[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12300-S12302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RETIRING SENATORS

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I too join our many colleagues in 
wanting to say goodbye, good luck, and thank you to our colleagues. All 
of them are leaving this body. And as they leave they leave a mark of 
great distinction, each and every one of them.
  I cannot help, Mr. President, as I review the names of those who are 
retiring--we have heard several comments from many colleagues about the 
names, and they are all familiar--but I cannot help but note that when 
you talk about people like Senator Pell, Senator Hatfield, Senator 
Nunn, Senator Kassebaum, Senator Johnston, Senator Simpson, Senator 
Bradley, Senator Cohen, Senator Exon, Senator Heflin, Senator Pryor, 
Senator Simon, Senator Brown, this is a really distinguished group of 
people, Mr. President.
  And when I think of what each of them brings to our deliberations, to 
the body, to the Senate, they have enriched us substantially, each one 
of them, some with longer lists of legislation than others, but each 
one with a unique character, and a list of people of principle, of 
integrity, of honesty. And one of the things I think that each of us 
has to consider is who is going to follow, who is going to follow over 
these next few years as we approach the 21st century. Is there going to 
be a sense of what this institution is about? Are they going to have 
respect?
  Mr. President, as I said, the question as to those who follow, will 
they have the respect, the reverence, not only for this institution, 
but for the way we operate as a Government, with the respect that I 
think has been denied of more recent years by many, who choose to use 
this place often as a battleground, as opposed to a people's forum, 
trying to, in many cases, get the edge, get the leg up, get the 
publicity, get the press?

  I do not want to be too nostalgic here. These are wonderful people 
who, with the help of good health, will go on to do many other things. 
It strikes me, at a particular time when things seem to be so unruly in 
our society, so much hostility, so much anger, so much confusion that 
we take the best of us in this group and say so long to them with not 
only respect and reverence for them but with some misgivings, some 
apprehension as to the ordinary citizens of our society who are not 
serving in this body as they greet the newcomers. There will be many of 
them--I do not know how it ranks in the numbers that have come in a 
single class.
  Mr. President, I say goodbye to each of those individuals. I want to 
make particular note of the retirement of my colleague, Senator Bill 
Bradley, with whom I have worked very closely over these years, with 
whom I have shared prospects for what we can do for New Jersey, for the 
country, unity of opinion, and sometimes a different approach to how we 
got to these goals, Mr. President, but nevertheless someone whose 
friendship I treasure and whose presence will be missed here, in 
particular by me, because of our close association.
  In particular, as I mentioned Bill Bradley, Senator Mark Hatfield and 
others, who have served this body so well. I will miss them all and I 
know we will be a different place.
  This body is far bigger than the total sum of the individuals who 
serve it, and we will continue on, God willing, with strength and with 
purpose and with comity and collegiality. That is my wish.


                    TRIBUTE TO SENATOR MARK HATFIELD

  Mr. President, I rise to say goodbye, once again, to my colleague, 
Mark Hatfield, who is retiring after serving the people of Oregon, and 
the United States, for 30 years as a member of this body.
  Recently, I have been contemplating Mark' absence from the 
Appropriations Committee. Whether as chairman or ranking member, his 
leadership will be missed. And as I reviewed our contacts over the 
years, I wanted to acknowledge that, even given our different party 
affiliations, our relationship has been one of the most satisfying 
associations I've ever had in my life. This man has special qualities 
that endeared him to many, including this Senator.
  Despite the constant fray, Mark was always true to his beliefs and 
was able to maintain and express his convictions, without confrontation 
or belligerence. His value system set standards in the Senate for all 
to admire, and perhaps emulate. Undoubtedly, his legacy of good will, 
honesty and integrity benefited all who served with him.
  In the area of public service, Senator Hatfield's career has been 
distinguished by an uncompromising commitment to improve the human 
condition and to address what he has so eloquently called ``the 
desperate human needs in our midst.'' Among the many

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issues on which we fought together, was the work we did to ensure that 
hundreds of thousands of refugees from Southeast Asia would not face 
persecution and that refugees, worldwide, are given a fair hearing by 
the American Government. Under his leadership, we also worked together 
to end U.S. nuclear testing and to reduce defense spending. Although 
Mark Hatfield has sometimes stood alone in his humanitarian and 
courageous efforts, he never shied away from acting according to his 
conscience. So it is no wonder that all of his Senate colleagues have 
the deepest and most sincere respect for him.
  As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Mark has been an 
inspiration. He was consistently a voice of reason. He tried to avoid 
partisanship and worked tirelessly to unite, not divide. His concern 
was always policy, not politics. As Chairman of the Transportation 
Subcommittee, Senator Hatfield has demonstrated that he views 
investment in our infrastructure as an investment in our future.
  Because he chose to spend 30 years in the public arena, we are all 
better off. Whether addressing health care, energy, environment, 
transportation policy, nuclear testing, or refugee issues, Senator 
Hatfield's convictions and commitment have elevated the debate in this 
chamber. He has always been passionate; he has always been thoughtful; 
he has always been fair.
  I know I speak for all my colleagues when I say that Mark Hatfield's 
compassion and convictions will be sorely missed by all of us in this 
Chamber. It has been a pleasure to serve with him and to enjoy the 
warmth of his friendship; I wish him my very best as he goes on to new 
challenges and continues to contribute to his State and his country.


                    tribute to senator alan simpson

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Senator Alan Simpson of 
Wyoming, who is retiring from the U.S. Senate.
  Mr. President, I know that many of my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle, and across the political spectrum, will miss Alan Simpson in the 
years to come. You do not have to agree with Alan on every issue to 
appreciate his warmth, his great sense of humor, and his outstanding 
abilities as a legislator. Perhaps Alan's greatest talent is being able 
to tenaciously fight for an issue, but in a manner that leaves even his 
opponents with smiles on their faces.
  Mr. President, I also think of Alan Simpson as someone who is willing 
to stand up for what he believes, even when his closest colleagues may 
disagree with him. I have special respect for his steadfast support for 
a woman's right to choose, a position that put him at odds with many in 
his party. Alan's belief that families, not politicians, should make 
basic moral decisions like abortion is consistent with his principles, 
and he deserves our credit and our respect for his willingness to 
defend those principles, no matter what the cost. Undeniably, Alan is a 
man of courage.
  Mr. President, Alan Simpson and I have disagreed on many issues. But 
I have tremendous respect for the Senator and a real affection for the 
man. Whatever our differences on policy, I consider him a great friend. 
And I hope that he and Ann and I will find the occasion to share some 
time together whenever and wherever we can do that.
  Senator Simpson has made a real contribution to this great 
institution. I wish him the very best as he leaves the Senate, and I 
hope we will continue to hear his views, and benefit from his quick 
mind and unique wit, in the years ahead.


                    tribute to senator howell heflin

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor a truly great U.S. Senator, 
Howell Heflin, on his retirement from this body. The Senator was a 
tireless champion for the people and interests of Alabama. And as a 
lawyer, judge, and a U.S. Senator, Howell has been a consistent and 
constant supporter of racial justice and civil rights for all.
  One of the most moving movements in the Senate was when Senator 
Heflin spoke about Senator Moseley-Braun's attempt to deny the United 
Daughters of the Confederacy a renewal of the patent for their 
organization's official design. Senator Heflin rose and said, ``I have 
many connections through my family to the Daughters of the Confederacy 
* * * but the Senator from Illinois is a descendant of those that 
suffered the ills of slavery.'' Senator Heflin voted with Senator 
Moseley-Braun.
  Mr. President, although we did not agree on every issue, I always 
respected Senator Heflin's intelligence, integrity, and independence. 
It is very unfortunate that the Halls of the Senate will no longer 
resonate with his voice of moderation and reason.
  Mr. President, as Senator Heflin leaves the Senate, I want to wish 
him and his family all the best.


                   TRIBUTE TO SENATOR CLAIBORNE PELL

  Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a true giant of the U.S. 
Senate, the senior Senator from Rhode Island, Claiborne Pell. He has 
served our Nation and his State with great distinction for 36 years in 
this body.
  Mr. President, Senator Pell has so many Senate accomplishments that I 
do not have time to recount them all. However, I do want to highlight 
his work in three areas: Foreign relations, education, and 
transportation.
  In foreign affairs, he has worked for peace since the end of World 
War II. He actually helped establish the modern United Nations. He 
served as a Foreign Service officer, and later as chairman and ranking 
member of the Foreign Relations Committee. In all of these positions, 
he tirelessly worked to expand democracy throughout the world and to 
promote peaceful resolutions to conflict.
  Mr. President, whenever you hear the word education in the Senate, 
the first person you think of is Claiborne Pell. He was a key architect 
of the 1965 Education Act that provided the first Federal funding for 
elementary and secondary education. He was also instrumental in 
creating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment 
for the Humanities. Finally, he wrote the student aid program that 
bears his name: Pell Grants. These grants give low income students the 
opportunity to attend college and the chance to attain the American 
dream.
  Mr. President, Senator Pell and I worked most closely on 
transportation issues. And it is no exaggeration to say that Claiborne 
Pell is a visionary in the transportation field. Many years ago, he 
wrote a book, ``Megalopolis Unbound'', which advocated high speed 
ground transportation to deal with future urban congestion. Senator 
Pell and I worked to make his vision a reality by fighting to ensure 
quality rail service in the Northeast corridor and through the 
construction of the new Providence AMTRAK station.
  Mr. President, the Senate is losing an extraordinary Senator and 
statesman. Although he leaves a great void in the Senate, I want to 
wish my friend Claiborne Pell and his family health and happiness for 
many years.


                  TRIBUTE TO SENATOR BENNETT JOHNSTON

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor Bennett Johnston, the senior 
Senator from Louisiana, as he prepares to leave this body after 24 
years of distinguished service. It has been a privilege to serve with 
Bennett.
  I worked with Senator Johnston on the Budget and Appropriations 
Committees, and I was impressed with the way he handled the tough 
issues. He is a skillful negotiator, always willing to try to find a 
compromise to end legislative gridlock. For Johnston, the important 
thing was policy, not politics.
  Although we will all miss Senator Johnston, he will be especially 
missed by the people of the Pelican State. He actively championed 
Louisiana's interests, particularly in the areas of education and 
infrastructure.
  At the national level, Senator Johnston understood the dangers of 
depending on foreign oil. And he consistently argued for the 
formulation of a comprehensive, national energy policy.
  Mr. President, it is true that the Senator from Louisiana and I did 
not agree on every issue that came before the Senate. But I learned 
quickly that he was a very skilled legislator, who was always willing 
to defend his convictions.
  Mr. President, the citizens of Louisiana will certainly miss Bennett 
Johnston's commitment and concern, and I will miss the integrity and 
intelligence he brought to the Senate. I wish him well in his future 
endeavors.


                      TRIBUTE TO SENATOR SAM NUNN

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the most 
dedicated

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Members of the United States Senate, Sam Nunn, on his retirement.
  Few members have worked so doggedly to protect the defense and 
security of our country as Senator Nunn. When he came to the Senate in 
1972, Sam brought a commitment to make this Nation more secure by 
strengthening America's defenses, by reducing the threat of nuclear 
war, by eliminating wasteful Pentagon spending and by fostering pride 
in America.
  While his accomplishments are numerous, I view his leadership in the 
effort to support the dismantling of nuclear weapons in the former 
Soviet Union as one of his most important and far reaching 
contributions. Without exaggeration, this initiative significantly 
reduced the risk of accidental nuclear war. For this alone, all 
Americans owe him a debt of gratitude.
  Through his dedication to our men and women in uniform, Senator Nunn 
proved that there is more than one way to defend your country. And by 
securing the enactment of National Service legislation, which offers 
generous education benefits in exchange for public service, Senator 
Nunn is helping to instill in our young people the importance of public 
service and as well as a respect for American values.
  Mr. President, I have tremendous respect for Senator Nunn's work on 
behalf of the people of Georgia and the United States. Though we have 
not always shared the same view on defense policy, I have always 
admired his careful analysis, deliberation and evaluation.
  His 24 years of public service in the Senate will undoubtedly leave a 
lasting imprint on the national security and defense policy of our 
Nation. I know that I join with all of his Senate colleagues in saying 
that Senator Nunn's presence will be sorely missed. I extend my best 
wishes as Sam leaves the Senate and begins the next phase of his 
career.


                     TRIBUTE TO SENATOR BILL COHEN

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor a distinguished Member of this 
body, Senator Bill Cohen, who will be leaving the Senate at the end of 
the 104th Congress.
  Mr. President, the Senate is losing one of its most respected and 
dedicated members. Bill Cohen is the kind of person that Americans 
want, and America needs, in Government. He is someone with unquestioned 
integrity, who has always done what he believes to be right, even if 
his own party disagrees with him.
  Bill Cohen first came to national attention at one of our Nation's 
darkest hours, during the Watergate scandal. As a member of the House 
Judiciary Committee, he was one of the first Republicans to break ranks 
with President Nixon, and he led a group of moderate Members who 
supported a resolution of impeachment. It was the right thing to do. 
And it was typical of the kind of independent thinking that has marked 
Bill Cohen's career ever since.
  From his days on the Watergate Committee, Bill Cohen has worked hard 
to promote ethics in Government, and he has made an enormous 
contribution in this area. He has helped strengthen the Office of 
Government Ethics, and he worked to enact legislation that 
substantially increased reporting requirements for lobbyists. Senator 
Cohen also joined me in the successful effort to ban most gifts to 
Members of Congress.
  Mr. President, Bill Cohen is one of the most thoughtful Members of 
this body, someone who thoroughly studies an issue before announcing a 
position. Consequently, when Bill Cohen comes to this floor, people 
listen. They admire his judgment, his fairness, his integrity, and so 
do I. I have not agreed with Bill Cohen on every issue, but I have 
always respected his scholarship, his leadership, his statesmanship.
  It has been a privilege to serve with Bill Cohen in the Senate, and 
it is unfortunate that people of his stature have decided to leave this 
body. But I want to wish Bill all the best as he leaves this body for 
new challenges. He has served his country with distinction, we will all 
miss him very much.


                     TRIBUTE FOR SENATOR PAUL SIMON

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to my colleague 
and friend, Paul Simon. When I think of Paul's extraordinary career in 
the Senate, I'm reminded of a remark by Toni Morrison, ``As you enter 
positions of trust and power, dream a little before you think.'' 
Although Paul's intellectual abilities are well known, he even holds 39 
honorary degrees, he is also a great dreamer. For he has dreamed of a 
country where no child has to live in poverty, where no young person is 
denied an education because of financial reasons and where no senior 
citizen is bankrupted by a medical emergency.
  And Paul has tirelessly fought to make those dreams reality. It is 
not surprising that in 1983, during his 10 years in the House, Time 
magazine noted that Simon passed more legislation that year than other 
Members of the House of Representatives.
  In the Senate, Paul has been particularly concerned with affording 
every American the opportunity of an affordable education. Among his 
accomplishments in this area, he recently enacted major education and 
job training legislation which includes the National Literacy Act, the 
School-to-Work Opportunities Act and the Job Training Partnership Act 
Amendments. He was also the leading champion of the new direct college 
loan program, enacted in 1991 as a pilot program and expanded in 1993 
as a replacement for the guaranteed student loan program.
  Mr. President, Paul and I have personally fought many battles 
together. And although I could speak about his support on any number of 
issues, I want to especially recall his constant and consistent efforts 
on the issue of gun control. I knew that I could always count on 
Senator Simon's support in the continuing struggle to take guns off our 
streets.
  When I think of Paul's retirement from the Senate, I remember the 
words of Thomas Jefferson. When Jefferson presented his credentials as 
U.S. Minister to France, the French Premier remarked, ``I see that you 
have come to replace Benjamin Franklin. Jefferson corrected him; 
saying, ``No one can replace Dr. Franklin, I am only succeeding him.''
  In much the same way, Paul Simon is also irreplaceable. As he begins 
the next phase of his career, I wish my friend continued success and 
best wishes.


                    TRIBUTE FOR SENATOR DAVID PRYOR

  Mr. President, I rise to offer my best wishes to Senator Pryor on his 
retirement from the Senate. All of his colleagues will miss David's 
candor and commitment, but his presence in Washington will be 
especially missed by the people of Arkansas and by our Nation's senior 
citizens.
  Senator Pryor's motto has always been ``Arkansas Comes First.'' And 
as he's noted, it's more than a slogan--it's a way of life. Throughout 
his career, he's been a fighter for Arkansas' interests and for her 
people. As a member of the Agricultural Committee, David's leadership 
led to the development of innovative programs and legislation to aid 
Arkansas' farmers and to protect her resources.
  Senator Pryor is also considered one of Washington's leading 
advocates for older Americans. Starting in 1989, he served for 6 years 
as chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. He is nationally 
recognized for his work to help save the Social Security system, to 
reform the nursing home industry and to lower the price of prescription 
drugs. He also endeavored to ensure that Government institutions 
preserve the essential dignity of our country's elderly.
  Mr. President, as a member of the Finance Committee, Senator Pryor 
also wrote the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, the first piece of legislation 
in over 40 years which guaranteed certain rights to individuals when 
dealing with the Internal Revenue Service.
  If I had to sum up David Pryor's Senate career, including the 6 years 
he held the number three leadership post, in a single word, that word 
would be service. And that reminds me of a remark by the great 
humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer. He noted, ``The only ones among you 
who will be truly happy are those who have sought out, and found how to 
serve.'' If that's true, than David Pryor is definitely the happiest of 
men.
  As he leaves the Senate, I wish my colleague well as he begins the 
next stage of his career, and his life.

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