[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 68 (Wednesday, April 26, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5685-S5686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SENATOR DAVID PRYOR

  Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I happened to turn my television set on in 
my room and caught Senator Kohl making his brief remarks about our 
colleague, Senator Pryor. It occurred to me that I should come over 
here and just say a few things also, about David Pryor, who has 
announced that he is not going to be running for reelection.
  I can remember when I was in the House and I heard David Pryor speak 
to a breakfast meeting. I had known him just to say hello, but I was 
very favorably impressed and I have been favorably impressed through 
the years.
  Two things I think of specifically in connection with our colleague, 
Senator Pryor. One is the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. The Internal Revenue 
Service does excellent work, but whenever you have human beings, 
occasionally there are those who abuse their privileges and that is 
true in any organization--the U.S. Senate, the Internal Revenue 
Service. So David Pryor introduced his Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which 
gives the ordinary taxpayer, who may be abused, or feels he or she is 
abused by the IRS, an option and an ombudsman who can say: Let us take 
a look at whether we are doing the right thing.
  The second thing I can remember is Dave Pryor standing here on the 
floor and going through an amazing list of consultants being hired by 
virtually every agency of Government. It was an astounding 
accumulation. I do not remember what the figure was, but it was 
absolutely astounding. I remember then the next appropriations, and the 
next budget, we whacked away at that. It may very well be creeping back 
up again, I do not know, but it is one of those areas that is very 
easily abused by Government. We hire consultants for everything from 
the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, foreign aid--whatever 
it is, we hire consultants.
  I also think of Dave Pryor as someone who is genuinely interested in 
the well-being of our country. Yes, he is a partisan as we all are 
partisans, but frequently this body gets too partisan. I hear it in our 
Democratic caucuses. I am sure my colleague hears it from Republican 
caucuses. He has not invited me to any of his Republican caucuses, but 
I am sure he hears the same. And I think one of the things the public 
wants from us is that we say, ``What is 
[[Page S5686]] good for the country?'' And we follow that. Dave Pryor 
really has done that.
  He has been just a distinguished Member of this body in addition to 
being a friend of all of us. It has been a real privilege to serve with 
him in the U.S. Senate. He has served Arkansas well, but I think more 
important than that, he has served the United States of America well. I 
am proud to have him as a colleague here in the Senate.
  Mr. GORTON. Will the Senator from Illinois yield?
  Mr. SIMON. I will be pleased to yield to my friend from Washington.
  Mr. GORTON. I enjoyed the description by the Senator from Illinois of 
the Senator from Arkansas. I agree with it. I may also say I believe 
the Senator from Illinois has described himself.
  Mr. SIMON. My friend from Washington has been too generous in that 
remark, but I thank him anyway.
  Mr. President, if no one else seeks the floor--I see my colleague 
from Colorado does not look as if he is quite ready. He is still making 
notes.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Tennessee.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted 
to speak as if in morning business for a period of not more than 10 
minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  

                          ____________________