[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RETIREMENT OF SENATOR WENDELL FORD

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, when this Congress adjourns the Senate will 
lose its distinguished Minority Whip, the senior Senator from Kentucky, 
Wendell H. Ford. Wendell Ford has earned a reputation as the Senate's 
leader on aviation matters, and has long been one of the most 
influential members of the Senate on energy and election reform issues. 
He has battled for campaign finance reform legislation and led the 
fight for the ``motor voter'' bill which has expanded voter 
registration across the country.
  There is no member of the Senate more well-liked by his colleagues 
than Wendell Ford. However, I have often thought that one of the true 
measures of a Senator is how she or he relates to staff members, 
workers and other visitors to our nation's capital. Wendell Ford is 
among the most beloved.
  I think back to one particular incident. A member of my staff had 
brought his 5-year old son to work for the day. The staff member, 
needing to attend an important meeting, left his son to play with 
paper, crayons and stapler, under the supervision of several co-
workers. He returned to find his son no longer at the desk where he had 
been left. A quick search followed. The young boy was found just 
outside the office in the Senate hallway where he had stopped Senator 
Wendell Ford and attempted to sell him a book (artful pages of crayon 
scribbles, stapled together) for a nickel. Senator Ford was in the act 
of earnestly requesting two and trying to convince the young man to 
accept a dime as superior to the requested nickel.
  Last March, Wendell Ford became the longest serving senator from 
Kentucky in the history of the U.S. Senate when he surpassed another 
beloved Kentuckian, Alben Barkley.
  Wendell Ford is unsurpassed in many things: He is unsurpassed in his 
love of family, love of country and love of the U.S. Senate. He is 
unsurpassed in his efforts to be helpful to new members. How many times 
he has set aside personal needs or took the time to help newcomers to 
this body to weather the self doubts or maneuver through the complex 
procedures.
  Wendell Ford is unsurpassed in his commitment to the hard working 
families whom are the backbone of this nation and in his passion for 
the ``little guy''.
  Mr. President, to me, the story I told of the little boy in the 
Senate hall characterizes Wendell Ford. Wendell is a genuine, kind, 
straight-forward and thoughtful man as well as an effective national 
leader. All of us in the United States Senate and our families will 
miss the inimitable Wendell Ford and his wife, Jean.

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