[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 149 (Thursday, December 1, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: December 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       TRIBUTE TO SENATOR SASSER

  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, sometimes we have people decide to leave 
the Senate, for whatever personal reasons, and go back home, and we 
hate very much to see them go. That is the case with several of our 
colleagues, Senator DeConcini, Senator Riegle, and others, who are 
leaving here, whom we have worked long and hard with through the years.
  At other times the voters at home and our judgment here may differ on 
who should be sent back to the Senate. And that makes it particularly 
difficult sometimes, because we make valued friendships here in the 
Senate. We work closely with people. We know their work up close and 
firsthand.
  When the voters, for whatever reason--tides or political winds or 
whatever--see things differently than we do here and someone is not 
returned to office, it is particularly difficult to accept that 
judgment, though that is exactly what we must do.
  Such a difficult time for many of us here, for me in particular, came 
when the people of Tennessee saw fit not to return my seatmate here, 
Jim Sasser, to the U.S. Senate.
  Jim and I have been seatmates here for, I guess, maybe 10 years, 
sitting side by side; you get to know someone pretty well over that 
lengthy period of time, as well as working with him in committee.
  Jim came from Tennessee, of course, was at Vanderbilt, spent 6 years 
in the Marine Corps Reserve--which I do not hold against him as far as 
part of his career pattern goes--and has done an outstanding job here 
in the U.S. Senate.
  I know him from long work on the Governmental Affairs Committee where 
we served together, where he was in particular there cutting waste in 
Government, and supported such things as the Chief Financial Officer 
Act, the Inspectors General Act, procurement change, and so on.
  When Jim had his opportunity to take over the Budget Committee, I 
think he was not quite sure what he wanted to do on that, but take it 
over he did. He did such an outstanding job with it, that his presence 
and his leadership on that committee will truly be sorely missed in the 
U.S. Senate.
  We remember some of those times in the Budget Committee when we had 
what was called the ``dueling budgets'' back and forth. Everybody had a 
budget they were submitting, and it was up to Jim to try to reconcile 
these things. We sent through reconciliation here a year ago last 
summer, which we will remember as one of the giant steps taken in 
control of our fiscal policy, I think, since I have been in the Senate, 
and I have been here just 2 years longer than Jim. I have been here 20 
years, just finishing that up, and Jim was elected in 1976.
  This was really a giant step, and it is a major step forward to help 
the administration and the policies that have been established that 
literally have reduced the budget deficit over the last years from 
about $300 billion down to around a little above $250 billion this 
year; down to $167 billion or $168 billion estimated, I believe it is, 
next year. The first time in 3 years in a row we had a decline in the 
budget deficit 3 years in row I believe since the days of Harry Truman. 
Much of the credit for that goes to Jim Sasser and the work he did on 
that committee.
  He has been on Appropriation, Military Construction, Banking, and I 
mentioned Governmental Affairs. His interest in foreign policies go 
back several years when we discussing Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and so on.
  I will not try to go through all of his dossier or portfolio here 
today. But let us just say it is particularly difficult when someone 
tried for re-election and the voters have a different idea, and 
particularly difficult when they have been a close friend, as I 
consider Jim to be. We have become close friends here.
  Jim ran in 1976 as a believer in the United States and its people. 
One of his slogans repeated over and over again out of that campaign 
when he first ran and came to the Senate was he wanted a Government 
that reflects our decency, a Government that reflects our decency as a 
people.
  I know Jim as just such a decent person himself, as an example of 
what hardworking Senators should be, decent, honest hard working. We 
certainly wish Jim and Mary well. We hope to see them around here 
often. Whether he is a voting Member or not he will certainly be missed 
here. He is a personal friend, and I personally hope that we see Jim in 
public service again.
  Jim, best regards to you and Mary, and thank you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan is recognized by the 
Chair, Mr. Riegle.

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