[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 142 (Saturday, October 10, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SENATOR DALE BUMPERS

  Mr. DOMENICI. First let me talk for a moment, since he is present on 
the floor, of Senator Bumpers, the senior Senator from Arkansas. Let me 
use a couple of minutes of my time to say a few words about him before 
I proceed to talk about the budget and a few other matters.
  First, I want to say to Senator Bumpers, I don't think he needs me to 
repeat again what I have said in committee. He is going to be missed. 
He has been a real credit to this place called the U.S. Senate. I have 
never known him to behave, act, or in any way conduct himself as to 
demean this place. He has held it in respect, and that makes it a 
better place when we do that.
  But I also want to remind the Senate, since it has not been stated 
here on the floor as I know of, that in the energy and water 
appropriations bill it was my privilege, at the behest of some of Dale 
Bumpers' good friends here in the Senate, with the help of his staff 
and others, to include a resolution honoring him for his diligent and 
hard work on behalf of the public domain in the United States--the 
forest lands, the wilderness, the parks. In that bill, the resolution 
says we want him to be known for as long as there is an Arkansas. Thus, 
we took eight wilderness areas that are in his State that he had a lot 
to do with, and for name purposes we made all of them part of one 
wilderness called the Dale Bumpers Wilderness Area.
  That is now 91,000 acres in total that will bear your name. I know 
many other things could be done to indicate our esteem for you, but 
many of us thought that this might just be one that would strike you as 
quite appropriate. And we hope so. It is now the law of the land. The 
President signed it about 22 hours ago. Thus, I am here saying it in 
your presence.
  I thank you personally on behalf of our side of the aisle for 
everything you have done.
  Mr. BUMPERS. Mr. President, if the Senator will yield just a moment 
for me to say: I want that to be my legacy, Senator. You couldn't have 
done anything that would please me more. I have had a few accolades in 
my 24 years in the Senate. I have had several things named after me. 
But I can tell you that what you did in that Energy and Water Committee 
gives me unbelievable satisfaction. The reason I sponsored that 
legislation and fought so hard for it several years ago is because I 
wanted my children and my grandchildren to know what my values were. I 
was trying to save something for them.
  I thank you very much.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Then, might I say to Senator Bumpers, that aisle, from 
your podium on down here to the first step into the well, is going to 
get a deserved rest when you leave. That aisle and the carpet there is 
going to take a new breath and say there is nobody walking up and down 
on top of us, because Dale Bumpers is not walking, walking the floor 
there as he delivers his eloquent speeches on the Senate floor. I only 
say that by way of the great respect we have for the way you talk to 
us, and talk to the American people. I am very pleased that you used 
that little 30 feet of carpet and hall as your place to talk.
  Mr. BUMPERS. Thank you, Senator.

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