[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 BOREN

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today also to pay tribute to 
Senator David Boren of Oklahoma. While Senator Boren no longer serves 
in this Chamber, having retired 2 weeks ago to become President of the 
University of Oklahoma, he has certainly left a lasting impression on 
many of his colleagues, including me.
  David Boren's public life has been impressive. He served in the 
Oklahoma House of Representatives for 8 years before becoming Governor 
of Oklahoma for one term. Following his stay in the Oklahoma Governor's 
mansion, he began his distinguished, 16-year career here in the U.S. 
Senate.
  And now he has returned to Oklahoma to concentrate on higher 
education and improving the lives of the youth of this country. The 
Senate's loss will surely be the University of Oklahoma's gain.
  It has been a real pleasure to work with Senator Boren during the 8 
years we have both served in the Senate, from the time we spent 
together on the Agriculture Committee working to reform the Farm Credit 
System to the past 2 years working together on the Finance Committee 
seeking solutions on health care, international trade, and energy 
issues. Watching him work, I have gained a real appreciation for his 
intelligence, his dedication, and his passion for getting things done.
  The effort to save the Farm Credit System, which he led, was a model 
of how the U.S. Senate should work. Senators working together on a 
bipartisan basis spent over 100 hours in markups preparing legislation 
to rescue the seriously threatened Farm Credit System. David Boren, as 
chairman of the Credit Subcommittee, led those sessions with enormous 
skill, intelligence, and wisdom. The result was a Farm Credit System 
saved from bankruptcy that did not cost the taxpayers of America one 
dime. It was a legislative accomplishment of great importance. Senator 
Boren Deserves most of the credit.
  Senator Boren's willingness, indeed his desire, to work together in 
the spirit of bipartisanship should serve as a lesson to us all. His 
preference to seek bipartisan solutions to our country's problems 
rather than seeking partisan political gain demonstrates his desire to 
work for the good of the people who elected him to represent them.
  Senator Boren has continuously attempted to reform Congress to make 
it more efficient and responsive to the needs of the American people. 
He has fought to reform our system of financing campaigns in this 
country, and his work will not be forgotten as we once again consider 
campaign finance reform during the next Congress. Year after year, he 
has striven to improve this institution, and to restore the reputation 
of the Senate as a thoughtful, deliberative body.
  I wish Senator Boren well in his new position, and thank him for his 
16 years of distinguished service to our country as a member of the 
U.S. Senate. It has truly been a pleasure to work with Senator Boren, 
and we will miss him.

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