[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 76 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO LORD MICHAEL JOPLING

  Mr. STEVENS. I come to the Senate floor today to tell the Senate that 
a very special and dear friend to many of us who serve in the Senate, 
the Right Honorable Michael Jopling, has now been honored in his 
country with a life peerage and will join the House of Lords.
  Those of us who know Michael Jopling have known him as a Member of 
Parliament who has served more than three decades in Britain as a 
Member of Parliament. He served as a Minister of Agricultural, 
Fisheries, and Food in the British Government for two 4-year periods 
between 1979 and 1987. Those of us here in the Senate who know him, 
know him because of his active participation in the North Atlantic 
Assembly sessions and particularly in the British-American 
Interparliamentary Conference meetings which many of us have 
participated in from time to time.
  He continues to serve, Mr. President, as the Secretary for the 
Interparliamentary Exchange. Senator Byrd and I will lead a Senate 
delegation in August to meet with our British counterparts, and for the 
10th year in a row it will be Lord Jopling, now, who will meet us. He 
brings great energy and enthusiasm to the meetings we have held and, 
really, his participation has been unparalleled.
  As a matter of fact, I am sad to report to the Senate that with his 
youthful exuberance he got the better of himself recently when he 
suffered an accident in a Go-Kart race. He broke some ribs and had some 
damage to his lungs, but he is on the mend now. I understand that he 
will have full recovery.
  I further bring greetings to the Senate from our friend Senator 
Heflin. Senator Heflin has written to me about his real joy to see our 
friend, Michael Jopling, so honored. I am reminded of a speech that Sir 
Winston Churchill made in the House of Commons on August 20, 1940. He 
said:

       The British Empire and the United States will have to be 
     somewhat mixed together in some of their affairs for mutual 
     and general advantage. For my own part, looking out upon the 
     future, I do not view the process with any misgivings.

  It is, in fact, the British-American interparliamentary process that 
has given great effect to those words, and Lord Jopling has been a 
leader of that effort. He has made a lasting contribution to the great 
relationship between our two countries. He and his wife Gail have 
always been gracious hosts, and they really are wonderful goodwill 
ambassadors for Britain.
  I come to offer my congratulations to Lord Jopling. I think others 
who know him will want to congratulate him, also. We particularly thank 
him for years of dedication to his country and to the cause of world 
peace and understanding. He is a great personal friend. I am delighted 
to see a friend honored.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. STEVENS. I yield to the Senator.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. As they say in England, hear, hear. We are delighted to 
hear of the elevation of our friend Michael to Lord Jopling. It shows, 
amongst other things in England, that you do not only have to be young, 
you can be old and still succeed.
  I wish him well, too, in his recovery, and I appreciate the Senator 
from Alaska pointing out this wonderful happening.
  Mr. STEVENS. I thank the Senator from South Carolina for those 
remarks, and I know I reflect the sentiments of my great friend Howell 
Heflin in reporting to the Senate this great news.
  Mr. DODD. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. STEVENS. I yield to the Senator.
  Mr. DODD. I do not know Michael Jopling as well as our good friends 
from Alaska and South Carolina, but I have met him on numerous 
occasions, having attended a couple of the sessions of the North 
Atlantic Assembly with Judge Heflin, our former colleague.
  I remember when I left the other body, Mr. President, and came to the 
U.S. Senate, our former colleague and delightful raconteur, Morris 
Udall, pulled me aside and said, ``I want you to know I do not approve 
of your moving to the U.S. Senate. All I can say is by this move you 
have improved the intelligence of both bodies,'' and one might suggest 
I suppose here with our good friend Michael Jopling, being elevated to 
the status of Lord, that he is certainly going to improve the 
intelligence of that body.
  He is a wonderful person, a great individual, and I wish him well.
  Mr. STEVENS. I yield the floor.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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