[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 139 (Wednesday, December 8, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12017-S12018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              STAN KIMMIT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Louisiana.
  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I rise to inform our Senate colleagues of 
the very unfortunate, untimely, and unexpected death of a person last 
evening who was truly a part of the family of the Senate. Although he 
was never elected to this body, he served this body with great 
distinction over a very long period of time and truly was part of the 
family of this distinguished body. I speak of Joseph Stanley Kimmit, 
Stan Kimmit, who served this body as Secretary of the Senate with great 
distinction from 1977 to 1981. Members who served during that period of 
time know how much he meant to the family of the Senate through his 
services, through his respect for this institution, for his 
understanding of the history of how important this institution is to 
our Nation and to the world.
  Prior to that, Stan Kimmit served as Secretary for the majority, as 
principal floor assistant to Majority Leader Senator Mike Mansfield 
from the State of Montana from 1966 to 1977. Prior to that, he was the 
administrative assistant or chief of staff to Senator Mike Mansfield.
  Before he served the Senate, he served his country with great 
distinction in the U.S. Army during World War II. As a captain in the 
U.S. Army, he was selected to receive the Silver Star medal, the Legion 
of Merit, the Bronze Star medal and a number of other awards 
recognizing his service to our great Nation.
  It was unfortunate that this man, who had seven wonderful children 
and a beautiful wife, passed away in a very untimely fashion, and I 
would just share it with the Senate family this afternoon. He was at a 
function where I happened to be receiving an acknowledgment of my 
service to the Senate, and Stan wanted to be there. He wanted to 
participate. After the principal person who was responsible for the 
function, the chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, Al From, 
made his remarks, Stan stood up and said: May I say something? Of 
course, the answer was: Absolutely.
  He said some very kind things about me, and he said some very kind 
things about the Senate and this institution and how important it had 
been in his life. He quoted my predecessor in this body, Russell Long, 
as saying: When I have a friend, I have a friend, and I will fight for 
him or her until hell freezes over, and then I will fight on the ice.
  That was the kind of friend that Stan Kimmit was. He pointed out that 
he had to correct Russell Long because Russell Long, when he originally 
made that quote, I say to my colleagues, did not have the words ``or 
her.'' It was just ``I will fight for him until hell freezes over,'' 
and Stan had the duty of saying to Senator Long, You should say him or 
her, and Russell Long certainly followed his advice.
  What I will mention in closing is that last night he spent almost a 
half hour talking to a young staff person who worked for me, a young 
lady by the name of Jodi Bannerman, and he sat there and talked about 
his days in the Senate and what this institution had meant to him and 
some of the things he has seen in this institution and how it has 
changed over the years.
  He said last night that when he was here, the Senate was truly one 
big family. It was not segregated. When I say segregated, he was 
referring to the interaction between the two parties, that it was not 
two armed camps he was talking about last night, that it was one big 
family. We had our differences. We fought hard. We stood up for the 
principles of the party, but it was one big family that he was honored 
to have been able to serve in the capacity of Secretary of the Senate.
  He was telling my young staff person he was very concerned about how 
he has seen things change, and that was unfortunate, in his mind. He 
told her there were three principles, three truths he knew to be true, 
and she wrote this down after she spoke to him: Never sacrifice your 
principles, never ask for more than you deserve, and never quit one 
thing until you have something better.
  He said that twice in her conversation with him last night. Stan 
quoted to her the Hamlet quote, ``To thine own self be true,'' as 
advice that he was giving this young person about her own life.
  He did not mention any regrets, only great memories of this great 
institution, and I think anyone who has had the privilege of either 
working here or serving here and working as a Member, as I have and as 
we all have, understands what a great honor this has been. Stan Kimmit 
personalized that last night.

[[Page S12018]]

  After he made those remarks, he sat down and never got up. We know 
that he is happy where he is, and I think part of that happiness is the 
knowledge that he had the great honor and privilege of serving his 
country and this great institution.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am deeply saddened by the news of the 
death of former Secretary of the Senate Stan Kimmitt.
  It was just a few weeks ago when I was with him on a trip to Montana 
and enjoyed swapping stories about his early days as a staff member in 
the Senate. He was a protege of Senator Mike Mansfield and served for 
11 years as Secretary for the majority. Even though he was employed by 
the Democratic majority at the time, he enjoyed the friendship of 
Republican Senators, including this Senator.
  Stan Kimmitt loved the Senate, and he respected its traditions and 
its role in our government. He was totally trustworthy.
  I extend to his fine family my sincere condolences. His son Jay 
served for several years as a member of the staff of the Senate 
Appropriations Committee, and I enjoyed working with him in that 
capacity. It was also my good fortune to get to be with another son, 
Bob, when he was our Ambassador to Germany. His other son, Mark, was 
recently served as the spokesman for our Armed Forces in Iraq.
  Stan was very proud of his family, and he had every right to be.
  Stan Kimmitt was a wonderful person who reflected credit on the 
Senate by his dependable, conscientious devotion to his duties and his 
warm affection for those who served in this body.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this 
resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 486) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 486

       Whereas Stan Kimmitt served with distinction in the United 
     States Army for 25 years, served in combat during World War 
     II in Europe and later in Korea, received the Silver Star, 
     the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star for Valor with Three 
     Oak Leaf Clusters, and retired with the rank of Colonel;
       Whereas Stan Kimmitt began his service to the United States 
     Senate in 1965 as administrative assistant to Majority Leader 
     Mike Mansfield;
       Whereas Stan Kimmitt served as Secretary for the Majority 
     of the Senate from 1966 until 1977;
       Whereas Stan Kimmitt served as Secretary of the Senate from 
     1977 until 1981;
       Whereas after a distinguished career in the United States 
     Army, Stan Kimmitt served as an employee of the Senate of the 
     United States and ably and faithfully upheld the high 
     standards and traditions of the staff of the Senate from 1965 
     until 1981;
       Whereas Stan Kimmitt faithfully discharged the difficult 
     duties and responsibilities of a wide variety of important 
     and demanding positions in public life with honesty, 
     integrity, loyalty and humility; and
       Whereas Stan Kimmitt's clear understanding and appreciation 
     of the challenges facing the Nation has left his mark on 
     those many areas of public life: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow 
     and deep regret the announcement of the death of Stan 
     Kimmitt.
       Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate 
     these resolutions to the House of Representatives and 
     transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the family of the 
     deceased.
       Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns today, it stand 
     adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Stan 
     Kimmitt.

                          ____________________