[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11421-S11422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RETIREMENT OF SENATOR NANCY KASSEBAUM

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, today, I offer tribute to my friend and 
colleague, Senator Nancy Kassebaum. The Senate will miss this respected 
and fair minded policy maker. While the distinguished Senator from 
Kansas may no longer physically be present on the floor of the Senate 
to fight the battles she believes in, she will leave a legacy of 
intelligence, honesty, and common sense that will always be respected 
and never forgotten.
  Among her many accomplishments, Senator Kassebaum will go down in the 
textbooks of American history as the first woman to Chair a major 
Senate committee, the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. 
This fact makes a statement about the strength of Nancy Kassebaum as a 
leader. Senator Kassebaum successfully challenged institutional gender 
biases, paving the way for other women who aspire to become powerful 
Members of the Senate. I compliment Senator Kassebaum for this 
significant accomplishment.
  Throughout her 18 years of dedicated service as a member of the 
Senate and her tenure as Chair of the Senate Committee on Labor and 
Human Resources, Senator Kassebaum has fought to preserve the health 
and dignity of America's families, children, and the poor. She was a 
moderating force throughout the welfare debate. Her strong stance on 
issues such as ensuring abused and neglected children are protected, 
increasing the availability of child care for low-income families, and 
preserving child care health and safety standards was a key to the 
successful passage of

[[Page S11422]]

a welfare reform bill that received bipartisan support.
  I had the recent privilege of working closely with Senator Kassebaum 
on a comprehensive budget proposal formulated by a bipartisan group of 
Senators. This proposal was based on compromise, fiscal responsibility, 
common sense, and fairness. It balanced the unified budget by 2002, 
while preserving important social safety nets for some of our most 
vulnerable citizens. My colleagues and I worked long hours on this 
proposal, which received substantial support on the Senate floor. I was 
proud to have the opportunity to work with Senator Kassebaum on this 
compromise agreement and was impressed by her diligence and 
thoughtfulness throughout the discussions.
  Senator Kassebaum's spirit of fairness is exemplified by her work in 
the Foreign Relations Committee. As a member and Chair of the African 
Affairs Subcommittee, she fought to break down the barriers that 
oppress and divide people. She would not condone intolerance and took 
decisive action to suppress apartheid by supporting sanctions against 
the South African Government in 1986. She applauded the fall of 
apartheid in 1993 and the election of Nelson A. Mandela as President of 
South Africa in 1994. People and governments worldwide will thank 
Senator Kassebaum for her work on this issue.
  In closing, I will look back on the long career of a great Senator, 
Nancy Kassebaum, with admiration and respect. I thank Senator Kassebaum 
for her honesty and fairness and wish her well in her future pursuits.

                          ____________________