[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 43 (Monday, April 20, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3270-S3271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING THE GRAND FORKS HERALD

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, Senator Dorgan and I have prepared a 
resolution recognizing the remarkable work of the Grand Forks Herald in 
covering the disasters that beset that city last year.
  The Chair will recall that we faced a circumstance of the worst 
winter in our history, followed by the most powerful winter storm in 50 
years, followed by the worst flooding in 500 years, then followed by 
fires that destroyed much of downtown Grand Forks. The Grand Forks 
Herald, through it all, kept putting out the daily newspaper. It didn't 
matter that their own building was flooded or burned out. They kept 
producing that newspaper day after day after day.
  More than producing a newspaper, they produced a remarkable document 
that told the story. They have been recognized broadly for their 
remarkable performance. I can tell you, Mr. President, in the community 
that newspaper is revered, because they were there at a time of maximum 
danger and threat to the community and they helped hold that community 
together.
  Today I will be offering a resolution on behalf of myself and Senator 
Dorgan in recognition of the Pulitzer Prize that has now been extended 
to that newspaper for their remarkable public service. We are 
incredibly proud that the Grand Forks Herald has been so recognized. 
They are richly deserving. I hope my colleagues today on both sides 
will clear this resolution so that we can have the respect extended to 
that newspaper that they so richly deserve.
  I thank the Chair. I especially thank my colleague, the leader, from 
South Dakota for his indulgence in permitting me to discuss this 
resolution. We, again, are seeking support on both sides so that this 
resolution can be adopted today and entered into the Record. I also 
thank my colleague from Georgia, Senator Coverdell, for permitting me 
to talk about this resolution, albeit briefly.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I rise to speak today about the honor 
bestowed upon the Grand Forks Herald last week. That newspaper received 
the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service news coverage, for its heroic 
efforts throughout the flood and fire that ravaged Grand Forks, North 
Dakota in April 1997.
  The actions of the Grand Forks Herald during the flood set a new 
standard for performance under pressure. Let me make clear that while 
the award they have deservedly won is a journalism award, their service 
to the community goes far beyond the borders of journalism. The fact of 
the matter is that while this community was being inundated by water 
and fire, the Grand Forks Herald helped to hold it together by 
providing information that reassured and reunited families. The Herald

[[Page S3271]]

gave people the information they needed to assess the situation and 
make decisions based on facts and not rumors. I can't tell you how 
important it is to have facts at a time like this, when your world is 
being turned upside down, and anything, regardless of how outrageous it 
may sound, could be true.
  When the history books are written about the Grand Forks fire and 
flood of 1997, there will be many heroes. This was, in fact, a season 
of heroes in North Dakota; from the individuals who acted heroically to 
save lives and property, to all the men and women of the media who 
faced and passed similar tests.
  Of all the heroes, however, none will shine brighter than the Grand 
Forks Herald, which never missed an edition during the disaster. From 
the parent company right on through to the local management, 
administrative staff, news, production and delivery staff; all played a 
key role in holding the community together. All worked, despite 
enormous odds and tremendous obstacles, to be sure that as their world 
turned on its head, one thing would not change: North Dakotans could 
still pick up the Grand Forks Herald every morning and read the facts.
  The Grand Forks Herald has been honored with the most prestigious 
award in journalism and it is a well-deserved honor. I am immensely 
proud of what they did and as a North Dakotan, I am also grateful for 
the service they provided to Grand Forks and our state at their most 
trying hour.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, if the distinguished Senator from North 
Dakota will yield for just a moment, I would like to be added as a 
cosponsor. I commend both Senators from North Dakota for the resolution 
and will certainly want to work with them to see that it will be 
adopted unanimously.
  As he has noted, the Grand Forks journalistic community stood proud. 
Grand Forks, I think, perhaps more than anybody else, felt the full 
force of the natural disasters last year. For this paper to be so 
recognized, for it to have the opportunity to receive international 
recognition as a result of their effort is certainly appropriate and 
ought to be applauded. While many other newspapers did not win the 
Pulitzer Prize, I think it goes without saying that there are other 
newspaper efforts that were made last year that also deserve 
recognition for the tremendous work they did under very, very difficult 
circumstances.
  Again, I commend the Senator from North Dakota for his effort. I hope 
we adopt the resolution. I certainly congratulate the newspaper.
  Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I ask the Senator from North Dakota if 
he will add my name as a cosponsor. I am a journalism graduate. I was 
fascinated with this Pulitzer award. I am pleased he is recognizing 
them in this manner.
  Mr. CONRAD. I thank my colleagues.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to add Senator Daschle and 
Senator Coverdell as original cosponsors of the resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair also requests that the junior 
Senator from Nebraska be added to that august list.
  Mr. CONRAD. I ask unanimous consent to add the junior Senator from 
Nebraska as well, Senator Hagel, as an original cosponsor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. CONRAD. We will leave it open for other Senators that might also 
wish to cosponsor it.
  Let me just say that the publisher, Mike Maidenberg, and the editor, 
Mike Jacobs, did truly a remarkable job in having this newspaper 
produced every single day even though their building was destroyed by 
flood and fire, and to produce a remarkable product that has won this 
prestigious Pulitzer Prize. We are very, very proud of what they have 
done, of what they have done to help hold that community together, and 
we are especially proud that it bring home this remarkable honor that I 
think all of us would say is absolutely justified.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. DASCHLE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate minority leader.

                          ____________________