[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 137 (Wednesday, September 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S12706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO CLAIBORNE PELL

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I wanted to take this opportunity, as 
unprepared as I am, to say a few words about the senior Senator from 
Rhode Island.
  I had been planning the last couple of days to prepare a statement 
and come to the floor and give a speech that reflected my feelings 
about the Senator from Rhode Island. But, coincidentally, we are on the 
floor at the same time, and I want this time to be used while the 
Senator is on the floor and direct these remarks to him personally.
  I cannot recite a great deal about the Senator from Rhode Island. I 
know the Senator from Rhode Island graduated from Princeton University, 
one of the premier schools of this country, cum laude. He also attended 
Columbia University. It is my understanding he has about 50 honorary 
degrees that have been awarded to him over the years. He served in the 
U.S. Coast Guard. He is an author.
  I often, after having come from the House to the Senate, tried to 
determine how this Senator from Rhode Island had the ability to 
communicate in the way he does, in such a gentlemanly way but yet with 
so much authority and wisdom. Probably the basis for that, more than 
any other thing, is his service as a member of the U.S. Foreign 
Service.
  In my time in Washington, being a Member of the House and the Senate, 
if there is a group of people that I think represent this country 
better than any other group, it is those people who are in the Foreign 
Service. Wherever I go, whether it is here in Washington meeting with 
them, or around the world, I find a group of people who are 
tremendously underpaid and highly educated and overworked and do a 
better job than anyone else representing our country as Foreign Service 
officers. Senator Pell served for 7 years in the U.S. Foreign Service.
  I think that is the foundation, the background that has allowed him 
to do the many things he has done in the way he has done them.
  It has been said many times on this floor that it is an honor to be 
able to serve with a man of Claiborne Pell's ability, and certainly 
that is true.
  Mr. President, it is also true that it is not only an honor to serve 
with him, but to be associated with him. I was in the Senate dining 
room with some constituents and, of course, people walk in who are 
known all over America. But the person sitting with me asked me if they 
could meet Senator Pell. Why? Because he felt his ability to go to 
college was made possible as a result of his having obtained a number 
of Pell grants. I took him over. The only Senator he wanted to meet was 
Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, because it was his feeling that he is 
responsible for his having been able to get a college education.
  That is the way, Mr. President, that not only thousands but millions 
of young Americans would feel if they would direct their attention to 
Washington; that is, their ability to be educated as a result of the 
foresight of Senator Pell setting up Pell grants, allowing young people 
who ordinarily would not have the ability to go to college to be 
educated.
  I, 6 years ago, on more than one occasion, went to Senator Pell and 
said: ``I think that your service is needed here in Washington and we 
need you very badly.''
  I am one of many, many people that went to Senator Pell and told him 
that. I was right; we did need his service for another 6 years, and his 
service has certainly been as dedicated these past 6 years as it was 
the prior 24 years.
  I appreciate the Senator waiting on the floor to allow me to impart 
my admiration and respect and love. There is no one in the Senate that 
deserves more attention and credit than the senior Senator from Rhode 
Island. As I go through life, there will be no one who has given me 
more pleasure serving with in any capacity of Government than the 
Senator from Rhode Island. So on behalf of the Senate and the people of 
America, I extend my appreciation to you.
  Mr. PELL. I thank my colleague and friend for his kind words and 
appreciate them more than I can say.

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