot be said. Senator 
             Thurmond has probably made more history than many of us 
             will ever see. He has experienced more history than most 
             of us will ever know. Every Member of the Senate would be 
             proud to tell our grandchildren that ``I served with Strom 
             Thurmond.'' Because the senior Senator from South Carolina 
             has been such a force in politics for over 50 years, I 
             would like to tell my grandchildren that I served with 
             Strom Thurmond.
               He always did his duty and he spent the better part of a 
             century shaping the greatest Nation on Earth.
               There isn't a history teacher alive who wouldn't like to 
             bring their class to Senator Thurmond's office to see a 
             portrait of history laid out on his walls. One would think 
             that to live and perform at the ripe young age of 99, one 
             would be wise to pace oneself. Instead, Senator Thurmond 
             has put in a professional marathon, but at the pace of a 
             100-yard dash. He is the Lance Armstrong and Cal Ripken of 
             public service with over 15,000 votes. Alternatively, I 
             would rather say that Cal Ripken is the iron man Strom 
             Thurmond of major league baseball.
               In his book, ``Great Political Wit,'' our former 
             colleague Bob Dole described Senator Thurmond's 90th 
             birthday. At that festive event,

               Senator Thurmond noted that, ``all evening, people had 
             been coming up to him to express the hope that they would 
             be present for his 100th birthday. To which Senator 
             Thurmond replied, ``if you eat right and exercise 
             regularly, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be 
             around to see it.''

               In terms of ethics and duty, he remains old fashioned. 
             He believes that the real ``woman's place'' is sitting 
             next to him testing his charm, and his grip.
               If there is a more extraordinary resume in a Congress 
             full of honor and achievement, I cannot imagine. In his 
             career, he has responded to the titles of teacher, coach, 
             lieutenant, counselor, superintendent, judge, general, 
             Governor, Senator and President pro tempore.
               When Ted Williams set down his bat to go defend his 
             country during World War II, Judge Thurmond set down his 
             gavel, at age 40, to join the 82d Airborne that landed on 
             Normandy Beach. Before he returned to the bench he had 
             battled his way across France, Belgium, Holland, 
             Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and Germany, and finished in 
             the Philippines.
               Few in the history of this country have dedicated so 
             much energy on behalf of the country they loved. And 
             through it all, it seemed that the senior Senator had 
             energy in reserve.
               I had my staff dig up the Senator's first floor 
             statement which occurred on January 28, 1955. He spoke 
             directly after Senators Long and Humphrey. He was speaking 
             eloquently but directly and succinctly on the need to meet 
             the threat of communism head on. This was in relation to 
             an authorization of force to protect Formosa, requested by 
             President Eisenhower. Let me read his final paragraph:

               Our earnest prayer is for peace. If war should come, it 
             would not be the result of any aggressive act on the part 
             of the United States. But war might come as a result of 
             any display of weakness, of disunity, or of hesitation. I 
             shall cast my vote on the side of firmness, for unity and 
             for decision.

               As near as I can tell, his approach to and commitment to 
             the security of free people has not deviated since that 
             first floor statement.
               We are all grateful for the distinguished tenure of 
             Senator Thurmond; grateful to the people of his State for 
             sending him here, and grateful to his family for sharing 
             him. His retirement is well-deserved and I hope he now has 
             more surplus time to build up his pushups and pullups so 
             he can return to fighting shape again.
               Additionally, after 36 years in the Senate, some of us 
             are getting tired of calling Chairman Hollings ``junior.''
               It is my high honor and privilege to humbly thank our 
             still young-of-heart Strom and wish him a busy retirement.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Corzine). The Senator from 
             Texas.

               Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, after hearing the remarks 
             of the Senator from Alaska, I have to say I am very sorry 
             that my children, Bailey and Houston, will not have the 
             chance to have birthday parties with Strom Thurmond since 
             he will be leaving this year. I know it was a rich part of 
             Lily Stevens' heritage and probably why she is a student 
             at Stanford today. She had such an upbringing and she 
             learned a lot throughout her early life.
               It is a privilege to be able to add to the accolades to 
             Senator Strom Thurmond. So much has been said already 
             today, but it is fitting that the first retiring Senator 
             in this cycle who receives floor tributes is Senator Strom 
             Thurmond. There is no one like him. There never has been, 
             and there never will be.
               On December 5, Strom Thurmond will celebrate his 100th 
             birthday. To give you some perspective, Strom Thurmond was 
             born the same year as Thomas Dewey, Charles Lindbergh, and 
             the Nation of Cuba, which gained its independence from 
             Spain. Strom was 14 when Lenin overthrew Czar Nicholas in 
             Russia. Strom was 15 when a young, left-handed pitcher 
             named Babe Ruth led the Red Sox to their last World Series 
             victory. Strom was 17 when women earned the right to vote, 
             and now he has served with 24 of the 31 women to ever hold 
             a seat in the Senate.
               On November 3, 1954, Strom became the only Senator ever 
             to be elected as a write-in candidate. He is the oldest 
             sitting and the longest-serving Senator in U.S. history. I 
             doubt his record will be broken in the near future--maybe 
             never.
               During my own tenure in the Senate, a mere 9 years by 
             comparison, I have been touched by Strom Thurmond's 
             presence. South Carolina and Texas hold a rich heritage 
             together. Strom often reminds me that William Barret 
             Travis, a Texas hero who commanded the forces at the 
             Alamo, hailed from Strom's home county in South Carolina.
               Another South Carolinian who made his way to the wild 
             west of Texas was Thomas Jefferson Rusk. Thomas Rusk was 
             the first Senator from Texas to hold my seat. He was one 
             of the heroes of the Battle of San Jacinto which liberated 
             the Republic of Texas. Senator Rusk's family was living in 
             a rented home in South Carolina when he was born. The 
             home, which belonged to John C. Calhoun, would later 
             become the site of Strom's alma mater, Clemson University.
               An even more important connection is our States' 
             contributions to the Nation's Armed Forces. I have been 
             proud to stand side by side with Strom in supporting our 
             men and women in uniform and ensuring that they have every 
             available resource to do the job we ask them to do.
               In his almost 50 years in the Senate, Strom Thurmond has 
             accomplished a great deal. But his greatest legacy is his 
             enduring support for those who serve in uniform. I was 
             privileged to work with Strom when he was chairman of the 
             Armed Services Committee. He focused on a host of 
             important issues, such as military health care and quality 
             of life for service members and their families. In 1998, 
             we named the defense authorization bill the Strom Thurmond 
             Defense Authorization Bill in recognition of his lifelong 
             commitment to the defense of our Nation.
               When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Strom was a 40-
             year-old circuit judge who would have been forgiven most 
             certainly if he had decided to spend the duration of the 
             war guarding the home front. Not Strom. Even though he was 
             exempt from the draft, he volunteered for combat and went 
             on to become a highly decorated officer.
               At the age of 42, LTC Strom Thurmond became the oldest 
             man to help take the beach of Normandy on D-day. His 
             unpowered glider was shot down behind enemy lines, and he 
             survived by taking shelter in an apple orchard.
               Given the casualties on that dreadful day on Normandy's 
             beach, Strom Thurmond probably considered a long and 
             fruitful life to be measured in days, not decades. 
             Soldiers who survived the horrific days at Normandy or 
             Guadalcanal or Iwo Jima often say that every day 
             thereafter is a free day.
               Fifty years later, in defiance of every insurance 
             actuary who ever used a calculator, or more aptly a slide 
             rule, Strom Thurmond skipped the 50th anniversary 
             celebration of that brief but memorable flight. I remember 
             because I was here at the 50th anniversary of Normandy. 
             There was a huge celebration of the Members of Congress 
             who had participated in that particular part of our war 
             effort. But there was one Senator missing from that 50th 
             anniversary at Normandy. It was Strom Thurmond. Strom 
             Thurmond, who was 92 at the time, missed the 50th 
             anniversary because that was the weekend of his son's 
             graduation from high school. Think about it.
               Strom has always known what matters. He has always 
             focused on what is important. He continues to do that 
             today.
               He continued to serve after the war in the Reserves, 
             rising to the rank of major general. His whole life has 
             been a tradition of service. From World War II to the 
             Governor's mansion and ultimately to the halls of the 
             Senate, he has always made public service his top 
             priority.
               In the final scene of the movie ``Saving Private Ryan,'' 
             the movie's namesake returns 50 years after that battle to 
             the grave at Normandy of the captain who gave his life to 
             save Private Ryan. In one of the movie's most touching 
             scenes, Ryan tells the long-dead captain that he has tried 
             to honor his sacrifice by living a good life. That scene 
             captures the essence of what we as a Nation owe to those 
             who have fought for our country and our freedom: to honor 
             their sacrifice by trying to lead a good life and by doing 
             everything we can to keep our country free and at peace.
               Strom has truly honored his comrades who fell that 
             dreadful day and all those who have worn the uniform 
             since. He has been good, as he has also been great. He has 
             led the Senate to keep our military strong through the 
             generations.
               For those of us who have served with Strom in the 
             Senate, he has been the senior Senator from South Carolina 
             during our entire careers, including of course, Fritz 
             Hollings. Fritz must be the oldest, longest-serving junior 
             Senator in the history of the Senate. That will surely 
             change.
               And that change is going to take some getting used to. 
             Having Strom Thurmond gone will make this a different 
             place for all of us, particularly the Senate pages. Strom 
             Thurmond has always been particularly attentive and sweet 
             to the Senate pages, probably throughout his career. I 
             have seen it time and time again where he has taken the 
             pages for lunch or for ice cream to talk to them so that 
             they can ask him questions. I truly believe if you ever 
             took a poll of the Senate pages, their favorite Senator 
             would always be Strom Thurmond.
               He is a legend. He is an institution. More important, 
             Strom Thurmond is the heart and soul of the Senate. We 
             honor him today.

               Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my good 
             friend and colleague, Strom Thurmond. I am proud to be his 
             colleague and friend. What a great American. After my 
             election to the Senate, he was there to greet me.
               When we think about institutions, we think about 
             established organizations that are dedicated to public 
             service and advancement of science or culture. 
             Institutions are created not by single people, but rather 
             by the collective group that shares ideals and values 
             which are inherent to their cause. But while institutions 
             are defined by the ideas that created them in the first 
             place, it is individuals that truly identify the 
             institution.
               Just as John Glenn personifies the achievements of NASA, 
             just as Martin Luther King, Jr., embodies the civil rights 
             movement, just as Albert Einstein represents the science 
             of physics, the U.S. Senate is symbolized by Senator Strom 
             Thurmond. Today we honor the gentleman who has spent 
             nearly half his life in the Senate, a man who people 
             cannot help but mention whenever the Senate is brought up 
             in conversation.
               While his accomplishments in this body merit enough 
             attention, what took place before his foray into national 
             politics is just as noteworthy. From graduation at Clemson 
             University, to becoming a State senator in South Carolina 
             followed by confirmation as circuit judge, Senator 
             Thurmond dedicated his life to public service. After 
             signing an age waiver so that he could parachute onto the 
             beaches of Normandy, Strom continued service in the U.S. 
             Army as a reservist to eventually gain the rank of major 
             general after 36 years in the military. Somehow he even 
             found time to run for Governor of South Carolina and serve 
             for 6 years.
               We have ceremonies for men who were veterans in World 
             War II and were involved in the D-day invasion in France. 
             We have ceremonies for former Governors who are elected 
             and serve their States with distinction. We even hold 
             ceremonies for those fortunate enough to serve in the 
             armed services for 36 years. And today we hold a day of 
             celebration for a man who accomplished not one but all of 
             these feats, and then was elected as a write-in candidate 
             on his way to serving in the U.S. Congress longer than any 
             other human being. Yet many of his past accomplishments 
             are overlooked because of his remarkable service in his 
             nearly 50 years in the Senate. It is a testimony to his 
             nature and the impact he has had on American politics that 
             we sometimes fail to mention the first part of his life.
               As we honor Strom Thurmond today, I would like to thank 
             him personally for not only his dedication to serving the 
             people of South Carolina, but also for his leadership in 
             the Senate and for being a friend. It has been a privilege 
             to serve on the Armed Services Committee with Mr. 
             Thurmond, and we all know about his hard work and 
             commitment to our military that he has displayed over the 
             years. Thank you also, Senator Thurmond, for your 
             dedication to this institution that we serve in today, an 
             institution that will bear your mark for years. But more 
             important, thank you for your service to the United 
             States; you certainly are a centenarian for the ages.

               Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to 
             join in paying tribute to Senator Strom Thurmond. Senator 
             Thurmond will celebrate his 100th birthday on December 5 
             and has the most remarkable record of longevity in the 
             Senate of any Senator in history.
               I was disappointed when Strom decided not to run for re-
             election last year, but I can understand his views on the 
             subject. He really has been a paragon of agility and 
             sturdiness, taking steps two at a time coming up to the 
             Senate Chamber--until very recently. Strom continues to 
             have a very firm handshake and he continues to have an 
             agile mind and he continues to make all the votes. So that 
             is one of the reasons why I questioned his decision not to 
             run for re-election. I had watched Senator Thurmond over 
             the years, and when I was elected to the Senate in 1980, I 
             looked forward to meeting him. But I did not have to await 
             my arrival in the Senate to have my first contact with 
             Senator Thurmond because one day late in November, I was 
             sitting in my den and the phone rang. There was a deep 
             southern voice: ``I would like to speak to Senator 
             Specter.''
               I said, ``This is he.''
               He said, ``This is Senator Thurmond.''
               I said, ``What a great pleasure to hear from you, 
             Senator Thurmond.''
               He said, ``I called to ask if you would be willing to 
             support me for President pro tempore.''
               I said, ``Senator, I thought the position of President 
             pro tempore was automatically the senior member of the 
             party in power, and I know that is you, sir.''
               He said: ``That is true, but I do not like to take 
             anything for granted.''
               I said, ``Senator Thurmond, you may be assured I will 
             support you for President pro tempore.'' And I did.
               I would like another chance to do that. Maybe we will 
             have a chance to support him for President pro tempore 
             after the November elections.
               When I joined the Senate, I selected the Judiciary 
             Committee, which is right in line with my own training and 
             interests. Senator Thurmond, of course, was the chairman 
             of the Judiciary Committee. Regrettably, when there were 
             efforts to form a quorum, members were usually very late. 
             I made it a point to arrive on time. When I did that the 
             third time in a row--the chairman has to arrive on time--
             Senator Thurmond asked what I was doing there on time. 
             Then he thanked me, congratulated me, and said I might 
             even start a precedent.
               In 1982 when there were two Pennsylvanians up for 
             confirmation, Judge Mansman and Judge Caldwell, I was 
             there to present them to the committee. Senator Thurmond 
             was presiding as chairman. He asked them a question. He 
             said to them, ``If confirmed, do you promise to be 
             courteous?'' I thought to myself: Why would he ask the 
             question, If you are confirmed, do you promise to be 
             courteous? Not surprisingly, both nominees said yes.
               Then Senator Thurmond said, ``Because the more power a 
             person has, the more courteous a person should be.'' I 
             have not heard a more profound statement in my 22 years in 
             the Senate. Not that there is a whole lot of competition 
             for profound statements around here.
               When Senator Thurmond does not appear at Judiciary 
             Committee hearings, I ask the question. I have had many 
             nominees comment to me after a number of years how they 
             thought that was a very significant question. If any judge 
             is listening now, that is the hallmark of a judge. Judges 
             have a lot of reasons to be out of sorts with lawyers who 
             are not prepared, or witnesses who are unresponsive, but 
             there is enormous power in that black robe with a lifetime 
             appointment, and Senator Thurmond had his finger right on 
             it.
               There are a lot of vignettes I could tell, but Senator 
             Allen has come to the floor, so I will limit myself to a 
             couple more.
               When Senator Howard Baker was the majority leader, we 
             used to have all-night sessions, a very stark contrast 
             from now when we hardly have day sessions. One evening we 
             had a finance bill before us. It was 1982. It was 11:45 
             p.m. The floor was crowded with Senators. Nobody had any 
             appointments left at 11:45 p.m. Senator Baker stood behind 
             that podium and said: Amendments, like mushrooms, grow 
             overnight, so we are going to stay and finish the bill. I 
             have consulted with the chairman--Senator Dole of the 
             Finance Committee--and we worked through the night. There 
             were maybe three, four roll call votes, a lot of 
             amendments taken, a lot of amendments dropped. We walked 
             out at 6:30 in the morning into the sunshine with a 
             complete complex finance bill.
               If we did that tonight, we would finish homeland 
             security by morning. In any event, that is one of the 
             occasions I went down to the restaurant, which was kept 
             open. I made it a point to find Senator Thurmond's table 
             and have a bowl of soup and to hear great stories about 
             Senator Thurmond's career in Washington, DC. He talked 
             about Lyndon Johnson as a Senator, and that young fellow, 
             John Kennedy, who came to the Senate, about the heroes and 
             the legends of the Senate, because he has seen them all.
               One story he told, which I thought was especially 
             interesting, was about the inaugural parade on January 20, 
             1949. Senator Thurmond had run for President and had 
             carried four States and almost threw the election into the 
             House of Representatives. In the parade, after President 
             Truman was elected and Vice President Alben Barkley was 
             elected, Strom came down with his wife riding in an open-
             top car, probably dressed in a cutaway. I am not sure 
             about that. Maybe I will ask Strom to yield for a question 
             here. When he passed the reviewing stand, he stood up and 
             tipped his hat. Vice President Alben Barkley started to 
             raise his hand and, as Strom told the story, Truman 
             grabbed his hand and pulled it down and said, ``Don't you 
             wave to that S.O.B.'' I might be more explicit but 
             somebody might want to have it stricken from the Record as 
             being an inappropriate statement.
               One more short story. In a Judiciary Committee hearing 
             on one occasion, Strom did not want to see a quorum 
             reached because he did not want legislation to be passed 
             out of the committee. So he stood right outside the 
             Judiciary Committee door over in 226. He wanted to be 
             right there poised to go into the room in the event there 
             was a quorum so he could obstruct whatever it was he did 
             not want to happen.
               Ralph Yarborough, a Senator from Texas, came up and 
             grabbed hold of Strom and tried to pull him into the 
             hearing room. Strom--I do not know exactly what the 
             wrestling maneuver was, but Yarborough ended up on the 
             floor in a Strom Thurmond scissor. Strom did finally agree 
             to release Senator Yarborough with Yarborough's promise he 
             would not go into the hearing room.
               As the story goes, Yarborough went into the hearing 
             room. Strom should never have released him. He probably 
             would still be there if Strom had not been so generous.
               Senator Thurmond has been an example in many ways as his 
             political philosophy has advanced. He is a great advocate 
             for African-Americans, constituents--the wall of his 
             office ought to be memorialized and left intact. He has so 
             many plaques and commemorative memorabilia.
               It has enabled me to tell a story on the stump which has 
             been somewhat useful both from a political and humorous 
             point of view, and that is, when running for re-election, 
             I say: If I am re-elected in 2004 when I am next up and 
             decide to run again 6 years later in 2010, and decide to 
             try again 6 years after that in 2016, and run again in 
             2022, and then run again in 2028, at that point, I will be 
             younger than Senator Strom Thurmond is today.
               People are always amazed at the thought of running in 
             2028. So they think it is not too bad to run in the year 
             2004 for a fifth term. They are always very much impressed 
             by Senator Strom Thurmond.
               So, Strom, I join my colleagues in saluting you for a 
             fabulous career and wish you 100 more years of continued 
             good health.
               I yield the floor.

               Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, 3 score and 10 years ago 
             our colleague, Strom Thurmond, first won elective office 
             when he was chosen to serve in the South Carolina House of 
             Representatives. He has been a figure of influence in--and 
             on behalf of--his home State ever since.
               The longest-serving Senator in the history of this body, 
             he will be retiring at the end of this Congress, and today 
             we have the opportunity to recount our own experiences 
             with this American legend.
               Senator Thurmond had been in the Senate 26 years when I 
             arrived in 1983, a brand-new member of the Armed Services 
             Committee. He never treated me as the neophyte, just-
             learning-the-ropes newcomer that I was. From the start, I 
             was his colleague, and he was mine. His long history of 
             work on national defense is based on his love of this 
             country and his own experiences on the battlefield. 
             Somebody thought he was too old to be a paratrooper for 
             the Normandy landing. It is part of his extraordinary 
             resume that he got an age exemption, and took part in the 
             D-day invasion.
               There is no one quite like him. I have appreciated his 
             friendship from my first day here, and, with my 
             colleagues, will feel a great pang of loss when the new 
             Congress opens in January and he will not take his seat as 
             a Senator from South Carolina.
               I think all of us recall those lines from ``Hamlet'' 
             when we think about our friend and his remarkable life. 
             ``He was a man, take him for all in all/I ensure shall not 
             look upon his like again.''

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.

               Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in 
             saluting the senior Senator from South Carolina, Mr. 
             Thurmond, as he prepares to celebrate his 100th birthday. 
             James Strom Thurmond is not just a man who is loved by the 
             people of South Carolina, who elected him to a remarkable 
             eight terms to the Senate, but he is a man who is 
             respected and admired by this body and institution in 
             which he serves.
               Others who have spoken, who are much more senior to me, 
             have recounted his distinguished careers, stories, the 
             elections, the changes in our country over the years, and 
             also the positive changes in Senator Thurmond as he has 
             moved forward with America and the times, in making sure 
             that all Americans have opportunities in education in 
             order to compete and succeed in life.
               I find it interesting that he was the first person in 
             1954 to ever be elected to a national office by a write-in 
             vote. The people of South Carolina elected Strom Thurmond 
             to the Senate by a write-in vote. At that time, I was not 
             paying too much attention to politics since I was only 2 
             years old when he won that election.
               There are a lot of stories to tell and a lot of 
             impressions have been made in the short time I have been 
             in the Senate. I knew I had come to a very special place 
             when the first meeting of the Republican Senate caucus was 
             singing ``Happy Birthday'' for Senator Thurmond's 98th 
             birthday, and I was thinking of all the stories of Strom 
             Thurmond, this living legend. That day we also had a very 
             rancorous debate on different positions, the policy 
             chairman, the Senate Republican chair. There were people 
             giving nominating speeches and seconding speeches, and it 
             was tough to choose among friends, but we finally decided 
             who the policy chair was and the Republican Senate chair. 
             There were all of these contests and seconding speeches.
               At the end, Leader Lott said: We also have to elect the 
             Senate President pro tempore and, of course, that is going 
             to be Strom Thurmond. There were no nominating speeches 
             and no seconding speeches. Everyone rose and said ``aye.''
               Strom then stood up, and this was the extent of Strom's 
             speech: Thank you all. You are darn smart people. And that 
             is how Strom was easily elected.
               There are so many memories of Strom Thurmond in the 
             Allen family. I remember my mother always talking about 
             dancing with Strom Thurmond. Whenever we bring up the 
             Senate, she says, `I danced with Strom Thurmond.'' She 
             says it every time I bring up the Senate, and this was 
             back in the 1970s. I know there are a lot of ladies' 
             hearts that have fluttered over the years with the 
             wonderful privilege of dancing with Strom Thurmond.
               My wife's family, the Brown family, is from South 
             Carolina. Of course, he is revered as a hero in South 
             Carolina, as he is all across the country but especially 
             in South Carolina. Any time any of that family in South 
             Carolina had a wedding, a birthday or a birth, Strom 
             Thurmond was there congratulating them on that wonderful 
             event.
               I also have the privilege of being assigned to an office 
             in the Russell building that is in the same hallway as 
             Strom Thurmond. I see Strom as he makes it to every vote. 
             I see him on the elevator as we go to the trolley to get 
             to the Chamber. He is always smiling. He is always 
             cheerful. He is always in a good mood.
               This year we all were blessed with those good South 
             Carolina peaches to make sure we are all getting a good 
             healthy diet. I was commenting about the great peaches and 
             I said, ``Most of my staff took those peaches,'' and Strom 
             said, ``Well, get that boy another bag of those South 
             Carolina peaches.'' So our family was able to enjoy those 
             wonderful peaches.
               Last year, we had the national D-day memorial in Bedford 
             County, VA, which had the highest per capita loss of life 
             in the D-day invasion. It was a wonderful event. The 
             President was there. The Ambassador from France was there. 
             It was a wonderful ceremony. Strom Thurmond was there. 
             Strom Thurmond was one of those brave soldiers who 
             obviously stormed those beaches and fortunately survived 
             the Normandy invasion on D-day. I will say the President 
             received a slightly bigger cheer, but every single person 
             who was there, those thousands and thousands of people 
             loved seeing Strom Thurmond, a true American hero, in 
             Bedford for that celebration and dedication of the 
             national D-day memorial.
               The point is, Strom Thurmond is an inspiration to many 
             of us for many different reasons. While we all aspire to 
             achieve such longevity, we admire Strom Thurmond for a 
             life lived fully and in the advancement of public service. 
             As Senator Thurmond reaches his centenarian status later 
             this year, on behalf of all the good people of Virginia, I 
             offer my best wishes to him, his family, and his 
             constituents.
               There will never be another Strom Thurmond. 
             Nevertheless, I hope and pray God will continue to bless 
             America with people who have Strom Thurmond's cheerfulness 
             and devotion, and I surely hope we are blessed with people 
             of his character.
               It is great to be a Senator from Virginia, but it is 
             truly an honor to serve with Senator Thurmond. I shall 
             always and forever cherish the memories of your smiling, 
             twinkling eyes which reveal your happy heart. You have 
             been a great soldier, a great Senator, and a great leader. 
             I thank God for blessing us with people of your character.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.

               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, what is perhaps more 
             amazing than Strom Thurmond's record length of service in 
             the Senate is how he made it here in the first place.
               Strom Thurmond was the first and only American ever 
             elected to the Senate as a write-in candidate. The 
             dizzying prospect of waging a write-in campaign strikes 
             fear into any aspiring or incumbent politician. After all, 
             getting voters to the polls is one thing. Getting voters 
             to go the extra mile and write in a name not listed on the 
             ballot is a wholly different beast.
               So once one knows that in 1954 Strom was able to inspire 
             a majority of South Carolina voters to write him into the 
             Senate, and into the history books, it makes perfect sense 
             why he also ended up as our Nation's longest-serving 
             Senator.
               Today, of course, it is Strom's record-setting tenure 
             that has captivated American political and popular 
             culture. Turn the page of any magazine or the dial of any 
             radio and, eventually, you will find Americans holding up 
             Strom as the benchmark to near immortality.
               For years, Senator Thurmond has attributed his age-
             defying achievements to ``diet, exercise, and an 
             optimistic attitude.'' Well, I dug a little deeper reading 
             old clips on the advice he has given to friends and 
             colleagues so I could try and piece together a more 
             specific and exhaustive answer.
               After sleuthing around a bit, here is the ``simple'' 
             formula I can pass along: Begin your mornings with 20 
             minutes of calisthenics, 50 pushups, 10 minutes of 
             weightlifting, and 20 minutes on an exercise bike. Oh, and 
             swim a half mile twice a week; eat half of a banana, four 
             prunes, a handful of grapes, blueberries, peaches, egg 
             whites, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of prune 
             juice. Inherit good genes. Abstain from fried or fatty 
             foods. But eat lots of chicken, fish, and all kinds of 
             seafood. Abstain from caffeine; abstain from sugars; 
             abstain from smoking.
               But beneath all the rubble surrounding ``Strom's 
             secrets,'' one ingredient stands out above all others. In 
             an editorial celebrating the Senator's 99th birthday, the 
             Rock Hill Herald revealed Strom's secret to longevity as 
             ``his determination to serve South Carolina as long as 
             he's able.''
               I believe that this sentiment more than the prune juice 
             or the pushups best explains Strom's record-setting 
             service to South Carolina, from a small-town school 
             superintendent among the peach groves of tiny Edgefield, 
             SC, to almost a half a century in the Senate.
               Mr. President, as I said, the year Senator Thurmond came 
             to this body on a write-in--a most astonishing thing 
             because no other Senator in American history has ever been 
             elected to the Senate by a write-in--I was playing little 
             league baseball in Augusta, GA, across the Savannah River 
             from Senator Thurmond's hometown of Aiken. I confess I was 
             not following politics all that carefully at age 12, but I 
             do remember my parents talking about Senator Thurmond's 
             astonishing accomplishment right across the river in South 
             Carolina, having been elected to the Senate on a write-in 
             ballot.
               As I grew older and began to pay attention to government 
             and politics in America, I began to realize Strom Thurmond 
             was something quite special. When I came to the Senate in 
             1984, 40 years after my parents told me about Senator 
             Thurmond winning on a write-in, I knew instantly I was in 
             the presence of a legend, as we all have been who have had 
             the privilege of being a Member of this body at the same 
             time as the senior Senator from South Carolina.
               There will literally never be another American like 
             Senator Thurmond. We all know he was too old for World War 
             II, he did not have to go, but at age 42, as Senator Allen 
             just made reference to, Senator Thurmond was there on D-
             day. In fact, he was in one of those gliders the night of 
             D-day. Last year, we had an opportunity to see ``Band of 
             Brothers'' on HBO about the 101st and its experience from 
             D-day through the end of war. I watched every segment of 
             that. In addition to what I was viewing on the television 
             screen, I thought mostly about our colleague and his 
             harrowing experience of going in the night of D-day on a 
             glider. He did crack up, and as we all know, he was able 
             to walk away and survive the crackup and survive the war 
             and become an American hero.
               Not many of us are ever going to be legends, and almost 
             none of us are going to be legends in our own time. The 
             Senator from South Carolina has lived long enough to 
             observe his own legendary status, which is a truly 
             remarkable thing. We will never, ever, see another Strom 
             Thurmond. He is unique in the annals of American history.
               I want to say to you, Senator Thurmond, as a son of the 
             South myself, somebody who was born in Alabama and then 
             migrated north to Kentucky--most people think of Kentucky 
             as south, but for us it was north--and having lived in 
             Georgia when you were first elected on a write-in, I want 
             to say to you that you have been an inspiration to me and 
             an inspiration to many of us in the deep South who have 
             been so proud of you and your enormous accomplishments 
             over the years.
               I extend my congratulations to Senator Thurmond on his 
             pending birthday, reaching 100 years of age. In fact, I 
             had the ``Today'' show on this morning and Willard 
             mentioned you, Senator Thurmond. He is working up to 
             celebrating your 100th birthday in December and, of 
             course, finishing up your term. You have had a truly 
             remarkable career that will never be equaled in this body. 
             My congratulations to you and our best wishes for the 
             future.
               So, Senator, today I raise my voice--joining the chorus 
             of so many other voices--to pay my fondest farewell to 
             your tireless and timeless dedication to serving the 
             families of the great Palmetto State.
                          TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
               Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I apologize. I was not able to 
             be here this morning when the Senators expressed their 
             words and thoughts about our wonderful colleague, Strom 
             Thurmond, who is retiring from the Senate this year. I 
             wanted to join in the particular tribute in saying to him 
             and the people of South Carolina and the rest of our 
             colleagues something we all feel. Regardless of the 
             disagreements we may have had on substantive policy 
             matters, Strom Thurmond is truly an American institution 
             in many ways.
               I cannot even begin to imagine the U.S. Senate without 
             this remarkable individual in our presence. For nearly 50 
             years--almost a quarter of the life of this country--
             through 10 Presidential administrations, Strom Thurmond 
             has been an institution in the Chamber of the Senate. 
             Eight Senators serving today were not yet born when Strom 
             Thurmond was first elected to the Senate in 1954.
               It is not the fact that Senator Thurmond has served in 
             the Senate longer than any other Senator in our Nation's 
             history that makes him unique. It has been, in my view, 
             Strom Thurmond's fascinating journey through life that 
             makes him unique. His story is truly a unique American 
             story.
               In the course of his nearly 100 years, Strom Thurmond 
             has been a teacher, judge, combat hero, Governor, winner 
             of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and, of course, a 
             Senator. In more than 20 years of our serving together, I 
             have not always agreed with Senator Thurmond, as I know 
             many of my colleagues have not over the years, but he has 
             always been a true embodiment of the ``way of the 
             Senate,''--always thoughtful, always respectful, and 
             always deliberative. In short, he has been a great Senate 
             colleague.
               My father, Senator Thomas Dodd, served with Senator 
             Thurmond for 12 years. I have served with him for 20. That 
             is 32 of his almost 50 years. They, too, had their 
             differences, but they had tremendous respect for one 
             another and were very good friends. My family will always 
             think of Strom Thurmond not simply as a friend but as a 
             loyal friend to the Dodd family.
               I believe that no matter what your ideology or political 
             persuasion, one cannot look upon the life of Strom 
             Thurmond without concluding that it is in so many ways so 
             remarkable.
               What else can you say about a man who, at the age of 42, 
             took a leave of absence as a circuit judge in South 
             Carolina to volunteer to parachute behind enemy lines with 
             the 82d Airborne Division during the Normandy D-day 
             invasion, for which he was awarded 5 battle stars for 
             bravery in combat?
               What else can you say about a man who has dedicated his 
             entire life to public service, to the service of his 
             country?
               While never neglecting to be a stalwart in support of 
             the State and people of his beloved South Carolina, there 
             are literally dozens upon dozens of schools, buildings, 
             parks, and streets in South Carolina named after their 
             senior Senator. Senator Strom Thurmond has never failed to 
             put America first.
               He has always treated public service to America as a 
             sacred responsibility. In this respect, Strom Thurmond is 
             a very rare breed.
               Senator Thurmond was born at the dawn of the 20th 
             century; born to a very different time; to a very 
             different America.
               Over the past century, America has grown as a Nation. 
             Over the past century, America has become a more free, a 
             more fair, and a more compassionate Nation.
               And, over the past century, Senator Thurmond has also 
             grown.
               Senator Thurmond once said, ``People evolve. They reach 
             a higher truth in life.''
               Strom Thurmond lived through the entire 20th century, a 
             century which began with two world wars and ended with a 
             triumph of democracy.
               It was a century of enormous political and social 
             upheaval, but it was also a century of enormous progress 
             and enlightenment.
               Strom Thurmond was not just witness to the entire 20th 
             century, he was a full participant.
               His journey mirrored America's journey.
               And now, at the dawn of a new century, Strom Thurmond is 
             still a participant in America's journey.
               In closing I would just like to tell Strom Thurmond that 
             his lifetime of service to his country and his nearly 50 
             years in the U.S. Senate is greatly appreciated and will 
             be sorely missed.
               Strom, it is an honor and a privilege working with you, 
             and I will miss you very, very much.

               Mr. NICKLES. Madam President, several of our colleagues 
             made some remarks concerning our esteemed friend and 
             colleague, Senator Strom Thurmond. I wish to join them in 
             that effort.
               Strom Thurmond, by the end of this year, will complete 
             48 years in the Senate--eight terms in the Senate. I will 
             be completing four terms, and it is mind-boggling to think 
             someone would complete eight, 48 years in the Senate. He 
             was elected to the Senate in 1954 and has served this body 
             with great distinction and honor during that time.
               Prior to that time, he was also Governor of South 
             Carolina. Even before that, he was one of the heroes, in 
             my opinion, who actually helped liberate Europe going into 
             Normandy. He actually parachuted into Normandy behind 
             enemy lines. He earned 18 decorations for his service, 
             including the Purple Heart.
               He is an outstanding hero, American, Governor, Senator, 
             serving 48 years in the Senate. He has had a wealth of 
             experience.
               I remember my first contact with Senator Thurmond was 
             when he called to congratulate me upon my election in 1980 
             and urged me to serve on the Judiciary Committee, which I 
             respectfully declined, but I found it was hard to turn 
             down Strom Thurmond. He has been a very close confidant 
             and friend.
               My daughter had the privilege of working for him for a 
             short period, and she considers that a highlight in her 
             career.
               He served both as chairman of the Armed Services 
             Committee and also the Judiciary Committee. He served with 
             distinction and honor. He has brought great pride to the 
             Senate. He is the Senator's Senator, and I join my 
             colleagues in saying that we have the greatest esteem and 
             respect for Senator Strom Thurmond.

               Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, Senator Strom Thurmond 
             achieved more before middle age than many of us achieve in 
             a lifetime. Born in 1902, Senator Thurmond in 1933 was 
             already a State senator in South Carolina. In 1938, he was 
             a State court judge. From 1942 to 1946, he served in World 
             War II, landing on the beach in Normandy on D-day with the 
             82d Airborne Division and earning numerous decorations, 
             medals and awards. In 1947, the year he turned 45, he was 
             the Governor of South Carolina. In 1954, when he was 
             elected to the Senate, he already had a full history of 
             serving the public, especially the people of his beloved 
             home State of South Carolina. In the Senate, Senator 
             Thurmond has demonstrated a keen political instinct and 
             achieved a legendary reputation for constituent service. 
             The people of South Carolina know Senator Thurmond will 
             treat them royally--a standard I try to emulate for my own 
             constituents. Senator Thurmond's imprint on the Senate is 
             with this institution forever.
               Senator Thurmond is responsible for one of the 
             highlights of my Senate service. In 1980, soon after I was 
             first elected to the Senate, Senator Thurmond was becoming 
             chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He asked me to join 
             the committee. I explained I wasn't a lawyer, but he 
             explained I didn't need to be. Senator Thurmond promised 
             to get me good staff to help me with the technical points 
             of Judiciary Committee work. He delivered on that promise, 
             and I thoroughly enjoy serving on the Judiciary Committee. 
             I hope to continue serving on that committee as long as 
             I'm a Member of the Senate, although of course I won't 
             serve as long as Senator Thurmond. I appreciate Senator 
             Thurmond's support of me as a freshman Senator by giving 
             me the opportunity to join his committee. I hope I haven't 
             disappointed him.
               As a farm State Senator, I seek like-minded Senators to 
             support the survival of family farmers. Senator Thurmond 
             has always supported any efforts to advance this cause. He 
             comes from a largely agricultural State, and he 
             understands how family farmers not only feed the world, 
             but also make up an important part of the fabric of 
             American life. I'm grateful to have served with Senator 
             Thurmond over the years and to continue serving with him.

               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak in honor of my 
             good friend--and legend--the distinguished Senator from 
             South Carolina, Strom Thurmond.
               From the moment Strom Thurmond set foot in this Chamber 
             in 1954, he has been setting records. He was the only 
             person ever elected to the Senate on a write-in vote. He 
             set the record for the longest speech on the Senate floor, 
             clocked at an astounding 24 hours and 18 minutes. He is 
             the longest-serving Senator in the history of the Senate. 
             As he approaches his 100th birthday, he is also the oldest 
             serving Senator. Many of my colleagues will recall the 
             momentous occasion in September 1998 when he cast his 
             15,000th vote in the Senate. With these and so many other 
             accomplishments over the years, he has appropriately been 
             referred to as ``an institution within an institution.''
               In 1902, the year Strom Thurmond was born, life 
             expectancy was 51 years--and today it is 77 years. Strom 
             continues to prove that, by any measure, he is anything 
             but average.
               He has seen so much in his life. To provide some 
             context, let me point out that, since his birth, Oklahoma, 
             New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii gained statehood, 
             and 11 amendments were added to the Constitution. The 
             technological advancements he has witnessed, from the 
             automobile to the airplane to the Internet, literally span 
             a century of progress. Conveniences we have come to take 
             for granted today were not always part of Strom Thurmond's 
             world. Perhaps this explains why, during Judiciary 
             Committee hearings, he has been heard asking witnesses who 
             were too far away from the microphone to ``please speak 
             into the machine.''
               The story of his remarkable political career truly could 
             fill several volumes. It began with a win in 1928 for the 
             Edgefield County Superintendent of Schools. Eighteen years 
             later, he was Governor of South Carolina. Strom was even a 
             Presidential candidate in 1948, running on the 
             ``Dixiecrat'' ticket against Democrat Harry Truman.
               I must admit, Mr. President, that he has come a long way 
             in his political career, given that he originally came to 
             the Senate as a Democrat. I am happy to say that wisdom 
             came within a few short years when Strom saw the light and 
             joined the Republican Party.
               When I first arrived in the Senate in January 1977, he 
             was my mentor. As my senior on the Judiciary Committee, it 
             was Strom Thurmond who helped me find my way and learn how 
             the committee functioned. He has not only been a respected 
             colleague, but a personal friend, ever since.
               During his tenure as chairman of the Judiciary 
             Committee, Strom Thurmond left an indelible mark on the 
             committee and the laws that came through it. He became 
             known and respected for many fine qualities and 
             positions--his devotion to the Constitution, his toughness 
             on crime, his sense of fairness.
               He is also famous for his incredible grip. Many of us in 
             this Chamber have experienced Strom Thurmond holding our 
             arm tightly as he explained a viewpoint and asked for our 
             support. I might add that this can be a very effective 
             approach.
               Strom is also known to have a kind word or greeting for 
             everyone who comes his way, and for being extremely good 
             to his staff. Despite his power and influence, he has 
             never forgotten the importance of small acts of kindness. 
             For example, whenever he eats in the Senate dining room, 
             he grabs two fistfuls of candy. When he returns to the 
             floor of the Senate, he hands the candy out to the Senate 
             pages. Unfortunately, it is usually melted into a 
             kaleidoscope of sugar by then. I have a feeling that the 
             pages prefer it when Strom takes them out for ice cream.
               Strom Thurmond is truly a legend--someone to whom the 
             people of South Carolina owe an enormous debt of gratitude 
             for all his years of service. Clearly, the people of South 
             Carolina recognize the sacrifices he has made and are 
             grateful for all he has done for them. In fact, you cannot 
             mention the name Strom Thurmond in South Carolina without 
             the audience bursting into spontaneous applause. He truly 
             is an American political icon.
               Abraham Lincoln once said that, ``The better part of 
             one's life consists of friendships.'' With a friend like 
             Strom Thurmond, this sentiment couldn't be more true. I am 
             a great admirer of Strom Thurmond, and I am proud to call 
             him my friend.
               Mr. President, one final note about Strom Thurmond: he 
             is a great patriot. I am grateful for his work with me 
             over the years in support of a constitutional flag 
             amendment. A decorated veteran of World War II who fought 
             at Normandy on D-day, Strom Thurmond loves this country. 
             Let me close by saying that this country loves him, too.

               Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to 
             congratulate my dear friend and colleague Senator Strom 
             Thurmond of South Carolina for his 48 years of service to 
             this country.
               Senator Thurmond was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 
             1954, as the first person in U.S. history to be elected to 
             a major office by a write-in ballot. As the longest-
             serving Senator in the Senate, Strom has been a part of a 
             lot of firsts in our Nation's history and he has 
             contributed to every major policy issue facing this 
             country for the last half century. He is a true legend.
               Strom has been a respected authority on military issues. 
             He served in World War II, fighting in 5 battles, 
             including the Normandy invasion, and received 18 
             decorations, medals, and awards, including the Purple 
             Heart, the Bronze Star Medal for valor, and the Legion of 
             Merit with oakleaf cluster. In 1959, Strom attained the 
             rank of major general. He has been a member of the Senate 
             Armed Services Committee since 1959. His expertise in 
             military issues has been a great benefit to our men and 
             women in uniform.
               His love for the State of South Carolina has been a 
             guiding force in his life. He has been a coach, an 
             educator, an attorney, a State senator, a judge, a 
             Governor, and, most important, an impeccable leader for 
             the people of South Carolina.
               Strom has not only been a remarkable Senator, but an 
             even better American. I know I speak for all my colleagues 
             here in the Senate when I say that he will be missed.

               Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, it is with great pride and 
             honor that I rise today amongst my fellow colleagues to 
             honor one of America's finest citizens, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond of South Carolina.
               When I look at Strom's career and all that he has 
             accomplished throughout his life, I often find myself 
             wondering how one man could possibly do so much in just 
             one lifetime. Strom Thurmond truly deserves the title of 
             Renaissance man. He has been a farmer, a teacher, a 
             lawyer, a judge, an author, a Governor, a war veteran, a 
             major general in the U.S. Army Reserve, a State senator, a 
             U.S. Senator, a Democrat, a Dixiecrat, a Republican, a 
             husband and a father.
               Since 1954, when he ran and won a seat in the Senate as 
             a write-in candidate, Strom Thurmond has worked tirelessly 
             and selflessly for the people of South Carolina and the 
             citizens of this great Nation, casting more than 15,000 
             votes in his time in the Senate.
               I now ask that my fellow Members of the Senate join me 
             in thanking and honoring our good friend and colleague for 
             all that he has done throughout his life and throughout 
             his tenure in the Senate. His brilliance, leadership and 
             unmatched wit will be sorely missed by this legislative 
             body and by the entire Nation. But we will always hold on 
             to the many memories and stories he left behind.

               Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to 
             the senior Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Strom 
             Thurmond. Not only is Senator Thurmond the oldest Member 
             ever to serve in the Senate, and the longest-serving 
             Member, his entire life has been dedicated to service to 
             his country. At the age of 21, in 1924, Senator Thurmond 
             was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army 
             Reserve. At the age of 26, he was serving as the 
             Superintendent of Education in Edgefield County, SC. From 
             there he went on to serve as a State senator, and then as 
             circuit judge of South Carolina, a position he left to 
             serve his country during World War II. For his military 
             service, he earned a total of 18 different medals, 
             decorations, and awards. He served as the Governor of 
             South Carolina, and while serving, he ran for President as 
             the head of the third party, States Rights Democrats. He 
             received 39 electoral votes, the third largest ever for an 
             independent party candidate. Then in 1954 he was elected 
             to the Senate as a write-in candidate, the first person 
             ever to be elected to the Senate as a write-in candidate.
               Senator Thurmond's career as a Member of the Senate has 
             been not only long but distinguished. He served as either 
             chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary 
             Committee for 12 years and he served as either chairman or 
             ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for 
             6 years. In fact, he has served on the Armed Services 
             Committee for the last 43 years, where he has been a 
             leader in promoting a strong national defense.
               So while we do well to recognize his extraordinary years 
             of service to the Senate, it is worth remembering that 
             Senator Thurmond is the perfect example of a true 
             statesman, a man who has dedicated his life to serving his 
             country in any way possible, in all branches of 
             government, in times of war and in times of peace. Senator 
             Thurmond has set an example not only as a great Senator, 
             but as a great citizen of this country, and it is for that 
             reason that we are here to pay tribute, to demonstrate our 
             respect, and to offer our thanks.

               Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I am pleased to take this 
             opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable life of 
             Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.
               On December 5, 2002, Senator Thurmond will turn 100 
             years old, another amazing milestone for an indefatigable 
             public servant. Throughout his historic years of service 
             in the Senate, he has distinguished himself through his 
             energy, his spirited patriotism, and his dedication to 
             excellence. Every Member of this body counts him as a 
             friend and as an inspiration.
               Beginning his public service career in 1923 as a teacher 
             and athletic coach, he became the superintendent of 
             education in Edgefield County, SC. He was elected to the 
             State senate at the young age of 31 and later served as a 
             circuit judge of South Carolina.
               He left the judicial bench in 1942 to fight in World War 
             II where he parachuted into Normandy on D-day with the 82d 
             Airborne Division. He served in the Civil Affairs section 
             of the First Army headquarters where he was awarded five 
             battle stars, the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster, 
             the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the 
             Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de 
             Guerre. Upon his return to South Carolina, he served as 
             Governor before he was elected to the Senate in 1954.
               Strom Thurmond's career as a Senator has been 
             distinguished by love of his country and all the 
             possibilities he has envisioned for it. His longevity and 
             strength are a result of his determination to further his 
             ideals, his commitment to personal fitness, and his 
             devotion to serve the people of South Carolina.
               Senator Thurmond's influence has been felt throughout 
             the Senate, but it has been particularly noteworthy in his 
             leadership on the Armed Services, Judiciary, and Veterans' 
             Affairs Committees. In recent years, as President pro 
             tempore, he set an example for us all with his thoughtful 
             wit, his constancy, and his obvious love for the Senate as 
             an institution.
               Senator Thurmond is a statesman whose retirement from 
             this Chamber will leave the Senate a diminished place. I 
             am pleased to join with my Senate colleagues in acclaiming 
             his lifetime of service to America.

               Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in 
             congratulating the senior Senator from South Carolina, our 
             esteemed colleague and a legendary public servant, as we 
             honor his service to America and his beloved constituents 
             in South Carolina.
               When the 107th Congress adjourns sine die later this 
             year, it will end another chapter in the life and 
             legendary public service of Senator Thurmond. For almost 
             48 years, Strom Thurmond has been an important person in 
             the life of the Senate. Indeed, December 24, 2002, will 
             mark the 48th anniversary of Senator Thurmond's arrival in 
             the Senate after his election as a write-in candidate, a 
             feat that itself is historic and unprecedented. December 
             5, 2002, also marks another marvelous milestone, Senator 
             Thurmond's 100th birthday. In considering these truly 
             remarkable events, it is humbling to recall that Senator 
             Thurmond's service in the Senate is longer than the period 
             of time that Hawaii has been a State.
               It is even more remarkable to consider Senator 
             Thurmond's accomplishments outside the Senate: attorney, 
             State legislator, judge, decorated World War II hero and 
             participant in the D-day landing, Governor of South 
             Carolina, husband, and father.
               I have had the privilege of serving with Senator 
             Thurmond during the 12 years I have been in the Senate, 
             the last quarter of his remarkable tenure, and we serve 
             together on the Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs 
             Committees. As chairman emeritus of both committees, 
             Senator Thurmond has earned a well-deserved reputation as 
             a determined and powerful advocate for our Nation's men 
             and women in uniform and our veterans. His commitment to 
             improve services, benefits, and quality of life for 
             service members and veterans and their families is 
             unwavering.
               On a personal note, our former colleague, Senator Bob 
             Dole, Majority Leader Daschle, and others have spoken 
             about emulating Senator Thurmond's diet and exercise 
             regimen as a way of enjoying similar longevity. I would 
             like to share with my colleagues one of Senator Thurmond's 
             dietary secrets: he has a fondness for Hawaiian macadamia 
             nuts. I can think of no better testimonial for the health 
             benefits of macadamia nuts than the gentleman from South 
             Carolina!
               I thank our leaders for scheduling this time for the 
             Senate to honor the remarkable life and times of a great 
             American patriot and a gentleman of the Senate, Senator 
             Strom Thurmond.

               Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my 
             colleague from South Carolina and to wish him a happy 
             100th birthday.
               For the better part of the 20th century, Strom Thurmond 
             devoted his life to public service--service to the people 
             of South Carolina, service to his country in World War II, 
             and service in the Senate.
               He began his career as a teacher and coach. He became 
             superintendent of education in Edgefield County. He landed 
             at Normandy on D-day with the 82d Airborne Division, and 
             returned home to become Governor of South Carolina.
               In 1954, Strom Thurmond became the first Member of the 
             Senate to win election as a write-in candidate. He has 
             spent most of his life giving back to the people and the 
             places that have given him so much in life.
               As a U.S. Senator, no one has had a more distinguished 
             career than Strom Thurmond. For more than 48 years, he has 
             been a champion for our veterans. Time and time again, he 
             has fought to strengthen their education and 
             rehabilitation benefits and provide them with the best 
             health care and housing.
               In the last year, he continued to do more for our 
             military. He filed legislation to ensure that disabled 
             veterans have access to service dogs so that they can lead 
             a more independent life. He has reached across the aisle 
             to end the limit on Junior ROTC programs with our 
             colleague Senator Graham from Florida.
               He secured education benefits for our brave men and 
             women serving in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring 
             Freedom. Each effort has brought more honor and dignity to 
             the courageous men and women who give so much of 
             themselves so that we can live in freedom.
               Just as he began his career as a teacher in 1923, I know 
             that he was so very proud to support last year's ``No 
             Child Left Behind Act.'' He understands that the best 
             place to open a child's mind and heart to the 
             opportunities that surround him or her is through 
             education.
               I want to take this moment to thank Senator Thurmond for 
             supporting New York during this difficult year. In the 
             wake of massive terrorist attacks, Senator Thurmond stood 
             by the people of New York, and the people of New York are 
             grateful for his assistance as the city rebuilds.
               Today, it gives me great pleasure to honor Strom 
             Thurmond and to express my sincere gratitude and 
             appreciation for all that he has done to improve the lives 
             of the people he represents in South Carolina and every 
             American.
               We are honored for his years of service and wish him a 
             very happy birthday.

               Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am honored to join my 
             colleagues in this tribute to Senator Thurmond and his 
             extraordinary record of service to the people of South 
             Carolina and the Nation.
               As the longest-serving Member of the U.S. Senate in 
             history, the Senator from South Carolina cast his first 
             vote in January 1955--when seven of his current colleagues 
             were not even born. His election in 1954 was an American 
             first. Senator Thurmond was the first person ever elected 
             to a major office as a write-in candidate.
               Senator Thurmond came to this body half a century ago as 
             a man of humble origins with a teacher's background and a 
             legal education given to him by his father, and he has 
             never stopped teaching and learning.
               In the years since he first came to the Senate, he has 
             cast over 15,000 votes, and he has always stood up for his 
             beliefs with a passionate conviction. Over the years, many 
             of us have often disagreed with him on specific issues, 
             but we have always had great respect for his ability and 
             dedication.
               Senator Thurmond has served our country with great 
             dedication in the Armed Forces as well, from his early 
             days as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve in 1924 to 
             his outstanding service in the 82d Airborne during World 
             War II. He volunteered for service immediately after the 
             attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and piloted a glider onto 
             the beaches at Normandy in 1944, earning five battle stars 
             and numerous other medals for his courage in combat.
               I have had the honor to serve for many years with 
             Senator Thurmond on both the Armed Services Committee and 
             the Judiciary Committee in the Senate, and we often worked 
             together to meet the important challenges facing our 
             Nation.
               Two decades ago, as members of the Judiciary Committee, 
             we worked together for a period of several years to reform 
             and improve the Federal sentencing system. Our proposal 
             was eventually enacted as the Sentencing Reform Act of 
             1984.
               Prior to the 1984 act, Federal sentencing was famously 
             characterized by Judge Marvin Frankel as a system of ``law 
             without order.'' Judges had unreviewable discretion to 
             sentence defendants to lengthy periods of incarceration--
             or no incarceration at all. Gross disparities in 
             sentencing were common, even within the same Federal 
             courthouse. Too often, those disparities were related to 
             the race or the economic resources of the defendant.
               Some thought the answer to that problem was mandatory 
             sentencing laws. But Senator Thurmond and I developed the 
             fairer and more effective approach of sentencing 
             guidelines that is used today.
               Senator Thurmond and I came to the issue from different 
             perspectives, but we agreed on the goal of fair sentencing 
             laws. It took several years of debates, but Senator 
             Thurmond and I stood together. Our ideas prevailed, and I 
             am proud to have worked with him on this important reform 
             of the Nation's criminal justice system.
               We have worked together on the Armed Services Committee 
             as well. Senator Thurmond has never forgotten the 
             responsibility of the 82d Airborne to be America's guard, 
             and to go ``all the way'' in protecting the rights of our 
             men and women in uniform and our Nation's veterans.
               From the Strom Thurmond Institute at his alma mater, 
             Clemson University, to Strom Thurmond High School, to 
             Interstate Highway 20, also known as Strom Thurmond 
             Highway, the Senator from South Carolina has been honored 
             by communities in his State and by the American people as 
             well. I know that all of us in the Senate commend him, as 
             he retires this year, for his long and distinguished 
             service to the Senate and the Nation.

               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it has been heartwarming to 
             hear the eloquent remarks about the accomplishments and 
             career of our distinguished colleague from South Carolina.
               He has been my friend and colleague in the Senate for 24 
             years. It has been a high privilege and honor to work with 
             him and to learn from his example of dedicated service to 
             the citizens of his State.
               As this session of the Senate nears an end, it is hard 
             to imagine that it will be Senator Thurmond's last term as 
             a U.S. Senator.
               Since 1964, he has worked hard to strengthen and protect 
             our country and defend the principles on which it was 
             founded. He can be assured that his has been a successful 
             and remarkable career.
               I'm proud to join others today in thanking and 
             commending him for his truly outstanding record of public 
             service.

               Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, born nearly a century ago, 
             when Mark Twain was alive and Teddy Roosevelt was still 
             President, Strom Thurmond has led a life of public service 
             unmatched in the modern history of America. He has been a 
             friend to all of the more than 400 Senators with whom he 
             has served. And he will forever be a symbol of what one 
             person can accomplish when they live life to the fullest.
               Strom Thurmond has served in the Senate for all but 4 of 
             my 50 years of age. Though that is a remarkable 
             accomplishment in itself, we should not forget what Strom 
             accomplished before coming to the Senate.
               He was a teacher, an athletic coach, and a 
             Superintendent of Education. He studied law under his 
             father, Judge J. William Thurmond and became a city 
             attorney, county attorney, State senator, and eventually, 
             a circuit court judge.
               Though exempt from serving in the military, Strom, who 
             had already been an army reservist and a commissioned 
             second lieutenant by the age of 21, volunteered for active 
             duty on the day we entered World War II. As a member of 
             the 82d Airborne, he parachuted behind enemy lines on D-
             day and helped secure the foothold for the Allies to 
             liberate the European continent.
               For his distinguished service, Strom was awarded 5 
             battle stars and 18 other decorations, including the 
             Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster, the Purple Heart, 
             the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Belgian Order of the 
             Crown and the French Cross of War.
               After the war, Strom returned home to South Carolina. He 
             was elected Governor in 1946 and then ran for President of 
             the United States as the States Rights Democratic 
             candidate. Although Harry Truman prevailed, Strom won 4 
             States and 39 electoral votes. That tally still stands as 
             the third largest independent electoral vote in U.S. 
             history.
               Despite not winning the Presidency, Strom was determined 
             to serve in Washington. He ran for the Senate in 1954 and 
             became the only candidate elected to Congress by a write-
             in vote in American history. Strom has been re-elected 
             eight times since. Clearly the people of South Carolina 
             value principle, character and courage in their leaders.
               Though it has been more difficult in recent years for 
             Strom to make it home to South Carolina, that has not 
             stopped South Carolina from coming to him. And it 
             shouldn't. For decades Strom attended every county fair, 
             handled every constituent request, and sent a 
             congratulatory note to every high school graduate, many of 
             whom came to intern in his office.
               It has been said that almost 70 percent of South 
             Carolinians have met Strom Thurmond face to face.
               Over the course of his long and distinguished career, 
             Strom Thurmond has been a witness to history. As a young 
             man, he knew people who had seen Andrew Jackson, and he 
             campaigned for the votes of men who fought in the Civil 
             War. He and Herbert Hoover won their first elective office 
             in the same year, 1928.
               But Strom has more than seen history; he has written it. 
             Not only is he the oldest and longest-serving Senator, he 
             has served with about one-fifth of the nearly 2,000 people 
             who have been Members of the Senate since 1789. And he is 
             nearly one half the age of the U.S. Constitution itself.
               Like the great experiment that is American democracy, 
             Strom Thurmond has certainly faced his trials, both 
             politically and personally. Yet, through it all, he has 
             always held tight to his principles, always upheld his 
             beliefs, and always defended American values at home and 
             abroad.
               Today we say thanks to this giant of a man not only for 
             the history he has witnessed and written, but for the 
             service his life will inspire for generations to come. God 
             bless our friend, our colleague, and the Senate's icon of 
             time, the senior Senator from South Carolina, Strom 
             Thurmond.

               Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I am proud to join my 
             colleagues today in paying tribute to our friend from 
             South Carolina, Senator Strom Thurmond, who through his 48 
             years of distinguished service in this body has given 
             special meaning to the term senior Senator and left an 
             indelible mark on the history of this great Nation.
               Well before Senator Strom Thurmond celebrates his 100th 
             birthday this year, he had become an institution within 
             this institution. To many Americans, that is primarily 
             because of his much-celebrated durability. But to those of 
             us who have the privilege to work with him here in the 
             Capitol, it is as much a measure of his inexhaustible 
             amiability, the graciousness and decency that have come to 
             define Strom's way, and his extraordinary dedication to 
             the people and the country he serves.
               Senator Thurmond has been such a fixture here in the 
             Senate, it is easy to forget that he led a remarkable 
             public life long before he came to Washington. He began 
             his career as a farmer, teacher, and athletic coach. He 
             was superintendent of education in his home county. He was 
             town and county attorney. He was State senator in his 
             great State of South Carolina. He was a judge. He served 
             in the Second World War, and was part of the Normandy 
             invasion with the 82d Airborne. He was Governor of South 
             Carolina. And from that position of leadership he went on 
             to run for President in 1948, before getting elected to 
             the Senate for the first time in 1954.
               Since then, Senator Thurmond has had the unique 
             distinction of having been a delegate to six Democratic 
             National Conventions and six Republican National 
             Conventions. And he has found the time to be re-elected to 
             the Senate an astounding eight times, serving as an 
             esteemed member of the Senate Armed Services Committee 
             since 1959, and as President pro tempore of the Senate 
             from 1981 to 1986 and 1995 to 2001.
               I have had the honor of serving with Senator Thurmond on 
             the Armed Services Committee for more than a dozen of 
             those years, and it is readily apparent why the people of 
             South Carolina--not to mention his colleagues on both 
             sides of the aisle--hold him in such high regard. Quite 
             simply, every day he is happy to be helping and protecting 
             the security of our country. Here in Washington, he has 
             been a fierce protector of his State's interests. And at 
             home he has been a gentle and caring friend to his 
             constituents, always ready to listen and willing to act on 
             their behalf. It is a testament to that friendship and 
             admiration that at least 20 buildings, centers, rooms, and 
             statues in South Carolina have been named after him. And 
             that's not counting all the streets and roads that carry 
             the Thurmond name.
               The long list of these accomplishments would take most 
             Americans 300 years to accumulate. Senator Thurmond has 
             gotten them all under his belt in a mere 100. And through 
             it all, Senator Thurmond has grown not only as a public 
             servant and leader, but as a human being. After running 
             for President as a States Rights candidate, he later 
             supported the renewal of the Voting Rights Act and 
             observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday on 
             behalf of his State. And today, in recognition of all his 
             hard work for all the people of South Carolina, he is 
             beloved throughout his State by constituents of all 
             colors. That transformation sends a powerful message that 
             all of us could become better Americans and better 
             individuals--and that the United States of America, for 
             all its blessings, can always become a better Nation.
               For all this, we honor Senator Thurmond as a man of iron 
             with a heart of gold, who has a love for his country and 
             all that makes it exceptional, and has given not just the 
             best years of his life but just about every year of life 
             to make his community and his country a better place. The 
             Senate will just not be the same without him. But today we 
             can and should celebrate the tremendous difference he has 
             made. So we thank him for all your service and sacrifice, 
             and wish you a long and healthy retirement. God knows you 
             have earned it.

               Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, at the close of the 107th 
             Congress, the Senate will lose a legend, a colleague who 
             has served more than 40 years in the U.S. Senate, cast 
             more than 15,000 votes and achieved the record as the 
             longest-serving Member in this body.
               Perhaps most notably, our colleague, on his retirement, 
             will have completed the lengthiest record of public 
             service on behalf of our country. Senator Thurmond has 
             served his community as an educator; the State as State 
             senator, judge, and Governor; and our Nation in World War 
             II in both the European and Pacific theaters, an Army 
             Reservist for 36 years, a candidate for President and a 
             U.S. Senator. This record of service spans a period of 
             more than 80 years.
               Remarks by Senator Thurmond at the time of his swearing-
             in ceremony for his seventh term in 1997 express 
             succinctly his views and commitment to public service. At 
             the time he said, ``there is no more rewarding endeavor 
             than public service, and without question, the more than 
             40 years I have spent in the U.S. Senate have been among 
             the happiest of my life.''
               As I review Senator Thurmond's record of service, and 
             reflect on his service in the Senate and to our country, 
             few Americans have had the opportunity to witness and 
             shape history as he has. Senator Thurmond's achievements 
             in the military and on defense matters serve to underscore 
             this point.
               Senator Thurmond is a veteran who served in World War II 
             during some of the most difficult combat of the war. He 
             parachuted into Normandy on D-day with the 82d Airborne 
             Division, earning 5 battle stars and 18 decorations, 
             including the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, the 
             Belgian Order of the Crown and the French Croix de Guerre 
             during his service. Following World War II, Senator 
             Thurmond continued his military career by serving in the 
             Army Reserve for many years. During this period, he 
             attained the rank of major general.
               Knowing the face of battle, Senator Thurmond never 
             forgot the importance of maintaining a strong defense and 
             especially of taking care of our military personnel. As a 
             member of the Senate Armed Services Committee since 1959, 
             and chairman of the committee for a number of years during 
             the 1990s, Senator Thurmond made certain that the needs of 
             our military were met. He had a special concern for junior 
             enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers along 
             with the welfare of their families.
               This concern was clearly demonstrated by his efforts 
             during the Senate consideration of the National Defense 
             Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999. In this act, a 
             number of provisions were incorporated that significantly 
             improved benefits for military personnel. Were it not for 
             Senator Thurmond's leadership on military personnel 
             issues, our Armed Forces would unquestionably not be 
             receiving the benefits that they should and are entitled 
             to receive. I am pleased that the National Defense 
             Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 bears his name. It 
             is a fitting tribute to an individual who cared so much 
             for our military personnel.
               There is so much that can be said about Senator Thurmond 
             and his many contributions to our country. He was an 82d 
             Airborne paratrooper with a remarkable service record in 
             World War II, a disabled veteran, an educator, and a 
             distinguished public servant at all levels of government. 
             Unquestionably, Senator Thurmond deserves our respect. It 
             is my hope that younger Americans will have opportunities 
             to learn about Senator Thurmond's career and 
             accomplishments. I have been privileged to serve with 
             Senator Thurmond and thank him for his service.

               Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to honor South 
             Carolina's senior Senator, Strom Thurmond. Senator 
             Thurmond will turn 100 on December 5. Only 126 years 
             before Senator Thurmond's birth, the United States of 
             America gained its independence; 37 years before Senator 
             Thurmond was born, the Civil War ended; and when he was a 
             year old, the Wright brothers engineered the first flight 
             from Kitty Hawk. Senator Thurmond made a commitment at an 
             early age to serve the interests and needs of our Nation. 
             His life is full of our country's history, and he has made 
             our country his life.
               Since his days as a school teacher and athletic coach in 
             the early 1920s Senator Thurmond has continued to be a 
             leader and serve the interests of our country well above 
             his own. Senator Thurmond served on active duty with the 
             U.S. Army in World War II. He was a judge at that time, so 
             he was exempt from military service. But Senator Thurmond 
             volunteered, and as a 41-year-old lieutenant colonel, 
             dropped behind enemy lines on D-day in Normandy with the 
             82d Airborne Division. During his 36 years of 
             distinguished military service in the Active and Reserve 
             Army, he was awarded 5 battle stars and 18 decorations, 
             medals and other awards.
               Senator Thurmond carried his military experience to the 
             Senate and quickly became a respected leader advocating a 
             strong national defense for America. As a major general in 
             the U.S. Army Reserve and a World War II combat vet, his 
             contributions to the Armed Services Committee since 1959 
             have provided a strong voice on the needs of our service 
             men and women and a first-hand perspective on the 
             realities of war. Senator Thurmond has also used his 
             experience in law and in the military through his long-
             standing leadership on the Veterans' Affairs and Judiciary 
             Committees.
               Senator Thurmond will be missed in the Senate as a 
             friend, a leader, and a colleague. He will be missed for 
             his tremendous contributions to our Nation. He is history 
             in motion. Senator Thurmond was born during the Presidency 
             of another fearless leader, Theodore Roosevelt. President 
             Theodore Roosevelt once said, ``We have got but one life 
             here. It pays, no matter what comes after it, to try and 
             do things, to accomplish things in this life and not 
             merely to have a soft and pleasant time.'' Senator 
             Thurmond's life is an accomplishment of great leadership 
             and selflessness. We are all grateful for his service to 
             our country and I am proud to have served with him.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my 
             colleagues in paying tribute to Senator Strom Thurmond and 
             honoring him for his unparalleled record of public service 
             to this Nation.
               No Senator serving today can appreciate what this body 
             will be like when Strom Thurmond leaves at the end of this 
             year because Senator Thurmond has served longer in this 
             body than any other Senator in history. His 48 years in 
             the U.S. Senate have spanned the terms of 10 Presidents of 
             the United States, and he keeps pictures of all 10 of 
             those Presidents on the wall in his office.
               Senator Thurmond's extraordinary private and public 
             lives span the 20th century. He began his political career 
             in 1929 as the Superintendent of Education in Edgefield, 
             SC. In 1933, he became a State senator. In 1946, he was 
             elected Governor of South Carolina. In 1948, while he was 
             still Governor, he ran for President as a State's Right 
             Democrat and received 39 electoral votes, the third best 
             showing by an independent candidate in U.S. history.
               Senator Thurmond 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 to eschew the advantages of 
             incumbency before running successfully 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. He has served as a delegate to six 
             Democratic and nine Republican National Conventions, a 
             distinction I doubt anyone else shares.
               When I joined the Armed Services Committee in 1979, 
             Senator Thurmond had already served on the committee for 
             20 years. His love for and dedication to the U.S. military 
             goes back even further, though, to his commission as an 
             Army Reserve second lieutenant of infantry in 1924 at the 
             age of 21. He served with distinction in both the European 
             and Pacific theaters in the Second World War, receiving 
             numerous decorations that include the Legion of Merit, the 
             Bronze Star Medal with ``V'' device, the Army Commendation 
             Medal, the Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French 
             Croix de Guerre. He landed in a glider on Normandy with 
             the 82d Airborne Division on D-day, and went on to win 
             five battle stars. In 1959, the year that he joined the 
             Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Thurmond was 
             promoted to major general in the U.S. Army Reserve.
               During Senator Thurmond's tenure on the Armed Services 
             Committee, our Armed Forces have faced challenge after 
             challenge in Western Europe, Vietnam, the Middle East, the 
             Caribbean basin, the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, and 
             Afghanistan. Through it all, Senator Thurmond has 
             persevered in his unwavering support for our men and women 
             in uniform. His steadfast commitment to our national 
             defense has been a rock upon which we could all rely and 
             has helped ensure that our military has always been ready 
             to answer the call whenever and wherever needed.
               Senator Thurmond served as chairman of the Senate Armed 
             Services Committee in the 104th and 105th Congresses. I 
             had the honor and pleasure to serve as his ranking member 
             in 1997 and 1998. I know from personal experience how 
             seriously Senator Thurmond treated his duties as chairman 
             and how hard he worked to be fair and even-handed with 
             every member of the committee. I am sure that I speak for 
             all of our colleagues in saying just how much we 
             appreciate not only the commitment that Senator Thurmond 
             brought to his duties as chairman, but also his lifelong 
             dedication to the defense of our Nation and to the welfare 
             of the men and women in uniform.
               As the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee in 
             1997 and 1998, it was a great personal pleasure for me to 
             work with Senator Thurmond in producing the National 
             Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 and the 
             Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for 
             Fiscal Year 1999. When Senator Thurmond leaves our 
             committee and the Senate at the end of this Congress, we 
             will miss his warmth, his sense of humor, and his 
             tremendous dedication to our national security.
               In my 24 years of service with Strom Thurmond, I have 
             never known him to be anything other than unfailingly 
             optimistic, always courteous, and ever-thoughtful of his 
             Senate colleagues and their families. It is a pleasure to 
             join all of my colleagues today in honoring and thanking 
             this remarkable man, my friend, for his lifetime of 
             service to his country.

               Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise today to join my 
             esteemed colleagues in honoring Senator Strom Thurmond and 
             his lifetime of service to South Carolina and our Nation.
               A career like that of the senior Senator from South 
             Carolina will almost certainly never be duplicated. 
             Although I am the senior Senator from Maryland, my 
             colleague, Senator Thurmond, was a practicing attorney in 
             Edgefield, SC, when I was born in 1933. And by that time, 
             Senator Thurmond had already begun his distinctive career 
             in the public interest.
               Born in 1902, Senator Thurmond received his bachelor's 
             degree from Clemson University in 1923 and was a teacher 
             and athletic coach for 6 years while serving in the U.S. 
             Army Reserve. In 1929, he became the Superintendent of 
             Education in Edgefield County, SC, and soon thereafter was 
             admitted to the State bar, studying law under his father, 
             Judge J. William Thurmond. While practicing law, Strom 
             began his political career as a South Carolina State 
             senator and circuit judge. Senator Thurmond took a 4-year 
             leave of absence from his judicial duties from 1942 to 
             1946 in order to serve with the 82d Airborne Division in 
             World War II. During the war, Senator Thurmond served in 
             the American, European and Pacific theaters; landed in 
             Normandy on D-day; and earned 18 decorations, medals and 
             awards including the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster, 
             the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the 
             Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de 
             Guerre, during his military service.
               If Strom's service to our Nation ended in 1946 with his 
             military career, it would have been a remarkable record of 
             achievement. But his contributions to education, the legal 
             profession, and the military make up just the beginning of 
             Senator Thurmond's legacy. From 1947 to 1951, Strom was 
             known as Governor Thurmond, as he led his beloved State of 
             South Carolina. After his 1948 bid for the Presidency, 
             Strom returned to the practice of law and, in 1954, 
             launched a successful write-in candidacy for election to 
             the U.S. Senate. Pursuant to a promise made during his 
             write-in campaign, Strom resigned from the Senate in April 
             1956 to run in the Democratic primary election. Strom was 
             re-elected to the Senate in November 1956, resumed his 
             duties, and has been elected to the Senate seven more 
             times by the people of South Carolina.
               Reaching the age of 100, as Senator Thurmond will do 
             this December 5, is, alone, a remarkable achievement. The 
             2000 Census counted just 50,500 Americans 100 or older. 
             And Strom is a clear example for those older Americans, 
             and citizens of all ages, of the remarkable impact one 
             person can have on our Nation. For most of the past 48 
             years, Senator Thurmond has been a fixture and a legend in 
             the U.S. Senate. He has held positions of power, including 
             President pro tempore, and committee chairmanships. In the 
             Senate, he has worked with 10 Presidents: Eisenhower, 
             Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. 
             Bush, Clinton, and George W. Bush. He is the longest-
             serving Member of the Senate, and cast his 15,000th vote 
             in September 1998.
               It goes without saying that throughout his time in this 
             distinguished body, and over the course of his lifetime, 
             Strom has seen our Nation change in remarkable ways. His 
             service in this great deliberative body has given the 
             Senate a perspective and continuity unparalleled in our 
             history. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to serve 
             with him over these many years, and to join my colleagues 
             today in paying tribute to a true public servant, Senator 
             Strom Thurmond.

               Mr. KYL. Mr. President, our colleague Strom Thurmond is 
             retiring soon, and I just wanted to say a few words on 
             this special day of appreciation, about the gentleman from 
             South Carolina. For that is what he is: the consummate 
             gentleman. There is the public Strom that everyone knows--
             the legend--then there is the private Strom, a colleague 
             and collaborator I have always found to be eager to help a 
             fellow Senator and accommodate his concerns. I have felt 
             honored to work with him on issues of national defense, 
             foreign policy, and many other matters important to the 
             people of the United States. The people of South Carolina, 
             in particular, can be very proud of this war hero, who 
             landed in Normandy as a member of the 82d Airborne 
             Division in 1942, who was Governor of South Carolina, and 
             who, in the Senate, distinguished himself as chairman of 
             the Judiciary Committee and the Armed Services Committee.
               There are great Strom Thurmond stories--many told by 
             Strom himself, of course. For my part, I like to tell the 
             one about his 90th birthday celebration, held here in 
             Washington. One reporter asked if he could expect to see 
             Strom on his 100th birthday. And Senator Thurmond looked 
             him up and down and said: ``Well, you look fit enough to 
             me. If you eat right and drink right, you ought to be 
             around to see me then.''
               He is an inspiration. As everyone knows, he represents 
             continuity in the U.S. Senate, being, since 1996, its 
             oldest serving Member, and, since 1997, its longest-
             serving Member. Those are for the record books. But on a 
             personal level, I can say that the Senate will not be the 
             same without his buoyant spirit. I thank him for helping 
             me in so many ways, and for his invaluable service to our 
             country.

               Ms. SNOWE. I rise to join with my colleagues today in 
             honoring a man the ``Almanac of American Politics'' 
             rightly calls ``the most enduring figure in American 
             politics today,'' the senior Senator from South Carolina, 
             the senior Member of the Senate, and the longest-serving 
             Senator in U.S. history, our colleague, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond.
               I think that any of us who have had the honor of serving 
             in this body have to be in awe of Senator Thurmond's 
             remarkable 48-year tenure. The responsibilities of this 
             job, the demands on one's time and energy, are incredible. 
             That Senator Thurmond has continued to engender the trust, 
             respect, and support of the people of South Carolina 
             through nearly 5 decades in the Senate and nearly 70 years 
             in elective office is a testament not only to his storied 
             dedication to his constituents, but to his seemingly 
             inexhaustible passion for service.
               Senator Thurmond is quite literally an institution 
             within an institution. If this were baseball, he would be 
             Babe Ruth larger than life, shattering records, and giving 
             100 percent effort every time at bat.
               Even today, I continue to marvel that I am serving 
             alongside this legislative legend. This is a man who was 
             on the floor of this Chamber when I was 7 years old, a man 
             who was nominated for President when I was 1 year old, a 
             man who was elected Governor of South Carolina before I 
             was born. Alive even before the Wright brothers took 
             flight, he has seen first-hand the greatest single period 
             of societal and technological change in the history of the 
             world. He would have even been old enough at age 15 to 
             read first-hand news accounts of the last time the Boston 
             Red Sox won the World Series. Now that is truly amazing!
               When you think about it, Senator Strom Thurmond's 
             political life spanned the great majority of the 20th 
             century, while he has witnessed--during his more than 
             36,400 days on Earth--nearly half of the history of the 
             United States. It is possible he received votes from 
             Confederate war veterans in his bid for the South Carolina 
             Legislature in 1933. This is an extraordinary figure on 
             the landscape of our land--a living history class and 
             inseparable from any discussion or dissection of the U.S. 
             Senate.
               Indeed, Senator Thurmond's tenure has charted many 
             changes in our country, the world, and American society. 
             In an inspiration to all of us, Senator Thurmond has never 
             stopped learning, never stopped drawing lessons from 
             experience and from others. He bears the mark that defines 
             great men and women--the integrity and honesty of an open 
             mind.
               And there should be no mistake--as if the time Senator 
             Thurmond has devoted to public office is not enough for 
             several lifetimes, he has also served his country in the 
             crucible of war, gaining an exemption from being ``over 
             age'' so he could don a uniform and ultimately participate 
             in the invasion at Normandy on D-day.
               Fittingly, years later, Senator Thurmond would call upon 
             his ``trial by fire'' experience as chairman of the Armed 
             Services Committee--and I was proud to call him 
             ``Chairman'' for much of my time on the committee. He has 
             always been a champion not only of a strong national 
             defense, but also for the men and women who provide that 
             defense, and we owe him a debt of gratitude that simple 
             words fail to repay.
               In short, some people live long, but not fully. Senator 
             Thurmond's life, however, is remarkable not only for its 
             apparent disregard for such trivialities as ``time,'' but 
             also--and more important--for its richness.
               The great American writer Henry David Thoreau aspired 
             to, in his plain-spoken but powerful words, ``live deep 
             and suck all the marrow out of life . . .'' Well, Senator 
             Strom Thurmond personifies that dream--making Thoreau's 
             declaration his personal credo, and leaving the rest of us 
             to watch in admiration and wonder.
               So today, as we celebrate Senator Thurmond's century of 
             contributions, let us also celebrate the remarkable story 
             of America's journey, for in many ways they are one and 
             the same. Strom, your colleagues wish you all the best--
             and we thank you for exemplifying what it means to serve 
             in the greatest democracy the world has ever known.

               Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay respect to 
             a man who has served his country for the past 78 years. In 
             the year 1924, at the age of 21, Strom Thurmond was 
             commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. 
             Twenty years later, Strom fought valiantly during World 
             War II and amazingly, at the age of 43, he was part of the 
             first wave of American soldiers who landed in Normandy 
             during D-day, parachuting behind enemy lines with the 82d 
             Airborne Division.
               For his bravery and outstanding service in combat, Strom 
             Thurmond was awarded 18 service decorations, awards and 
             medals. In addition to his Bronze Star Medal for valor, he 
             received the Legion of Merit with oakleaf cluster and the 
             Purple Heart. For his merit and heroism during the D-day 
             invasion and subsequent freeing of Belgium and France, he 
             was awarded both the Belgian Order of the Crown and the 
             French Croix de Guerre from the Belgian and French 
             Governments, respectively.
               After returning from the war, Strom Thurmond began an 
             unprecedented career in the Senate which has been marked 
             by a dedication to upholding the honor and dignity of the 
             U.S. military and America's heroic veterans. He has helped 
             to ensure that every veteran has a voice in the Halls of 
             Congress and the opportunity and protection commensurate 
             with the dignity and honor with which they served.
               In 1959, 36 years after he had been commissioned, Strom 
             Thurmond retired from the U.S. Army Reserve a major 
             general of the U.S. Reserves, ending an amazing career 
             that spanned two wars and countless acts of personal 
             bravery and leadership. In the Senate he has brought his 
             many years of experience to many debates and, for the last 
             30 years, to the Veterans' Affairs Committee where his 
             personal commitment to veterans issues has been heralded 
             by all.
               As a veteran, I have great respect for Senator 
             Thurmond's active role on the Veterans' Affairs Committee 
             and his contributions to make certain in words and deeds 
             that our veterans and their families receive the best 
             possible care and that the U.S. Government honors the 
             promise it makes to each soldier who wears the uniform of 
             our country.
               When Strom Thurmond retires after this year, the Senate 
             will lose a man who has seen the arc of the 20th century 
             with his very eyes. From fighting in some of the greatest 
             battles in world history to bearing witness to the Great 
             Depression and the Great Society, Strom Thurmond has seen 
             decades pass in which America has fought in war and 
             prospered in peace; decades in which America emerged from 
             isolation to lead the world to greater freedom and liberty 
             for all; decades in which America made certain the 
             promises of our forebears and their quest for a more equal 
             society.

               Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, like all my colleagues, I rise 
             today to honor the senior Senator from South Carolina, Mr. 
             Thurmond, who is also America's senior Senator.
               Some of my earliest memories of working in the Senate 
             with Senator Thurmond were our efforts on balancing the 
             budget and on the balanced budget amendment to the 
             Constitution. He was the real father of this amendment, 
             dating back to his early years in the Senate. And he 
             fought so hard on this issue because he cared so deeply 
             about us leaving our children a legacy of opportunity and 
             economic security.
               Senator Thurmond told me he liked being around young 
             people because they challenged him with new ideas and kept 
             him young.
               As the ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, 
             every day I grow to appreciate a little more what Senator 
             Thurmond has spent a lifetime teaching us: the importance 
             of being young at heart.
               That positive attitude was evident when, a few years 
             ago, Senator Thurmond told Reuters he was ready to be a 
             back-up space shuttle crew member for Senator John Glenn, 
             saying: ``I always believed that if NASA really wanted to 
             study the effects of space travel on an older American, 
             they should have called me.''
               Senator Thurmond has spent almost a century, not only as 
             a witness to history, but as a shaper of history.
               Today may be Strom Thurmond Day, but if the 20th century 
             was the American century, then it was also the Strom 
             Thurmond century.
               Senator Thurmond was 41 years young when he climbed into 
             glider number 34 of the 82d Airborne Division in June 1944 
             and took part in the Normandy invasion on D-day. Fifty 
             years later, Senator Thurmond showed perspective when he 
             did not return to Normandy for the 50th anniversary 
             commemorations because it was more important to attend his 
             son's graduation.
               In 1948 he ran for President against Harry Truman and 
             Tom Dewey, as the nominee of the States Rights Democratic 
             Party, and won 39 electoral votes.
               A few years after that, he became the only Senator in 
             American history to be elected by a write-in vote, 
             demonstrating the devotion of South Carolina voters to 
             Strom Thurmond that has never wavered, as his dedication 
             to them has never wavered.
               Lyndon Johnson said the Senate has show horses and work 
             horses. Senator Thurmond has always been a work horse.
               The experts tell us that one of the keys to a long, 
             healthy life is being adaptable and being able to renew 
             oneself.
               Over the years, Senator Thurmond has also displayed a 
             firm foundation of principles in his devotion to family, 
             faith, and freedom.
               Like all the great persons of history who have had 
             staying power, Senator Thurmond has shown that great 
             balance of having a firm moral foundation and being able 
             to renew himself.
               In fact, he is the only Member of this body to have 
             served in the majority as a Democrat, in the minority as a 
             Democrat, in the minority as a Republican, and in the 
             majority as a Republican. That is adaptability.
               I would also add, he has always shown unfailing 
             graciousness to colleagues, to constituents, and to all 
             the Senate staff.
               I remember our former Senate Republican Leader, Bob 
             Dole, being asked what his health care plan was. He 
             replied: ``I'm in favor of the Thurmond plan. I want to do 
             what he does. I used to follow him around and if he ate a 
             banana, I ate a banana.''
               All of us could not do much better than to follow the 
             example of Strom Thurmond.
               In Jack Bass and Marilyn Thompson's biography of Senator 
             Thurmond, they quoted a woman who knew him since boyhood, 
             who said: ``He hasn't changed. Everything he's done has 
             been done to the full. There's no halfway doings about 
             Strom.''
               Today we honor our colleague, friend, and mentor, for a 
             full career of accomplishment, for his full dedication to 
             America and South Carolina, and for a full life, in every 
             respect.

               Mr. REID. Mr. President, I join my colleagues today in 
             recognizing the distinguished Senator from South Carolina 
             and his years of service in the U.S. Senate.
               Strom Thurmond has lived almost one century--his 100th 
             birthday will be December 5--and he has been a Senator for 
             almost half of that time. He is now finishing his eighth 
             full term, making him the longest-serving Senator and the 
             oldest Member of Congress. But Senator Thurmond is known--
             and will long be remembered--for much more than his 
             longevity.
               He has had a remarkable life and career of service to 
             South Carolina and the United States, having served as a 
             school superintendent, State senator, judge, and as the 
             Palmetto State's Governor.
               He entered the Nation's military when he was 21 years 
             old and almost 20 years later volunteered to serve in 
             World War II. He was among the brave American troops who 
             landed in Normandy on D-day with the 82d Airborne 
             Division, and he received numerous awards for his military 
             service including the Bronze Star Medal for valor and a 
             Purple Heart.
               Senator Thurmond has fought no less fiercely in the 
             political arena. He has used his gifts, experience, the 
             power and respect he has earned and knowledge of Senate 
             rules and procedures to advocate on behalf of his causes.
               Although he has switched political parties during his 
             career, serving first as a Democrat, running for President 
             as a States Rights third-party candidate in 1948, and 
             becoming a Republican in 1964, he has consistently adhered 
             to his political ideology.
               I am glad that we have an opportunity to acknowledge his 
             contributions and to reflect on the considerable impact he 
             has had on this body, his party, and the Nation.
               Senator Thurmond is a living monument but just to make 
             sure his service is recognized, the people of South 
             Carolina, whom he has represented for so long, have 
             honored him by erecting a monument for him and naming 
             dozens of facilities for him.
               Senator Thurmond will certainly be missed around here. I 
             bid him farewell and extend my best wishes to him and his 
             family.
                                 THANKING THE SENATE
               Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, I am surely honored by the 
             generous remarks of my colleagues, Senator Daschle, 
             Senator Lott, Senator Hollings, Senator Byrd, Senator 
             Stevens, Senator Hutchison, Senator Allard, Senator 
             Specter, Senator Allen, Senator McConnell, and all others.
               It is hard for me to believe that it was about 80 years 
             ago that I began my professional career. Beginning as a 
             school teacher and coach, I have enjoyed public service as 
             a County Superintendent of Education, attorney, State 
             senator, State circuit judge, military officer, Governor, 
             and Senator. While I have enjoyed each and every job I 
             have held over the years, there is no job I have treasured 
             more than serving as a U.S. Senator. I am proud to be a 
             Member of this remarkable legislative body and have been 
             blessed to observe nearly a half-century of our Nation's 
             history from within this Chamber. I still recall the cold 
             Christmas Eve, December 24, 1954, when I was sworn in by 
             then-Vice-President Richard Nixon, with my late wife, 
             Jean, by my side.
               I came to Washington with one priority--to serve this 
             Nation and my fellow South Carolinians with integrity and 
             to the best of my ability. As I now enter the final days 
             of my Senate career, with nearly 48 years of Senate 
             service, I trust I have accomplished that objective.
               The U.S. Senate is a special institution in many 
             respects. The 6-year term assures that there is the 
             stability within this Chamber which allows the Senate to 
             be a deliberative body. The great history of this body 
             reflects the great issues of American history. Here we 
             have debated fundamental questions regarding the status of 
             our Union, national territorial expansion, matters of war 
             and peace, social and economic policies affecting every 
             individual, and many other important matters of national 
             interest as well as local issues.
               Given the esteemed stature of this legislative body, it 
             was with no small amount of humility that I moved from 
             South Carolina to Washington so many years ago. Like every 
             other man and woman who serves in the Senate, regardless 
             of party affiliation or ideology, I desired to perform my 
             duties with honor, to the best of my ability, and with a 
             goal of making a difference in the lives of my fellow 
             citizens.
               As Senators, we have many roles to perform in the 
             discharge of our duties. There is no other job in the 
             world that allows us to have a more direct impact on 
             improving the lives of individuals and strengthening our 
             Nation. Through legislation, oversight, 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. 
             The work we do here benefits millions of Americans. One 
             cannot help but take great satisfaction and pride in such 
             important service.
               As legislators we are called upon to vote on matters of 
             local concern and national interest. I have cast over 
             16,300 roll call votes as a U.S. Senator. Each vote is 
             cast considering the concerns of my constituents and what 
             is right for our Nation. While I have missed a few votes, 
             I am pleased that I have been present for over 95 percent 
             of all roll call votes called by the Senate during my time 
             in office.
               It is the floor debate and the roll call votes that 
             citizens most closely associate with the work of the U.S. 
             Senate. When visitors come to the Capitol, the 
             overwhelming majority of them visit the Senate and House 
             galleries to watch their Congress in action. I suspect 
             that most Americans are less familiar with the committee 
             system, but as we all know, that is where a significant 
             amount of the work of this institution is accomplished.
               During my Senate career, I have been privileged to serve 
             on a number of committees in the U.S. Senate. As a member 
             and chairman of the Armed Services Committee I worked hard 
             to help build the finest military force that history has 
             seen. On the Judiciary Committee, which I also chaired, my 
             priorities were to safeguard the Constitution, keep the 
             judicial branch independent and staffed with well-
             qualified men and women, and enact sound policies to help 
             make our communities safe. As a founding member of the 
             Veterans' Affairs Committee I have always fought to ensure 
             that the men and women of our Armed Forces receive the 
             health care and benefits they deserve. On each of the 
             committees I served, I associated with Senators who were 
             expert in their areas of oversight, who took their duties 
             as committee members seriously, and who were exceptional 
             legislators.
               One of the primary duties of a Senator is to represent 
             and assist constituents. I consider constituent service to 
             be the most significant aspect of my Senate career. I am 
             pleased that my Senate office has helped hundreds of 
             thousands of South Carolinians interact with a government 
             bureaucracy that can sometimes be confusing, unyielding, 
             and intimidating.
               As the calendar draws closer to the day that I walk out 
             of the door of room 217 of the Russell Senate Office 
             Building, I know that pundits and historians will examine 
             my career and study my service and achievements. I pray 
             that such an examination will determine that I was a man 
             who rendered a worthy service to the Nation and to my 
             State. I hope I am known, above all, as a man who tried to 
             help others. I also acknowledge that whatever I have been 
             able to achieve, through my years of Senate service, it 
             was largely through working closely with my colleagues.
               No single individual can accomplish what has to be done 
             here without recognizing the contribution of those who 
             served before we arrived. When I think of the South 
             Carolinians who occupied this seat before me, I am 
             humbled. To follow in the footsteps of such distinguished 
             men as Pierce Butler, Charles Pinckney, Thomas Sumter, 
             John C. Calhoun, Benjamin Tillman and many others, is 
             indeed an honor.
               Likewise, much of our own success is due to the 
             colleagues with whom we serve. This is perhaps the 
             greatest aspect of being a Senator--to associate with such 
             fine individuals. I have been so fortunate that in my 
             tenure here I have had the distinction of serving with so 
             many fine men and women. I regret that it is simply 
             impossible to identify each and every single Senator with 
             whom I have had the pleasure of serving. As a historical 
             note, 1,864 men and women have served as U.S. Senators. I 
             have had the privilege to serve with 410 of these great 
             men and women. I have had the distinct opportunity to 
             serve, in some instances, with more than one generation 
             from some great families. I note there are Senators 
             serving today whose fathers were my colleagues some years 
             ago. I am hesitant to recognize individual colleagues, for 
             I have enjoyed my association with every Senator, but a 
             few stand out in my mind.
               My longtime colleague, Senator Hollings, has served with 
             me for nearly 36 years. I greatly appreciate his 
             friendship and extend my best wishes to him and his lovely 
             wife, Peatsy.
               Having served on both sides of the aisle, and having 
             presided over the Senate as President pro tempore for a 
             number of years, I am privileged to have friends in both 
             parties. I enjoyed my association with distinguished 
             Senators such as Richard Russell and Herman Talmadge. 
             Bobby Kennedy was a special Senator, whose office was 
             across the hall from mine. I have enjoyed a long and 
             warmhearted association with Robert Byrd and Ted Stevens. 
             Similarly, I have a great respect for Joe Biden, with whom 
             I serve on the Judiciary Committee. My neighbor, Jesse 
             Helms, is a great American and a great friend. Our current 
             Republican leader, Trent Lott, always has a kind word and 
             a friendly greeting. I admire the many genuine heroes who 
             have served in the Senate--men like Dan Inouye.
               In addition, much of the success of individual Senators 
             and of the Senate is due to the leadership of the Senate. 
             Distinguished statesmen like Mike Mansfield, Everett 
             Dirksen, Hugh Scott, Howard Baker, Bob Dole, were great 
             men who served this institution with dedication and 
             concern for the well-being of the Senate and the Nation.
               As a Senator I have served with ten Presidents, from 
             Dwight D. Eisenhower to our current capable and dedicated 
             leader, George W. Bush. Three of those--John Kennedy, 
             Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon--were Senate colleagues. 
             In the Supreme Court, 108 Justices have served since the 
             formation of the Court in 1790. I am proud to have 
             participated in the advice and consent in the confirmation 
             of 20 of these outstanding men and women, as well as 
             hundreds of judges in the lower courts.
               Mr. President, today's Senate is much different than 
             when I first arrived. At that time there were four fewer 
             Senators, for neither Alaska nor Hawaii had been admitted 
             to the Union. Our friends from the ``Aloha'' and ``Last 
             Frontier'' States did not join us until 1959.
               Not only were there fewer Senators, but the Senate 
             support staff was much smaller. When I began my Senate 
             service, I was assisted by just four attorneys and three 
             typists. Today, I have over 35 hard-working, dedicated 
             staff members. At the end of my first term there were 
             about 6,000 staff serving Members and committees in the 
             House and Senate. Today there are over 18,000 staff in 
             personal and committee offices. An additional 13,000 staff 
             support the Congress in various congressional support 
             agencies.
               This growth in the Senate staff, as well as the increase 
             in the length of the Senate calendar, is a reflection of 
             the growth of the Federal Government. Both in size and in 
             scope, the Federal Government has enlarged its involvement 
             in the life of Americans. I am not convinced, however, 
             that this has always been in the best interest of our 
             Nation.
               There have been significant physical changes to the 
             Capitol complex. When I first arrived in Washington, the 
             Russell Senate Office Building housed all Senators, staff, 
             committees, and other support personnel and functions. In 
             1958 the Dirksen Office Building was completed, and in 
             1982 the Hart Office Building was finished. The Capitol 
             building itself was enlarged during my tenure with the 
             east front extension. That extension provided additional 
             rooms when it was completed in 1962. As I depart, a great 
             addition is underway with the construction of the Capitol 
             Visitor Center. I am proud of my contribution to this 
             effort which began in earnest just a few years ago as I 
             served as President pro tempore and co-chairman of the 
             Capitol Preservation Commission.
               Despite all the changes that have occurred in this 
             institution and in our Nation, there is one constant--that 
             has been the closeness of the Senate family. There are 
             literally thousands of people who work quietly, outside 
             the spotlight, to ensure this institution runs smoothly. I 
             express my appreciation to all in the Senate who 
             contribute to the success of every Senator and make this 
             institution a community. This family includes the 
             Secretary of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms, the staff 
             of those officers, the clerks, doorkeepers, Capitol Hill 
             police, the staff of the Senate restaurants, the attending 
             physician and staff, the cloakroom staff, the Chaplain's 
             office, the Parliamentarian, the Architect of the Capitol 
             and staff, the librarians, staff of the Congressional 
             Research Service and the General Accounting Office, and 
             many others too numerous to mention.
               I must also pay tribute to my own staff. A strong, 
             competent, and capable staff is absolutely necessary to 
             any Senator. We could not keep up with all our duties, 
             maintain contacts with constituents, or accomplish our 
             legislative goals without our staff. Throughout my career, 
             I have made it a point to hire the best people I could to 
             work in my personal office and on my committees. I have 
             enjoyed my association with literally hundreds of bright, 
             talented and hard-working individuals. I have enjoyed 
             watching them mature in their personal lives and grow in 
             their professional careers. I am proud of my staff. I ask 
             unanimous consent that a list of my current staff be 
             inserted in the Record.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.

               Duke Short, chief of staff and administrative assistant
               Holly Richardson, executive assistant
               Mark Ivany, personal assistant
               Eliza Edgar, assistant to the chief of staff
               Erin Goodin, receptionist
               Walker Clarkson, receptionist

               Press/Public Affairs
               Becky Fleming, press secretary
               Emily Dorroh, press assistant

               Records
               Les Sealy, office manager and systems administrator
               David Black, assistant office manager

               Projects
               Bill Tuten, projects director
               John Hawk, projects assistant
               Kevin Smith, projects assistant
               Michael Bozzelli, projects assistant
               Melissa Kiracofe-Low, projects assistant

               General Legislation
               David Best, legislative director
               Ernie Coggins, legislative assistant
               James Galyean, legislative assistant
               Helena Mell, legislative correspondent
               Ashley Hurt, legislative correspondent

               Military Casework
               Matt Martin

               Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Federalism 
             and Property Rights
               Scott Frick, chief counsel
               Melinda Koutsoumpas, chief clerk

               Armed Services
               George Lauffer, military assistant

               President pro tempore, emeritus
               James Graham, staff assistant

                Thurmond State Offices
               Columbia: Warren Abernathy, State director; Jeanie 
             Rhyne; Valerie Gaines; Lind Morris; Michelle Quinn; and 
             Christie Humphries
               Aiken: Elizabeth McFarland
               Charleston: Patricia Rones-Sykes
               Florence: Raleigh Ward and Kathryn Hook (volunteer).

               Mr. THURMOND. Finally, I express my deepest appreciation 
             to my entire family for their love and support, especially 
             my children. Strom, Julie, Paul, and my beloved daughter, 
             the late Nancy Moore, have been the joy of my life. I 
             thank them for their sacrifices and devotion.
               Mr. President, no matter which side of the aisle we 
             occupy, regardless of the issues that may divide us, and 
             despite any political differences we may have, all of us 
             ran for office and fought to stay here because we want to 
             serve and make a difference. There is no more noble 
             calling than public service, and no more rewarding place 
             to serve than the U.S. Senate. This is truly one of the 
             most unique and special institutions in the world and the 
             opportunity to serve in this body is a rare privilege and 
             one which I think all of us value equally.
               In my public service career, I have served in many 
             different capacities and at every level of government, but 
             none has been more meaningful or gratifying than the time 
             I have spent as the Senator from South Carolina.
               When I graduated from Clemson College in 1923, my father 
             gave me a paper entitled ``Advice'' which I have always 
             proudly displayed in my Senate office and after which I 
             have always tried to pattern my life. The advice which my 
             father gave me, and which I pass on to others follows:

               Remember your God;
               Take good care of your body and tax your nervous system 
             as little as possible;
               Obey the laws of the land;
               Be strictly honest;
               Associate with only the best people, morally and 
             intellectually;
               Think three times before you act once, and if you are in 
             doubt, don't act at all;
               Be prompt on your job to the minute;
               Read at every spare chance and think over and try to 
             remember what you have read;
               Do not forget that ``skill and integrity'' are the keys 
             to success.

               Mr. President, I leave you, and my friends, with my 
             father's universal advice and add the following:

               Always respect and appreciate your tenure in the world's 
             greatest deliberative body; do your absolute best to serve 
             this Nation with honor and decorum; and strive to keep the 
             U.S. Senate the proud, historic and distinguished body of 
             government it has been since the birth of this blessed 
             Nation.

               As I close out my public service career, I again thank 
             my constituents, my colleagues, my staff and my family. 
             May God bless each of you, the U.S. Senate, and God bless 
             the United States of America.
               I love all of you, and especially your wives.

                                          Wednesday, September 25, 2002
                                       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 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 Senator Strom Thurmond.
               By Your providential care, on May 25, 1997, he became 
             the longest-serving Senator in our Nation's history. Yet, 
             it is not just the quantity, but also the quality of these 
             years of service that motivate our admiration. So today we 
             join with all Americans in thanking You for his 
             outstanding service to the Senate, to his beloved South 
             Carolina and to the Nation.
               Thank You for the enrichment of our lives by this man. 
             He has shown us the courage of firm convictions, the 
             patriotism of love for this Nation, and true commitment to 
             the Senate. We praise You for the personal ways he has 
             inspired each of us. He is an affirmer who spurs us on 
             with words of encouragement. Your Spirit of caring and 
             concern for individuals shines through this remarkable 
             man.
               Gracious God, may Senator Thurmond know of our 
             affirmation, feel our love, and be encouraged by Your 
             blessing. You are our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

                                           Thursday, September 26, 2002
                       TRIBUTE TO U.S. SENATOR STROM THURMOND
               Mr. INOUYE. Strom Thurmond will go down in the history 
             of our Nation as an extraordinary citizen and an 
             extraordinary patriot.
               Few people can match his record of achievements:
               He was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army 
             Reserve nearly 80 years ago. In 1959, he retired as a 
             major general after serving 36 years in reserve and active 
             duty.
               On D-day, June 6, 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Thurmond 
             boarded an Army CG4A glider and flew behind enemy lines 
             into Normandy.
               He served as Governor of South Carolina. Later, he was a 
             candidate for President of the United States, receiving 
             the third-largest independent electoral vote in U.S. 
             history.
               In 1954, he was elected to the U.S. Senate as a write-in 
             candidate. Today, he is the oldest and longest-serving 
             Member of the Senate.
               I have been privileged to know and work with Senator 
             Thurmond for nearly 40 years. I wish to thank him for his 
             wealth of wisdom. I will always cherish his friendship.
               But Senator Thurmond is not only my colleague and 
             friend, he is also my brother in arms. During World War 
             II, anti-tank gunners from my regiment, the 442d 
             Regimental Combat Team, assaulted southern France in 1944. 
             Like Senator Thurmond, they went into battle aboard 
             gliders without armor. Glider-borne assaults were 
             extremely dangerous and risky; some would even say they 
             were suicidal missions. However, they were a necessary 
             component of the U.S. invasion and liberation of Nazi-
             occupied France.
               Senator Thurmond demonstrated rare courage, patriotism, 
             and leadership as gliderman of the 82d Airborne Division. 
             Most glider descents were ``controlled crashes,'' and that 
             was the case when Senator Thurmond's glider landed in 
             Normandy. Although he was injured, he managed to safely 
             lead his men to the 82d Airborne Division headquarters at 
             daybreak. The 82d went on to accomplish its difficult 
             objective of seizing and securing key positions in enemy 
             territory.
               I am pleased to report that Senator Thurmond's 
             distinguished military service will be honored with the 
             naming of a new section of the Airborne and Special 
             Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC. The Thurmond Wing 
             will house an exhibit dedicated to the courageous combat 
             gliderman of World War II.
               As a Senator, Strom Thurmond has often taken positions 
             that were not universally supported. Yet one could always 
             be certain that his decisions were honest. He is 
             passionate in his beliefs, and his commitment to serving 
             his constituents has been exemplary. At the end of our 
             service in the Congress, we, his fellow Senate Members, 
             can only hope that we will be able to say we have served 
             our people with the diligence and devotion that Senator 
             Thurmond has served his people. Indeed, Senator Thurmond 
             can leave this Chamber and say, with confidence and 
             without hesitation, that he has faithfully served the 
             people of South Carolina.

                                             Wednesday, October 2, 2002
                              TRIBUTE TO STROM THURMOND

               Mr. GRAMM. I put a statement in the Record today about 
             Strom Thurmond. I was busy trying to deal with homeland 
             security when we had the time to speak on Strom Thurmond. 
             But I do want to relate one story about Strom, which is in 
             my statement in the Record. When I was elected, like many 
             new Senators do, before we went into session I brought my 
             two sons to the Senate. I guess one of them was about 8 
             and one of them was about 10--or maybe 10 and 12, I lose 
             track.
               Anyway, we found my desk. So I said to my sons: Do you 
             all want to sit in my chair? By this time they had looked 
             around at all of the desks, and they decided they didn't 
             want to sit in my chair. They wanted to sit in Barry 
             Goldwater's chair and Strom Thurmond's chair.
               I guess at the time my feelings were a little hurt. But 
             looking back, when I am sitting on the front porch of a 
             nursing home somewhere and nobody remembers who I am or 
             what I ever did, I am going to be able to say to myself: I 
             knew and I served with the great Strom Thurmond. An 
             absolutely remarkable man, not because he is 100 years 
             old, in the Senate, but because he is forever young--not 
             in a physical sense. My God, his physical capacities are 
             amazing.
               I remember one night, it was about 2 in the morning, we 
             were in session. Senator Byrd was keeping us here to 
             debate something. I was dog tired. I was talking to Strom, 
             and he was lamenting that his brother had died because he 
             hadn't taken care of himself and burned the candle at both 
             ends.
               I said to Strom: How old was your brother? He was 89 
             years old. But to Strom, that was not taking care of 
             yourself.
               The amazing thing about Strom Thurmond's eternal youth 
             is not physical, it is mental. This is a man in his long 
             career who could learn new lessons. This is a man who is 
             not ashamed to say: I am not as ignorant as I used to be. 
             This is a man who could admit to changing his mind.
               We are in the only profession where people look down on 
             you if you learn something; that somehow you are 
             inconsistent if you thought one way one day and you 
             acquire more information and you change your mind.
               The most amazing thing about Strom Thurmond to me is 
             that through all of his public service, from supreme court 
             justice in South Carolina, from superintendent of schools 
             to general in the Army on D-day. We all know the story 
             about one of our colleagues going over with President 
             Reagan and saying to Strom he should have been there at 
             Normandy, and Strom said he was there. And he was there 
             when it counted, on June 6, 1944. It is that eternal 
             youth, that ability to learn something new, to have a new 
             perspective and to change that makes Strom Thurmond the 
             most remarkable person with whom I have served.
                          TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND

               Mr. MURKOWSKI. I think it is important as we see our 
             friends depart from this body to talk about what is 
             outstanding in our own minds relative to their 
             contributions. One could go on at great length relative to 
             the contributions of Senator Strom Thurmond. But one of 
             the things outstanding in my mind is the tours that 
             Senator Thurmond used to give when we had a social event 
             here in the Capitol. Upon the conclusion of the event, he 
             would offer to take at least some of the guests on a night 
             tour of the Capitol. He would recite instances that 
             occurred 30, 40, 50, and almost 200 years ago relative to 
             the sacred surroundings and the old chamber where the 
             Supreme Court originally was here in the Capitol, and 
             reflect humorous stories of who sat where and what their 
             personal traits might be.
               Looking back on my 22 years in the Senate, I treasure 
             those moments. My wife Nancy and I have often talked about 
             them. Unfortunately, his health does not allow him to 
             conduct those tours anymore, but for those who were 
             fortunate enough to share a few moments of his humor on 
             those tours, the historical references, his magnificent 
             memory, the reference to the uniqueness of the Senate, and 
             the outstanding highlights of the various careers of those 
             who have come and gone made it truly a memorable 
             experience.
                             TRIBUTES TO STROM THURMOND
               Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise to 
             congratulate Senator Strom Thurmond on his remarkable 
             tenure as a U.S. Senator.
               As a history teacher, I taught my students about Senator 
             Thurmond. As a Congressman, I always admired Senator 
             Thurmond's leadership and his willingness to speak out for 
             his beliefs. As a Senator, it has been an honor to serve 
             with Senator Thurmond.
               He is a true patriot, a true civil servant. He has 
             served his country in countless ways, and in every case, 
             he has pursued this service with vigor.
               He showed his dedication to the United States by serving 
             in the Army during World War II. Senator Thurmond 
             originally signed up for an administrative position, but 
             he eventually went to both the European and Pacific 
             theaters.
               He served with the storied 82d Airborne Division and 
             landed in Normandy on D-day. His combat service earned him 
             18 citations, including the Bronze Star for valor, a 
             Purple Heart, the Belgian Order of the Crown, and the 
             French Croix de Guerre. He continued his military career 
             as a major general of the U.S. Army Reserve. He also acted 
             as national president of the Reserve Officers Association.
               It is easy to forget this heroism, because it was so 
             long ago and he has accomplished so much since then. For 
             me, as a veteran, and as someone who lost his father in 
             service to his country, I believe we each owe Senator 
             Thurmond our gratitude for his courage in his military 
             service.
               Senator Thurmond was first elected to the Senate 48 
             years ago. It was then, in 1954, that the people of South 
             Carolina elected Senator Thurmond by a write-in vote, the 
             only time in history that this has ever happened.
               However, Senator Thurmond had made his mark well before 
             he was elected to the Senate. He showed his dedication to 
             South Carolina by serving as city and county attorney, 
             State senator, circuit judge, and Governor.
               As a former teacher, coach, and school board chairman, I 
             believe there is no more noble public service than 
             teaching. Between heroic military service and a half 
             century of political service, Strom Thurmond managed to 
             set aside time to teach future generations.
               He was a teacher in South Carolina. He was also an 
             athletic coach. He later went on to serve as the 
             superintendent of education for Edgefield County, SC.
               As a U.S. Senator, Strom Thurmond has accomplished 
             numerous achievements. As you all may know, in 1996, 
             Senator Thurmond became the oldest serving Senator in 
             history. A few months later he became the longest-serving 
             Senator in U.S. history.
               In 1998 Senator Thurmond cast his 15,000th vote on the 
             Senate floor. While these milestones are significant, it 
             is what he did with this time that makes these records 
             important.
               Senator Thurmond well remembers the great baseball Hall 
             of Famer Lou Gehrig. They used to call him the Iron Horse. 
             He never missed a game. He always gave 100 percent. He was 
             the essence of sportsmanship.
               Strom Thurmond is the Iron Horse of the Senate. He is 
             the essence of statesman, of public servant. He has given 
             100 percent for his entire career, and those of us who are 
             privileged to know him draw energy and inspiration from 
             his example.
               I will always remember any time I came in early in the 
             morning to open the Senate. It was always Senator Thurmond 
             presiding. As President pro tempore, he did not have to do 
             that. He could appoint someone else to do it. But that's 
             just how Strom Thurmond is. It is part of his character.
               Of course, I have always admired his dedication to his 
             conservative values. Throughout his life Senator Thurmond 
             was a Democrat, a Dixiecrat, and a Republican, but most 
             important he was always a patriot.
               His unflinching devotion to his country manifested 
             itself in his service and chairmanship of the Senate Armed 
             Services Committee. Moreover, his unflagging dedication to 
             justice was represented by another chairmanship, that of 
             the Senate Judiciary Committee. As a Senator who has 
             served with Senator Thurmond on both of these committees, 
             I have had the privilege of seeing a great legislator in 
             action.
               As a veteran, I am thankful for all that Senator 
             Thurmond has done, such as serving on the Veterans' 
             Affairs Committee for over 30 years. As a former teacher, 
             I commend his work with the youth of South Carolina when 
             he was an educator. As a Senator, I admire his 
             forthrightness and dedication to his principles. As an 
             American, he makes me proud.
               Senator Thurmond, thank you for your many years of 
             devotion to this country and the ideals that make it 
             strong.

               Mr. GRAMM. There are so many things you could say about 
             Strom, but there is one thing I can say about Strom 
             Thurmond that I am certain of and that is, someday I will 
             proudly tell my grandchildren that I served in the U.S. 
             Senate with Strom Thurmond. Like that happy band of 
             brothers who fought with King Harry on St. Crispin's Day, 
             I will tell my grandchildren how I fought with a great 
             man, a great leader, to accomplish great deeds.
               He has had a profound and lasting impact on our country. 
             But there is something more remarkable. He is eternally 
             young. Not just in being a 100-year-old Senator, but young 
             in the ability to adopt new ideas, to change as 
             circumstances change, and in the process to grow, even 
             during the longest tenure in the Senate in history. I love 
             Strom Thurmond. I admire him, and for my whole life, I 
             will be proud that I was able to call him colleague and 
             friend.
                          TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I pay tribute to a colleague 
             of ours whose career of public service may never be 
             matched again in the history of our country. My friend 
             Strom Thurmond sits on the other side of the aisle of the 
             Senate Chamber, but I consider him a friend with whom I 
             have worked closely, and I will miss him.
               I remember when I was first sworn into the Senate in 
             January 1975. Because of a tied vote in the State of New 
             Hampshire that election year, it was a matter that did not 
             get resolved until we actually went back and did the 
             election over in the middle of the year. I was the most 
             junior Member of a 99-Member Senate. We did not have the 
             Hart Building at the time. We had the Russell Building and 
             the Dirksen Building, and a couple of us very junior 
             Members were in basement offices. Senator Garn of Utah, 
             Senator Laxalt of Nevada, and I were down in the dungeons. 
             When we were sworn in, I had a small reception down there. 
             I invited Members of the Senate to come, not thinking that 
             anybody would actually show up. There were far more 
             noteworthy people being sworn in that day, some to begin 
             subsequent terms, others newly elected.
               I remember standing there with my mother and father, and 
             one of the very first people to come through that door was 
             Strom Thurmond, walking arm in arm with John Stennis of 
             Mississippi. I remember Strom welcoming me to the Senate 
             and telling my mother and father I seemed like a nice 
             young man, and that I might actually have a career ahead 
             of me.
               I note that has been the routine of Strom Thurmond, to 
             welcome new Senators from either party. He has done it 
             with hundreds of Senators. This one remembers it well.
               We often worked in the field of antitrust laws. We 
             worked together on the National Cooperative Production 
             Amendments of 1993, the very first high-technology bill 
             signed by President Clinton, and to improve the 
             protections against anticompetitive conduct in the Digital 
             Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act.
               Senator Thurmond has been a legislator. I must admit, 
             when Senator Thurmond and I have worked together, it has 
             raised some eyebrows, and when we have introduced 
             legislation together, some have remarked that either it is 
             brilliant legislation or one of us has not gotten around 
             to reading it. But there are so many issues that we did 
             join together. Of course, there have been occasions when 
             he and I have sat on opposite sides of an issue, but even 
             though there were issues about which we felt deeply, 
             Senator Thurmond always conducted himself with the utmost 
             integrity. He has always told the Senate how he felt. He 
             has done so with the people of South Carolina first and 
             foremost in his mind.
               I recall him inviting me down to talk to the Strom 
             Thurmond Institute at Clemson. He wanted to put on a 
             debate on economic matters. He had an impartial moderator 
             from the Heritage Foundation. When I walked in, I saw half 
             the Republican Party of South Carolina and the Heritage 
             Foundation. I knew I was to be the sacrificial lamb, and I 
             was loving every minute of it. When they stated how much 
             time would be allotted, Senator Thurmond stated he should 
             have twice as much time as I because I spoke twice as fast 
             as he did.
               We had a very good meeting. I am sure I did not change 
             his mind, or most of the minds of the audience, on a 
             couple of issues. We walked out of there arm in arm, 
             laughing, having a good time. I remember a couple of days 
             later Strom coming on the floor and slapping me on the 
             back and saying, I want to thank the King of Vermont, as 
             he said, for going down with him.
               One of the strangest meetings during that time was when 
             we were in the Senate dining room and I introduced him to 
             Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. It was a meeting of 
             cultures, very different cultures.
               I share with Senator Thurmond the distinction of being 
             from a State that has provided the Senate Judiciary 
             Committee with three chairmen over the history of the 
             committee. South Carolina and the State of Vermont have 
             each had three different people who have shared the Senate 
             Judiciary Committee. With that in mind, I have always 
             asked what I call the Strom Thurmond question at judicial 
             hearings. He has always reminded nominees that the people 
             and lawyers who appear before them, whatever their 
             position in the case, whether rich or poor, white or 
             black, man or woman, whatever their religious or political 
             affiliation, deserve respect and fairness. He has reminded 
             everyone of that.
               I will miss my friend Strom. He has been named President 
             pro tempore emeritus for a very good reason.
               I have learned much from the senior Senator from South 
             Carolina. Let me share one additional aspect of Senator 
             Thurmond's legacy to the Senate as he completes this term 
             and retires from office. In addition to all his longevity 
             records and legislative achievements and buildings named 
             for him, there is something else about him I will always 
             remember.
               When we hold hearings for Federal judges--and we have 
             held a number this year--I am always careful to carry on a 
             tradition that Senator Thurmond started. Senator Thurmond 
             always reminded nominees for high office that it is 
             essential to treat others with courtesy and respect. He 
             always reminded nominees that the people and lawyers who 
             appeared before them, whatever their position in the case, 
             whether rich or poor, white or black, man or woman, 
             whatever their religious or political affiliation, they 
             are each and every one deserving of respect and fairness.
               Senator Thurmond was right to remind judges--and even 
             Senators--of that simple rule. It is another contribution 
             he has made to all of us that will continue to serve us 
             well. As I said earlier, I will miss Strom Thurmond. He 
             has been named President pro tempore emeritus for good 
             reason.

                                              Thursday, October 3, 2002
                          TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND
               Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, what can I say about Strom 
             Thurmond?
               I remember, back in 1981, the Senate Judiciary Committee 
             had a new chairman--and a new ranking member, and there 
             were more than a few folks looking forward to the 
             fireworks.
               There was a new conservative Republican administration 
             and a new Republican majority in the Senate. The Judiciary 
             Committee seemed destined to be one of the main 
             ideological battlegrounds over issues that divided us then 
             and still divide us today.
               There were more than a few Washington insiders who 
             thought that Strom Thurmond, the seasoned veteran 
             conservative Republican chairman who first made his mark 
             on the national political scene as an advocate of State's 
             rights, and Joe Biden, a Northeastern Democrat still in 
             his thirties whose interest in politics was sparked, in 
             large measure, by the civil rights movement, would never 
             find an inch of common ground--not an inch.
               But I knew that was not going to be the case. I had 
             served with Strom for 8 years by then.
               I knew his personal strengths and admired them greatly, 
             regardless of our political differences, and I knew those 
             strengths would guide us to consensus rather than 
             gridlock.
               I knew with Strom there would be comity--not enmity.
               And I knew debate would be civil and constructive rather 
             than divisive and filled with meaningless partisan 
             rhetoric.
               Strom, as usual, didn't let me down. In his 6 years as 
             chairman--and for several years after that when we 
             switched roles--he exceeded my expectations in every way.
               There were many heated debates and contentious hearings, 
             but we weathered them and we weathered the kinds of 
             controversies which I've seen poison the well for other 
             committees for years afterward.
               But that kind of cooperation would not have happened if 
             it weren't for Strom Thurmond's strength of character.
               It would not have happened if he were not, first and 
             foremost, a gentleman--unfailingly courteous, respectful, 
             and always dignified.
               Strom's word is his bond, and each of us, even the most 
             partisan political opponents know that, in the heat of 
             debate, under extraordinary pressure, when the stakes are 
             exceedingly high, Strom Thurmond will always, always keep 
             his word.
               There's an old Greek proverb that says: ``The old age of 
             an eagle is better than the youth of a sparrow.''
               Well, Strom Thurmond is an eagle among us.
               He's been my neighbor in the Russell Building for many 
             years now. Actually, he has most of the offices around me 
             so I'd say he is more like the landlord.
               He has more seniority in this Chamber than any U.S. 
             Senator has ever had, and more seniority than most 
             Americans will ever dream of having. But longevity is not 
             the measure of a man like Strom Thurmond.
               Longevity is a very small part of why we come to this 
             floor to pay tribute to him today--a tribute he richly 
             deserves--not only for a long life, but for a grand life, 
             an accomplished life.
               I joke about it sometimes. About the time, for example, 
             someone came up to him and challenged his strength and his 
             tenacity and--right there--Strom took off his coat and 
             started doing pushups.
               He has lived long and he has lived well. He has served 
             his country well. And, more than any other public figure, 
             he has been a constant force in this Nation for the better 
             part of a century. Never stopping. Never giving up. Always 
             fighting for his beliefs. Unequivocally. Unashamedly.
               Whether it was his independent run for President 54 
             years ago, or serving the people of South Carolina as 
             superintendent for education of Edgefield County, a city 
             and county attorney, a State senator, a circuit court 
             judge, Governor, or U.S. Senator--he has been truly, 
             sincerely, honorably, one of America's most engaged, 
             committed, and enduring public servants.
               He was born back in 1902. It was not until a year later 
             that the Wright brothers flew the first powered flight. He 
             was 6 when Henry Ford introduced the Model T.
               He received his degree from Clemson 1 year after the 
             Yankees signed Babe Ruth.
               When Strom joined the army, Calvin Coolidge was elected 
             President.
               The Golden Gate Bridge was completed the year Strom was 
             elected to the State senate.
               Judging from that timeline, you might conclude that 
             American legends tend to lead somewhat parallel lives.
               There is no doubt that Strom Thurmond is an American 
             legend.
               He served only one term as a State senator, but in that 
             one term most people don't realize he became an education 
             Senator, raising teachers' pay and extending the school 
             year.
               Not to mention the fact that he sponsored South 
             Carolina's first Rural Electrification Act.
               Legend has it that when the United States declared war 
             against Germany--Strom was a circuit court judge at the 
             time--he literally took off his robes and volunteered for 
             active duty that day.
               He went on to earn 5 battle stars, 18 decorations, 
             medals, and awards--the Legion of Merit with oakleaf 
             cluster, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal for 
             valor, the Belgian Order of the Crown and the French Croix 
             de Guerre.
               Then, in 1947, he was elected Governor of South 
             Carolina. He added 60,000 new private sector jobs; paved 
             4,100 miles of farm-to-market roads; raised teachers' pay 
             again; started a trade and technical education system; and 
             lowered property taxes. Not a bad record. But Strom was 
             not done.
               He was elected to this Chamber in 1954. I have been here 
             for 30 years. I consider that to be quite a long time but 
             Strom arrived 18 years earlier. Strom came the hard way. 
             He was a write-in candidate.
               I believe he has the distinction of being the first 
             person to be elected to a national office that way.
               It wasn't long before he became an expert on the 
             military and an advocate for a strong national defense. 
             He's been on the Armed Services Committee since the 
             Eisenhower administration--1959.
               He was a Democrat back then. We could use you again now, 
             Senator.
               But seriously, Strom held to his convictions about a 
             strong military and, in 1964, said the Republican Party 
             more closely represented his views, so he switched and, 
             when he did, changed the future of South Carolina 
             politics.
               Strom and I may disagree on most issues, but, the fact 
             is, it was Strom Thurmond who, one way or another, helped 
             shape the debate on many of those issues for the better 
             part of the last century.
               A long life is the gift of a benevolent God, but a long 
             life with a powerful and lasting impact is the treasure of 
             a grateful Nation.
               He has had that kind of impact, and we are grateful.
               His achievements, his list of awards, the many schools 
             and buildings named for him--too many to enumerate here--
             are only a small tribute to a man who has done in 100 
             years more than most of us could accomplish in 1,000 
             years. And, the truth is, most of us wouldn't have the 
             energy to even try.
               The real beneficiaries of Strom Thurmond's legacy are 
             the citizens of South Carolina.
               Not since the days of John C. Calhoun has South Carolina 
             enjoyed such memorable representation as it does today 
             with Senator Thurmond and Senator Hollings.
               From his own reflections and experiences, Calhoun wrote 
             the famous Disquisition on Government. Some political 
             scientists have said that essay is a key to modern 
             American politics, a handbook for defending against the 
             tyranny of the majority, and for building pragmatic 
             coalitions.
               In that work, Calhoun wanted to maintain the 
             Constitutional rights of States, and the delicate 
             relationship between Federal and State powers.
               Strom Thurmond wears the mantle of that heritage.
               Some years back, Senator Thurmond was quoted as saying, 
             ``The Constitution means today exactly what it meant in 
             1787 or it means nothing at all.''
               Armed with that conviction all of his life, he's been an 
             able advocate of State's rights--the balance of power 
             between branches of government--individual rights against 
             government prerogatives and usurpations--private 
             enterprise--decentralized government--and strict 
             Constitutional interpretation.
               He has not only been a successful politician who helped 
             shape the last century, but a political philosopher with 
             whom I do not always agree, but for whom I have the 
             deepest respect.
               Let me tell you one of my most memorable stories about 
             Strom.
               It was when we went down to the White House to try to 
             convince President Reagan to sign a crime bill.
               President Reagan was in the beginning of his second 
             term. We sat in that Cabinet Room. We were on one side of 
             the table and William French Smith, Ed Meese, and someone 
             else, I can't recall whom, were on the other side.
               The President walked in and sat down between Strom and 
             me. We told him why we thought he should sign the bill, 
             why it was important for him to sign it.
               At first, the President looked like he was thinking 
             about it, and then, to the shock of everyone on the other 
             side of the table, he began to look like he was being 
             convinced--that he actually might sign it.--This is 
             absolutely a true story.
               Ed Meese stood up at that point. He looked at us and 
             then he looked at the President and said. ``Mr. President, 
             it's time to go.''
               The President hesitated. He looked over at Strom and 
             nodded as if he wanted to hear more. But Ed Meese said 
             again, ``Mr. President, it's time to go.''
               At that point, the President made a motion to get up, 
             and Strom reached over and put his hand firmly on the 
             President's arm. He grabbed it and pulled him back down 
             and said, ``Mr. President, the one thing you got to know 
             about Washington is that when you get as old as I am, you 
             want to get things done, you have to compromise.''
               There was Ronald Reagan, not that much younger than 
             Strom, and there was Strom, smiling, making the President 
             laugh. And there was Ed Meese not looking very happy as 
             Strom talked the President into his position.
               That's a remarkable ability, and it works for Strom 
             because people always know where his heart is. They know 
             what his objective is.
               People know that he believes what he says and says what 
             he believes, and it's real and it is honest.
               One more personal story that I will never forget. It was 
             during a contentious hearing on a Supreme Court Justice 
             and a difficult time in my career. Strom and I disagreed 
             on the nominee. And I was being blasted in the press back 
             in 1988.
               I called a meeting of the entire committee and said that 
             if the accusations relevant to me were getting in the way 
             of the work of the committee, I would resign as chairman.
               But before I could get the last word out of my mouth, 
             Strom stood up. ``That's ridiculous,'' he said. ``You stay 
             as chairman. We all have confidence in you.''
               I said, ``Don't you want me to explain?''
               And Strom said, ``There's no need to explain. We know 
             you.''
               I will never forget what he said that day.
               I have told this story before, but to this day, I can't 
             think of many other people who would, having a significant 
             political advantage, not only not take it, but stand by 
             me. That's the Strom Thurmond I know and will always 
             admire.
               I have been honored to work with him, privileged to 
             serve with him, and proud to call him my friend. As I said 
             earlier: A long life may well be the gift of a benevolent 
             God, but a long life with an impact as powerful and 
             lasting as his is the treasure of a grateful Nation.
               Strom Thurmond is, without doubt, an American treasure.
               The truth of the matter is that his longevity lies in 
             his strength of character, his absolute honesty and 
             integrity, his sense of fairness, his civility and dignity 
             as a gentleman, and his commitment to public service.
               None of these things are skills you learn. They are 
             qualities that burn deep within leaders like Strom 
             Thurmond. And people who know him well can sense them.
               The measure of Strom Thurmond is not how long he has 
             lived or how long he has served, but the good he has done, 
             the record of success he has achieved, and the standard of 
             leadership he has set.
               The truth is that Strom's ongoing legacy is not about 
             time, it is about extraordinary leadership and dedicated 
             service to the people of South Carolina and the Nation.
               And for that we say, ``Thank you, Strom, and 100 more.''

                                                Friday, October 4, 2002
                 SENATOR STROM THURMOND: STATESMAN, PATRIOT, LEADER

               Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, last week, several Senators 
             spoke during morning business one day about our 
             distinguished colleague from South Carolina, Senator 
             Thurmond. Long before I came to the Senate, I myself spoke 
             many times on television editorials commending Senator 
             Thurmond.
               He was then, and is today, even more of a genuine 
             American patriot than when I was in Raleigh never dreaming 
             that I would one day be a colleague to Senator Thurmond in 
             the Senate.
               Trying to capture the essence of Strom Thurmond in a 
             relatively few words of tribute is impossible. Who can 
             adequately describe his firm handshake, his unmistakable 
             South Carolina cadence, or his almost superhuman capacity 
             for work? How can one convey the explosive energy Strom 
             Thurmond has carried anytime he walks into a room?
               The sheer breadth of experience Strom Thurmond brings to 
             the Senate boggles the mind: Born in 1902, he served South 
             Carolina as State senator, as a circuit judge, as Governor 
             and as U.S. Senator.
               He voted for Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932, and more 
             than 50 years later, voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984. He 
             ran for President against Harry Truman in 1948 and 
             actively participated in Bill Clinton's impeachment trial 
             in 1999.
               When the Army told him he was too old to fight in World 
             War II, he managed to obtain an age waiver to participate 
             in the fighting. Then, in typical Strom Thurmond fashion, 
             he landed with the 82d Airborne Division in Normandy on D-
             day. Small wonder that Fort Bragg recently honored him by 
             christening its newest building the Major General Strom 
             Thurmond Strategic Deployment Facility.
               My simple references to Strom Thurmond's accomplishments 
             fail to convey the historic legacy he will leave in the 
             Senate. In 1997 Strom became the longest-serving Senator 
             in the history of the institution, but he was the 
             quintessential Senator long before he officially assumed 
             that honor.
               Senator Thurmond had great influence on my decision in 
             1972 to become a candidate for the Senate from North 
             Carolina. He came to Raleigh many times urging me to run, 
             and countless others to support me.
               Every time he came, he told me again that if I would 
             just run for the Senate, he would come to North Carolina 
             frequently to campaign for me.
               I decided to run because thanks to Senator Thurmond, 
             there were many urging me to do it. And, sure enough, 
             there he came, down from Washington to Raleigh, to help 
             me. Again and again he came.
               He was a fellow Southerner, and like me, he was a 
             Democrat who had converted to the Republican Party. In 
             those days, there were not a lot of Republicans in North 
             and South Carolina, but Strom was determined to change 
             that. And I might add, parenthetically, that no single 
             individual, with the possible exception of Ronald Reagan, 
             has done more to build the Republican Party in the South 
             than Strom Thurmond.
               Senator Thurmond knows how much I admire and respect 
             him. He knows how grateful I am for his enormously helpful 
             trips to North Carolina where we stood together, day after 
             day, night after night, urging the people of North 
             Carolina to send Helms to Washington to help Strom 
             Thurmond.
               I am proud to say, that Strom Thurmond became one of the 
             best friends I have ever had, and one of the finest men I 
             have ever known. He tutored me in the intricacies of the 
             Senate and its traditions, the personal dedication the job 
             requires, and the genuine commitment Senators owe to their 
             constituents.
               Some years ago, Strom paid me the ultimate honor of 
             asking me to serve as godfather to his newborn daughter. 
             Today, Julie Thurmond Whitmer is a beautiful young woman, 
             and the pride I take in her is exceeded only by her 
             father.
               One final note, I owe Senator Thurmond my eternal 
             gratitude for a favor he did for me.
               When I arrived in the Senate, I was searching for young 
             people to help me with my Senate responsibilities. Senator 
             Thurmond referred a wonderfully smart, principled, and 
             competent young lady for my staff.
               After 30 years of working with, and for, the 
             irreplaceable Mrs. Pat Devine, I can genuinely say that 
             her presence among the ``Helms Senate family'' is the 
             finest helping hand Strom Thurmond could possibly extend 
             to me.
               Senator Thurmond watched over her protectively, and he 
             often jokingly needled me about how I had ``stolen away 
             his redhead.''
               The Senate simply will never be the same without Senator 
             Thurmond sitting tall and straight at his desk, serving 
             the people of South Carolina and the country he loves.
               He is a true friend, a great statesman, and a blessing 
             to all who cherish the strength of statesmen like J. Strom 
             Thurmond. He is a great patriot. He is my friend and I am 
             his. This is a stronger and greater country because of his 
             service and his dedication to the principles that made 
             America great from the beginning.

                                               Tuesday, October 8, 2002
                       TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL STROM THURMOND
               Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, throughout America's history, 
             our Nation has been blessed with leaders of rare courage, 
             character, and conviction. The Senate for almost half a 
             century has been fortunate to count among its members an 
             especially remarkable individual, Senator Strom Thurmond.
               Earlier, I joined in paying tribute to Senator 
             Thurmond's unparalleled record of public service both to 
             his country and to his beloved citizens of South Carolina. 
             His extraordinary record of service spans almost 80 years.
               We should also recall another aspect of service to his 
             country--Senator Thurmond's heroic and selfless record of 
             military service.
               His distinguished military career spanned more than 3 
             decades, commencing shortly after his 21st birthday when 
             he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army 
             Reserve. When he retired in 1965, Senator Thurmond had 
             risen to the rank of major general, the highest rank then 
             available to a Reserve officer.
               Inasmuch as he was serving as a South Carolina circuit 
             judge at the outset of World War II, Mr. Thurmond was 
             exempt from military service. But then-First Lieutenant 
             Thurmond did not hesitate: he volunteered for duty the day 
             the U.S. declared war against Germany, receiving a 
             commission in the active Army and becoming a member of the 
             First U.S. Army.
               While serving in the European theater, Strom served in 
             all battles of the First Army, fighting through France, 
             Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. 
             A lieutenant colonel at the time of the Normandy 
             invasion--Strom volunteered for temporary duty with the 
             All-American Division, North Carolina's 82d Airborne, with 
             whom he would land on the first day of the invasion.
               Senator Thurmond once recounted this experience with the 
             82d:

               On May 23, they informed us that they needed Civil 
             Affairs officers for temporary duty with the 82d Airborne. 
             Three of us volunteered. . . . On May 29, our units headed 
             for an airfield near Newbury, where the three of us were 
             briefed, given final instructions, and assigned to various 
             gliders. We were to arrive with the 82d in France on D-
             day, June 6. The primary mission of the 82d and the 101st 
             Airborne Divisions was to keep enemy reinforcements from 
             the invasion beaches. One fifth of the American airborne 
             soldiers were killed or wounded that day, but we succeeded 
             in accomplishing our mission.
               After we crossed the coastline of France we were 
             subjected to heavy anti-aircraft fire, and soon thereafter 
             the tow plane cut us loose. Well, after that, we lost 
             altitude fast. All I could see rushing toward us were 
             fields full of fences and trees and crooked up gliders. As 
             we came in to land, we hit a tree and tore off one of our 
             wings. The crash threw us into another tree, and that 
             clipped off our other wing. What was left of us kept going 
             until it plowed into a fence. We had crash landed into an 
             apple orchard.
               We had landed within the German lines and as soon as we 
             touched the ground we were hit with enemy fire. I headed a 
             reconnaissance party with personnel from my glider to 
             locate a command post. I borrowed a jeep from an officer 
             of the 4th Infantry Division and made a reconnaissance of 
             other nearby gliders, trying to assist injured personnel 
             in getting to the rendevous. As soon as we had 
             consolidated the group and set up a temporary camp, we 
             started to dig foxholes. We were still being shelled, but 
             not as heavily, along with [receiving] small arms fire. I 
             had busted up my left knee when the glider had landed, so 
             once we had taken care of more urgent matters, I had the 
             medics patch me up.

               With typical humility, Senator Thurmond failed to note 
             that he was awarded a Purple Heart for his injuries that 
             day. In addition, he has been the recipient of numerous 
             other decorations for heroism and valor, including 5 
             battle stars and 18 decorations, the Legion of Merit with 
             oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with V device, the 
             Belgian Order of the Crown, and the French Croix de 
             Guerre.
               In an effort to honor all soldiers of the 82d Airborne 
             and to acknowledge the spirit and actions of Major General 
             Strom Thurmond during his military career, I wrote to the 
             Secretary of the Army this past April. My request was that 
             Fort Bragg's new 82d Airborne Division Strategic 
             Deployment Facility--a key complex ensuring that Fort 
             Bragg will serve as the Army's principal power projection 
             platform for years to come--be named in honor of Major 
             General Strom Thurmond.
               Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
             my letter of April 19, 2002, and the Department of the 
             Army's response of June 4, 2002, be printed in the Record.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
                                                   U.S. Senate,
                                     Washington, DC, April 19, 2002.
             Hon. Thomas E. White,
             Secretary of the Army, 101 Army Pentagon, Room 3E700, 
             Washington, DC.

               Dear Mr. Secretary: The Honorable Strom Thurmond has 
             established an unparalleled record of public service 
             during his almost 48 years in the United States Senate.
               For the past 29 years, it has been my privilege to serve 
             as a colleague of Senator Thurmond's. During that time, 
             his leadership, dedication, and integrity have served as a 
             source of personal inspiration.
               As Strom will soon be retiring from the Senate, I expect 
             there to be a number of tributes and dedications honoring 
             various aspects of his unprecedented service to our 
             country. I would like to ensure that his 36 years of 
             dedicated service to the United States Army are also 
             recognized in an appropriate manner.
               As you are probably aware, Strom's remarkable record of 
             service to the Army began in 1924 when he was commissioned 
             a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. An Army Reserve First 
             Lieutenant on the eve of World War II, Strom volunteered 
             for an active Army commission on the day the United States 
             entered the war against Germany (in spite of the fact that 
             his duties as a South Carolina circuit judge exempted him 
             from deployment). After receiving his commission, Lt. 
             Thurmond became a member of the First U.S. Army where he 
             would subsequently be attached to Fort Bragg's own 82d 
             Airborne Division for the Invasion of Normandy. It was 
             during that operation that he sustained an injury that led 
             to the eventual award of a Purple Heart.
               As a gesture of our country's gratitude for his 
             remarkable military and public careers and as an 
             inspiration to the soldiers who will pass through it in 
             defense of our nation, I request that the Army dedicate 
             the soon to be completed 82d Airborne Division Deployment 
             Staging Complex adjacent to Pope Air Force Base's Green 
             Ramp as the ``Major General Strom Thurmond Airborne 
             Operations Center.''
               So dedicating this premier facility, designed by the 
             Army and the Air Force to ensure that Fort Bragg and Pope 
             AFB will function as the Army's leading Power Projection 
             Platform for many years to come, will serve as both an 
             appropriate tribute to Strom Thurmond's immeasurable 
             contributions in service to our country and as an 
             inspiration to the courageous young men and women who have 
             committed their lives to the security of our Nation.
               Mr. Secretary, I will appreciate your expeditious 
             consideration of my proposal as I am told that the 
             facility is expected to open in July. If you have any 
             questions, please do not hesitate to call me or David 
             Whitney of my staff.
               Many thanks.
                  Sincerely,
                                                              Jesse.

                                 ------------------

                                        Department of the Army,
                              Office of the Assistant Secretary
                                                   of the Army,
                                       Washington, DC, June 4, 2002.
             Hon. Jesse Helms,
             Senate, Washington, DC.

               Dear Senator Helms: Thank you for your recent letter to 
             the Secretary of the Army, proposing the soon to be 
             completed 82d Airborne Division Deployment Staging Complex 
             at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, be named in honor of 
             Senator Strom Thurmond.
               Senator Thurmond's distinguished record of almost 48 
             years in the Senate, coupled with his military service and 
             heroic actions in the line of duty during World War II, 
             merit recognition. The package recommending that the 
             Secretary of the Army grant an exception to policy 
             permitting the requested naming has been prepared and is 
             being expeditiously processed.
               Thank you for your efforts to gain recognition for 
             Senator Thurmond for his long and distinguished service to 
             our Nation.
                  Sincerely,
                                          Joseph W. Whitaker,
                                            Deputy Assistant Secretary 
                                              of the Army 
                                              (Installations and 
                                              Housing), OASA (I&E).

               Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, needless to say, I am grateful 
             to have received the Army's positive response and in 
             September a ceremony was held at the green ramp at Pope 
             Air Force Base, adjacent to Fort Bragg. More than 200 
             gathered to dedicate a premier facility, to honor the 82d 
             Airborne, and to pay tribute to Major General Thurmond's 
             exemplary contributions as a soldier and a statesman.
               On that occasion, many fine tributes were spoken. I was 
             particularly moved, though, by the words of the Under 
             Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Les Brownlee. As a 
             result of his distinguished service as majority staff 
             director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he 
             served under both Senators Thurmond and Warner, Secretary 
             Brownlee is well-known to many Senators.
               Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Secretary 
             Brownlee's remarks from the September 16 dedication and a 
             copy of a document ``Thurmond Military Service Record'' be 
             printed in the Record.
             Remarks by Hon. Les Brownlee, Under Secretary of the Army 
                at Dedication Ceremony, MG Strom Thurmond Strategic 
                Deployment Facility, Pope AFB, NC, September 16, 2002
               Congressman Hayes, thank you very much for your very 
             enthusiastic remarks to our soldiers here in the 82d 
             Airborne Division.
               I hope you forgive me if I don't mention everybody's 
             name again, since they have been mentioned a number of 
             times already. But I did want to recognize the soldiers of 
             the 82d Airborne Division and the airmen of the 43d 
             Airlift Wing who are here today and who I know will enjoy 
             the benefits of this marvelous facility.
               I also wanted to recognize that not only did Congressman 
             Hayes play a pivotal role in this facility but Senator 
             Helms and his staff did as well, and I know that Senator 
             Helms insisted that this facility be named for his 
             colleague, Senator Strom Thurmond.
               This year we will lose two giants out of the Senate. 
             Senator Thurmond and Senator Helms will complete their 
             tenure in the Senate this year but they will be sorely 
             missed by the Nation.
               I want to recognize also the great work that was done by 
             everyone concerned in achieving this marvelous facility. 
             It is truly a wonderful example of the jointness and 
             cooperation that exists between the Army and the Air 
             Force, and I want to recognize and express our 
             appreciation to our Air Force comrades in arms.
               I'm going also to pay a special tribute here to Mr. Duke 
             Short, chief of staff at the current time to Senator 
             Thurmond for almost 30 years. But more important, as a 
             lieutenant he was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division 
             and served here at Fort Bragg. Duke, please stand. Please 
             join me in giving Duke a big round of applause for his 
             many years of outstanding service to the Nation and to 
             Senator Thurmond.
               I spent some time last week with Senator Thurmond and 
             remarked that I was planning to borrow Duke Short from him 
             for a few hours so that he could participate in this 
             dedication ceremony. In typical Strom Thurmond fashion he 
             didn't blink an eye as he deadpanned ``that's fine . . . 
             just bring him back.''
               As many of you know, I have had the distinct honor and 
             privilege of working directly for Senator Thurmond for 
             many years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, so I 
             feel especially grateful for the opportunity to say a few 
             words today. Senator Thurmond has been, and continues to 
             be, an inspiration for us all and I am certain he is both 
             honored and humbled by the dedication of this facility in 
             his name.
               Pay particular notice that this facility is dedicated to 
             Major General Strom Thurmond--not Senator Thurmond. This 
             is significant as it recognizes his military career and 
             accomplishments. But let's also take note of the 
             extraordinary list of important positions Strom Thurmond 
             has held throughout his life: superintendent of education 
             for Edgefield County, South Carolina State senator, 
             circuit judge of South Carolina, Governor of South 
             Carolina, candidate for President of the United States, 
             U.S. Senator where he served as chairman of the Armed 
             Services, Veterans Affairs, and Judiciary Committees and 
             as President pro tempore, major general in the Army 
             Reserve, and the oldest Senator, as well as the longest-
             serving senator. On December 5 this year Senator Thurmond 
             will be 100 years old and still an active Senator. What an 
             impressive list--what a marvelous life of public service.
               In 1924 Strom Thurmond was commissioned as a second 
             lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. During World War II, 
             although exempt from military service due to both his age 
             and position as a judge, he took a 4-year leave of absence 
             from a circuit judgeship in South Carolina in order to 
             voluntarily serve his country as a soldier. As a 43-year-
             old lieutenant colonel he served with the All Americans--
             the 82d Airborne--and landed in a glider carrying 8 other 
             soldiers and a jeep as part of the D-day invasion in 
             Normandy. His team reinforced parachute troops that landed 
             earlier that day and collectively routed the German forces 
             from the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise.
               In fact, I remember discussing the glider operations 
             with Senator Thurmond. Riding a glider into battle is high 
             adventure, and the usual result was a crash-landing. 
             That's in fact how Senator Thurmond landed--a terrific 
             crash that wounded him and destroyed the jeep the glider 
             was carrying. I asked the Senator how he got out of the 
             glider and into the battle. He explained that the entire 
             side of the glider was torn open. ``All you had to do was 
             to stand up and walk right out the side!''
               Four days after landing in the glider Lieutenant Colonel 
             Thurmond, armed with only a pistol, captured a German 
             motorcycle and commandeered it for his section's use.
               Subsequently, Lieutenant Colonel Thurmond participated 
             in the liberation of Paris, the Rhine Campaign, and was 
             among the first Americans to liberate the Buchenwald 
             concentration camp. As a result of his actions, Strom 
             Thurmond was awarded the Legion of Merit--the Bronze Star 
             for valor, the Purple Heart, and five battle stars. 
             Although the war ended in Europe, General Thurmond didn't 
             return straight home. He volunteered for and was 
             transferred to the Pacific Theater at the conclusion of 
             combat in Europe and was preparing for the final assault 
             on the Japanese island of Okinawa when the war ended.
               In 1959 Senator Thurmond was promoted to the rank of 
             major general, and retired from the Army Reserve in 1964 
             after 40 years of active and reserve duty. Senator 
             Thurmond obviously knows the military, is a stalwart 
             supporter of the Army, and holds dear to his heart the 
             soldiers, particularly the paratroopers, of our Army.
               At this time I have a letter from Senator Thurmond which 
             he asked that I read to you this morning:

               Dear Friends: I am sorry that I am unable to join you 
             today as you dedicate the Major General Strom Thurmond 
             Strategic Deployment Center.
               When the Commander-in-Chief needs to project American 
             military might quickly, he has no better option than the 
             82d Airborne Division. For more than the past 50 years, 
             ``The All American'' has distinguished itself in military 
             operations around the world.
               I think one of my proudest distinctions as a soldier is 
             my association with the 82d Airborne Division. A lot of 
             things have changed over the past 55 years that makes the 
             paratrooper an even more efficient soldier than he was in 
             1944. Thank goodness you do not use wooden gliders 
             anymore. I must confess that my one day only ride in that 
             particular aircraft is not one of my favorite memories. We 
             can be proud that today's paratrooper is better equipped, 
             better trained, better armed and more lethal than the 
             airborne soldiers of any other generation or army. The 
             military power that a regiment of 21st century 
             paratroopers brings to bear in a fight is nothing short of 
             awe-inspiring to our allies, and nothing less than 
             terrifying to our enemies.
               In addition to advances in weapons and tactics, there 
             have been considerable changes in quality of life for our 
             soldiers. Investing in the well-being of our soldiers and 
             their families is not only a downpayment toward readiness, 
             but it is simply the right thing to do. The Deployment 
             Center being dedicated today will give paratroopers a 
             modern and well-designed power projection platform.
               That this facility is being named in my honor is a 
             recognition that is truly flattering and meaningful. I am 
             proud of this . . . and I am proud of my affiliation with 
             the 82d Airborne Division. I am very appreciative of this 
             distinction and I am always proud to do whatever I can to 
             help the fine men and women of our Armed Forces.
               With best wishes and kindest regards,
                  Sincerely,
                                                     Strom Thurmond.

               In December 1996 Senator Thurmond celebrated his 94th 
             birthday with the 82d Airborne Division. He served as 
             honorary jumpmaster on a C-141 with the same unit he had 
             served with in 1944. Senator Thurmond said at the time 
             that he wanted to parachute into Normandy in 1944 but was 
             told that he was too old. Then, with his typical style, 
             Senator Thurmond stated ``Perhaps they will finally let me 
             jump and I'll get a pair of Airborne wings in celebration 
             of my 94th birthday!''
               Almost 5 years ago I was honored to attend Senator 
             Thurmond's 95th birthday party. Throughout the party many 
             friends and well-wishers all remarked to the Senator that 
             they hoped that they could attend his 100th birthday 
             party. The Senator looked at each of them and said, 
             ``well, if you eat right, exercise, and take care of 
             yourself there's no reason why you can't be there.''
               This Strategic Deployment Facility is a tremendous 
             testament to the spirit and tenacity of General and 
             Senator Thurmond. Strom Thurmond admires courage, 
             toughness, and perseverance--traits he believes, and I 
             certainly agree with him, are found in every soldier. The 
             soldiers who pass through this facility will be the 
             standard-bearers of our great Nation, and will undoubtedly 
             live up to the ideals of Strom Thurmond. The soldiers who 
             train here, the soldiers who will deploy from here, the 
             soldiers who we send in harm's way, will be better 
             prepared to meet the challenges of today's environment 
             because of both this facility and the lifelong dedication 
             to the Nation rendered by Senator Strom Thurmond--a man 
             committed to our Nation's security.
               We have learned all too well the uncertainty of our 
             world. The threats to our Nation's interests are more 
             complex and diverse than at any time in our history. The 
             stakes are high. The United States must safeguard our 
             national interests and fulfill our world leadership 
             responsibilities as well. Today, the U.S. military is 
             protecting our Nation's interests both on the war front 
             and on the home front, and the call may come at any time, 
             day or night, for our valiant troopers to pass through 
             these portals and answer the call to battle.
               As our military forces use this MG Strom Thurmond 
             Strategic Deployment Facility to protect and defend this 
             great Nation, I am confident that all of us, military and 
             civilian, soldier and family member, will always remember 
             and live up to the words of our President, George W. Bush, 
             on 14 September last year when he stated: ``America is a 
             Nation full of good fortune, with so much to be grateful 
             for. But we are not spared from suffering. In every 
             generation, the world has produced enemies of human 
             freedom. They have attacked America, because we are 
             freedom's home and defender. And the commitment of our 
             fathers is now the calling of our time.''
               A week later President Bush declared: ``We will rally 
             the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We 
             will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.''
               The paratroopers who pass through this facility will 
             never fail us. They will continue to live to the high 
             standards of courage, valor, and selfless service 
             demonstrated by Senator Thurmond. I know that our soldiers 
             of today and the future will draw strength, resolve, and 
             inspiration from this facility and its namesake, and will 
             continue to protect the security of this great nation.
               God bless each and every one of you and God Bless 
             America!

                            ----------------------------

             Thurmond Military Service Record--January 9, 1924-November 
                                      22, 1964
               Strom Thurmond began his military career when he was a 
             Reserve Officers Training Corps cadet at Clemson 
             Agricultural College from 1919 to 1923. He was appointed 
             an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, at the rank of second 
             lieutenant, on January 9, 1924, and received the rank 
             advancement to first lieutenant on August 9, 1927. He 
             enlisted in the Army shortly after the Japanese attack on 
             Pearl Harbor on December 11, 1941. However, he did not 
             actually enter the service until April 17, 1942. He 
             performed various military duties with the military 
             police, as captain, in the United States until October 26, 
             1943, when he was assigned to the Civil Affairs Division 
             (Section G-5) of the headquarters, First Army, as major 
             and lieutenant colonel, which was formed on October 23, 
             1943. He worked in the European (England, France, Belgium, 
             and Germany) and Pacific (Philippines and Japan) theaters, 
             and participated in the Normandy invasion with the 82d 
             Airborne Division. Thurmond was awarded 5 battle stars, 18 
             decorations, medals and awards, including the Legion of 
             Merit with oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star with ``V'' 
             device, the Purple Heart, and the French Croix de Guerre. 
             He took official leave on October 19, 1945, to return to 
             the South Carolina Circuit Court and was officially 
             discharged on January 20, 1946, with the rank of 
             lieutenant colonel. He then joined the U.S. Army Reserve 
             Corps and also became involved with the Reserve Officers 
             Association and the Military Government Association. 
             Thurmond served as the national vice president (July 1953-
             June 1954) and president (June 1954-July 1955) of the 
             Reserve Officers Association and the president (December 
             1957-c. December 1958) of the Military Government 
             Association. Thurmond retired at the rank of major general 
             of the Army Reserves on November 22, 1964, after 40 years 
             of service in the Armed Forces.
               Strom Thurmond served with the Civil Affairs Division 
             (Section G-5) of the First Army Headquarters during World 
             War II. The division's mission was to occupy, govern, and 
             help restore devastated, war-torn countries and their 
             economies, and usually arrived during large-scale combat 
             operations. Thurmond studied and used various military 
             school instruction materials, i.e., military police, 
             legal, G-5, European geography and history, etc., in 
             connection with his civil affairs/military government 
             training and responsibilities. This material covered 
             numerous directives and rules dealing with civilians, 
             displaced persons, welfare, finance, background in 
             formation on Germany and France, etc. Of interest, and 
             further study, is a report discussing the activities of 
             the First Army Civil Affairs Division during the D-day 
             invasion titled, ``Civil Affairs: Soldiers Become 
             Governors,'' by Harry L. Coles and Albert K. Weinberg[. 
             It] was published by the Office of the Chief of Military 
             History, Department of the Army, Washington, DC: GPO, 1964 
             (SuDoc number D114.7:C49).
               From 1946 to 1959 Thurmond used the civil affairs/
             military government training material and manuals he 
             collected, along with prior experience and knowledge, as 
             he taught basic and advanced officer courses to officers 
             of the 352d and 360th Military Government Area 
             Headquarters Units.
               From 1948 to 1958 Thurmond was involved with the Reserve 
             Officers Association and the Military Government 
             Association in leadership capacities. In particular, 
             Thurmond served as president of the South Carolina 
             Department of the Reserve Officers Association and as the 
             organization's national president and vice president, and 
             as the national president of the Military Government 
             Association, mentioned above.
               On January 15, 1948, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, 
             Lieutenant Colonel Strom Thurmond was promoted to the rank 
             of colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR). On February 
             20, 1955, at Third Army Headquarters, Fort McPherson, 
             Georgia, Colonel Thurmond was promoted to the rank of 
             brigadier general in the USAR by General A.R. Bolling. And 
             on April 25, 1960, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, 
             Brigadier General Thurmond was promoted to the rank of 
             major general in the USAR by General R.V. Lee, U.S. Army 
             Adjutant General, witnessed by Secretary of the Army 
             Wilber M. Brucker.
               Senator Strom Thurmond (D-SC), as colonel in the USAR, 
             organized the 360th Military Government Area Headquarters 
             (MGAH) Unit on October 1, 1950, and commanded it from that 
             date until January 3, 1954. During the 4 years Colonel 
             Thurmond commanded the 360th MGAH he received various 
             commendations including a superior rating by the South 
             Carolina Military District Headquarters, 3d Army 
             Headquarters, and Army inspectors from Washington, DC, 
             rated his the top reserve unit in 3d Army area.
               During the last two weeks of October 1956, Senator 
             Thurmond, as brigadier general in the USAR, accompanied 
             the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Carter L. Burgess, on 
             an inspection tour of the Far East. Secretary Burgess was 
             traveling in dual capacity as Assistant Secretary of 
             Defense and Vice Chairman of the Defense Advisory 
             Committee on Professional and Technical Compensation, as a 
             part of the Gordiner Committee. They visited Air Force and 
             Army personnel on bases in Alaska, Japan, Okinawa, and 
             Korea. Senator Thurmond made a special point of greeting 
             all service men and women from South Carolina during his 
             visits to each base.
               The last two weeks of September 1957, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond, as brigadier general in the USAR, and 
             Congressman LeRoy H. Anderson (D-MT), as major general in 
             the USAR, during their active tours of duty, visited Air 
             Force and Army personnel at bases in France, Germany, and 
             Italy. Again, Senator Thurmond made an effort to visit 
             with service men and women from South Carolina.
               From October 25 to November 7, 1959, Senator Strom 
             Thurmond, as brigadier general in the USAR, attended a 2-
             week senior officer's course at the U.S. Army Command & 
             General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
               In November 1962, Senator Thurmond, as a major general 
             in the USAR, toured U.S., German and Pakistani bases in 
             Germany and Pakistan with other members of the 
             Congressional Command & Operations Group consisting of 
             Members of Congress and their congressional aids. Senator 
             Ralph W. Yarborough (D-TX), a colonel in the USAR, was a 
             member of the group as was Captain Harry S. Dent, Senator 
             Thurmond's administrative assistant.
               In January 1964, Senator Thurmond, as a major general in 
             the USAR, was one of the 84 students enrolled in the 
             Special Warfare School's Senior Officers Counterinsurgency 
             & Special Warfare Orientation Course at Fort Bragg, North 
             Carolina, where he viewed various demonstrations and 
             presentations including scuba diving.
               And in November 1964, prior to his retirement from the 
             military, Major General Thurmond, again with members of 
             the USAR Congressional Command & Operations Group, 
             consisting of Members of Congress and their congressional 
             aides, visited elements of the Southern European Task 
             Force in Italy. The purpose of the visit was to become 
             familiar with the organization and mission of the bi-
             national command. During the latter part of his trip with 
             the active duty group Major General Thurmond also toured 
             Wheelus Field in Libya.

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