[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RETIRING SENATORS

  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, this, we hope, will be the last day of 
this Congress, and I would be remiss if I did not have some remarks 
about some of my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, who are 
retiring.
  The first one I would like to mention is my colleague from Alabama, 
Senator Howell Heflin. He came to the Senate, when I came to the House, 
in January 1979. He had a distinguished record as a lawyer and then as 
chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He was very involved in the 
reform of our judicial system in Alabama.
  In the Senate, he has served with distinction and honor. He chaired 
the Ethics Committee for a long time. He was also very active, and has 
been throughout his career, as a member of the Judiciary Committee and 
as a member of the Agriculture Committee.
  But there are a number of other colleagues, other than Senator 
Heflin, whom we will miss.
  Senator Simpson of Wyoming, former whip, our assistant minority 
leader, a man of untold ability, wit, and intelligence.
  Senator Simon of Illinois, a man of, I believe, unquestioned 
integrity.
  Senator David Pryor of Arkansas, who was on the floor just a few 
moments ago, a former Congressman, former Governor of Arkansas, and now 
ending his third term as a Member of the U.S. Senate where he, too, has 
distinguished himself.
  Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island, one of our senior Senators, 
chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, very active for many, many 
years in the area of foreign relations and international relations. He 
also has made his mark in the field of education. We all know about the 
Pell grants and other things that he has spearheaded in America.
  My colleague Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia. We will certainly miss 
Senator Nunn, because I always thought he brought a very reasoned 
position to foreign relations and to the Armed Services that we all 
deal with from time to time. I thought he was an outstanding--and this 
goes without saying--chairman of the Armed Services Committee where I 
had the privilege to serve with him on that committee for 8 years.
  Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum, a Republican from Kansas, currently 
the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, a distinguished 
Senator in her own right. We will certainly miss her. Look at just her 
recent leadership, working with the Senator from Massachusetts, Senator 
Kennedy, in the insurance field in which we have made tremendous 
reforms, thanks to her.
  Senator Bennett Johnston of Louisiana, former chairman of the Energy 
and Natural Resources Committee. We are certainly going to miss him. He 
has had a distinguished career here, 24 years in the U.S. Senate.

  Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon, the current chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee that I now serve on. He has served with untold 
distinction, too, on that committee and has been involved in recent 
days and nights in the negotiations with the White House on this budget 
resolution that we are getting ready to deal with in just a few hours.
  Senator Jim Exon of Nebraska, a former Governor of Nebraska, three-
term Senator from Nebraska. I had the privilege of serving with him on 
the Armed Services Committee where he, too, served with honor and 
distinction.
  Senator William S. Cohen, a Republican from Maine, a former 
outstanding Member of the U.S. House of Representatives before he was 
elected to the Senate. This is someone we will miss, not only his wit, 
his intelligence, his thoughtfulness, but also his writing ability at 
times helps us all.
  Senator Hank Brown, a Republican from Colorado. I had the honor to 
serve with him in the U.S. House of Representatives. What has saddened 
me, along with a lot of others, is, he will leave this body with such a 
bright and promising career after only 6 years.
  Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, 18 years in the Senate, who has 
spent days and nights and weeks and months up here, I think not in 
vain, most of the time dealing with a commonsense income tax program 
for all Americans.
  Mr. President, we will miss all these people because individually and 
collectively they have added a lot to this body. I wish them well in 
their future endeavors.
  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. HATFIELD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HATFIELD. I yield 15 minutes to the Senator from Vermont.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont is recognized.

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