[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12276-S12278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RETIRING SENATORS

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, when the 105th Congress meets for the first 
time early next year, this Chamber will have many new faces. This is 
partly because 13 of us, including myself, will leave this body to 
pursue other goals and ambitions. I rise today to pay a special tribute 
to those of my colleagues who will retire from the U.S. Senate at the 
end of this term.
  Mr. President, it has been my pleasure to work with my distinguished 
colleague from New Jersey, Senator Bill Bradley, since 1978. We arrived 
together, and together we depart.
  Senator Bradley's respect for the opinions of his colleagues and 
thoughtful demeanor have made him one of the true gentlemen of the 
Senate. I have enjoyed working with him on the Committee on Finance and 
the Special Committee on Aging. He has been a leader on tax reform, 
environmental protection, and violence prevention.
  Senator Bradley established himself as a progressive leader in tax 
reform by proposing the Fair Tax Act in 1982. That later became the Tax 
Reform Act of 1986. This act closed most of the loopholes that had 
created unfair and unbalanced tax burdens on the people of the United 
States. This legislation also reduced Federal taxes on many low-income 
Americans.
  Bill has taken a personal interest in the protection of the 
environment over the years. He passed legislation to protect the shores 
of not only New Jersey but of the entire country through his support of 
the Shore Protection Act of 1996 and has fought to protect millions of 
acres of virgin land from mining and development.
  His determination to create jobs and to expand the police force in 
those areas have made Senator Bradley a leader in finding solutions to 
the violence that has become an everyday part of life in many 
communities.
  The Senate is losing a great Member in Senator Bill Bradley. I wish 
him and his family the best in the future.
  I also want to pay tribute today to Senator Hank Brown. I have had 
the honor of serving with the Senator from Colorado on the Government 
Affairs Committee. In addition, he has been a leader in the fight for a 
balanced budget.
  While he chose to serve only one term in the Senate, Hank had spent 
10 years in the House of Representatives. I served in the House and 
know how difficult the schedule can be, splitting time between 
Washington and my home district, leaving little time to see family and 
friends. Yet, while a Member of Congress, he earned a masters of law 
degree from George Washington University. Hank is always looking for 
new things to learn and new ways to grow as an individual. I am sure 
that, after he moves back home, Hank will find many new experiences 
from which to learn whatever he chooses to do. He has served the people 
of Colorado well and will be missed.

  Senator Bill Cohen and I came to the Senate in 1978 and I have 
greatly enjoyed working with him over the years. In addition to being 
an effective Senator and a true champion for his State of Maine, 
Senator  Cohen also found the time to author eight books.
  I have served with Bill Cohen on the Governmental Affairs Committee 
and he has been a reliable ally in the struggle to reform our 
government's procurement practices. Too many people think that our work 
is done here in the Congress when we pass appropriations bills. Senator 
Cohen is among a small group of Senators who realizes that the 
oversight process is just as important as approving the money.
  Mr. President, the Senate will certainly miss the insights and energy 
of Senator Bill Cohen.
  Mr. President, the senior Senator from Nebraska, James Exon, is 
another of my colleagues who has decided not to seek another term in 
the U.S. Senate. I know that Senator Exon's retirement will cast a 
shadow over the great State of Nebraska and this body.
  Senator Exon's friendship has been extremely important to me during 
my time as a member of the Senate. I will miss him as we continue with 
the next phase of our lives. We have been friends for 20 years, dating 
back to the days when we served our respective States as Governor. 
James Exon was one of a group of Senators who dropped by a gathering of 
folks from Arkansas last week. I was honored that he took the time out 
of his schedule to attend the gathering.
  I appreciated Senator Exon's help on many pieces of legislation, 
including his strong support for my work to keep pharmaceutical drug 
prices down. He was also an original cosponsor of the Taxpayer Bill of 
Rights, and worked with me to make the Internal Revenue Service more 
accountable for its actions. I am grateful for his help and support 
throughout the years.
  Mr. President, it has been an honor and a privilege to serve 
alongside Senator Exon here in this great body. We came to the Senate 
as dear friends, and I hope to continue the friendship in the future. 
Barbara and I have enjoyed our time spent with James and Pat Exon, and 
we wish them the best in the future.
  Mr. President, one of this country's true statesmen, Senator Mark 
Hatfield of Oregon, has been a Member of this body since 1966. I am 
truly grateful to have had the opportunity to serve with this great 
man.
  Senator Hatfield's dedication to his State and Nation can be seen by 
his mere length of service. For the past 30 years, Mark Hatfield has 
worked hard to improve living conditions for the people of Oregon and 
the United States. Senator Hatfield has always been an ardent proponent 
of peace as he has continually worked to end armed conflict. It was 
Senator Hatfield who offered an amendment with then Senator McGovern to 
end the Vietnam War.

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  Senator Hatfield is also a man of great conscience. Mark has deep-
seated beliefs and he stands by those beliefs regardless of the 
consequences. Senator Hatfield has always looked to both parties for 
help in enacting important legislation. It is for this reason that Mark 
Hatfield is one of the most respected and influential Members of the 
U.S. Senate.
  Mr. President, Oregon is lucky to have a public servant who is as 
dedicated as Mark Hatfield. Barbara and I wish Mark and Antoinette all 
the best and on behalf of my colleagues, I want to thank my friend Mark 
Hatfield for all he has done for this institution and this Nation.
  Mr. President, the senior Senator from Alabama, Howell Heflin--known 
to many as the Judge--and I came to the Senate together in 1978. I have 
had the honor of serving the last 18 years with this dedicated public 
servant.
  Howell Heflin embodies the spirit of the U.S. Senate. Senator Heflin 
is a true gentleman and statesman. Therefore, it is not ironic that he 
is one of the most popular Members of the U.S. Senate and one of the 
most beloved public figures ever in the State of Alabama. Whenever 
times get tough, Howell is always there to liven up the mood with his 
great wit and personality. I have had the opportunity to serve on the 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee with Senator Heflin and 
I have seen firsthand the tireless effort he has given to improving the 
cotton, soybean, and peanut programs. Farmers all over this country 
should thank Howell Heflin for the contributions he has made to 
agriculture. Knowing the importance of agriculture in my own State of 
Arkansas, I am very thankful for the leadership of Howell Heflin.
  Senator Heflin has always believed in doing what is right and 
standing up for what you believe in. He regularly crosses party lines 
and votes his own personal beliefs. This is refreshing in a time when 
partisanship seems to take precedence over all other things.
  Mr. President, it has truly been an honor for me to work with such a 
great man as Howell Heflin, but most importantly, it has been an honor 
for me to call this man my friend. Barbara and I consider Howell and 
Mike to be among our closest friends and we will miss them greatly. We 
wish them all the best as they return home to Tuscumbia, AL. And while 
the U.S. Senate is losing one of its most dedicated members, Alabama is 
getting back two wonderful citizens in Howell and Mike Heflin.

  Mr. President, over the last 24 years, the distinguished Senator from 
Louisiana, Bennett Johnston, has become one of the most accomplished 
and dedicated Members to have served in the Senate. As chairman of the 
Energy and Natural Resources Committee for 8 years, and now the ranking 
member, the Senator's remarkable leadership has led to important 
legislation in energy policy.
  Mr. President, one of the greatest things I will miss about the 
Senate is the wonderful relationships that Barbara and I have formed 
over the past 18 years, including the one we have with Bennett Johnston 
and his lovely wife, Mary. As we both travel back to our neighboring 
States in the South, I look forward to continuing this friendship. I 
wish them all the best in their years ahead. I am truly honored, Mr. 
President, to have served with such a fine man.
  Another fine colleague who arrived with me to the U.S. Senate in 1978 
is Nancy Landon Kassebaum, the distinguished senior Senator from 
Kansas. She has done an outstanding job representing Kansas and is 
truly a dedicated public servant.
  My fellow Arkansans and I were honored when Senator Kassebaum spoke 
at the unveiling of the portrait of Hattie Caraway, who represented 
Arkansas in the U.S. Senate and was the Nation's first woman to be 
elected to the Senate. Senator Kassebaum gave an eloquent speech that 
demonstrated how far women have come in the U.S. Senate.
  It has been an honor to serve with the Senator from Kansas. She has 
always been willing to cross this center aisle to accomplish what is 
best for the Nation. When she leaves this body, her humility and 
dedication will be sorely missed. Indeed, the State of Kansas and her 
colleagues in the U.S. Senate will be saddened by her departure. 
Barbara joins me in wishing her all of our best in the future.
  Mr. President, one of the finest men to ever serve as U.S. Senator, 
Sam Nunn of Georgia, is also leaving this body. Sam Nunn's tireless 
dedication, loyalty, and determination extend not only to his work as 
Senator, but in his personal life as well. Barbara and I have enjoyed 
many years of friendship with Sam and Colleen Nunn. I will carry many 
happy memories of that friendship with me as I return to Arkansas.
  Senator Sam Nunn has won not only my admiration and respect, but that 
of the American people. His efforts on the Senate Armed Services 
Committee, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Small 
Business Committee are testaments to his desire to maintain peace, hope 
and prosperity in America. His work has also earned him the distinction 
of one of the greatest national security and foreign policy experts of 
our time. All who have worked with Sam Nunn, all who have followed his 
career, surely recognize the numerous contributions he has made. I will 
miss him. America will miss this great Senator even more.

  When I was first elected to the Senate in 1978, Senator Claiborne 
Pell had been here for 18 years. I had always assumed he would be here 
long after I left. When Senator Pell retires this year, he leaves an 
impressive record of accomplishments in the areas of education, the 
arts, and foreign policy. He has been more than a Senator from Rhode 
Island, but a true statesman for the entire Nation.
  Senator Pell was instrumental in instituting the education 
scholarships for disadvantaged students that bear his name. Untold 
numbers of students have had the opportunity to go to college through 
the Pell Grant Program. He has continued to be an advocate for 
education throughout his career. Senator Pell recognized early on that 
the education of our children is the best investment this country could 
make.
  Senator Pell has been a true friend and teacher to many of us here in 
the Senate. I wish him well in his retirement. He has certainly earned 
it.
  Mr. President, last week my colleagues and I gathered in this chamber 
to pay tribute to our dear friend, the senior Senator from Illinois, 
Paul Simon, by decorating ourselves with a trademark Paul Simon bow 
tie. I have known this distinguished man for many years and have always 
found him to be a man of the highest regard in his love for this 
country of ours. He serves as a guide to all of us who serve in public 
life through his honesty and decency.
  Mr. President, Paul Simon stands strong for the things he believes in 
his heart to be good and true. But under no circumstance has he ever 
turned a deaf ear to any of us wanting to express our views or 
concerns. As I told this body just last week--as I go to the University 
of Arkansas next semester to speak to students from various educational 
backgrounds--If I am ever asked the question by one of those students 
as to how to pattern their lives for a political future, I will tell 
them to look at the life of Paul Simon, both the political life and the 
personal life. I say this because Paul Simon has humanized politics and 
the Government for each of us. I thank my friend for his leadership and 
service to this country and wish him a health and happy future.
  Mr. President, my good friend and colleague, Senator Alan Simpson, is 
also leaving this body at the end of the term. Eighteen years we have 
served here together, separated only by this center aisle. And it is 
this very aisle that Alan Simpson has worked his career at building a 
bridge across--to join both sides in doing what is best for every 
citizen of this great Nation of ours. Over the past several years, I 
have had the honor and privilege of working with my friend, not only on 
this floor, but also on the Finance Committee and the Special Committee 
on Aging. His hard work and dedication to the people of this country 
have served as a constant reminder to me and my colleagues of what we 
have been sent here to do--and that is to serve the people of our home 
States and all citizens of the United States.
  Alan Simpson's humorous and unique approach to business on this floor 
will be a great loss. Mr. President, Alan Simpson is one of the 
greatest doers and builders that we have

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ever seen in this body, and his presence will be sorely missed. Barbara 
and I wish my friend and his beautiful wife Ann the very best in the 
years to come.
  Mr. President, I know that all of my friends who are leaving will 
miss the Senate. But I have even more confidence that those remaining 
in the Senate, and millions of citizens back home, will miss these 
wonderful public servants and the energy and wisdom they go generously 
gave to their country. We are truly a better nation for their 
contributions.

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