[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11963-S11964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO JIM EXON: A DEDICATED MIDWESTERN SENATOR

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to a friend and 
fellow midwestern Senator--Jim Exon. Senator Exon and I entered the 
Senate together in 1978. I have enjoyed working with him on issues 
important to our states: South Dakota and Nebraska. We are not just 
fellow Senators, but fellow South Dakotans. He was born in Geddes, 
South Dakota, and once a South Dakotan, always a South Dakotan. When he 
retires at the end of the 104th Congress, I will miss him personally, 
as well as his dedication to rural America.
  I have a great deal of respect for Senator Exon. He has served his 
fellow Nebraskans well. As ranking member of the Senate Budget 
Committee, he has been a driving force to get a balanced budget 
amendment passed in Congress. He understands well the importance of 
balancing the Federal budget. He knows that Federal spending must be 
reined in and that we owe it to our children to control our 
Government's ``out-of-control'' spending habits. He has a vision for 
our economic future--a vision that embraces the interests of rural 
America.
  Senator Exon and I have served together for many years on the Senate 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. He has worked hard on 
the Commerce Committee, as he has

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on the Armed Services and Budget Committees. As our Nation evolves into 
the information age, Jim Exon has worked diligently to ensure that the 
information superhighway maintains high decency standards and that 
telecommunications reform includes the interests of rural states. 
Additionally, Jim Exon has worked to keep our transportation network 
safe. Whether the issue is high speed rail safety or the transportation 
of hazardous materials, Jim Exon has been committed to improving our 
current transportation infrastructure.
  Jim Exon's expertise on commerce and budget issues will not be easily 
replaced in Congress following his retirement. His care and concern for 
the people of Nebraska and the midwest will be missed. I will not 
forget Jim's dedication and commitment to his State and nation. As a 
World War II veteran, he has brought a level of patriotism, pride, and 
tenacity to this congressional body that cannot be matched. As I bid my 
friend farewell, I am saddened by his departure, but am happy for him 
as he embarks on a new facet of his life. I wish Jim and his wife, 
Patricia Ann, all the best in their post-Senate days. Their presence in 
Washington will be missed, but never forgotten.

                          ____________________