[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 11 (Friday, January 26, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S416-S418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING SENATOR SAM NUNN FOR CASTING 10,000 VOTES
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I send a resolution to the desk and ask
for its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The resolution will be stated.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 213) commending Senator Sam Nunn for
casting 10,000 votes.
S. Res. 213
Whereas, the Honorable Sam Nunn has served with distinction
and commitment as a
[[Page S417]]
U.S. Senator from the State of Georgia since January 1973;
Whereas, his dedicated service as a U.S. Senator has
contributed to the effectiveness and betterment of this
institution;
Whereas, he has dutifully and faithfully served the Senate
as chairman of the Armed Services Committee (1987-1994);
Whereas, his expertise and leadership in defense and
military policies has been of tremendous benefit to our
Nation and to our men and women in uniform;
Resolved, That the U.S. Senate congratulates the Honorable
Sam Nunn, the senior Senator from Georgia, for becoming the
17th U.S. Senator in history to cast 10,000 votes.
Sec 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of
this resolution to Senator Sam Nunn.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The minority leader is recognized.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, it was on January 23, 1973, that a young,
newly elected, freshman Senator from Georgia cast his first vote in
this chamber--a vote to confirm a nominee to be Assistant Secretary of
Defense.
Today, 9,999 votes later, that Senator has become the Senate's
leading authority on defense policies.
Mr. President, it is with great pride and pleasure that I announce
that Senator Sam Nunn has just become the 17th Senator in U.S. history
to cast 10,000 votes. I am pleased to congratulate him for this
remarkable achievement and thank him for his service to this
institution and our country.
In his leadership role on defense policies, Senator Nunn is following
in the footsteps of two other great legislators from the State of
Georgia.
Representative Carl Vinson, who happened to be Senator Nunn's great
uncle, chaired the House Armed Services Committee. Senator Richard
Russell, who held for 38 years the Senate seat that Senator Nunn now
holds, chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Senator Nunn served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services
Committee from 1987 to 1994, and is currently the ranking Democrat on
the committee.
He has introduced or cosponsored the most important legislation
concerning military and defense issues of the past two decades,
including defense reorganization, measures to reduce the threat of
nuclear war, Pentagon procurement reform, base closing, and
restructuring of military pay and benefits.
He has earned the respect of both Republican and Democratic Senators
through his efforts to ensure the integrity and mission of our military
establishment in the face of massive budget cutting. Thanks to his
efforts, while we now have a leaner military, it is a more cost-
effective military, rather than a weaker one.
Senator Nunn's expertise in military and defense policy has been
recognized and appreciated far beyond Capitol Hill. Every
administration since the Carter administration has consulted him on
military matters. And each of those administrations has considered him
for a top level position in the administration. We in the Senate are
extremely fortunate that Senator Nunn has chosen to serve here.
Most importantly, his expertise and leadership has been recognized by
the people of Georgia. In 1984, they re-elected him with 80 percent of
the vote--defeating his opponent by a 4 to 1 margin. That was exceeded
in 1990, when Senator Nunn was unopposed in both the State's primary
and the general election for U.S. Senator.
Still, I would like to point out that Senator Nunn's career has not
been confined to or consumed by military and defense issues. In the
Senate, he has played monumental roles in laying the groundwork for
national service legislation, on deficit reduction, and on efforts to
redirect our national economic and tax policies.
Put simply, Senator Nunn has been a leading figure in American
government. The Senate's foremost historian, Senator Robert C. Byrd,
has appropriately remarked that Senator Nunn is one of those rare and
extraordinary Senators ``who would have been recognized as [a] great
senator in any age * * * in any period during the [past] 200 years'' of
the Republic.
Indeed, he would, and how pleased and honored I am to have the
opportunity to recognize and congratulate our Senator, Senator Sam
Nunn.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the resolution and preamble
are agreed to.
The resolution (S. Res. 213) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:
Whereas, the Honorable Sam Nunn has served with distinction
and commitment as a U.S. Senator from the State of Georgia
since January 1973;
Whereas, his dedicated service as a U.S. Senator has
contributed to the effectiveness and betterment of this
institution;
Whereas, he has dutifully and faithfully served the Senate
as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, (1987-1994);
Whereas, his expertise and leadership in defense and
military policies has been of tremendous benefit to our
nation and to our men and women in uniform,
Resolved, That the U.S. Senate congratulates the Honorable
Sam Nunn, the senior Senator from Georgia, for becoming the
17th U.S. Senator in history to cast 10,000 votes.
Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy
of this resolution to Senator Sam Nunn.
Mr. BYRD addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from West
Virginia.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, as a Senator who has witnessed the services
that have been rendered to our country by this very remarkable American
and extraordinarily remarkable Senator, I wish to add just a few words
about Samuel Augustus Nunn.
He is the second individual who has served in the Congress by the
name of Nunn. The first was David Alexander Nunn, who served from the
State of Tennessee, elected to the House of Representatives in 1867,
served for 2 years, and then was not reelected, but in 1873, was
elected to a second term.
I was looking over these names last night, and something struck me
about them in particular. There is David Alexander Nunn. David, as we
all know, is a Biblical name. Alexander, as we all know, was a great
military general and ruler. And Nunn is a Biblical name. It is spelled
N-u-n in the Bible. And often I have asked Sam, facetiously, if he
named one of his sons Joshua. We are told that Joshua was the son of
Nun.
And then I noted Sam's name--Samuel, again a Biblical name, who
answered God's call. He said, ``Here am I. Send me.''
And I saw this Senator who said in response to the needs of the
people of Georgia, ``Here am I. Send me.'' ``Speak, Lord, thy servant
heareth.''
And then his middle name is, as I indicated, Augustus. I do not know
how many of you knew that. But Augustus was the first Roman emperor. He
defeated Cleopatra and Anthony at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. on
September 2, the same birth month as Sam's. Sam was born September 8th,
not that long ago, but in 1938. But he was born in September, the same
month that this great battle was fought in 31 B.C.--it has been called
one of the decisive battles of the world. The Emperor Augustus was one
of the great administrative geniuses of all time.
So I think of Sam Nunn as someone who has demonstrated a great genius
in his work in this body. He has demonstrated that work as chairman of
the committees. He has been a remarkable chairman. And he has been a
remarkable Senator.
He will be leaving us after this year, and I will have more to say
about that later. But today, I could not constrain myself. I had to say
something by way of tribute to this fine Senator. I watched him come
here. I have watched him grow. I served in the House of Representatives
with his granduncle, Carl Vinson, who lived to be 97. He was in his
98th year when he died. He was chairman of the Armed Services Committee
of the House of Representatives when I was in the House.
So this has been a long line of famous Georgians who have been great
chairmen, who have rendered great services in the field of national
defense--Carl Vinson, Senator Richard Russell, and now Senator Sam
Nunn.
I close with the words of a poet, if I can remember them, which I
think are appropriate at this moment.
It isn't enough to say in our hearts
That we like a man for his ways;
It isn't enough that we fill our minds
With psalms of silent praise;
Nor is it enough that we honor a man
As our confidence upward mounts;
It's going right up to the man himself
And telling him so that counts.
If a man does a work that you really admire,
Don't leave a kind word unsaid.
In fear to do so might make him vain
And cause him to lose his head.
But reach out your hand and tell him, ``Well done.''
[[Page S418]]
And see how his gratitude swells.
It isn't the flowers we strew on the grave,
It's the word to the living that tells.
I will break the Senate rules in this instance by addressing another
Senator in the second person. Congratulations to you, Sam Nunn. We will
long wait to see someone who can fill your shoes as you have filled the
shoes of that great patriarch, Richard Brevard Russell.
Congratulations!
Mr. THURMOND addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from South
Carolina.
Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, Sam Nunn is a man of integrity, ability,
and dedication. I have been on the Armed Services Committee since 1959,
and I was so pleased that he joined the committee when he came to the
Senate. He rendered outstanding service as a member of the committee
and as chairman of the committee. He is known as an expert on defense
matters. Not only in defense; he has done a fine job in every endeavor
since he has been in the Senate. This country would be better off today
if we had more people like Sam Nunn in the Senate and the House as well
as the judicial and executive branches. I am proud of his friendship,
proud to have worked with him. He has been a great citizen of America
and he has rendered outstanding service of which we can all be proud.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Mr. EXON addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from
Nebraska.
Mr. EXON. Mr. President, many of my most distinguished colleagues,
including the minority leader, including the great, distinguished
member and the former chairman of the Appropriations Committee and now
the ranking Democrat, Senator Byrd, my very able colleague from South
Carolina, the chairman of the committee, and others will follow to give
their accolades to our dear friend, Sam Nunn.
I rise as a man who has worked closely with him under his tutelage
for the last 18 years on many matters in the Senate and primarily with
regard to the national security interests of the United States of
America.
I simply wish to add my name to the accolades of others who have
spoken so eloquently on this true favorite son of the State of Georgia.
Sam Nunn, you have set an example for all of us to follow while you
have been here, and you are setting an example as others have set in
other work for other people who are most concerned about the United
States of America. Regardless of political affiliation, you have set a
record for others to follow.
Thank you, Sam, for all the help you have been. You have been great
for the United States of America.
I yield the floor.
Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from
Mississippi.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, on behalf of the majority--and, of course,
our distinguished President pro tempore has already spoken--I would
like to join our colleagues in congratulating the outstanding Senator
from Georgia for this monumental accomplishment of 10,000 votes.
We came to Congress together in 1973. I am going to have to go back
and check to see how many votes I have cast, both in the House, of
course, and the Senate. But it truly is a remarkable achievement. I had
no idea actually how few had achieved this mark in history. But I also
concur in the statements that have been made about the tremendous
contributions the Senator from Georgia has made over the years. He has
really continued the tradition of leaders from Georgia, particularly in
this body, the Senate, who have left an indelible mark on the history
of our country.
We have all grown to respect and admire Senator Nunn, from Georgia,
his integrity, his intelligence, his leadership in armed services and
budget matters. It is one that we truly appreciate. I had not had an
opportunity to express my admiration to the Senator and say how much I
enjoyed working with him. I am glad we have at least 11 more months to
work together. And I know that even though he will be leaving this
body, the leadership he has provided will live on in many, many ways
and we will be working together on other issues. So I congratulate the
Senator on this fine achievement.
I yield the floor, Mr. President.
Mr. NUNN addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Georgia.
Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, that vote was easier cast than to respond to
the aftermath. I would have to say that I was surprised. I knew that I
was nearing the 10,000 mark, but I did not know I would reach it today.
I must say that to be honored in this fashion is, indeed, touching
and is a reminder of how much serving in this body has meant to me. I
thank my friend from Mississippi, and my friend from South Carolina,
and my friend from Nebraska. I thank the majority leader, and I thank
the man that is really the person we all look to to carry on the
traditions and ideals of the Senate, Senator Robert Byrd of West
Virginia.
Mr. President, I am also delighted that my friend and colleague from
Georgia, Senator Coverdell, is presiding at this special moment in my
life. I think this has been a historic week not because I have cast my
10,000th vote but because we have placed in the Russell Building, named
after my predecessor from Georgia, Senator Dick Russell, a statue of
Senator Russell, and as the Vice President said, Dick Russell, one of
the greatest Senators who ever served in this body, is now where he
belongs. He is standing tall in the Russell Building.
So this is the culmination of a very historic week, and I cannot help
but recall the words that Senator Byrd offered in the dedication of
that statue this week when he said that he had never--in spite of the
fact of serving with Senator Russell all those years, had such
reverence for him; he knew him well--called him anything but ``Senator
Russell.''
That is a tribute that cannot be exceeded. I have used the word
``Robert'' time and time again because we are such good friends, but in
that tradition I would like to address you for the rest of my days here
as ``Senator Byrd,'' in the great respect that I have for you because
in the heat of battle, when we have so many substantive differences, I
think too many times all of us forget what a tremendous honor it is to
serve in this Senate, which is in my mind, without a doubt, the
greatest legislative body not only in the world today but in history.
We have all of our frustrations with delays and schedules, and we
always have a hard time knowing what we are going to do from day to
day, but when you think about the things that make the schedule so
uncertain here and the things that make us so many times so frustrated
are also the things that make this body unique, the right of any
Senator to take the floor and continue uninterrupted as long as they
choose until there is an appropriate implementation of cloture, and
even then someone has to get the floor, it is a rare body. It has its
distinctions from any other body in the world and I think we should
always remember that.
I cannot say, I say to my friend from West Virginia, and my
colleagues, that I have enjoyed every vote I have cast here. Some of
them have been agonizing, as we all know. And I cannot say I have
enjoyed every hour I have served here. But I can say I have enjoyed
every day I have served here, and I will always cherish as long as I
live my service in the Senate and my friendship with each of you. So I
thank the Chair and I thank my colleagues, and I look forward to a lot
more votes before my day is done.
[Applause, Senators rising.]
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from New
York.
Mr. MOYNIHAN. I thank the Chair.
____________________