[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12049-S12051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DEPARTING SENATORS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, 14 of our colleagues will be retiring from 
the Senate at the end of this year. That is almost one-seventh of this 
body. Their departure represents a major turnover in the membership of 
the Senate, an institution which prizes itself on its continuity and 
its gradual pace of change.
  With these 14 leaving, surely the Senate will be a different place 
next year. We have been enriched by these 14 Senators each in their own 
way, and in many ways over the years.
  In the last 2 weeks it has been very hectic here, and I would have 
taken the floor earlier to comment about these distinguished Senators 
except for that very busy schedule. But I am glad now that I have the 
time to talk with a little leisure, and maybe even tell some special 
stories that I remember about some of these Senators. Each of them 
deserve special recognition.
  I am glad so many Senators have spoken at length about those who will 
soon leave us. I went back and read several of the statements that were 
made Friday and Saturday, including some of the statements by Senators 
that will be leaving--particularly Senator Cohen of Maine. I found his 
remarks very interesting and enlightening, and typical of the Senator 
from Maine.
  As everyone knows, the last few weeks have been an extraordinarily 
busy time. We have managed to deal with many items that have been 
stalled but most importantly we successfully pulled together the 
omnibus appropriations bill that will fund most of the Federal 
Government and direct many of its policies for years ahead. It wasn't 
easy for some Members and staff. It took literally weeks, and many of 
the Senators and staff members stayed up literally all night for 2 
nights in a row. They did great work, and we are very proud of their 
work.

  We are proud that we were able to complete our work last night in a 
bipartisan fashion. There was an overwhelming vote for that work 
product. I believe the vote was 84 to 15.
  So now in the little time we have left in this 104th Congress I can 
finally get around to paying proper respects, although in an 
abbreviated form, to these distinguished Senators.
  Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, for example, is widely expected 
to remain a force in our national politics. That is a tactful way of 
saying he is too impressive to ignore and too young to be relegated to 
the political hall of fame. He spent 18 years in the Senate proving 
that a Rhodes scholar can play hardball when he has to--and disproving 
the old adage that Senators can't jump. We wish him well and know that, 
in more ways than one, we will be hearing from him over and over again.
  As we are preparing to leave, one of the bills that is left is the 
so-called ``parks bill.'' I found myself last night here in the well 
talking to the Senator from New Jersey. He was involved working with 
the Senator from Alaska, Senator Murkowski, to find a way to get that 
one last bill done. He last left his mark on this institution, and his 
mark on some outstanding legislation. And we look forward to working 
with him in a different role in the future.
  Of course, my good friend sitting in the Chair this morning, Senator 
Hank Brown of Colorado, leaves us far too soon after only one term in 
the Senate.
  I remember very well receiving his call--I believe it was 2 years ago 
right after we had the election. In fact, I was running for a position 
myself at the time. And he was giving me suggestions. But he also 
wanted me to know. ``And, by the way, I am leaving.'' I almost passed 
out. I could not believe it. I cannot envision serving in the Congress 
without Hank Brown. He is just one of the most insightful Members I 
have ever known--brilliant in a very modest way.
  I really do wish we had time to get him on the Finance Committee 
because his hand on the tax policy of this country would have been a 
wonderful sight to behold.
  I remember that several of the things I have done over the years, 
that probably have gotten me into more trouble than I wanted, had been 
suggested by Hank Brown. I will not forget my friend from Colorado. We 
surely will miss Hank, and we know that, again like the others, we will 
be hearing from him, and that his insightful intellectual integrity and 
his unfailing courtesy will continue to serve him well as he goes back 
to his beloved Colorado.
  Senator Bill Cohen seems also far too young, both in years and in 
spirit, to have served in Congress for 24 years. Senator Cohen of 
Maine, Senator Cochran of Mississippi, and I were sworn in together as 
Members of the House of Representatives in 1973. We all have been 
together really ever since, even though the two of them came over to 
the Senate in 1978 and I didn't come over. I trailed along 10 years 
later. We have been through some incredible experiences together.
  I have grown over the years to just come to admire and respect Bill 
Cohen so much. On the Armed Services Committee we are not just 
colleagues but comrades. We worked together to advance our Nation's 
security. We have a common interests in the magnificent cruisers and 
destroyers that defend our shores so well.

  Bill Cohen turned out to be a novelist and a poet. He even published 
a book of poems. I mean, can you imagine? Most people would do well to 
write

[[Page S12050]]

one poem. He has written a book of poems, as well as being an expert on 
matters as diverse as weapons systems and the problems of the elderly--
and always as an independent thinker for the people of his State and 
for our country.
  There are many issues on which we disagree, and we didn't always vote 
together, obviously. But none of them could diminish our mutual respect 
or my admiration for his dedication to his State and to his country.
  We all certainly wish he and Janet Godspeed in the years ahead.
  Senator Jim Exon from Nebraska has served with distinction as ranking 
member of the Senate Budget Committee. As a junior member of that 
committee, I far preferred him in the latter role in the minority. But 
I respected his commitment and appreciated his fairness no matter what 
party was in the majority.
  There may be no more thankless task in the Senate than trying to 
steer the budget process, from either side of the aisle. And it takes a 
lot of teamwork and cooperation between the chairmen. In the last 
couple of years Senator Domenici and Senator Exon--I watched them work 
together many times standing shoulder to shoulder in the same position. 
I know I speak for all of us in expressing our appreciation for Jim's 
leadership, for his friendship, and for all the times his prairie 
personality has taken the edge off the sharp issues, and helped us to 
see the other side.
  In fact, I have enjoyed this very year. He would come over on to the 
floor and say, ``You know, Dole is trying to get me to be his running 
mate, and I am giving it a lot of thought.''
  He always had something to say that just loosened you up a little 
bit.
  I have enjoyed working with him.
  Senator Sheila Frahm of Kansas has been with us for only a matter of 
months. Coming to the Senate in the aftermath of Senator Dole's 
departure, she immediately faced extraordinary circumstances which she 
met with admirable effort and ability.
  She has dealt with both her official duties and her political 
position with a heartfelt commitment to the people of Kansas.
  Someone once defined courage as grace under pressure. Sheila Frahm 
has exceeded that standard. To grace she has added an unfailing 
cordiality, a no-nonsense devotion to her work that really defines what 
it means to be a Senator of the United States.
  In the Senate, it is not how long you are a member of the team. It is 
how you handle the plays for the time that you are on the field. I know 
I am not alone in looking forward to her next appearance in whatever 
arena of public service that she chooses.
  I referred earlier to the hard work, the long hours, and the positive 
way in which we reached a bipartisan conclusion to our omnibus 
appropriations bill just last night. A lot of the credit has to go to 
the gentle nature, the intelligence, the modesty, and the persistence 
of Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon. He has been working here for 30 
years as a central figure in the progress and the dramas of the 
American Republic. He is now an institution within this institution. He 
has been more than a witness to great events of the last 30 years. He 
has been a key participant in many of them.

  I remember when I first came to Washington in 1968 as a 26-year-old 
young staffer. Mark Hatfield was already here and making a mark, and 
making waves sometimes. But because of Mark's work over these three 
decades, American education has been transformed, American health care 
and medical research are revolutionized, and public policy is more 
humane, more just, and more compassionate. That is his memorial, and it 
is far larger a monument than the many statues that line the corridors 
of this Capitol.
  Senator Howell Heflin of Alabama is often called the Judge, and for 
good reason. It is more than a reference to his previous position in 
the State of Alabama. It is a tribute to his temperament and his 
fairness, a special knowledge of the way he deals with issues and with 
people.
  Some people say he talks a little funny. I never noticed it. I think 
he has no accent whatsoever. But I do get a little chuckle out of the 
fact sometimes that people come over and say, ``Intrepret that for 
me.'' But whatever he is saying, it is worth listening to.
  The Judiciary Committee will be poorer for his absence. We will all 
miss the way his self-effacing approach to a contentious matter could 
reinforce the comity that should always prevail in this body. While we 
share his happiness at the prospect of spending more time with his 
family, he and Mrs. Heflin will be missed from our Senate family.
  They truly have been a family. Anytime there was an event off this 
floor, Mrs. Heflin was there. They were always a team. They were great 
representatives for our country in foreign affairs.
  So I hasten to add, speaking as a neighbor, that they will be warmly 
welcomed across the border, and I know we are going to see a lot more 
of them here in Washington also.
  Senator J. Bennett Johnston, of Louisiana, is another neighbor, and 
we have often worked together on regional matters.
  While no one has ever doubted his loyalty to his party, he has often 
helped us bridge our differences to reach consensus. That has been 
especially true in his role, first as chairman, then as ranking 
minority member, on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
  He now ends 24 years of service in the Senate and the Nation. It is 
hard to believe it has actually been that long. His departure will not 
end the friendship on both sides of the aisle, the best tribute to his 
standing among us. In fact, just last night there was a tremendous 
dinner held in his honor. Unfortunately, we were having a couple of 
votes, and it was interrupted a little bit, but a tremendous outpouring 
of affection from his constituents and from his colleagues in the 
Congress showed him just how much we do appreciate him.
  Senator Nancy Kassebaum, of Kansas, came to Washington many years ago 
as a staff member to then Senator James Pearson, of Kansas. So I guess 
I should say she worked her way up the ladder.
  Six years ago, when she was contemplating retirement, her colleagues 
sported buttons saying ``Run, Nancy, Run.'' I wore one. We wanted her 
to stay. She ran, and, to no one's surprise she won overwhelmingly. If 
we had prevailed upon her to run again, she would win again.
  Now it is time, she says, to go to--I think she calls it a farm. I 
had occasion to be in Topeka, and I landed at the airport, and there 
was Nancy Kassebaum, casually dressed and looking awfully relaxed and 
making me jealous that she was already in that frame of mind that she 
was enjoying retirement in her beloved land of Topeka, KS.
  I could pay her tribute, as other Senators have, in appropriate 
flowery language, but in the final analysis I need only say this: When 
Nancy first came to the Congress, she was referred to as Alf Landon's 
daughter, but henceforth the identification will be reversed. From here 
on out, Alf Landon will be known as Nancy Kassebaum's father.
  Senator Sam Nunn, of Georgia, also has spent 24 years in the Senate, 
during which time our country and all mankind have gone through 
tremendous changes. One thing that has not changed is Sam Nunn's 
single-minded devotion to his country's security in a dangerous world. 
Let me say something indelicate but something every one of his 
colleagues know. The Senate did not have to be the highest post to 
which Sam Nunn aspired. But he made his choices, and we are thankful 
for them.
  His independent judgment has steadied the Senate in rocky times. I 
know that from personal experience. As a member of the Armed Services 
Committee, I worked with Sam in a bipartisan way across the aisle on 
many issues, many times very controversial issues. Even now on the 
Sunday morning talk shows, when most of the guests are on, I am 
flipping over to a football game or reading the paper or going out in 
the backyard to water the flowers. When Sam Nunn is on, I stop and 
listen because what he has to say is always very important and very 
impressive. His solid character has given weight to our deliberations. 
He has been a Senator's Senator, and I thank him for the gift of his 
example.

  Senator Claiborne Pell now closes out 36 years--36 years--six terms 
in the Senate. That is longer than many Members, particularly in the 
House,

[[Page S12051]]

have been alive. As a young diplomat in postwar Europe, he saw the 
imposition of Soviet communism upon Eastern Europe. But he was here to 
greet the leaders of those same nations when, two generations later, 
they reclaimed their independence and their liberty. Among us here he 
has always retained the skills of the diplomat. No one can recall an 
angry word or destructive gesture on his part.
  I wonder how many college students, present and past, realize that he 
is the ``Pell'' in their Pell grants. It is no matter, for his 
satisfaction has been in doing, not in the credit. We give it to him 
nonetheless with appreciation for what he has meant to the Senate and 
to the Nation.
  I was very much impressed with the comments of the Senator from North 
Carolina [Mr. Helms], just recently. He was emotional, and he said, ``I 
admit it because we all love this man.'' And it is typical.
  I was going down the hall on the first floor one day when I had the 
whip office adjoining his little office. He stopped me, and he said, 
``Have you ever seen my little room in here where I do most of my 
work?'' I had not, and I walked in. It is an incredible room. I 
encourage my colleagues, if you haven't been in it, go. First of all, 
it is not real tidy. It has a smell of history, and it has a look of 
history--pictures that go back 50 years, 100 years, documents. It is a 
museum, and it is one room of one Senator in this building down on the 
first floor. I have enjoyed getting to know Senator Pell.
  Senator David Pryor, of Arkansas, is a holder of the triple crown of 
American politics. He has served as Governor, Congressman, and Senator. 
I guess you could consider that the ultimate in recycling. They say you 
never know who your friends are until you run into real trouble. Well, 
when David ran into trouble a few years ago with some rather serious 
heart problems, a heart attack while at home alone in his bed, the 
extent and the depth of his friendships in the Senate became clear. 
There is no greater tribute than having colleagues worry about your 
absence.
  No one could say that Senator Pryor is flashy in the traditional 
sense. That is why his quiet work on the Finance Committee and on the 
Aging Committee, which he formerly chaired, has made a difference and 
has rightly been his proudest accomplishment. Even now he is having 
some difficulty with a family member who has had to have some surgery 
and is going, I believe, to Houston for further evaluation this very 
week, and I have watched here in the Chamber as Senator after Senator 
go up to David--Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal, North, 
South, it makes no difference. They genuinely are interested and 
concerned because David is interested and concerned. We salute him for 
all he has done.
  Paul Simon, he of the bow tie. I thought it was a great tribute to 
him last week when we all wore bow ties. We just thought it was an 
expression of our affection for him. I think he enjoyed it, and we 
certainly all enjoyed it. He has received so many tributes that day and 
since from Senators it has left me very little I can say in addition, 
but he certainly has also left a mark here, not just his trademark bow 
ties, as they do not represent the important things about him--a 
thoughtfulness about issues, a civility about disagreements, a coolness 
about crises. The Senate's loss in his leaving is tempered by our 
certainty that it is hardly the end of his presence in public life in 
our country. We will be hearing his voice. We will be reading his 
insights for many years to come.
  Last and not least is the tall cowboy from Wyoming, Alan Simpson, 
probably one of the better known Members of the Senate. Once you have 
seen him, it is hard to forget him. Of course, among all his other 
achievements over the years--he has been in leadership, he has been 
highly involved in many issues--he has done radio shows, I think almost 
daily, in which he and his friend from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, 
exchange pleasantries. It is great to listen to them. It is always hard 
hitting, insightful and funny. They genuinely like each other; you can 
tell it in the radio show.
  The news media relish his keen and sometimes acerbic comments. He is 
always good for a laugh with those western stories that he seems to 
embellish more and more every time he tells them. I have heard some of 
them many times, and they are funny every time. Yet we should not miss 
the point of his famous humor. He uses it as a tool to deflate 
pomposity, to replace tension with camaraderie, to replace argument 
with communication.
  The 104th Congress is closing with a landmark victory for Senator 
Simpson, enactment of an illegal immigration bill on which he has long 
labored. I know in many respects he will consider it his crown jewel, 
his greatest accomplishment legislatively over the years.
  It really frustrated me a week or so ago when it looked like we might 
actually lose it or lose major portions of it, but he was determined, 
he was relentless, he was aggressive, and again he employed his best 
weapon of all, humor. But just this past Saturday, at 2:30 in the 
morning, Alan Simpson was ramming around these corridors looking for 
where the meetings were on illegal immigration. He was not going to let 
them escape his grasp. Every place the negotiations settled for a 
meeting to talk about various subjects that always led to illegal 
immigration, lo and behold the door filled up with the image of Al 
Simpson once again.
  We all know that there is much more he wanted to accomplish, but the 
times, and perhaps the tempers, were not right. So we have much to come 
back to next year, including those hot wires that Senator Simpson had 
the courage to grasp barehanded. Sometimes we would all stand back and 
say, ``Al, don't touch that. But if you do, don't mention my name.''
  No one knows better than I how difficult it is to be his opponent. By 
the same token, I know firsthand how devoted he is to the Senate, how 
loyal he is to his conscience, and how, many times, come next year we 
will wish we were there, having him stand tall--very tall--among us 
all.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. BURNS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana is recognized.

                          ____________________