[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11959-S11960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO SENATOR DIRK KEMPTHORNE

  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, it is almost kind of sad in a way to 
think that Dirk Kempthorne will be leaving the Senate after only one 
term in the U.S. Senate. It has been a pleasure to work with Dirk, to 
be with him, to get to know him, to get to know his family, his wife 
Pat. But I will just say Dirk Kempthorne is a Senator's Senator. He is 
a person who comes from the great State of Idaho.
  He brought a great deal of, I must say, refreshing energy to the 
Senate. He served as mayor of Boise City for 7 years. He was elected to 
the U.S. Senate in 1992 and proved something unconventional: He could 
get a lot done in his first term in the Senate. Most people have the 
idea you have to be in the Senate a long time before you can get 
anything accomplished, but he proved quite the opposite.
  He proved to be a very effective legislator. He proved to be a person 
who could work on both sides of the aisle, that he could work with 
Democrats and Republicans and make things happen.
  He was the principal sponsor of a bill that most of us have claimed 
some part to, the unfunded mandates bill that President Clinton signed 
and it became

[[Page S11960]]

law. It was strongly supported by States, Governors, mayors and 
commissioners and others who said, ``Let's quit passing unfunded 
mandates on to the States, cities and counties.''
  He has been instrumental in leading the fight in needed reform in the 
Endangered Species Act. He has been a tireless worker on the Armed 
Services Committee.
  He has always kept his priorities straight. His family has always 
been first and foremost. His love for his State is very evident.
  Now he will return to the State of Idaho. He is running for Governor. 
I am very confident he will be elected Governor, and I am quite 
confident he will be one of the outstanding Governors in the country. I 
appreciate his service and his friendship. He has been an outstanding 
Senator. I hate to see him leave the U.S. Senate, but I do wish him, 
his wife and his family best wishes as he leaves the Senate and returns 
to his State and continues his public service in a different capacity, 
and that will be as Governor of the great State of Idaho.

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