[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.]

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