[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    FAREWELL TO SENATOR DAVID BOREN

  Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. President, in January, when the 104th Congress is 
sworn in, Senator David Boren will instead be sworn in as president of 
the University of Oklahoma. I certainly wish him well in this new 
endeavor, but at the same time I know that his presence in the Senate 
will be sorely missed.
  David Boren has earned a reputation as a ``bridge builder.'' He is 
known for putting together working groups of Members with different 
perspectives on an issue. These groups are often able to find common 
ground and advance their legislative goals by building strong, 
bipartisan consensus.
  Bringing people together is a skill which is all too rare. Assembling 
a balanced group and helping its members to put aside their differences 
and focus on commonalities is a test of anyone's leadership abilities. 
David Boren has consistently met this test, and his leadership is 
unquestioned.
  To me, it seems clear that Senator Boren's greatest legacy will be 
his tremendous efforts to reform the way our campaign finance laws are 
structured. Nobody understands more clearly than David Boren the 
problems inherent in our current system. He has fought hard to remove 
the overriding influence of money on our system, to take elections out 
of the hands of political action committees and return them to the 
hands of the people.
  I admire Senator Boren's willingness to take on this difficult and 
contentious issue. He has been a tireless campaigner on this issue, and 
he has brought us to the very brink of success. I regret that it was 
not possible to complete action on this important measure this year, 
but I commend Senator Boren for his heroic efforts.
  David Boren has a sharp mind and a keen intellect. I am sure that he 
will be a strong leader at the University of Oklahoma and a role model 
to the University's students. I wish him every success in this 
endeavor.

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