[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 JOHN DANFORTH

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, when the U.S. Senate begins its next 
session in January, one of our most distinguished colleagues will no 
longer be among us. As you know, Senator John Danforth of Missouri will 
retire when his current term ends. I wanted to take this opportunity to 
comment on Senator Danforth's career and his service in this body.
  Several years ago, David Broder of the Washington Post wrote that if 
you were to ask members of the Washington Press Corps for a list of 
Senators who had distinguished themselves for their dedication and 
service to the Nation one of the names you would hear most often is 
that of Senator John Danforth. U.S. News and World Report singled him 
out ``as an honorable'' man. When Senator Danforth retires from the 
Senate it will be the end of a 20-year career in public service 
beginning in 1968 when he was elected attorney general of Missouri. 
Senator Danforth is the only Republican in the history of his State to 
be elected to three terms as a U.S. Senator. When he served as chairman 
of the Senate Commerce Committee, it was the first time a Missouri 
Senator had chaired a major congressional committee since the end of 
World War I.
  As a senior member of the Finance and Commerce Committees, he has 
devoted significant attention to international trade policy. The trade 
goals were aimed at expanding U.S. exports and establishing the concept 
of reciprocity in trade by removing foreign trade barriers to American 
goods and services. Senator Danforth has authored laws to require 
strict on-the-job testing of key transportation workers for drugs and 
alcohol, to strengthen Federal and State laws against drunken driving 
and to improve the inspection of safety equipment on commercial trucks 
and buses. He also has sponsored legislation to modernize airports and 
our Nation's air transportation system. He was the principal sponsor of 
the Cable Television Consumer Protection Act that stimulated 
competition in the cable industry and allowed greater local authority 
over cable television rates in markets where service was a monopoly. He 
has been a leader in efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition 
throughout the world, and among the many awards he has received is the 
Presidential World Without Hunger Award.
  But perhaps it is his sponsorship of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 
that will be best remembered in this Chamber. At times, Senator 
Danforth's convictions forced him to take issue with a President of his 
own party. But he put what was morally right above what was politically 
expedient. Discussing Senator Danforth's work on the Civil Rights Act, 
Senator George Mitchell cited Senate Danforth's ``unshakable commitment 
to a society free of discrimination.'' As the only ordained minister 
among us, Senator Danforth has over and over reminded us what was 
morally right.
  Senator Danforth's dedication to working for the American people 
without regard to partisanship or parochialism was demonstrated earlier 
this year when he joined me and several other senators of both parties 
to form what came to be called the Mainstream coalition--a bipartisan 
group dedicated to reaching a compromise plan for national health care 
reform. Let me say we did not always agree, but we listened to each 
other, worked together and eventually came up a proposed bill that 
would have dramatically increased access to health care for millions of 
Americans. In the end, time ran out on health care reform. But as 
Senator Danforth returns to private life we should remember that in his 
last year here he remained committed to working for the greater good of 
the people of our nation. As a friend, I will miss Senator Danforth. As 
a body, we will miss his dedication and service to our Nation.

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