[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 7434-7435]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                            MEDAL OF FREEDOM

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, on March 17, Senator George Mitchell 
received the Medal of Freedom at the White House.
  The day was picked especially because Irish Americans had gathered at 
the White House, but also Irish from both Northern Ireland and the 
Republic of Ireland were in attendance.
  All together, with the President of the United States, we honored the 
extraordinary achievements of the United States Senate's former 
majority leader.
  Marcelle and I were in attendance with great pride in watching our 
friend, Senator Mitchell. We were honored also to be with his wife, 
Heather, and other members of his family. Having served with him, I 
know he is an extraordinarily capable, patient, and talented person. No 
one else could have done what he did.
  Senator Mitchell received a standing ovation for his words that 
evening--words that came from his heart and mind.
  I ask unanimous consent that his words be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the remarks were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   Remarks by Senator George J. Mitchell on Receipt of the Medal of 
                Freedom, the White House, March 17, 1999

       Thank you, Mr. President, for your generous remarks, and 
     for your commitment to peace and reconciliation in Northern 
     Ireland. You are the only American President ever to have 
     placed Northern Ireland high on our national agenda, the only 
     President ever to have visited there while in office. The 
     people of Ireland, North and South, know of your concern for 
     their future; and they are deeply grateful. In behalf of 
     peace loving people everywhere, I thank you.
       I also want to thank you for giving me the chance to serve 
     in Northern Ireland. I must admit that I didn't always feel 
     this way. During the years that I sat and listened to the 
     same arguments, over and over again, I had other, less 
     charitable thoughts about you and about my role there.
       It was difficult and demanding, but it also was deeply 
     rewarding. For me to have played a part in trying to end an 
     ancient conflict, trying to make possible a more safe and 
     secure life for generations to come; for me to have come to 
     know, to admire, and to love the people of Northern Ireland--
     these are rewards which cannot be measured, or even 
     described.
       I can only say that my heart is overflowing with 
     gratitude--to you, Mr. President; to the political leaders 
     and to the people of Northern Ireland; to Prime Ministers 
     Ahern and Blair and their predecessors; to Mo Mowlam and 
     David Andrews and their predecessors and colleagues; to my 
     colleagues, John de Chastelain and Harri Holkeri; to my 
     staff, Martha Pope, David Pozorski, and Kelly Currie; and 
     especially to my wife, Heather, who was patient and 
     understanding through three-and-a-half long, lonely years.
       On an occasion like this, it is tempting for me to take a 
     nostalgic look back on my life. But instead we must look 
     forward, with urgency, not to my life, but to the lives of 
     the people of Northern Ireland.
       The events of the past year have shown the great promise of 
     peace. But they also have shown that huge obstacles remain to 
     a durable and sustainable peace. On Good Friday of last year, 
     the political leaders of Northern Ireland showed the world 
     the meaning of political courage. Many of these leaders are 
     present, and I'd like to recognize some of them: David 
     Trimble, John Hume, Seamus Mallon, Reg Empey, Gerry Adams, 
     John Alderdice, Sean Neeson, David Ervine, Monica McWilliams 
     and Gary McMichael.
       Ladies and gentlemen, these are the heroes of the Northern 
     Ireland Peace process. These are the men and women who 
     deserve the medals and the applause. They are my friends, and 
     yours. Please join me in letting them know how much you value 
     their Good Friday agreement.
       I'd like to address those leaders directly. You've heard 
     the applause. Perhaps better than anyone, I know how well 
     deserved it was. But even before the applause fades, the 
     future intrudes.
       Getting the agreement was historic. But, as you know, by 
     itself it doesn't provide or guarantee peace. It makes peace 
     possible. Whether it will be realized is up to you.
       The Good Friday Agreement transformed Northern Ireland. It 
     also transformed you. You are no longer just the leaders of 
     your parties, or members of the assembly. You are the vessels 
     into which the people of Northern Ireland have poured their 
     hopes and dreams. You sought public office and with it comes 
     power and responsibility. You have the awesome responsibility 
     of life or death. What you do, or don't do, could mean life 
     or death for many of your fellow citizens.
       As he left London to join us at the talks last April, Tony 
     Blair said he felt the hand of history on his shoulder. It's 
     still there, on your shoulders.
       For a moment, come back in time with me to December 16, 
     1997, the last negotiating session of that year. We met in 
     the small conference room at Stormont. We had tried for two 
     intense weeks to get agreement on a statement of the key 
     issues to be resolved, and we had failed. We were all 
     bitterly frustrated and deeply discouraged.

[[Page 7435]]

       As we walked out into the windswept and rainy night, it 
     seemed so hopeless, so impossible. And yet, less than four 
     months later, you reached agreement.
       How did you do it? You did it because each of you took a 
     risk for peace, each of you acted with wisdom and courage. 
     And you did it because you knew, in your hearts, that the 
     alternative was unacceptable.
       It stills is. The alternative to peace in Northern Ireland 
     is unacceptable. It should be unspeakable, unthinkable. The 
     continued punishment beatings and the savage murder of 
     Rosemary Nelson, who on Sunday was blown to death just a few 
     yards from her eight year old daughter's school, are like 
     alarm bells ringing in the night. They warn that the cancer 
     of violence and sectarian hatred lurks just below the surface 
     and could erupt at any time into wide-spread conflict.
       History might have forgiven failure to reach an agreement, 
     since no one thought it possible. But once the agreement was 
     reached, history will never forgive the failure to carry it 
     out. The people of Northern Ireland don't want to slip back 
     into the cauldron of sectarian conflict. You can prevent it.
       Those who oppose the agreement have failed to bring it 
     down. As Seamus Mallon has said, the only people who can 
     bring the Good Friday down are those who supported it. You 
     cannot let that happen.
       I know you. I trust you. I believe in you. And I say to you 
     that the problems you now face are no greater or more 
     difficult than those you faced, and dealt with, last year. 
     You must once more rise above adversity. You must again defy 
     history.
       You must come together, now and as often as necessary until 
     peace is assured. Then you will deserve and receive the honor 
     that will transcend all others: the satisfaction of knowing 
     that, in the most difficult and dangerous of circumstances, 
     you have bestowed on your countrymen the ultimate prize peace 
     and reconciliation.
       After you reached agreement on Good Friday, we were 
     exhausted, elated, and emotional. I conclude tonight by 
     repeating what I told some of you then.
       The agreement was for me the realization of a dream that 
     had sustained me for three-and-a-half years. Now, I have a 
     new dream. In a few years, I will take my young son to 
     Northern Ireland. We will roam the country, taking in the 
     sights and sounds of one of the most beautiful landscapes on 
     earth, feeling the warmth and generosity of a great people. 
     Then, on a rainy afternoon, we will go to the Northern 
     Ireland Assembly. We will sit quietly in the visitors' 
     gallery and watch and listen as you debate the ordinary 
     issues of life in a democratic society: education, health 
     care, agriculture, tourism. There will be no talk of war, for 
     the war will have long been over. There will be no talk of 
     peace, for peace will be taken for granted.
       On that day, the day on which peace is taken for granted in 
     Northern Ireland, I will be truly and finally fulfilled.

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative assistant called the roll.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, what is the pending business?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is in morning business. The Senator 
is granted 10 minutes.
  Mr. BAUCUS. I thank the Chair.

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