[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 164 (Monday, October 23, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S15503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO RETIRING SENATOR BILL BRADLEY

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute today to our 
colleague Bill Bradley, who has announced he will be leaving the Senate 
following the conclusion of his term. He will indeed be missed, as 
Senator Bradley's tenure in this body has been one of true 
statesmanship and outstanding public service.
  Mr. President, a Renaissance Man is, in this day and age, a rare 
individual. Not many people distinguish themselves in numerous and 
varying pursuits. But Bill Bradley is one such person. From his 
academic record, to his Olympic basketball competition and 
probasketball career with the New York Knicks, to his service here in 
the Senate, Bill Bradley has excelled in every endeavor.
  Here in the Senate, Bill Bradley has shown himself to be an 
insightful thinker and policymaker, painstakingly studying the nuts and 
bolts of many ideas far before the pundits and the politicians 
recognized an issue's prominence. He has persistently worked with 
colleagues to facilitate agreement, standing tall--quite literally--
even when his ideas were unpopular.
  The 1986 tax overhaul was one such time. For more than 4 years, Bill 
Bradley labored to construct the tax law that still governs most of our 
present Tax Code. At first, many dismissed his plan, but Senator 
Bradley's persistence paid off, and it eventually gained momentum. 
although we disagreed over the substance of that plan, I admire and 
respect Senator Bradley's perseverance in crafting it.
  More recently, I was pleased to work with Senator Bradley in support 
of NAFTA. An unyielding proponent of free trade, Bill Bradley and I 
served on a small group that worked within both the House and Senate to 
bring about passage of that important trade agreement. As I'm sure he 
remembers, that was no easy task. But, with Senator Bradley on the 
team, I was confident as we buckled down to do that job that we would 
succeed, and we did.
  But, Mr. President, this body and this country have also reaped the 
benefits, of Bill Bradley's lesser-known contributions. Senator Bradley 
understood that encouraging democracy in the former Soviet Union would 
require United States involvement and argued vehemently for both aid 
dollars and cultural exchanges. He has championed legislation to expand 
access to college education, including direct lending for student loans 
and the Student Right-to-Know Act. And he has been an ardent supporter 
of civil rights, strongly supporting affirmative action while 
denouncing racism and race-biting. These few examples illustrate but 
small battles in the larger fight for freedom and equality in which 
Bill Bradley has been engaged throughout his career.
  And that, Mr. President, will be Bill Bradley's legacy. We may not be 
able to retire his jersey in tribute, but we have a long string of 
impressive legislative accomplishments by which to remember him. Bill 
Bradley has been as skillfully aggressive on the Senate floor as he was 
on the basketball court. Whether a member of the New York Knicks or the 
U.S. Senate, Bill Bradley has constructed the game plans, covered the 
court, and could be relied upon when he went to the line. His 
contributions to the Senate have earned him a reputation as one of our 
most valuable players, and I wish him the very best in his future 
endeavors.

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