[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12257-S12258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SALUTE TO DEPARTING SENATORS

  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, other colleagues have come to the floor 
to discuss the departure of those with whom we have served who are 
leaving this Congress. In the Senate, we will see Senator Bill Bradley 
leaving the Senate, Senator Hank Brown, Senator Bill Cohen, Senator 
James Exon, Senator Mark Hatfield, Senator Howell Heflin, Senator 
Bennett Johnston, Senator Nancy Kassebaum, Senator Sam Nunn, Senator 
Claiborne Pell, Senator David Pryor, Senator Paul Simon, and Senator 
Alan Simpson.
  When you read that list, it is quite a substantial list of experience 
that the

[[Page S12258]]

Senate will lose. Rather than say a lot about each of them, I just want 
to make some observations and take a look at those folks who are 
leaving the Senate this year. What they have contributed to this 
country is so at odds with what so many Americans think of politicians 
and perhaps even of the U.S. Senate these days.
  There has been a public sport in the last decade or so in the 
negative politics of today that I suppose serves some interest. There 
are those who are trying to diminish or hurt this institution by 
suggesting that somehow the U.S. Senate, as an institution, is an 
unworthy place, that Members who serve in it are slothful, indolent 
folks who sleep till noon and perhaps then go to the club and maybe 
work an hour in the afternoon before they take a nap, and go home 
shortly after the nap.
  Nothing could be further from the truth. The U.S. Senate is an 
extraordinary place, and the people who serve here are extraordinary 
people. I have never in my life had the privilege of serving with so 
many wonderful people, who are smart, dedicated, tough, honest, and 
hard-working people. They are on both sides of the aisle, Republican 
and Democrat.
  When I look at this list of names, I think of the people here who 
work day and night, in many cases 7 days a week, including traveling in 
their States. You see them here early in the morning, you see them here 
late at night, always working. That is more the rule in the U.S. Senate 
with most all Members of the U.S. Senate.
  But when I look at the people who are leaving at the end of this 
Congress, there are those who have been here a good number of years, 
and have substantial experience. They are going to be hard to replace. 
Oh, they will be replaced. There is no question about that. Yet it is 
hard to replace the kind of experience that comes with the service of 
Sam Nunn from Georgia or Nancy Kassebaum from Kansas, and I could go 
through the list of others as well.
  I think it is interesting that in this age of discussion about term 
limits comes the suggestion by some that what is wrong with our country 
is that there are those who have too much experience. I have said it 
before, and I will say it again because I think it bears repeating. I 
wouldn't have traded one Bob Dole for all 73 freshmen House Republicans 
in terms of experience and service. What Senator Dole gave to this 
Senate for so many decades is an extraordinary commitment to public 
service. Now, I am not supporting him for President, and I am quick to 
point that out to my colleagues. But, I have a deep admiration for the 
extended service given our country by some of the great legislators in 
this country's history.

  To suggest somehow that we should not have had the experience of 
Barry Goldwater or Hubert Humphrey, we should not have had the 
experience of Calhoun or Clay or Webster, the experience they gave us 
over so many years, really does not make much sense to me.
  But, I did not come here to debate term limits. I came here to say 
that those who depart this Senate and who have contributed enormously 
to this country by their service in this Senate, demonstrate, the 
substantial commitment that so many people over two centuries have made 
to this country by serving in the U.S. Senate.
  This service, for me, has been the greatest privilege of my life. I 
come from a town of 300 people and a high school class of 9. I never 
expected to be sworn in to the U.S. Senate. It is an extraordinary 
privilege, and I know that all of those who are leaving believe it to 
be so.
  I add my voice to so many others who have, by name and person to 
person, described those who have been here and what they have 
contributed in the U.S. Senate. This is a remarkable group of 
Republicans and Democrats who have contributed greatly to our country, 
and I salute all of them, and I wish them well in their travels and all 
of their future endeavors.

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