[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 86 (Thursday, May 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6832-S6833]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SENATE SPOUSES

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, Tuesday, May 22 was a memorable day in the 
life of the U.S. Senate. In keeping with longstanding tradition, each 
year, Senate spouses gather to give a luncheon in honor of the First 
Lady of the United States of America.
  Last year, Landra Reid served as Chairman and Jeanne Warner served as 
co-chairman. The theme was a unique one, entitled, ``100 Dresses.'' 
This year, Jeanne Warner became Chairman, Grace Nelson became co-
chairman and Landra Reid, together with over 20 Senate spouses, 
organized another highly successful and enjoyable luncheon. This year's 
event, entitled ``Heartfelt Safari,'' focused on the President and Mrs. 
Bush's initiative to help alleviate the plight of malaria in Africa. 
The number of deaths this year from malaria could be as high as two 
million, largely among children in Africa. Part of the proceeds from 
the luncheon will be donated to a well-respected not-for-profit 
charity--Malaria No More--that works to alleviate this tragic 
suffering.
  In the evening, our two Senate leaders presided over a dinner 
honoring the Senate spouses. Senator Reid opened with a moving 
framework of remarks, humorously recounting how the esteemed author, 
Ralph Waldo Emerson, once spoke for over 2 hours at a Harvard 
University event in the 1830s. He quickly assured the audience he would 
not seek to match Emerson, and he then proceeded to give a very warm 
introduction of an honored guest, Placido Domingo. The renowned singer 
regaled the audience with anecdotes about his career and about 
America's growing interest in opera.
  Senator McConnell concluded the evening, reciting the vital role 
performed by Senate spouses through the years. His remarks were warmly 
received by so many colleagues that I am privileged to offer for the 
Record, on behalf of all Senators, his thoughts, and I ask unanimous 
consent they be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

    Senate Leaders Honoring Spouses--Remarks as Prepared for Leader 
                               McConnell

       A few weeks after marrying Grace Cavert in 1972, Bill 
     Nelso:n and his new bride hit the campaign trail for the 
     first time. Neither of them could have imagined that 35 years 
     later, Bill would be known throughout the halls of power in 
     Washington as the husband of Grace Nelson.
       Grace is a real sign of contradiction in this town. She 
     believes in bringing people together, across party lines, and 
     she's backed that belief up with deeds. As head of the 
     Spouses of the Senate, she's been a model of how to practice 
     bipartisanship and how to make it work. In retrospect, we 
     probably should have consulted with her on the immigration 
     bill.
       I happen to know firsthand that Grace and all the other 
     wives are a warm, welcoming group. Because my wife, who 
     happens to be a pretty busy woman in her own right, is a 
     regular at their Tuesday lunches. Elaine appreciates the 
     friendships she's formed there, and she counts on the advice 
     she can get from all of you on matters of vital concern, like 
     where to find a decent electrician.
       Jeanne Warner, thanks for organizing the First Lady's lunch 
     today and for securing this beautiful garden for tonight's 
     event. To the performers: Joyce Bennett, Barbara Levin, and, 
     of course, our special guest, Placido Domingo, thanks. Thank 
     you for sharing your talented young artists with us tonight.
       No less a historian than our own Robert Byrd has called the 
     Senate a place of ``resounding deeds.'' But any time one of 
     us writes a memoir, it's always the quiet deeds of a devoted 
     spouse that the senators themselves seem to marvel at the 
     most.
       Senator Byrd himself can boast more milestones than any 
     other senator in U.S. history. But he'll tell you his 
     proudest achievement, his most resounding deed, was that he 
     married a coal-miner's daughter named Erma and that they 
     stayed together longer than any Senate couple in history.
       One of Senator Reid's predecessors, Mike Mansfield, was a 
     high-school dropout when his wife Maureen convinced him to go 
     back to school--and then sold her own life insurance policy 
     to pay for it. More than 70 years later, after one of the 
     most distinguished political careers in U.S. history, 
     Mansfield was invited back to the Capitol to receive one last 
     honor. He could have recalled a thousand legislative deals. 
     But when it came his turn to speak, he praised Maureen 
     instead.
       Here's what he said: ``The real credit for whatever 
     standing I have achieved in life should be given to my wife 
     Maureen. She was and is my inspiration. She gave of herself 
     to make something of me. She made the sacrifices and really 
     deserved the credits, but I was the one who was honored. She 
     has always been the better half of our lives together and 
     without her coaching, her understanding, and her love, I 
     would not be with you tonight. What we did, we did together. 
     In short, I am what I am because of her.''
       Barry Goldwater was another one who knew where to place the 
     credit. He'd proposed to his future wife Peggy many times 
     before they found themselves in a phone booth on a cold New 
     Year's Eve night in Muncie, Indiana, in 1933. Peggy wanted to 
     call her mother to wish her a Happy New Year, and while they 
     were standing there, Barry said he was running out of 
     quarters and patience. He asked her to marry him one more 
     time, she said yes, and nearly half a century later, Barry 
     Goldwater wrote this postscript to a long and storied career:
       ``There are many moments of triumph in a man's lifetime 
     which he remembers. I have been to the mountaintop of 
     victory--my first election to the Senate, and my reelection, 
     that night in Chicago, in 1960, when the governor of Arizona 
     put my name in nomination for the office of the President of 
     the United States; and another night in San Francisco when 
     the delegates to the Republican Convention made me their 
     nominee. But above all these I rate that night in Muncie.''

[[Page S6833]]

       Ronald Reagan once said there was only one person in the 
     world that could make him lonely just by leaving the room. 
     And we learned earlier this week that Nancy still marvels at 
     her husband's devotion. She shouldn't. Those of us who are 
     fortunate to share this life of highs and lows, of forced 
     smiles and cancelled plans, of bland buffets and late night 
     calls, know we couldn't achieve much at all, much less 
     resounding deeds, without the person sitting next to us.

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