[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 36 (Wednesday, March 19, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CONGRATULATIONS TO SENATOR CLELAND ON HIS MAIDEN SPEECH

  Mr. FEINGOLD. I thank the Senator. All I wanted to do is be the first 
to congratulate the Senator from Georgia on his first speech as a 
Member of this body. I can't tell you how delighted we all are to have 
the Senator from Georgia here. The Senator from Georgia ran a tough 
race. I know the Senator from Georgia has run other races before.
  The people of Georgia know well that the Senator from Georgia did not 
come to this campaign finance reform issue in the last few weeks, or 
just after the revelations of the last election. The Senator from 
Georgia has been a leader in Georgia and in the country for years in 
authoring and considering and moving forward the issue of campaign 
finance reform. I can't think of anything that made me happier than 
when the Senator from Georgia said his first bill would be to cosponsor 
our bipartisan effort. On behalf of my colleagues and myself, it is a 
great moment in the Senate to have the Senator from Georgia join us and 
to hear his first speech.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I wonder if I may have 30 seconds.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Yes.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I echo what my colleague from Wisconsin 
has said. I believe, I say to the Senator from Georgia, that when we 
pass the reform bill in this Congress--and we must and we will--the 
words uttered in the Senator's first speech on the floor of the Senate 
will be remembered and will be part of a good piece of history in this 
country. I thank my colleague from Georgia, and I thank the people from 
Georgia for sending him here.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, will the Senator yield for a brief comment? 
I ask unanimous consent that he retain his right to the floor and that 
the time consumed by me and by the two Senators preceding me not come 
out of the Senator's time.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. I am happy to yield for a minute, if I could please, 
sir.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I join with others of my colleagues in 
complimenting the distinguished Senator from Georgia on his maiden 
speech.
  It used to be, Mr. President, that when a new Senator came to this 
body, he waited several months before he spoke. Then when he made his 
maiden speech, other Senators who had been notified that he was going 
to make a speech would come to the floor and gather around him and 
listen to his speech. In those days we did not have the public address 
system. So Senators generally moved toward the desk of the Senator who 
was speaking so they could hear him better.

  I have enjoyed listening to the distinguished Senator. He comes here 
today as someone who is fresh off the campaign trail. I am sure that 
what he has had to say is something of importance, and I hope it will 
be read by our colleagues. He comes in the great tradition of Senators 
from Georgia. When I first came to Washington as a new Member of the 
Congress, we had Senator Walter George in the U.S. Senate, and Senator 
Richard Russell, who was my mentor in many ways, and it was I who 
introduced the resolution to name the old Senate Office Building in 
honor of Senator Richard Russell. Of course, there was also Sam Nunn, 
who followed in Senator Russell's footsteps.
  I congratulate the distinguished Senator. He is a true American hero. 
I know that he will be an outstanding Member of this institution. I 
congratulate him.
  I hope that all Senators will take note of what Senator Cleland has 
said in his speech today. It will be well worth their time to read that 
speech.
  I thank him.
  And I thank the distinguished Senator from Kansas.
  Mr. BROWNBACK addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I want to recognize and congratulate 
the Senator from Georgia for joining the body. I am joining him on his 
first maiden speech.
  I also thank the Senator from West Virginia for educating and sharing 
with us some of the culture and the history of the U.S. Senate, which I 
think is always beneficial for us to have and to be able to share with 
the American people the history, the ability, and the nature of this 
body as it was set up by the Founding Fathers and which has been 
maintained with most of its integrity since that time and age of what 
they set forward.
  I think it is always positive for us to know the history and the 
nature and why we serve and how we should serve.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator for his 
very kind and overly charitable remarks.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. They are not overly charitable at all.
  (The remarks of Mr. Brownback pertaining to the introduction of S. 
471 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced 
Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. GRAHAM addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Santorum). The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, first, I wish to add to the remarks that 
have been made this afternoon in recognition of the first speech given 
as a Member of the U.S. Senate by our new colleague, the Senator from 
Georgia. He has represented this Nation with great distinction 
throughout his life, and we are gratified that he has now joined us in 
the Senate. I am confident that the remarks he made a few minutes ago 
will be illustrative of the contributions he will make throughout his 
Senate career. I am proud to call him a friend and colleague.

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