[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 140 (Wednesday, October 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S12153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO SENATOR MARK HATFIELD

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, the U.S. Senate is an institution that 
has benefited greatly from the service of a number of individuals who 
have dedicated their adult lives to government. Among that group, one 
person in particular stands apart as a man of great intelligence, 
conscience, and contemplation, Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon.
  Mark Hatfield arrived in Washington in 1966 well prepared to not only 
take his seat in the world's greatest deliberative body, but to almost 
immediately begin helping to shape and influence debate in this 
Chamber. Ever since his 1943 graduation from Willamette University, 
Mark Hatfield has either studied, taught, or served government. During 
World War II, Mark donned the khaki uniform of a naval officer and 
participated in some of the most brutal campaigns we fought against the 
Japanese. After the war, Mark returned to school and earned a master's 
degree in political science from prestigious Stanford University. 
Following his time in Palo Alto, the young veteran and scholar returned 
to Willamette University where he taught political science and held the 
position of dean of students.
  It was during his time at Willamette that Mark became active in 
politics, running for, and being elected to the Oregon House of 
Representatives in 1950. This was to be the beginning of a career in 
elected office that would take him to the Oregon State Senate, the 
Governor's Office, and ultimately to the U.S. Senate, where he has 
served for three decades and is Oregon's longest serving Senator.
  During his tenure in this body, Senator Hatfield has worked hard for 
his constituents, has fought for his beliefs, and has worked to make 
our Nation an even better place. He has been the architect of any 
number of legislative initiatives that sought to protect and expand 
wilderness areas in the Pacific Northwest, ensuring that this and 
future generations will forever know the majesty and beauty of that 
region. Additionally, he worked hard to help promote business in his 
State, and his efforts undoubtedly helped to make Oregon an important 
part of the dynamic international economy known as the Pacific rim.
  Mr. President, I have always had the upmost respect for my colleague 
from Oregon. In his 30 years in the Senate, he has always voted his 
conscience and has done what he felt was in the best interests of the 
United States of America. One can only admire a man who places such a 
value on integrity. Indeed, Mark Hatfield is a man of integrity, 
ability, and dedication, and we commend him for the great service he 
has rendered this Nation. I know that Senator Hatfield will be greatly 
missed by all those who have served with him, and his successor will 
have to work hard to match the commitment made by this scholar and 
Senator. I know that all the Members of the Senate wish our friend Mark 
good health and great happiness in the years to come, and I am certain 
that he will excel at whatever endeavor he undertakes upon his 
retirement.

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