[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 151 (Wednesday, November 20, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11704-S11708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO DEPARTING SENATORS
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to our colleagues who
are leaving the Senate. What many Americans do not realize is that the
Senate is a place where many of us become friends. It is true that the
100 men and women who serve in this wonderful body arrive here with
different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We hold different
philosophies and ideas, represent states with different and at times
competing interests and needs, and we pursue different goals. But we
all share a lot in common by virtue of being here, and in the course of
working together on matters of national importance, we develop respect
and admiration for our colleagues, and often genuine friendships are
established. And so it is with the remarkable group of Senators who are
completing their service as the 107th Congress draws to a close.
Jean Carnahan
I want to speak first about Jean Carnahan, who has accomplished many
firsts in her lifetime, including being the first woman to represent
Missouri in the United States Senate. She was also the first person in
her family to graduate from college, in fact the first to graduate from
high school.
Senator Carnahan has served the people of Missouri so well over so
many years, including her outstanding work during her time here in the
Senate. We rightfully identify her with Missouri, but actually she grew
up in Washington, DC, attending Anacostia High School and then George
Washington University.
Her return to Washington 2 years ago should have been a happy
homecoming, but instead followed a calamity. Jean Carnahan arrived in
the Senate having suffered a seemingly unbearable tragedy, the death of
her husband Mel and her oldest son Randy in a plane crash. She not only
had little time to grieve but also was immediately thrust into the
public arena.
Mel Carnahan had a distinguished 40-year career in Missouri politics
serving as a judge, state representative, state treasurer, lieutenant
governor, and for 8 years as a popular and respected governor and was a
strong candidate for the United States Senate at the time of his death.
Just days after the funerals for her husband and son, she was asked
if she would serve in the Senate in Mel's place. It was a difficult
decision, and one she had to make amid shock and sorrow. Jean Carnahan
was not a politician, but she was her husband's political partner and
trusted adviser for many years, starting soon after their marriage. She
card-catalogued the names of every potential supporter and donor during
her husband's career, wrote many of his speeches and wrote and
delivered many of her own.
Fortunately for Missouri and for us, she volunteered to serve,
motivated by a desire to further the work that Mel and she had done
together to help the people of Missouri.
Talk about severe stress! Loss of her beloved husband, her high
school sweetheart, lifelong companion, loss of her son, moving to a new
home, changing jobs . . . all with people watching closely, openly
questioning her abilities and wondering if she would succeed.
Senator Carnahan has demonstrated remarkable composure and grace
while proving that she was indeed up to the challenges of the Senate.
She had to learn the intricacies of legislation and policy quickly, and
I am sure she would have been even more effective if given the
opportunity to serve longer.
But she succeeded by seeking commonsense solutions to complex
problems and helping to forge compromises. She didn't seek attention or
credit for her accomplishments but worked hard and made a difference.
Senator Carnahan's accomplishments include helping protect the jobs
of more than 12,000 airline employees during the merger negotiations
between TWA and American Airlines. She also worked hard to help local
school districts hire teaching specialists and deal with disruptive
students. Her Quality Classrooms provisions were included in the
landmark education bill we passed last year.
Senator Carnahan supported efforts to bolster our national security
and win the war on terrorism. She was a member of the first bipartisan
congressional delegation to travel to Afghanistan to visit the troops
and meet with regional leaders.
And I am especially grateful for her strong opposition to the
Administration's plan to ship nuclear waste across the country to Yucca
Mountain. Many people thought this plan would harm only Nevada, but she
understood that storing nuclear waste in Nevada would require tens of
thousands of shipments of highly dangerous substances across highways
and railroads in Missouri and almost every other state. And she could
not accept this risk of potential harm to the children and families and
environment of our great country.
So Jean Carnahan deserves our admiration, respect and gratitude for
all she has done. She has occupied Harry Truman's seat in the United
States Senate and worked at his old desk. Missouri should be proud of
how she has continued Harry Truman's legacy and her husband's legacy
and been an advocate for the working families of Missouri.
By a narrow margin she was unable to overcome a well-funded opponent
whose campaign benefitted from the popularity of the President this
year. She might have come up short in this election, but she
understands that a political defeat is not the most significant loss
one can suffer.
Her time here has been all too brief, but Senator Jean Carnahan has
made a difference and I will miss her very much.
Jean will enjoy spending time on her family farm in Rolla, Missouri,
visiting with her children and grandchildren. And I expect her to
continue writing books, giving speeches and advice. She has much to
say, and we would do well to hear and read her words.
Max Cleland
I also wish to pay tribute to Max Cleland, Georgia's senior senator
and a true American hero.
While his story is familiar to those of us fortunate enough to know
him and have served with him, I encourage Americans looking for
inspiration to read his book Strong at the Broken Places, which
describes his experiences overcoming tremendous adversity and reveals
his remarkable character.
He is a native Georgian who is proud of his state and has served it
so well for so long, but Max Cleland personifies qualities that the
people of Nevada and all Americans appreciate: patriotism, courage, and
fortitude.
Max Cleland was awarded the Bronze Star and a Silver Star for
meritorious service in Vietnam.
During college he joined the Army ROTC program and after graduation
he took a Second Lieutenant's commission in the Army. Max Cleland
volunteered for duty in Vietnam in 1967 and the following year he was
promoted to the rank of Captain.
Just one month prior to the end of his tour of duty, he was seriously
wounded in a grenade explosion. As a result he lost both legs and his
right arm.
His body broken, he spent the next year and a half recovering from
his injuries in various Army and Veterans Administration hospitals.
Despite his enormous sacrifice, he refused to let his injuries break
his spirit. And he did not dwell on his own experiences but rather
sought to help others.
He described the difficulties veterans were experiencing returning
home from Vietnam in testimony before the United States Senate Veterans
Affairs Committee in 1969.
The next year, he was elected to the Georgia State Senate, thus
beginning a career in public service that has continued for more than
30 years. As the youngest member of the Georgia Senate at the age of
28, he wrote the state law making public facilities in the state
accessible to the disabled.
Max was hired to work for the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in
1975 and two years later, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to head
the U.S. Veterans Administration. He became the youngest VA
administrator in history and the first Vietnam veteran to head the
agency. In this position, he instituted the revolutionary ``Vets Center
program'' which for the first time offered psychological counseling to
combat veterans in order to heal their emotional wounds as well as
their physical wounds. There are now more than 200 Vets Centers across
the country offering support to combat and
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non-combat veterans and their families.
Continuing to set precedents, he became the youngest Secretary of
State in Georgia's history when he won election in 1982. He was so
effective and so popular that he won reelection by large margins three
times. He resigned as Secretary of State in 1995 to run for the U.S.
Senate seat being vacated by Sam Nunn. Although he was outspent three
to one, Max Cleland overcame this obstacle as he has done throughout
his life, and he won.
Over the past 6 years, Senator Cleland has made important
contributions to the people of Georgia, the people of Nevada and all
Americans, helping to safeguard our homeland, keep our military strong
and treat our veterans fairly.
As the Chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee of the Armed Services
Committee, Senator Cleland has fought to improve the quality of life of
our nation's active duty, reserve and retired military personnel. He
has lobbied to improve health care, education and retirement benefits.
While Max Cleland will be leaving the Senate, I know that he will
continue serving the people of this country he loves so much. He also
will marry his fiancee Nancy, and I wish them much happiness.
Robert Torricelli
Robert Torricelli has devoted his entire adult life to public
service, including the past 20 years in Congress. He was elected at the
age of 31 to the House of Representatives in 1982, the same year I was,
and I enjoyed serving with him in the House and more recently in the
Senate.
Bob Torricelli has served his constituents in New Jersey so well as a
tough fighter, an articulate debater and an effective legislator.
He has also been so good to Nevada as a great friend and advocate for
the gaming industry, an important part of our state's economy. And he
joined with us in opposing the Administration's plan to transport the
nation's nuclear waste for storage at Yucca Mountain.
Bob also was highly successful as the chairman of the Democratic
Senate Campaign Committee during the 1999-2000 election cycle,
recruiting strong candidates and raising money to allow them to get
their message out and be competitive. He targeted weak opponents and
helped Democratic candidates defeat the largest number of Republican
incumbents in many years. These surprising results enabled our party to
reach a 50-50 split in the Senate and positioned us to become the
majority party subsequently.
There has been no finer advocate in the Senate than Senator
Torricelli. He has been articulate, knowledgeable and experienced.
Senator Torricelli's departure from this body is a sad time. I know
how passionately he cares about politics and how devoted he has been to
public service.
I will miss Bob. Nevada will miss Bob. Our country will miss Bob. But
one thing I will not miss is his friendship; we have bonded, and our
friendship is forever.
Strom Thurmond
Mr. President, I join my colleagues today in recognizing the
distinguished Senator from South Carolina and his years of service in
the United States Senate.
Strom Thurmond has lived almost one century, his 100th birthday will
be December 5th, and he has been a Senator for almost half of that
time. He is now finishing his eighth full term, making him the longest-
serving Senator and the oldest member of Congress.
But Senator Thurmond is known, and will long be remembered, for much
more than his longevity.
He has had a remarkable life and career of service to South Carolina
and the United States, having served as a school superintendent, state
senator, judge and as the Palmetto State's Governor.
He entered the nation's military when he was 21 years old and almost
20 years later volunteered to serve in World War II. He was among the
brave American troops who landed in Normandy on D-day with 82nd
Airborne Division, and he received numerous awards for his military
service including the Bronze Star for Valor and a Purple Heart.
Senator Thurmond has fought no less fiercely in the political arena.
He has used his gifts, experience, the power and respect he has earned
and knowledge of Senate rules and procedures to advocate on behalf of
his causes.
Although he has switched political parties during his career, serving
first as a Democrat, running for President as a ``States Rights'' third
party candidate in 1948, and becoming a Republican in 1964, he has
consistently adhered to his political ideology.
I am glad that we have an opportunity to acknowledge his
contributions and to reflect on the considerable impact he has had on
this body, his party, and the nation.
Senator Thurmond is a living monument, but just to make sure his
service is recognized, the people of South Carolina, whom he has
represented for so long, have honored him by erecting a monument for
him and naming dozens of facilities for him.
Senator Thurmond will certainly be missed around here. I bid him
farewell and extend my best wishes to him and his family.
Jesse Helms
Jesse Helms is retiring after serving five terms in the Senate.
During this time, he has become a legend. He has been a powerful
legislator and wielded significant influence on issues within the
Senate and events around the world.
While he and I do not share the same philosophy of government and
have not always agreed on policies, I have no doubt that he believes
sincerely in his causes, and I admire the passion with which he has
fought for what he believes is right.
As I have noted previously, the Senate is a place where many
friendships are forged, even among people who seem unlikely to get
along. But what many people don't understand is that it is possible to
disagree without being disagreeable.
Senator Helms has succeeded in charming and befriending many people,
ranging from fellow Senators to internationally known rock stars, who
strongly disagree with much of what he advocates.
Certainly, the Senate will be different without Jesse Helms, and I
wish him the best.
Frank Murkowski
As the people of Nevada know all too well, Frank Murkowski can be a
tough opponent. He has led the effort in the Senate to push through the
Administration's plan to transport tens of thousands of tons of nuclear
waste through most of the Lower 48 for storage at Yucca Mountain, and
therefore he and I have often been on opposing sides.
But I recognize that his motives are not personal; he has a different
vision of what our priorities should be and what policy is the best
course of action. He has been a forceful advocate for Alaska here in
the Senate since 1980, and he will continue to be one after he leaves
to serve as Alaska's next Governor.
Phil Gramm
Phil Gramm has been an influential politician and has had an
interesting life. Although he flunked third, seventh and ninth grades,
he received a Ph.D. in economics. This education instilled in him a
strong belief in free markets, and he brought that understanding to
Washington, along with his speeches about a Texas print shop owner
named Dicky Flatt who has been cited as a representative American
resistant to government spending.
Phil was elected to the House of Representatives first as a Democrat
and then again after he became a Republican. He was elected to the
Senate in 1984 and has authored major pieces of legislation during his
career, perhaps most notably the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings effort to reduce
the federal budget deficit.
On this issue, as on so many others, Senator Gramm has been
relentless. You always knew where he stood and always heard what he
said. He will be missed.
Bob Smith
I have the greatest affection for the departing Senator from New
Hampshire Bob Smith. He and I worked together for one difficult year
when he was the co-chairman of the MIA/POW Committee along with Senator
Kerry. They led us as we completed that most important study, and I
learned a lot about Senator Smith in the process.
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He served in the Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War,
so he was very interested in the issue of missing soldiers. And he is a
real patriot, committed to making sure America's military is strong.
Bob Smith loves this country.
Our friendship was cemented when we were asked to lead the Ethics
Committee and had to resolve very difficult issues. He impressed me
with his institutional awareness, intelligence and historical
knowledge, and I found him to be a true gentleman. In addressing the
issues before the Ethics Committee he was firm and strict but fair,
which is what leadership of that group requires.
Senator Smith and I also served together on the Environment and
Public Works Committee, including a time when he was Chairman and I was
Ranking Member. He might have surprised a lot of people with his
concern for the environment, but I am proud that we were able to work
together to protect this nation's air and water, to defend wildlife and
preserve the environment.
Bob Smith is a friend. I was disappointed with the results of the
elections in the Granite State, and I am going to miss him.
Fred Thompson
Fred Thompson leaves the Senate after 8 years of service. It seems
like he has been here much longer perhaps because he has been so highly
visible both in public service and as an entertainer.
Fred Thompson not only has been a Senator; he also has played one on
TV. His other acting roles include leader of the CIA, the FBI, and
White House Chief of Staff.
Many Americans first noticed Fred Thompson during the Watergate
crisis. He was a young lawyer serving as minority counsel to the Senate
Watergate Committee in 1973, and he played a role in the public
disclosure of the tapes President Nixon recorded in the Oval Office. Of
course the scandal led to the President's resignation.
And since that introduction, we have come to know Fred Thompson well
and know we can rely on his intelligence, judgment, wit, and insight.
He has been a skillful negotiator in the Senate, a popular colleague
and someone people look up to.
While he will be missed around here, I take comfort knowing I will be
able to see him frequently on TV and in the movies.
Tim Hutchinson
Senator Tim Hutchinson grew up on a farm in rural Arkansas and
graduated from Bob Jones University. So he and I have had different
experiences and are guided by different beliefs. Not surprisingly, we
have often voted differently. But I do not question how dearly he holds
his convictions, and I recognize that he has been a dedicated advocate
for the people of Arkansas throughout his 10 years in Washington--4
years in the House of Representatives and 6 here in the Senate.
Tim Hutchinson is part of a family that has had a significant impact
on politics in the state of Arkansas: when Tim ran for the Senate, his
brother Asa ran for and won the seat Tim had held in the House. Asa has
since gone on to become the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Agency. I have worked with both Tim and Asa, and I understand Tim's son
is now a state legislator so I might have the opportunity one day to
work with him too.
Before he leaves, let me extend my appreciation to Senator Hutchinson
for all his kind deeds toward me. Despite our differences, we have had
a good relationship. We have worked together on my concurrent receipt
legislation to secure retirement benefits for disabled military
retirees and on a number of other issues. He and his brother are both
considerate, thoughtful gentlemen. I wish him well in whatever comes
next.
Dean Barkley
In contrast to longest-serving Senator in history, Dean Barkley wraps
up one of the shortest terms ever, having taken his oath of office just
last week. Of course, we all recognize the sad and special
circumstances which led to his being here: the tragic death of our dear
friend and colleague Paul Wellstone. I have already spoken of Paul
Wellstone, how much he accomplished here in the Senate, what his role
was and his legacy will be, and what I remember of our personal
interaction. I said that Paul Wellstone is irreplaceable. Nobody,
whether they serve 2 weeks or 2 decades, will fill his shoes. To his
credit, Dean Barkley understood that and he realized what his role
during his brief time in the Senate should be. I spoke with him shortly
after his appointment. He had a lot of pressure on him to align with
one side or the other and he could have created a lot of problems.
Fortunately, he decided it would be best for the people of Minnesota
not to change the balance in the Senate, and he stuck to the
independence streak for which he is known. Dean Barkley was not here
long, but he has taken his position seriously, and I am sure he has had
an unforgettable experience. I thank him for his service and wish him
well.
Bob Smith
Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, Bob Smith loved serving the people of New
Hampshire. I have witnessed Bob's high regard for the office he has
held here in the U.S. Senate; he has taken his job seriously, both in
Washington and at home. He is a man of strong family values and hearty
resolve, two fundamental characteristics of our State. Bob is not a
programmed politician. In fact, he is the opposite. He has always been
driven by his independence and conservative ideas.
When Bob and Mary Jo Smith first moved to New Hampshire, they did not
waste any time getting involved in the Lakes Region community. Bob
became a high school history and government teacher and helped coach
the football and baseball teams. He also got involved in local politics
by joining the school board. Fourteen years after settling in New
Hampshire, Bob was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives,
where he served until he was elected to the Senate.
Here in the Senate, Bob has been an advocate and representative for
the interests of New Hampshire, taking strong stands on the issues he
cares about. Regardless of political bias, it can never be said that
Bob Smith did not stand up for what he believed in, a fact that is
known and respected in New Hampshire.
He became chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee,
providing leadership and a voice for New Hampshire on environmental
issues. He has continued to speak out for the concerns of States like
New Hampshire.
On the Armed Services Committee, Bob has championed the cause of
accounting for American prisoners of war and those service men and
women who are reported missing in action. As a veteran of the Navy and
the Vietnam War, Bob has long advocated for a strong military and
understands the importance of government support and assistance for
brave members of our armed services.
During the past 18 years, Bob has shown grace and strength. He has
served New Hampshire with honor and I admire his courage in standing up
for what he believes in time and time again. Bob, his wife Mary Jo, and
their three children have spent the past eighteen years achieving well
the difficult balance of raising a family while simultaneously handling
the constant demands of public office. I want to take this opportunity
to congratulate my colleague on his distinguished career and thank him
for his service to New Hampshire.
fred thompson
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, at the conclusion of this year, we will
bid farewell to a Senator who is larger than life, both literally and
figuratively.
Fred Thompson, may chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee,
and my food friend, will be leaving the Senate after 8 years of
distinguished service.
While there is no question that the people of Tennessee would have
returned him to the Senate for another term had he chosen to seek it,
Fred decided that there is life after the Senate--and if the past is
prologue, we can be sure that it will be an interesting life.
Fred came to this body after a varied and distinguished career. He
had been a prominent public servant--most notably as an assistant U.S.
attorney and as the Republican counsel to the Watergate committee--as
well as a skilled lawyer and a gifted actor. From his days with
Senators Howard Baker and Sam Ervin in the Watergate hearings, to his
role in exposing the sale of pardons in the State of Tennessee, to his
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acting in 18 films, Fred brought a keen intellect, a great sense of
humor, and an exceptional capacity for hard work to every task. And
those are the very characteristics that have marked his Senate service.
Fred has been a leader in the Senate on a wide variety of critical
issues, including intelligence reform and oversight, reducing the
threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and
reducing the tax burden on American families. He was among the first to
join Senators McCain and Feingold in the quest for campaign finance
reform and fairly and effectively chaired extensive hearings to expose
the abuses in the financing of the 1996 Presidential campaign.
As chairman and later ranking Republican on the Governmental Affairs
Committee, his efforts have led to management and regulatory reforms as
well as the passage of the legislation to create the new Department of
Homeland Security.
In the 6 years that I have worked closely with Fred, I have never
known him to be unprepared. I have never known him to be undisciplined.
And I have never known him to be anything less than eloquent--although,
as a Yankee, I may not always appreciate the subtlety of his colloquial
expressions. Two examples that I recall with special fondness are:
``Don't load up the wagon unless you're willing to pay the freight,''--
which is, I believe, a reference to spending proclivities--and then, my
personal favorite: ``It's like teaching a pig to dance. It wastes your
time, and it irritates the pig.
Of course, Fred is much more than just quotable. Fred is a truly
courageous leader. He actually relishes being in the minority, even a
tiny minority, when one of his basic principles, such as States rights
and the 10th amendment, is at issue. He always votes his convictions--
even when the current polls suggest that public sentiment is on the
other side. His good judgment and his careful consideration of every
issue are a model for all of us. Fred's fearless leadership is one of
many reasons why his constituents, even those who may disagree with
him, hold him in such high regard. They know that Fred Thompson will
speak the truth and do with it right, that he will make the hard
choices, and that the well being of his constituents and our country
guides his every decision.
No one can be certain what the future will hold for Fred. We know
that he has already drawn on two of his previous careers--the law and
acting--by signing on to play the avuncular district attorney on the
popular television show, ``Law and Order.'' It also seems very likely
that he will have future responsibilities in Government, since I
anticipate that this President will seek to use his extraordinary
talents.
But no matter what Fred Thompson's post-Senate career may entail, one
conclusion can be stated with confidence. He has graced this
institution and served his Nation well. I feel so fortunate to have
served with him during these past 6 years, and I shall miss him.
Godspeed, my friend.
TIM hutchinson
Mr. President, I rise this morning to pay tribute to my colleague and
good friend from Arkansas, Senator Tim Hutchinson.
I have particularly enjoyed working with Tim on the Senate HELP
Committee. We have literally worked ``shoulder to shoulder'' both in
committee and on the Senate floor on many issues of tremendous
importance to the health and well-being of all Americans--the Patients'
Bill of Rights, legislation to increase access to more affordable
prescription drugs, home health care, increased funding for diabetes
research, and legislation to increase access to health care in the
rural and underserved areas of our country.
Tim demonstrated his ability to reach across the aisle and work on a
bipartisan basis when he joined with Senator Mikulski in developing
legislation to address our Nation's growing shortage of registered
nurses. I was pleased to join as an original cosponsor of the Nurse
Reinvestment Act, which has been signed into law, and which will
address this problem by providing incentives for individuals to enter
the nursing profession, providing continuing education and
opportunities for advancement within the profession, and increasing the
number of nurse faculty to teach at our nursing schools.
Senator Hutchinson has also been a leader and an advocate for our men
and women in uniform, and I have been honored to serve with him on the
Senate Armed Forces Committee. As the ranking member on the personnel
subcommittee, he has seen to the needs of the soldiers, sailors,
airmen, and marines time and time again. He has fought to ensure that
the men and women serving our country receive adequate pay and
compensation, and this year he went to the mat to support our military
retirees on concurrent receipt/special compensation.
In January 2000, I traveled with Senator Hutchinson to Japan, South
Korea, and Taiwan where we got an update on the region and had an
opportunity to meet with many troops there. In particular, Senator
Hutchinson spent a lot of time speaking with our troops who were
serving proudly on the front line of the DMZ. In Korea, it was the dead
of winter, and the meeting rooms in South Korea actually straddled the
DMZ line.
On that trip we also visited the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk in Japan, where I
found that Senator Hutchinson had a special place in his heart for our
naval forces. We also made history when we met with the first
democratic president of Taiwan--President Lee.
Senator Hutchinson has always taken the time to listen to our troops
and military leaders, as he was always looking for ways that he could
make a positive difference for these young men and women proudly
serving our country. Senator Hutchinson will be greatly missed, but his
legacy and accomplishments will remain in our history forever.
Fred Thompson
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend
and colleague who is retiring from the Senate after eight years of
principled and distinguished service. The Senate will lose an extremely
dedicated public servant and also a good bit of star power when Fred
Thompson leaves us at the end of the 107th Congress.
I had the pleasure of serving on the Governmental Affairs Committee
headed by Senator Thompson from 1997 until June 2001. I appreciate
Senator Thompson's determination in pursuing fiscal accountability and
relentlessly seeking a smaller and more efficient Federal Government.
Senator Thompson's leadership on issues such as the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and missile technologies has made an
enduring contribution to our national security, and I have enjoyed
working closely with him on matters related to our national
laboratories. I would like to thank Senator Thompson for his tireless
work more recently on the monumental task of creating a Department of
Homeland Security. I submit that his industry and integrity in this
historic undertaking will leave him a legacy of which he should be
proud.
The people of Tennessee first elected Senator Thompson to the Senate
in 1994, to fill an unexpired two-year term. When he was reelected in
1996, he made history by garnering more votes than any previous
candidate for any office in Tennessee. A native of Lawrenceburg, TN,
Thompson worked his way through school to earn an undergraduate degree
in philosophy and political science from Memphis State University, and
a law degree from Vanderbilt University. Only two years after law
school, Thompson was named an Assistant United States Attorney.
Thompson was then appointed at the age of 30 as minority counsel to the
Senate Watergate Committee, where he served in 1973 and 1974. Before he
was elected to the Senate, Fred Thompson operated successful law
practices in Nashville and Washington and served as Special Counsel to
the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations.
While many know that Senator Thompson is embarking on a new role as
district attorney in the television series Law & Order, his talents for
law and acting first came together in the film Marie, in which he
portrayed himself after taking on a case in 1977 that uncovered a cash-
for-clemency scandal that unseated Tennessee's Governor. Fred Thompson
has subsequently acted in 18 motion pictures, including In the Line of
Fire, Die Hard II and The Hunt
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for Red October, as well as four television series.
Some might characterize Fred Thompson's uncommonly successful career
in show business as a natural complement to the daily business of the
Senate. What I know is that whether on the big screen or on the floor
of the Senate, Fred Thompson's larger-than-life presence has touched
the lives of a great many Americans, and he will be sorely missed by
his colleagues in the Senate. I thank my colleague for his eight years
of distinguished service in which he has enlivened the Senate and
served his country with uncommon resolve. I wish Senator Thompson the
very best in his retirement and all his future endeavors.
frank murkowski
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my distinguished
colleagues, a Senator from the class of 1980. From our seats on the
same side of the aisle, I have been able to serve 22 years with my
long-time friend, and colleague, Senator Murkowski.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Senator Murkowski for his
distinguished career of service both to our Nation and his home State
of Alaska, and to congratulate him. Senator Murkowski has been a great
advocate of his State, which has been demonstrated by his winning 75
percent of the vote in 1998, and the gubernatorial race in this last
election. As the Senator moves onto a new challenge, I wish him well
with his efforts to continually serve the people of Alaska.
As I look at the past seven years, and all that the Senator has
accomplished during his time as chairman of the Energy Committee, I
know that these will be big shoes to fill. Throughout his career, the
Senator has held steadfast to his ideals, while fighting for improved
veterans' health care, and the search for American POW/MIAs, as
Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. While on the Finance
Committee, the Senator from Alaska played a pivotal role in passing the
Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
Senator Murkowski, his professional manner, and his willingness to
work have made him an asset to our Senate. We, in the Senate, will be
at a loss without his unrelenting will-power, and determination.
Senator Murkowski has been a friend and servant to the citizens of
Alaska, earning a reputation for unbeatable service to his
constituents. We have always had a lot in common, fighting for the
interest of our predominantly rural States. I have always been
impressed with his capability to keep the diversified interests of his
State in mind, while developing bills to improve and preserve the
tradition, and way of life, for Alaskan citizens. Alaska will be lucky
to have him as their Governor.
Today I join my colleagues in offering a goodbye, and good luck, to
Senator Murkowski, a tenacious man of high-integrity, for his years of
dedicated service. I will certainly miss my friend, and wish him the
best as he enters his new career as Governor of Alaska.
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