[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING RICHARD LUGAR

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to honor our former colleague 
Senator Richard Lugar, who passed away recently and whose memorial 
service was this week. As the longest serving Senator from his beloved 
Indiana, Richard Lugar dedicated 36 years of service to his State, the 
Senate, and our Nation. He was a dear friend and mentor who already had 
22 years of Senate service when I joined the Senate.
  What I remember most fondly about Senator Lugar is that he combined 
an extraordinary intellect with good humor. He knew so much about 
foreign policy and was also so approachable that new Senators like 
myself never hesitated to seek his guidance.
  Senator Lugar's commitment to bipartisanship guided his engagement on 
issues from international affairs to agriculture. He sought compromises 
to achieve results, regardless of the political calculus. He eschewed 
polarization and cautioned colleagues that, ``whatever is won today 
through division is usually lost tomorrow.'' Instead he sought to 
foster good will to bring together opposing sides. He continued this 
effort after his service in the Senate with the Lugar Center, a 
nonprofit public policy institution that seeks to improve the quality 
of debate and bridge ideological divides on important issues.
  It is this approach that led to great success in international 
affairs from South Africa to the Philippines.
  Senator Lugar viewed support for democracy and development as a 
stabilizing force to counter international threats. Around the world, 
partners trusted his foreign policy expertise and judgment. Perhaps his 
greatest achievement was his bipartisan work with Senator Sam Nunn in 
developing the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to dismantle 
weapons of mass destruction in the former states of the Soviet Union, 
eliminating nuclear arms in Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. His work 
to limit weapons of mass destruction led to the deactivation and 
destruction of thousands of nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles. 
Due to Senator Lugar' s vision, leadership, and bipartisan approach, we 
live in a safer world.
  Through his contributions to international security, Senator Lugar 
serves as a reminder of what we can achieve if we work together to face 
the challenges that pose dangers to world peace and stability and, of 
course, to the interests of the United States and our international 
partners. As we reflect on his life and his lessons, I hope my 
colleagues will honor his legacy by building bipartisan bridges to 
resolve the pressing problems of today.

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