[JPRT, 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




                              Floyd Spence
                       LATE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
                             SOUTH CAROLINA

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                           MEMORIAL ADDRESSES
                           AND OTHER TRIBUTES
                           HON. FLOYD SPENCE

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                               1928 -2001

                           hon. floyd spence

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                               1928 -2001


                                           

             [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T5502.001
             

Floyd Spence
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                               Memorial Addresses and

                                   Other Tributes

                        HELD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                     AND SENATE

                                OF THE UNITED STATES

                           TOGETHER WITH MEMORIAL SERVICE

                                     IN HONOR OF

                                    FLOYD SPENCE

               Late a Representative from South Carolina

                      One Hundred Seventh Congress

                             First Session

                                   a

                          

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
                            WASHINGTON : 2001

                                           




                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing
                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Proceedings in the House of Representatives:
                Tributes by Representatives:
                    Bereuter, Doug, of Nebraska....................
                                                                     11
                    Brown, Henry E., Jr., of South Carolina........
                                                                     13
                    Buyer, Steve, of Indiana.......................
                                                                     20
                    DeMint, Jim, of South Carolina.................
                                                                     19
                    Everett, Terry, of Alabama.....................
                                                                     21
                    Gilman, Benjamin A., of New York...............
                                                                     14
                    Graham, Lindsey O., of South Carolina..........
                                                                     15
                    Hansen, James V., of Utah......................
                                                                     10
                    Hastert, J. Dennis, of Illinois................
                                                                      3
                    Hayworth, J.D., of Arizona.....................
                                                                      9
                    Hilleary, Van, of Tennessee....................
                                                                     25
                    Hunter, Duncan, of California..................
                                                                     12
                    Johnson, Sam, of Texas.........................
                                                                      8
                    Ortiz, Solomon P., of Texas....................
                                                                      5
                    Rush, Bobby L, of Illinois.....................
                                                                     24
                    Ryun, Jim, of Kansas...........................
                                                                     18
                    Skelton, Ike, of Missouri......................
                                                                  7, 27
                    Spratt, John M., Jr., of South Carolina........
                                                                  4, 13
                    Stearns, Cliff, of Florida.....................
                                                                     16
                    Stump, Bob, of Arizona.........................
                                                                  6, 27
                    Underwood, Robert A., of Guam..................
                                                                     17
                    Watts, J.C., Jr., of Oklahoma..................
                                                                     21
                    Weldon, Curt, of Pennsylvania..................
                                                                 22, 26
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                    Thurmond, Strom, of South Carolina.............
                                                                     29
             Tribute from the Reserve Officers Association.........
                                                                     31
             Funeral Service.......................................
                                                                     35
                                      BIOGRAPHY

               Congressman Floyd Davidson Spence, 73, the Dean of the 
             South Carolina delegation in the U.S. House of 
             Representatives, died on Thursday, August 16, 2001, at 
             Saint Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, in Jackson, 
             Mississippi. His death was due to complications following 
             the removal of a subdural hematoma on August 9, 2001, 
             while he was being treated for Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. 
             Serving in his 16th term in the House, Congressman Spence 
             was the chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Armed 
             Services and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Military 
             Procurement.
               Congressman Spence was born in Columbia, South Carolina, 
             on April 9, 1928, the son of James Wilson Spence and Addie 
             Jane Lucas Spence. He was married to the late Lula Hancock 
             Drake Spence, of Drake, South Carolina, for 25 years. On 
             July 3, 1988, he married the former Deborah Ellen 
             Williams, of Lexington, South Carolina.
               Congressman Spence graduated from Lexington High School, 
             where he achieved ``All-State'' honors in football and 
             participated in the 1947 Shrine Bowl game. In 1987, he was 
             inducted into the Lexington County High School Athletic 
             Hall of Fame.
               Congressman Spence attended the University of South 
             Carolina on an athletic scholarship, and he received the 
             degree of bachelor of arts in english in 1952. He was 
             elected president of the student body, president of the 
             South Carolina Association of Student Governments, junior 
             class president, and was a member of the student council. 
             He was also named to the dean's list, the honor council, 
             and the honor board. He was initiated into Kappa Alpha 
             Order (social fraternity), Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary 
             leadership fraternity), and Kappa Sigma Kappa (honorary 
             service fraternity). He was selected as an ``Outstanding 
             Senior,'' and he was the recipient of the Algernon-Sydney 
             Sullivan Award (as the outstanding male student for 1952), 
             as well as listed in Who's Who Among Students in American 
             Colleges and Universities. He was a member of the Young 
             Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Cabinet, the German 
             Club, and the Compass and Chart Society. An accomplished 
             athlete, he played football and basketball, and was the 
             captain of the varsity track team, of which he was a 
             member of the record-setting mile relay team.
               Congressman Spence enlisted as a recruit in the U.S. 
             Naval Reserve when in high school, and, as an 
             undergraduate, he was a battalion subcommander of the U.S. 
             Navy ROTC unit at the University of South Carolina. He was 
             commissioned as an ensign upon graduation from college, 
             and entered active duty during the Korean war. He served 
             on the USS Carter Hall (LSD-3) from 1952 to 1953 and the 
             USS LSM-397 from 1953 to 1954. Later in his military 
             career, he was the commanding officer of a Naval Reserve 
             surface division and the group commander of all Naval 
             Reserve units in Columbia, South Carolina. He was a 
             graduate of the Defense Strategy Seminar of the National 
             War College and of the National Security Seminar of the 
             Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In 1988, he 
             retired as a captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve. 
             Additionally, he was a former member of the Board of 
             Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy.
               In 1956, Congressman Spence received the degree of 
             bachelor of laws from the University of South Carolina 
             School of Law, which was replaced with the degree of juris 
             doctor in 1970. While in law school, he was elected editor 
             of the South Carolina Law Quarterly, chief justice of the 
             Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, vice president of the Law 
             Federation, and was a member of the Law Federation 
             Cabinet. Upon graduation in 1956, he began the practice of 
             law as a partner in the firm of Callison and Spence, in 
             West Columbia, South Carolina, where he practiced until 
             becoming a Member of Congress in 1971. He was admitted to 
             the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, and he 
             was a former member of the American Bar Association, the 
             South Carolina Bar, and the Lexington County Bar 
             Association.
               Floyd Spence began his political career in 1956, as a 
             Democrat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. 
             In 1962, he helped pioneer the development of the two-
             party system in South Carolina by becoming the first 
             member of the General Assembly to switch to the Republican 
             Party. In 1966 he was elected as a Republican, to the 
             South Carolina Senate. He served as the Senate Minority 
             Leader and as the chairman of the Joint Senate-House 
             Internal Security Committee.
               In 1970, Floyd Spence was elected to the U.S. House of 
             Representatives. Throughout his service in the House, 
             Congressman Spence maintained one of the highest voting 
             attendance records, while consistently supporting a strong 
             national defense and fiscal integrity. Congressman Spence 
             was recognized around the world as an authority on defense 
             issues. From January 1995 to January 2001, Congressman 
             Spence was the chairman of the House Committee on National 
             Security, which, during his chairmanship, returned to its 
             former name of the Committee on Armed Services. For 13 
             years, he was the ranking member of the Committee on 
             Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics Committee). He was 
             selected by his colleagues to serve as a member of the 
             Republican Committee on Committees for a number of years, 
             and he was also elected to serve as the representative for 
             the Tidewater Region on the Republican Policy Committee 
             for the 104th through 107th Congresses.
               Congressman Spence was a member of Saint Peter's 
             Lutheran Church, in Lexington, South Carolina, where he 
             served on the Church Council and as a Sunday School 
             teacher. He was also a member of the Advisory Board of the 
             Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, in Columbia, South 
             Carolina.
               An active supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, 
             Congressman Spence served as a scoutmaster, a council 
             executive board member, a council advisory board member, 
             and a district chairman. He was also the recipient of the 
             Silver Beaver Award.
               Congressman Spence was a charter member of the 
             University of South Carolina Association of Lettermen, as 
             well as a former vice president for the Eleventh Circuit 
             and Councilor-at-Large of the University of South Carolina 
             Alumni Association. He was also a former member of the 
             Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
               Congressman Spence was named in Who's Who in America, 
             Who's Who in the South and Southwest, and Who's Who in 
             American Politics. In 1978, he was awarded the Order of 
             the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest honor, by Governor 
             James B. Edwards. He was a former commander of the Wade 
             Hampton Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, as well 
             as a member of numerous civic, fraternal, and military 
             organizations.
               Congressman Spence received the honorary degree of 
             doctor of laws from The Citadel on May 13, 1995. He 
             received the honorary degree of doctor of public service 
             from the University of South Carolina on August 12, 1995. 
             On September 3, 1996, the Floyd Spence Wing of the 
             Lexington Medical Center Extended Care Facility was 
             dedicated in his honor. On November 4, 1996, the 
             Congressman Floyd D. Spence U.S. Army Reserve Center was 
             dedicated in his honor at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. 
             The Spence Center for Composites Technology, in West 
             Columbia, South Carolina, was named in honor of 
             Congressman Spence on May 22, 1999.
               Congressman Spence was the recipient of a successful 
             double lung transplant on May 6, 1988, and a successful 
             kidney transplant on May 26, 2000. He actively supported 
             organ donor awareness programs.
               He is survived by his wife, Deborah Williams Spence, of 
             Lake Murray; four sons from his first marriage: Floyd 
             Davidson ``David'' Spence, Jr., Zachariah William ``Zack'' 
             Spence, Benjamin Dudley ``Ben'' Spence, and Caldwell Drake 
             Spence, all of Lake Murray; brothers and sisters: Allan 
             Johnson Spence, Sr. and Anna ``Ann'' Spence Clement, both 
             of Lake Murray, Robert O. ``Buck'' Stevenson of 
             Ballentine, Juanita Stevenson Smith of West Columbia, and 
             Johnny Spence of Lexington; and nine grandchildren: 
             Caldwell Drake Spence, Jr., Clint Alexander Spence, 
             Rutledge Lucas Spence, Montford Whitfield Spence, Courtney 
             Blaine Spence, Zachariah Julian Spence, Kylie Elizabeth 
             Spence, Lauren Hancock Spence and Corrie Brooke Spence.


                                 MEMORIAL ADDRESSES

                                         AND

                                   OTHER TRIBUTES

                                         FOR

                                    FLOYD SPENCE
                     Proceedings in the House of Representatives
                                           Wednesday, September 5, 2001
               The House met at 2 p.m.
               The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered 
             the following prayer:
               God of our forebears in faith, and ever-present Lord of 
             life,
               Be with us as we begin this fall session of the 107th 
             Congress.
               Bless the families of all of the Members of the House of 
             Representatives.
               Bless also the workers in district offices and all the 
             people met during summer recess.
               Now, help all Members to focus their attention on the 
             priorities set before them by the deepest desires of the 
             American people and the honest dialog of colleagues in 
             this House.
               Encourage them in sincere debate until the best ideas 
             surface.
               Guide them to sound resolution on complex issues so that 
             Your Holy Will will be accomplished in our time and bright 
             hope be instilled in Your people.
               Grant eternal peace to former Member, the Honorable 
             Floyd Davidson Spence and former Chaplain, Dr. James David 
             Ford, who died since our last gathering. May their 
             families and friends be surrounded with the consolation 
             and peace which You alone can offer.
               May all Americans catch a glimpse of Your glory that 
             they may risk everything to bring about Your Kingdom of 
             truth, justice and love now and forever.
               Amen.
                           IN HONOR OF OUR GREAT COLLEAGUE
               Mr. HASTERT. Madam Speaker, it is my sad duty to 
             announce to the House of Representatives the death of the 
             late Honorable Floyd Spence of South Carolina on August 
             16, 2001. His funeral was held in Columbia, South 
             Carolina, on August 21, 2001.
               Later today, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
             Spratt), the dean of the South Carolina delegation, will 
             offer a resolution in memory of our beloved colleague. 
             Members are invited to contact the gentleman from South 
             Carolina (Mr. Spratt) or the gentleman from South Carolina 
             (Mr. Graham) if they wish to participate in this tribute. 
             Members will be advised of plans for a subsequent special 
             order in memory of Floyd Spence. I think we will all 
             remember Floyd Spence for his love of this Nation, his 
             love of this House, and his strong and spirited defense 
             always for the armed services members of this country.
               EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE REGARDING DEATH OF THE 
               HONORABLE FLOYD SPENCE FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution 
             (H. Res. 234) and ask for its immediate consideration.
               The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
                                     H. Res. 234
               Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow 
             of the death of the Honorable Floyd Spence, a 
             Representative from the State of South Carolina.
               Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions 
             to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of 
             the deceased.
               Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn 
             as a further mark of respect to the memory of the 
             deceased.

               The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the 
             gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) for 1 hour.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
             may consume.
               Mr. Speaker, while we were on recess, Floyd Spence, a 
             native South Carolinian, a friend of us all, and a Member 
             of excellent standing passed away.
               Floyd was a star athlete, a student leader, a naval 
             officer in Korea, a State legislator, and a pioneer 
             Republican in a State that, at the time, was thoroughly 
             Democratic.
               For 30 long, dedicated years he served here proudly, 
             with total loyalty to this grand old institution of the 
             Republic and to the Armed Forces of the United States, 
             which he effectively represented on the Committee on Armed 
             Services for all of that time, 6 of those years as a very 
             able chairman of the committee.
               Many Members overcome obstructions or hurdles or suffer 
             hardships to serve here. Few of us endure what Floyd 
             Spence endured, a double lung transplant. At the time, he 
             was one of the few in America ever to survive such a 
             procedure. I can recall his recounting how after the 
             operation every movement of his body was excruciatingly 
             painful. Yet, even though he had reason, I never heard him 
             complain. I never heard him express anxiety about his 
             condition. I never heard him boast.
               I often heard him stand before groups, particularly from 
             South Carolina, and tell them, ``I am glad to be here.'' 
             He would pause a minute and say, ``Heck, I am glad to be 
             anywhere.'' It was that kind of understated humor, that 
             kind of affability, that kind of civility, that made him 
             the gentleman from South Carolina on this floor, in the 
             committee, not just in name but in the truest sense of the 
             word. He left us all a worthy example to emulate, 
             personally and professionally.
               To his family, to his four proud sons, to Debbie, his 
             wife, we extend our heartfelt sorrow. We will miss Floyd 
             too, but rest assured, we will always, always, remember 
             him, and never forget his courage, his spirit, and the 
             sterling example he left us of what it means to serve in 
             this great institution.
               Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
             Texas (Mr. Ortiz).

               Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of knowing 
             Floyd Spence for about 20 years. He was my good friend.
               Just like my good friend, the gentleman from South 
             Carolina (Mr. Spratt), says, he had a great sense of 
             humor. I can remember when one day he said, ``You know, I 
             have more spare parts than a used car dealer.''
               He was a great gentleman. I loved him. My family loved 
             him, and Debbie, who nourished him when he had the double 
             lung transplant. When we would see Floyd, as the gentleman 
             said, we would ask, ``You have a new suit?'' And he would 
             say, ``No, it is secondhand used.'' This was the kind of 
             guy he was. We loved him.
               To Debbie and his sons: We are going to miss this great 
             American.
               Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues, I rise with a heavy 
             heart today as we pay tribute to a friend, a colleague, 
             and a stalwart for our Nation's armed services and the 
             country. Floyd Spence and I were friends for as long as I 
             have been in Congress.
               In addition to his zeal and dedication on behalf of his 
             constituents in his beloved South Carolina, I admired his 
             outlook on life.
               Floyd was determined to squeeze every drop of life he 
             could from his time on this Earth--and he succeeded.
               From the double lung transplant to the kidney 
             transplant, Floyd said he had more spare parts than a used 
             car dealer. What was amazing was that he survived all this 
             for so long. He had an amazing ability to recover from 
             deadly afflictions.
               He was supremely dedicated to his duty to South 
             Carolina, to our armed services, and to the United States 
             of America. I know this because I traveled with Floyd to 
             places on every part of this planet to inspect our 
             military bases. Wherever we went, he insisted we talk to 
             enlisted men, not just the generals.
               Our Nation has lost a great hero. I have lost my friend, 
             mi amigo.
               I offer Debbie and his children--David, Zack, Benjamin 
             and Caldwell--my deepest condolences for their loss.
               Floyd loved his family so very much. It was Debbie, when 
             Floyd had the double lung transplant and was at his 
             lowest, who gave him the support and encouragement he 
             needed, and nursed him back to health.
               Floyd had a stubborn resolution to live, to enjoy life. 
             He knew his time was one day at a time--he told me that 
             each day was extra icing on the cake of his life. The 
             anti-rejection medicine he took greatly diminished his 
             ability to ward off simple infections.
               I will miss that giant of a man with a laugh he was 
             quick to share. The camaraderie often noted as now missing 
             in the House of Representatives had led our critics, and 
             ourselves, and leads people to say that we lack either 
             bipartisanship or simple human trust.
               But because of my friendships with so many of my 
             Republican colleagues, most notably my friend Floyd 
             Spence, I know the trust we engender here is real and it 
             works on behalf of the American people.
               We may disagree on the issues of the day, but we are 
             united in our belief that close bipartisan relationships 
             serve all of us and the American people we represent.
               I will miss you, Floyd. I thank the gentleman from South 
             Carolina for speeding our consideration of this resolution 
             today.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), chairman of the 
             Committee on Armed Services.

               Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
             yielding time to me.
               Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution 
             recognizing the tragic and untimely death of our friend, 
             colleague, and former chairman of the Committee on Armed 
             Services, Floyd Spence. He was a patriot, most of all a 
             gentleman, and one of Congress' most ardent supporters and 
             tireless advocates for our Nation's military.
               During his long and distinguished career in the military 
             and then public service, Floyd devoted his life to the 
             belief that there are certain principles worth defending: 
             freedom, democracy, and the promise of global stability 
             achieved through a policy of peace through strength.
               As chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, Floyd 
             led our committee and this country through many tough 
             times. It was largely due to his efforts that we were able 
             to reverse the trend of the decline in spending for our 
             military.
               Floyd leaves behind a proud legacy of accomplishment and 
             service to our Nation and to the Armed Forces to which 
             every public servant should aspire. It was a privilege to 
             serve with him. I will miss him as a leader, a colleague, 
             and most of all, a friend.
               It is only fitting that we send Floyd off with a 
             traditional Navy farewell wish: fair winds and following 
             seas.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), a ranking member of 
             the Committee on Armed Services.

               Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
             South Carolina for yielding time to me.
               Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a true Southern gentleman, 
             a good friend, a dedicated Congressman, and a champion of 
             a strong national defense. I had the privilege and 
             pleasure of serving with him on the Committee on Armed 
             Services during his chairmanship, and I found that he 
             always worked for the betterment of our men and women in 
             uniform and for our national security. I will miss him. I 
             will miss him very much.
               Almost a year ago, an overflow crowd gathered in the 
             Committee on Armed Services hearing room for the unveiling 
             of Floyd's portrait as chairman of the committee. Often we 
             do not have the chance to let friends know how we feel 
             about them before they are gone, so I am very grateful 
             that we had that evening together to enjoy Floyd's 
             company, and to let him know personally how much he meant 
             to us.
               Floyd Spence began serving this country as an active 
             duty member of the U.S. Naval Reserve during the Korean 
             conflict. That service continued until the end of his 
             life.
               Our former chairman understood that our Nation needs a 
             strong national defense, and he worked tirelessly with 
             Members on both sides of the aisle to strengthen our Armed 
             Forces and to take care of the men and women in uniform 
             and their families. No one spoke out more forcefully on 
             the need to maintain readiness.
               On rare occasions we disagreed, but never disagreeably. 
             Our relationship was one of mutual respect based upon 
             values which we both learned in small towns named 
             Lexington, one in South Carolina and one in Missouri.
               During the years Floyd Spence served on the Committee on 
             Armed Services, he blessed us with his leadership, honored 
             us with his friendship, and inspired us with his courage. 
             Floyd Spence was courteous, he was thoughtful, he was 
             respectful of others. It was a pleasure for me to serve in 
             Congress with this decent, fair, and honorable man. We are 
             all the richer for his years of dedicated service to the 
             Committee on Armed Services, the Congress of the United 
             States, the people of South Carolina, and our Nation.
               I extend my deepest sympathy to his wife, Debbie, to his 
             four sons, and to his entire family.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), a true American 
             hero and a former POW.

               Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the 
             gentleman for yielding time to me.
               Tonight I rise to pay tribute to a great American. He 
             was a true patriot, my friend, Floyd Spence.
               Floyd and I first became friends when I came to the 
             Congress in 1991. As a career Air Force fighter pilot for 
             29 years, I felt inclined to keep abreast of issues of 
             importance to our national security and Armed Forces. 
             Knowing my passion for the military, Floyd went out of his 
             way to update me early and often, even though I had not 
             served on his committee.
               In fact, because I was a POW in Vietnam and also a 
             veteran of the Korean war, Floyd turned to me in 
             confidence regarding issues before his committees, the 
             Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Armed 
             Services, and he found it important to hear an outside 
             perspective.
               He was a true conservative. He did support our American 
             military and our American way of life in all that he did. 
             Floyd was a true friend and a faithful leader for our men 
             and women in the Armed Forces, and he always put our 
             services' interest first and foremost.
               Mr. Speaker, just this year Floyd traveled with us to 
             the Paris air show, where he looked there at foreign 
             airplanes and ours in demonstration, and how proud he was 
             of our own Armed Forces when they were out there 
             performing before the world. It was a reflection that just 
             made me admire him all the more.
               In reflection, I am sad that I can no longer turn to my 
             friend Floyd on the floor. His family and friends are in 
             my thoughts and prayers. I know he is in a better place. 
             Floyd Spence was and is a great American.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

               Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of 
             the Committee on the Budget and the gentleman from South 
             Carolina (Mr. Spratt) for yielding me time as we join 
             tonight in true bipartisan fashion to remember and pay 
             tribute to our great and good friend, Floyd Spence.
               The gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) outlined 
             the resume of accomplishments of our friend Floyd, the 
             fact that he was a star athlete at the University of South 
             Carolina. Now that football season has started, I think of 
             his beloved Gamecocks that have had great success last 
             year and show promise in this season. He was captain of 
             the track team, one who served this country with 
             distinction as an officer in the Navy. The gentleman from 
             South Carolina is right: he set the pace for a Republican 
             birth in the 20th century in South Carolina in 1962.
               He came to this institution 3 decades ago. Mr. Speaker, 
             I think of the lives he has touched, the difference he 
             made for this Nation, not with grand and glorious 
             orations, but with simple acts of kindness and repeated 
             instances of a healthy dose of common sense.
               He understood that our Constitution clearly calls for 
             this Nation and this government to provide for the common 
             defense. He made no bones about his feelings and his 
             priority for national security. And through it all in his 
             days here he showed us the gift of being able to disagree 
             without being disagreeable. Mr. Speaker, no Member of this 
             House is as beloved as our friend Floyd.
               We thank him for his service. We thank his family and 
             the State of South Carolina for giving us in this House a 
             remarkable public servant.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).

               Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I walked in this place in 1980, 
             and I was asked to sit on the Committee on Ethics. Nobody 
             wants to serve on the Committee on Ethics, but the ranking 
             member of the Committee on Ethics happened to be Floyd 
             Spence. Floyd served there for years and years and years.
               We had a horrible case right off the bat. It was called 
             the sex scandal with pages made up by CBS and one of their 
             reporters. Floyd handled that with more dignity than I 
             have ever seen anyone handle anything. He was the ranking 
             member, and he served longer on that committee than 
             anybody in this House.
               I hate to admit it, but I matched it at 14 years when I 
             was on the Committee on Ethics. He did that with great 
             distinction. I remember when we used to watch Floyd come 
             across in a wheelchair with his girl Caroline pulling him 
             across there with the oxygen. He heard of a doctor down in 
             Mississippi who could do a double lung transplant, a 
             doctor from India. He did this with a young boy who was 
             killed on a motorcycle. He became very close to the 
             family.
               He called the mother Mom. She used to come up here. They 
             were very close. That is what we would expect from a man 
             like Floyd Spence, a man who was a Navy captain himself, 
             who had more compassion for people than most I have ever 
             seen in my life. I stand amazed at the compassion he had 
             and point out what a gentleman he was. It is too bad there 
             are not more Southern gentlemen left in America today, a 
             person who always opened the door for somebody, a person 
             who took somebody for what they were and not what they 
             could give them. This is the kind of person that Floyd 
             Spence was.
               I have to say that the people who wear the uniform 
             today, if you are watching this today and you are a 
             private or a general, you owe an awful lot to Floyd 
             Spence. I do not know a man among this bunch of 435 of us 
             who looked out more for the military. He used to say, I 
             make no bones about it. I will take care of our military 
             boys, our enlisted kids, our officers; and we will have 
             the best we can.
               He left a legacy for all of us. I appreciate Floyd 
             Spence. To his wife, Debbie, and his family, we wish them 
             the very best.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).

               Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a good, 
             valued, and valuable Member of this House. He will be 
             missed greatly. I want his family to know and all of his 
             friends and constituents what a tremendous contribution he 
             has made to the country. The gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
             Hansen) just outlined in brief form the contributions he 
             made to our armed services.
               Floyd Spence was a living, breathing, walking miracle 
             and he knew it. It affected his life, and it affected all 
             of us who knew Floyd.
               I had a friendship with him my entire 23 years here. He 
             began his service earlier than that. We shared a passion 
             for planting trees on our respective acreage in South 
             Carolina and Nebraska. We are members of the same 
             religious denomination. We talked about religion and its 
             importance to us many times. Mostly, I knew Floyd Spence 
             because of his involvement with the NATO Parliamentary 
             Assembly, formerly known as the North Atlantic Assembly. I 
             chair that delegation and have since 1995. Floyd, much 
             senior to me, was a very valuable member of that 
             delegation. All of us on that delegation, Republicans, 
             Democrats and our spouses and staff, miss the tremendous 
             contributions that he has made. We miss them already.
               He was a member of the Defense and Security Committee of 
             the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and, of course, as a 
             chairman and then former chairman of our House Committee 
             on Armed Services, his word was greatly respected and 
             sought after in that Assembly. Floyd did not speak often; 
             but when he did, people listened. At our last meeting he 
             was an important contributor on a discussion about 
             national missile defense. Regardless of how one feels 
             about that subject, he made us proud that he was a Member 
             of the House of Representatives.
               So to Debbie and his four sons, whom he talked about all 
             the time, and their families, we offer our most sincere 
             condolences. Floyd made a major contribution to this 
             country. We thank him, we thank you, his family, for 
             sharing his talent and his courageous character with this 
             House.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
             gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), one of Floyd's 
             closest friends.

               Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I recall when a number of us 
             went down a few days ago to the memorial service in South 
             Carolina, I thought one of the great parts of the eulogy 
             was when Floyd's doctor who did the double lung transplant 
             read the nurse's notes that were transcribed the day that 
             Floyd got married, shortly after the operation. He read 
             the nurse's notes saying, ``It appears now people are 
             filing into the hospital room for a marriage.'' She seemed 
             to be somewhat surprised by that, and later on it said in 
             fact the marriage ceremony had taken place; and she 
             concluded, ``The patient has tolerated the marriage well 
             so far.''
               I thought that was a great remark and reflection on 
             Floyd Spence's life because Floyd Spence tolerated a lot 
             of things well. He tolerated discord and disharmony and 
             tough times and times when it seemed like all of political 
             opinion was going against you. He was a man of steel. It 
             has been mentioned he was a man of great civility. He also 
             had literally an absolute iron backbone. I can remember 
             watching Floyd Spence tell a Speaker of the House in no 
             uncertain terms, ``no,'' something that is pretty 
             difficult to do.
               I recall his days talking to Strom Thurmond back in the 
             early 1960s, and he said, ``I think I am going to change 
             parties and become a Republican.'' Strom Thurmond said, 
             ``I do not think the district is ready for that.'' The 
             district was not ready for it. I think he lost his first 
             campaign for the Congress, but later on was elected to the 
             seat that he has held for more than 30 years. He talked 
             about that day, and whether you are a Democrat or a 
             Republican you have to admire the absolute iron will of 
             this guy who walked down the streets of his hometown 
             having changed parties in a State that still remembered 
             the War between the States, and where lots of folks had 
             lots of ancestors who lost parts of their bodies in the 
             Civil War and lost lots of other things and was still a 
             place where there were feelings about that war and about 
             Mr. Lincoln's armies.
               Floyd Spence walked down the streets of his hometown and 
             had people, friends and neighbors, who had known him for 
             years turn their backs on him. I recall he said he walked 
             into the post office and an old friend who had been with 
             him for years walked up to him, turned his back to him 
             deliberately and said, ``I used to have a great friend but 
             now he is dead,'' and walked away.
               I thought, what a remarkable resolution and resolve and 
             strength this guy had to have to do that at a time when it 
             was very, very difficult politically. Yet, with this great 
             strength and determination and resolve that resided in 
             Floyd Spence's heart, we never heard him brag. The only 
             people he talked about, if he was talking about his 
             family, were his grandkids and his kids and all of his 
             wonderful daughters-in-law.
               Floyd Spence left us with a legacy of civility. If we 
             follow that legacy of civility, along with the resolve to 
             follow our principles as strongly as he did, we will 
             continue to be a great Nation.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to 
             add to what the gentleman just told. The best part of the 
             doctor's story was he said he was beeped. He thought 
             surely something happened to Floyd. He was well away from 
             the hospital so he rushed to the telephone. He called the 
             number. They put Floyd on the phone; and he said to the 
             surgeon, ``Doctor, I'm getting married.'' The doctor said, 
             ``Fine. That is wonderful. When?'' Floyd said, ``Right 
             now.''
               Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
             South Carolina (Mr. BROWN).

               Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, we honor a 
             great American and a great South Carolinian who will be 
             sorely missed not only here in the halls of Congress but 
             in the entire Nation.
               His leadership in the area of national security is 
             without equal. Floyd Spence had been hailed by Democrats 
             and Republicans for devotion to God and country. He spent 
             his career fighting for our men and women in uniform. He 
             was a strong advocate of improving the life of military 
             personnel including pay raises and better living 
             conditions. He understood that a well-trained and equipped 
             military is the first priority by the Federal Government 
             and the best way to preserve the peace.
               Floyd leaves behind a legacy of accomplishment that 
             includes service in the U.S. Navy, 6 years in the South 
             Carolina House, 4 years in the Senate and 3 decades in the 
             U.S. House of Representatives.
               In 1971 he was the first House Member to sponsor a 
             constitutional amendment calling for a balanced budget.
               He served for 13 years as the ranking Republican on the 
             Committee on Ethics, and he also chaired with distinction 
             the House Committee on Armed Services from 1995 to 2001.
               Floyd Spence was one of our most distinguished patriotic 
             public servants as well as a Southern gentleman in the 
             best of the tradition. He was a great colleague and a 
             wonderful friend. His guidance, optimism, statesmanship, 
             and strong leadership will be missed by all that knew him. 
             He was a mentor to me and a great friend. God bless Floyd 
             Spence and his family.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).

               Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on this 
             occasion to join our colleagues in paying tribute to our 
             good friend Floyd Spence, to the people of South Carolina, 
             of expressing our heartfelt condolences to the family of 
             our distinguished friend Floyd.
               Floyd was a true Southern gentleman, a good friend to 
             many of us, a committed husband and father, and a 
             dedicated public servant to the men and women of our Armed 
             Forces and to the people of South Carolina and to his 
             beloved Nation.
               I have had the pleasure and honor of serving in the 
             Congress with Floyd for more than 3 decades.
               As a Navy veteran, he was a staunch, unwavering advocate 
             for our men and women in uniform. As chairman of the 
             Committee on Armed Services, he fought tirelessly to 
             improve the quality of life for our military personnel.
               Floyd was a man of great perseverance. From his early 
             football injury through his more recent lung transplant, 
             Floyd continued to give all he had to others, and he 
             committed his life to fully serving his people in South 
             Carolina.
               Floyd Spence was elected to serve the Second District of 
             South Carolina in the House of Representatives in 1970 and 
             served some 15 terms. In 1971, he was the first House 
             Member to sponsor a constitutional amendment calling for a 
             balanced budget. He served for 13 years as the ranking 
             Republican on the Committee on Standards of Official 
             Conduct, and in 1995 was named chairman of the Committee 
             on Armed Services, where he served with distinction, 
             always keeping in mind the national security of our great 
             Nation.
               Georgia and I join the many friends and Members of this 
             body in sending our prayers and condolences to his wife, 
             Deborah, his four sons, David, Zack, Benjamin and 
             Caldwell, and to all of the members of the Spence family. 
             Floyd's public service was a testimony to his life, a 
             model for all of us. He will be sorely missed, not only by 
             his colleagues, but by the entire Nation.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
             may consume.
               Mr. Speaker, being from South Carolina and in politics, 
             having people around for awhile is not an unusual 
             circumstance. Senator Thurmond, most people recognize his 
             name, was elected in 1954; I was born in 1955. We tend to 
             keep people around.
               Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
             Spratt) led this debate, and I know that the family is 
             very appreciative of all of the kind words. In South 
             Carolina we pride ourselves on being a delegation that 
             comes together for the good of the State, and remembers 
             our upbringing pretty well. Every now and then we fuss and 
             fight, but I doubt if my colleagues will find any Democrat 
             or Republican in this body that ever had a disagreement 
             with Floyd, that they walked away from that disagreement 
             believing anything less of the man. That is something we 
             are losing in the country.
               I have been in politics since 1994. It has been a 
             contentious time, but we have done a lot. In a delegation 
             this small, Members get to know each other pretty well, 
             and Floyd Spence was the nicest person I have ever met in 
             political life. That is saying a lot coming from my State, 
             because most of us try to be nice to each other. And the 
             fact that so many Members came to speak of his kindness 
             and his commitment to the men and women in the military 
             proves that Members can be quiet and make loud statements.
               Floyd will not be known by the volume that he carried, 
             but by what was in his heart. Floyd did change parties. At 
             the time that was tough, but I do not know of any 
             Democrats back home that thought that Floyd Spence was 
             anything other than a gentleman. Any disagreements with 
             Floyd were political, never personal.
               He had a devoted wife, Debbie, and many Members know 
             about that situation. The marriage that the gentleman from 
             South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) was referring to was to his 
             second wife, Debbie Spence, who was a devoted wife and 
             friend to Floyd, and they were married in the hospital 
             right after his historic double lung transplant. I have 
             never met anyone more devoted to their spouse than Debbie. 
             Floyd often said he was blessed to have two special women 
             in his life--his first and second wives. Floyd was also 
             very proud of his four sons. He said he had four boys that 
             all married female women. To know Floyd, that made sense. 
             He was very proud of his family and his grandchildren.
               In the 10 years-plus after he received a double lung 
             transplant and eventually a kidney transplant, he said, 
             this is my second life.
               Mr. Speaker, Floyd appreciated every day the good Lord 
             gave him. He has a group of grandchildren, varied ages, 
             some of them very, very young. They have something 
             exciting to behold in their life. They will not be able to 
             know their grandfather like we knew him. They will hear 
             about him through family and friends. They will hear about 
             Floyd through a thousand different ways.
               They will hear about their grandfather from statements 
             in the post office, ``Was your grandfather Floyd Spence?'' 
             And they will say, ``Yes.'' People will say, ``Let me tell 
             a story, how he helped me.''
               I do not think there is any better legacy than what 
             Floyd left behind: kindness to everybody, a smile on his 
             face. This body has lost a real gentleman and a true 
             friend to the men and women who serve in the military.
               Mr. Speaker, if we could all be more like Floyd Spence, 
             we would be a better Nation.
               Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
             Florida (Mr. Stearns).

               Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I was with Floyd on his last 
             trip. We flew into Paris to go to the Lafayette Escadrille 
             Memorial, a memorial to recognize 60 Americans in World 
             War I who fought with the French against the Germans. 
             These 60 individuals were killed in France, and they were 
             memorialized at the Lafayette Escadrille, a large 
             memorial. Congressman Spence led the delegation, and I 
             gave a speech on their behalf, and he was a strong 
             participant.
               I will cherish that trip because that was the last time 
             I spent any time with Floyd. I think, as pointed out by 
             other speakers, he was a gentleman in the real sense of 
             the word, but he also had a spirit, a spirit of survival, 
             a spiritual makeup that one felt he was in tune with the 
             Lord, and that he continually reminded all of us to 
             appreciate each and every day.
               I will miss him when he used to come up on the House 
             floor and say hello. He would always have that kind of 
             expression, and when asked how he was doing, he would 
             respond, ``I am here and I am very thankful.''
               When we talk about a person's life, if Members can talk 
             about him with a certain sense of joy, I think that is a 
             positive thing, and I think we are here tonight to say in 
             many ways he brought joy to our lives with his spirit. I 
             am speaking tonight about his accomplishments, but also 
             about his spirit.
               Mr. Speaker, I served 10 years on the Committee on 
             Veterans' Affairs with him, and in addition to the active 
             military personnel, he was very interested in the retired 
             military, particularly veterans. He was very religious in 
             his attending of subcommittee assignments. I was impressed 
             that he, as chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, 
             would still have time to come to our Committee on 
             Veterans' Affairs, and his participation was very active 
             and commendable considering how much he had on his plate.
               Mr. Speaker, I think it should be pointed out that many 
             of us did not see him in his prime athletic years when he 
             was a great athlete. We saw him here with the various 
             replacements he had with his lungs, his kidney, but we did 
             not have the opportunity to see him when he was a strong 
             athlete. He was a leader, a naval officer, and when 
             Members look at the spectrum of his career, it was 
             magnificent and impressive; and when one tops that with 
             his love for the country, it was a perfect package, and I 
             close on that note.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood).

               Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a 
             remarkable individual. He was remarkable for his 
             accomplishments: The fact that he was a steady voice for 
             the national security of this country; the fact that he 
             led the Committee on Armed Services with such great 
             distinction. He was a statesman in the truest sense of the 
             word.
               In a way it is not so much all of the things that he 
             did, but his demeanor, the way that he carried himself 
             throughout his efforts that really I think inspires many 
             Members to come to the floor this evening to make 
             commentary on Floyd.
               He came to the chairmanship of the Committee on Armed 
             Services at a time when the majority took over the House, 
             and in a way, the majority was very fortunate to have a 
             leader like him because he was steadfast in his 
             principles, yet he was not personally very polarizing; and 
             as a consequence, he was able to sustain his positions 
             very well and successfully.
               Frequently we hear the phrase, kind of a trite phrase, 
             ``Courtesy is contagious,'' but with regard to Floyd 
             Spence, it really was. He was a very kind man. In my 
             personal interactions with him, he always found the time 
             to talk and ask me about how the military was doing in 
             Guam, and what he could do to help us. In that sense, 
             courtesy was contagious. He was the quintessential 
             Southern gentleman. There are still many examples of that 
             around, and we are happy to see that, and I hope it 
             continues to infect the rest of us here who are not from 
             the South.
               Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to Floyd who was my chairman 
             for 6 years. He was a joy to work with, and certainly an 
             inspirational figure in his own way, and it demonstrates 
             that in politics it is not the power of words, but the 
             power of spirit that carries the day. He provided ample 
             evidence of that in his own work.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Ryun).

               Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I have very fond 
             memories of Floyd Spence. As a freshman on the Committee 
             on Armed Services looking for direction, he was always 
             there as a friend, and he was willing to give counsel.
               I particularly remember when I asked him to come to Fort 
             Riley in my district to visit the soldiers and see the 
             installation and meet the people. As I visit with people 
             back in the district, they still remember him as being 
             very warm, very committed, very sincere, and a great 
             leader.
               Mr. Speaker, most people have a birthday every year in 
             their life just to celebrate life, but the one thing that 
             always interested me with Mr. Spence was, the Committee on 
             Armed Services had a birthday to celebrate his lungs 
             because he had been given a special gift as a result of 
             complications he had in his life.
               My family and I loved him very much. He was always very 
             kind to them. He was willing to give time whenever he 
             could provide it. He was a man who knew he had been given 
             a great gift from God. He fought for what was right for 
             this country, even if it meant going against members of 
             his own party because he had that kind of commitment. 
             Debbie was a great contribution to his life.
               Mr. Speaker, I want to finish by saying Mr. Spence will 
             be missed, and we thank him very much for his great 
             contributions to this great Nation.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. DeMint).

               Mr. DeMINT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true 
             champion of freedom from the great State of South 
             Carolina, Congressman Floyd Spence. It was an honor and a 
             personal privilege to serve with Floyd in Congress and get 
             to know him over the past few years. He served his 
             district, his State and his country by fighting for the 
             values that we all cherish. He was a true patriot and a 
             remarkable man.
               Floyd became a personal friend of mine, and I remember 
             so many occasions on the back of this floor just talking 
             with him. It was his encouragement and sense of humor that 
             gave me a good perspective of our work here: to keep the 
             focus on our country and security and what is best for 
             those who live here. He was an inspiration to me, and I 
             want to honor him tonight.
               As you know, Floyd was a walking medical miracle. In 
             1988, at age 60, he underwent a then rare double lung 
             transplant. In 1990 when asked to reflect about this 
             operation, Floyd said ``I thank my maker for allowing me 
             to have a second life.'' This past year he also had a 
             kidney transplant. His doctor characterized Floyd as a man 
             of extraordinary courage who respected and embraced life. 
             He often said that he was ``grateful for any additional 
             day God granted him.'' Through those experiences, Floyd 
             continued to serve and became an active supporter of organ 
             donor awareness programs.
               Congressman Spence was recognized around the world as an 
             authority on defense issues. Vice President Dick Cheney 
             recently said Mr. Spence was one of the watchmen over 
             America's security. He had a deep respect for the 
             military, and that respect was returned. He was a patriot 
             who served his country well. Floyd was chairman emeritus 
             of the Committee on Armed Services, and a senior member of 
             the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. He was the only Member 
             of Congress to have served as chairman of the Committee on 
             National Security.
               A decorated veteran himself, he received many military 
             honors. Most recently, Congressman Spence received the 
             2001 Distinguished Service Award from the Military Order 
             of the World Wars.
               Before coming to Congress in 1970, Congressman Spence 
             was a member of the South Carolina House of 
             Representatives from 1956 to 1962 and the South Carolina 
             Senate from 1966 to 1970. He was a man of faith, a solid 
             conservative, a wise mentor and a shining example of 
             service to myself and the rest of the delegation.
               My heart goes out to his wife Debbie and the entire 
             Spence family. Our prayers are with you as you grieve--
             thank you for sharing such a man of integrity with us.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
             gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer).

               Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to come to the floor 
             tonight and also join in the eulogy of a friend of the 
             House and a friend of the country. Floyd Spence, I think, 
             was an individual whom many of us here in this body could 
             call a friend, because Floyd in his aw-shucks kind of 
             Southern gentleman demeanor would come up and ask you, 
             ``how is your health, how are you doing, how is your 
             family.'' And he always put the needs of others ahead of 
             himself. Even though Floyd may have been failing in his 
             health, he always wanted to know how you were doing and 
             how you were feeling. That was a lot about who Floyd was 
             and the impact he had on a lot of us and the impact he 
             left upon a country, because he dedicated his life to 
             public service.
               It was truly honorable in the manner in which he 
             conducted not only his everyday life but also his 
             profession. He had so many positive attributes that he 
             could not help but have an impact upon each of us and as a 
             Nation. I think as an individual that dedicated his 
             efforts to national security and making sure that the men 
             and women who wear the uniform, when they take that 
             uniform off, in his dedicated service to the Committee on 
             Veterans' Affairs, he made sure that that solemn oath that 
             that veteran took, that the government in fact fulfilled 
             their commitments to the veterans of this Nation. He 
             taught each of us every day that freedom is not free and 
             that we must be vigilant as a Nation, leaning forward so 
             that we could respond.
               Floyd may not be with us in body but the lives Floyd 
             Spence touched will be forever with us in spirit. There is 
             a song and the lyrics of that song may have been heard but 
             not listened to by many and it is that life is about more 
             than who we are, it is about what we do with the span of 
             time in which we have. Floyd embodied that. He made sure 
             that the imprint that he left upon each of us and the 
             Nation was one that was very positive.
               Floyd, to your family, you spoke often of your sons and 
             of your grandchildren, we wish you and your family well. 
             One day we will join you, my friend.

               Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
             time.

               Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy 
             heart that I join my colleagues in bidding a fond farewell 
             to our colleague and ``my chairman,'' Floyd Spence, who 
             died last month. Our condolences to his wife Deborah and 
             his four children. Floyd Spence was a hero, a patriot, a 
             family man, a man of God, and, above all, a gentleman. In 
             his more than 30 years in this body, he demonstrated 
             civility, respect and kindness toward his colleagues. He 
             was in the finest tradition of Southern gentlemen.
               Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence served his country honorably 
             in the U.S. Navy, on active duty in the Korean war era, 
             and then as a reservist, even while a Member of Congress 
             for decades thereafter. His commitment to our troops in 
             uniform was unsurpassed and obvious to those of us who 
             served with him.
               In his role as chairman of the House Armed Services 
             Committee for the 6 years ending in January, Floyd really 
             came into his own, in highlighting the deteriorating 
             condition of our Armed Forces and strengthening 
             congressional resolve to address this issue.
               I was honored to be in attendance at his funeral, along 
             with Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld and so many 
             others. His voice will be missed in this body, but never 
             forgotten.

               Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that 
             I stand here today to honor the memory of a dear friend 
             and respected colleague, Floyd Spence. Floyd was a patriot 
             and a statesman who devoted his 30 years in Congress to 
             securing America's defense and supporting our Nation's 
             veterans. As such, he was a well-known voice of experience 
             and leadership on both the House Armed Services and 
             Veterans' Affairs Committees, on which he proudly served 
             for much of his career.
               Floyd assumed the powerful chairmanship of the Armed 
             Services Committee when Republicans gained control of the 
             Congress in 1995. He quickly proved himself a skilled 
             chairman, pushing for and securing billions more in 
             desperately needed defense funding when the Clinton 
             administration was seeking to gut the military to pay for 
             the massive growth of government social programs. Floyd 
             helped to save and protect our national defense and laid 
             the groundwork for the current drive to rebuild and 
             redefine our defense capability to better respond to the 
             challenges of the new century battlefield.
               Winning tough battles was not uncommon for Floyd. During 
             his tenure, the gentleman from South Carolina was 
             successful in instituting instrumental legislative 
             initiatives while gaining the admiration and friendship of 
             Members from both sides of the aisle.
               His quiet strength also got him through some very rough 
             health challenges. Despite these problems, I never heard 
             Floyd complain. In fact, I can't recall him ever walking 
             into a room without a smile and kind word.
               Floyd was a great American and a personal friend. I 
             greatly value my days serving with him, especially on the 
             Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs Committees. He was a 
             source of wisdom and counsel on difficult issues, and his 
             presence in these hallowed halls will be sorely missed.

               Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, also on the note earlier echoed 
             by the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Buyer, we will miss 
             Floyd but he has made us all richer.
                APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO ATTEND FUNERAL OF THE LATE 
                               HONORABLE FLOYD SPENCE
               The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kirk). Pursuant to the 
             order of the House of Thursday, August 2, 2001, the 
             Speaker on Tuesday, August 21, 2001, appointed the 
             following Members to attend the funeral of the late 
             Honorable Floyd Spence:
               Mr. Spratt of South Carolina;
               Mr. Hastert of Illinois;
               Mr. Watts of Oklahoma;
               Mr. Clyburn of South Carolina;
               Mr. Graham of South Carolina;
               Mr. DeMint of South Carolina;
               Mr. Brown of South Carolina;
               Mr. Young of Florida;
               Mr. Hunter of California;
               Mr. Saxton of New Jersey;
               Mr. Hefley of Colorado;
               Mr. McNulty of New York;
               Mr. Bartlett of Maryland;
               Mr. McHugh of New York;
               Mr. Chambliss of Georgia.
                                  NATIONAL DEFENSE
               Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I would like to 
             pay my personal tribute to one of our colleagues who 
             passed away over the break, the Honorable Floyd Spence. I 
             had known Floyd Spence as many of our colleagues did in a 
             very personal way over the past 15 years that I have 
             served in the Congress. He was a leader on national 
             security issues when I came to the Congress. He was one of 
             those individuals that I looked up to for guidance and for 
             early orientation to fully understand the role of the 
             Congress in making sure that our military was being 
             properly supported.
               Congressman Spence, Chairman Spence, was one of those 
             unique individuals who had severe health problems, in fact 
             had a major double lung transplant, and had gone through 
             turmoil in his life from the health standpoint. I can 
             remember the days when they wheeled him to the floor of 
             the House in a wheelchair with a ventilator, yet he came 
             back and rose to become the full chairman of the House 
             Armed Services Committee and for 6 years he led this body 
             in issues affecting our national security.
               He was a quiet man, a gentle man, someone that never had 
             a cross word for anyone, even those he disagreed with and 
             was someone who would be a role model for someone aspiring 
             to become a Member of this body. He had a profound 
             influence. During a time of difficulty in the 1990s when 
             defense budgets were not what they should have been, it 
             was Chairman Floyd Spence who rose above the political 
             fray and led this Congress in a very bipartisan way to 
             increase defense spending by approximately $43 billion 
             over President Clinton's request for defense over a 6-year 
             time period. If it had not been for Chairman Spence 
             fighting tirelessly for our military, for the quality of 
             life for our troops, if it had not been for Chairman 
             Spence fighting for modernization and fighting for the 
             basic dignity of our military, I do not know where we 
             would be today.
               Thank goodness Chairman Spence was here. Thank goodness 
             he was fighting the battle. Thank goodness he was building 
             bipartisan coalitions on behalf of the sons and daughters 
             of America serving in uniform. He did a fantastic job in 
             this body. He was someone who had many friends on both 
             sides of the aisle and someone who will be terribly 
             missed. I could not attend the funeral of Chairman Spence 
             because I was in Huntsville, Alabama, giving a major 
             speech to 800 people on missile defense.
               It was only because of Chairman Spence's leadership that 
             we have moved missile defense along as far as it has gone. 
             As a tribute to him on that opening day of the conference, 
             the entire group joined in a prayer together, a prayer of 
             sympathy for the family of Floyd, for his wife and his 
             sons, and to let all of America know that Floyd Spence has 
             been a true champion, one of our real patriots.
               It was just last April, Mr. Speaker, when I had the 
             pleasure of recognizing Chairman Floyd Spence at our 
             annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner. We 
             have two types of defenders that we support in America: 
             Our international defenders, our military, and Floyd 
             Spence was definitely their champion. That night as we 
             have for the past 14 years, we honored our domestic 
             defenders.
               Our domestic defenders are the men and women who serve 
             in the 32,000 organized fire and EMS departments all 
             across the country. We honored Floyd Spence that night 
             because 6 months prior, in last year's defense 
             authorization bill, it was Floyd Spence as chairman 
             working with the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), 
             who just left this Chamber, who allowed me to move forward 
             legislation that created a grant program to provide 
             matching funds for local fire and EMS departments so that 
             they can better equip themselves to be America's domestic 
             defenders. On that night, 2,000 leaders of the fire and 
             emergency services from all over America gave Floyd Spence 
             a standing ovation for the work that he had done on behalf 
             of our domestic defenders.
               So Floyd Spence's legacy is a legacy that all of us 
             could look up to and hope to achieve, one of supporting 
             those people who wear the uniform, the uniform to protect 
             America overseas, and the uniform to protect America at 
             home. To Floyd's family, his wife, his sons, we say thank 
             you for giving us a tireless public servant whose legacy 
             will live on forever, who did so much in such a short 
             period of time and who will be so sorely missed in this 
             body and in the minds and hearts of military leaders 
             across this country and around the world where our troops 
             are stationed. Floyd Spence was a true American hero.
               EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE REGARDING DEATH OF THE 
               HONORABLE FLOYD SPENCE FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
               Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, Like most of my colleagues, I was 
             in my district--the southside of Chicago--when the news of 
             the death of our friend, Floyd Spence came. I was shocked 
             and saddened by the knowledge that this institution had 
             lost yet another Member.
               Born in 1928 in South Carolina, Floyd Spence was a 
             product of the South Carolina schools and a member of the 
             U.S. Naval Reserve. He was first elected to public office 
             in 1956, the South Carolina House of Representatives, and 
             he served there until 1962. He was elected to the South 
             Carolina Senate in 1966 and served until 1970.
               Floyd Spence began his 30 years of service in this body 
             in 1971 and he served three terms as chairman of the Armed 
             Services/National Security Committee in the House before 
             yielding the gavel to his successor at the beginning of 
             the current Congress. Throughout his congressional career, 
             Floyd Spence served the citizens of South Carolina's 
             Second Congressional District, and the citizens of this 
             Nation, well.
               Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was my neighbor in the Rayburn 
             Building. I will remember his cheerful greetings as we 
             passed in the hallways and in the elevators. He was always 
             optimistic, always upbeat, always energetic, always 
             courtly, always the gentleman. I will also always 
             appreciate the unfailing kindness and courtesy of his 
             staff.
               Mr. Speaker, my prayers go with his family, his friends, 
             his constituents and his staff, at this time of sorrow. I 
             ask my colleagues to join me in support of this Resolution 
             expressing the condolences of this House on the passing of 
             the Honorable Floyd Spence.
              COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF THE HONORABLE FLOYD SPENCE OF 
                              SOUTH CAROLINA, 1928-2001
               Mr. HILLEARY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute 
             to the life and public service of a great advocate for our 
             Nation's defense, a true gentleman in the finest Southern 
             tradition, and my good friend, Floyd Spence.
               For those of us who knew him only later in life, it may 
             come as a surprise that this gentle soul spent his early 
             life as a terror on the gridiron at Lexington High School 
             and the University of South Carolina. It's less of a 
             surprise that he had a distinguished 36-year career in the 
             Naval Reserve, because his knowledge of our Nation's 
             military was rivaled only by his deep affection for it.
               Mr. Spence was a leader with the courage of his 
             convictions. He became a Republican in 1962, when 
             Republicans in the South were still a rare commodity. That 
             party switch cost him an election, but the people of South 
             Carolina came to respect his courage and shortly 
             thereafter sent him to Congress in 1970. By the time I 
             first came to Capitol Hill in 1994, Southern Republicans 
             had become relatively commonplace. That happened because 
             people like Floyd Spence followed their conscience and 
             accepted the consequences willingly.
               When I met Floyd, he was then the newly installed 
             chairman of what was then called the House National 
             Security Committee. He handled his considerable 
             responsibility with grace and dignity, displaying fairness 
             to all Members, regardless of party, and showing 
             considerable patience with us freshmen who showed up full 
             of enthusiasm but short on experience.
               Chairman Spence knew that freedom isn't free and deeply 
             believed that lasting peace could best be achieved through 
             unquestioned strength. He pushed for better funding for 
             training, modernization, readiness and qualify of life 
             initiatives. His leadership was instrumental in finally 
             stemming the tide of declining defense budgets and placing 
             our military on the road to recovery. The soldier enjoying 
             his new pay raise, the military families moving into 
             improved post housing, the pilot stepping into a much-
             needed new fighter jet--each of these people, and many 
             others, can thank Floyd Spence for fighting for them. We 
             would be well-advised to continue along the path to 
             recovery that this remarkable man worked so hard to put us 
             on.
               An old historian once noted that, ``Great men are not 
             often good men.'' Well, Floyd Spence was certainly both. 
             Those of us who have had the great opportunity to know him 
             are far better for the privilege.
                                     Adjournment
               Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to 
             House Resolution 234, I move the House do now adjourn in 
             memory of the late Honorable Floyd Spence.
               The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 11 o'clock and 
             29 minutes p.m.) pursuant to House Resolution 234, the 
             House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, September 6, 
             2001, at 10 a.m. in memory of the late Honorable Floyd 
             Spence.
                            PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
               Under clause 2 of rule XII, public bills and resolutions 
             were introduced and severally referred, as follows:
               By Mr. Spratt:
               H. Res. 234. A resolution expressing the condolences of 
             the House of Representatives on the death of the Honorable 
             Floyd Spence, a Representative from South Carolina; 
             considered and agreed to.
                                            Tuesday, September 25, 2001
               National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002
               Mr. STUMP. Madam Chairman, as the House is about to move 
             to final passage on this defense authorization bill, I 
             think it is appropriate that we take a moment to note that 
             this will be the first defense bill in over 30 years that 
             we have passed that Floyd Spence did not have a part in. 
             Floyd had a hand in shaping and guiding all the defense 
             bills for the last 3 decades, and particularly in the last 
             6 years where he served as chairman of the House Committee 
             on Armed Services.
               Madam Chairman, there was not a stronger defender of our 
             military, no truer friend of the men and women in uniform, 
             and no tougher critic on those who allowed our defenses to 
             deteriorate over the years. Floyd Spence had vision, he 
             had sense of purpose, and he had a clear commitment to 
             ensuring that the Congress fulfill its constitutional 
             obligation to provide for the common defense.
               We all miss Floyd, but I did not want this moment to go 
             without the record reflecting his leadership, his 
             commitment, and his wise counsel on national security 
             matters, which still burns bright in many of us that were 
             privileged to work with this quiet, unassuming and 
             passionate American patriot.

               Mr. SKELTON. Madam Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

               Mr. STUMP. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.

               Mr. SKELTON. Madam Chairman, I applaud the gentleman on 
             his comments and his memory of Floyd Spence. He was truly 
             a gentleman's gentleman, a true Southern gentleman, from 
             his infectious laugh to his strong support of the troops. 
             We will recall him very, very fondly; and I thank the 
             gentleman for his remembrance of him.
                 
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                            Thursday, September 6, 2001
                               MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE
               At 12:29 p.m., a message from the House of 
             Representatives, delivered by Ms. Niland, one of its 
             reading clerks, announced that the House has passed the 
             following bills, in which it requests the concurrence of 
             the Senate:
               The message also announced that the House has agreed to 
             the following resolution:
               H. Res. 234. Resolution stating that the House has heard 
             with profound sorrow of the death of the Honorable Floyd 
             Spence, a Representative from the State of South Carolina.
                        IN MEMORY OF CONGRESSMAN FLOYD SPENCE
               Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, last month, the U.S. 
             Congress lost one of the finest public servants I have had 
             the honor to know. As my colleagues may know, Congressman 
             Floyd Spence, who represented South Carolina's Second 
             District, passed away on August 16, 2001. Floyd Spence may 
             no longer walk the halls of Congress, but the countless 
             contributions he made over the last 3 decades will 
             continue to influence South Carolina and this great 
             Nation.
               Floyd was a humble public servant who was proud of his 
             modest background, often introducing himself as ``Floyd 
             Spence, dirt farmer.'' He was a principled man who could 
             disarm anyone with his friendly disposition and his 
             distinct chuckle. It was difficult, if not impossible, for 
             anyone to dislike Floyd.
               Too often we take life for granted, but not Floyd 
             Spence. As a beneficiary of two organ transplants, he knew 
             too well he had been given not just a second, but a third 
             chance at life. As a result, Floyd lived life to the 
             fullest, dedicating it to the service of others and his 
             Nation.
               Floyd's generosity was demonstrated by his willingness 
             to lend an ear to those who faced the frightening prospect 
             of a transplant, or the even scarier possibility of not 
             receiving an organ in time. Having faced these fears 
             himself, he welcomed the opportunity to comfort 
             individuals from across the United States who called to 
             ask him about his own experience.
               My friend, ever the Southern gentleman, leaves behind a 
             legacy of dedicated public service. For almost 50 years he 
             loyally served the people of South Carolina. Floyd was 
             also an outspoken advocate for our armed services and had 
             served as chairman for the House Armed Services Committee. 
             As a retired Naval Reserve officer, he recognized the 
             importance of a strong military and worked tirelessly to 
             ensure that the needs of our armed services were 
             addressed.
               He was a true patriot, a dedicated public servant, and 
             he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Floyd is an 
             inspiration to all, and my heartfelt sympathy goes out to 
             his devoted wife Debbie, and his fine sons, David, Zack, 
             Ben, and Caldwell, and to his dedicated staff.
                               The Gentleman from the

                                Land of the Palmetto

             a Tribute to the Hon. Floyd Davidson Spence 


               Rep. Floyd Spence, a retired Naval Reserve captain and 
             ROA Life Member, died on Thursday, 16 August 2001. Rep. 
             Spence, a graduate of the University of South Carolina and 
             its law school, never recovered from surgery on 9 August 
             to remove a blood clot from his brain. Floyd Spence was a 
             strong proponent of Pentagon funding requirements and was 
             chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) from 
             1995 until January 2001. He served as chairman of the HASC 
             procurement subcommittee until his death and was a senior 
             member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
               ``I was in Scotland attending an international 
             legislative symposium when I received word of the passing 
             of my good friend Congressman Floyd Spence,'' Rep. Howard 
             Coble (R.-N.C.) told The Officer. It's humorous what 
             thoughts pop into your head at times such as these, but I 
             began thinking about the first time I heard Floyd Spence's 
             name.
               ``I was elected to Congress in 1984.'' Representative 
             Coble continued, ``and after winning that first election, 
             I began receiving congratulatory calls. One friend told me 
             about a friend of his who was serving with distinction in 
             Washington, Floyd Spence from South Carolina. My friend 
             had played high school football against Floyd, and despite 
             the fact they were on different teams, they became good 
             friends. He told me to be sure to contact Floyd Spence 
             when I went to Washington, which I did.
               ``I am so proud that I had the chance to serve alongside 
             Floyd in the U.S. House. He was a tenacious fighter for 
             his district, his state, and his nation. He fought the 
             good fight in both his personal and professional life. We 
             all know the stories about his personal health battles--
             including his double lung transplants. While he was still 
             in the hospital recovering from that major event, I 
             noticed that none of his South Carolina colleagues had 
             said anything on the House floor about Floyd's recovery. 
             Finally, I decided that I would make some remarks about 
             Floyd's valiant struggle. I reserved the time from the 
             Speaker, and as I was preparing my remarks, I asked one of 
             Floyd's colleagues, the colorful Arthur Ravenel of 
             Charleston: Should I refer to Floyd as the gentleman from 
             South Carolina? Arthur replied, `You should say the 
             gentleman from the Land of the Palmetto.' So, I closed my 
             remarks with Arthur's words, and I immediately received a 
             call from Floyd's office thanking me for my kind remarks. 
             Of course, I gave the oft-quoted Arthur Ravenel the credit 
             for my closing words!
                ``Everyone knew of Floyd's devotion to our nation's 
             military personnel, but I think it was even deeper than 
             most realized. Many times we would be in a conference and 
             the subject of defense spending and priorities would 
             arise, and some would be in favor of reducing our 
             commitment to America's fighting men and women. Floyd's 
             arguments in favor of our military would be passionate and 
             eloquent. Inevitably, he would conclude his well thought 
             out arguments with these words, `We're talking about your 
             country, man!' Indeed he was. Floyd's life was an example 
             of duty and devotion to family and country.''
                As friends and colleagues mourned the passing of Rep. 
             Floyd Spence, they repeatedly noted this devotion to 
             family, friends, and, above all, his country and those who 
             served in its armed forces. Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) 
             remembered his friend thus in a statement to The Officer: 
             ``Floyd was a dedicated champion for all of our men and 
             women in uniform. As a retired Naval Reserve Officer, he 
             always recognized the importance of a strong military and 
             worked tirelessly to ensure that the needs of our armed 
             services were addressed. He was a true patriot, a friend 
             to all service members, and he will be greatly missed.''
               Lt Col Ira A. Edens, USAF (Ret.) and ROA Life Member, a 
             close friend of Representative Spence for more than 50 
             years, remembers attending numerous ROA conventions with 
             the congressman. ``Floyd and I shared the mutual belief 
             that the first priority of Congress is the defense of 
             America and preservation of freedom,'' Colonel Edens said. 
             ``We both believe that if we lose our freedom, all else 
             that we hold dear as a nation--our homes, churches, 
             schools, institutions and way of life as free citizens--
             fall on the ash heap of civilization.''
                In addition to his patriotism, Representative Spence 
             was recognized as a ``true Southern gentleman'' and a man 
             of ``unsurpassed integrity.'' Colonel Edens also noted in 
             his memo to ROA: ``Floyd was a humble public servant, 
             loved and respected by legions of friends and supporters 
             in his home state and across the United States. Floyd and 
             I believed, as do others, that the first and foremost 
             requirement for public service is moral integrity and high 
             standards of character in all areas of public service. 
             Floyd set a high standard of moral leadership . . .' 
             Indeed, Rep. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that ``if he has 
             an enemy in Congress, I don't know it . . . I've never met 
             a more gracious person at any level.''
                Representative Coble recalled Floyd Spence's 
             graciousness recently when he was invited to appear on a 
             television program in his congressional district. ``When I 
             arrived at the station, a gentleman greeted me with the 
             phrase: `Come on in the house.' Again, my mind flashed to 
             Floyd Spence . . . I told him that no matter where Floyd 
             was, on the House floor or in his personal office, he 
             would greet friends and newcomers alike by saying, `Come 
             on in the house.' That was the kind of man he was, someone 
             who never met a stranger.''
               Funeral services were held in the historic First Baptist 
             Church in the congressman's home city of Columbia, S.C. 
             Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald 
             Rumsfeld, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (with a House 
             delegation), Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, and 
             Commandant of Marine Corps General James L. Jones were 
             among the dignitaries who joined friends and supporters to 
             honor Rep. Floyd Spence. The Vice President eulogized 
             Floyd Spence during the ceremony: ``I am here today on 
             behalf of the president of the United States to honor a 
             man who has served our nation long and well . . . He had a 
             deep respect for the military. That respect was returned 
             in kind. He understood the values and virtues of our 
             military, not only as a political leader but as a veteran 
             himself. Life brought more than a few hardships to this 
             good man. He bore them with courage . . . President Bush 
             and I will miss his counsel and his steadfast presence in 
             the House of Representatives.''
                His casket was placed on a cassion drawn by six white 
             horses; a seventh riderless white horse followed the 
             cassion, signifying a fallen comrade. Representative 
             Spence's funeral marked one of the few times in the 
             history of South Carolina where a horse-drawn cassion was 
             used in a state funeral.
                Rep. Floyd Spence's lasting impression on the Congress 
             and the nation may best be summed in these words of Rep. 
             Stephen E. Buyer (R-Ind.), sent to ROA: ``I am deeply 
             saddened by the death of my friend and colleague 
             Congressman Floyd Spence. For eight years, I had the 
             privilege of working alongside Floyd, and I had the 
             opportunity to witness his steadfast support of our 
             nation's military. We shared the same values and beliefs: 
             duty, honor, courage and commitment to God, country, 
             family and our fellow man. Floyd was a true Southern 
             gentleman and his honor and integrity were unparalleled. 
             It is a true loss to this nation. Although he will be 
             greatly missed, his spirit and legacy will live on.''
               Reprinted with permission from The Officer, a 
             publication of the Reserve Officers Association, vol. 
             LXXVIII, no. 8, September 2001, pp. 12, 44.

  

``The nation has lost a patriot and a dedicated public servant. Floyd 
Spence served his nation with distinction as a Naval officer and as a 
member of Congress for more than 30 years. As a leader on the House Armed 
Services Committee, he cared deeply about our men and women in uniform and 
helped secure peace through his commitment to the strength of our armed 
forces.''

--Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
                                   FUNERAL SERVICE

                                         FOR

                                FLOYD DAVIDSON SPENCE

                            April 9, 1928-August 16, 2001



             First Baptist Church

             Columbia, South Carolina

             Tuesday, August 21, 2001
             Organ Prelude

             The Entrance Rite

             Pastor:

  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all 
mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so 
that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we 
ourselves have received from God.

             Congregation:

  Thanks be to God.

             Pastor:

  When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. 
We were buried therefore with him by Baptism into death, so that as Christ 
was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a 
new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall 
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

                              (The Congregation Stands)

             The Processional

  ``Highland Cathedral''

  ``Going Home''

  Cadet W. Reed Kastner

  Cadet Paul Robinson

  Bagpipers, The Military College of South Carolina

                            (The Congregation is Seated)

             The Greeting

  The Reverend Dr. Wendell R. Estep

  Pastor of the First Baptist Church,

  Columbia, South Carolina

             Hymn

  ``How Great Thou Art''

                  Stuart K. Hine, b. 1899

             Words of Tribute

  The Honorable Richard B. Cheney

  The Vice President of the United States of America

  Dr. Seshadri Raju

  The Honorable Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.

  Former Governor of the State of South Carolina

  The Honorable Addison (Joe) G. Wilson

  Member of the Senate of South Carolina

             The Honorable Richard B. Cheney
               Reverend, Deborah, members of the Spence family, I'm 
             here today on behalf of President Bush and the people of 
             the United States of America to honor a man who served our 
             Nation long and well. I am also here as a former colleague 
             of Floyd Spence and as one who for a quarter of a century 
             knew him as a friend.
               That is a distinction I share with many. It is recorded 
             that the first time Floyd ran for his House seat they did 
             a poll here in South Carolina to measure his support. Not 
             only did the poll find signs of public approval, it turned 
             out that 21,000 people counted him as a personal friend. 
             That number has only grown these past 30 years and many 
             are those who feel deeply the loss that came last week.
               He called this his second life because of the transplant 
             operation more than a decade ago. And he put the gift of 
             those extra years to good use. It was not in his nature to 
             waste a day or take time for granted, especially where the 
             affairs of the Nation were concerned. In Congress, Floyd 
             was one of the watchmen over America's security and the 
             well-being of those who defend us.
               He was considered an authority of military matters long 
             before 1995 when, after 24 years in Congress, he became 
             the first Republican chairman of the House Committee on 
             Armed Services in more than 40 years. How he must have 
             enjoyed that, but I can attest as can many of his 
             colleagues here today that Floyd worked tirelessly to 
             preserve the bipartisan, fair, and thorough tradition of 
             the Armed Services Committee. No one has ever assumed that 
             critical position with a greater commitment to the U.S. 
             military, or had a stronger grasp of its responsibility 
             than Floyd Spence. He had a deep respect for the military 
             and that respect was returned in kind. He understood the 
             values and the virtues of our military, not only as a 
             political leader but as a veteran himself. He understood 
             that a prepared military is the work of years and is never 
             complete. He understood the great part our country plays 
             in the world and the great choices always before us. As he 
             said recently, ``Either we accept our role as a sole 
             global superpower and provide our military with the 
             necessary resources or we decline this difficult 
             responsibility.''
               From the very beginning of his career, Congressman 
             Spence himself was never known to decline any difficult 
             responsibility. When I first knew him in the mid-1970s, 
             Washington was bitterly divided by Watergate. We needed 
             leaders who kept their eyes on the Nation's interests. We 
             needed solid, serious men who took the long view of 
             things. We needed patriots. That word more than any other 
             describes the gentleman from South Carolina. Floyd was a 
             bit of an anomaly in Washington. A soft-spoken gentle man 
             who was proudly one of the staunchest hawks in Congress. A 
             man who worked hard for his district, for his State.
               I loved the quote I saw in one of your local papers from 
             someone who had known Floyd Spence very well. He said 
             ``Floyd Spence has done more things for more people and 
             said less about it than any man in American politics.''
               He was never known to draw away from any personal 
             challenge either. Life brought more than a few hardships 
             to this good man. He bore them with courage, preferring to 
             think and speak of all he had given and all he had hoped 
             to do. I was proud to serve with Floyd Spence. President 
             Bush and I will both miss his counsel and his steadfast 
             presence in the House of Representatives.
               It was only about 7 months ago that the President and I 
             met in Austin with Floyd and his Democratic colleague Norm 
             Sisisky who also passed away this year. We invited them to 
             come down to offer their advice and wisdom to the new 
             incoming team. Norm Sisisky made a comment to the 
             President which he then repeated to the press afterward. 
             He said, ``We will give you a lot of advice. We will argue 
             with you. But when it comes out, once you have made a 
             decision, people in the room are going to support you on 
             national defense. That is the legacy that Norm Sisisky and 
             Floyd Spence leave to us--the strong tradition of pulling 
             together rather than tearing apart on matters affecting 
             our Nation's security and our standing in the world. Floyd 
             Spence was a patriot who served his country well. We will 
             miss him.

             Dr. Seshadri Raju:
               Vice President Cheney, colleagues, friends, and family 
             of Floyd Spence. I first met Congressman Floyd Spence 
             nearly 14 years ago when he was admitted to the University 
             Hospital in Mississippi for a double lung transplantation 
             procedure. Lung transplantation is pretty much routine 
             now, but it was very much experimental at that time and 
             the outcome was not at all certain. I think it took 
             extraordinary courage for him to undergo the procedure at 
             that time in the first place. Life after double lung 
             transplantation is not always easy, and it can be pretty 
             rough at times. I know for a fact that Floyd went through 
             several such periods of great difficulty in the years 
             after transplantation that would have broken a lesser man, 
             yet he never complained, never indulged in self-pity, and 
             overcame those numerous hurdles that were thrown in his 
             way with quiet determination. His spirit and sheer 
             strength of will were truly amazing. He often said he was 
             thankful for every additional day God granted him on this 
             earth, and I know he meant it and lived it. I think he 
             understood that any such additional time God granted him 
             was meant for a purpose and he did not waste a minute of 
             it.
               He chaired the House Armed Services Committee during 6 
             of those years and routinely put in 16- or 17-hour days. 
             It used to make me feel tired just looking at his typical 
             daily itinerary, and I'm quite a bit younger than him.
               He traveled all over the world oftentimes to places 
             where there would be no help if something related to his 
             lung transplantation went wrong. His only backup was his 
             wife, Mrs. Debbie Spence, who often traveled with him on 
             these occasions. She studied up on lung transplantation 
             and all the problems related to it. She was deeply devoted 
             to him and watched over him. He used to refer to her only 
             partly in jest as Dr. Debbie. It has been my deep 
             privilege to come to know Mrs. Spence, whose goodness of 
             heart and inner strength matched every bit of that of the 
             Congressman. The 13 years of productive life that the 
             Congressman enjoyed after transplantation was largely due 
             to her loving care and attention. And there were periods 
             of joy during those 13 years. Some weeks after the double 
             lung transplantation, I got a call from the hospital 
             regarding the Congressman. He was still in the hospital, 
             not quite ready to be discharged. I was actually out of 
             town visiting my brother, and the hospital had tracked me 
             down in Houston at my brother's residence. I was afraid 
             that something bad might have happened. No. It was the 
             Congressman himself on the phone from his hospital room. 
             In a very cheerful voice he said, ``Doctor, I'm getting 
             married.'' I said, ``congratulations. Have you set the 
             date?'' He said, ``right now, right here.'' So Floyd and 
             Debbie got married in the very hospital room where he was 
             still recovering. The nurse who was taking care of him 
             kept meticulous notes regarding the wedding ceremony. She 
             noted in his chart that the preacher was in the room at 
             5:00 p.m., and the wedding ceremony was in progress at 
             5:15 p.m. Her notation at 5:30 p.m. stated that the 
             wedding ceremony was over; and in typical nursing lingo, 
             she commented that the patient tolerated the wedding 
             ceremony well.
               Floyd often said he was a simple, common man. His 
             politics were certainly straightforward--faith in God, 
             service to country, and devotion to family. Rock solid 
             integrity. He was a power in Washington, yet he was always 
             humble and courteous to all around him. He was very much a 
             true Southern gentleman--always polite, never 
             ostentatious. Yet, his quiet external demeanor hid 
             astonishing willpower and spiritual strength.
               To what purpose did he will himself to live the extra 13 
             years with a double lung and then a kidney 
             transplantation? Partly, the answer must lie in his love 
             for his wonderful family who were at his bedside during 
             his last days and are gathered here today. David donated 
             one of his own kidneys to his father last year, and others 
             were lined up beside him if the tissue match was better.
               The other part of his work was in Washington. I was 
             present during the ceremony last year when they honored 
             him on Capitol Hill and hung his portrait for his work as 
             chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. It was a 
             proud moment for his family, for him personally, his loyal 
             and super efficient staff, and many, many others from all 
             walks of life whom he had befriended during his many years 
             of service. The room was full; many of his colleagues from 
             both sides of the aisle were present. All of the service 
             chiefs were in attendance, and there were more stars in 
             the room than I am used to seeing on a typical muggy 
             Mississippi night. Secretary Cohen thanked Floyd for his 
             distinguished service, and then the time came for Floyd to 
             respond.
               Of the many things he had done, he was most proud of the 
             pay increase for the men and women of the military he was 
             able to implement despite considerable opposition. Seeing 
             the glint of fervor in his eye at that moment, I realized 
             that he saw himself, not as a powerful Congressman, not as 
             a mover and shaker in Washington. His self image was that 
             of the Navy ensign who signed up to serve when he was just 
             17 years old. He understood that our freedoms ultimately 
             rest on the strength of our armed services and that the 
             well-being of the men and women who wear the uniform is 
             fundamental. He saw strengthening of our military as the 
             ultimate form of service to his country and a mission 
             worthy of the additional precious time God gave him on 
             this earth.
               He had extreme, almost intolerable pain in the last few 
             months. Yet, he was on the job to the last minute, 
             including punishing overseas trips to Lithuania and Bosnia 
             during that period. Yes, he said he was a common man, but 
             he was a very uncommon man, an extraordinary man. He was 
             tried in his life many times in many ways, and he endured 
             those trials with grace, always full of hope, aiming to 
             serve, thankful for every additional day God gave him to 
             live. As we mourn his passing, we rejoice in his exemplary 
             life, his many accomplishments, his indomitable spirit, 
             and the proud legacy he leaves behind for others to 
             cherish and follow. Borrowing from Mr. John Monk, noted 
             newspaper columnist, ``well done, salute, and Godspeed, 
             Floyd.''

             The Honorable Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.
               As I look out across this congregation, I realize that 
             everybody here has been touched by one man. What a 
             tribute. As we travel this road of life and all others 
             too, we will meet in the end one day. But we meet so many 
             people, some are special. Floyd Spence was one of the 
             special people, he was a person that I felt really blessed 
             to have known. He loved his State. He loved his family in 
             which he was so very, very proud. And as we look at this, 
             and we look for champions to lead us, we look no further 
             than Floyd. When times were bleak, Floyd was upbeat. Floyd 
             was the kind of person that loved his family, he loved his 
             fellow man. And I have to tell you he's the kind of person 
             that everybody in this State and in his family was proud 
             of, extremely proud.
               I served in Congress for 8 years with Floyd. One of the 
             things that impressed me the most about him was how much 
             he cared for others. He always put what was in the best 
             interest of the people above the political agenda. Having 
             been in the Congress myself, as others, Mr. Speaker and 
             others, you know it's hard to put other people in front of 
             you. Floyd Spence always stepped back to let someone else 
             do the right thing. He was unique, he was someone we may 
             never see again in a lifetime. He always put the best 
             interests of the people above the political agendas, as I 
             said.
               As a freshman Congressman, and I mean very fresh, Floyd 
             went out of his way to help me with the transition, to 
             teach me the ropes so to speak, and what a teacher he was. 
             This transition gave me the advice on how to get things 
             done on Capitol Hill, things which I will always be 
             grateful for. And one thing I will always remember about 
             Floyd is just about every night in Washington there is 
             some kind of dinner or reception being hosted by this 
             group, or that group, trying to get your support for some 
             particular thing in the Congress of the United States, and 
             all of you Congressmen know what I am talking about. Well 
             let me just say this to you. Remember this about Floyd. 
             Every night in Washington where there was some kind of 
             dinner or reception being hosted by this group or that 
             group trying to get your support for their particular 
             cause, he would rarely attend. Why did he rarely attend? 
             He rarely attended because he said he didn't want to be 
             around that much sinning at night. Floyd loved God, Floyd 
             loved life, Floyd loved his fellow man. And even before 
             the medical miracles, Floyd treated every day of life as 
             the precious gift it is. He never met a stranger. If you 
             met him on the street he would greet you as an old friend 
             with a smile that would light up your day and say, ``hey 
             man, how are you?'' I can picture Floyd in heaven at the 
             pearly gates and saying to St. Peter, ``hey man, how are 
             you?'' And those of you that know it, know what I am 
             talking about. Floyd Spence is in heaven now but he will 
             never be forgotten. I feel that I am a better person for 
             having known him. I will miss him and his friendship and I 
             know that all of you will. God bless you Floyd, God bless 
             your family.

             The Honorable Addison (Joe) G. Wilson
               Debbie Spence, David, Zack, Ben, Caldwell, 
             grandchildren, Spence family, Mr. Vice President, Mr. 
             Speaker, friends from across South Carolina, Washington 
             and points between and beyond. Congressman Floyd Spence 
             was truly an amazing man. He made history but he always 
             did it without boasting. He set high personal standards 
             but he never judged others harshly. He created records but 
             he always left his imprint quietly and without self-
             promotion. Like all truly great men, Congressman Spence 
             lived a life dedicated not to self but to service. That 
             was his mission on earth.
               I count it as one of my life's blessings that 
             Congressman Floyd Spence was my friend. I was able to work 
             closely with the Congressman over a period of many, many 
             years. In fact I was given the honor of being his campaign 
             manager for about half a dozen of his re-election 
             campaigns. I'll never forget the first campaign we waged 
             back in 1970. The legendary pollster, Arthur Finklestein 
             conducted a survey. Arthur decided to ask a question of 
             potential voters. Do you consider Floyd Spence to be your 
             personal friend? The Vice President has already referenced 
             this event but it was so remarkable, it needs to be 
             cherished. The results came back and 7 percent of the 
             electorate said yes, Congressman Spence is my personal 
             friend. We ran the math on that number which meant 21,000 
             people identified Congressman Spence as their personal 
             friend. That was 31 years ago, long before he rose to 
             prominence as a national leader. There was something about 
             the man that touched our hearts, inspired our confidence, 
             and made us know that indeed he was our Congressman.
               The most difficult part of being the campaign manager 
             for Congressman Spence was having to deal with the fact 
             that he would simply not brag about himself. He was so 
             humble that we had to drag his achievements out of him. 
             When we would go to festivals, or community drop-ins I 
             would tell him, ``now Congressman be sure to tell these 
             people about the legislation you sponsored, tell them how 
             you fought for this and that.'' And he would say ``those 
             folks don't want to hear about me, I want to hear about 
             them,'' and he would listen. He would cry with them, laugh 
             with them, relate to them and most of all he would help 
             them from beginning to end. For Congressman Floyd Spence, 
             holding office was all about service. That's why we loved 
             him, that's why he was elected and re-elected more than 
             any other public official from the South Carolina Midlands 
             in the 20th century. Most often we think of Congressman 
             Spence as a Congressman, and he was one of the greatest. 
             But most people don't realize what a tremendous impact he 
             had on the quality of life back when he was a member of 
             the State house or in the State senate.
               Again, he never bragged about those achievements so I am 
             going to brag for him because today the record is so very 
             meaningful for our families. In the General Assembly, he 
             served on a study committee that led to the founding of 
             Midlands Technical College. He was instrumental in the 
             legislation that established the Lexington Medical Center, 
             which now provides world class health care to the people 
             throughout the region. Also he secured major industrial 
             developments for both Lexington and Richland Counties, 
             developments that brought us the jobs and tax base we 
             needed to fund our nationally ranked school systems. 
             Later, in Congress, his record was even more amazing. He 
             fought tirelessly for health care, for education, for free 
             enterprise and for a strong national defense. He saw his 
             vision fulfilled--a victory in the cold war, working with 
             President Reagan and Senator Thurmond for Americans to 
             live in peace, and people from Russia to Bulgaria to live 
             in freedom. His hard work as a Congressman enabled him to 
             rise from a minority back bench role to the chairmanship 
             of the powerful House Armed Services Committee. This is 
             the highest position ever achieved by a resident of the 
             Midlands in modern American history. But as he rose to 
             prominence on the national stage, Congressman Spence never 
             lost touch with the folks back home. He was always 
             happiest when he was here listening, laughing, and joking, 
             surrounded by all of us who loved him. And we all loved 
             his sense of humor. We remember how he enjoyed 
             complimenting friends he would run into on our new store 
             bought suit.
               He also loved the institution of marriage. Often when he 
             saw me and my wife Roxanne together he would say in a 
             voice just loud enough for others to hear, ``boy Joe you 
             sure married over your head,'' which indeed I did, and so 
             did he. Twice. First to his late wife Lou, and now, his 
             beloved Debbie, who stood by him, loved him, and brought 
             him abundant happiness. In a single word Congressman Floyd 
             Spence was a miracle. The quality of life lived, the well-
             chronicled donations of life given, and the measure of 
             life given back to others. Three parts to a whole, the sum 
             total of which gives us comfort and reassurance in our own 
             lives. May God bless his family and May God bless all of 
             us as we seek to keep his legacy alive. To preserve for 
             ourselves and future generations the miraculous gift of a 
             life well lived. The wise prophet Isaiah reminds us of 
             God's promise: ``Fear not for I have redeemed you. I have 
             called you by your name, you are mine.'' And so it is. God 
             has redeemed the Congressman. He has called him by his 
             name. He is with God, God bless Him.

             The Salutation and Prayer

  The Reverend Dr. George E. Meetze

  Chaplain of the Senate of South Carolina

             Pastor:

  The Lord be with you.

             Congregation:

  And also with you.

             Pastor:

  Let us pray. O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our 
brother, Floyd. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a 
companion in our pilgrimage on Earth. In your boundless compassion, console 
us who mourn. Give us your aid, so we may see in death the gate to eternal 
life, that we may continue our course on Earth in confidence until, by your 
call, we are reunited with those who have gone before us; through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord.

             Congregation:

  Amen.

             Solo

  ``Amazing Grace''

                  John Newton, 1725-1807

  Eliza Caughman Spence

             The Word of God

             The Verse

             Congregation:

  Alleluia. Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead; to him be glory and 
power forever and ever. Amen. Alleluia.

                              (The Congregation Stands)

             The Holy Gospel

             Hymn

  ``I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry''

                  John Ylvisaker, b. 1937
                                 Used by permission.
              Copyright 1985 John Ylvisaker, PO Box 321, Waverly, Iowa 
                                        50677

                            (The Congregation is Seated)

             The Sermon

  The Reverend Leon A. Rawl

  Pastor of Saint Peter's Lutheran Church,

  Lexington, South Carolina

             The Anthem

  ``The Strife Is O'er, the Battle Done''

                  Francis Pott, 1832-1909

  The Choir of Saint Peter's Lutheran Church,

  Lexington, South Carolina

                              (The Congregation Stands)

             The Creed

             Pastor:

  God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living 
together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.

             Congregation:

  I believe in God, the Father almighty,

  creator of heaven and Earth.

  I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

  He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

  and born of the Virgin Mary.

  He suffered under Pontius Pilate

  was crucified, died, and was buried.

  He descended into Hell.

  On the third day he rose again.

  He ascended into heaven,

  and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

  He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

  I believe in the Holy Spirit,

  the Holy Catholic Church,

  the Communion of Saints,

  the forgiveness of sins,

  the resurrection of the body,

  and the life everlasting. Amen.

             The Prayers
             Pastor:

  Let us pray.

  Almighty God, you have knit your chosen people together in one communion, 
in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Give to your whole 
Church in heaven and on Earth your light and your peace.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ's death and 
resurrection may die to sin and rise to newness of life and that through 
the grave and gate of death we may pass with him to our joyful 
resurrection.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Grant to us who are still in our pilgrimage, and who walk as yet by 
faith, that your Holy Spirit may lead us in holiness and righteousness all 
our days.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed 
from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Grant to all who mourn a sure confidence in your loving care, that, 
casting all their sorrow on you, they may know the consolation of your 
love.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Give courage and faith to those who are bereaved, that they may have 
strength to meet the days ahead in the comfort of a holy and certain hope, 
and in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe 
and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the 
resurrection to life everlasting.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             Pastor:

  Grant us grace to entrust Floyd to your never-failing love which 
sustained him in this life. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, and 
remember him according to the favor you bear for your people.

             Congregation:

  Hear us, Lord.

             The Conclusion of the Intercessions
             Pastor:

  God, the generations rise and pass away before you. You are the strength 
of those who labor; you are the rest of the blessed dead. We rejoice in the 
company of your saints. We remember all who have lived in faith, all who 
have peacefully died, and especially those most dear to us who rest in you. 
Give us in time our portion with those who have trusted in you, and have 
striven to do your holy will. To your name, with the Church on Earth and 
the Church in heaven, we ascribe all honor and glory, now and forever.

             Congregation:

  Amen.

             The Lord's Prayer
             Congregation:

  Our Father, who art in heaven,

  hallowed be thy name,

  thy kingdom come,

  thy will be done,

  on Earth as it is in heaven.

  Give us this day our daily bread;

  and forgive us our trespasses,

  as we forgive those who trespass against us;

  and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. 
Amen.

                            (The Congregation is Seated)
             Solo

  ``Softly and Tenderly''

                  Will Thompson, 1847-1909

  Constance Flemming

             The Commendation
             Pastor:

  Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Floyd. 
Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of 
your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms 
of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the 
glorious company of the saints in light.

             Congregation:

  Amen.

             Pastor:

  Let us go forth in peace.

             Congregation:

  In the name of Christ. Amen.

                              (The Congregation Stands)

             The Recessional

  ``Eternal Father, Strong to Save''

                  William Whiting, 1825-1878
               Reprinted from The Lutheran Book of Worship, copyright 
                                        1978.
              Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress license #2184-L.




                     Interment at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church
                           1130 Saint Peter's Church Road
                              Lexington, South Carolina
                       They that go down to the sea in ships,
                          that do business in great waters;
                           these see the works of the Lord

                                                            --Psalm 107

                               Miss Me, But Let Me Go
                                    Fred Gerhardt

                         When I come to the end of the road
                             and the sun has set for me,
                      I want no rites in a gloom-filled room--
                            why cry for a soul set free?
                         Miss me a little--but not for long
                         and not with your heads bowed low.
                        Remember the love that we once shared
                               Miss me--but let me go!
                       For this is a journey we all must take
                               and each must go alone;
                         It's all part of the Master's plan,
                             a step on the road to home.
                        When you are lonely and sick at heart
                              Turn to friends you know
                     And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds;
                               Miss me--but let me go!

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