[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO PAUL SIMON

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, as the Senate fast approaches the end of the 
105th Congress, I would like to take this opportunity to bid a fond 
farewell to one of our most distinguished colleagues--Senator Paul 
Simon from Illinois.
  Throughout his entire life, Paul Simon has been devoted to his fellow 
citizens and has never wavered from the firmly-held beliefs and 
principles that guide his public life.
  From his first job in 1948, at the tender of age 19, as the Nation's 
youngest editor-publisher, Paul Simon was focused on helping his 
community. From his position at the Troy Tribune he led an impressive 
crusade against local criminals and machine politicians.
  In 1954, he officially began his career in public service as a member 
of the Illinois House of Representatives. He went on to serve in the 
State Senate and as Illinois Lieutenant Governor until coming to 
Washington as a Congressman in 1974 and finally becoming a Senator in 
1984.
  Throughout that time, Paul Simon never lost touch with his Midwestern 
roots, his reformist ideals or with his constituents, who continued to 
return him to office, year after year.
  Paul Simon was one of the first politicians in this Nation to 
disclose his personal finances, starting in the 1950's.
  Additionally, throughout his career he focused on helping provide 
educational opportunity for the American people. In the Illinois 
Legislature, he was one of the first lawmakers to propose legislation 
that would provide a public education for children with disabilities.
  Later he was one of the original sponsors of similar landmark 
legislation on the Federal level, which became the law of the land in 
1975.
  Paul Simon helped lead the way in attacking the problem of illiteracy 
by working to pass the National Literacy Act.
  In 1994, he continued to lead the way on education by working to open 
up new school-to-work opportunities, and he was the lead sponsor of the 
President's effort to reform our student loan program. I was pleased to 
work with Senator Simon and today we can both look with pride to the 
new direct student loan program.
  Throughout his career, Paul Simon has represented the traits of 
fairness, integrity, and honesty, which has earned him the respect of 
all members of this body.
  This was never more evident then last week, when all the members of 
the Senate gathered together to honor him by donning imitations of his 
trademark bow-tie. That salute to our distinguished colleague was an 
appropriate tribute to a man as unique and distinctive as Paul Simon.
  To Paul and his wife Jeanne, I wish him the best of luck in all their 
future endeavors. For a man who has written 15 books I can't imagine 
that we've heard the last of Paul Simon and I look forward to enjoying 
his wise counsel in the years to come.

                          ____________________