[Senate Document 110-16]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




                                     

                            hon. jesse helms

                                   a

                                   z

                               1921 -2008
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                                     Jesse Helms
 
                   LATE A SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA
                         MEMORIAL ADDRESSES AND
                             OTHER TRIBUTES
                                 IN THE CONGRESS OF
                                  THE UNITED STATES

             
             
                                           
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Jesse Helms

                 




Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office


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                               Memorial Addresses and

                                   Other Tributes

                                 HELD IN THE SENATE

                            AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                OF THE UNITED STATES

                          TOGETHER WITH A MEMORIAL SERVICE

                                     IN HONOR OF

                                     JESSE HELMS

                   Late a Senator from North Carolina

                       One Hundred Tenth Congress

                             Second Session

                                   a

                          
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                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing
                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Brownback, Sam, of Kansas......................
                                                                      7
                    Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky......................
                                                                     20
                    Burr, Richard, of North Carolina...............
                                                                     14
                    Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
                                                                     18
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                      7
                    Corker, Bob, of Tennessee......................
                                                                     24
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                      9
                    Dole, Elizabeth, of North Carolina.............
                                                                     12
                    Ensign, John, of Nevada........................
                                                                     30
                    Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming...................
                                                                     31
                    Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin.............
                                                                     20
                    Graham, Lindsey, of South Carolina.............
                                                                     28
                    Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska......................
                                                                     21
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     25
                    Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
                                                                     19
                    Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
                                                                     23
                    Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota...................
                                                                      6
                    Kyl, Jon, of Arizona...........................
                                                                     22
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                   4, 9
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                      3
                    Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama.................
                                                                     23
                    Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
                                                                     29
                    Warner, John, of Virginia......................
                                                                     27
             Proceedings in the House of Representatives:
                Tributes by Representatives:
                    Brady, Robert A., of Pennsylvania..............
                                                                     36
                    Burton, Dan, of Indiana........................
                                                                     36
                    Foxx, Virginia, of North Carolina..............
                                                                     35
                    Hayes, Robin, of North Carolina................
                                                                     39
                    McHenry, Patrick T., of North Carolina.........
                                                                     37
             Memorial Service......................................
                                                                     41
                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Senator Jesse Helms served for 30 years in the U.S. 
             Senate and retired from the Senate at the end of 2002. He 
             was considered one of the most influential individuals in 
             American Government and received scores of awards for his 
             distinguished service to his State, his country and 
             freedom-loving people around the world.
               Senator Helms was born in Monroe, NC, on October 18, 
             1921. His family and his teachers taught lessons that laid 
             the foundation for a commitment to hard work and 
             excellence. It was also in Monroe that Senator Helms had 
             his first opportunities to work at a newspaper and begin 
             his career in communications.
               Jesse Helms attended Wingate (NC) Junior College (now 
             Wingate Junior University) and Wake Forest College (now 
             Wake Forest University). He holds honorary doctor of law 
             degrees from many universities including Bob Jones 
             University, Grove City College, Campbell University, and 
             Wingate University.
               His first full-time job out of college was as a sports 
             reporter with the Raleigh News and Observer. It was there 
             that he met Dorothy Coble, who was the society reporter. 
             They were married in October 1942 when Senator Helms 
             returned from naval training in San Diego. The Senator had 
             enlisted in the Navy at the start of World War II and was 
             assigned to the recruiting command following training.
               After the war the Senator returned to Raleigh and to a 
             new job as the news editor for the Raleigh Times. He left 
             the newspaper for his first job in broadcasting and 
             established one of the first local news operations on 
             radio in the United States.
               During World War II Helms served in the U.S. Navy. Upon 
             leaving the Navy, Helms held numerous positions in many 
             fields. These included serving as the director of the 
             North Carolina Cerebral Palsy Hospital in Durham, the 
             director of the United Cerebral Palsy of North Carolina, 
             the director of the Wake County Cerebral Palsy and 
             Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh, and serving on the Board 
             of Trustees of Meredith College, John F. Kennedy College, 
             Campbell University, and Wingate University. He served as 
             a deacon and a Sunday School teacher at Hayes Barton 
             Baptist Church in Raleigh, and was one of the founders and 
             served as a director of Camp Willow Run, a youth camp for 
             Christ at Littleton, NC. From 1953 through 1960, Helms was 
             executive director of the North Carolina Bankers 
             Association.
               Positions held in journalism and broadcasting included 
             the city editor of the Raleigh Times, the director of news 
             and programs for the Tobacco Radio Network and radio 
             station WRAL in Raleigh, and the editor of the Tarheel 
             Banker. In 1952 Helms directed the radio-television 
             division of the Presidential campaign of Senator Richard 
             B. Russell, Jr., of Georgia, who was seeking the U.S. 
             Democratic Party nomination. He went on to become the 
             executive vice president, vice chairman of the board and 
             assistant chief executive officer of Capitol Broadcasting 
             Company in Raleigh, NC, from 1960 until his election to 
             the Senate.
               He also wrote and presented daily editorials on WRAL-TV 
             and the Tobacco Radio Network. His editorials were printed 
             regularly in more than 200 newspapers throughout the 
             United States. They were broadcast by more than 70 radio 
             stations in North Carolina.
               By the mid-1960s Senator Helms was the executive vice 
             president for Capitol Broadcasting in Raleigh where he 
             directed an outstanding news operation and personally 
             delivered a daily editorial comment from the station's 
             editorial board. These commentaries were aired on radio 
             over the Tobacco Network the following day and Jesse Helms 
             became a well-known voice around the Carolinas and beyond. 
             It was at the request of many of those listeners and 
             several close friends that Senator Helms agreed to accept 
             the challenge of running for the U.S. Senate. His election 
             in 1972 marked the first time since Reconstruction that a 
             Republican had won any statewide election in North 
             Carolina.
               Helms began his first term in the Senate in January 
             1973; was reelected to a second term on November 7, 1978; 
             to a third term on November 6, 1984; a fourth term on 
             November 6, 1990; and a fifth term on November 7, 1996. 
             Helms retired on January 3, 2003. His seat was taken by 
             Elizabeth Dole, former president of the Red Cross, 
             Presidential Cabinet Member, and 2000 Presidential 
             candidate.
               Helms was noted as a staunch conservative and as a rigid 
             anti-Communist.
               As a U.S. Senator he was a leader in the rise of the 
             modern conservative movement, a trailblazer for men and 
             women who wanted to see their government return to its 
             proper role and turn away from too many taxes and too many 
             giveaways. Senator Helms was one of a handful of 
             conservative lawmakers in 1972, but by the time of his 
             retirement he was a respected member of a group of 
             conservative leaders whose efforts led to significant 
             changes in national policy from welfare reform to strong 
             national defense.
               Throughout his life Senator Helms made the cause of 
             freedom a priority, particularly in the years he served as 
             chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 
             At the same time he held firm to his dedication to uphold 
             the traditional moral values that are embraced by most 
             Americans. From his fearless stand against government-
             funded pornography and his support of the rights of the 
             unborn to his defense of the rights and reputation of the 
             Boy Scouts of America, Senator Helms never turned aside 
             from doing what was right, no matter how many stood with 
             him or how much criticism might have been leveled against 
             him.
               After retiring from the Senate in January 2003, Helms 
             continued working with the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate, 
             NC. In August 2005, Random House published ``Here's Where 
             I Stand,'' a personal memoir.
               He is survived by his wife, the former Dorothy Jane 
             Coble of Raleigh, his three children: Jane (Mrs. Charles 
             R. Knox of Raleigh), Nancy (Mrs. Randy Grigg) of Chapel 
             Hill, and Charles of Winston-Salem, and seven 
             grandchildren.
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                                 MEMORIAL ADDRESSES

                                         AND

                                   OTHER TRIBUTES

                                         FOR

                                     JESSE HELMS
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                                   Monday, July 7, 2008
               Mr. REID. Mr. President, on Friday, the Fourth of July--
             in fact the Fourth of July had just broken; it was an hour 
             and a half after midnight--the Senate lost a Member of our 
             Senate family: Jesse Helms of North Carolina.
               I can't but think of Jesse Helms and the first name that 
             enters my mind is Senator Paul Wellstone. Paul Wellstone, 
             as we all remember, was a Senator from Minnesota. I am 
             sure it seems odd to most people--recognizing their 
             political proclivities; that is, those of Senator 
             Wellstone and those of Senator Helms--why my mind picks up 
             Paul Wellstone upon mentioning the name of Jesse Helms. It 
             is hard to imagine two Senators more divergent in their 
             views.
               Senator Wellstone was clearly a liberal. Senator Helms 
             was clearly a very conservative man. Their views were very 
             divergent, very different. It is no secret because he told 
             everyone when he came to Washington--Paul Wellstone made 
             it clear he didn't like his rightwing colleague from North 
             Carolina, Jesse Helms. He said that openly. But it was not 
             long before Paul Wellstone publicly changed his view of 
             Senator Helms. Senator Wellstone continued to fiercely 
             disagree with Jesse Helms on most issues, but he quickly 
             came to respect him for his sincerity.
               When I came to the Senate, I, similar to all new 
             Senators, was excited to be here and understood what a 
             great honor it was to represent the people of the State of 
             Nevada in the Senate. But one of the last people whom I 
             was going to try to befriend was Jesse Helms. As a 
             moderate Democrat, I found his views extreme. We found 
             little common ground in points of policy, it appeared.
               As a freshman Senator, I enjoyed presiding, as does the 
             presiding officer now presiding over the Senate. I spent 
             my share of time in the seat the presiding officer now 
             has. I enjoyed that very much. During my time, that first 
             2 years I was in the Senate, I watched Jesse Helms right 
             over here to my right, stand and talk often--and a lot. I 
             can remember one time he was here--I was the presiding 
             officer, he was over there--there was not another person 
             in this Chamber. Jesse Helms said to me, as sincerely as 
             anyone could say anything--and he had a distinct speaking 
             voice--he said: ``Mr. President, I don't want to be here 
             on this issue but no one else will come and talk on it.''
               It was an issue dealing with pornography. The speeches 
             Jesse Helms gave were often on issues that other people 
             would not speak out about. I became so impressed with his 
             sincerity, that he wasn't doing what he said for political 
             reasons; he was doing it because that is what he believed. 
             We all have to admire someone such as that, even though we 
             may disagree with what they say.
               I came to understand what Paul Wellstone had come to 
             realize. I came to it before Paul Wellstone did because I 
             got here before he did. Whether you agreed with the 
             Senator from North Carolina, his sincerity and his views 
             and the forthright way in which he stood by them were 
             remarkable. So I believe it is fitting that Jesse Helms' 
             last day on Earth was the Fourth of July. He loved his 
             country. He spent every day doing what he believed was 
             necessary to make it stronger. His wife Dorothy and 
             children, Jane, Nancy, and Charles, along with seven Helms 
             grandchildren and one great-grandchild are in our 
             thoughts.
               Rest well, Jesse Helms.
               I have some other things to say, but perhaps my 
             colleague wants to say something about Senator Helms? If 
             that is the case, I will save my remarks until he 
             finishes.

               Mr. McCONNELL. I thank my friend, the majority leader. 
             Let me just add, Jesse and Dot Helms were good friends of 
             Elaine's and mine and good friends of a lot of other 
             people in the Senate on both sides. There are a 
             significant number of our conference planning to attend 
             the funeral tomorrow. I thank the majority leader for his 
             accommodation of those requests by having the votes on 
             Wednesday morning. At Dot Helms' request, I will be doing 
             one of the eulogies tomorrow at the funeral, and I will 
             have more to say about the life of my good friend Jesse 
             Helms when I get back. But I wish to echo the remarks of 
             the majority leader about what a fine gentleman he was.
               If you took a poll around here of the pages and the 
             people who work in the Capitol about who was the most 
             popular Member, I expect Jesse Helms would have won it--
             which would surprise an awful lot of people in the press 
             and out in America who thought of Senator Helms as sort of 
             a fierce individual. In fact, in person he was as gentle, 
             as accommodating, and as friendly as anybody I have ever 
             met. We all will miss Jesse Helms a great deal.
               I thank the majority leader for giving me an opportunity 
             to make some comments at this point about our good friend 
             Jesse Helms.
               SENATE RESOLUTION 608--RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF JESSE 
              ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., FORMER UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM 
                             THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
               Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mrs. Dole, Mr. 
             Burr, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Allard, Mr. Barrasso, 
             Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Biden, Mr. 
             Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brown, Mr. Brownback, 
             Mr. Bunning, Mr. Byrd, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
             Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Chambliss, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. 
             Coburn, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, 
             Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Craig, Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeMint, 
             Mr. Dodd, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
             Ensign, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
             Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Harkin, 
             Mr. Hatch, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. 
             Isakson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Ms. 
             Klobuchar, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
             Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. 
             Lincoln, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Martinez, Mr. McCain, Mrs. 
             McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. 
             Murray, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. 
             Obama, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, 
             Mr. Salazar, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Sessions, Mr. 
             Shelby, Mr. Smith, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Ms. Stabenow, 
             Mr. Stevens, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. 
             Vitter, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Warner, Mr. Webb, Mr. 
             Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the 
             following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
                                     S. Res. 608
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., born in Monroe, 
             North Carolina on October 18, 1921, spent a 52-year public 
             career dedicating himself to his country, his family, and 
             his home State, representing North Carolina in the United 
             States Senate for 30 years;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., served in the United 
             States Navy from 1942 until 1945;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was educated in the 
             public schools of Monroe, North Carolina and at Wingate 
             Junior College and Wake Forest College, served as city 
             editor of the Raleigh Times, administrative assistant to 
             United States Senators Willis Smith and Alton Lennon, 
             executive director of the North Carolina Bankers 
             Association, member of the Raleigh City Council, and a 
             television and radio executive;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was elected to the 
             United States Senate in 1972, and served as Chairman of 
             the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate 
             Agriculture Committee, ultimately serving five terms, 
             equal to the longest of any Senator from North Carolina;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was a leader against 
             Communism and became the first legislator of any nation to 
             address the United Nations Security Council;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was married for 65 
             years to Dorothy ``Dot'' Coble Helms, whom he termed his 
             ``best friend'' and is the father of three children;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., made invaluable 
             contributions to his community, State, Nation, and the 
             World;
               Now, therefore, be it
               Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow 
             and deep regret the announcement of the death of the 
             Honorable Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., former Member of the 
             United States Senate.
               Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate 
             these resolutions to the House of Representatives and 
             transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the family of the 
             deceased.
               Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns today, it stand 
             in adjournment as a further mark of respect to the memory 
             of the Honorable Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr.
                         ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 10 A.M. TOMORROW
               Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, if there is no further 
             business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous 
             consent that it stand adjourned as a further mark of 
             respect to the memory of former Senator Jesse Helms.
               There being no objection, the Senate, at 7:05 p.m., 
             adjourned until Tuesday, July 8, 2008, at 10 a.m.
                                                  Tuesday, July 8, 2008
                                       prayer
               The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following 
             prayer:
               Let us pray.
               O maker of the seas and the Earth, speak to our hearts 
             today that we may cling to things that cannot fail. Speak 
             to our lawmakers that they may embrace Your purposes and 
             do Your will. Give them rest--not from labor but strength 
             for the work before them. And, God, we also ask You to 
             bless this land. Defend it from the forces that seek to 
             destroy our freedoms. May its citizens never forget that 
             ``righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to 
             any people.''
               Today, be with the family members of former Senator 
             Jesse Helms as they mourn his death. Give traveling 
             mercies to our Senators who will attend the funeral.
               We pray in Your compassionate Name. Amen.

               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I was saddened by the news 
             of the death of our former colleague, Jesse Helms of North 
             Carolina. It was a privilege to work with him when he 
             served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee. He was 
             always courteous and respectful of the interests of all of 
             the members of the committee. His conscientious efforts to 
             be fair and resourceful in achieving a consensus on the 
             provisions of legislation providing Federal Government 
             support for the producers of food and fiber were deeply 
             appreciated by me as a Senator from the State of 
             Mississippi, which is so heavily dependent on farming and 
             agribusiness.
               I also admired his warmhearted and friendly manner. He 
             was the epitome of the Southern gentleman. He was forceful 
             and combative in his arguments in support of the issues he 
             believed in, and he was never afraid to say what he 
             thought, even though he knew he might not be supporting 
             the prevailing view.
               His wife Dot was one of the most precious Senate Wives 
             Club members. My heartfelt sympathies go out to her and 
             all the members of the family of our departed colleague.

               Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a 
             great patriot--and a good friend--who passed away on our 
             Nation's Independence Day.
               It seems somehow so fitting that Senator Jesse Helms 
             should have left us on July 4, the anniversary of 
             America's foundational document. Senator Helms was, above 
             all else, a patriot who loved his country and the ideals 
             we embody as a Nation. And he spent his entire adult life 
             defending those ideals, beginning with his service in the 
             U.S. Navy in World War II.
               Jesse always fought for what he believed in, even at 
             great personal--or political--cost. Two things friends and 
             foes alike acknowledged, and admired, about Senator Helms 
             were that you always knew where he stood and that his word 
             was as good as gold. He was a man of enormous integrity, 
             as all who dealt with him on a personal and professional 
             level can testify.
               While he was a formidable politician, there were some 
             things that, for Jesse, were more important than political 
             success or winning elections.
               He spent much of his three decades in the Senate 
             standing up for the principles he believed so deeply in, 
             even if that meant taking on powerful opposition, 
             sometimes in his own party. But as Jesse famously said, 
             ``I didn't come to Washington to be a `yes man' for any 
             President, Democrat or Republican ... I didn't come to 
             Washington to get along and win any popularity contests.''
               What he did win in Washington was the enduring affection 
             of people on both sides of the political aisle who found 
             that this tough-as-nails politician was also a gracious, 
             generous, compassionate human being. As Linda Chavez so 
             aptly said in tribute to Senator Helms, ``he took his 
             politics seriously, but he didn't use political 
             differences as an excuse for bad manners.'' He embodied 
             Southern charm, good manners, and courtliness. He seemed 
             to recognize that there is never a contradiction between 
             standing up strongly for your political and philosophical 
             principles and always treating people, including those who 
             disagree with you, in a way that always respects their 
             human dignity.
               Nor was this just a public display of good manners--
             Jesse Helms' Christian charity extended to his private 
             life as well. Having been active in the pro-life movement 
             for a long time I can't tell you how many times I have 
             heard the accusation that pro-lifers only care about life 
             from conception to birth--after that, they have no 
             interest in caring for their fellow human beings.
               Well, suffice it to say that Senator Helms disproved 
             this caricature. Jesse and his wife Dot were always what I 
             like to call ``pro-life and whole-life.'' In 1963, after 
             21 years of marriage, they adopted a disabled child, their 
             son Charles, after they read a newspaper article in which 
             the child, who was 9 at the time, wished for a mother and 
             a father for Christmas. Senator Helms never used adopting 
             a child with cerebral palsy to soften his image as a hard, 
             uncaring rightwing ideologue--in fact, he refused to talk 
             about it in interviews. But Charles was, he said, a great 
             blessing and was the center of his family. He served for 
             years on the boards of private charities to help others 
             with cerebral palsy.
               For those young people who had the opportunity to work 
             with him, he was a wonderful mentor. More than anything 
             else, he loved to talk to young people, give them guidance 
             and encouragement, and show them the ropes of public 
             service. Those who knew the dynamics of his office 
             testified that he was always more accessible to young 
             people than he was to high-powered lobbyists. One of his 
             great legacies is the Jesse Helms Center near his hometown 
             of Monroe, NC, an organization centered on young people 
             and dedicated to assuring that future generations fully 
             understand and appreciate the blessings and opportunities 
             of this great country.
               What is perhaps most obvious about Senator Helms was 
             that he was, simply put, a political giant. He was among 
             the first to take up the pro-life cause in Congress, and 
             his dedication to that cause never wavered. He was a 
             lifelong opponent of Communist tyranny, and his leadership 
             in key cold war battles was indispensable. Ronald Reagan 
             never could have achieved all that he did without Senator 
             Helms' strong and steady leadership as chairman of the 
             Foreign Relations Committee.
               And that was not all the Reagan revolution owed to Jesse 
             Helms. Like Ronald Reagan, he left the Democratic Party 
             after many years as a Democrat because he believed it no 
             longer embodied the principles he believed in. He was on 
             the cutting edge of transforming the solid South from the 
             Roosevelt coalition to the Reagan coalition. His support 
             for Ronald Reagan in his State's primary in 1976 was the 
             key to Reagan's victory, and the beginning of the revival 
             of his fortunes that led to the Reagan landslides of 1980 
             and 1984.
               Senator Helms' political leadership will be missed, but 
             his impact on our Nation will remain as his lasting 
             legacy. We mourn the passing of this great American, and 
             we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, his 
             friends, and to the people of his beloved North Carolina 
             and across the Nation who loved him.

               Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the tributes to Senator Helms in the Congressional Record 
             be printed as a Senate document and that Senators be 
             permitted to submit statements for inclusion until August 
             1.
                                                Wednesday, July 9, 2008
               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on one other item, 
             yesterday we said goodbye to our former colleague, Senator 
             Jesse Helms. A significant number of our colleagues were 
             in attendance at the funeral in Raleigh. Since his passing 
             was expected, we certainly did not suffer from shock. It 
             was anticipated that our friend and colleague would soon 
             pass away, so in many respects it was a celebration of the 
             life of a unique and great American.
               I was honored by Mrs. Helms to be asked to do one of the 
             eulogies at the funeral yesterday. I ask that my remarks 
             be printed in the Record for any of our colleagues who 
             might want to see what I had to say on behalf of our 
             friend and colleague yesterday as we bid him farewell.
               I ask unanimous consent to have those remarks printed in 
             the Record.
               There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 
             printed in the Record, as follows:
                       Memorial Service of Senator Jesse Helms
              Remarks of U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell
                                    July 8, 2008
               Dot, Jane, Nancy, Charles, members of the Helms family, 
             Mr. Vice President, Senate colleagues, Reverend Bodkin, 
             distinguished guests, and friends of Jesse Alexander 
             Helms.
               Many good things have been said about Jesse Helms since 
             he left us early Friday morning. And none, I think, was 
             more true than a note that was sent to the Helms Center 
             over the weekend. ``He was caring about those he knew and 
             didn't know,'' it said. ``He wanted others to succeed.''
               In the Senate, he always sought them out. Whether it was 
             the schoolchildren that he met with by the thousands; the 
             staff members he didn't call staff, but family--the Helms 
             Senate family; or the Senate pages he would always stop to 
             talk to, and who would send him notes later on in life to 
             thank him for a kindness, a word of encouragement, or to 
             show him pictures of a newborn baby.
               Over the years, anyone who passed by Jesse Helms in the 
             Capitol, or worked in his office, would remember him as 
             one of the kindest men they ever knew. No matter who you 
             were, he always had a thoughtful word and a gentle smile. 
             He put duty above all else--duty to God, to country, and 
             to family, yes--but also a duty that's often overlooked: 
             the simple duty of treating other people well.
               He never let the seriousness of his job in the Senate 
             become an excuse for pretense.
               Just ask the Senators who always had to make room for 
             Jesse's constituents on the Senators-only elevators. Or 
             the tourists from all the other States who noticed that 
             Senator Helms always put visitors from North Carolina at 
             the front of the Senate subway car when he rode with them. 
             Or the constituents who weren't even from North Carolina, 
             but who could always count on the Helms Senate family to 
             help if their own Representatives didn't. Their boss 
             always made sure of it.
               One of the more notable features of being a Member of 
             the U.S. Senate is that you get to see how different the 
             public image of certain well-known Senators is from the 
             men and women you actually get to know as colleagues and 
             as friends. No one seemed to suffer more from this 
             peculiar disconnect than Jesse Helms. And no one seemed to 
             care about it less.
               I remember walking into his office for the first time 
             and being disarmed by his kindness, and then stepping into 
             his private office and being disarmed again at seeing an 
             entire wall covered with some of the nastiest political 
             cartoons I'd ever seen. Every one was critical of Jesse. 
             And he loved them. Visitors would come into his office, 
             look at the wall, look back at Jesse, and he'd just smile.
               There was a lesson here: You can let your adversaries 
             beat you down, or you can let it roll off your back. Jesse 
             taught many of us to do the latter, and we were grateful 
             for the advice.
               Staffers learned how to deal with the critics too. One 
             time, after a particularly harsh editorial in the New York 
             Times, a new Helms staffer dashed off a harsh response and 
             brought it in to the boss for his review. Jesse read it, 
             patted the young man on the shoulder, and said, ``Son, 
             just so you understand: I don't care what the New York 
             Times says about me.''
               He had a kind of preternatural calm about what other 
             people said. But for Jesse, standing on principle and 
             fighting back in defense of one's views was never to be 
             confused with animosity for one's adversaries. Political 
             disagreements were never a reason to treat others badly. 
             As one of his Democratic colleagues put it over the 
             weekend: ``He was always a gentleman.''
               When he fought back, he did it in the most effective way 
             he knew how. Nobody knew the rules of the Senate better 
             than Jesse Helms, and no one used them against his 
             adversaries to more frustrating effect. There's a saying 
             in Washington: Whenever a Member of Congress looks into 
             the mirror, he sees a future President. But Jesse Helms 
             was always an exception to the rule. He never saw himself 
             as anything other than a Senator. And he played the role 
             masterfully.
               Of course, there was one person whose opinion did 
             matter. And, as I recall, she was never one to hold back. 
             If Jesse gave a speech that was a little too long, he'd be 
             sure to hear about it in the car ride home. And, unlike 
             the editorial writers, Jesse always took Dot's wise 
             counsel to heart.
               It's ironic, of course, that Jesse Helms would find his 
             wife in a newsroom--ironic that someone who had so little 
             use for newspapers would have started out at one. But he 
             always remembered those early days at the News & Observer 
             fondly. He remembered that the best path to his desk was 
             the path that led him past Dorothy Coble's desk.
               He took that path often. And soon enough, he and Dot 
             were covering the news together, and becoming close 
             friends over late-night steak dinners at the Hollywood 
             Cafe. Decades later, looking back on all the state dinners 
             and all the visits from various dignitaries and world 
             leaders, Jesse would say those dinners with Dot at the 
             Hollywood Cafe were, for him, the most memorable.
               Dot, you had the perfect partnership. We miss you in 
             Washington. And we honor you today too, for your devotion 
             and your strength, especially in these last years, which 
             haven't been easy, we know.
               Jesse Helms was not above sharing the secret of his 
             success with anyone who asked.
               One time, a college student who admired him called his 
             office on a whim to see if Senator Helms would be willing 
             to speak to a college group he ran. The boy was shocked 
             when Senator Helms himself cut in on the phone line and 
             said, ``I'll do it.'' But he was shocked even more when, 
             on the day of the speech, he asked Senator Helms for the 
             one piece of advice he'd give a young man just starting 
             out in politics. ``Son, find yourself a good wife.''
               It has been noted by many others how fitting it should 
             be for a man who spent his entire adult life talking about 
             the ``miracle of America'' to pass away on Independence 
             Day. It was no less fitting, I should think, for a man who 
             did so much to promote the vision of the American Founding 
             Fathers to have come from as modest a background as so 
             many of the men who secured it in battle.
               That too, of course, has always been a part of the 
             Miracle of America: that an army of castaways, one-third 
             of whom didn't even have shoes, could defeat the British 
             Army. That a boy from Kentucky whose father couldn't even 
             sign his own name would go on to write the words of the 
             Gettysburg Address. Or that a policeman's son from Monroe, 
             NC, could, in his own time, have such a powerful effect on 
             the course of human events. Jesse Helms rose the way so 
             many others in our country have from its earliest days, 
             not by inheriting something, but by building something.
               He was a product of the public schools, but his most 
             important education came from the home. In the Helms 
             household, Jesse said, it was not uncommon for him to wake 
             up and find his mother cooking breakfast for the hobos 
             that his father had rounded up the night before. And on 
             Sundays, the whole family would worship together at the 
             First Baptist Church on Main Street in Monroe.
               It was the kind of home where a young boy could learn a 
             boundless hope in the promise of America. It was the kind 
             of place where a young boy could learn about the 
             importance of strong principles, and the importance of 
             fighting for them, regardless of the personal cost.
               I remember once, as a young Senator, walking into the 
             Republican cloakroom, and seeing what that kind of 
             tenacity looked like: a lone Senator, sitting in the 
             corner. Jesse had put the rest of us in some parliamentary 
             tangle about one thing or another. He'd ground the place 
             to a halt. And he was completely comfortable with the 
             whole situation. It was truly something to behold.
               Once, after a disastrous early battle in the 
             Revolutionary War, John Adams was asked for an 
             explanation. ``In general,'' he said, ``their generals 
             outgeneraled our generals.'' For the last three decades of 
             the 20th century, the same would never be said of a 
             certain North Carolina lawmaker whenever he decided to 
             take on an issue in the U.S. Senate. Jesse Helms always 
             held his ground.
               Many others who never saw Jesse Helms on the Senate 
             floor have noted with admiration the same qualities over 
             these past days. One man from Florida wrote that Cuban 
             Americans will never forget his staunch opposition to the 
             Castro regime. And one of Jesse's many unlikely friends on 
             the international stage, Bono, left a tribute at the Helms 
             Center that many men could only dream of.
               ``Give Dot and the family my love,'' it said. ``And tell 
             them there are two million people alive today in Africa 
             because Jesse Helms did the right thing.''
               Today, we are sad at the passing of our friend, but we 
             are consoled by the promises of a God he loved. Jesse 
             Helms was once asked whether he had any ambitions beyond 
             the Senate. ``The only thing I am running for,'' he said, 
             ``is the Kingdom of Heaven.''
               Now that day which comes to all of us has come for Jesse 
             Helms. And we are confident that he has heard those words 
             he longed to hear: ``Well done, good and faithful servant 
             ... Come and share in your Master's joy.''

               Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, yesterday, hundreds of 
             people from all walks of life and across the political 
             spectrum traveled from near and far to Hayes Barton 
             Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, to pay their final respects 
             to U.S. Senator Jesse Helms and to express condolences to 
             his beloved wife, Dot, and their family.
               In the days since Jesse's July 4 passing, we have heard 
             it said by many: ``You knew where Jesse Helms stood.'' As 
             my husband, Bob Dole said, ``You didn't have to look under 
             the table. You always knew where Jesse was.''
               Even those who disagreed with Jesse on an issue could 
             respect the fact that he always stood tall and firm--for 
             his convictions, his faith, his family, his home State of 
             North Carolina, and the United States of America.
               When I announced that I was running to succeed Senator 
             Helms--and I have always said ``succeed'' him because no 
             one could replace him--I pledged to continue his 
             commitment to constituent service that was second to none. 
             He helped thousands upon thousands of North Carolinians, 
             Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. No problem 
             was too small or too great for Jesse and his staff to take 
             on during his 30 years of service for the people of our 
             State and the Nation.
               I can still hear my father saying, ``Jesse Helms is our 
             watchdog. He's a relentless watchdog for North Carolina 
             and for America!'' And Jesse often recalled that my mother 
             was in the front row at his very first rally in Rowan 
             County. Through the years, Jesse unfailingly phoned my 
             mother on her May 22 birthday, and she lived to be just 4 
             months short of 103 years old. In fact, Jesse would often 
             stay late at his Senate office, making thoughtful phone 
             calls and writing personal letters to constituents, 
             colleagues, and friends.
               For all his small gestures of kindness and his great 
             acts of service, Jesse Helms was not driven by self-
             serving motives. He did not seek recognition for good 
             deeds, or public acclaim for success. Jesse shunned the 
             spotlight of the Sunday morning talk shows. The people he 
             served from North Carolina, he said, weren't watching, 
             they, like he and Dot, were in church.
               In 1997, Fred Barnes wrote a piece in the Weekly 
             Standard that proclaimed: ``Next to Ronald Reagan, Jesse 
             Helms is the most important conservative of the last 25 
             years ... and the most inner-directed person in 
             Washington.'' And Fred adds, ``No conservative save Reagan 
             comes close to matching Helms' influence on American 
             politics and policy in the quarter century since he won a 
             Senate seat in North Carolina.'' Of course many have said 
             that President Reagan might never have been elected at all 
             without the help of Jesse Helms in the 1976 North Carolina 
             primary--a win most pundits credit with rejuvenating the 
             Reagan campaign--and setting Ronald Reagan up to win the 
             nomination 4 years later.
               On the national political stage, Jesse Helms was known 
             by both fans and critics as a tough-as-nails Senator who 
             was a relentless fighter for the causes he believed in. A 
             master of the Senate rules, he would use them to call up 
             votes that required his colleagues to go on the record on 
             difficult issues. He believed the American people were 
             entitled to know their representatives' positions. But it 
             was Jesse's kindness to Senate employees, his pride in his 
             staff and his love for helping youngsters that made him 
             absolutely legendary. He would ask the Senate pages, 
             ``Would you like to go down and have some ice cream in the 
             Senate Dining Room?'' Imagine the thrill for these young 
             people when the renowned chairman of the Senate Foreign 
             Relations Committee took time out to sit down and talk 
             with them over ice cream.
               A gentleman always, Jesse was known for his civility 
             among his colleagues, the elevator operators, the Capitol 
             Hill police, and all who worked throughout the Capitol.
               This past Monday evening, the Senate approved a 
             resolution--cosponsored by all 100 Senators--honoring the 
             life, career, and great achievements of Jesse Alexander 
             Helms, Jr. His public career certainly yielded many 
             notable accomplishments--as a leader in the fight against 
             communism, as a staunch protector of U.S. sovereignty, as 
             a reformer of the United Nations, and as the first 
             legislator of any nation to address the United Nations 
             Security Council.
               That said, in keeping with Jesse's character and his own 
             commitment to himself not to become a ``big-shot 
             Senator,'' he would probably like for us to consider that 
             his greatest accomplishments were in his roles as husband, 
             father, grandfather, and friend.
               My husband Bob and I are forever grateful that we were 
             able to call Jesse Helms a friend and colleague for so 
             many years, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the 
             Helms family in this difficult time.

               Mr. BURR. Madam President, I rise to honor a friend, a 
             mentor, and a colleague I thought was a true statesman. I 
             mourn the passing of one of North Carolina's greatest 
             sons, Senator Jesse Helms. Senator Helms passed away last 
             Friday, the Fourth of July, a very fitting day for Senator 
             Helms to leave because of his deep belief in the 
             independence of this country, in the liberties and 
             freedoms we have.
               It says a lot when you can simply mention a man's first 
             name in his home State and everyone knows exactly who you 
             are talking about. Jesse, as most North Carolinians 
             referred to him, was a true gentleman. He was a good man 
             who fought hard for what he believed in. Some core 
             principles--free enterprise, traditional values, and a 
             strong national defense--guided his 30 years of service in 
             this institution, the Senate. He never relented in his 
             pursuit to defend his beliefs or to stand up for his 
             constituents, and he wouldn't shy away from an unpopular 
             idea. Jesse Helms was a fearless, honest man who was 
             considered by all who actually knew him as a true patriot. 
             Those he served with on both sides of the aisle considered 
             him one of the most influential Members to enter service 
             in this body. You may not have agreed with him on every 
             issue or any issue, and you may have been disappointed by 
             some of the positions he took, but he was respectful, a 
             soft-spoken man with an impeccable character and a 
             professional and personal integrity that could never, ever 
             be challenged.
               It speaks volumes that one of his closest friends among 
             his colleagues was the late Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. 
             Both men were, to borrow from Senator Helms' description 
             of Senator Wellstone, ``courageous defenders of what they 
             believed.''
               Senator Helms harbored honored qualities that today too 
             often are taken for granted. If Jesse Helms looked you in 
             the eye and gave you his word, you could count on him to 
             deliver. Jesse's word was better than any written 
             agreement or signed contract. He was a man you could trust 
             when you shook his hand.
               Certainly, a contributor to these qualities was his 
             humble origins in the small town of Monroe, NC. I can 
             speak for days attempting to describe the full impact that 
             Senator Helms had on my home State of North Carolina and 
             the impact he had on this great Nation. But Jesse Helms 
             was more than a champion of one State or one Nation. He 
             was a global force and was always willing to stand up to 
             oppressive governments, dictatorships, and ineffective 
             international organizations. Some of the more 
             controversial positions he voiced during the course of his 
             career might have clouded the mammoth change his service 
             to our Nation brought to the entire world.
               As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, he 
             wasn't afraid to boldly speak his mind in the interest of 
             defeating international tyranny, promoting U.S. 
             sovereignty, and solidifying our Nation's place as the 
             leader of the free world. His global influence is still 
             noticeable in many ways within the international arena.
               Among his historic accomplishments were his tireless 
             efforts toward the much-needed reforms of the United 
             Nations. For a legislator, Jesse wielded a unique 
             international prominence that was proven when he was 
             invited to be the first legislator from any nation to 
             address the United Nations Security Council. Through his 
             service, Jesse made our country safer. But his passion for 
             protecting our national security, assuring our global 
             distinction, and preserving our valuable individual 
             democratic freedoms ran much deeper than his broad foreign 
             policy work might suggest.
               One of Jesse's most impressive qualities was that he 
             never lost sight of his role in Washington. He knew that 
             as Senators, we are sent here to serve the constituents of 
             our home States, not with the power of the position. Jesse 
             Helms focused his most unwavering efforts toward seeing 
             every single one of the constituents who contacted his 
             office. It is a path I have endeavored to follow, and I am 
             grateful to him for having provided that model. If you 
             were from North Carolina and you had a question you wanted 
             answered by the Federal Government, Jesse would get you 
             the answer. It didn't matter what your political 
             affiliation happened to be or who you supported in an 
             election. Jesse Helms mastered the art of constituent 
             service. It wasn't unusual for him to pick up the phone 
             himself, call a civil servant at a Federal agency working 
             on a particular piece of case work that was lingering 
             unresolved, and directly ask for an answer himself. That 
             is the kind of man Senator Helms was. He wasn't interested 
             in the rank-and-file bureaucratic hierarchy of the Federal 
             Government. He wanted answers to questions, questions that 
             his hardworking, Federal tax-paying constituents had. So 
             in his gentle and respectful tone, he would simply ask for 
             an answer.
               Constituents knew they could turn to their home State 
             Senator to solve their problems. Even if they disagreed 
             with Jesse's politics, they knew he would help them. It 
             will surprise no one who reads his memoirs that he 
             dedicates an entire chapter to constituent service. I read 
             it as a tribute to those who worked for Senator Helms on 
             behalf of North Carolina for so many years. The stories 
             about his focus on constituent service sound almost 
             legendary. I am sure many of my colleagues, and no doubt a 
             number of North Carolinians, have heard the one about two 
             liberals chatting about the problem one of them was having 
             in getting a Federal agency to respond to a question of 
             one kind or another. It could have been about a problem 
             with a Social Security check or a disability payment or 
             any of the hundred other things that congressional offices 
             deal with on behalf of their constituents on a daily 
             basis.
               One was complaining to the other that they were at the 
             end of their rope. They are tired of everything, including 
             their Congressional Representative. The other one listened 
             intently, nodding in sympathy with the plight of their 
             friend. When the friend was done talking, the other 
             thought for a moment and finally said: ``I hate to say it, 
             but it is time for you to call Jesse.''
               When it came to constituent service, ``Senator No,'' as 
             he was often referred to by his critics, was more often 
             than not actually ``Senator Yes.''
               John Wooden, the great basketball coach, once said: 
             ``You can't live a perfect day without doing something for 
             someone who will never be able to repay you.'' Jesse Helms 
             lived his days in the Senate by that creed.
               Senator Helms proved that you do not need to win by a 
             landslide to make policy or to make a difference. As he 
             might put it, he campaigned and legislated based upon his 
             principles rather than his preferences. Those principles 
             and his constituents guided his public service. He was 
             successful in his work, however, because of his 
             willingness to take a stand.
               Much has been made, of course, about Jesse Helms' stands 
             against programs and spending that he felt were misguided 
             or were not a proper responsibility of the Federal 
             Government. Those stands had a tendency to be 
             misunderstood. If you did not know where Senator Helms 
             stood on an issue, it was probably because you did not 
             ask.
               Madam President, today I thank Jesse Helms. I thank 
             Senator Helms for his service, for his leadership, for the 
             fact that he was willing to take a stand, a stand that was 
             not popular every time, a stand that he believed was 
             right, not because of any political influence but because 
             of what he understood this job to be about.
               Jesse Helms today enters a house that I think he looked 
             forward to being in. It is not the House of Congress. But 
             truly, Jesse Helms was greeted with the sound of angels 
             and the words ``good job.''
               Today, our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Dot 
             and their entire family. His Senate colleagues miss him. 
             But the Senate is a much better institution today for the 
             30 years of service of Senator Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr.
               Madam President, I yield the floor.

               Mr. BYRD. Madam President, back in the 1960s, Jesse 
             Helms was the commentator for WRAL radio in North 
             Carolina, and on his radio program he offered me support 
             and comfort for some controversial views which I held at 
             the time.
               Although he had worked as a staffer for two different 
             Senators, as far as I knew, Jesse Helms and I had never 
             met. But there he was, in Raleigh, NC, in a series of 
             radio commentaries, defending my right to take positions 
             based on my personal convictions and values. He said I was 
             a Senator whose ``greatest strength'' was my ``dedicated 
             independence of thought and action.'' I was a Senator who 
             was ``neither easily frightened nor intimidated.'' A 
             Senator who always ``stood up for what he regards as 
             important.''
               I appreciated his support during those trying times. I 
             never forgot it.
               Therefore, when Jesse Helms was elected to the Senate in 
             1972, it seemed that we were already well acquainted. We 
             became friends as we came to know each other, and to 
             respect each other.
               Jesse Helms was a courtly Southern gentleman of the 
             first order, a product of the South and his beloved North 
             Carolina, which happens to be my native State. Jesse Helms 
             was also a deeply religious man of integrity, honesty, and 
             patriotism.
               He believed in the Constitution. He believed in the 
             Senate as an institution and in its premier place in our 
             government. Senator Helms was one of those rare Senators 
             who was never looking for another office. He wanted to be 
             a Senator. He was grateful to be able to serve the people 
             of North Carolina and the United States in this Chamber.
               And he certainly made his presence felt here in the U.S. 
             Senate. During his years in the Senate, he served as 
             chairman of the Senate Agricultural Committee and the 
             Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
               More than once, Senator Helms was the singular ``no'' 
             vote on a particular matter, for example, the Frank 
             Carlucci nomination as Secretary of Defense, November 20, 
             1987, 91 to 1: Elementary and Secondary Education 
             Improvement Act of 1987, December 1, 1987, 97 to 1, S. 
             373. He proudly wore his well earned title of ``Senator 
             No.''
               No matter what the press said, no matter what the 
             pundits were saying, no matter what even his colleagues 
             were saying, he never wavered in his convictions. The 
             ``paramount thing'' for political leaders, Senator Helms 
             once explained, ``is whether a man believes in [his] 
             principles ... and whether he is willing to stand up for 
             them, win or lose.''
               Consequently, we always knew where Senator Helms stood. 
             Take an issue--abortion, prayer in school, Presidential 
             nominations, reducing the deficit, taxes, government 
             waste, the future of this country--if you did not already 
             know where he stood, he was always ready to tell you.
               Some of his positions were unpopular. Some of them 
             seemed extreme and doomed from the start.
               But his differences with his Senate colleagues were 
             always political, not personal. They were differences of 
             opinions, not of heart.
               Madam President, I express my most heartfelt condolences 
             to the family and friends of this extraordinary Senator.

               Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute 
             to the memory of our former colleague, Senator Jesse 
             Helms, who passed away, fittingly, on Independence Day, a 
             day which meant so much to him.
               A great deal has been written and said about Senator 
             Helms. He was a man who provoked strong feelings--both pro 
             and con--and he enjoyed being the subject of spirited 
             discussions.
               It is well known and well told that Senator Helms could 
             be, and often was, a tough opponent but also could be and 
             often was an invaluable ally.
               He was a man of strongly held, deeply held views and was 
             never hesitant to share those views with the rest of the 
             Senate.
               But it is less well known that Jesse Helms was a kind 
             and considerate colleague. Fifteen years ago, he welcomed 
             a new Member from Texas into the Senate. I always 
             appreciated his advice and his love of the Senate as an 
             institution.
               Jesse Helms began as an editor at a newspaper in North 
             Carolina and then went to a TV station in Raleigh. It was 
             the notoriety which he gained from being a TV commentator 
             which led him to the U.S. Senate.
               Today we have many former colleagues who started in the 
             U.S. Senate and are now TV commentators. It was typical of 
             Jesse to do it the opposite way.
               He once said of his career in the Senate, ``I would like 
             to be remembered as a fella who did the best he could and 
             didn't back down when he thought he was right.''
               Jesse Helms was a man who had the courage to stand 
             against the often transient winds of political 
             convenience. He wasn't always right. He was right a good 
             part of the time, but he was always Jesse.

               Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, everyone in this Chamber is 
             saddened by the loss of our former colleague from North 
             Carolina, Jesse Helms. Many of us served with him, and 
             know how dedicated a public servant he was. I didn't 
             always agree with him; in fact, we disagreed much of the 
             time. But one of the many wonderful things about working 
             in the Senate is finding ways to work together with 
             colleagues who have very different beliefs and goals for 
             the good of the country.
               Senator Helms and I shared a commitment to ensuring that 
             the United States only entered into trade agreements that 
             are fair to the hardworking men and women of this country. 
             I appreciated his commitment to that issue, and I was 
             pleased to work with him to support fair trade.
               I also served with Senator Helms as a member of the 
             Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. He served as 
             chairman for many years, and during that time we also 
             found common ground on the issue of most-favored-nation, 
             MFN, status for China. Senator Helms and I worked together 
             in opposition to granting MFN status to a country with 
             such gross human rights violations. Together, we led the 
             fight against MFN because it ignored the appalling human 
             rights abuses in China, and abdicated the Senate's 
             responsibility to exert pressure on the Chinese Government 
             to improve its record on human rights.
               In the wake of Senator Helms' passing, people will 
             remember him for the many different things he accomplished 
             in his lifetime. I add these memories to those 
             remembrances of Senator Helms, who led such a full life 
             inside and outside of public service. My thoughts are with 
             his family, and the people of North Carolina he served 
             with such dedication for 30 years.

               Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I would like to pay 
             tribute to a friend and great American Senator who, 
             fittingly, left us on the Fourth of July--the same day as 
             two of our Nation's Founders: Thomas Jefferson and John 
             Adams--at the age of 86.
               In terms of a U.S. Senator, Jesse Helms was a 
             heavyweight. Jesse Helms was relentless in his fight to 
             defend the ideals that embody America. And no matter what 
             policy Jesse Helms was defending during a debate, everyone 
             could agree on one thing: you always knew where he stood 
             and that he was a man of his word. A devoted and outspoken 
             conservative, his principles of small government and 
             individual freedom served as an international microphone 
             for American creed during the cold war and beyond.
               While Jesse's political life was open to everyone, I had 
             the distinct honor of knowing him on a personal level. In 
             1998, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives 
             for over a decade, I came to the Senate and was quickly 
             greeted by Senator Helms--apparently Senator Helms knew a 
             conservative when he saw one. As someone who shared many 
             of the same philosophical views as Jesse Helms, we would 
             often discuss contentious issues that arose before the 
             Senate. During these moments I realized that behind his 
             hard public image, Jesse Helms was one of the most 
             compassionate and sincere men I had ever met. This 
             affectionate and friendly attitude brought out the 
             Southern gentleman whom we all loved.
               I will miss Senator Helms' political leadership, but I 
             am happy his impact on our country lives on. Mary and I 
             send our thoughts and prayers to his wife Dot and their 
             family as they mourn for their loss and remember an 
             extraordinary life.
                                                Thursday, July 10, 2008
               Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
             our friend and former colleague, Senator Jesse Helms of 
             North Carolina. When Senator Helms passed away on the 
             Fourth of July, our country lost a patriot and a strong 
             conservative voice.
               Senator Helms' life was about public service. During 
             World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he first 
             developed his commitment to a strong U.S. military and 
             America's security at home and abroad. He served in a 
             number of public roles in Washington, DC, and in his home 
             State of North Carolina, and in 1972 was elected to the 
             U.S. Senate--a position he held for five consecutive 
             terms.
               Senator Helms was chairman of the Senate Foreign 
             Relations Committee when I came to the Senate in 1996, 
             where I have served for 12 years. As chairman, he 
             consistently maintained a powerful and determined voice in 
             his efforts to strengthen America. I will always be 
             grateful for his many personal courtesies and his constant 
             encouragement and assistance over the 6 years that we 
             worked together.
               Senator Helms was outspoken, strong-minded, and 
             unwavering in his beliefs. He was a leader who will be 
             missed. Lilibet and I extend our thoughts and prayers to 
             Jesse's widow and our friend Dot and his wonderful family.
                                                 Tuesday, July 15, 2008
               Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to my late 
             colleague, Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina. Other 
             Senators have spoken at length in remembrance of our 
             friend, recalling the man and his many accomplishments in 
             this body. It was wonderful to hear the tributes by 
             friends and family at his services in Raleigh, NC.
               It was my good fortune to come to the Senate when 
             Senator Helms was leading a lot of fights for a strong 
             America. Senator Helms took charge of the Foreign 
             Relations Committee at the same time I arrived in the 
             Senate. From that perch as chairman, he steadfastly 
             defended the Nation's interests. Senator Helms relished 
             defending his principles, and I am sure he enjoyed his 
             victories.
               One such victory in this body is of particular note to 
             me, for I was privileged to play a part in it. In 1999, in 
             Senator Helms' fifth and final term in office, the 
             Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was before the Senate, and 
             it was poised for ratification. But, with his support and 
             blessing, I helped secure the votes to defeat the treaty, 
             and it fell far short of the two-thirds vote that had at 
             one time seemed assured.
               That is but one of the many victories for U.S. national 
             security in which Jesse Helms was involved in his three 
             decades in the Senate.
               Senator Helms fought some of most contentious and 
             courageous fights in the Senate on issues of profound 
             significance. Yet even when the stakes were so high that 
             they involved preserving and safeguarding this Nation, 
             Senator Helms remained unfailingly courteous. He held to 
             his principles even when they were not popular, but he did 
             so in a way that did not damage friendships.
               My wife Caryll and I offer our sympathies to Jesse's 
             wife Dot and their family. Senator Helms took the 
             positions he judged to be right and he didn't flinch. He 
             was a kind and gentle man who deeply believed in his 
             country, his family, and his God.
                                               Wednesday, July 16, 2008
               Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I was saddened by the news 
             of the death of our former colleague, Jesse Helms of North 
             Carolina.
               He was a man of strong convictions, even if it meant 
             being in opposition of his own party. He fought for what 
             he believed, and he stood by his word. It was a privilege 
             to work with Senator Helms, even though we disagreed on 
             policy matters we were able to do what we could for the 
             love of our country.
               Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
             paying tribute to this magnificent Senator, a great 
             American, and a true patriot. He will be missed.

               Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute 
             to my honorable colleague, Senator Jesse Helms. North 
             Carolina's longest serving popularly elected Senator, 
             Jesse was a good friend and a true conservative. I join 
             the entire Nation in mourning his passing.
               Jesse was born in Monroe, NC, on October 18, 1921. He 
             attended Wingate University and Wake Forest University and 
             had a successful career in newspapers, first as a sports 
             reporter for the Raleigh Times and later as the paper's 
             city news editor. He also served as a recruiter for the 
             U.S. Navy during World War II and worked in radio and 
             television.
               In the 1950s Helms began to pursue his interest in 
             politics, working on Willis Smith's U.S. Senate campaign 
             and later in his Senate office. Helms also worked on 
             Senator Richard Russell's Presidential campaign and I. 
             Beverly Lake, Sr.'s gubernatorial campaign. After these 
             efforts, Jesse went back to journalism serving as the 
             Capitol Broadcasting Company's executive vice president, 
             vice chairman of the board and assistant chief executive 
             officer. From these positions, Jesse gained local 
             celebrity as a conservative commentator on the Raleigh-
             based TV station.
               His notoriety in the area led to a 4-year position on 
             the Raleigh City Council. Jesse remained at the Capitol 
             Broadcasting Company until 1972, when he became the first 
             Republican elected to the Senate from North Carolina in 
             the 20th century. Jesse served North Carolina well as 
             chairman of both the Agriculture and Foreign Relations 
             Committees. While in the Senate, Jesse was a conservative 
             leader who worked tirelessly for small government, sound 
             foreign policy, and strong communities.
               After serving five terms in the U.S. Senate, Jesse 
             retired and returned to North Carolina, where he wrote and 
             published his memoir, ``Here's Where I Stand.'' He also 
             continued his work with the Jesse Helms Center, a 
             nonprofit organization started in 1987 to promote the 
             principles Jesse felt so strongly about--democracy, free 
             enterprise, and strong values.
               In my time with Jesse in the Senate, I knew him to be 
             honest, hardworking, and committed to the people of North 
             Carolina and this Nation. It is fitting that he passed 
             away on Independence Day, as Jesse was certainly an 
             independent man who loved this country and the values for 
             which it stands.
               Jesse is loved and will be missed by his wife of 66 
             years, Dorothy; his son Charles; his two daughters, Jane 
             and Nancy; and seven grandchildren. He was an inspiration 
             to many and will be remembered for his dedication and many 
             contributions to North Carolina and this Nation. I ask the 
             entire Senate to join me in recognizing and honoring the 
             life of Jesse Helms.
                                                Thursday, July 24, 2008
               Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, today we remember and 
             celebrate the life of the great Senator from North 
             Carolina, Jesse Helms.
               Senator Helms dedicated much of his life to serving his 
             country and the people of North Carolina. He developed a 
             lasting legacy as a man who held to his convictions and 
             championed the causes he believed in so deeply.
               He began his career in the U.S. Navy during World War 
             II, where he was assigned as a recruiter. After the war, 
             he became involved in North Carolina politics and 
             campaigned for Senator Willis Smith, later serving on his 
             staff. Senator Helms continued to establish himself, 
             working as a political commentator for local Raleigh 
             newspapers and radio stations. In 1957, Senator Helms was 
             elected to the Raleigh City Council, where he served with 
             the same conviction that he would later bring to the 
             Senate.
               He was first elected to the Senate in 1972 and was 
             reelected four more times, making him the longest serving 
             U.S. Senator in North Carolina history. He quickly became 
             known for his unfailing dedication to upholding 
             traditional American values and protecting freedom. He 
             said, ``The challenge is always before us. Whenever we 
             lose sight of the principles that mattered to our Founders 
             we run into trouble.''
               During his tenure in the Senate, Helms served on the 
             Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was chairman from 
             1995 to 2001. Under his leadership, the committee played a 
             powerful role in setting U.S. foreign policy.
               Senator Helms will be greatly missed and remembered as 
             one of the most influential Senators of his time.
                                                  Friday, July 25, 2008
               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak today about 
             former Senator Jesse Helms, who passed away on July 4, 
             2008, at the age of 86. I knew Senator Helms well, and I 
             am sure I am joined by many of my colleagues in saying 
             that he will be missed.
               Senator Helms was born in Monroe, NC, in 1921. His first 
             full-time job was as a sportswriter for the Raleigh Times. 
             After serving as a recruiter for the U.S. Navy during 
             World War II, Senator Helms became the city news editor 
             for the Times before moving on to do journalistic work in 
             both radio and television. In 1960 he began working at the 
             Capitol Broadcasting Company in Raleigh as the executive 
             vice president, vice chairman of the board, and assistant 
             CEO. He became famous in his home State for his daily CBC 
             editorials, which featured his now-famous Southern 
             anecdotes occasionally laced with his sometimes 
             provocative political views.
               Prior to coming to the Senate, Senator Helms' only 
             political experience consisted of two terms on the Raleigh 
             City Council. However, in 1972, Senator Helms became the 
             first Republican Senator elected from North Carolina in 
             the 20th century, replacing the retiring Senator B. 
             Everett Jordan.
               During his three-decade tenure in the Senate, Jesse 
             became known as one of the Chamber's staunchest 
             conservatives. His refusal to compromise on his beliefs 
             was the source of both his greatest strength as a 
             legislator and, as I am sure some would argue, his 
             greatest weakness. Indeed, I don't think there are any of 
             us who served alongside Senator Helms who did not, at one 
             time or another, find themselves in a disagreement with 
             him.
               However, while I didn't always agree with Jesse, I do 
             have a number of fond personal memories of him.
               For example, when I first came to the Senate in 1977, 
             Senator Helms was nearing the end of his first term. About 
             3 months into that first session, still becoming 
             acclimated to life in the Senate, I took a few moments to 
             write down some of my early impressions of my fellow 
             Senators. About Jesse, I wrote that he was ``one of the 
             dearest people in the Senate,'' and that he had always 
             treated me with kindness and respect. I also noticed that, 
             despite having a reputation for being an unmovable 
             conservative, he had a knowledge of parliamentary 
             procedure and tactics that was virtually unmatched.
               A couple years later, I witnessed this knowledge first 
             hand when Senator Helms and I found ourselves on the same 
             side of the debate over what was being called a ``labor 
             reform'' bill. Sadly, as I was working with a number of my 
             colleagues to sustain a filibuster against this 
             unabashedly radically liberal pro-union legislation, our 
             friend Senator James Allen passed away. While we were all 
             saddened by the loss of our dear friend, at the back of 
             our minds we were worried that, without Senator Allen's 
             mastery of Senate procedure, our efforts might fail. 
             However, Senator Helms stepped up and provided much-needed 
             insight, helping us to block this harmful legislation. At 
             one point during this debate, while many of us were 
             worried about the strength of the filibuster, Senator 
             Helms assured us, saying that we would keep the necessary 
             Senators on the floor ``if they have to wear their pajamas 
             and bedroom slippers.''
               I believe we were all surprised during the latter part 
             of Senator Helms' tenure when he coauthored the landmark 
             2002 legislation authorizing funds that were, at that 
             time, unparalleled for international AIDS relief. Many of 
             his colleagues, including myself, had sparred with Jesse 
             over providing support for AIDS relief and research. But, 
             in those last few months of his Senate career, I believe 
             he showed the world that, while he wasn't always the most 
             agreeable of politicians, he was a compassionate man who 
             was committed to doing what he thought was right.
               Mr. President, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to 
             the Helms family. As I said, Jesse and I did not always 
             agree on the issues before the Senate, but I can say, 
             without reservation, that he was a dedicated public 
             servant and dear friend to those of us who knew him well.
                                                Thursday, July 31, 2008
               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute 
             to a fellow Senator, a friend, and a true Southern 
             gentleman, Senator Jesse Helms, who passed away on July 4, 
             2008. He was a man resolute in his beliefs. I have heard 
             many say here in the Senate, as well as outside the 
             Capitol Grounds, that regardless of what you thought about 
             his position or opinion, you always respected Senator 
             Helms for standing up for what he believed.
               As a master of the Senate parliamentary procedures, he 
             did not hesitate to use this knowledge as a tool when he 
             thought it was necessary to get his point across. While 
             inevitably these tactics might have frustrated some of his 
             colleagues from time to time, Senators couldn't help but 
             marvel at his courageous defense of his beliefs, and they 
             never doubted that Senator Helms would treat them with 
             respect. I have heard from those close to Senator Helms, 
             and experienced it myself, that he was true to his belief 
             that standing up and defending one's opinion was never to 
             be confused with, or provided a reason for, animosity 
             toward one's opponents.
               His kindness and respect did not stop with his 
             colleagues in the Senate. Senator Helms was a true 
             advocate that Senators were here to represent and serve 
             their constituents regardless of any party affiliation, 
             and his office was known for its impeccable constituent 
             services. His beliefs and service to his fellow citizens 
             not only endeared him to those he served or those he 
             served with, but also to those that had the privilege to 
             serve on his staff. I don't think he even referred to them 
             as his staff but as his Senate family--the Helms Senate 
             family.
               His dedication to his staff is exemplified by the number 
             of his staffers who went on to serve in important 
             positions in Federal and State government and in the 
             private sector, having been ``tutored and trained'' in the 
             discipline of Senator Helms. An excellent example is 
             Robert Wilkie, now serving in the Defense Department as 
             Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs.
               Respect for Senator Helms extends well beyond these 
             Senate halls to across the globe. Senator Helms' 
             experience with foreign policy started with his service in 
             the U.S. Navy during World War II and continued with his 
             efforts to reform the United Nations. His effect was no 
             less prevalent when he was the first legislator to address 
             the United Nations Security Council. I was privileged to 
             witness his stalwart performance.
               It goes without saying that the Senate, this Nation, and 
             the State of North Carolina are better today because of 
             Senator Helms. I extend my most heartfelt condolences to 
             the Helms family and his friends.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, today I rise to speak about 
             the contributions and service of one of the true giants of 
             the U.S. Senate.
               Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina was one of the 
             longest serving and most distinguished Senators in the 
             history of our Nation. During his time in the Senate, he 
             was known as a strong advocate for his causes and was one 
             of the most tenacious fighters this body has ever seen. 
             Senator Helms knew what he believed, why he believed it, 
             and he was always prepared to fight strenuously for his 
             cause.
               On those occasions when the Senate was prepared to 
             promote ideas with which he disagreed, Senator Helms 
             proved to be one of the most adept at slowing the body to 
             a crawl. It was a trait that endeared him to many of his 
             supporters and was a source of much consternation for his 
             detractors.
               However, if there is one accomplishment for which 
             Senator Helms will be long remembered and greatly admired, 
             it is his steadfast warnings and commitment to fighting 
             the scourge of communism. Not a day went by that Senator 
             Helms was not concerned about the spread of communism 
             around the globe.
               Like President Reagan and South Carolina's own 
             longstanding Senator Strom Thurmond, Senator Helms 
             understood that communism was an evil ideology and, at its 
             most basic form, a means of enslaving millions of people. 
             As a Nation of freedom-loving people, we had a 
             responsibility to stop its spread.
               The struggle against communism continued for decades 
             with Senator Helms playing a leading role in encouraging 
             our Nation to confront this evil. Eventually, the hard 
             line he took against communism, along with Reagan, 
             Thurmond, and others, was vindicated. The Berlin Wall 
             tumbled and the Soviet Union collapsed.
               Today, communism has been discredited and millions of 
             people have been freed from its bonds. Senator Helms, and 
             the other strong anti-Communists, deserve our thanks for 
             their steadfast fight and eventual victory over communism. 
             It would not have been possible without their hard work.
               In closing, I was saddened to hear of the passing of 
             Senator Helms and I want to take this opportunity to send 
             my condolences to his family and friends. I also want to 
             express my sincere appreciation for his long service in 
             the U.S. Senate and to the Nation he loved.

               Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to 
             pay tribute to my late colleague from North Carolina, 
             Senator Jesse Helms. I look back upon his career in the 
             U.S. Senate and remember a true champion of conservative 
             values; a Senator who stood by his convictions with a 
             tenacity for which he will long be remembered.
               Senator Helms was initially introduced to public service 
             by his father, who served their North Carolina community 
             as both the fire chief and the chief of police. After 
             working in print, radio, and television journalism and 
             serving on the Raleigh City Council, Jesse Helms decided 
             to run for the Senate in 1972 and proved his political 
             mettle by defeating three opponents to win the seat.
               Senator Helms spent the next 30 years serving five terms 
             in the Senate, leaving behind a legacy of uncompromising 
             and unapologetic conservatism. He could boast of many 
             accomplishments during his career, including being dubbed 
             ``Senator No,'' a moniker he earned for standing strong 
             against issues he felt threatened the conservative agenda. 
             Senator No chaired the Agriculture Committee from 1981 to 
             1987 and the Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 
             2001, where he had a hand in cultivating many important 
             pieces of legislation. His firm stance against tyranny led 
             to successful negotiations and passage of a bill to assist 
             Cuban citizens, organized efforts to bring more countries 
             into the NATO alliance, and supported the development of a 
             missile defense system to defend our allies abroad.
               Senator Helms also made his presence known on the 
             national campaign trail where he played a pivotal role in 
             fostering the conservative agenda in Ronald Reagan's 
             Presidential campaign in 1976. His efforts were so 
             effective he was asked to participate again in 1980. 
             Clearly Senator No helped the future President shape his 
             conservative message.
               Senator Helms and I may have differed on many issues, 
             but I respected his wide array of knowledge and the vigor 
             with which he defended them. I am glad to say I served in 
             this Chamber with Jesse Helms and will always honor his 
             passion for life and dedication to service in the Senate.

               Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, President William McKinley 
             once said, ``That's all a man can hope for during his 
             lifetime--to set an example--and when he is dead, to be an 
             inspiration for history.''
               Of all his accomplishments during his lifetime, the 
             example that Senator Jesse Helms set for treating others 
             rises above everything else. During my first term in the 
             Senate, I had the privilege of traveling to Mexico as part 
             of a congressional delegation with Jesse Helms. I saw his 
             kindness and sincerity in the way he treated everyone, 
             regardless of position. The foreign dignitaries received 
             the same respect and consideration as staff. Not enough 
             Senators treat members of their staff like members of 
             their family, but Jesse Helms did. And that gentleness 
             extended to all who came into contact with him.
               The kindness with which he touched so many lives stands 
             in stark contrast to the harsh and tough image which many 
             had of Jesse Helms. Seen as rough and hard hitting, a more 
             fitting description of Jesse Helms is that he was a 
             steadfast believer in the principles of America. Jesse 
             Helms was the voice, sometimes the lone voice, of a 
             centuries' old vision of a sovereign United States 
             committed to freedom, a strong national defense, and free 
             enterprise. He was willing and able to stop business in 
             the Senate when the strength of our Nation was threatened.
               But to those whose lives were personally touched by 
             Jesse Helms, progress was never paused. Instead, Jesse 
             Helms was a conduit of democracy and opportunity. 
             Generations of Cubans, Taiwanese, Iraqis, and Africans 
             will always remember the support that a Senator from North 
             Carolina dedicated to their causes.
               And countless North Carolinians will remember the 
             meaningful impact that Jesse Helms had on their lives as 
             their advocate to a sometimes unyielding government 
             bureaucracy. One constituent from Raleigh noted her 
             Senator's efforts on behalf of her aging parents. She 
             remembered her mother saying if there was a problem that 
             couldn't be resolved, ``Call Jesse Helms. He won't stop 
             until he gets it solved.''
               His commitment to his constituents speaks volumes about 
             Jesse Helms' passion for his job and the people who 
             elected him. He always remembered who he represented and 
             why. And he always remembered that we ensure the strength 
             of our Nation by inspiring young people to continue the 
             work of generations of patriots. He never turned away 
             young men and women looking for advice and often engaged 
             them in dialog. Time and again he told them to stand up 
             for their principles. And then he showed them by example.
               Very few Americans in our Nation's history have risen to 
             the level of accomplishment and reverence as Jesse Helms. 
             During three decades in the Senate, he set an example for 
             all Americans as he always stood by his principles and 
             extended kindness to friend and foe. Now he is an 
             inspiration for history.
                                                 Friday, August 1, 2008
               Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I join with my colleagues in 
             the Senate and the House, and with the people whose lives 
             he touched all across the Nation, in saying how sorry I 
             was to learn of the passing of Jesse Helms on July 4. He 
             was a remarkable man, and he has left his mark on the 
             United States that he loved so very much and the State of 
             North Carolina that he served with great pride. He will 
             not be forgotten.
               Jesse Helms was an American in every sense of the word--
             one who was firmly and staunchly dedicated to the 
             principles upon which our country was founded. Those 
             principles guided him through his life and helped him to 
             make every difficult decision that confronted him in his 
             86 years of life.
               Jesse Helms was an established force in the Senate by 
             the time I arrived. As a freshman Senator I knew I had a 
             lot to learn and I was able to learn a lot from him as we 
             served together and worked on several issues that meant a 
             great deal to us both. We didn't always agree, but I 
             always found him to be a man of his word who said what he 
             meant and meant what he said. You always knew where you 
             stood with him and when he said ``Yes'' you knew that you 
             could count on him to do what he said he would.
               Many of us come to Washington hoping to change 
             Washington. Then, with the passage of time, we find that 
             instead of changing Washington, Washington has changed us. 
             How we are changed says a lot about us and our commitment 
             to the principles and values that motivated us to run for 
             the Senate in the first place.
               That kind of change is only natural and, for many of us, 
             the changes that occur help us to see other viewpoints and 
             perspectives and make it possible for us to work with 
             Members on both sides of the aisle so we can achieve 
             common goals and work for the best interests of the United 
             States and the American people.
               Like so many of us, Jesse Helms was changed by his 
             experience in the Senate. One of the most notable examples 
             was the President's foreign AIDS relief package we worked 
             on together.
               For years Jesse was opposed to providing any assistance 
             to countries fighting the AIDS epidemic. Some thought he 
             would always oppose any kind of relief. Then, Bono, who is 
             a powerful advocate for the cause, made an appointment to 
             see Jesse Helms so he could share the human side of the 
             problem with him.
               I guess no one had been able to put a human face on the 
             AIDS epidemic for him before. However, Bono was able to do 
             it. He was able to touch Jesse's heart and convince him 
             that the need was real--and the right thing to do. In 
             response, Jesse was big enough to admit that he had been 
             wrong. After Bono's presentation, Jesse decided to work on 
             a proposal that would provide the needed funds to fight 
             AIDS in Africa. The proposal was passed and signed into 
             law, and thanks in part to his support, countless lives 
             were saved. It is no coincidence that the reauthorization 
             of this legislation that he worked so hard to pass was 
             recently enacted into law by President Bush. It is a part 
             of his legacy that will continue on after him and make a 
             difference all over the world for many years to come.
               That is but one facet of his character, and one we are 
             all familiar with. And, now that he has been taken from 
             us, we will all take with us many more memories that come 
             from our service with Jesse Helms in the Senate.
               A lot of what we remember about Jesse Helms and his 
             service in the Senate would surprise those who only knew 
             him by reputation because people thought he was a tough 
             guy. But when you met him, you quickly came to see that he 
             was a friendly person. He enjoyed greeting the tourists he 
             met in the halls and he made them all feel welcome because 
             he always had a kind word for everyone he met. Those who 
             worked here in the Capitol liked him because he treated 
             them all with kindness and respect.
               At the top of Jesse's list were those who work with us 
             to help the House and Senate function as it should--
             especially the pages. I don't think Jesse Helms ever 
             missed a chance to say thank you to the pages for their 
             service to the Congress. That was just one of the ways 
             that Jesse honored the Senate's traditions and respected 
             the office he was elected to hold.
               I remember a story he told me about his first Senate 
             race. The campaign was in full swing, but Jesse's numbers 
             didn't look too good. Then one day he ran into a fellow 
             Mason who handed him a Masonic lapel pin. ``Here,'' he 
             said. ``Wear this during your campaign and I guarantee you 
             that you will win.''
               He took his friend's advice and wore the pin every day. 
             Then, when the votes were counted, Jesse was the newly 
             elected Senator from North Carolina.
               He told me that story while we were in the cloakroom and 
             I was watching him put a new back on the pin that now 
             showed a lot of use. I told him that I was a Mason, too. 
             As he put the pin back on his lapel, he told me that he 
             had worn that pin every day since his friend gave it to 
             him during that first Senate campaign.
               As I came to know him, I saw that Jesse and I shared a 
             great fondness and appreciation for the youth 
             organizations that are recognized by the Congress. He knew 
             that they were teaching our kids things they weren't going 
             to be getting any other way. He knew that these groups 
             were helping our kids learn how to be good citizens and 
             good students and to stand up for the things they believed 
             in. He knew that they were helping to prepare our young 
             people for the challenges they would face in school and 
             later in life.
               One organization we both worked to support was the Boy 
             Scouts. He was a strong supporter of scouting and he stood 
             up for them whenever they were unfairly criticized or 
             attacked. His response to each attack was to craft a bill 
             that protected the promotion of volunteerism, values and 
             faith to ensure those valuable lessons would continue to 
             be taught to the Scouts.
               That is just one example of Jesse's commitment to the 
             values that meant so very much to him. That is why he was 
             able to get a lot of things done over the years. His 
             success was based on his strong foundation of values and 
             beliefs that he would stand fast on and that was enough 
             for him to win on most occasions. Watching him in action 
             on the floor or in committee taught me that conviction 
             counts, especially when you are firm and comfortable in 
             what you believe.
               Jesse was a kind, soft-spoken, effective, persistent, 
             and successful individual. He paid attention to people and 
             they responded to him--in North Carolina and across the 
             country. Another of his great political secrets was his 
             understanding that a problem always appears bigger if it 
             is your own. That's why the people of his State sent him 
             back to the Senate for five terms. He listened to the 
             people of North Carolina, he understood them, and he made 
             their problems his own.
               Now that the last chapter of his life has been written, 
             Jesse Helms' record speaks for itself. It reflects the 
             fact that he was never concerned with being popular or 
             taking positions because they mirrored the results of the 
             latest poll. His focus was always on doing what was 
             right--because it was the right thing to do. I think he 
             owes his perspective on life to some advice his father 
             gave him that helped to shape his character and point him 
             toward his destiny. Jesse would often share his father's 
             words with others, ``The Lord does not require you to win, 
             but he does require you to try.''
               Jesse never forgot what his father told him. In fact, he 
             lived those words by putting them into practice every day. 
             No matter the odds or how impossible the situation was, 
             Jesse stayed true to the life lesson his father taught him 
             many years ago.
               Now that he has been taken from us, it will be for 
             others to judge his place in history and the impact his 
             life had on the Nation. Whatever is decided, for me and 
             for so many others, the record will show that Jesse Helms 
             didn't always win, but he never let the fear of losing 
             keep him from fighting for a cause he believed in. For 
             Jesse Helms, the glory came not from victory, but from 
             giving all he had in a noble effort in support of a worthy 
             cause.
                     Proceedings in the House of Representatives
                                                  Tuesday, July 8, 2008
               Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
             of Senator Jesse Helms. Senator Helms, who passed away 
             this past Fourth of July at the age of 86, was renowned 
             for his considerable personal warmth and his commitment to 
             the good of his constituents. So it is no surprise that in 
             the days after his passing, tales from his constituents 
             across the State of North Carolina paid tribute to his 
             decades-long track record of thoughtful constituent 
             service.
               But Senator Helms was so much more than a good public 
             servant. He was a man of integrity, and over the course of 
             his 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate, you could 
             always count on one thing: You knew where Jesse Helms 
             stood on the issue. An outspoken conservative who was 
             never bashful about defending the conservative principles 
             of small government and individual freedom, he was a man 
             who refused to compromise on his principles.
               Senator Helms knew a conservative when he saw one. This 
             is why he helped propel Ronald Reagan to the national 
             stage by orchestrating Reagan's North Carolina primary 
             victory in 1976. In so doing, he helped prepare the 
             groundwork for the eventual Reagan revolution of the 
             1980s.
               As we remember the life of Senator Helms, we know we 
             have lost one of the finest conservative statesmen of a 
             generation. Senator Helms believed that America was the 
             greatest nation in the world, and that belief informed his 
             principles and the policies that he ultimately pursued. 
             For instance, he knew that a strong America would be a 
             signpost of hope for millions during the uncertain times 
             of global Communist influence in the 1970s and 1980s. As a 
             strident anti-Communist, he fought to ensure America would 
             be a bulwark against the forces of oppression and tyranny 
             in the Communist corners of the globe.
               Senator Helms was also an indomitable champion of life. 
             He believed in the dignity of the lives of the unborn and 
             fought with heroic energy to see to it that they might 
             receive the protection they deserve. His pro-life legacy 
             is still with us today. In fact, Senator Helms 
             successfully amended legislation 35 years ago to include 
             what is today known as the Helms amendment. This 
             amendment, which is still in effect, mandates that no U.S. 
             foreign aid money may be used to pay for or promote 
             abortions.
               Yes, Senator Helms fought for the innocent unborn, he 
             condemned widespread corruption in the United Nations 
             before it was popular to do so, and he staked out clear 
             conservative positions without having to consult a 
             pollster. He was a one-of-a-kind leader who passed on 
             conservative principles to many, including me. But his 
             crusades were never just about him. Rather, he fought for 
             his country and the ideas that he knew made America great.
               He said it best in his farewell address to the Senate:

               Being remembered isn't important. What is important is 
             standing up for what you believe to be right, hoping that 
             you have done everything you can to preserve the moral and 
             spiritual principles that made America great in the first 
             place.

               Senator Helms' death last Friday was a profound loss for 
             America and for the State of North Carolina. He served his 
             country well, dispatching his duty to stand up for what is 
             right with unrivaled moral clarity. He will be missed, and 
             today my thoughts and my prayers are with his family and 
             loved ones as they grieve this loss and remember a life 
             well lived.

               Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I would like to 
             say to the gentlewoman who just spoke that I sure share 
             her admiration for Jesse Helms. I had the honor to work 
             with him on legislation known as the Helms-Burton law, and 
             I want you to know he was a wonderful man, a titan and a 
             real conservative, and the kind of man that everybody in 
             America could be proud to say that he was a Senator in the 
             august body on the other side of the building. ...
                                                Thursday, July 10, 2008
               Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask 
             unanimous consent that the Committee on House 
             Administration be discharged from further consideration of 
             House Resolution 1325 and ask for its immediate 
             consideration.
               The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

               The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the 
             request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania?
               There was no objection.
               The text of the resolution is as follows:
                                    H. Res. 1325
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., born in Monroe, 
             North Carolina on October 18, 1921, spent a 52-year public 
             career dedicating himself to his country, his family, and 
             his home State, representing North Carolina in the United 
             States Senate for 30 years;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., served in the United 
             States Navy from 1942 until 1945;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was educated in the 
             public schools of Monroe, North Carolina, and at Wingate 
             Junior College and Wake Forest College, and served as a 
             city editor of the Raleigh Times, an administrative 
             assistant to United States Senators Willis Smith and Alton 
             Lennon, an executive director of the North Carolina 
             Bankers Association, a member of the Raleigh City Council, 
             and a television and radio executive;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was elected to the 
             United States Senate in 1972, and served as Chairman of 
             the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate 
             Agriculture Committee, ultimately serving five terms, 
             equal to the longest service of any Senator from North 
             Carolina;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was a leader against 
             Communism and became the first legislator of any nation to 
             address the United Nations Security Council;
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., was married for 65 
             years to Dorothy ``Dot'' Coble Helms, whom he termed his 
             ``best friend'', and Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., is the 
             father of three children; and
               Whereas Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., made valuable 
             contributions to his community, State, Nation, and the 
             World: Now, therefore, be it
               Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
               (1) honors the life, achievements, and distinguished 
             career of Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr., public servant and 
             former Member of the United States Senate; and
               (2) expresses its condolences to his wife, ``Dot'', and 
             his three children on his passing.

               The resolution was agreed to.
               A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
                                                 Tuesday, July 15, 2008
               Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, this evening, I rise with a 
             heavy heart to honor the life of former Senator Jesse 
             Alexander Helms, Jr., of North Carolina. Senator Helms 
             served from 1972 to 2002, 30 years in the U.S. Senate, 
             tying the longest serving Senator from North Carolina in 
             that record.
               Senator Helms was known to most Americans as a rock-rib 
             conservative, both committed to a smaller, more efficient 
             government that taxes less and spends less, and also a 
             social conservative who would stand up to the common 
             society of the day that was allowing for many permissive 
             activities.
               Senator Helms was much more than that, though. He was an 
             ardent anti-Communist, and supported freedom around the 
             world against the tyranny of communism. Senator Helms has 
             a very distinguished record in the U.S. Senate spanning 
             three decades.
               He was known as the strongest conservative in the U.S. 
             Senate in his time, one of the best known American 
             conservatives of his time. But what many people don't 
             realize is that in 1976, just 4 years into his first term 
             in the U.S. Senate, Senator Helms did a very bold thing--
             he endorsed Governor Ronald Reagan in his primary bid for 
             President against Gerald Ford. Senator Helms was the only 
             Senator to endorse Reagan in 1976.
               Although then-Governor Reagan had not won any primaries 
             coming into the North Carolina primary, Senator Helms put 
             his full campaign organization behind Governor Reagan. And 
             in an upset victory, Governor Reagan beat sitting 
             President Gerald Ford in that Republican primary, the 
             first primary that Reagan won in 1976.
               Historians note that without winning the North Carolina 
             primary, Ronald Reagan may not have had the opportunity to 
             be President in 1980. He may not have had the ability to 
             continue his campaign going into the convention in 1976. 
             So for Americans who know Reagan, they should thank 
             Senator Helms and his bold move in endorsing Governor 
             Reagan.
               Beyond that, in his final term in office, the world came 
             to him. He didn't change his principles, he didn't change 
             the things that he was focused on, but he took the 
             opportunity to reform the United Nations, working with 
             Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. The Helms-Biden agreement 
             called on the United Nations to reduce its budget and 
             define its mission. It also forced a much-needed review of 
             all U.N. policies. It was a large reform, and Senator 
             Biden said at the time, ``Just as only Nixon could go to 
             China, only Helms could fix the United Nations.''
               Just after that in 2000, Helms was the first U.S. 
             lawmaker to address the United Nations Security Council. 
             That is an amazing tribute to his leadership. He was not 
             simply ``Senator No,'' he was voted as the ``Nicest 
             Lawmaker in Congress.''
               What people know about him was the personal touch he had 
             with people. My first political memory was in 1984 as a 9-
             year-old going to a Helms-Reagan rally. That is my first 
             political memory. Beyond that when I was a high school 
             student, I stopped into Jesse Helms' office and he took a 
             few minutes to sit and talk with me, take a picture with 
             me at his desk, and showed me around his office. And I 
             realized once I became a lawmaker how very short time is 
             here on Capitol Hill, and for him to give me that moment 
             is a special memory that I will always cherish.
               Our thoughts and prayers are with the Helms family, and 
             his wife, Dot.
               At this time I yield to the gentleman from North 
             Carolina (Mr. Hayes).

               Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of attending 
             Senator Helms' funeral along with Congressman McHenry, 
             Congressman Jones, Senator Biden, Senator Dodd, Senator 
             Byrd, Senator Dole, and others. And there were two 
             takeaways from that funeral that I particularly remember. 
             One was directly from Senator Helms. He said, ``You can 
             always change your priorities, but never change your 
             principles.'' That was a hallmark.
               The other thing that the pastor said, ``The Lord always 
             examines the heart of the giver before he examines the 
             gift.'' Senator Helms' heart was with his constituents. 
             His constituent service, regardless of party, was 
             absolutely remarkable, and it was a tribute to him, his 
             relationship with his wife, Dot, his family and his 
             children.
               Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Senator McConnell and Jimmy 
             Broughton and the Helms family for the wonderful 
             testimonial of his service to his country.
                             Hayes Barton Baptist Church
                                     Raleigh, NC
             
             

A Celebration of Life

             U.S. Senator Jesse Helms

             
             


             U.S. Senator Jesse Helms
                            October 18, 1921-July 4, 2008





                                 Pallbearers                          Honorary Pallbearers
                                 Tom Boney                            Hoover Adams
                                 Jimmy Broughton                      Bob Caudle
                                 Paul Coble                           Buddy Cheshire
                                 John Dodd                            Jack Coble
                                 George Dunlop                        Tom Ellis
                                 Andy Hartsfield                      Lauch Faircloth
                                 David Rouzer                         Jim Goodmon
                                 Eddie Woodhouse                      Jim Hill
                                                                      Henry Lineberger
                                                                      Brian Rogers
                                                                      Ed Woodhouse



                                                Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr.
                                                July 8, 2008--Two o'clock



                               The Prelude Music
                                   June Burbage & Larita Kellison

                               *The Entrance of the Family

                               The Call to Worship
                                   Tom Bodkin
                                   John 11:25; Matthew 11:28-30, RSV

                               The Invocation and Lord's Prayer


                                   My Faith Looks Up to Thee...........................  Olivet

                               The Old Testament Readings
                                   Psalm 23--Responsive reading with congregation
                                     (back page)
                                   Proverbs 29:23; II Chronicles 7:14;
                                     Psalm 121, RSV

                               The Choir Anthem
                                   How Great Thou Art..................................  Hine
                                     Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee
                                       How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
                                     Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
                                       How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

                               The New Testament Readings
                                   Romans 8:28, 35-39, II Timothy 4:7-8;
                                     Matthew 25:21, RSV

                               Reflections
                                   The Honorable Mitch McConnell,
                                     Senate Republican Leader
                                   Jimmy Broughton
                                   Grandchildren


                                   Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound..................  New Britain

                               The Sermon
                                   The Measure of a Man
                                   Micah 6:6-8, RSV
                                   Tom Bodkin

                               The Choir Anthem
                                   When the Saints Go Marching In......................  Rutter

                               *The Benediction

                               *The Family Recessional
                                   A Mighty Fortress Is Our God........................  Luther

                               The Postlude


                          Private interment for the family
             The Old Testament Reading
             Psalm 23--Responsive reading with congregation




                    Minister:          The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;

                    People:            he makes me lie down in green pastures.

                    Minister:          He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul.

                    People:            He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

                    Minister:          Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no
                                        evil;

                    People:            for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

                    Minister:          Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies, thou
                                        anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.

                    All:               Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I
                                        shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.



                                                      In The Evening



                         .....................  O' Lord,
                         .....................  support us all the day long,
                         .....................  until the shadows lengthen,
                         .....................  and the evening comes,
                         .....................  and the busy world is hushed,
                         .....................  and the fever of life is over,
                         .....................  and our work is done.
                         .....................  Then in thy mercy,
                         .....................  grant us a safe lodging,
                         .....................  and a holy rest,
                         .....................  and peace at the last.

                         .....................                Amen.



                                                
                                                
             Mitch McConnell. [The text of Mr. McConnell's eulogy can 
             be found on page 10.]

             Jimmy Broughton. Mrs. Helms, members of the Helms family, 
             Mr. Vice President, distinguished Members of the U.S. 
             Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, the Governor of 
             North Carolina--the past few days have been like a mini 
             Helms Senate family reunion. Many of us have been calling 
             and e-mailing each other to talk about the Senator and our 
             time together on his staff. Without fail, the first 
             question folks asked was ``How is Mrs. Helms and the 
             family''? While we all knew this day would come--the 
             reality of it takes a while to sink in.
               Much has been written about the Senator in recent days 
             and, of course, a lot of those stories have been prepared 
             for many years. Upon hearing the news of his death, I had 
             to chuckle just a little at the fact that the Senator had 
             likely ruined the vacation plans of some of those ``big 
             city editors'' he often tangled with over the years.
               Many of us have been asked to tell something about 
             Senator Helms that the public may not know--a question 
             that evokes a flood of memories and I think it's fitting 
             to share some of those personal memories this afternoon. I 
             stand here--humbly--realizing I am representing hundreds 
             of members of our Senate family and I am grateful to them 
             for their input.
               Like many of us, I started in the mailroom, which may be 
             one reason I do not like to open my own mail to this day. 
             Back then, in 1991, Senators received hundreds of letters 
             daily and our office always had one of the highest mail 
             counts in the Senate. The Senator paid special attention 
             to the mailroom and insisted that letters be opened, 
             sorted, and answered as quickly as possible. He often 
             remarked that if a person takes the time to write, he or 
             she deserved a thoughtful, timely response. Senator Helms 
             was a great letter writer himself and he was known to stop 
             by the mailroom late on a Friday afternoon and grab a 
             stack of letters to answer over the weekend.
               It's important to note that our office had been a well-
             oiled machine for many years thanks to the leadership of 
             the Senator, of course, and of his longtime administrative 
             assistant Clint Fuller who was one of his most unfailingly 
             loyal aides through the years. Mr. Fuller was an 
             institution in his own right and I had the privilege of 
             interning in the office before he retired. His other most 
             trusted advisor was Admiral Bud Nance, his childhood 
             friend from Monroe who served as chief of staff of the 
             Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Admiral Nance left a 
             significant imprint on many in this audience and the 
             committee itself.
               The Senator's reputation as someone who was responsive 
             to the needs of the people of North Carolina was legendary 
             and I often asked myself how that developed. I recently 
             spent a day at the Helms Center in Wingate and uncovered a 
             memo he had written to Senator Willis Smith in 1952 when 
             he was Senator Smith's AA. It was a detailed account of 
             the goings on in the office for a 2-week period. So when 
             Mr. Jesse Helms was elected to the Senate in 1972, he just 
             picked up where he left off.
               On January 16, 1973, Senator Helms presided over his 
             first staff meeting and set the tone for the office that 
             would carry through until his retirement. I am quoting 
             from the minutes of that meeting with the Washington 
             staff:

               A meeting of the staff of Senator Helms was held at 4:30 
             p.m. today with Senator Helms presiding.
               He made some very complimentary comments about the 
             staff. His message was basically that we have a ``family 
             relationship.'' He wants no bowing and scraping to him; 
             he's just a country boy from Union County.

               And so the Helms Senate family was born.
               As I said earlier, someone asked me about a favorite 
             memory and while there are so many that come to mind, a 
             few define the person who was Senator Jesse Helms. I often 
             told folks that I would have never worked for the man I 
             read about on the editorial pages.
               Illustrating the fact that he was well known for his 
             constituent work is the story of a lady here in Raleigh 
             whose husband had died and she was having a hard time 
             sorting out details with the Social Security 
             Administration. Now as I recall the Senator telling it, 
             this lady lived over in Cameron Park which is close to NC 
             State. Her neighbor, a professor, I think, and a staunch 
             Democrat, was helping her. He finally threw up his hands 
             and said, ``Well, I despise the S.O.B., but it's high time 
             you call Jesse Helms.''
               Another memory that made a lasting impression on me was 
             a morning back in 1993 or so. The Senator was getting 
             ready to offer an amendment to the Senate floor--something 
             he did with regularity. In any event, several of us were 
             in his office as the Cloakroom had called saying they were 
             ready for him to come down to offer his amendment. We had 
             the speech, text of the amendment, and all relevant 
             documents ready, and several of the legislative folks were 
             trying to go over it with him before he went to the Senate 
             floor. He gave us all the time-out sign and told us to 
             hush while he had an important call to make. He picked up 
             the phone that dials the Capitol operator and he said, 
             ``Nice lady, can you ring me Senator Simon's office.'' He 
             always said ``Nice lady can you ring me so and so--as 
             though he was talking to Sara from Mayberry on the other 
             end. Now we three staffers in the office looked at each 
             other in bewilderment trying to figure out why he was 
             calling Senator Simon--our neighbor in the Dirksen 
             Building and one of the nicest Senators, but he would have 
             never supported the amendment. He asked for his friend 
             Paul who was not in and he proceeded to tell his 
             secretary, ``This is Jesse Helms down the hall and please 
             tell Paul that he needs some air in his left rear tire 
             otherwise he will not make it home to Jeanne.'' Now there 
             we were with what we thought was such important business 
             and leave it to Senator Helms to put it all in 
             perspective--he proved what really mattered.
               Now preparing a letter or a speech for the Senator was 
             an ordeal. While he often wanted a draft, he edited and 
             rewrote paragraphs and the copy he returned was bleeding 
             blue ink--or worse, he had tossed your draft aside and 
             typed up his own using that old manual Royal typewriter 
             which sounded like cannon fire when he chiseled out 
             statements and letters. He would often buzz you on the 
             phone and would ask, ``Can you step in here, son?''
               That was not really a question of course. I remember it 
             well. It meant several things--among them the possibility 
             that we split an infinitive in a draft. You see, a split 
             infinitive in our office was trampling on the grave of 
             Miss Annie Lee, the Senator's grade school grammar teacher 
             in Monroe. We all knew about Miss Annie Lee.
               The Senator had a way with words and expressed himself 
             succinctly. Perhaps one day the Helms Center will publish 
             a collection of his letters--they are indeed classic. He 
             was a stickler for grammar which often surprised people 
             given his image. One of the joys of a calmer Friday 
             afternoon was being able to spend an hour or so going 
             through his weekly correspondence or PDs as we called 
             them--short for Pat Devine, his longtime personal 
             secretary. Pat was the keeper of his letters and she or 
             Frances Jones in Raleigh was the one who retyped them on 
             letterhead for his signature.
               It's impossible to convey adequately how he treated all 
             of us. From his walks through the office every morning 
             speaking to all of us to the insistence that famous 
             visitors do likewise, it was obvious he genuinely cared 
             about us all. Speaking of famous visitors, I know there 
             are some here who will never forget the afternoon when 
             Henry Kissinger appeared in the mailroom, unannounced and 
             unaccompanied, proclaiming that Senator Helms asked him to 
             stop by the mailroom on his way out to meet the staff and 
             interns, while the Senator headed to the floor for a vote.
               There are countless similar remembrances but he would 
             not want me to filibuster. To have known Senator Helms as 
             we all did was one of the greatest gifts we will have ever 
             been given. He had a plaque on the wall in his office that 
             meant a lot to him--it was a quote from his father, Jesse 
             Helms, Sr., who was the police and fire chief in Monroe--
             it read ``The Lord doesn't require us to win. He just 
             expects us to try.'' Senator Helms tried all right and we 
             are all better off because of it.

             Jennifer Knox. On behalf of the entire Helms family, I 
             would like to thank everyone who has kept us in your 
             thoughts and prayers, not only in the last 4 days but also 
             over the last 5 years or so as Granddad's health and his 
             mind faded. We thank you.
               I was always close to my grandfather, I think because I 
             always loved going up to Washington and visiting Grandma 
             and Granddad. I loved going to the Senate and sitting in 
             the gallery and watching the Senators as they debated the 
             issues and as they took votes. I think he appreciated 
             that.
               And in doing so, I learned a lot of things from my 
             grandfather, not the least of which was his work ethic. He 
             usually started his day early in the morning and you 
             always knew when he was working at home because--the 
             typewriter that Jimmy was talking about--you could hear 
             that thing going in his office. He was a hunt and pecker 
             but he was fast. And it was like cannon fire. But he would 
             work in his office for several hours in the morning, and 
             then he would go up to the Senate office.
               One morning I was up there visiting Grandma and Granddad 
             and he said, ``You want to go to the Senate with me?'' I 
             said, ``Sure.'' So we went up there and met with some 
             constituents and then the buzzer rang for a Senate vote. 
             He said, ``Come on let's go vote.'' So we went down to the 
             basement and took the underground trolley over to the 
             Capitol. He voted, and then for the next 3 hours he 
             dragged me all around the Capitol, all around the Senate 
             office buildings, meeting with all sorts of people, going 
             to all sorts of committee meetings until we finally made 
             it back to his office. He had another 3 hours of work and 
             the day was not over. That night Grandma and Granddad had 
             been invited to dinner, so we all went to this dinner. We 
             finally get home about 9:30 and Grandma and I are wiped 
             out, and then I hear this noise and it's Granddad back in 
             his office typing away, and he worked for another hour and 
             a half that night. And that was a normal day for him.
               One of the things everybody has heard a million times 
             about Granddad is that you always knew where Jesse Helms 
             stood on the issues, and that's true. One of the things 
             that you didn't always hear about is how hard it was to 
             stand for those principles, and that is something that our 
             family has all learned from him. One of the things 
             Granddad had always said was you can compromise your 
             preferences, but never your principles. And he never did.
               As I go through life and my decisions, my job, and my 
             personal life, I always remember that no matter how 
             difficult the decision is, it's OK to make it, it's OK to 
             accept the consequences because I saw him do that every 
             day of my life. I think the greatest lesson that my 
             grandfather gave me was the lesson of love. He did all 
             these things, he made all those stands, because he loved 
             the Lord, he loved his country, he loved North Carolina, 
             and he loved his family. And I see his love reflected in 
             the faces of the Helms Senate family. I see it reflected 
             in my family and that's his love, and I would like to 
             share with you a note he wrote to me almost 10 years ago. 
             It was right before he was going in to have surgery, 
             having both of his knees replaced. It is dated July 19, 
             1998. It reads--and of course it is typed on that old 
             typewriter:

               My dear Jennifer, I wanted to get the enclosed to you 
             before I come down to trade in my antique 1921 model knees 
             for the newer 1998 models. We love you and are proud of 
             you. Hold on to your principles. Unless I missed my guess, 
             you have some great days ahead, they won't be easy always, 
             but they'll be meaningful to you and to the country.
                                                                         
               Granddad

             Mike Stuart. Well, the world has seemed a little less 
             bright as the reality of our grandfather's passing sets 
             in. I'm sure all of us can relate to the initial void that 
             is felt at the loss of a loved one. Over the last few days 
             we have had time to reflect on our grandfather's life and 
             realize the family legacy that he left behind, and this 
             legacy makes our days feel a little less empty.
               Memories are remembrances of a certain event, but an 
             association is a perpetual memory that runs deeper, is 
             burned into your being, and recalls itself when you least 
             expect it. For example, Granddad loved breakfast and he 
             loved cooking a big breakfast for our family, especially 
             on Christmas. After I consumed a full plate of eggs, 
             bacon, toast, grits, and donuts, Granddad would insist on 
             my eating more. He would hold up a plate and say, ``You're 
             going to hurt this last piece of bacon's feelings if you 
             don't eat it. Can't you see it crying sitting here all by 
             itself on the plate?'' Now, whenever I cook breakfast, 
             I'll think of Granddad.
               And as Jimmy mentioned, Granddad was a stickler for 
             grammar. When my sister Katie would tell Granddad that she 
             was doing good, Granddad would respond by asking her, ``I 
             know you are good baby, but aren't you also doing well?'' 
             Now when I write I always think of Granddad, because he 
             did not teach me to never split an infinitive, he taught 
             me never to split an infinitive, and it has come in handy 
             for me in school.
               Also Granddad had a love for animals. His last pet was a 
             British blue cat named Miriam. At his house Miriam would 
             sit on the arm of his recliner just purring away while 
             Granddad scratched her ears. His eyes would get real big 
             and his face would get real long and light up to let us 
             know when he was in a humorous mood, and he would say, 
             ``Oh, come listen to Miriam purr, listen to her buzz, 
             buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.'' So now whenever we hear a 
             cat purr we'll always think of Granddad and we'll all find 
             ourselves saying ``buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.''
               But most of all, we will associate the word legacy with 
             our grandfather. Not only did he leave behind a political 
             legacy from his 30 years in the U.S. Senate, but he also 
             left behind another legacy and this is the importance and 
             value of family. Grandma and Granddad instilled in their 
             children the value of honesty and integrity, faith, 
             service, love, respect, and perseverance. And our parents 
             passed these values down to us. Today, the Helms family 
             includes present and future nurses, doctors, teachers, 
             CPAs, judges, lawyers, HIV/AIDS advocates, scientists, 
             business professionals, church workers and entrepreneurs. 
             If Grandma and Granddad had not been the people they were, 
             we would not have become the people we are today. So thank 
             you Granddad and thank you Grandma for being who you were 
             and are, because it gave us a platform to believe in 
             ourselves and follow our dreams. Through your legacy we 
             know we can make a positive difference in this life.
