[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 131 (Wednesday, October 18, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10727-S10728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     DEATH OF GOVERNOR MEL CARNAHAN

  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I rise today to share with my colleagues the 
sadness that all of us in Missouri feel this week. This has been a 
very, very sad week for us.
  Late Monday evening, we lost our Governor, Mel Carnahan, along with 
his son, Randy, and a top aide, Chris Sifford, who were killed 
tragically in a plane crash.
  Nearly having completed two terms as Governor, Mel Carnahan was in a 
heated race for the Senate with our colleague, John Ashcroft. Mel 
Carnahan was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather as well as a 
public servant who had devoted much of his career and much of his adult 
life to serving the people of our State.
  The news of Governor Carnahan's very untimely and tragic death serves 
as a reminder to all of us of the preciousness of life and its 
unpredictability.
  Our thoughts, our prayers, and our sympathy go out to his wife Jean, 
to his daughter Robin, to his sons, Russ and Tom, and his grandchildren 
during this difficult time. We also extend our deepest sympathies to 
all the people who worked closely with him and considered him their 
close friend. None of us can pretend to understand the pain they must 
feel at this time.
  But I hope they will find comfort in knowing that their husband, 
father, grandfather, and friend will have a lasting impact on many 
lives. The fruits of Mel Carnahan's efforts will be felt in our State 
for many years to come. He presided over a period of economic growth in 
our State. He worked hard to reform Missouri's welfare system, crime 
laws, and educational system.

[[Page S10728]]

  Mel Carnahan and I were friends for a long time--probably 30 years. 
It is no secret that we were often political opponents. We disagreed on 
a lot of things, and he was a tough opponent; no question about that.

  A couple of years ago when I was getting ready to run for reelection, 
there was some thought that we might have to run against each other. 
But at that time, he chose to stay in Jefferson City and serve the 
people of Missouri for the remainder of his term as Governor. When 
asked why he entered public service, Governor Carnahan said he was 
inspired by the words of Adlai Stevenson, who said public service was a 
``high calling,'' and he urged young people to get involved.
  Mel Carnahan lived his belief that public service was a ``high 
calling.'' He brought the best of himself to the job. He loved Missouri 
and Missourians. He loved rural Missouri and his adopted hometown of 
Rolla, MO. He always wanted the best for our State. While the two of us 
may only have agreed on a handful of issues in 30 years, when it came 
time to defend the interests of Missouri, we fought arm in arm 
together. Some of you may recall a few battles we had on behalf of 
Missouri and the neighbors of the Missouri River in a battle against 
the Fish and Wildlife Service.
  But in the end, a man's position on the issues of the day is only a 
small measure of his life.
  In this age of multimillion-dollar campaign advertising budgets and 
media consultants, Gov. Mel Carnahan still believed in keeping in touch 
with individual Missourians. He died while attempting to get to a 
campaign event in a small town in Missouri that maybe few outside our 
State ever heard of. As Governor, he crisscrossed our State endlessly, 
visiting schools and farms, veterans, and highway dedications. He 
worked hard and Missourians loved him for it. Twice they elected him by 
large margins to the highest office in our State.
  I particularly admired and appreciated the friendship we had as 
political opponents, as people committed to public service in our 
State.
  I was with him on Saturday at the homecoming for the University of 
Missouri. We shared a common interest on that day; our football team 
didn't do well. But Mel Carnahan, with a ready smile and a lovely wife, 
was there. We enjoyed our time together as we appreciated and looked 
back on the tremendous accomplishments he had and the contributions he 
made to the State of Missouri.
  At a commencement speech in his town of Rolla last year, Governor 
Carnahan told graduates, ``Each of you was put on this Earth for a 
reason . . . life is precious and fragile . . . and each of us has such 
a short time to make our mark on the world that we must not waste it.''
  Surely Mel Carnahan wasted no time. He made the most of every minute, 
and our lives are richer for it, and for his friendship.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his friends in 
Missouri.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I too want to speak about the former 
Governor of Missouri, Mel Carnahan.
  Over the last 3 weeks, I was engaged, along with my colleague, 
Senator Dorgan, in intense negotiations with Governor Carnahan and the 
two Senators from Missouri with respect to a major water project in our 
State, the Dakota Water Resources Act.
  We had the opportunity to talk to Governor Carnahan directly, and we 
talked to his top staff repeatedly. I found him to be a fierce advocate 
for the people of Missouri, just as I have found Senator Bond and 
Senator Ashcroft to be fierce advocates for the people of Missouri.
  We have had a difficult time reaching conclusion on our water project 
because of objections from the State of Missouri. But the 
representatives of that State--Senator Bond, Senator Ashcroft, and 
Governor Carnahan--worked in good faith with us, all the while 
protecting vigorously and aggressively the interests of their State. I 
respect that. That is what representatives are supposed to do.
  I found Governor Carnahan to be absolutely ferocious on the issues 
that he thought were important to the people of his State. When I heard 
the news that he had been killed in a tragic plane accident, it 
saddened me. It saddened our family because we are certain that the 
Carnahans are suffering greatly. And the people of Missouri have had a 
terrible loss.
  It reminded me of a similar incident with a Missouri Senate candidate 
more than 20 years ago, Congressman Litton, who was also killed in a 
light plane crash in that State. It almost makes one wonder if Missouri 
is somehow star crossed with leaders of that caliber--so widely 
respected by the people of their States--being lost in these tragic 
accidents.
  I send my best wishes to the Carnahan family and to people all over 
the country who are grieving at the loss of the Governor of that great 
State. We are thinking of the family and thinking of the friends and 
staff of Governor Carnahan.
  As I say, I have had several weeks in which I talked frequently to 
the Governor's chief of staff and the head of his department of natural 
resources. I found them to be very good people, very decent people--
very difficult to negotiate with but very good people. We share their 
loss.
  I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I understand we are in morning 
business; is that correct?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.

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