[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        FAREWELL TO SENATOR NUNN

  Mr. DASCHLE. The day Sam Nunn cast his 10,000th vote, I mentioned 
that his first vote, on January 23, 1973, was to confirm a nominee to 
be Assistant Secretary of Defense. Since then, Senator Sam Nunn has 
become the Senate's leading authority on defense policies. He has 
served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee from 1987 to 
1994. He has introduced or cosponsored the most important legislation 
and the most important military and defense issues of the last two 
decades, including Defense reorganization, reducing the threat of 
nuclear war, Pentagon procurement reform, base closing, and 
restructuring of military pay and benefits.
  He has earned the respect of virtually every colleague with whom he 
has served--Republican, Democrat, conservative and liberal, Presidents, 
Vice Presidents, Members of the House. He has earned, also, the thanks 
of every American throughout this country for his efforts to ensure the 
integrity and mission of our military establishment in the face of many 
of history's most significant challenges. Every administration since 
the 1970's has consulted him on military matters and considered him for 
top-level positions in their administrations.
  Senator Nunn's career has neither been confined to nor consumed by 
military and defense issues, however. In the Senate, he has played 
monumental roles in laying the groundwork for national service, deficit 
reduction, and on efforts to redirect our national economic and tax 
policies. He has applied his talents and energy to a multitude of 
issues whenever they were required. I must say that America is better 
for it.

  Mr. President, I congratulate my colleague, my advisor, my friend, 
Senator Sam Nunn, on his remarkable career, and I thank him for his 
service to this institution and to this country. Unfortunately, it is 
also time to say goodbye and wish him well in his future endeavors. We 
will miss him in the Senate, but I must say that we expect him to be 
very visible, very active, very involved, very engaged, both in public 
policy and in matters relating to private enterprise, for many, many 
years and decades ahead.
  I hope that, should he have the opportunity to serve in other 
capacities in government, he will take them--not for his benefit, but 
for ours.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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