[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 155 (Monday, October 17, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6595-S6596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING SENATOR BOB DOLE
Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I had the distinct privilege to
participate in a ceremony recently in Topeka, KS, to honor our dear
friend and longest serving Republican leader here in this Chamber,
Senator Bob Dole. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback conceived of the Kansas
Walk of Honor, located right outside the Kansas Capitol, to commemorate
and honor important Kansans. It is only fitting that the plaque that
bears Bob Dole's name is the first to christen the Walk of Honor.
Senator Dole's contributions and history is interwoven in the hallowed
halls of the Senate. With that rich history, I ask unanimous consent to
have printed in the Record his comments, along with mine, from the Walk
of Honor event.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Remarks of Senator Pat Roberts
Kansas Walk of Honor
(Sept. 30, 2011)
I am honored and privileged to be here with you today to
celebrate the Kansas Walk of Honor and to commemorate my good
friend, Kansas Native Son, and WWII hero, Bob Dole. Bob Dole
is a living legacy. As a member of the Greatest Generation,
his incredible history is well known to fellow Americans
nationwide. It is only fitting that he is the first honoree
of the Kansas Walk of Honor.
As a statesman, Bob Dole's reach is far and wide. His
legislative achievements are legion and in many cases,
unknown and unheralded. On Bob's list of accomplishments are
some big ticket items such as, the 1983 Social Security
Reforms, the Americans with Disability Act, the Voting Rights
Act, just to name a few. He also worked across the aisle with
the likes of liberal George McGovern, as seen by their
bipartisan work on nutrition programs.
Bob set the bar high as the longest serving Republican
Senate Majority Leader. He was known as a pragmatic
Midwesterner who was respected on both sides of the aisle and
a master consensus builder. He led by example, encouraging
fellow members to express their convictions without hostility
and allow for disagreement without declaring war on the floor
of the Senate.
But his work didn't stop there. After his service in public
office, Bob served our nation in a different capacity;
honoring our nation's veterans. Simply put, the World War II
Memorial would not exist were it not for Senator Bob Dole. I
was proud to be a part of the ceremony to recognize Bob's
tireless support of America's veterans and the World War II
Memorial. It is largely through his efforts, advocacy, and
fundraising that the World War II Memorial stands proudly on
the National Mall.
The man was and is amazing; his record of public service,
this memorial, the Honor Flights and Wounded Warriors
programs. The World War II Memorial has become wonderfully
unique; a Mecca not really expected or predicted--where
veterans whose heroic efforts and sacrifice preserved our
freedoms--now come by the thousands.
Bob, your record is unmatched. We thank you.
But, hold on, I've got another job to do and that is to
move this ceremony along at a fast clip. As we all know, the
now Governor Brownback's previous job was riding shotgun with
me in the Senate. Sam followed in the footsteps of today's
honoree to continue the level of commitment and service to
our great state.
Sam, I remember the first campaign rally we attended
together. The featured guest speaker, Senator Phil Gramm of
Texas introduced me as one who made significant changes in
the House of Representatives and then introduced Sam as:
``One who not only wants to change things but to make the
right changes.''
That remains true as you've taken the reins back here in
the heartland. And now it is my pleasure to turn over this
lectern to the indomitable Kansas Governor, Sam Brownback.
____
Remarks of Senator Bob Dole
Kansas Walk of Honor, Kansas State Capitol, Topeka, Kansas
(Sept. 30, 2011)
Over the years I've had all sorts of recognitions but
nothing that means as much as this one. Hollywood may have
its Walk of Fame, but in Kansas we have a Walk of Honor. That
tells you a lot about this place and its values. Fame is
fleeting, unsubstantial, first cousin to celebrity. Fame
gives you five minutes on the Today Show or maybe--if you're
sufficiently mobile--a shot at Dancing with the Stars. I'm
still waiting for my invitation. In the mean time I've been
telling Elizabeth to work on her Fox Trot.
Fame comes like a prairie squall, and lasts as long. Honor,
on the other hand, is the work of a lifetime--more, it's the
seed of character planted in one generation and bearing fruit
for as long as there are people who practice the old virtues
of decency and self-denial, love of country and the
neighbor's concern for those in distress. Sixty years have
passed since I first entered this building the greenest of
lawmakers--a somewhat banged up 2nd Lieutenant studying law
at Washburn and hoping that my hero Dwight Eisenhower could
be persuaded to run for president.
Now there's a definition of honor. In fact, honor is a
quality that often goes unrecognized. It exists outside the
headlines. It thrives quietly in our classrooms and church
pews, on our playing fields, and, yes, in these halls where
our democracy plays out--wherever Kansans put service before
self, keeping faith with all those who have made this the
[[Page S6596]]
greatest state in the greatest nation on earth.
My debt to those Kansans can never be repaid. But it can be
honored--every time I try, in some small way, to emulate the
compassion and generosity of my friends and neighbors in
Russell, multiplied over the years by countless acts of
kindness, and culminating today in this ceremony. A long time
ago, long before anyone could remotely imagine Bob Dole in a
Walk of Honor, I took inspiration from a song called ``You'll
Never Walk Alone.'' My whole life, up to and including today,
has been a validation of that song. And the greatest honor of
my life has been to share that walk with my fellow Kansans--
the most honorable people I know.
____________________