[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 22, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S588-S589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING DAN KEMMIS

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to recognize 
a truly outstanding Montanan, and to make note of the recent honor 
extended to him by President Clinton.
  Many in Montana know Dan Kemmis through his years of devoted public 
service, first in the Montana Legislature, where he rose to the 
position of Speaker of the House, and later as Mayor of the City of 
Missoula. In every aspect of public life, Dan has served as an example 
of the standards to which we all aspire. A true gentleman and a model 
leader he is a public servant who believes that the true greatness of 
democracy lives in the shared experience of the citizenry.
  As mayor, even while working diligently on the problems of the day, 
Dan continued to think ahead, authoring ``Community and the Politics of 
Place'' in 1990, the acclaimed book serving as a

[[Page S589]]

written testament to his work to foster a sense of community in 
Missoula. Then in 1995 a second work, ``The Good City and the Good 
Life,'' was published, again to an outstanding reception.
  Many were surprised last spring when Dan stepped down as mayor to 
accept a new challenge as head of the Center for the Rocky Mountain 
West at The University of Montana. To those of us who know him, 
however, the move is simply the progression of Dan's unique talents as 
a leader. It is now his time to share the knowledge of the past years 
with rest of America, and a time to learn anew.
  This past month President Clinton recognized the contributions of Dan 
Kemmis, not only to Missoula, but to communities throughout America, by 
awarding him the National Endowment for the Humanities' Charles Frankle 
Prize. I cannot think of an individual more deserving of the honor. 
Thoughtful and compassionate, a true visionary and thinker, Dan is one 
of Montana's treasures and an American leader.
  In his prose as in his life, Dan has worked to shape the politics of 
the future, building consensus, and bringing people together, absent 
the rhetoric of the past that simply seeks to divide. As President 
Clinton so eloquently noted, he, ``* * * is a welcome and convincing 
voice against cynicism and social divisiveness.'' For this alone, we 
all owe him a debt of gratitude.
  I am honored to call Dan Kemmis a friend, and I join with all 
Montanans in expressing our thanks for his many years of service and 
congratulations upon receiving this most prestigious award.

                          ____________________