[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 144 (Wednesday, October 15, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12599-S12600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REMEMBERING KENTUCKY GOVERNOR NED BREATHITT

  Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, the Commonwealth of Kentucky lost one of 
its greatest statesman on October 14, 2003. Former Gov. Ned Breathitt 
left us last night and is on his way to a better place.
  Governor Breathitt left a great imprint on Kentucky's history and his 
bloodline ran deep in Kentucky's heritage. There is even a Breathitt 
County which is named after his distant uncle who was also a Governor 
of Kentucky.
  Kentuckians elected Ned Breathitt as their Governor in 1963. He 
served until 1967 with great leadership and accomplishment. The 1960s 
were somewhat and sometimes tumultuous for the South. Governor 
Breathitt's progressive politics and compassion for all enabled him to 
be one of the true civil rights leaders in Kentucky. With conviction 
and purpose, he fought racial discrimination and ushered in a lasting 
equality for Kentuckians.
   Governor Breathitt also worked tirelessly to help improve our 
schools and education system in Kentucky. He truly believed that 
Kentucky's pride and best assets were its citizens. This led him to 
create and implement the community college system under the University 
of Kentucky, and to this day it is one of the best systems around. 
Besides wanting to ensure Kentuckians a strong education, he also was 
deeply concerned about their health and environment. This led him to 
help strengthen our conversation and environmental laws, and ensuring 
that our pristine treasures and waters were protected and preserved for 
generations to come.
   But aside from him being my Governor, he was also my friend. Whan I 
first arrived in Congress in 1987, Ned and his wife Lucy were living in 
Washington, DC. They welcomed my wife Mary and me with open arms. We 
were newcomers to the area and Ned and Lucy had moved out a few years 
before we did. We became good friends. We played bridge together, dined 
out and socialized together. We all laughed a lot. Mary and I enjoyed 
their company so much.
  Our prayers and thoughts go out to Lucy and her family. We all know 
it is

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difficult to lose a loved one. But Lucy is strong. I know she is left 
with the comfort that Ned is in a better place, that his life was 
extraordinary in the way it touched others, and that he loved her and 
their family and Kentucky so dearly. Ned Breathitt was as good as they 
come. He was Kentucky at its best.

                          ____________________