[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 46 (Friday, March 29, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3207-S3212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR RUSSELL AND SENATOR NUNN
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I want to comment on two very distinguished
Senators from Georgia, Senator Richard Brevard Russell and his
successor, the very able Senator Samuel Augustus Nunn. On January 24,
1996, I had the great pleasure of taking part in the dedication of a
statute of Senator Russell in the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office
building. The unveiling of Senator Russell's statue last month occurred
25 years after Senator Russell's death in 1971. I was very pleased to
be a part of this ceremony, because of my own high regard and esteem
for Senator Russell. Twenty-four years ago, in 1972, I offered the
resolution to rename the ``Old Senate Office Building,'' as it was then
known, in honor of Senator Russell. The grandeur embodied in both the
building and the statue are fitting monuments to the very great legacy
of statesmanship bequeathed to us by Senator Richard Brevard Russell.
The statue of Senator Russell stands in front of the entry to the
Senate Armed Services Committee, where Senator Russell served as
chairman for fifteen years during his 38-year Senate career, and where
Senator Nunn has served as chairman and ranking member for ten years.
Senator Sam Nunn is a worthy successor to Senator Russell's great
legacy on national defense.
[[Page S3208]]
He was first elected to the Senate on November 7, 1972, to complete the
unexpired term of Senator Russell, and has since won reelection three
times. Together, Senator Russell and Senator Nunn have provided 62
years of remarkable service to the Senate and the Nation, and 20 years
of consummate leadership on national defense. If we add to that number
the leadership on national defense offered by Senator Nunn's
granduncle, Representative Carl Vinson, who for many years was chairman
of the House Armed Services Committee, this record of leadership is
even more remarkable. Senator Nunn's legacy on defense matters, and his
service to the State of Georgia, is equally distinguished.
Like Senator Russell and Representative Vinson before him, Senator
Nunn has devoted himself to sustaining and improving the military
strength of the United States. He was instrumental in crafting the 1986
Defense Reorganization Act that has shaped the forces that the United
States deploys today. He has dedicated himself to ensuring the quality
of the all-volunteer force, and to seeing that these men and women are
adequately compensated and cared for. He has also fought the Pentagon
to preserve systems that DoD did not always want, but which ultimately
proved their worth. One such system was the F-117 Stealth fighter,
which was invaluable during Desert Storm. Since that fight, Senator
Nunn has pushed to spread the benefits of stealth technology to the
next generation of fighters, including the F-22. Finally, Senator Nunn
has demonstrated his leadership in strengthening and preserving the
NATO alliance, complementing U.S. military strength with the seamless
and coordinated combined strength of our European allies.
He has become, in the process, a leader in U.S. foreign policy as
well. Senator Nunn will be remembered for championing the Nunn-Lugar
program to effectively reduce the Soviet nuclear threat to the United
States, for his efforts to address and counter the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, and for his role in shaping and defining
the use of U.S. military force. He has been an integral part of every
debate concerning the use of U.S. military forces, from Vietnam, to
Lebanon, to the Persian Gulf War, to Somalia, Haiti, and Bosnia. I
respect the cogent and well thought out arguments that Senator Nunn
invariably brings to the discussion. He brings to these difficult
debates a mature understanding of the subtleties of each situation and
a clear vision of the strategic interests of the United States. To each
debate, his talents for achieving a compromise are tested and proven
anew. This ability surely will be missed after his departure from the
Senate.
Mr. President, the State of Georgia has offered to the Congress and
the nation statesmen and leaders of remarkable ability and durability
during this century. The Congress and the nation have been the better
and the stronger for the service of these sons of Georgia, from Carl
Vinson, to Richard Brevard Russell, to Samuel Augustus Nunn. The legacy
of these three men alone, and on national defense and security issues
alone, is a remarkable testament. I am honored to have served with all
three. As I have said before, Senator Nunn stepped into big shoes when
he came to the Senate. With his retirement this fall, he will leave an
equally large pair of shoes to fill.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter to me from
Senator Nunn, along with the transcript of the ceremony, be printed in
the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC, February 14, 1996.
Hon. Robert C. Byrd,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Byrd: Please find enclosed a transcript of the
Richard B. Russell Statute Dedication Ceremony of January 24,
1996. Your active participation in planning and chairing the
dedication ceremony ensured its success.
I believe it would be a fitting tribute to Senator Russell
for these proceedings to be a part of the historical record
honoring his distinguished career. If you deem it
appropriate, I would be honored for you, in your role as
chairman of this special event, to insert the transcript into
the Congressional Record.
I know your heartfelt remarks at the dedication ceremony
meant a great deal to Senator Russell's family, friends, and
former colleagues. Your personal remarks about my own service
in the Senate at the ceremony and later, after my 10,000th
vote, will always be among the most meaningful memories of my
career in public service.
Sincerely,
Sam Nunn.
Enclosure.
Senator Richard Russell Statue Dedication, January 24, 1996, Russell
Senate Office Building Rotunda
PROCEEDINGS
Senator Nunn. Our beloved Senate Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John
Ogilvie, will give the invocation.
Chaplain Ogilvie. Let us pray. Almighty God, sovereign of
our beloved nation and Lord of our lives, we praise you that
you call leaders to shape the course of history.
We have gathered here today to thank you for the impact on
history of Senator Richard Russell. Here in this building
that bears his name we place this statue of his likeness. May
this statue call all of us to the excellence that
distinguished his career, the nobility of his character that
made an indelible mark on history, and his faith in you that
gave him supernatural gifts of wisdom and discernment and
vision.
Thank you for the lasting impact of the rare blend of
humility and stature, patriotism and statesmanship, that made
him a legend in his own time--Georgia's pride, a lodestar
leader, a senator's senator for 38 years, and a truly great
American. May we measure our commitment by his indefatigable
faithfulness and set as a benchmark for our lives his
belief that work in the government is one of the highest
callings.
In this spirit of dedication to your best for America and
in affirmation of this giant of history, we renew our
commitment to serve you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Senator Nunn. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated.
Charlie Campbell, the president of the Russell Foundation,
will give more elaborate introductions, but let me begin by
welcoming the members of the Russell family here today. I
understand there are about 100 of you. We are very, very
proud to have each and every one of you here.
The Russell trustees and supporters, we welcome you, and we
thank you for all of your efforts in making this historic day
possible; past and present members of the United States
Senate who will be introduced later; and friends and admirers
of Richard B. Russell.
This is indeed an important event in the life of the United
States Senate. Every day since I have been serving in this
unique legislative body, I have considered it a great honor
to be the temporary holder of what I think of as the Russell
seat in the Senate.
I am also proud that I had the opportunity to follow
Senator Russell's footsteps as chairman of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, which he chaired so ably for 15 years
during the Cold War, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile
Crisis, and the construction of the Berlin Wall.
I will never forget when I was a 23-year-old lawyer sitting
in the back of the Senate Armed Services Chamber right down
the hall as Congressman Carl Vinson of Georgia, the chairman
of the House Armed Services Committee, presented the House
position on a legislative matter to Senator Richard Russell
at the other end of the table, also of Georgia and chairman
of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Those were the days
for Georgia and for our nation.
Twenty-seven years later, as chairman of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, I watched with the rest of the world as
the Berlin Wall was torn down, Eastern Europe regained its
freedom, and the Soviet empire disintegrated. I have often
thought that this occurred without a nuclear war and without
worldwide destruction in considerable part because of the
wise leadership of Richard Russell and Carl Vinson in
building a strong United States and a strong NATO alliance.
[Applause.]
Senator Nunn: When this historic building was named in
honor of Richard Brevard Russell in 1972, the powerful
imprint of his record of service was still very fresh in the
memory of the Senate and of our nation. Today, with the
dedication of this magnificent statue, we have occasion to
remember why Richard Russell made such an indelible imprint
on the history of Georgia, the U.S. Senate, and our nation.
Although our nation is very different today than it was at
the time of Senator Russell's election in 1932, or even at
the time of his death 25 years ago, his service and his
example are more instructive now than ever before.
In this context, no one is better suited to begin this
ceremony of remembrance, recognition and dedication than our
next speaker. Like Richard Russell, Vice President Al Gore
was molded by his southern heritage and by a loving family
that encouraged and supported his early and energetic and
total commitment to public service.
Like Richard Russell, Al Gore is the son of a prominent
political father. Indeed, Al Gore, Sr., served in the Senate
with Richard Russell and with many in attendance here today.
Richard Russell's own father was Chief Justice of the Georgia
Supreme Court, and in that capacity, administered the oath of
office when his son became Governor Russell of Georgia.
[[Page S3209]]
Just as our vice president was known as ``Young Al'' when
he began his political career, Richard Russell was known as
``Young Dick.'' Like Richard Russell, Al Gore spent a lot of
time on the family farm, and as young boy these youthful
experiences gave both men a special understanding of
people who work with their hands, work in manual labor, as
well as an abiding appreciation of conservation and the
environment.
Like Richard Russell, Al Gore served on the Senate Armed
Services Committee and devoted a considerable portion of his
time to building a stronger America and a safer world. Like
Richard Russell, Al Gore was elected as a very young man to
Congress, and he has dedicated his life to the people of his
state and to the people of our nation.
Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome the Vice
President of the United States.
[Applause.]
Vice President Gore: Thank you.
[Continuing applause.]
Vice President Gore: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank
you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
And, Senator Nunn, thank you for your very kind words of
introduction. One of my greatest honors in the time I served
in the United States Senate was serving under your
chairmanship in the Armed Services Committee, and thank you
so much for your kind words.
Senator Byrd and Senator Stevens, two close friends and
great leaders of this institution, other members of the
Senate who are present--forgive me for not even attempting to
single out individual senators because there is such a great
turnout and such a large presence here at this event--former
members of the Senate who are here, as well.
Governor Zell Miller, thank you for honoring us and this
occasion with your presence here, and thank you for your
leadership in Georgia and in our country.
To Charles Campbell, Chairman of the Richard B. Russell
Foundation; to Frederick Hart, the sculptor; and to Chaplain
Ogilvie--thank you for your invocation; to members of the
family of Senator Russell--Carolyn Nelson and Pat Peterson
especially, sisters of Senator Russell; to all of the other
family members who are here.
It is an honor to him that so many of you are present. This
really is a very, very special day, and to hear Sam Nunn
introduce me with even slight comparisons is beyond what I
can--that sets off my hubris alarm, Sam, because Senator
Russell is rightly regarded as a legend, and all who had the
privilege of serving with him understand that.
Incidentally, not too many days ago some tourists remarked
to an acquaintance of mine from Tennessee that they had seen
the Al Gore statue on the White House lawn, and I said,
``What day was that?''
[Laughter.]
Vice President Gore: It's been so cold here recently people
who don't know me thought I was frozen stiff. But in any
event, ladies and gentleman, from this day forward, in the
Rotunda of this majestic building named in his honor, a
statue of Richard Brevard Russell will stand sentry.
Georgia's senator, America's senator, a legendary figure in
American politics will gaze over us--a fitting tribute to a
towering presence.
I knew Senator Russell when I was a young man. I did not
have the opportunity to serve in the Congress during his time
of service, but my father's service in the Congress
overlapped with his for 32 years. These two men had a great
deal in common. Eighteen of those years my father served in
the Senate with Senator Russell. Both were sons of the South
and both provided shoulders on which a new generation of
Democrats now stands.
Both believed that public service was an honorable calling
that demanded common courtesy and rewarded basic decency.
Both marched in the direction pointed by the compass of their
conscience, no matter the prevailing winds or the calls to
shift their course.
I remember often hearing my father say that whatever their
occasional disagreements--and they did have some; on occasion
they stood toe to toe, but when it came to certain core
ideals; love of country, devotion to duty, respect for
principles, they always saw eye to eye. But whatever the
occasional disagreements, on one matter my father was
resolute whenever he spoke about Senator Russell. Dick
Russell had a heart of gold and was one of the most
honorable individuals ever to serve in the United States
Senate throughout its more than 200-year history.
To six United States presidents, Richard Russell was a
mentor and an occasional menace. He stood up for Franklin
Roosevelt at the 1932 Democratic Convention, nominating him
for president when some people thought Roosevelt couldn't
win. And then he stood up to Roosevelt a few years later,
casting a deciding vote against his court-backing plan when
some people thought Roosevelt couldn't lose.
He challenged Harry Truman for the presidential nomination
in 1948, but he challenged the nation to honor Truman's
authority as Commander-in-Chief when he presided over the
Senate's Army MacArthur hearings three years later.
President Johnson knew him best among all the presidents
served by Richard Russell, and the relationship between
Richard Russell and Lyndon Johnson began as so many of his
relationships had. Johnson was the student, and Russell was
the teacher.
They became very, very close friends, even though they too
had occasional disagreements and feuded from time to time.
And Johnson owed much of his rise to the benevolence and
wisdom of the Georgia Giant.
Senator Russell, we all remember, was an austere man, and,
ironically, Johnson lavished him with gifts from time to
time-fancy neckties, glass bowls, one time a watch just like
the one that President Johnson wore. And, as the story goes,
one Christmas Johnson gave Senator Russell a beautiful
Christian Dior handkerchief. The Senator thanked him, and he
said, ``Now, Lyndon, I'm going to have to buy a new suit to
go with this.''
When Johnson was vice president, he hosted a dinner in
Senator Russell's honor, which was a grand affair swarming
with cabinet officers, elected officials and Washington's
elite. And at that dinner, Johnson told the assembled
gathering that if he were able to personally choose the
president of the United States, he would select Richard
Russell.
Richard Russell was indeed a president's senator and a
senator's senator. And if things had gone a little bit
differently, if the South had been a little bit different, if
other things had been just a little bit different, he might
have been a senator's president.
On some things Senator Russell was way ahead of his time, a
little bit like that great Barbara Mandell song ``I Was
Country Before Country Was Cool.'' For example. Richard
Russell was reinventing government before reinventing
government was cool.
We're still in that period before reinventing government is
cool.
[Laughter.]
Vice President Gore: As governor, he reduced the number of
state bureaus, commissions and agencies from 102 to 17. He
cut the cost of government 20 percent, saved the state the
then-astronomical sum of a million dollars. He knew that a
government that didn't spend money as wisely and carefully
as a family could never earn any family's respect.
On national security, of course, Senator Russell had no
peer. He championed a robust national defense, and he helped
build a Pentagon that was the envy of the world. He also
influenced all of those who came after him. Many members of
the United States Senate today owe something of their bearing
and approach to the job to their learning experience in
watching Senator Russell.
In fact, I have sometimes though--and I dare say I'm not
the only one--in watching the level of excellence brought to
the job of chairman of the Armed Services Committee and now
ranking member by Sam Nunn--that his experience, along with
others, in watching Senator Russell was an important factor
in giving our nation the degree of commitment to public
service that we find from so many who watched Senator Russell
carefully.
But perhaps his most lasting influence was on matters that
were less explosive and less immediately tied to life and
death, less immediately newsworthy--bringing electricity to
rural America, getting loans for Georgia's farmers, making
sure that poor children could eat a decent lunch at school.
And there was always that reverence to his life, his spartan
apartment, his utter devotion to the Senate as an
institution, his enduring selflessness that inspired even
those with whom he disagreed.
I do understand that more than 100 members of the Russell
family are here this afternoon, and we all thank you for
sharing your outstanding brother, uncle, cousin with the
United States of America.
I guess we all should have expected, however, that even at
the dedication of his statue, Senator Russell would make
certain he had the votes to come out on top in case any
question was put.
[Laughter.]
There's no need to worry about that this afternoon. Today
and forever, this leader, this patriot, this legend, remains
where he belongs--in the Senate standing tall.
[Applause.]
Senator Nunn. Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President.
Richard Russell was an astute judge of the character and the
quality of his fellow senators. He made his judgment, not
only on the basis of their words, but also on the basis of
what he observed--their deeds. When Richard Russell
determined that you were a man or woman of honor, he was your
champion for life.
One young senator who met this Russell test was Robert
Byrd. The last vote Senator Russell cast before he died was
cast from his hospital bed in favor of Robert Byrd's bid to
become the majority whip of the Senate in 1971.
Senator Russell was an advisor and confidant to six
presidents. He served under seven, but only a brief time
under one. He had the deepest respect for the office of
President, so much so that he never called any sitting
president, even his old friend and protege Lyndon Johnson,
anything but Mr. President.
With a similar respect, Senator Byrd never called Senator
Russell anything but Senator Russell. Senator Russell
believed strongly in the independence and coequal role of the
Congress of the United States, and he insisted on more than
one occasion that he had not served under six presidents, Al,
but, rather, he served with six presidents--a real
difference.
Like Richard Russell, Robert Byrd reveres the Senate of the
United States, not just because he serves in it, but because
of his respect for its role in the history of our nation and
the world. Like Richard Russell in his day, Robert Byrd by
the power of his intellect, by the depth of his understanding
of
[[Page S3210]]
history and the Senate rules, by the strength of his
character and by his faith in God, is today the custodian of
the Senate ideals that go back, not only to the founding
fathers but, indeed, to ancient Rome.
Like Richard Russell, Robert Byrd embodies the traditions,
the dignity, and, indeed, the honor of the United States
Senate. It is my great privilege to introduce the honored
friend of Richard B. Russell, Robert C. Byrd.
[Applause.]
Senator Byrd. Thank you.
Mr. Vice President, my colleagues, fellow Americans, ladies
and gentlemen.
If I appear today to wear a pained expression, that's
because I have some pain. If any of you have ever had the
shingles, you know what I'm talking about. Although a great
number of people think I wear that expression all the time.
[Laughter.]
And they're not far wrong.
I want to thank, first of all, the Senate Chaplain, Dr.
Ogilvie, who performed the most important part in the
program. I thank Mr. Campbell for inviting me to participate
in this program. And I thank Sam Nunn. He stepped into some
big shoes when he came to the Senate, and those shoes fit
today.
[Applause.]
The Duke of Wellington once said that the presence of
Napoleon on the field was worth 40,000 men in the balance.
And so it is when Sam Nunn speaks on the subject of our
national defense. He has no peer in the Senate, and everybody
listens.
Let me say that I'm very grateful for the presence of so
many of our colleagues here today. My eyes are growing dim,
but I had the pleasure of personally greeting some of my
colleagues before I came up here. So I want to thank John
Warner and Danny Inouye and former Senator and former Judge
Mr. Griffin; Thad Cochran and Jesse Helms, Mark Hatfield and
Paul Sarbanes; and the only man in the Senate who has served
longer in the Senate than I have. Strom Thurmond.
[Applause.]
Senator Byrd. That is in the Senate.
My tenure on the Hill is a little bit more than Strom's.
Claiborne Pell. And our old friend Russell Long.
[Applause.]
Senator Byrd. Our great friend Mac Mathias, Paul Coverdell.
I think I see Ted Moss and Wyche Fowler. There may be others.
You'll forgive me if I can't see you from here, but thank
you for coming.
When I first came to the Senate in January 1959, my office
was in Room 342 of this building, then known as the Old
Senate Office Building. That was still 13 years before the
Senate would adopt the resolution that I offered renaming the
building in honor of Senator Richard Brevard Russell.
Yet even though his name was not yet affixed to the wall of
the building, it might well have been because he was the
senator, the uncrowned king of the southern block, and he was
as truly a Senate man as was Henry Clay or Daniel Webster or
John C. Calhoun or Thomas Minton or any of the other giants
who had preceded him.
Back in January 1959, I was the other relatively young
senator of 41. Twenty years my senior, Senator Russell had
already served over a quarter of a century in the United
States Senate. He was a patrician in all aspects of the word,
and of all the senators with whom I have served over these
past 37 years, he was the only senator whom I never addressed
by his first name when speaking to him personally. That was
the measure of my respect and admiration for Senator Richard
Russell.
On many occasions I sought his opinion and advice, and I
always found him courteous and easy to talk with. He was
urbane and scholarly, courtly and polite, a statesman by
every definition.
His arrival in Washington in 1933 coincided with the start
of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal Administration.
Recognizing the severity of the Great Depression, Senator
Russell gave loyal support to President Roosevelt whom he
viewed as a great leader who sympathized with the problems of
ordinary citizens. Russell's colleagues quickly recognized
the talents and the abilities of this young senator. As a
freshman, he won an almost unheard of appointment to the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
Richard Russell never married. We used to say he was
married to the Senate. Governor Miller, he studied its
traditions and its customs, its rules, its history and its
practices assiduously. Ted Stevens, Senator Russell avoided
speaking often on the floor but preferred to do his work
quietly in the committee rooms.
Senator Russell's philosophy of government was rooted in
constitutionalism. His belief in the limits of federal power
and the separation of powers among the three equal branches
of government was the main force behind his opposition to
what were popularly known then as civil rights acts. His
attitude toward the role of government he summed up once by
saying, ``I am a reactionary when times are good; in a
Depression, I'm a liberal.''
He was always regarded as one of the most fair and
conscientious members of this body. The truth of this was
clearly demonstrated during the Senate inquiry of President
Truman's dissmissal of General Douglas MacArthur from his
command in Korea. Senator Russell presided over those
hearings from May 3 to June 27, 1951. During that time, he
was unfailingly courteous and was particularly solicitious of
the General's views. In hindsight, it has been claimed that
his judicious handling of this volatile event did much to
diffuse an explosive situation.
Through it all he served his nation well. Richard Russell
followed his own star. He did not pander. His confident was
his conscience. He was always the good and faithful servant
of the people. He was good for the Senate, and he loved it
dearly. I can say without any hesitation that he was a
remarkable senator, a remarkable American, a remarkable man
who enjoyed the respect and the affection of all who served
with him.
In the death of Senator Russell, I felt a great personal
loss. From my first days in the Senate, I looked upon him as
my mentor, and he was the man I most admired in Washington, a
man of great intellect, the finest of public servants, and
his patriotism of love, of country, will never be excelled.
``I saw the sun sink in hte golden west. No angry cloud
obscured its latest view. Around the couch on which it sank
to rest shone all the splendor of a summer day and long the
lost of view its radiant light reflected from the skies
delayed the night. Thus, when a good man's life comes to a
close, no doubts arise to cloud his soul with gloom, but
faith triumphant on each feature glows, and benedictions fill
the sacred room. And long do men his virtues wide proclaim,
while generations rise to bless his name.''
And so to his kinspeople, to his kinspeople and his host of
friends, I say, I am honored indeed to have been invited to
participate in this ceremony in which we dedicate this
handiwork of the sculptor to the memory of Richard Brevard
Russell, late a senator from the state of Georgia. How poor
this world would be without the memories of its mighty dead.
Only the voiceless speak forever, the memory of this noble
man will ever be like a star which is not extinguished when
it sets upon the distant horizon. It but goes to shine in
other skies and then reappears in ours as fresh as when it
first arose.
[Applause.]
Senator Nunn. The distinguished senator we will hear from
next also served with Senator Russell, but from across the
table. Like Richard Russell, Ted Stevens' record of
supporting his state's concerns and his record on national
and international issues have made him a formidable force in
his own home state and throughout the nation. In his own
state of Alaska, his record discourages most potential
opposition and crushes those who are daring enough to run
against him.
Like Richard Russell, Ted Stevens has chaired the Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee and has been an effective
proponent of a strong national defense. Like Senator Russell,
Ted Stevens is a champion of both our veterans and our men
and women in uniform, and he fights to see that our troops
have the weapons and the equipment they need to prevail in
combat.
Like Richard Russell, Ted Stevens believes that when our
flag is committed, it is time to transcend partisan politics
and to support our troops. Richard Russell once described the
legislative process well when he said, quoting him, ``Only
through a meeting of the minds and by concessions can we
legislate.''
Like Richard Russell, Ted Stevens understands that the
legislation requires cooperation and coalition building in
both political parties, not only to pass but to last.
Ted, to you and to my good friend and colleague Paul
Coverdell, one message to majority leader Bob Dole who wanted
to be here today but had other pressing commitments. In
Georgia, we have a small town that might remind Bob Dole of
home in case he ever has any reason in the next few weeks or
months to wander into our territory, and it's called Russell,
Georgia. We'll be proud to have him there at any time.
I am proud to present to you the distinguished senator from
the state of Alaska, a friend of Richard Russell, the
Honorable Ted Stevens.
[Applause.]
Senator Stevens. Thank you very much, Senator Nunn. You
embarrassed me with that introduction. I am delighted to be
able to pinch-hit for Senator Dole and to be here with this
distinguished group.
After listening to my good friend--and he is my great
friend--Senator Byrd, I am reminded of a friend of mine that
told me when he was ready to make a speech he felt like Lady
Astor's seventh husband. He knew what he had to do, but he
didn't know how to make it interesting.
[Laughter.
Senator Stevens. After a speech such as Senator Byrd's and
the vice president's, I'm humbled to be here. But I am
delighted to be here, Sam, because as you said, Senator
Russell was the Chairman of the Subcommittee that I've been
chairman of twice now, and that's the Defense Subcommittee,
and I really feel greatly the responsibility of that
position.
Because he spent half of his lifetime in the Senate and
enjoyed relationships with every president from Franklin
Roosevelt to Richard Nixon, as you've heard, Senator Russell
had a deep understanding of the nation and a deeper
understanding of how our government works, more so than most
Americans.
He was very generous in sharing his wisdom and insight with
new senators regardless of their political affiliation. That
legacy lives on today, and I am one of the beneficiaries as
Senator Nunn mentioned. Senator Henry ``Scoop'' Jackson and
Senator Mansfield, Senator Stennis are people who served with
him. They served as mentors for me and others, regardless of
politics.
When we came to the Senate, and I came to the Senate 28
years ago, we were the recipients of the attention of Senator
Russell,
[[Page S3211]]
and we were guided by the senators that he had so well
instilled with the love of this institution. As they took us
under their wing, as Senator Russell had done to them, they
counseled us in our first years in the Senate. Those were
years when senators were seen and not heard for a few years,
but I was an appointed senator so they sort of made an
exception because they weren't sure I'd be back.
I think that there was no question that at that time we all
recognized that we were serving with the foremost
congressional authority on our nation's defense, and really
the architect of our nation's security. He was chairman of
the Armed Services Committee and chairman of the Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee at the same time as I recall. I
always remember that because I'm sorry that I can't enjoy
that same circumstance. Senator Hatfield will understand
that.
But it is something for all of us to remember that he
worked primarily to assure that this nation remained strong.
And he was very bipartisan in dealing with that, and I'm very
serious about saying he took time with young senators to
explain his understanding of defense and why it was so
necessary to keep such a firm foundation.
I think he played a greater role than any other senator in
shaping the defense establishment of our post-World War II
period here in America. President Nixon said this of Senator
Russell: When the security of the United States was at issue,
six American presidents leaned upon this great patriot,
Richard Russell. He never failed them.
By remaining bipartisan, Senator Russell kept our nation
from retreating into isolationism during a period that was
very essential to our history, the period right after World
War II.
Long before Dwight Eisenhower became president, Senator
Russell and Ike were great friends. Their friendship
continued and grew after Eisenhower was in the White House.
In testimony to America's spirit of democracy throughout
the world, Senator Russell showed our nation the importance
of rebuilding, rebuilding not only our nation but our
enemies'--Germany and Japan--after World War II.
Ensuring that the Marshall Plan became a reality was one of
Dick Russell's real goals, and he was most successful. And
while he was a tower of strength for our national defense, I
am sure you know, Sam and the senators here from Georgia, he
was a faithful representative of the people of Georgia. He
saw better than others the future of the burgeoning
discoveries in science and ensured that funds would be
available for research in new technologies in medicine,
agriculture and in conservation.
I feel truly honored to have been able to serve with
Richard Russell, and I am deeply honored to my friend Robert
Dole for being elsewhere so I could say it here today.
Twenty-five years ago, just a few years after his death, I
was a young senator, but I joined other senators in paying
tribute to our departed friend.
Let me just repeat now what I said then. He never sought
publicity nor attempted to impress his colleagues with flashy
rhetoric, but that is not to say he was not a forceful
advocate and a fierce adversary. I am confident that history
will mark him as a consummate statesman who transcended
regional boundaries to become a senator for all here in the
United States. He was a paragon worth emulating by those who
would pursue a life in public service.
Nothing has changed in the 25 years since I said those
words. Russell is still a great influence, his legacy is
alive today as it was then, his achievements and unique
abilities will never be forgotten as Senator Byrd has so ably
said, and I'm pleased to be here to be part of the dedication
of this statue and pleased even more, as I said, to have been
fortunate enough to have been able to serve with this great
man, Richard Russell.
Thank you very much.
[Applause.]
Senator Nunn. Like Richard Russell, our next speaker has
dedicated his life to public service, and has recognized that
political leadership is an honorable calling. Like Richard
Russell, Zell Miller comes from north of what we in Georgia
call ``The Gnat Line,'' the geological fall-line that
separates north Georgia from south Georgia, with 90 percent
of the gnats on the southern side of the line where I live.
Many north Georgia politicians never get elected because
they never master a vital skill; that is, to be able to blow
away the gnats and talk at the same time.
[Laughter and applause.]
Senator Nunn. Like Richard Russell, Zell Miller clearly
mastered this skill despite his geographic disadvantage.
Like Governor Richard Russell and Senator Richard Russell,
Governor Zell Miller has been a champion of job creation and
fiscal responsibility.
Like Richard Russell, Zell Miller has a powerful commitment
to the education of all of our children. As governor of
Georgia, Richard Russell recognized and reorganized higher
education. He established the Board of Regents and paved the
way for Georgia's top institutions to become leaders in our
nation.
In Washington, Senator Russell was the father of the school
lunch program, one of his proudest accomplishments.
As governor, Zell Miller established the HOPE Scholarship
Program which enables every student in Georgia who achieves a
B average in high school to receive free tuition in college
for as long as they maintain a B average. Currently, over
105,000 Georgia students are being helped by this program.
[Applause.]
Senator Nunn. As governor, Zell Miller is the father also
of Georgia's pre-kindergarten program, the most comprehensive
program for four-year-olds in the entire nation, one of his
proudest accomplishments.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to introduce the Governor
of Georgia, my good friend, the Honorable Zell Miller.
[Applause.]
Governor Miller. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Senator Nunn, for that introduction,
but, most importantly, thank you for all that you have
done for our state of Georgia and for this nation.
[Applause.]
Governor Miller. Mr. Vice President, Senator Byrd, Senator
Stevens, Senator Coverdell, other members of the U.S. Senate
present and past, members of the Georgia Congressional
Delegation past and present, Russell Foundation Chairman
Charles Campbell, former Georgia Governor Ernest Vandiver,
and Mrs. Betty Russell Vandiver and all the members of the
Russell family----
[Applause.]
Governor Miller [continuing]. Distinguished guests and
ladies and gentlemen.
It is certainly a great honor to be on this platform and to
have this opportunity to speak on behalf of the state of
Georgia at this ceremony. Although it has now been 25 years,
a quarter of a century, since his passing, many of us knew
and still vividly remember Richard Russell.
Some knew him as a senator's senator whose knowledge and
reverence of the United States Senate as an institution was
so deep that even his colleagues who opposed him on the
issues or bad conflicting philosophies of government had a
level of respect for him that bordered on reverence.
Others knew Richard Russell as a president's senator,
personal advisor, as we have known, to six Presidents
beginning with Franklin Roosevelt. It was often said that the
only power that the president had that Dick Russell didn't
have was the ability to push the button. And no president
would have thought of pushing that button without first
consulting with Senator Russell.
But back home in Georgia we knew him as our senator, and
when we sent him to Washington in 1933, it was because we
already knew what a remarkable leader this man was.
Dick Russell became the youngest member of the Georgia
Legislature when he was elected state representative at the
age of 23, and he became Speaker of the House of
Representatives in Georgia while he was still in his 20s. He
was elected the youngest governor in Georgia's history at the
age of 33. During those early years in state government, he
honed the leadership skills that served him so well in
Washington.
He was open, he was honest in his dealings, he was always
fair and civil to both sides in an argument, and once he had
given his word he stood by it without equivocation.
He was a genuine representative of the people who shunned
political labels and special interests, and he was scrupulous
about doing his homework on the issues, so that when he
spoke, it was from personal understanding.
The Dick Russell we Georgians knew regarded public service
as his life and his work and devoted himself unstintingly to
it. He worked 12-hour days, cooked his own meals, washed his
own socks in an austere bachelor apartment. He cared deeply
about his large family, and his only indulgence was frequent
visits with his kinfolk at the Russell family home in the
little town of Winder, Georgia.
Many of you, of course, remember him as Mr. Defense, the
powerful chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. And
in Georgia, we still feel the positive economic impact of the
many federal facilities be brought to our state.
In Georgia, we also remember, however, that by his own
measure, as Senator Nunn mentioned awhile ago, in his own
mind the highest accomplishment of his career and the only
piece of legislation for which he jealously guarded his
authorship, was the school lunch program.
Here in Washington, his name lives on in this impressive
Senate Office Building. In Georgia, the infrastructure is a
little less imposing. The post office in Winder is named for
him, as is an elementary school in Cobb County, an
agriculture research center in Athens, the federal district
courthouse in Atlanta, an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir,
and a scenic stretch of north Georgia highway.
But we really remember him better through ideas and
intellect, the Russell Chair in American History at the
University of Georgia; the Russell All-State High School
Debate Championship; the Russell Teaching Awards; the Russell
Leadership Program for Outstanding College Students; the
Russell Public Policy Symposium; and the Russell Library for
Political Research and Studies.
These activities are supported by the Richard B. Russell
Foundation, which also commissioned this statue to bring a
remembrance of the man himself into this building that honors
him.
But at the same time that we always remember Richard
Russell as Georgia's senator, the unfailing champion in
Washington of our interests and our state, at the same
[[Page S3212]]
time we remember that, as another great Georgia Senator by
the name of Sam Nunn pointed out, Richard Russell was a
statesman.
And these are Sam Nunn's words: He understood the simple
and powerful truth that the best way to serve your state is
to do the best job you can in serving your nation.
And that is what made him a senator's senator and a
president's senator and a Georgia's senator, and a senator
for the ages.
[Applause.]
Senator Nunn. Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude our program
and acknowledge our special guests and, in particular, the
Russell family, I would like to call on Mr. Charles Campbell.
Charlie served on the staff of Senator Russell during the
last six years of his life and was his administrative
assistant at the time of Senator Russell's death. Senator
Byrd will recall that Charles was with Senator Russell when
he cast his last vote that I mentioned earlier and that
Senator Byrd mentioned--his vote by proxy from his hospital
bed in 1971 for Senator Byrd to be majority whip.
It is my pleasure to introduce the Chairman of the Richard
B. Russell Foundation and someone who must have been the
youngest administrative assistant in the history of the
United States Senate, Mr. Charlie Campbell.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. Thank you, Senator Nunn.
Vice President Gore, Senator Byrd, Senator Stevens, Senator
Nunn, Governor Miller, other distinguished guests, friends
and family of Senator Russell, ladies and gentlemen.
On behalf of the Russell Foundation, it is my pleasure to
welcome you to the dedication and unveiling of the Russell
statue and to thank you for your attendance.
There are so many distinguished guests present that we
cannot hope to recognize all of them, but I know Senator
Russell would be particularly pleased with the large number
of currently serving and former members of Congress in the
audience. And I would like to ask all of the currently
serving and former members of Congress, both House and Senate
in attendance, to please stand and let us recognize them.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. I want to recognize individually the senators
who are here and who served with Senator Russell. You have
already met Senator Byrd and Senator Stevens. The other
senators who served with Senator Russell and who are present
today and still serving in the Senate are:
Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon.
Senator William Roth of Delaware.
Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.
Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island.
And Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.
I'd like to ask them to please stand and be recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. We are also delighted to have present certain
former members of the Senate who served with Senator Russell,
some for extended periods of time. I would now like to
recognize these senators:
Senator Vance Hartke of Indiana.
Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana.
Senator Charles Mathias of Maryland.
Senator Robert Griffin of Michigan.
Senator Russell Long of Louisiana.
Senator Mike Mansfield of Montana.
Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.
Senator Frank Moss of Utah.
Senator William Proxmire of Wisconsin.
And Senator Harrison Williams of New Jersey.
I'd like to ask these senators to stand, please, and be
recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. As many of you know, Senator Russell was one
of 13 brothers and sisters, and the Russell family is an
exceedingly large family. It is well-represented here today.
I would like to ask each member of the Russell family in
attendance to please stand.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. We also have with us a number of the members
of Senator Russell's staff or the staff of the committees
which he chaired or on which he served, and I would like to
ask the members of the Russell staff who are in attendance
to please stand.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. The Russell Foundation, of which I am honored
to serve as Chairman, is fortunate to have a dedicated Board
of Trustees, the names of whom are published in your program.
A number of the Russell trustees are in attendance today, and
I would like for them to stand and be recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. Each of the donors who contributed $5,000 or
more to the Russell statue are listed in your program, and I
would like to ask the individual contributors or
representatives of corporate contributors who are in
attendance today to please stand and be recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. A project such as the Russell statue could
not be accomplished without the assistance of a lot of
people. I particularly want to thank Senator Sam Nunn and his
staff for the many things they have done to bring this
project to fruition, and I also can't let the occasion pass
without saying, Senator, particularly in light of your
retirement now, how much we appreciate your 24 years of
Richard Russell-type service in the United States Senate.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. Senator Paul Coverdell and his staff have
been of immeasurable assistance to us in putting on this
program, and I want to ask Senator Coverdell to please stand
and be recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. Senator Russell's close friend, Senator
Robert Byrd, has served as the official sponsor of the
dedication of the Russell statue and the reception that will
follow in the Caucus Room on the third floor of the Russell
Building, to which you are each invited. I would like to
thank Senator Byrd and his staff for all of the help they
have given us with the Russell statue dedication.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. With respect to the Russell statue itself, we
are indebted to the stone carver and the sculptor. As you
will see when the statue is unveiled in a few minutes, the
master stone-carver at the National Cathedral, Mr. Vincenzo
Palumbo, who carved the Russell statue from a large block of
white Italian marble using the model developed by the
sculptor, did an outstanding job. I would like to ask Mr.
Palumbo and his family to stand and be recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. We were particularly blessed to have a
talented sculptor who had a special interest in this project.
The Russell Foundation selected Frederick Hart from a number
of sculptors who were interviewed. We were particularly
impressed by some of his public works, including the soldier
figures at the Vietnam Memorial, and the Creation sculptures
at the entrance to the National Cathedral here in Washington.
Frederick Hart is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, and he was
already well-acquainted with Richard Russell's career before
commencing his work on the Russell statue. In fact, his
father was in the television business and was active in the
1952 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination on
behalf of the late Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee who
was a candidate for president that year.
Senator Russell was himself a candidate for president in
the 1952 Democratic Presidential Primaries.
Frederick Hart is not only an excellent sculptor, but was a
pleasure to work with on the Russell statue. I would like to
ask Rick and his wife and two sons who are in the audience to
please stand and be recognized at this time.
[Applause.]
Mr. Campbell. And before we unveil the Russell statue, I
would like to make a request of three groups, if they would,
to, after the dedication is over, come down front so we can
have some photographs made of these groups with the statue.
The first ones are senators here who served with Senator
Russell, both currently serving senators and former senators.
Secondly, the Russell trustees.
Third, the Russell staff.
If you would come down after the dedication is over to the
front so we can have some photographs made with the statue.
Now, for the unveiling of the statue. I would like to ask
the sculptor, Frederick Hart, and Senator Russell's two
surviving sisters, Mrs. Pat Peterson and Mrs. Caroline
Nelson, who are seated over here, to come forward to unveil
the statue.
[The statue is unveiled.]
[Sustained applause.]
Mr. Campbell. Rick, I think that Senator Russell, who was
known to be quite a critic of portraits and likenesses, would
say that it's a great job, and thank you so much.
That concludes our program. Everyone is invited to the
reception up on the third floor in the Caucus Room, and thank
you very much for attending.
[Applause.]
[Whereupon, the ceremony was concluded.]
____________________