[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      TRIBUTE TO DENNIS DeCONCINI

  Mr. SASSER. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the senior Senator 
from Arizona, my distinguished colleague, Dennis DeConcini, on the 
occasion of his retirement from the U.S. Senate. Senator DeConcini and 
I began our Senate careers in the freshman class of 1976, and it has 
been a pleasure to work with him for the last 18 years, most recently 
as members of the Appropriations Committee. The Senate will truly miss 
Dennis DeConcini  in the years ahead.
  Throughout his service in the Senate, Senator DeConcini has been a 
thoughtful and dedicated legislator. Although his decisions have not 
always been popular, he has worked to uphold the interests of his 
constituents and vote his conscience.
  An issue of special concern for Senator DeConcini has been control of 
the spiralling drug problem in the United States and worldwide. Before 
he came to the Senate, he served as the administrator of the Arizona 
Drug Control District, where he witnessed the tragedy of growing drug 
traffic from Latin America into the Western part of the United States. 
He resolved to combat this problem, and, as vice-chairman of the Senate 
drug enforcement caucus, he spearheaded an effort to pressure foreign 
governments to fight the drug problems in their own countries and 
prevent narcotics from entering the United States. As chairman of the 
Treasury-Postal Appropriations Subcommittee, Dennis DeConcini included 
$1 billion for drug interdiction in the fiscal year 1992 spending bill.
  I am sorry to see this hard-working Senator retire; however, I feel 
sure he will utilize his many talents in another worthwhile career. His 
willingness to work with his colleagues to pass important legislation 
in this era of gridlock has been refreshing, and there are many in 
Congress who could learn from his example. I wish Senator DeConcini the 
best of luck in his future endeavors.

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