[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8873-S8875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING ELIZABETH LETCHWORTH
Mr. LOTT. I send a resolution to the desk and I ask that it be read
in its entirety.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
S. Res. 154
Whereas Elizabeth B. Letchworth has dutifully served the
United States Senate for over 25 years;
Whereas Elizabeth's service to the Senate began with her
appointment as a United States Senate page in 1975;
Whereas Elizabeth continued her work as a special
Legislative assistant, a Republican Cloakroom assistant, and
as a Republican Floor Assistant;
Whereas in 1995 Elizabeth was appointed by the Majority
Leader and elected by the Senate to be Secretary for the
Majority;
Whereas Elizabeth was the first woman to be elected as
Republican Secretary;
Whereas Elizabeth was the youngest person to be elected the
Secretary for the majority at the age of 34: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the United States Senate commends Elizabeth
Letchworth for her many years of service to the United States
Senate, and wishes to express its deep appreciation and
gratitude for her contributions to the institution. In
addition, the Senate wishes Elizabeth and her husband Ron all
the best in their future endeavors.
Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy
of this resolution to Elizabeth Letchworth.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be
agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be
laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 154) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I know from the expressions on the faces of
all of our officers and staff members in the Senate Chamber, there is a
bittersweet feeling about the fact that Elizabeth Letchworth will be
leaving to go on to the next venture in her life. I have said many
times--not often enough--how much I appreciated the great work done by
the officers of the Senate and the staff, those who read the bills, the
clerks, the Parliamentarians, our own floor assistants. They make this
place run. They serve us all so well, Democrat and Republican. We get
to take the bows and go back home to our constituents, or home for the
night, and quite often they continue to work. I take this occasion to
thank all for the great work they do and say how much I appreciate you.
The record will show someday that quite often I took into
consideration a very capable and deserving staff in deciding not to be
in session on occasion. I do think about the staff, and I am sure that
my successor as majority leader will do the same.
Also I should say I regret that I am doing this alone, now, at this
hour. There is probably not a Senator in this body who could not tell a
personal story about some event or some situation where Elizabeth
Letchworth helped--again, Republican and Democrat, and Independent. She
has looked after us all, sometimes when we did not even deserve it, but
she was particularly helpful to me while I was majority leader. The
rules of the Senate are not easy to understand. We mess them up every
now and then, especially if we try to do things on our own. If there is
an Elizabeth or a Marty or a Lula or a Dave, quite often we avoid
making a mistake.
Elizabeth has been special. On behalf of all the Republican Senators,
and all Senators, we thank her for her years of service and dedication.
Senator Dole had a lot of fine staff, but I guess Elizabeth is the one
who has stayed with me the longest. She serves the institution. She
doesn't serve one leader or another. She has served us all well. We
have been smart enough to keep her around.
While I wish we had all 100 Members here--and perhaps I should have
done this earlier today when we were all here, but it is typical of
her--we were running around trying to figure out how we were going to
get the Agriculture bill done with the least amount of pain and
suffering for both sides and for the President. And we got it done.
Once again, she helped to make it possible.
I wanted the resolution to be read in its entirety because she has
had quite a career. It is obvious she is quite young, still. But she
has been around this institution for almost 26 years, going back to
1975. She started as a page during her junior and senior years in high
school. Obviously she should have known then not to stay any longer,
but she made a miscalculation, as young people quite often will, and
she has been here ever since.
Elizabeth had her first permanent position with former Republican
Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania. That was so long ago I was not even in
Congress--maybe I was. I guess I would have been, but I can't remember
that far back. She served for Howard Baker, Bob Dole, and now for me as
majority and minority leader. She is the first and only one, to date,
to hold the post of Republican secretary, and she served in that
position for 7 years.
Elizabeth is a native of Virginia. Let me note, also, her parents are
Jody and Don Baldwin. I want to mention them in particular because I
have known her father for about 30 years myself, going back to when I
was a staff member for a Democrat in the House. If that is not ancient
history, I don't know what is. But I always loved him and enjoyed
working with him. I know he was oh so proud of Elizabeth and the
confidence we have had in her and the job she has done.
She did, again, show great wisdom. She married Ron Letchworth, born
in Greenville, MS, finished high school at Hazlehurst, MS, and as is
typical of southern boys, he overran his kick coverage and married
Elizabeth. That means he married way over his head, but he is a great
guy.
Elizabeth is retiring and going on to do different things, other
things. I believe they will live in North Carolina and she will tend to
her other passion--other than the Senate--golf and other things about
life that are important. Too often, as staff members and as Senators,
we get to thinking this is the world, it is all here in this room, in
this Chamber, in this building, within the beltway. But out beyond the
beltway is a wonderful life, a lot of wonderful people, and a lot of
wonderful things to do.
I understand there is life after the Senate. I am not sure of that,
but for now I look forward to finding that out someday myself.
Until then, I say to Elizabeth Letchworth, we appreciate all you have
done. We will always think of you and love you and we wish you the very
best at whatever you do.
Mr. JEFFORDS. Will the Senator yield?
Mr. LOTT. I am happy to yield.
Mr. JEFFORDS. I join in the accolades. I know I speak 100 percent for
the Independents here when I say that, having experienced the
tremendous responsibility that is carried by Elizabeth. But I also know
her effectiveness. There is not a Senator here who has
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not been saved at least once, twice, or three times out of
embarrassment by being astutely and highly reminded that you forgot to
do something, but, most of all, just the effectiveness and the
confidence that all of us have in Elizabeth, making sure that
everything is fair and square. She has been fantastic.
I agree with every word the Senator said, and I am sure I speak for
all Members not here.
Mr. LOTT. I thank the Senator from Vermont.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I, too, come to the floor to publicly
acknowledge and thank Elizabeth for the public service she has provided
to her country. Public service is not easy. It requires many, many
sacrifices. It is enough to provide the sacrifices, but to do it with
grace, with intelligence, with a sense of humor, and with a real sense
of dedication is another matter altogether.
Elizabeth Letchworth did it just that way. She is a Republican. I am
a Democrat. As Senator Bond and others have noted, there are times when
Democrats and Republicans have it out in so many ways on the Senate
floor politically and philosophically. But there are those times when,
in spite of our deep differences of opinion, we recognize there is a
higher calling, a higher responsibility, and a higher order. I must say
in all the years I have known her, Elizabeth understood that and
demonstrated that with her actions and with her words.
She in many respects exemplifies the very finest of public service
professionalism. She made our jobs easier. She made our jobs even more
enjoyable, and certainly I think more rewarding.
On this her last day, I know I speak for all of my colleagues on this
side of the aisle in expressing to her our heartfelt thanks, our
sincere congratulations, and our best wishes for what we know will be a
very exciting future.
I yield the floor.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I wish to add my voice to that of the
distinguished majority leader in extending my very best to a remarkable
woman who served all of us tremendously well during her tenure.
Elizabeth, we wish you the very, very best. I know to the outside
world, as they look at the floor and they see Republicans on one side
and Democrats on the other, we must look slightly chaotic, to put it
mildly to the casual observer. But what they do not see day in and day
out is the tremendous work of the staff who represent us at one level.
They work so deeply and profoundly with all of us on many levels.
I cannot tell the Chair on how many occasions Elizabeth Letchworth
has been tremendously kind and generous to me when I have come to the
floor and asked for guidance or assistance. She never looked at me as
if I were a Democrat when she responded to me. She looked at me as a
Senator and a person who had a job to do.
We will miss you tremendously and only hope that your example will be
followed by others who sit in that chair in the years to come, be they
Democrats or Republicans on either side.
I wish you and your family the very best, and I hope you come back
often to see us.
I thank you for the tremendous courtesies that you have extended to
me and to other Members of this body throughout your service. We thank
you immensely.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
Mr. BOND. Mr. President, a few months ago our distinguished
Republican leader presented a resolution which was adopted, I think,
with the wholehearted support of all of us. I want to take a moment for
a personal thank you to Elizabeth Letchworth, who has been an
absolutely invaluable guide and counselor and friend during the time I
have been in the Senate.
When we first get to the Senate, as the occupant of the chair knows
well, our normal question is: What is happening? It is a little bit
obtuse and confusing. I often recall that great old saw that: In these
chaotic times that are so complex, if you are not totally confused, you
are not thinking clearly.
There are times when I have passed that test of thinking clearly by
being totally confused. Usually the person I went to was Elizabeth, and
I would say, ``What's happening?'' She could explain not only the
procedural aspects and what we needed to do in terms of making sure our
rights were protected and we were able to present our views, whether on
resolutions or bills--she was absolutely invaluable in that--but she
also had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen, too. Trying to
schedule the day around the work of the Senate floor is a challenge
which I don't think any of us not the leadership--maybe even not some
of them--have mastered. Because things do change here, it is always
very difficult to figure out what is going on.
Elizabeth was the one who, time and time again, told us what was
likely to happen, when we could plan on things, what we could do.
On a personal note, as my son was growing up and going to school
here, the time I was able to spend with him in the evenings depended
upon when we could complete our out-of-Senate work. Elizabeth became
probably the best friend I had in terms of my being able to spend some
time with my son. I would walk up to the desk in the front with a
perplexed look on my face, and she would say: Are you having dinner
with your son tonight or do you have something planned? She knew in
advance what I was coming to ask her, and she was often able to tell me
very precisely what was going on.
In terms of my relationship with my son, I know I can add his thanks
to mine for the great friendship and the thoughtfulness she exhibited
in helping us deal with the complex time schedules of the Senate.
Most of all, I have to say in this body sometimes things get a little
tense. There is tension across the aisle and there is tension with
colleagues on our own side of the aisle. But she was always able to
maintain a pleasant and a friendly attitude that helped take away some
of the tension and helped smooth over some of the difficult times.
That is a high standard she has set. It is going to be very difficult
for those who follow her to equal that degree of service and
friendship. But I join with all my colleagues in saying a heartfelt
thanks for being a wonderful friend, a great guide, great counselor. We
wish you the very best of luck. We hope, if your sense of humor
permits, you will come back and watch us from time to time and help
guide us through the difficult times ahead. You have certainly done an
excellent job in the past.
I join wholeheartedly with a sincere vote of thanks for Elizabeth
Letchworth.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the distinguished Senate leaders have called
attention to the fact this is the last day on which Republican
Secretary Elizabeth Letchworth will work with us in this Chamber. Thus
ends the extraordinary career of an extraordinary Senate staff person.
Elizabeth originally came to the Senate as a page. She stayed for 26
years. That is almost as long as Robinson Crusoe was on that island. He
was on that island 28 years, 2 months and 19 days, so Elizabeth has
almost equaled that. Her diligent, dedicated work, and her loyalty to
the Senate led to her eventual rise to Republican Secretary, the first
woman, the only woman, to serve in that capacity.
Ms. Letchworth has worked for or with six different Senate majority
leaders, including myself. Therefore, I am speaking from personal
experience when I say she made life and work easier and more enjoyable
for all of us. Through the years, I came not only to respect
Elizabeth's work, but also to admire her as a person. She always
provided an oasis of calm in the middle of the many storms that brewed
about her on the Senate floor. She was friendly and courteous. She
worked on the Republican side, but she was always straightforward with
me, always accurate. Not once did she ever mislead me, but she always
was willing to be so helpful.
Hers were the qualities so important to Members on both sides of the
aisle because those qualities engender that precious commodity, and it
is a most precious commodity in this Chamber, a most precious commodity
if the Senate is to work its will. It is a commodity called trust. The
Members on the Democratic side of the aisle developed such a high
regard for Elizabeth that when we learned she was leaving, the
Democratic Conference passed a resolution commending her for her
extraordinary work and her illustrious career.
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Elizabeth's work here in the Senate will be remembered. I hope she
will come back and see us. She has served the Senate well and in
serving the Senate well, she served her country well. I wish the best
for Elizabeth Letchworth and her husband Ron as they embark upon a new
phase in their lives. I doubt that our paths will ever cross in that
new phase because I do not play golf. I do not have much time for it,
but I hope this new phase in her life will be enjoyable. I trust she
will remember us as fondly as we will certainly remember her.
Life's Mirror
There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave,
There are souls that are pure and true,
Then give to the world the best you have,
And the best will come back to you.
Give love, and love to your life will flow,
A strength in your utmost need,
Have faith, and a score of hearts will show
Their faith in your word and deed.
Give truth, and your gift will be paid in kind;
And honor will honor meet:
And a smile that is sweet will surely find
A smile that is just as sweet.
Give pity and sorrow to those who mourn,
You will gather in flowers again
The scattered seeds from your thought out-borne,
Though the sowing seemed but vain.
For life is the mirror of king and slave,
Tis just what we are and do;
Then give to the world the best you have,
And the best will come back to you.--Madeline Bridges.
May God always bless you, Elizabeth.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent all the remarks
made on the Senate floor regarding Elizabeth Letchworth appear in the
Record immediately following the remarks of Senator Lott.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________