[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 20, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6702-S6705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING FORMER SENATOR RUSSELL LONG
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to one of
the greatest Senators to have ever served in this body, the late
Senator Russell Long. Born in 1918, Russell Long came from a long line
of Louisiana political elites. From the beginning of his career
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as a public servant, Russell wanted to distinguish his career from that
of his father and to make his own mark. No doubt, his distinguished
leadership and passion for serving people allowed him to create a
legacy that will be remembered by the people of Louisiana and this
Nation for a long time to come. Although he is no longer with us, the
legacy of his work and the relationships he fostered will live on
forever.
For 38 years, Russell Long engaged in the debate of this Chamber.
While he was a loyal Democrat, Russell always believed in putting
principle above politics. His long list of accomplishments is a
testament to that value. His Earned Income Tax Credit, EITC, has proven
time and time again to be one of the most effective methods for helping
low-income workers stay off of welfare. Every year, the EITC helps
millions of Americans raise themselves out of poverty. Similarly, his
efforts to expand Social Security to include coverage for the disabled
have saved tens of millions of lives over the past 50 years. These are
but a few of the many ways that Russell used his vast knowledge of the
Tax Code and his position as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee
to champion the poor and downtrodden.
Russell Long will not only be remembered for his incredible
intelligence, but also for his kind, jovial manner. Always ready with a
quick story or a witty one-liner, Russell was well known for trying to
ease tensions during difficult debates. His calm presence was a
unifying force that could negotiate both sides of an issue fairly and
respectfully. His frequent practice of wrapping his arm around a
colleague and pulling his colleague so close that he could whisper in
his ear, helped to keep his friends abundant and his enemies rare.
Everyone liked and respected Russell; few public servants can claim
such a distinction.
In my 23 years of public service, I cannot count how many times I
have looked to him as an example. Russell Long set a benchmark for
service to the people of our State--a benchmark we all still strive to
meet today. I challenge my colleagues to honor his memory and the
spirit of bipartisanship his career embodied. What mattered to Russell
was that justice was served and the policies put forward by the U.S.
Senate were both equitable and fair. Faced with a growing deficit and
an ongoing war on terrorism, these principles are now more important
than ever.
I end my remarks with words from the eulogy delivered by my
predecessor and Russell's colleague, former Senator J. Bennett
Johnston, at Russell's funeral:
Eighty-four years ago, Russell Long entered this life as
Huey P. Long Junior. The legendary kingfish thought better of
it shortly after and renamed him Russell, and said, ``that
boy has to make a name for himself.'' And what a name he
made. He served 38 years in the U.S. Senate, 16 of those
years as the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, longer
continuous service in that position than anybody else in the
history of the U.S. Senate.
President-elect Jimmy Carter used to say that he was sent
to Washington to run the country and got there and found out
Russell Long was already running it. Jimmy Carter may have
been exaggerating, but he wasn't exaggerating by very much.
Russell Long understood that with the tax code we can make
water run up hill, and for those who are thirsty and in need
that was a great phenomenon for Russell Long to be able to
perform, and this State and this Nation for decidedly better
because of it.
His legislative victories are legend. If Russell didn't
invent bipartisanship he certainly perfected the art. All of
the presidents with whom he served had both respect and
affection, and occasionally consternation, with Russell.
He had a legendary relationship with LBJ. When LBJ had a
provision he wanted to pass in regards to agricultural aid to
India, Russell said I can't help you, I can't help you, I am
against it. Well, LBJ's top aide Bill Moyers called back in a
little while and said, ``Why don't you come by the White
House this evening, just a quiet dinner.'' And Russell said,
``I'm glad to go by the White House, the president is my
friend, but I do not want to talk about agricultural aid to
India.'' And Bill said, ``Well, that's a deal.'' So they were
sitting in the family room after dinner, just the three of
them in their rocking chairs, and after a couple of hours
Russell got up to go home, and the president said, ``Now one
more thing,'' and Russell's eyes shot through him And LBJ
said to him, ``You know that fifth circuit judge from
Louisiana you recommended. We'll, we've got a candidate from
Texas who's pretty good, too.'' And nothing else was said.
You know Texas and Louisiana share the fifth circuit. Well
the next morning Russell told his staff, ``Call Bill Moyers,
tell him we have an understanding.''
Nixon called him the partisan of principle, and indeed he
was. But he had a few characteristics which I think are neat.
He had a fifth gear he could slip into legislatively. He knew
when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, when to bring 'em up for
a vote, when the time was right, what arguments would appeal.
And it was an amazing thing to watch. One of his most
enduring characteristics was his sense of humor.
Russell was always popular with people but he never
hesitated to go along with something unpopular when it was a
matter of principle. He voted for the Panama Canal because it
was a matter of principle. Russell Long had a side that was
unknown to the public. Always he was up. He was the most fun
person to be with. Anywhere it was fun to be with Russell
Long. But he was also sweet and gentle. My 16 years serving
as Russell's colleague are among the most pleasant memories
of my life.
He's a legend. A friend. A statesman. He will always be
bright and shining within us.
Bennett's words about Russell are so true. Russell's abilities as a
Senator are legendary. His passing is a tremendous loss, but his
service in the U.S. Senate was a great gift to this body, the State of
Louisiana, and the entire country.
I ask unanimous consent to print in the Record an excerpt from his
official obituary and two articles on his life from the Baton Rouge
Advocate.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
[From the Baton Rouge Advocate, May 13, 2003]
Russell B. Long, Legacy to Power
Russell B. Long had twice as long on this Earth as his
father, who died at 42 by an assassin's hand. Huey P. Long
was one of the most controversial men in America, and there
were many who did not mourn his passing.
His oldest son will be buried today in Baton Rouge amid
real grief at his passing last week, an with great respect
for his accomplishments.
It was certainly not that Russell Long failed to be
involved in the great battles of his day. He was sent to the
U.S. Senate in 1948, succeeding John H. Overton, and served
until he retired and was replaced in the 1986 election by
John Breaux, who has held the seat since.
During his 38 years in the Senate, Long held leadership
positions and chaired the Finance Committee, and was
intimately involved in the most momentous issues facing the
nation. He served on equal terms with giants such as Lyndon
B. Johnson at the apex of the Senate's power in American
government.
But if Long moved all his life among the great, he
distinguished himself not by emulating his father's colorful
oratory but by mastering the governing process. There were
probably few more humble and self-effacing men in Washington
life, and he made lifelong friends of many of those with whom
he served.
Nevertheless, his legislative skills became legend. He had
a fund of Uncle Earl stories to fall back on, but as often as
not he was buying time, waiting for the right moment to
introduce a skillfully drawn amendment or to strike the deal
that would advance both a piece of legislation and
Louisiana's interests.
He could judge the opportune time to strike in the Senate,
but he also could be astutely tone-deaf. There is a famous
story about President Kennedy lobbying Long for a vote, and
Long pretending not to hear and continuing to bring up the
subject of Fort Polk. The president got the message: The
senator would help the president if the president would help
the senator protect the military installation in Long's home
state.
Long was powerful and used his position to bring jobs and
projects to Louisiana. No one more diligently protected the
oil industry, and shrugged off accusations that he was
protecting his own substantial oil an gas properties. If he
thought the depletion allowance was good for Louisiana, it
would remain in law--and it did, probably too long. But it
had a friend in the Senate, and that was Russell Long.
Long's aide and biographer, Bob Mann, titled his book
``Legacy to Power.'' The power was manifest, but Long's role
as the legacy of his populist father often was questioned in
years when liberal Democrats saw Long as too prone to support
corporate interests.
It is true that he became more conservative over time. But
many of Long's greatest legislative accomplishments were not
for oil and gas, or other business interests. They were for
Social Security and Medicare, expanding the role of
government in protecting poor people and the elderly from
privation.
In retirement and not often in the news in his later years,
Long's own legacy might not be fully appreciated in the
humble homes that he worked to protect and make whole against
the vicissitudes of life.
He proved himself worthy of his father's best ideals.
[[Page S6704]]
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[From the Baton Rouge Advocate, May 13, 2003]
Long Brought Wisdom, Joy to D.C. Politics
(By Joan McKinney)
Russell Long is being buried today. He's been gone from the
U.S. Senate for 17 years. If you are young or new to
Louisiana--oh, how unlucky you are to have missed him.
In the three days since his death, there's been every
conceivable claim about Long's importance to the politics and
economic life of Louisiana, and the impact he had--and still
has--on everybody in the taxpaying workplace, from the
richest corporate officer to the poorest wage earner.
Believe the claims. They're true.
But what Long did to, and with, the federal tax code as
chairman of the Senate Finance Committee--as huge as that
work was--that alone would not account for the way we
remember him. We remember him in Washington with alternating
awe and amusement. Respect and laughter. What finer things
could anyone leave behind?
The most fabulous things about Long were, first and
foremost, his awesome brilliance, and, second, his . . . his
what? The whole hilarious package of him: the Uncle Earl
stories; the Southernisms; the get-to-the-heart of it one
liners; the way he'd go red in the face and flail his arms
around when he spoke on the Senate floor and go worked up--
which was just about any time he gave a floor speech.
There was also the body bend. Long would start that arm a-
flailing. Maybe he'd pump a fist in the air. Then he'd start
pumping both arms up and down. Soon, he'd be pumping so hard
that he'd bend at the waist.
Like the chicken and the egg, who knows what came first--
the body bend or the baggy pants? Long was renowned for those
pants.
Rafael Bermudez, a former Long aide living in Baton Rouge,
tells a story of accompanying Long on a shopping trip. The
senator, he said, pulled a huge pair of pants off the rack,
put them on, went to a full-length mirror, and bent over to
make sure the pants were still comfortable in the toe-
touching position.
Indeed, Long was one of the Senate's greatest entertainers.
Yet it was hard to quote him. He would complete a virtuoso
performance, win every showdown in every amendment--and you'd
go back to your notes, and there'd be only fragments. Long
regularly dispensed with sentence structure. Free-associating
ideas and concepts would rush out of him, and it was obvious
that his nimble mind was racing way ahead of his tongue.
Often he'd be having so much fun that he'd start squeaking
and chortling, and he couldn't complete the thought.
And he'd stutter. Or mumble.
Cheryl Arvidson, a former news bureau chief and wire
service reporter, said this week, ``He often mumbled very
badly, deliberately at times I think.
She recalled that Steve Gerstel, UPI's legendary Senate
chief, ordered her to closely monitor the Senate whenever it
was nearing adjournment, and ``especially when Russell Long
walked out on the floor.'' Gerstel had warned that, ``Russell
will walk out, belch, and we'll have an entirely new tax
code.''
Long's rambling speech pattern was a poor indicator of his
coherent thought process. Long knew the most arcane of Senate
rules and was a genius at parliamentary maneuver. He seemed
to have total recall of the tax code and all IRS regulations
interpreting it.
In my three decades of reporting, Long is the only
politician whose intellect so intimidated me that I studied
late at night for his occasional briefings with the Louisiana
press corps. Any decent reporter tries to be well-grounded
for any interview. With Russell Long, it was more like panic
cramming for a college exam. You wanted the questions to do
justice to the intellect.
And you didn't want to be snookered. Russell Long could
snooker you.
Everybody knew that a Long tax bill would be chock-full of
provisions benefiting one or other Louisiana corporate
interest. Sugar and oil and gas were particular favorites,
but no Louisiana business was too insignificant for a tax
break.
Usually, these things were hidden in the fine print and
went undiscovered until after the bill had passed. A former
reporter, Eileen Shanahan, found one of these provisions
while a Long tax bill was still pending, and she wrote about
it in The New York Times--also explaining that the provision
could enhance the value of Long's own oil and gas holdings.
The Senator made a floor speech and (memory fails a
little), he either killed the provision or modified it to
exclude his family's interests. When Shanahan next came into
the Senate Press Gallery, she got an ovation from reporter
colleagues. Not being snookered by Russell Long was that
rare.
The Senator was unrepentant about legislation to help the
industry that made him rich. Anything that helped oil and gas
would help the Louisiana economy, he said.
Long said that he was proudest of authoring two tax code
provisions for wage earners. The first was the Earned Income
Tax Credit that pays cash to people who work but make too
little money to pay federal income taxes. If the federal
government subsidized welfare recipients who weren't
employed, it should also subsidize the ``working poor'' so
that welfare was not more generous than employment, Long
said.
His other pride was the Employee Stock Ownership Plan. ESOP
gives companies a tax break for helping employees buy shares
of company ownership.
Long was a Democrat, but--EITC and ESOP, notwithstanding--
liberals didn't find much to love about his work. He was a
defense hawk. He seldom met an environmental regulation that
he liked, especially one that curbed the practices of oil and
gas or agriculture. He seldom met a public works project that
he disliked. Highways, channel dredgings, flood control--he
supported them all.
But Long wasn't a conservative ideologue, either. Sometimes
he was a tax-cutter. But he also taxed-and-spent with the
most ardent liberal.
Somebody had to pay for Social Security and Medicare, he
thought. And he'd noticed that many anti-taxers and anti-
government business people lined up for government contracts,
or for bailouts when things went bad. Long ridiculed that
mind-set, reciting this ditty so often it should be chanted
at his funeral: ``Don't tax me. Don't tax thee. Tax that
fella behind the tree.''
My favorite Long body language was the neck wrap. He'd
throw out an arm, wrap it all the way around somebody's neck,
and pull 'em close to whisper in an ear. Sometimes, it was a
combination move--neck wrap followed by bear hug.
Years ago, former Vice President and late Sen. Hubert
Humphrey, D-Minn. visited the Senate floor. He was dying of
cancer, and everybody knew that this was his goodbye. Long
went to Humphrey and gave him the combination. If there was a
dry eye in the chamber, it wasn't mine. If anybody ever
practiced the Joy of Politics, it was Long. Today's bitter
politics could sorely use the palm of his joy.
Hopefully, The Advocate adequately reported during the
years on the facts of Long's legislating. My own journalism
failed him on a larger score. You just could not capture on
the written page the twinkle in the man's eye.
____
Senator Russell B. Long,
Former Senator Russell Billiu Long, who served Louisiana in
the United States Senate for 38 years, died on Friday, May 9,
2003, in Washington, DC. He was 84 years old. The son of Huey
Pierce Long and Rose McConnell Long, he was born in
Shreveport on November 3, 1918. He attended public schools in
Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans and graduated from
Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge in 1939 and from
its law school in 1942. In 1938, he was elected LSU's Student
Body President. At LSU, he was a member of Delta Kappa
Epsilon fraternity. He was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in
1942 and began practicing law in Baton Rouge in 1946. During
the Second World War, he volunteered for and served in the
United States Navy from June 1942 until discharged as a
lieutenant in December 1945. As the commander of an LCT
(landing craft tank) vessel, he participated in Allied
invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern
France. For his service to the United States of America, he
was awarded four Battle Stars.
He served as special counsel to Louisiana Governor Earl K.
Long in 1948. On November 2, 1948--the day before his 30th
birthday--he was elected to the United States Senate to fill
the vacancy created by the death of Senator John H. Overton
and took office on December 31, 1948. By large margins, the
people of Louisiana reelected him to the Senate in 1950,
1956, 1962, 1968, 1974, and again in 1980. He retired from
office on January 3, 1987, at the end of his seventh term.
He served as the Senate's Democratic Whip, or assistant
majority leader, from 1956 to 1969. During his years in the
Senate, he served on several committees, including Finance,
Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Commerce, Science and
Transportation, Joint Committee on Taxation, and Select
Committee on Ethics. He was chairman of the Senate Committee
on Finance from 1965 to 1981. He served as co-chairman of the
Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation from 1965 to
1967 and as chairman of the Joint Committee on Internal
Revenue Taxation from 1967 to 1977.
He was a fierce advocate of the interests of Louisiana and
its people. A tireless and effective champion for the poor,
the elderly and average workers, he was father of Employee
Stock Ownership Plans; these plans have given millions of
American workers a meaningful stake in the companies for
which they work. In 1956, he authored the first major
expansion of the Social Security system to include benefits
for the disabled. He was a primary architect of the Medicare
system, creator of the Earned Income Tax Credit (the
cornerstone of America's anti-poverty programs), and the
author of public financing of presidential campaigns.
After his retirement from the Senate, he practiced law in
Baton Rouge and Washington, D.C. Also, he served on the
boards of directors of several corporations: the New York
Stock Exchange, Metropolitan Life, Lowe's Companies, and the
Louisiana Land and Exploration Company.
He is survived by his wife Carolyn Bason Long of
Washington, D.C.; two daughters, Rita Katherine ``Kay'' Long
of Baton Rouge, and Pamela Long Wofford and son-in-law
Douglas Lloyd Wofford of Indio Hills, California; one
brother, Palmer Reid Long, and his wife, Louene Long of
Shreveport; and one sister, Rose Long McFarland, of Boulder,
Colorado.
Also surviving are his four grandchildren, Audra McCardell
Snider and husband Jeremy
[[Page S6705]]
Snider of Rockville, Maryland, Katherine Barrett Mosely,
Russell Long Mosely and wife Erin Saporito Mosely, and Kirk
Meredith Mosely, all of Baton Rouge. Nieces and nephews
include Marsha McFarland Budz of Boulder, Colorado, Terry
McFarland Fluke of Gallatin Gateway, Montana, Rory Scott
McFarland of Boulder, Palmer Reid Long Jr. of Shreveport,
Laura Long Lubin of Los Angeles, Mr. and Mrs. John J. Burke
of Morganton, North Carolina, Clark Bason of North Hollywood,
California, W.H. Bason, Jr. of Martinsville, Virginia, Sally
Bason and Sarah Bason of Reidsville, North Carolina, Mrs.
William Bason of St. Mary's, Georgia, Mr. and Mrs. John J.
Burke, Jr. of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Carolyn Cumming of
Bethesda, Maryland. He was preceded in death by his parents
Huey Pierce Long and Rose McConnell Long.
____________________