[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]

 
               THE RETIREMENT OF SENATOR DENNIS DeCONCINI

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, it has been more than 20 years since 
Dennis DeConcini made his first bid for public office in Arizona and 
was elected Pima County attorney. Just 4 years later in 1976, he was 
elected to the U.S. Senate. Now, after 18 years, Senator DeConcini has 
decided to retire from this body. Mr. President, today I want to 
comment on our colleague's distinguished career in the Senate. His 
retirement will be a loss for the Senate.
  When he was a freshman Senator, the Wall Street Journal described him 
as the most likely member of that class to succeed in the Senate. He 
has lived up to those high expectations. As a chairman of the Select 
Committee on Intelligence and a member the Appropriations and Judiciary 
Committees, he has served Arizona and this Nation with dedication. 
Senator DeConcini and I have shared the view that reducing the Federal 
deficit must be our top priority even if it means we have to make 
difficult choices on reducing Federal spending. On the wall in Senator 
DeConcini's office there is a short poem that reads: ``Politics is like 
a rose, it has beauty and thorny issues.'' As Members of the Senate, we 
often face difficult choices on thorny issues. Senator DeConcini was 
always able to meet that challenge and make those choices.
  He was the sponsor of a constitutional amendment to require a 
balanced budget. Senator DeConcini also was a founder and cochairman of 
the Senate Grace Commission Caucus, a bipartisan group of Senators 
dedicated to looking for ways to eliminate waste in the Federal 
Government. On many occasions, I have worked with Senator DeConcini on 
the floor of this Chamber to help reduce wasteful Federal spending. He 
has shown courage in supporting the budget package we passed in 1993 
that proved Congress could deal with the thorny issue of reducing 
Federal spending and making a serious attempt to reduce the Federal 
deficit.
  Senator DeConcini has taken tough stands on other issues. As an 
example, he cosponsored with Senator Dianne Feinstein the assault 
weapons ban that eventually became part of the comprehensive anticrime 
bill. Against all opponents Senator DeConcini stood his ground. Like 
many of us, he knew these weapons were used by criminals and drug 
dealers to kill--often to kill innocent bystanders and police. In the 
end, the assault weapons ban became the law of the land, thanks in no 
small part to Senator DeConcini's courage and perseverance.
  While has career in the Senate has been one of fighting for what he 
believed was right, it has also been a career of accomplishment and 
compassion. One area where Senator DeConcini has been a consistent 
leader is in the effort to help children. He played a major role in 
passing legislation to provide quality, affordable child care for 
families and children. He has been a leader in efforts to reduce child 
abuse and to increase funding for programs to improve the nutrition and 
health of pregnant low-income women, infants, and preschool children.
  On a wide variety of issues, Senator DeConcini has been at the 
forefront. He sponsored legislation to promote increased cooperation 
between Mexico and our country to stop the flow of illegal drugs and to 
promote trade and commerce along our southwest border with Mexico. He 
is the principal author of the most comprehensive antidrug legislation 
in history, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. He founded the Western 
Coalition Work Group made up of western Senators working together on 
clean air issues. I personally have worked with him on legislation to 
protect our Nation's air and water quality and to strengthen the 
historic clean water legislation. Mr. President, Senator DeConcini's 
career in the Senate has touched a wide variety of issues of national 
importance. His leadership and experience will be greatly missed by 
those of us who have had the pleasure of serving with him in the 
Senate. I wish him the best as he ends his outstanding service to his 
State and our Nation.

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