[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 147 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S11062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO SENATOR BOB SMITH

  Mr. CONRAD. Madam President, I take this opportunity to pay tribute 
to and recognize the hard work of my colleague from New Hampshire, 
Senator Bob Smith. Since joining the Senate in 1990, he has fought with 
honesty and commitment for the issues that he believed to be most 
important.
  As the ranking member and former chairman of the Environment and 
Public Works Committee, he focused great attention on reforms of the 
Corps of Engineers and funding to expand and improve transportation 
infrastructure. Also, as a senior member of the Armed Services 
Committee, Senator Smith fought passionately for a strong military, and 
always made national security a top priority.
  I had the pleasure of working with Bob Smith in his efforts to 
establish accountability measures for missing MIAs and POWs. In his 
capacity as a member of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, 
Senator Smith was very helpful in answering and addressing questions 
about Vietnam POWs from North Dakota. He also helped North Dakotans on 
POW issues from the cold war era.
  I also had the privilege of serving with Senator Smith on the Ethics 
Committee, which he chaired. I found him to be completely fair and non-
partisan in his conduct of his duties.
  He also was one of the first of my colleagues to console me on the 
untimely death of my chief of staff, Kent Hall.
  Mr. President, it has been an honor to serve in the Senate with Bob 
Smith. I have the utmost respect for his service to the people of New 
Hampshire. While sitting in the historic desk of Daniel Webster, he has 
made contributions not only to the Senate but also to our Nation. I 
would like to join my colleagues in wishing Senator Smith and his 
family the best in the future.

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