[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 127 (Wednesday, October 2, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9810-S9811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I pay tribute to a colleague of ours whose 
career of public service may never be matched again in the history of 
our country. My friend Strom Thurmond sits on the other side of the 
aisle of the Senate Chamber, but I consider him a friend with whom I 
have worked closely, and I will miss him.
  I remember when I was first sworn into the Senate in January of 1975. 
Because of a tied vote in the State of New Hampshire that election 
year, it was a matter that did not get resolved until we actually went 
back and did the election over in the middle of the year. I was the 
most junior Member of a 99-Member Senate. We did not have the Hart 
Building at the time. We had the Russell Building and the Dirksen 
Building, and a couple of us very junior Members were in basement 
offices. Senator Garn of Utah, Senator Laxalt of Nevada, and I were 
down in the dungeons. When we were sworn in, I had a small reception 
down there. I invited Members of the Senate to come, not thinking that 
anybody would actually show up. There were far more noteworthy people 
being sworn in that day, some to begin subsequent terms, others newly 
elected.
  I remember standing there with my mother and father, and one of the 
very first people to come through that door was Strom Thurmond, walking 
arm in arm with John Stennis of Mississippi. I remember Strom welcoming 
me to the Senate and telling my mother and father I seemed like a nice 
young man, and that I might actually have a career ahead of me.
  I note that has been the routine of Strom Thurmond, to welcome new 
Senators from either party. He has done it with hundreds of Senators. 
This one remembers it well.
  We often worked in the field of antitrust laws. We worked together on 
the National Cooperative Production amendments of 1993, the very first 
high-technology bill signed by President Clinton, and to improve the 
protections against anticompetitive conduct in the Digital Performance 
Right in Sound Recordings Act.
  Senator Thurmond has been a legislator. I must admit, when Senator 
Thurmond and I have worked together, it has raised some eyebrows, and 
when we have introduced legislation together, some have remarked that 
either it is brilliant legislation or one of us has not gotten around 
to reading it. But there are so many issues that we did join together. 
Of course, there have been occasions when he and I have sat on opposite 
sides of an issue, but even though there were issues about which we 
felt deeply, Senator Thurmond always conducted himself with the utmost 
integrity. He has always told the Senate how he felt. He has done so 
with the people of South Carolina first and foremost in his mind.
  I recall him inviting me down to talk to the Strom Thurmond Institute 
at Clemson. He wanted to put on a debate on economic matters. He had an 
impartial moderator from the Heritage Foundation. When I walked in, I 
saw half the Republican party of South Carolina and the Heritage 
Foundation. I knew I was to be the sacrificial lamb, and I was loving 
every minute of it. When they stated how much time would be allotted, 
he stated he should have twice as much time as I because I spoke twice 
as fast as he did.
  We had a very good meeting. I am sure I did not change his mind, or 
most of the minds of the audience, on a couple of issues. We walked out 
of there arm in arm, laughing, having a good time. I remember a couple 
of days later Strom coming on the floor and slapping me on the back and 
saying, I want to thank the king of Vermont, as he said, for going down 
with him.
  One of the strangest meetings during that time was when we were in 
the Senate dining room and I introduced

[[Page S9811]]

him to Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. It was a meeting of cultures, 
very different cultures.

  I share with Senator Thurmond the distinction of being from a State 
that has provided the Senate Judiciary Committee with three chairmen 
over the history of the committee. South Carolina and the State of 
Vermont have each had three different people who have shared the Senate 
Judiciary Committee. With that in mind, I have always asked what I call 
the Strom Thurmond question at judicial hearings. He has always 
reminded nominees that the people and lawyers who appear before them, 
whatever their position in the case, whether rich or poor, white or 
black, man or woman, whatever their religious or political affiliation, 
deserve respect and fairness. He has reminded everyone of that.
  I will miss my friend Strom. He has been named President pro tempore 
emeritus for a very good reason.
  I have learned much from the senior Senator from South Carolina. Let 
me share one additional aspect of Senator Thurmond's legacy to the 
Senate as he completes this term and retires from office. In addition 
to all his longevity records and legislative achievements and buildings 
named for him, there is something else about him I will always 
remember.
  When we hold hearings for Federal judges--and we have held a number 
this year--I am always careful to carry on a tradition that Senator 
Thurmond started. Senator Thurmond always reminded nominees for high 
office that it is essential to treat others with courtesy and respect. 
He always reminded nominees that the people and lawyers who appeared 
before them, whatever their position in the case, whether rich or poor, 
white or black, man or woman, whatever their religious or political 
affiliation, they are each and every one deserving of respect and 
fairness.
  Senator Thurmond was right to remind judges--and even Senators--of 
that simple rule. It is another contribution he has made to all of us 
that will continue to serve us well. As I said earlier, I will miss 
Strom Thurmond. He has been named President-Pro-Tempore Emeritus for 
good reason.

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