[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12849-S12850]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              DALE BUMPERS

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, as we approach the end of another Congress, 
we bid farewell to those Senators who will not be returning in January. 
Today I wish to say farewell to a good friend and one of the most 
honorable and respected members of this body--Dale Bumpers.
  Dale Bumpers is the epitome of what a Senator should be. He entered 
public service because he believed that it was a noble profession, and 
throughout his political career he has performed his duties with the 
highest levels of integrity and decency. He has always been

[[Page S12850]]

guided by his heart and his mind, not by any polls.
  He almost seems like a character from a Frank Capra film. He was a 
World War II veteran from a small town who attended college and law 
school on the G.I. Bill. After practicing law for 20 years in his home 
town, he earned a reputation as a political giant-killer on his way to 
the Governor's mansion and eventually the Senate. Even his home address 
seems straight out of Hollywood. Believe it or not, he actually lives 
on a street named Honesty Way.
  Oftentimes when you're watching Dale Bumpers speak from the Senate 
floor, you can't help but think of the character made famous by Jimmy 
Stewart--Senator Jefferson Smith--whose political philosophy was ``the 
only causes worth fighting for are lost causes,'' and whose most famous 
line was, ``Either I'm dead right, or I'm crazy.''
  As Senator Bumpers said just the other day on this floor, he's 
probably fought more losing battles than any other Senator. I can 
picture Senator Bumpers right now, speaking from the heart on some 
issue about which he cares very deeply. He knows that he's right, but 
whatever he says, he can't seem to sway a majority of his colleagues. 
But no matter what, he won't give up. He won't back down. And in 18 
years of serving with Dale Bumpers, I can honestly say that I never saw 
him waver in his beliefs or back down from a good, honest debate.
  Two years ago, when Dale Bumpers was speaking on the retirement of 
his former colleague from Arkansas, David Pryor, he said, and I quote, 
``I am not a terribly effective legislator because I have a very 
difficult time compromising. I have strong beliefs, and sometimes 
compromise is just out of the question for me.''
  Maybe there is some truth to that statement. Maybe Dale Bumpers could 
have scored a few more political victories if he had been more willing 
to compromise.
  But I think that my friend from Arkansas is being a little hard on 
himself in his self-assessment. I think that he is an excellent 
legislator, and it was his candor and his devotion to his convictions 
that made him effective. Obviously, compromise is often essential to 
getting things done around here. But equally essential is having people 
around here who are passionate about issues and willing to fight for 
their beliefs in the face of opposition.
  Dale Bumpers is not only thought of highly by his colleagues, but I 
think that everyone in the entire Senate family thinks fondly of this 
man. And I know for a fact that many members of my staff share a deep 
admiration for Senator Bumpers.
  The past few weeks, there has actually been a ``Dale Bumpers watch'' 
in the L.A. room in my office, much like the Mark McGwire watch that 
captivated the country during the baseball season. Every time Senator 
Bumpers has come to the floor, hands have pulled back from keyboards 
and the volumes on television sets have been turned up, as my staffers 
have watched and wondered if this would be the last time that Dale 
Bumpers will speak on the Senate floor. I only hope that they were 
watching C-SPAN on the afternoon of Saturday, October 10.
  Of course, Dale Bumpers will most likely be remembered for his 
unsurpassed oratory skills. One thing that made our friend from 
Arkansas such an effective speaker was that his positions were always 
based on common sense. Whether or not you agreed with Dale Bumpers, you 
could always understand the logic behind his argument. But what set him 
apart was his passion. Not many people can get excited over a 120 year-
old mining law, but Dale Bumpers could speak on this issue and convince 
you that this was the defining issue of the decade.
  I only regret that he was never elected Majority Leader so that he 
may one day come back to speak as a part of the Leaders' Speaker 
Series. Maybe we can come up with a waiver provision to let certain 
colleagues who were never Majority Leader speak--and call it the 
``Bumpers Rule.''
  For Dale Bumpers the final judgement on the merit of his arguments 
will not be rendered by the yeas and nays of his colleagues. It will 
rather be rendered by the illuminating perspective of time. And I have 
little doubt that time will rule in favor of the Senator from Arkansas.
  Just the other day, Senator Bumpers was on the floor talking about a 
speech he gave about the ozone layer in the mid 1970s. Most of his 
statements were considered alarmist at the time, but more than a decade 
later, an exhaustive study by the National Academy of Sciences 
confirmed that everything he said has in fact been proven true. And I 
am confident that time will ultimately prove that Dale Bumpers was 
right far more often than he was wrong.
  I also think that time will reveal that our friend from Arkansas was 
one of the most capable, intelligent, and principled legislators that 
this body has ever known. I can honestly say that it has been an honor 
to serve alongside Dale Bumpers for the past 18 years. I will truly 
miss his friendship, and I wish him and his wife Betty only the best in 
all their future endeavors.

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