[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 HARLAN MATHEWS

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I want to take a few moments today to 
salute Senator Harlan Mathews of Tennessee. As you know, Mr. President, 
when our former colleague Senator Albert Gore, Jr., of Tennessee was 
elected Vice President of the United States, Harlan Mathews was 
appointed to fill his unexpired term.
  When he came to this body, Harlan Mathews listed three major goals 
for his service in the Senate--working to balance the Federal budget, 
reducing the deficit and reforming our Nation's health care system. 
Those concerns were shared by many of us. Before coming to the Senate 
he served as Tennessee Commissioner of Finance for 10 years, the 
longest tenure of any commissioner in his State's history. In 1974 he 
was elected State treasurer of Tennessee and his 13 years in that 
office again were the longest of any treasurer in Tennessee history. 
When he came to Washington, Harlan Mathews brought with him a clear 
understanding of the need for fiscally responsible government.
  A fiscal conservative, he demonstrated his commitment to his personal 
beliefs by cosponsoring legislation calling for a balanced Federal 
budget and supporting efforts to reduce the Federal deficit. He can 
point with pride to the fact that during his service in the Senate, we 
passed by far the most sweeping budget deficit reduction plan in 
decades. During his tenure as a member of the Senate Commerce 
Committee, he supported efforts to strengthen U.S. trade policy. 
Senator Mathews felt strongly that our Nation's economic future was 
linked directly to improving our Nation's trade performance. In line 
with that view, he sponsored legislation to emphasize the importance of 
trade relations between the United States and the Asia Pacific nations 
in an expanding global market.
  As a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator 
Mathews was a strong voice for Tennessee on issues ranging from coal 
production to research and development at the Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory and preservation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 
He cosponsored legislation to strengthen the Department of Energy's 
ability to work with industry and educational groups to share research 
and technological advances. Senator Mathews also has been a team 
player. He has repeatedly assumed responsibility for presiding over the 
Senate to relieve other Senators from that obligation. His many 
courtesies and kindnesses to his fellow Senators will long be 
remembered in this body.

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