[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12596-S12597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         RETIREMENT OF SENATORS


                              wendell ford

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I want to take a moment to honor Senator 
Wendell Ford for his long and distinguished record of service in the 
United States Senate.
  A vigorous defender of his home state, Wendell Ford's raspy voice has 
spoken out for the people of Kentucky and the entire nation with 
intelligence, tenacity and humor, winning him the respect and affection 
of his colleagues.

[[Page S12597]]

  Of Senator Ford's many accomplishments during his years of public 
service, his positions in the Senate's Democratic leadership and as 
Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee stand out as invaluable 
contributions to his party and his country. I have greatly appreciated, 
as have all my Democratic colleagues, the outstanding job Senator Ford 
has done as the Democratic whip, and the dedication he has shown to the 
caucus. Here on the floor, Wendell Ford has exhibited an uncommon 
commitment to fairness.
  Kentuckians can also be proud of Senator Ford's sponsorship of the 
Motor Voter bill and longstanding support of government reforms, which 
are a testament to his commitment to the democratic principle of 
government.
  I want to wish Senator Ford all the best for his well-earned 
retirement, and thank him for his many contributions to American 
political life.


                            dirk kempthorne

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I want to wish all the best to Senator 
Kempthorne as he leaves the Senate. Senator Kempthorne and I both 
joined the Senate in 1992, and both, as very junior senators, initially 
found ourselves with offices in the basement of the Dirksen building.
  Senator Kempthorne has always demonstrated a strong grasp of policy 
issues, including his work on unfunded mandates, and has always 
conducted himself with the highest degree of professionalism in the 
Senate. I thank him for his service, and wish him well in his new 
endeavors.
  Now he returns to Idaho to seek the office of governor. Whatever 
happens in that race, the people of Idaho will know that he is a 
thoughtful man of grace and civility.


                               john glenn

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I want to take this opportunity to 
thank Senator John Glenn for his long and distinguished service in the 
United States Senate. He has served this body with great dignity, and 
with an unparalleled commitment to our country.
  Of course, Senator Glenn is known for a great deal more than his 
Senate service, as the first man to orbit the earth and a hero in both 
World War II and the Korean War. But his contributions here in the 
Senate, all by themselves, have made for Senator Glenn the legacy of an 
American hero.
  I worked with Senator Glenn in 1993 on an amendment to the Clean 
Water Act, which was just one of his many efforts to focus 
environmental protection efforts on the Great Lakes region. The Great 
Lakes states owe a great debt to Senator Glenn for his work in this 
area, which has included chairing the Senate's Great Lakes Task Force 
and helping to get Great Lakes regional offices for the Environmental 
Protection Agency and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
  As the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Governmental Affairs 
Committee, Senator Glenn has been fairminded and provided outstanding 
leadership on the committee, in particular during the recent hearings 
into campaign finance violations. During those hearings, Senator Glenn 
showed his keen understanding of the flaws in the current system and 
his commitment to its reform. As someone who cares deeply about 
campaign finance issues, I was grateful for his leadership.
  Senator Glenn has also worked tirelessly on nuclear proliferation 
issues, and been a valued member of the Armed Services Committee, the 
Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Special Committee on Aging.
  Now Senator Glenn is moving on to his newest challenge, and, as 
usual, making history. At the age of 77, he will again launch into 
space, this time for a nine-day ride on the Shuttle Discovery. Most of 
us would be content being the first man to orbit the earth, flying 149 
combat missions, and breaking a transcontinental flight speed record in 
a Navy jet. But then John Glenn has more determination, more talent and 
more courage than most of us can imagine. He must know that he is not 
just respected and famous, he must know that he holds a special place 
in the hearts of his fellow Americans and in American culture, yet 
there is no humbler man in the Senate. We admire him for that, we thank 
him for his dedicated service to the U.S. Senate, to the people of Ohio 
and to America. We wish him every success on his next mission, and wish 
him all the best in his retirement.


                               dan coats

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I want to offer my best wishes to 
Senator Coats as he retires from the Senate this year. I have enjoyed 
working with him in areas where we agree, and I have always respected 
his viewpoint when we have differed. He is a gentleman in the best 
tradition of the Senate.
  I have appreciated Senator Coats leadership in several areas, 
including his commitment to the line-item veto, which I agree can be a 
powerful tool against wasteful spending. Senator Coats has also taken 
on the issue of solid waste disposal, calling for more state discretion 
over what types of waste are disposed of within individual states. In 
Wisconsin, where we have a strong recycling program and create less 
solid waste than many states, we share Senator Coats' belief that 
states deserve to be heard on this issue, and not be forced to accept 
unwelcome garbage.
  Senator Coats has also been a leader among the ``donor states'' in 
ISTEA funding for a more equitable distribution of highway funds, 
another issue of great importance to Wisconsin, where we again 
appreciate his commitment to fairness.
  Senator Coats now voluntarily walks away from the Senate, still a 
young man, with humility and dignity, sure to find success in private 
life. As he leaves the Senate, I thank him for his years of service in 
this body and in the House of Representatives, and I wish him all the 
best in his new endeavors.

                          ____________________