[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 149 (Monday, November 18, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11232-S11238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO DEPARTING SENATORS
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, the Senate, for all of the notice it gets
in the national press, is nonetheless still a family of sorts. We are
100 men and women who come to this fashion of public service from
different points on the compass, from all across the country, and from
different backgrounds--Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and
liberals. We work together a great part of the year in this Chamber,
and we spend a lot of time in our respective States. We have become
friends. Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives,
nonetheless, are close personal friends in many cases.
We are going to be saying good-bye to a number of Senators this year.
I wish to, before we complete our work this week, say a word about a
number of those who will be leaving. I actually threatened last week, I
say to the Senator from Texas, Mr. Gramm, for example, to say a word
about him. I will do that today in a moment.
I will start with Senator Jean Carnahan, if I may. I went to Missouri
to campaign with Jean Carnahan. She was here a relatively short time
because she filled a seat that was then filled by a special election in
the State of Missouri. But I believe the first moment I met Jean was at
the organizing session. She had suffered a great tragedy. The State of
Missouri had suffered a great tragedy. The incumbent Governor of the
State of Missouri had died in a plane crash. The Governor, his son, and
others perished in that crash relatively close to the election. His
name remained on the ballot. The folks from the State of Missouri,
nonetheless, voted for his name on the ballot, and the Governor
appointed Jean Carnahan, his widow, to come to the Senate.
Jean stood up at the organizing session--and I am sure she would not
mind if I indicated this publicly because she did it in an organizing
session--and she said to members of our caucus and to the new Members
coming into the Senate:
You come here because of your win. I have arrived here
because of my loss.
She, of course, was speaking about the tragedy that had occurred in
the State of Missouri, her having lost a husband, then a candidate for
the Senate, and her son in that plane crash.
I watched Jean Carnahan as she worked in the Senate. She did a
remarkable job. She is someone with great courage. She is someone who
has the capability to stand up in a very significant way and explain
quickly what it is she has a passion about in public policy.
I deeply admire Jean Carnahan, not only for aspiring to carry out
that mission of public service that was begun by her husband, the
Governor of Missouri, but also because she played a significant role
and contributed in a significant way in the Senate.
We all will miss Jean Carnahan as she moves on to other challenges
and other opportunities.
My colleague, Max Cleland from Georgia, will not be with us in the
next session. He will be leaving at the end of this session as well.
Max Cleland is one of those heroes of mine. Max Cleland is a brave,
remarkable American. He left three of his limbs on a battlefield
fighting for this country. He is a person of great personal courage.
I say to anyone who has not yet done so, read his book, ``Going to
the Max.'' It is a story of great inspiration. Max Cleland has been a
terrific legislator, a great representative of the State of Georgia in
the Senate. More than that, he has been an inspiration to virtually all
America.
Our country owes him a great debt of gratitude for his service. Our
colleagues owe him a great debt of gratitude for his companionship and
service in the Senate.
We also will not be joined next year by Senator Torricelli who
indicated his decision not to seek reelection. Let me say about Bob
Torricelli, I served with him in the U.S. House of Representatives. He
is a passionate fighter, articulate, strong, assertive for the issues
in which he believes and for the issues he feels are important to his
home State of New Jersey and for our country.
On the Republican side, I came here not knowing Jesse Helms. I only
knew of him by reputation. His reputation was he was a hard-edged,
tough guy who asked no quarter, gave no quarter, and never stopped
fighting for the issues about which he cared. He planted himself
sometimes far off the political spectrum and said: Here is where I
stand. That was my impression of him as I came to the Senate.
What I discovered in the Senate is he is quite a remarkable
gentleman, and I use the term ``gentleman'' in every respect. He is one
of the most courteous, kind people with whom I have had the opportunity
to serve. I have on occasion gone over and sat with him in the Chamber
of the Senate and talked about the house he will retire to and the
front porch on which he will spend some time.
While we might disagree on some issues very strongly, he is a
legislator who contributed substantially to the public debate in this
country and often with great courage on his part. I certainly thank him
for his service to our country.
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Senator Strom Thurmond will be leaving the Senate. If you know his
personal story, you just are almost out of breath when you understand
what he has done over his lifetime. He not only has served with great
distinction in public service in many venues--as a judge in his home
State, in the Senate, running for President, and so many other
positions--he also volunteered for service during wartime at age 42
and volunteered to climb into a glider to crash land at night behind
enemy lines.
This is a man of great personal courage and a man who served this
country with great distinction in many ways. I have had the opportunity
over the years I have been in the Senate to serve with him as well and
visit with him about his public service. I deeply admire what Senator
Strom Thurmond has given to this country, and we wish him well.
Senator Murkowski is someone with whom I have worked on the Energy
Committee, both as a chairman of the Energy Committee and ranking
member. He is now off to become Governor of the State of Alaska. He is
someone with great passion for his State. Almost every amendment coming
from Senator Murkowski has something to do with Alaska.
I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Senator Murkowski. He
is a man of good humor, but also someone who feels very strongly and
passionately about issues.
Senator Hutchinson I have not known quite as well, but Senator
Hutchinson and his brother Asa, who served in the House of
Representatives while Tim served in the Senate--their family,
obviously, has a great passion for public service. I have enjoyed the
opportunity to know him, although not quite as well as others.
Senator Smith from New Hampshire is one with whom I had the
opportunity to serve on the Ethics Committee. I have grown very fond of
Bob Smith. He is a big, tall man with a great passion to serve his
State and country. One of the qualities I discovered about him on
issues that are very important, such as the issues we confronted on the
Ethics Committee, is there was not a partisan bone in his body. But Bob
Smith was about fairness and doing things the right way.
I have become a friend of Bob Smith's. I like him a great deal. I
wish him very well as he moves on from the Senate.
Finally, Senator Gramm from Texas. I mentioned the other day he is
someone who, if you are going to be in a big fight--a really big
fight--you want with you. He not only is smart and shrewd, but he does
not ever quit, no matter what the time is on the clock.
While we have had our differences from time to time with regard to
public policy, I have never had a difference with him on personal
issues. He is someone I deeply admire. His service to our country
through the Senate and the House is substantial. In fact, early on in
our career, I sat next to him on the Veterans Affairs Committee in the
U.S. House. That is when he was a Democrat, as a matter of fact. That
is eons ago.
Senator Gramm is one of those people who makes a significant
contribution in this Chamber because he is determined to make that
contribution and he knows the rules, he is shrewd, and he is tough. If
you are in a fight, you want someone like Senator Gramm with you in a
fight.
Mr. President, having said all that about those who are leaving, let
me say again the reason I came today to speak is because I care very
deeply about this institution. I still pinch myself every day after 10
years serving in the Senate. When I drive to this Capitol Building, I
pinch myself that a man from a town of 400 people and a high school
class of 9 had the opportunity to be elected to the Senate.
This is an extraordinary honor. This body of 100 men and women who
come with different passions and different visions for our country
offer America the patchwork quilt of what America is about in its
deliberations and the development of ideas and the approaches by which
we try to move America forward.
I know from time to time, as do all of my colleagues, I leave this
Chamber perhaps despondent about what happened that day, despondent
that we did not get something done which I thought we should have done,
or despondent that we did something I thought we should not have done.
But over a long time, I remain enormously proud of the opportunities to
serve in the Senate.
It is a remarkable, unusual, distinct privilege to serve in the
Senate. This institution is still the greatest deliberative body in the
world, and my colleague, Senator Byrd, the Presiding Officer, the
President pro tempore, reminds us always of the place in history this
Senate occupies.
I wish to say to all of those who are leaving this institution: It
has been a great privilege to serve with each and every single one of
them. Their presence has contributed to this institution in a very
significant way.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
PHIL GRAMM
Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my good
friend and distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from Texas,
Senator Phil Gramm. Senator Gramm was first elected to public office in
1978. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat for
4 years. After becoming disenchanted with the Democratic party, he
resigned his seat in January of 1983 and ran again in a special
election as a Republican. He won back his seat and earned a new found
respect for the honorable way in which he changed parties. In 1984,
Senator Gramm was elected to the United States Senate.
An economist by training, Senator Gramm has spent his entire public
career fighting for the principles of freedom, particularly economic
freedom, individual choice and limited government. We all know well of
his ``Dickey Flatt'' test. Dickey Flatt is a small businessman in Texas
who has served as Senator Gramm's bell-weather on the Federal
Government's tax and regulatory policies. It is for the Dickey Flatts
of this country that Senator Gramm has fought to cut Federal tax rates,
repeal the death tax and reduce the government's regulatory burden on
small businesses. We also have heard often of Senator Gramm's
``momma.'' It is for her and the other senior citizens of our country
that Senator Gramm has worked hard to strengthen and modernize the
Medicare and Social Security programs. Perhaps Senator Gramm's most
important legislative accomplishments are the 1981 ``Gramm-Latta'' tax
cut, the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings balanced budget bill and the Gramm-
Leach-Bliley Financial Services Act.
Equally as important as the legislation he has supported is the
legislation that Senator Gramm has chosen to fight over the years. If a
bill did not pass the Dickey Flatt test, you could be assured that
Senator Gramm would oppose it. He is probably most famous for
successfully leading the opposition in 1994 to then-President Clinton's
proposal for a Federal takeover of the Nation's health care system.
I have had the privilege of serving with the Senator from Texas on
the Senate Finance Committee for the past 4 years. I have learned much
from him and enjoyed listening to him debate the important issues
before the Committee. Senator Gramm has a plain-spoken, common sense
way of explaining issues that will be sorely missed in this body.
Senator Gramm has served his State of Texas and this country with
great distinction. He is a skilled debater and legislator, who has held
true to his conservative principles over the years. I feel privileged
to have had the opportunity to work with him during my tenure in the
Senate, and to call him my friend. I wish him and his lovely wife Wendy
the best in their future endeavors.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to my friend and
colleague Phil Gramm, who retires from the Senate, but will not soon
fade from the memories of all those who worked with him in this body.
Very simply, Senator Gramm is a straight shooter, a man who has a
strong grasp of the issues, and who never fails to speak his mind.
While we disagreed a good deal on the issues, I have always had the
utmost respect for Senator Gramm's opinion, and for the way that he has
conducted himself throughout his service in the Senate.
There have also been many times when we have seen eye to eye, and
when we have it has been a pleasure to
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work with the Senator from Texas. Together we have fought to reform our
budget process and cut wasteful spending. Now as my colleagues know,
cutting spending or reforming the way that the government spends
Federal tax dollars is never easy. But Senator Gramm and I share the
belief that only by reforming our budget process will we ensure the
kind of fiscal discipline in Congress that the American people deserve.
While we were never able to bring our budget process reform bill to
introduction, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder on many votes to cut pork-
barrel spending and apply fiscal discipline. I thank Senator Gramm for
his tremendous leadership on these critical issues, and I wish him all
the best as he ends his distinguished career in the U.S. Senate.
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR JESSE HELMS
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, with the end of the 107th Congress, we
wish the best to Senator Jesse Helms, who retires after serving five
terms here in the U.S. Senate. Senator Helms will be long remembered,
by his colleagues and by history, for his legendary service to the
people of North Carolina.
From the day I arrived in the Senate, and throughout our service
together on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Helms has
been unfailingly cordial to me, and that is something I have always
greatly appreciated. While Senator Helms and I more often than not
disagreed on the issues of the day, I appreciated the chance to work
with him on issues where we were able to find common ground. Together
we fought against unnecessary fast-track procedures that bind
Congress's hands on trade legislation. I also joined with Senator Helms
to try to ensure that the export laws took national security
sufficiently into account, rather than merely bend to the largest
business interests. Finally, I have been proud to work with Senator
Helms to call attention to human rights abuses in China.
So as he leaves the Senate, I thank Senator Helms for the chance to
work together on these important issues. I join my colleagues in paying
tribute to him, and in wishing him all the best for his retirement.
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR FRED THOMPSON
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I would like to pay tribute to
Fred Thompson, a colleague and friend who has left a lasting legacy
here in the Senate. Senator Thompson has served the people of Tennessee
well, standing on principle time and time again. He has been a champion
of campaign finance reform since he first came to the Senate in 1994.
He was among the original co-sponsors of the first McCain-Feingold
legislation, and he has been an invaluable ally ever since.
I am deeply grateful to him for his longstanding and steadfast
support for reform. Fred Thompson was a central part of our effort,
from the first days, when gaining the support of such a fair-minded and
well-respected member gave a tremendous boost to our efforts, through
to some of our most critical moments, as when he skillfully negotiated
an agreement on hard money limits that the vast majority of this body
could support. Without that agreement, we simply could not have moved
the McCain-Feingold bill through the Senate. I also want to pay special
tribute to Senator Thompson for the work he did investigating the 1996
campaign finance scandals. Senator Thompson cut his political teeth on
another great scandal in our Nation's history, but his work in 1997
showed the nation that the campaign finance is truly a bipartisan
problem with a bipartisan solution. I will greatly miss his leadership
on these issues.
I also joined with Senator Thompson to try to ensure that the export
laws took national security sufficiently into account, rather than
merely bend to the largest business interests. And finally, I want to
thank Fred Thompson for his leadership on States' rights. Senator
Thompson has consistently spoken out against Federal mandates that
hinder, rather than help, States and localities as they work to serve
America's communities.
These are just a few of the many reasons that Fred Thompson's
presence in this body will be missed. He has been a true champion on
many important issues, and a champion for the people of his state. I
thank him for his leadership and his friendship, and I wish him all the
best as he ends this chapter of his career.
tim hutchinson
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, the election campaign in Arkansas this
year which involved Tim Hutchinson and Mark Pryor put me in an awkward
position. Former Senator David Pryor was one of my best friends when he
was in the Senate.
Tim Hutchinson has been a hard working, successful Senator who
deserved to be reelected. The voters of Arkansas made their decision
and Tim Hutchinson was not reelected.
During his 6 years in the Senate, Tim was a forceful, articulate, and
effective spokesman for the interests of his State. I observed him at
close range, as a fellow member of the Agriculture Committee, speak out
for the farmers of his State. He made sure the best programs possible
were included in the farm bill last year for the rice, cotton, and
soybean producers of his State.
He gave particular attention to the interests of the aquaculture
industry and the unfair efforts of the Vietnamese basa fish exporters
to undermine years of catfish promotion efforts and market development
success.
In every instance when Tim Hutchinson argued for the interest of the
citizens of his State, he did so with conviction and a seriousness of
purpose that was very impressive to me.
Another example which I recall that made me sit up and take notice
was in a nationally televised debate of the William Buckley show which
was broadcast from the law school at the University of Mississippi. The
subject was the United States-China relationship. The panel included
Henry Kissinger, Jim Barksdale, my colleague Trent Lott, and the new
Senator from Arkansas, Tim Hutchinson.
I was surprised that the young Arkansas Senator not only held his own
during this program, but he was the star. He made compelling arguments
for his points of view; he knew the facts; and he expressed them in an
articulate and persuasive manner.
Tim Hutchinson has been a very fine Senator for the State of
Arkansas. He has upheld the finest traditions of this body, and we will
miss him.
I wish him much success in the years ahead.
Max Cleland
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my dear
friend and departing colleague Senator Max Cleland.
Thomas Jefferson once said that ``a nation that rests on the will of
the people must also depend on individuals to support its institutions
if it is to flourish. Persons qualified for public office should feel
an obligation to make that contribution.''
Max Cleland heard that centuries old call to duty and answered with a
lifetime of service.
Senator Cleland's dedication to his country stretches from the
battlefields of Vietnam to the floor of this Senate. And the families
of Georgia, and our entire Nation, are better for his leadership.
Senator Cleland nearly lost his life serving his country in Vietnam.
He returned home with injuries so grave that he spent a year and a half
in various Veterans Administration Hospitals recovering.
But Senator Cleland then battled and beat a depression so deep that
it would have broken the spirit of many others and embarked on a
remarkable 30-year career of public service.
He began by speaking out for better treatment for veterans, a cause
he would champion throughout his career.
Then at the age of 28, he was elected to become Georgia's youngest
State Senator.
In 1977, Senator Cleland was appointed head of the Veterans
Administration by President Carter, mailing him the youngest
Administrator in the agency's history.
In 1982, Georgia voters elected him Secretary of State, again, the
youngest ever.
And in 1996, Senator Cleland was elected to the United States Senate
where he became a champion on issues like veteran affairs, health care
and protecting our Nation's parks and natural treasures.
I think Jefferson would be proud to see that our Nation still
produces such leaders as Senator Cleland whose entire life embodies the
spirit of patriotism, civic duty and self-sacrifice that
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has shaped our Nation since its very founding.
I hope Senator Cleland will continue to speak out on the issues he
cares about so deeply because his voice is still needed.
jean carnahan
Mr. President, I rise to express my admiration and respect for my
departing colleague, Senator Jean Carnahan.
Senator Carnahan and I entered the Senate in the same freshman class
and we served together on the Special Committee on Aging.
I quickly came to appreciate Senator Carnahan's hard work on behalf
of the people of Missouri and our Nation.
Senator Carnahan was a leader in the fight to make prescription drugs
more affordable.
Senator Carnahan authored the ``Classroom Quality'' provision of the
``Leave No Child Behind Act'', which will give our local schools the
ability to offer qualified teaching specialists to all students who
need them.
Senator Carnahan worked to save thousands of airline jobs in Missouri
and across the Nation also provide relief for those workers who lost
their jobs in the wake of the travel slowdown after 9-11.
Senator Carnahan was one of the first legislators to go to
Afghanistan to see for herself that our troops had all they needed in
the fight against terrorism.
And Senator Carnahan fought tirelessly to make sure Social Security
and Medicare remain strong for our present seniors and the generations
to come.
While her tenure was brief, her legacy will be long.
But, beyond admiring her skills as a legislator, I came to appreciate
Senator Carnahan's sincere warmth, quiet humor and inner strength.
We are all too keenly aware that Senator Carnahan came to the Senate
in the wake of the tragic plane crash that killed her husband, Governor
Mel Carnahan, and her oldest son Randy.
But Senator Carnahan turned the grief over her family's loss into a
legacy of gains for families in Missouri and our Nation.
Senator Carnahan was truly a fitting heir to the Senate seat once
held by Harry Truman and I hope she will continue to speak out on the
issues she cared about so deeply.
Her voice will still be needed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut is recognized.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise for the purpose of paying tribute to
our colleagues who are leaving the Senate. There are some 10 of our
colleagues who are leaving under various circumstances. I would like to
speak about them and to express my deep appreciation for their
friendship, for the years we have worked together, or opposed each
other, as the case may be, on various matters that have come before
this body.
Mr. President, of course, we all have great affection for Senator
Thurmond, who has served here for 54 years and is on the brink of
celebrating his 100th birthday--a remarkable achievement in and of
itself. As someone once said, if they had known they would have lived
that long, they would have taken better care of themselves. And Strom
Thurmond took very good care of himself over the years.
Senator Max Cleland, a remarkable person, has served here for only 6
years, representing the State of Georgia. He has done a remarkable job
during his years here. But he has had a distinguished record, of
course, that has accumulated prior to his arrival in the Senate.
Senator Jesse Helms, with whom I have served on the Foreign Relations
Committee for my entire service, my 22 years in the Senate. He has
served for 30 years here. We have been the best of colleagues serving
together.
Senator Bob Torricelli of New Jersey; Senator Phil Gramm of Texas,
with whom I have served on the Banking Committee; Senator Jean
Carnahan, who has had a brief service here but has done a wonderful job
representing the State of Missouri; Senator Frank Murkowski, with whom
I was elected to the Senate 22 years ago; Senator Fred Thompson from
the State of Tennessee; Senator Bob Smith; Senator Tim Hutchinson--
these are the 10 Members who are leaving.
Strom Thurmond
Mr. President, regarding Senator Thurmond, I spoke back a number of
weeks ago about Senator Thurmond in our wonderful tribute to him. He is
truly an institution within this institution.
I have known Senator Thurmond since I was very young. My father and
he served together here for 12 years. I have served with him for 22
years. So for 34 years Senator Thurmond has had to serve with a Dodd in
the U.S. Senate of his 54 years.
I know of no one who has had as varied and as distinguished a career
in public service. When you think of his contribution as an educator,
as a Governor, as a combat war veteran--and not young at the time of D-
Day, I might add, but nonetheless showed great heroism--and serving, as
I mentioned, as a Governor of his State, and, of course, in the Senate
for so many years, and as a judge--truly a remarkable individual--and
elected to the Senate under various banners over the years--as a
Democrat, as a Dixiecrat, as a Republican, as a write-in candidate--
truly a remarkable achievement.
I've heard it suggested that they might have to rename the State of
South Carolina; there have been so many monuments to his public
service. There are schools, roads, bridges, parks all through the State
of South Carolina that bear the name of Strom Thurmond. That is
because, of course, he is held with such incredible affection by the
people of that State.
We have had our differences on substantive matters, but he has always
been a tremendous gentleman and a wonderful friend. He is a good friend
to my family as well. I wanted to take a couple minutes to say thank
you to a remarkable individual, a remarkable American. I know that he
has great affection for this institution and its Members. I wish him
the very best of health and, I want him to know we will all miss him
very much.
Max Cleland
I also want to pay tribute to our colleague from Georgia, Max
Cleland. I know very few people who have as many heroic qualities as
Max Cleland does. It is not by pure circumstance that I mention Strom
Thurmond and Max Cleland next to each other. I mentioned the fact that
Strom Thurmond served his country with great distinction in military
service during World War II. Max Cleland, of course, served his Nation
with great distinction during the Vietnam conflict and, of course, paid
a terrible price for that service. Just a month shy of completing his
tour of duty, he suffered the terrible loss of both legs and an arm.
Yet despite those physical injuries, and the obstacles they
presented, Max Cleland has made a remarkable contribution to this
institution, to the people of his home state of Georgia. Max Cleland is
truly an American hero, not just because he wore the uniform of the
United States and served in combat and suffered a terrible loss. He is
an American hero because of his willingness and desire to serve the
people of his country in a continuing fashion beyond that of a military
uniform. He has done so in the State of Georgia, holding office there
as well as here in the Senate. I don't know of anyone who is held in
such a high regard and with such respect by all of us as Max Cleland.
One of Senator Cleland's favorite poets, William Butler Yeats, once
wrote: ``Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart.''
In the case of Max Cleland, his enormous sacrifice to his country
only emboldened his golden nature, and increased his desire to dedicate
himself to improving the lives of others.
I will miss him very much. When the 108th Congress convenes, it just
won't seem quite right that Max Cleland is not among us--he has a
wonderful sense of humor, a great sense of history, a great love of his
country. I deeply regret the people of Georgia didn't see fit to send
him back to serve with us. I don't know his successor. I am sure he is
a fine person. I am sure he won't mind if I say I am going to miss Max
very much, but I know I have a lifelong friend in Max Cleland.
Just prior to coming back to Washington, it was announced that Max
and Nancy are going to be wed. My wife Jackie and I wish both of them
the best in the years ahead.
Jesse Helms
I also want to pay tribute to my friend and colleague from North
Carolina, Senator Jesse Helms. I don't
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know of anyone here I probably disagreed with more over the past 22
years than Jesse Helms. But I also don't know of anyone with whom I
have had a better relationship over the last 22 years. I know that
sounds somewhat of a contradiction to people who watch this
institution, that people with whom you can have profound and
significant disagreements can also be people you hold in high regard
and respect.
Senator Jesse Helms and I have fought tooth and nail on almost every
issue I can think of. But I don't know of a finer gentleman, a more
decent human being than Jesse Helms. And we have disagreed on policy
matters over and over again--he is a passionate conservative, his
voting record has scored a 100 percent rating from American
Conservative Union throughout his 30 years here, and he is deeply proud
of the fact that during those years he has one of the highest voting
records of loyalty to the Republican Party, in excess of 95 percent.
It is that passion which I admire. We don't have enough of it in
politics today, in my view. And while I wish we had more of on it our
side, I respect it when I see it in anyone. Jesse Helms certainly
brings it to his public service. I will miss his service here. I will
miss working with him. There were many occasions when we actually did
find common ground, as we do so frequently here, on matters that don't
achieve the high profile status as matters of disagreement do. He
served his State of North Carolina well. He served and represented a
point of view embraced by many.
I will miss him on a personal level as a kind and thoughtful
individual. Jackie and I wish he and Dot the very best in the years to
come.
Bob Torricelli
Mr. President, Robert Torricelli is leaving the Senate. He made the
decision this fall not to seek reelection in the midst of his election.
A lot of attention has been focused on that decision, but for those us
of who have known Bob Torricelli over his 20 years of public service--
14 years in the House, 6 years in the Senate--Bob Torricelli is a lot
more than an individual who decided to pull out of a race in New Jersey
this year. He is a passionate fighter for things he believes and he has
compiled a wonderful record of public service.
I want the Record to reflect that Bob Torricelli was a fine Senator,
a fine Member of Congress. He fought very hard on behalf of his
constituents, fought very hard on the issues he cared deeply about. We
had our disagreements over Cuban policy frequently. I always used to
say, when Bob Torricelli came to the floor to take the other side, he
was a formidable opponent.
He was an excellent debater, one who embraced his views with a great
deal of knowledge and a great deal of passion and feeling. He became
active in Democratic Party politics at an early age. His passion for
politics is something all of us came to appreciate in the Senate during
his years. He was elected to the House at age 31 in 1982. He did a
tremendous job there, serving on the House International Relations
Committee, and rose to prominence as a House member, as a leading voice
for advancing and expanding democracy and human rights worldwide.
In 1996, he came to the Senate. His efforts on behalf of tax,
employment, environmental, education, and health issues are things we
are all well aware of. He has wonderful legislative skills and was a
great battler on behalf of the Democratic Party.
He led the Senate Democratic campaign committee during his first term
in a cycle during which he raised a lot of money to support Democratic
candidates across the country. It is a thankless job. But for those of
us who stand for election or reelection, you have to have someone who
will head up these committees and do so with a great deal of energy.
Bob Torricelli certainly did that for a lot of people whose careers
might have been terminated more briefly had it not been for his
dedication to seeing to it that Democratic candidates would have a good
chance to be heard.
I would not want this session to end without expressing my gratitude
to Bob Torricelli for his service in this body and his service to the
people of New Jersey.
Phil Gramm
Mr. President, Phil Gramm is also leaving the Senate, going to work
for UBS Warburg. Their offices are in Connecticut, so I will be looking
forward, very carefully, at what Phil Gramm does as a new part-time
constituent of mine. I say that somewhat facetiously of course.
Phil Gramm has had a very distinguished career in public life. We
have served together on the Banking Committee during his entire time in
the Senate. We have worked together very closely on matters affecting
the securities industry. We coauthored a number of bills together
during our joint service. We were elected to the House together. Phil
was a Democrat in those days, then became a Republican, was elected to
the Senate as a Republican. He has authored major pieces of legislation
during his career.
In fact, the Brookings Institution listed three of the bills that
Phil Gramm authored or coauthored as among a handful of the most
significant pieces of legislation in the 20th century, including the
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings balanced budget proposal which attracted a wide
degree of attention during the 1980s. He made a mark here as a
tenacious fighter for what he believes in. One of the most difficult
opponents you could have on an issue is Phil Gramm. He doesn't take
many prisoners, and he fights very hard for the matters in which he
believes. I thank him for his service and wish him well in the years
ahead.
Jean Carnahan
Mr. President, I want to mention Jean Carnahan, who had a short
service in this body. All of us have a deep appreciation for the
circumstances under which she arrived--one of the most tragic set of
circumstances any of us can imagine. She did a remarkable job, coming
in under difficult circumstances, and we owe her a debt of gratitude
for the courageous and selfless service that she provided to the people
of Missouri, the American public, and the sense of silent grace with
which she handled those personal difficulties.
She didn't just simply show up in the Senate--she thrived here. All
of our colleagues would agree when I say that learning to navigate the
ways of the Senate can be difficult for anybody, but for somebody who
never served in public office, having, of course, been the first lady
of her State of Missouri for 8 years, Jean Carnahan did a remarkable
job during her time here. She made a difference on numerous pieces of
legislation in which she helped to forge compromises. While her tenure
may have been brief, she left a mark worthy of those with much longer
service. All of us express nothing but our very best wishes to Jean
Carnahan and to her family in the coming years. She has become a good
friend to us here. I thank her for her service, and I am sure she will
find other ways to contribute and provide services for the people of
this country.
Frank Murkowski
Frank Murkowski and I were elected to the Senate together in 1980. He
has now been elected Governor to the State of Alaska. He is moving on
to other areas of public service. He has done a very fine job here and
has made a significant contribution representing the people of Alaska.
He had a successful career as a businessman in Alaska before coming to
the Senate. He was President of the Alaska National Bank from 1970 to
1980.
Since his arrival here, he has kept Alaska first and foremost in his
mind. He has been an extraordinary defender of Alaska's interests. But
he made many contributions, as well, to the national agenda.
In fact, many of his biggest fights have greatly benefitted our
Nation as a whole. In 1996, for example, Frank Murkowski led the
congressional effort to pass the omnibus parks bill, which created or
improved more than 100 national parks, forests, preserves and historic
sites nationwide, including two in Alaska.
And, for more than 25 years, Frank and his wife, Nancy, have been
leaders in the fight against breast cancer in rural Alaska, and other
areas where access to early testing is severely lacking. He also led a
national effort against breast cancer here in Washington, and has been
an integral part of securing increased Federal funding for breast
cancer research and treatment nationwide.
[[Page S11237]]
He has been a passionate advocate of oil and gas exploration in
Alaska--one of the major debates in this body. I disagreed with Frank
Murkowski about allowing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge, but he certainly fought very hard on behalf of his beliefs,
showing up with charts and graphs and pictures of wildlife and the
like, day after day during that debate.
The people of Alaska have now elected him as their Governor. I know
all of us wish he and his wife Nancy well as they assume new
responsibilities in Juneau, Alaska.
Fred Thompson
Mr. President, I pay tribute to and express my gratitude to Senator
Fred Thompson of Tennessee, as well, for his service here. He has made
a significant contribution to public life during his years here in the
Senate, as well as prior to arriving here. Fred's career in politics
has truly been one of life imitating art imitating life.
How else can you describe a man who can be seen on the Senate floor
debating, only to see him later that evening playing a district
attorney on the television show ``Law and Order''? On just about any
given Sunday, you can catch Fred Thompson on cable in a rerun of ``Die
Hard II,'' or ``The Hunt for Red October.'' So he has had a
distinguished career in film and television, also.
But to suggest that was the sum total of Fred Thompson's life would
be a tragic mistake. There is a lot more to it. He has made significant
contributions in real life for over 30 years. He did serve as an
assistant U.S. attorney at one point in his life. He has been a
prominent public figure during some of the most critical moments in our
Nation's history--not only as chairman of the Governmental Relations
Committee, but also during the Watergate crisis in the early 1970s.
Fred Thompson was just a few years out of Vanderbilt Law School when
he was named minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in
1973. He has been commended on many occasions for his role in the
public disclosure of the Oval Office audio tapes, and that deserves
mention here again today.
Fred Thompson's early impact on the American political scene
foreshadowed his later career and success in the Senate, and his ever-
growing popularity in Tennessee. In 1994, he was elected by the people
of that State to fill the seat left vacant by the election of Senator
Al Gore as Vice-President. When he was voted in for a full Senate term
in 1996, he received the highest number of votes cast for any candidate
for any office in Tennessee history.
Fred Thompson has compiled a distinguished career over the years, as
I mentioned earlier, as an assistant U.S. attorney, as Watergate
counsel and, of course, during his years in the Senate. We are going to
miss him here. He and his wife Geri, I am sure, are going to have a
bright future, and I have a feeling we will be hearing more about Fred
Thompson in the years to come.
Robert Smith
Mr. President, Bob Smith from New Hampshire is also leaving the
Senate. While, again, we have been on not only different sides of the
aisle but on the different sides of many, if not most, issues that come
before the Senate, I thank Bob Smith for his service to his State of
New Hampshire and to the causes which he embraced very firmly.
Bob Smith is a very conservative Member of this body. He has also
become a leading advocate, during his latter years of service, on
environmental questions affecting not only the State of New Hampshire,
but also environmental issues across the country, including his work on
helping to clean up and restore the Florida Everglades. He opposed
drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge despite strong support
from the Bush administration and Senator Frank Murkowski.
So Bob Smith was more diverse in his views than some might have
otherwise believed. Again, I thank him for his service. We didn't agree
on many substantive issues that came before this body, but he was a
passionate fighter for views he held. My wife Jackie and I wish him and
his wife Jo Ann all the best in the future.
tim hutchinson
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and
colleague, Senator Tim Hutchinson, who will be leaving the United
States Senate at the conclusion of the 107th Congress.
Although Senator Hutchinson and I have not agreed on every issue that
has come before us, I have always considered him a friend, and I have
always respected his convictions. He has certainly served as a capable
and loyal advocate for the people of his home state of Arkansas.
Mr. President, I had the good fortune of getting to know Tim
Hutchinson very well during his six years in the Senate. We served
together on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. And,
in 2000, Senator Hutchinson and I co-founded the Senate Biotechnology
Caucus, which has played an important role in educating Members of
Congress and the public about recent developments in medical and
genetic research.
Throughout his 10 years in Washington--4 years in the House of
Representatives and 6 here in the Senate--Tim Hutchinson has shown a
deep commitment to improving the education of America's children,
strengthening our national security, increasing access to healthcare,
and safeguarding the often overlooked interests of rural America.
Given his background, these priorities are not surprising. Tim
Hutchinson himself was born on a small farm in rural Gravette,
Arkansas. And he was educated as a minister at Bob Jones University in
South Carolina.
After graduating from college, he returned to Gravette, where he
opened a Christian day school and taught history at nearby John Brown
University. I have always believed that his background as an educator
made Senator Hutchinson one of the most thoughtful and well-spoken
members of this body.
Tim Hutchinson's election to the Senate in 1996 was the culmination
of a 10-year political evolution, which began with his election to the
Arkansas Statehouse in 1985. While there, he gained a state-wide
reputation as a tireless advocate of law enforcement.
Tim Hutchinson was elected to the United States House of
Representatives in 1993, and in 1996 he became the first Republican in
Arkansas history to win a popular election to the Senate.
As a Senator Tim Hutchinson remained a committed advocate for
conservative causes--consistently scoring over 90 percent for his
voting record by the American Conservative Union.
However, there were also several instances when Senator Hutchinson
took the lead on important issues that crossed party lines. For
example, he has always had an interest in improving public education in
America, and was an integral part of the effort to create tax free
education savings accounts.
And, during the 107th Congress, Senator Hutchinson introduced the
Nurse Employment and Education Development Act--a landmark piece of bi-
partisan legislation to address the critical nursing shortage affecting
rural Arkansas and the country as a whole.
This year, the NEED Act was incorporated into the Nurse Reinvestment
Act, which President Bush recently signed into law. This legislation
stands as a fitting coda to Tim Hutchinson's tenure in the U.S.
Senate--its positive impact will be felt across America for years to
come.
Mr. President, I will miss having Tim Hutchinson as a colleague. My
wife Jackie and I wish him and his wife Randy, all the best in future
year.
I thank all 10 of these Members for their friendship. I look forward
to seeing them in the years ahead, and I wish them and their families
the very best in the years that come down the road.
FRED THOMPSON
Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to recognize my friend the Senior
Senator from Tennessee. Fred Thompson will retire this year after eight
distinguished years in the Senate. He has packed a great deal in those
eight years. He has been a forceful leader who has made significant
contributions to our country in a short amount time.
Senator Thompson was born and raised in Lawrenceburg, TN, a little
town sited by the great frontiersman and Congressman Davy Crockett.
Like Crockett, Senator Thompson charted a path in life that has allowed
him to use his character and great abilities for interests larger than
himself. He received his undergraduate degree from Memphis State
University and completed his law degree at Vanderbilt University
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in 1967. In 1973 and '74, Senator Thompson served as minority counsel
to the vice chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee, his mentor,
Senator, now Ambassador, Howard Baker. He served as Special Counsel to
both the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations. Senator Thompson is among the most
junior Senators in the history of the Senate to have ever served as
Chairman of a Standing Senate Committee.
But Senator Thompson's skills and talents go far beyond his
contributions to the Senate. He is also a very fine actor, not
withstanding Senator McCain's critiques of his performances. He has an
expansive list of movie and television roles that highlight his
commanding presence and impressive style. We will continue to enjoy
seeing him shine in his renewed acting career. He's had excellent real
life practice in the Senate.
We will miss Fred Thompson. We will miss his common sense, sharp wit
and decency. All of his friends in the Senate wish Fred and his new
bride, Jeri, all the best in their new lives together. I am proud to
have served with him.
PHIL GRAMM
Mr. President, I rise to recognize the Senior Senator from Texas.
Senator Phil Gramm will retire this year after 24 distinguished years
in the U.S. Congress, three terms in the House and three terms in the
Senate. He will be missed.
Thirty-five years ago Senator Gramm received his Ph.D in Economics
from the University of Georgia. After his time in Georgia, Senator
Gramm began his college teaching career at Texas A &M University as an
Assistant Professor of Economics in 1967. By 1973, he became the
youngest Full Professor in the history of the Texas A&M Economics
Department. His grasp and understanding of economics have been
important factors in our Congressional debate and government policy
over the last twenty-four years.
I have had the privilege to serve with Senator Gramm on both the
Senate Banking and Budget Committees. I have seen first hand the power
of his intellect and grasp of the issues that have advanced free trade
and strengthened our economy and the foundation of our democracy. His
contributions to our country are many. He authored numerous major
pieces of legislation during his career--and none more important than
the Gramm/Rudman/Hollings Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control
Act and the Gramm/Leach/Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act.
All of his friends in the Senate wish Wendy and Phil much success as
he takes on new responsibilities. He will now have more time to help
R.C. Slocum coach the A&M Aggies. The Congress and America are stronger
today for Senator Gramm having served in Congress. I am proud to have
served with him.
MAX CLELAND
Mr. President, I rise to recognize my longtime friend the Senior
Senator from Georgia. Max Cleland and I arrived in the Senate together
in 1997. He quickly became a respected U.S. Senator. Max Cleland has
been a role model for many people over the years. And, his years of
selfless public service have made America a better and stronger nation.
Senator Cleland joined the Army ROTC program at Stetson University in
Florida and went on to earn a Masters Degree in American History from
Emory University as a commissioned Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
In 1967 he volunteered for service in Vietnam. The next year he was
promoted to the rank of Captain and soon after he was seriously wounded
losing both his legs and his right arm. Senator Cleland's determination
and spirit turned his experience in Vietnam into a continuing passion
for interests greater than his own. His service in Vietnam further
motivated him to continue to help shape America.
At the age of 28, he won a seat in the Georgia State Senate making
him the youngest member and the only Vietnam veteran in that
legislative body at that time. Seven years later, President Jimmy
Carter appointed him Administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration.
He was the youngest VA Administrator ever and the first veteran of
Vietnam in that post. In 1982, he became the youngest Georgia Secretary
of State and held that position for three terms until he began his
campaign for the United States Senate in 1995.
Senator Cleland is an inspiration to all of us. We will miss his
honesty, integrity, spirit and leadership in this body. We wish him
well and thank him for his service and contributions to our country. I
am privileged and proud to have served in the Senate with my friend and
colleague Max Cleland. I salute you, Captain. You will be missed.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Jeffords). Who seeks recognition? The
Senator from Missouri, Mrs. Carnahan.
Mrs. CARNAHAN. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his kind and
generous remarks.
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