[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 110 (Monday, July 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6343-S6344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO SENATOR JESSE HELMS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, on Friday, the Fourth of July--in fact the 
Fourth of July had just broken; it was an hour and a half after 
midnight--the Senate lost a Member of our Senate family: Jesse Helms of 
North Carolina.
  I can't but think of Jesse Helms and the first name that enters my 
mind is

[[Page S6344]]

Senator Paul Wellstone. Paul Wellstone, as we all remember, was a 
Senator from Minnesota. I am sure it seems odd to most people--
recognizing their political proclivities; that is, those of Senator 
Wellstone and those of Senator Helms--why my mind picks up Paul 
Wellstone upon mentioning the name of Jesse Helms. It is hard to 
imagine two Senators more divergent in their views.
  Senator Wellstone was clearly a liberal. Senator Helms was clearly a 
very conservative man. Their views were very divergent, very different. 
It is no secret because he told everyone when he came to Washington--
Paul Wellstone made it clear he didn't like his rightwing colleague 
from North Carolina, Jesse Helms. He said that openly. But it was not 
long before Paul Wellstone publicly changed his view of Senator Helms. 
Senator Wellstone continued to fiercely disagree with Jesse Helms on 
most issues, but he quickly came to respect him for his sincerity.
  When I came to the Senate, I, similar to all new Senators, was 
excited to be here and understood what a great honor it was to 
represent the people of the State of Nevada in the Senate. But one of 
the last people whom I was going to try to befriend was Jesse Helms. As 
a moderate Democrat, I found his views extreme. We found little common 
ground in points of policy, it appeared.
  As a freshman Senator, I enjoyed presiding, as does the Presiding 
Officer now presiding over the Senate. I spent my share of time in the 
seat the Presiding Officer now has. I enjoyed that very much. During my 
time, that first 2 years I was in the Senate, I watched Jesse Helms 
right over here to my right, stand and talk often--and a lot. I can 
remember one time he was here--I was the Presiding Officer, he was over 
there--there was not another person in this Chamber. Jesse Helms said 
to me, as sincerely as anyone could say anything--and he had a distinct 
speaking voice--he said to me as sincerely as anyone could say 
anything, he said:

       Mr. President, I don't want to be here on this issue but no 
     one else will come and talk on it.

  It was an issue dealing with pornography. The speech Jesse Helms gave 
was often on issues that other people would not speak out about. But I 
became so impressed with his sincerity, that he wasn't doing what he 
said for political reasons; he was doing it because that is what he 
believed. We all have to admire someone such as that, even though we 
may disagree with what they speak.
  I came to understand what Paul Wellstone had come to realize. I came 
to it before Paul Wellstone did because I got here before he did. 
Whether you agreed with the Senator from North Carolina, his sincerity 
and his views and the forthright way in which he stood by them were 
remarkable. So I believe it is fitting that Jesse Helms' last day on 
Earth was the Fourth of July. He loved his country. He spent every day 
doing what he believed was necessary to make it stronger. His wife 
Dorothy and children, Jane, Nancy, and Charles, along with seven Helms 
grandchildren and one great grandchild are in our thoughts.
  Rest well, Jesse Helms.
  I have some other things to say, but perhaps my colleague wants to 
say something about Senator Helms? If that is the case, I will save my 
remarks until he finishes.

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