[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11843-S11844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RETIREMENT OF SENATOR J. ROBERT KERREY

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, when the Senate adjourns Senator Bob Kerrey 
will be retiring from the Senate.
  Bob Kerrey served his beloved state of Nebraska as a highly popular 
and successful governor from 1982 to 1987. As governor, he was widely 
credited for his efforts to balance the budget and for educational and 
welfare reform. In 1988, he was elected to the Senate. But, Bob Kerrey 
established himself as a man of great courage and intellect long

[[Page S11844]]

before he was elected governor or entered the U.S. Senate. He was an 
American hero long before he became a Senate hero. Now he's both. Time 
and time again, he earned his reputation as one of the most courageous 
members of this body by taking on the toughest issues around--from 
entitlements to health care, and speaking his mind no matter what. He 
took on sacred cows where others feared to act. He did so with 
tremendous dash and daring, with a wonderful youthfulness and 
enthusiasm. His speeches against amending the First Amendment of our 
Constitution relative to flag burning, for instance, have been speeches 
which I have often used as a resource back home to prove that the most 
courageous among us--those that have put their lives on the line for 
this country--also believe in its Constitution with great passion and 
believe we must not reduce its protections of our freedoms in response 
to the behavior of a few misguided or extreme individuals.
  As a member of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate 
Agriculture Committee, Bob has earned a reputation as a proponent of 
tax reform, Medicare and Social Security reform, and as a tireless 
advocate for the nations' farmers.
  The Senate will sorely miss Senator Bob Kerrey's wise and experienced 
voice on national security matters. And, I will deeply miss his 
presence, although I trust that we will see him often and that his new 
role at the New School University will not keep him from weighing in on 
public policy issues that so need his special touch.
  I have often thought, only half in jest, that Senator Kerrey should 
be awarded a second Congressional Medal of Honor for his many brave 
stands in the Senate to match the one he won in war. It has truly been 
a privilege to serve with Bob Kerrey and I will miss the noble passion 
and purpose he has brought to so many causes.
  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my good 
friend Senator Bob Kerrey. I have mixed emotions knowing that the 
United States Senate, the State of Nebraska, and the nation are losing 
a valued public servant at a time when we can ill afford to lose a 
person of such great talent. I am saddened thinking about the loss of 
his valued presence in this chamber. But, I also recognize that my 
friend is leaving by his own choice to take on the challenges of a new 
adventure as president of the New School University of New York City. 
New challenges and new accomplishments are about to be added to his 
already legendary list of achievements that include Medal of Honor 
recipient, entrepreneur, governor, and Senator.
  I smile as I think about the good company my colleague has been at 
the Senate Committee on Agriculture. I always felt as if the hearing 
room brightened up a notch when Senator Kerrey entered the room. I 
appreciated greatly the fact that we never failed to share a few light 
moments together, even as we worked to help the farmers and ranchers we 
represent. His collegial approach crossed the aisle, too. Senator 
Kerrey moved landmark agricultural legislation to passage with hard 
work and the respect he garnered from his colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle, as he did this session with the crop insurance reform bill.
  We also served together on the Senate Finance Committee, where 
Senator Conrad has been an absolute bulldog on the issue of entitlement 
reform. Senator Kerrey headed up the bipartisan entitlement commission 
and served on the Medicare Commission. He was a particularly active 
participant in the centrist coalition, which worked to find common 
ground on budget issues during the partisan stalemate in 1995 and 
1996--an effort that helped produce the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. On 
these very difficult issues, Senator Kerrey has always been willing to 
consider policies that make sense for the long term even when these 
policies carry a high political price in the short term. He was a 
leader in insisting that the Senate version of the Balanced Budget Act 
contain long term Medicare reforms as well as short term fixes. Yet 
throughout these discussions, Senator Kerrey has also been a strong 
defender of the most vulnerable among us--from children in low income 
families struggling to get by with cash assistance, food stamps and 
Medicaid to rural seniors who depend on adequate Medicare reimbursement 
to maintain health care in their local community.
  All of us will miss his keen intellect, his insight and his candor. 
We will miss his terrific sense of humor. We will miss his positive 
attitude. We will miss the unique perspective he brings to every 
discussion. We will miss his integrity and his courage. But most of 
all, we will miss the boundless enthusiasm he brings to public service. 
There is no question the Senate will soon be made poorer by his 
departure, and there is no doubt Senator Kerrey will make the 
university community he now joins richer by brining these wonderful 
attributes to his new position.
  We thank you Senator Kerrey for your service to the United State 
Senate.
  And I thank you for your friendship.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President. I rise today to pay tribute to Senator 
Robert Kerrey of Nebraska. As Undersecretary, then Secretary of Navy 
for over five years during the war in Vietnam, I learned first hand the 
courage and sacrifice of the men and women of the armed forces who 
served our Nation.
  Lieutenant, USN, Bob Kerrey earned our nation's highest recognition 
for his valor and unwavering leadership during that conflict. Those 
same extraordinary personal attributes Bob Kerrey brought to the 
Senate.
  Serving with Bob is a reward all Senators will cherish. Though the 
challenges of education will be his next call to duty, I predict he 
will someday soon be back in public office. Enjoy this respite, my 
friend, but harken to the bugle-call in years to come for another 
career to strengthen our nation with your ``brand'' of leadership.
  I shall miss our vigorous floor debates, our trips abroad to visit 
our troops, our moments of levity as two old bachelors.
  As we sailors say, ``well done sir''!

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