[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S484-S485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Remembering William Clifford Smith

  Mr. President, let me say one more thing, if I could. I lost a good 
friend in Louisiana, and Louisiana lost a good friend last week: Mr. 
Clifford Smith. Clifford happened to be a civil engineer, but he was so 
much more. Clifford was born in New Orleans, but he lived his entire 
life in Terrebonne Parish. Terrebonne Parish in my State is one of the 
southernmost parishes. It has been experiencing, for a variety of 
reasons, wetlands loss for decades after decades after decades.
  We started experiencing wetlands loss as soon as we levied the 
Mississippi River. Now, I am not saying we shouldn't have levied it, 
because it has obviously created a lot of commerce for America and 
Louisiana. But the river could no longer overflow and deposit the 
sediment, and the sediment has not been replenished, and the current 
sediment has sunk. And when your land sinks and the ocean rises, then 
you are going to have wetlands loss.
  Clifford Smith was one of the first Louisianians, if not the first, 
to talk about the need for coastal restoration in my State. Clifford 
Smith, throughout his career at T. Baker Smith, the name of his 
company, created jobs for thousands of the people in my State.
  He was on every board imaginable. When his church burned down in 
Houma, Clifford said: I will be responsible for raising the money and 
can rebuild the church.
  It took him 5 years, and he did it. And Houma is not--it is a 
wonderful place, but it is not a wealthy place. But Clifford did it. He 
had a lot of help, but Clifford was the quarterback.
  He was whip smart, and he was visionary. He was wise. He was very 
charming.
  I have known Clifford 30-plus years. I remember when I first decided 
to run for office, I called Clifford and said: Will you support me? 
Because everybody knew Clifford Smith. Everybody respected Clifford 
Smith. Everybody admired Clifford Smith. And I knew if I had his 
support in his area of my State, it would be critical.
  And he said: Yeah, Kennedy. I will support you.

[[Page S485]]

  And I said: Well, Clifford, you know the question that is coming 
next. I can't run a campaign without financial resources. Will you give 
me money?
  He said: No.
  I was shocked. This is my friend.
  He said: I will not give you money.
  He said: But I will tell you what I will do, Kennedy. I will--since 
you have decided to run for office, I will buy you a gift certificate 
for a psychiatrist.
  Well, that was Clifford--what a poignant statement. Of course, he 
ended up supporting me financially, but he went on to give me advice 
and say: Are you sure you want to do this? Politics is a rough 
business.
  I miss Clifford. I am going to miss him. He has a wonderful family, 
wonderful kids, wonderful grandkids, wonderful great-grandkids. Jo-
Anne, his wife, is just a lovely person. And I know that they will 
continue to spread the truths that were so important to Clifford Smith.
  I went down to the funeral home Monday to say goodbye, but I wanted 
to say goodbye on the floor of the U.S. Senate and recognize my friend 
and a Louisiana favorite son, William Clifford Smith.
  We celebrate his life, but his loss Louisiana weeps.
  I yield the floor to my good friend from Kansas.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas.