[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16646-16651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   REMEMBERING SENATOR PAUL COVERDELL

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. MACK. Mr. President, the 10 days since his sudden passing and the 
outpouring of expression from many different directions have given me 
the opportunity to reflect on Paul's life, the gifts he brought to the 
Senate, and the impact his life had on people.
  I want to focus my remarks on Paul Coverdell's humility, which I 
think was his defining quality, his greatest gift, and one which had 
the greatest impact on the lives of others.
  Many people might say that humility, sometimes defined as freedom 
from pride or arrogance, is a quality not found often in our society 
today. No one disputes, however, that Paul Coverdell possessed a deep 
sense of humility.
  During the past 10 days, Paul Coverdell has been described as: 
Serious and low key; self-effacing; uncomfortable in the limelight; a 
humble public servant who became a political giant through selfless 
dedication and quiet civility; a very gentle and courteous person; a 
person people went to, felt really comfortable with, and opened up to; 
a person who really cared for what happened to others; a person many 
regarded as the Senate's leading mediator; a person of scrupulous 
integrity and unblemished character; a person with an unsurpassed work 
ethic and standard of personal ethics and devotion to what he was 
doing; a person who always kept his word and was someone you could 
count on--just to mention a few characterizations.
  How many of us would like to be known as individuals who possess 
these qualities?
  Too often we think success results from aggressive, enterprising, 
pushy, and contentious behavior. In the case of Paul Coverdell, his 
success resulted from his combination of humility and energy which 
enabled him to be known as the person who was the cornerstone of the 
Georgia Republican Party and whose objective was to make his State 
party credible and viable in what had been virtually a one-party State; 
who was a political mentor to a number of politicians on both sides of 
the aisle; who was said by former Senator Sam Nunn to be ``the person 
who makes the Senate work;'' and finally, Democrats in his State have 
said that Paul Coverdell's legacy is one of actions and deeds, not 
words and glory; friendship and trust, not cynicism and betrayal.
  There is no question that the outpouring of sentiment of Paul's 
humility, humanity, and his contribution to his State and to his Nation 
would have overwhelmed him. He would have been embarrassed by all of 
the adulation and attention.
  Paul was the personification of Proverbs 22:4: ``the reward for 
humility and fear of the Lord . . . is riches and honor and life.'' 
Paul Coverdell surely conducted his life in a manner that resulted in 
great riches and honor of public opinion.
  The Book of Revelation, 20:12, states: ``and I saw the dead, great 
and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also, 
another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead

[[Page 16647]]

were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books.''
  Our earthly judgment of Paul Coverdell will surely be confirmed in 
heaven. Paul's works and his hard-working qualities were legendary.
  I want to take a moment to speak about a passion of Paul's. He often 
talked of the importance of freedom, challenging each of us to do our 
part to ensure that the legacy of 1776 endures for generations to come. 
I picked out a few of his quotes concerning freedom from some of his 
speeches, and I want to repeat them today.
  From a Veteran's Day speech:

       In the end, all that any of us can do with regard to this 
     great democracy is to do our part . . . during our time.

  From a speech to an annual meeting of the Georgia Youth Farmers 
Association:

       You live by the grace of God in the greatest democracy in 
     the history of the entire world. And each of us has our own 
     personal responsibility to help care for it, to love it, and 
     to serve it.

  From a speech to an ecumenical service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in 
Atlanta:

       Several years ago I was in Bangladesh, the poorest country 
     in the world, on the day they created their democracy. A 
     Bangladeshi said to me, ``I don't know if you or your fellow 
     citizens of your country understand the role you play for 
     democracy everywhere. It is an awesome responsibility and I 
     don't envy you, but I pray, sir, that you and your fellow 
     citizens continue to accept it.

  Finally, from a speech at an Andersonville, GA, Memorial Day 
ceremony:

       I am sure that each of you, like me, has wondered how we 
     can ever adequately honor these great Americans who made the 
     ultimate sacrifice for the preservation of our nation and the 
     great Americans who suffered and endured on these hallowed 
     grounds as prisoners of war. We look across these fields and 
     see monuments. We have heard an elegant poem written by a 
     young American. We have tried through movies to somehow 
     express our gratitude. Nothing ever quite seems to meet the 
     challenge. I have finally concluded in my mind and in my 
     heart that the only way to appropriately express our 
     gratitude is through duty and stewardship to this great 
     nation.

  Paul Coverdell truly expressed his gratitude to his country in the 
manner in which he lived his life--through his service and stewardship 
to our Nation.
  Perhaps the ultimate compliment for a politician was accorded Paul 
Coverdell by one of his constituents, who simply said: He gave politics 
a good name.
  Paul was an unsung hero, the glue that bound us together, 
particularly on the Republican side, but he also had an unusually fair 
presence in the entire body of this Senate. We are blessed and better 
off because of the impact of Paul's humility.
  I hope I have learned something from him about life. God sent him so 
many friends--and he recognized us all and embraced us. We are thankful 
and grateful for his presence in our lives. And the loss of Paul 
Coverdell has made me realize just how much I am going to miss each of 
you when I leave the Senate in a few months.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is very hard to adjust to the sad 
reality of Paul Coverdell's absence from the Senate. I miss him very 
much. And the Senate, we have to admit, is not the same without him.
  It was always a genuine pleasure to be in his company. I enjoyed very 
much going to Georgia with him during his reelection campaign. I also 
returned with him to learn more about the severe problems his State's 
agricultural producers were experiencing from the drought. We worked 
together on these and other issues that were important to our region on 
the Senate Agriculture Committee.
  He was a very influential force in the Senate for the people of his 
State. And he was a thoughtful leader on national issues as well.
  While we continue to mourn his passing, we should try to carry on 
with the same determination and energy he brought to the challenges he 
faced. His example will be a very valuable legacy. Not only has Georgia 
benefited from his good efforts to represent its interests, but also 
through his leadership as Director of the Peace Corps, and on other 
international issues, he has made the world a better and safer place 
for all mankind.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader for 
setting aside time this morning so many of us could pay tribute to Paul 
Coverdell. Certainly last week, many of us who were friends with Paul 
really were not up to giving him a proper tribute because the shock of 
losing one of our friends was so enormous that we really did not feel 
that we could get through the kind of tribute that Paul deserves. So I 
thank the majority leader for giving us this time.
  We have now had a chance to collect our thoughts about the sudden 
death of our colleague and friend, Paul Coverdell of Georgia. One need 
only look at the breadth of representation at the memorial service in 
Atlanta to understand the many ways in which Paul's life affected ours.
  At the service, it was hard to miss the sweet but sad irony that, for 
one last time, Paul Coverdell was the great unifier. The Democratic 
Governor of Georgia, Governor Barnes, called Paul Coverdell--one of 
just a handful of Republicans in the State legislature when Governor 
Barnes, himself, was elected to the legislature in 1974--he called Paul 
his best teacher in politics. Senator Kennedy, our colleague from 
across the aisle, with whom Senator Coverdell had tangled on many 
important education issues, sat right next to me in the church to honor 
Paul Coverdell.
  Senator Coverdell is sorely missed in the Senate and in Georgia.
  He is not missed because he was a great legislator--but he was. His 
innovative approach to helping families have more flexibility in 
education spending became the Coverdell education savings account bill.
  We do not feel his loss as badly as we do simply because he was a 
great Senate leader--but he was. His leadership could bring disparate 
policy and political strands together to form a single, strong bond 
that allowed us to move forward with our priorities.
  Others have said it, but I will repeat for emphasis: Paul Coverdell 
was as close as any Senator comes to being indispensable to his party.
  He will not be missed most because he was a giant in Georgia 
politics--but he was. Over the past third of a century, he built, from 
virtually nothing, the Republican Party of Georgia, starting at a time 
when, much as in my own home State of Texas, Republicans numbered only 
a few in the state Legislature.
  Georgia is a better state today--and so is Texas--because there is a 
strong two-party system. Paul Coverdell is the reason why. And the 
people of Georgia registered their appreciation by making him the first 
Georgia Republican in over a century to be reelected to the Senate.
  And he won't be missed the most because he was an outstanding 
administrator and a man of vision as the Director of the Peace Corps--
but that is certainly the case.
  Paul was the right man for the job in 1989 when President Bush 
appointed him to head the Peace Corps, just as the Berlin Wall came 
tumbling down.
  In 1989, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia were emerging from 
behind the Iron Curtain. Paul Coverdell thought about his agency. It 
was a creature of the Cold War, created to keep the Third World from 
falling prey to communism by exposing those countries to the energy, 
promise and ideals of American youth.
  The Peace Corps helped win the cold war, and Paul Coverdell had the 
vision to know that it could also help win the peace. Although it had 
been dedicated to helping underdeveloped countries with subsistence 
agriculture and infrastructure projects, Director

[[Page 16648]]

Paul Coverdell saw the promise of helping win the Cold War peace when 
he asked: ``Why not in Europe, too?''
  Under his leadership, the Peace Corps began sending volunteers into 
Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, blazing a new trail for 
this old cold war agency. On June 15, 1990, President George Bush 
wished farewell to the first such volunteers as they departed for 
Hungary and Poland.
  Today, those countries are firmly in the sphere of freedom and 
democracy, and last year joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 
Paul Coverdell's vision had become a reality.
  When he was director of the Peace Corps, Senator Coverdell emphasized 
a particular program that had gone fallow given the many other 
priorities the agency was facing. This program, part of the Peace 
Corps' legislative mandate to foster greater global understanding by 
U.S. citizens, offered fellowship to returning volunteers in exchange 
for their agreement to work in an underserved American community as 
they pursued their degree.
  Senator Coverdell placed renewed emphasis on this program as Director 
of the Peace Corps and has been credited by Peace Corps alumni for his 
leadership in this area. These fellowships, funded through private-
sector financed scholarships or reduced tuition agreements with 
universities and colleges, have been a great success.
  Paul obviously continued his pursuit of excellence in education with 
many innovative proposals right here in this body. I will be offering 
legislation that renames the program the Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps 
Fellowship in memory of his commitment to both the Peace Corps and 
education.
  A greater legislator, a leader of his party and of his State, a man 
of peace and vision: These surely describe, Paul Coverdell, but they do 
not explain the depth and breadth of warm outpouring that we have seen 
since his sudden death last week.
  More than any other reason, Senator Coverdell will be missed because 
he was a sweet, warm man, utterly without pretension.
  Paul Coverdell: statesman; husband; Senator; leader; but above all, 
gentleman.
  For all the wonderful tributes our colleagues have offered here in 
the Senate, and those that were made at Paul's service on Saturday, 
none surpass in sincerity and simplicity those posted on the Atlanta 
Journal-Constitution's tribute web-site by ordinary Georgians.
  A real reflection of Paul's impact is that there are postings from 
all around the country. But one, in particular, bears quoting. A man 
from Duluth, Georgia quotes from a well-known essay: ``The True 
Gentleman'' to describe Paul, and it certainly fits:

       The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from 
     good will . . . whose self-control is equal to all 
     emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his 
     poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity . . . ; who is 
     himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; 
     who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of 
     his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with 
     frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed 
     follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of 
     others, rather than his own; and who appears well in any 
     company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.

  How true these words ring of my friend, Paul Coverdell.
  I close with the words of a young boy from Georgia, written early in 
the last century in his school notebook. When assigned to write a short 
thought about how he wanted to live his life, the young boy, just 10 
years or so at the time, wrote:

     I cannot do much, said the little star, To make the dark 
           world bright.

     My silver beams cannot pierce far Into the gloom of night.

     Yet--I am part of God's plan, And I will do the best I can.

  That sounds like Paul, another Georgian whose star burned so bright 
and who fulfilled God's plan by doing the best he could.
  Those words were written by young Richard Russell, as a fourth-grade 
student. Richard Russell went on to become a great Senator from 
Georgia, who, like Paul, died in office in 1971. Russell's name graces 
the building that houses my office, and Paul Coverdell's, too.
  Today, we consider those great men and the reward they've gone on to 
enjoy. We miss them; we miss Paul Coverdell today, and the Senate is a 
lonelier, less happy place without him. Godspeed to our friend.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bunning). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SESSIONS. 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. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I rise this morning to comment on the 
extraordinary and wonderful life of my friend and our colleague, Paul 
Coverdell of Georgia. While my abilities are unequal to this task, I 
believe I must try, not because my mere comments will add the slightest 
glimmer of luster to his sterling legacy but because it is important 
for me and those living to contemplate his exemplary character, ways of 
working, positive spirit, courage, and enthusiasm.
  The one thing I want to remember most about Paul is that quick, 
genuine, and, at times, child-like smile he had. It seemed a bit 
whimsical, sometimes a bit tired, a bit resigned, at first glance; but 
on closer observation, that smile was always full of understanding, 
compassion, and insight into the difficulties we face. Paul's smile was 
never silly or false but frequent, wise, encompassing, and in empathy 
and comprehension for our frailties, completely knowing our weaknesses 
and encapsulating the precariousness of our human and political 
condition. Yes, it was fresh and child-like and frequently given; yet 
in that smile was great strength. There was a kind of understanding 
there that was born of experience, study, insight, and concern. 
Moreover, because it was founded on an honest appreciation of our 
present condition in this life, its warmth, its humanity never failed 
to inspire.
  Paul Coverdell was an honest man, an honest broker, an honest leader. 
Paul Coverdell had the courage to act on that honesty, to speak the 
truth in a positive way. He always saw the glass half full, not half 
empty. These qualities have the capacity to inspire, and they have 
never failed to inspire me. When I was frustrated, doubtful, and 
concerned, I always looked for a chance to speak with Paul. On 
occasion, if he sensed I was troubled, he would seek me out. After 
those conversations I always felt encouraged.
  As I think on it today, he was a greater encourager for me and for 
others than I realized at the time. His friendship, insight, and advice 
were invaluable for my start in the Senate three years ago. I will 
deeply miss him.
  On the day following his death, I spoke on this floor and said, that 
I knew we rightly should celebrate his life and not mourn, but I was 
not able to celebrate at that time because of the hurt of his loss. I 
am better now, but his death has struck me and others in this body 
hard.
  Still, Paul Coverdell's life is, indeed, to be celebrated. He loved 
his country. He understood its greatness and uniqueness and deeply 
loved it. He loved the Senate. His tireless work on matters great and 
small was abundant evidence of that fact. Paul enjoyed the debate, and 
helping develop strategy for the leadership, but his ultimate goal was 
always towards improving his country. That was the constant goal of his 
service. He loved the Members of the Senate--all of them--even those 
with whom he disagreed and he was loved in return.
  Paul Coverdell was a very effective Senator. He followed through on 
his assignments. He passed legislation and he helped many others pass 
important legislation. In that small frame, he had, as Phil Gramm said, 
the heart of a lion. Paul was a man of great principle and it was a 
rich and deeply understood the American tradition to which he adhered 
with vigor. Paul was knowledgable. He knew a lot of about a lot of 
things. Experiences like the Peace

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Corps had taught him much. That knowledge made him wise and helpful to 
all of us in this body.
  Paul, though not at all naive, was certainly optimistic. Even if he 
knew something bad was about to happen, he looked beyond that bad event 
and saw possibilities in the future for an even greater good. That was 
always the case with him. I remember numerous occasions in which he saw 
beyond temporary setbacks and could visualize a positive future. His 
optimism helped shape the agenda of the Republican Conference. It was 
always his method to focus on our successes, and not on the 
frustrations. Once one listened fairly to his arguments, one could have 
no choice but to become optimistic also.
  Certainly this Senate has lost a giant. He held a position of great 
leadership, was projected to continue to rise in leadership and was a 
tireless supporter of all Members of this body.
  My sympathies, and those of my wife, Mary, are extended to Nancy, to 
his mother and to other members of the family. They have suffered the 
greatest loss. The scripture says our time on this Earth is but as a 
vapor. Indeed, James 4:13 puts us in our place. It says:

       Come now, you who say, ``Today or tomorrow we will go to 
     such and such town and spend a year there and get gain,'' 
     whereas you do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? 
     For you are but a mist that appears for a little time and 
     then vanishes. Instead, you should say, If the Lord wills, we 
     shall live and do this or that, and it is your boast in your 
     arrogance.

  That was not Paul. He was not a person of arrogance. More than any 
other person in this body that I can know, he was a man of unassuming 
personality, a man of genuine humility, a person utterly without 
pretension. I think he showed us a lot.
  I don't know any 150-year-old people. All of us must expect to die. 
Our challenge is to keep the faith, to maintain our ideals, to adhere 
to great principles and to live with enthusiasm. Paul Coverdell was a 
good man and he set a good example for all of us. His death should call 
us all to intensify our own efforts to fill the void he leaves so that 
we may serve our country with effectiveness and strengthen the 
qualities that make up this great Senate.
  I pray God will give us the ability to meet the challenges that are 
before us, that he will comfort those who are mourning, and that we can 
continue to maintain the ideals that Paul shared with us for a great 
and vigorous and effective America.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I come to the floor this morning, 
following my distinguished colleague and good friend from Alabama, 
feeling the same inadequacy to express my thoughts and feelings about 
the life of someone for whom I had a tremendous amount of respect. As 
Phil Gramm so aptly put it in his eulogy on Saturday, if you knew Paul 
Coverdell, he was your friend. Paul was a friend.
  I guess in the last week from reading and listening and talking to 
people about Paul, it is incredible that in this city someone could be 
so universally understood by everyone. All of us are individuals. We 
are very complex.
  Some often say in Washington that politicians have many facets and 
many faces. Paul was Paul. He was like that to me. He was like it to 
Jeff. He was like it to the Presiding Officer. He was like it to 
everyone here. Everyone who has gotten up and talked about Paul said 
the same thing in the final analysis. They talked about his decency, 
his good nature, his peacemaking, his optimism, his energy, and his 
enthusiasm.
  I understand we are going to compile all of the things that have been 
said about Paul. The remarkable thing is the sameness of what everyone 
says about Paul. It is a remarkable quality in and of itself--that Paul 
was always Paul. He was always himself. He was never trying to be 
something for everyone to meet their expectation. He was who he was, as 
genuine and as pure as you can possibly be. That is a tremendous gift 
that he had.
  It is so resoundingly amplified by the comments of our colleagues 
whose eulogies and comments have been out of the same embryo. That may 
be one of the great legacies and lessons of Paul Coverdell and his 
life.
  There are a few people who I want to thank. First, I thank Nancy and 
his mother for the dedication that they gave to Paul in allowing him to 
provide his service.
  He spent an incredible amount of time working issues, long days and 
long nights away from Nancy while she was in Georgia. She made a 
tremendous sacrifice for him and for his career in the Senate. 
Obviously, the impact she had on Paul's life was profound and obviously 
positive. The same could be said for his mother. I cannot imagine a 
mother being more proud of a son than Paul's mother was of him and the 
contribution he made to Georgia, to the Senate, to this country.
  I thank the people of Georgia for sending the Senate Paul Coverdell. 
He had some tough races but Georgia stood behind him, supported him, 
and elected a Republican Senator, twice, from the State of Georgia. 
Georgia should be very proud of that choice.
  Finally, I thank God for sending Paul, a truly extraordinary person. 
When I found out on Tuesday Paul very well may not make it, I was 
sitting in the back talking to Senator Gorton. I was talking about what 
a tragic loss it would be should Paul die. I looked around at the 
desks, I looked at Slade, and I said: I don't know where Paul's desk 
is. He never sat at his desk. He was always running all over the 
place--down in the well, back in the Cloakroom, running from place to 
place. He was never at his desk. I thought to myself, where did he sit?
  What a fitting analysis of the role that Paul Coverdell played in 
this place. He was everywhere, doing everything, never sitting back at 
his desk worried about himself or what he would say or do but running 
around making things happen, back in the Cloakroom with that Styrofoam 
Waffle House coffee cup. I don't know where he got all those Styrofoam 
Waffle House cups, but he had one in his hand all the time. There would 
be two or three placed throughout the Cloakroom by the end of the day. 
Everyone knew where Paul had been. He was just working all the time, 
putting every ounce of his energy--and it was an incredible amount of 
energy--into his work in the Senate.
  I was at the funeral on Saturday. Many things were said about Paul 
moving on from one life to the next. It reminded me of a quote from a 
funeral I attended earlier this year for Governor Casey in Scranton, 
PA. The quote on the back of the book we received when we came into the 
church could not help but remind me of Paul: ``Death is not 
extinguishing the light. It is putting out the lamp because the dawn 
has come.''
  Paul's light here in the Senate burned so bright. He illuminated 
every conversation. Every room he walked into with his energy, with his 
positive attitude, with his optimism. That light will be missed. Lights 
that seem to burn the brightest are doomed not to burn the longest. If 
we are measuring the wattage or the illumination that has been cast on 
this Earth, no one cast more light in 61 years than Paul ever did. It 
is a comfort to know that the dawn for Paul has come and that he is 
experiencing a brighter light than we all know right now. It is a 
comfort to know he is experiencing that light and is in heaven.
  As a Catholic, I believe in intercessory prayer. Those in heaven can 
pray to God to help those on Earth. I know Paul is praying for us. I 
ask for your prayers, Paul, for all of us here, because we will miss 
you.
  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a noble 
Southern gentleman, Senator Paul Coverdell. All of us in the Senate 
were saddened by the sudden loss of such a fine man, and we will sorely 
miss him. As a relative newcomer to the Senate, I have spent a great 
deal of my time on the Senate floor observing my colleagues. You can 
tell a lot about a person by his demeanor, and I first grew to like 
Paul Coverdell simply by watching him. He wore a cloak of peacefulness 
around him and he radiated kindness. It was rare to see him without a 
smile.
  When I began working with him on the ``Small Watershed Dams 
Rehabilitation'' bill, I realized that my first

[[Page 16650]]

impressions of him had been accurate. He was, indeed, kind and 
friendly. It was a pleasure to work with him in a bipartisan manner on 
an issue that is vital to both of our states. As is obvious by his rise 
within the leadership of the Republican Party, he was extremely loyal 
to his Party. But he never let partisanship interfere with his 
relationships in the Senate. In short, he was a statesman in every 
sense of the word.
  To his wife, Nancy, and the rest of his family, I extend my sincere 
condolences. Public life is not an easy one, and our country's greatest 
leaders can be identified by the support system that is their family. 
Thank you, Nancy, for sharing Paul with the rest of us.
  Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, as we today welcome Senator Coverdell's 
successor, I wanted to talk about the man whose shoes he must fill.
  Last week the Atlanta Journal Constitution's tribute article to our 
late friend Paul Coverdell included the following story. Once, at a 
county fair on a hot summer day, someone asked Paul why he was wearing 
a coat and tie in such a casual setting. Paul replied that he had 
noticed that in an emergency, when people are trying to figure out what 
to do, they always go to the guy with the tie on.
  Well, tie or not, Senator Coverdell was a guy whom we always went to.
  I, like many of us on both sides of the aisle, considered him a 
friend. His hand and arm gestures will always be remembered as ``get up 
and go'' signs. I had the privilege of lunching with Paul nearly every 
Wednesday for the last several years and his presence there was a 
treat.
  He was a hard worker. He knew where he wanted to go. And he was 
willing to help those with whom he teamed on issues--issues that were 
invariably important and meaningful. I checked last night, and there 
are 103 pieces of legislation listed as sponsored by Senator Coverdell.
  Now, Paul did work on parochial legislation for his state, and he had 
his share of technical bills, but he also authored many significant and 
far-reaching national provisions. He worked for the country as well as 
Georgia, and strove to improve the education, the safety, and the 
prospects of our children specifically and our citizenry generally.
  He had an IRS reform bill, the Safe and Affordable Schools Act, 
Education IRA's, anti-drug legislation . . . and then there are the 
countless hours spent working on bills for his colleagues and 
conference. Even his commemorative bills were significant--Reagan 
Washington National Airport for example, a bill I jumped to co-sponsor.
  He had 30 productive years of service to his country--army postings 
in Asia, Georgia State Senate, Peace Corps Director, and an invaluable 
Member of the United States Senate. I was proud to be his friend and 
colleague. I will miss my friend from Georgia.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record 
the article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

         [From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 19, 2000]

                       He Was a Great, Great Man


               Colleagues recall Georgian as hard worker

                             (By Alan Judd)

       Once, when he was chairman of the state Republican Party, 
     Paul Coverdell spent a hot Saturday at a county fair in North 
     Georgia. As always, he was spreading the Republican word. And 
     as usual, despite the casual setting, he was dressed in coat 
     and tie.
       Lee Raudonis, a longtime aide, recalls that when he asked 
     why, Coverdell responded: ``Well, I've noticed that if 
     there's ever any kind of emergency and people are trying to 
     figure out what to do, they always go to the guy with the tie 
     on.''
       For three decades, as a Georgia lawmaker, state party 
     leader, Peace Corps director and U.S. senator, Paul Coverdell 
     was the man people went to.
       As word of his death spread Tuesday, many of those who 
     counted on Coverdell said they couldn't fathom a world in 
     which they couldn't turn to him.
       ``Unbelievable,'' said state Rep. Bob Irvin of Atlanta, the 
     Georgia House minority leader, a friend of Coverdell's since 
     they met at a campaign rally on July 4, 1968. ``He was my 
     oldest and best friend in politics.''
       ``We shall miss him as we would miss our own son,'' former 
     President George Bush, one of Coverdell's closest friends, 
     said in a statement. ``We loved him dearly.''
       Coverdell's death at age 61 came as he reached the pinnacle 
     of a life in politics. Although less than two years into his 
     second six-year term, he was the fifth-highest Republican in 
     the Senate's power structure. And he was the Senate liaison 
     for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Texas 
     Gov. George W. Bush.
       It was a heady time for Paul Douglas Coverdell, an 
     insurance agent turned politician who moved to Atlanta as a 
     teenager in the early 1950s from his native Des Moines, Iowa.
       After graduating from Northside High School, he attended 
     the University of Missouri, where he received a bachelor's 
     degree in journalism. He spent two years in the Army before 
     returning to Atlanta to take over his family's insurance 
     business. Soon, his interests turned to politics.
       In 1970, he was elected to the state Senate from a north 
     Atlanta district. At the time, Republican legislators were 
     rare, so Coverdell formed alliances with like-minded 
     Democrats. By the late 1970s, then-Lt. Gov. Zell Miller had 
     appointed Coverdell to chair the Senate Retirement 
     Committee--a first, said a former Senate colleague, Pierre 
     Howard.
       ``He was one of the hardest-working, most disciplined, most 
     incisive public servants I've ever known,'' said Howard, who 
     later became lieutenant governor. ``There was nobody who 
     surpassed his work ethic and his ethics and his devotion to 
     what he was doing. You might not agree with him on an issue 
     here or there, but you always knew that he was sincere and 
     that he was well-informed and that he was going to work hard 
     to achieve the objective that he had.''
       Since the mid-1970s, his objective was to make the GOP 
     credible and viable in what had long been virtually a one-
     party state.
       ``He really never, ever let go of this stuff,'' said Rep. 
     John Linder (R-Ga.). ``If there was an evening when he was 
     free from 9 to 12, he'd pace around his driveway and think 
     about what would be next.''
       Coverdell and other Republicans--Mack Mattingly, a future 
     U.S. senator, and future House Speaker Newt Gingrich, among 
     them --met regularly at St. Simons Island to establish long-
     range goals for the party.
       ``That group actually worked to develop what in many ways 
     became the modern Republican Party in Georgia,'' Gingrich 
     said Tuesday night from California. ``We've been a very close 
     team for the last 26 years.''
       Although a staunch Republican, Coverdell eschewed 
     partisanship. It was a quality that served him well, Gingrich 
     said.
       ``Paul had several strengths that combined in an unusual 
     way,'' Gingrich said. ``He was very intelligent. He had a 
     great deal of courage. He was willing to take responsibility. 
     He would work very, very hard. And he always kept his word. 
     That gave you somebody you could count on and work with in a 
     very remarkable way.''
       Beginning in 1978, Coverdell formed a close friendship with 
     another politician, a relationship that would help propel him 
     to a higher political level.
       While vacationing with his wife, Nancy, in Kennebunkport, 
     Maine, Coverdell opened the local telephone book to look up 
     one of the town's best-known residents: George Bush, the 
     former U.S. ambassador to China and the United Nations. He 
     knocked on Bush's door, and the pair quickly became friends.
       When Bush ran for president two years later, Coverdell was 
     one of his earliest supporters, serving as his finance 
     chairman in Georgia. Bush lost the Republican nomination to 
     Ronald Reagan. But as vice president, he remained close to 
     Coverdell. The two men were ``not only great political 
     allies, but very close friends,'' said Jean Becker, a 
     spokeswoman for Bush. The Coverdells were frequent guests at 
     the Bush home in Kennebunkport, Becker said. Just last month, 
     they attended Barbara Bush's 75th birthday party there.
       When Bush became president in 1989--inaugurated on 
     Coverdell's 50th birthday--one of his first acts was to 
     appoint Coverdell director of the Peace Corps. In that job, 
     Coverdell was such a workaholic, Raudonis said, that when 
     once asked to list his hobbies, all he could come up with was 
     ``dining out.''
       After an Asian tour, Raudonis said, Coverdell proudly 
     pointed out that he had never checked into a hotel. Instead, 
     if he slept at all, it was on planes between destinations.
       ``Paul was the type who's constantly on the go,'' said 
     Raudonis, who worked for Coverdell for 10 years in Georgia 
     and Washington. ``The idea of having to take 12 hours off to 
     go to a hotel, he couldn't figure out why anybody would do 
     that.''
       After three years, Coverdell left the Peace Corps in 1992 
     to seek what friends say he had long wanted: a U.S. Senate 
     seat.
       In a close race, he unseated Democrat Wyche Fowler. He was 
     re-elected in 1998.
       Although he ascended to a leadership position in the Senate 
     and maintained a remarkably full schedule, Coverdell had 
     found time in recent years to relax a bit, friends say. He

[[Page 16651]]

     developed a passion for gardening, and his recent Christmas 
     cards included a picture of his flowers.
       ``My greatest regret for him is that he didn't have the 
     time that he deserved to enjoy himself more,'' Howard said. 
     ``I feel a real sense of loss. He was a great, great man.''

  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. President, I rise today to join with my colleagues 
in mourning the loss of Senator Paul Coverdell of Georgia.
  He was a man that I respected and admired. All of us here in the 
Senate feel his absence acutely. Paul Coverdell was a fixture in the 
Senate. I cannot recall how often I have sat at my desk and, looking up 
at C-SPAN, saw him there leading his party on one difficult issue after 
another. He did so honorably, tenaciously, and modestly. And, of 
course, he did so effectively.
  I feel a real void in the Senate Chamber without his presence and 
feel a sense of surprise when I look up and see someone other than 
Senator Coverdell at the Republican floor manager's desk.
  Paul Coverdell touched many lives. I am privileged to have known him 
and count myself lucky to have served in the Senate with him. He was a 
unique and truly special person, taken from us too young and so 
suddenly.
  I send to his family, his friends, and his staff my deepest 
condolences. He was a good man who will be sorely missed. But he will 
also be remembered by us all, and his spirit will never leave us.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in expressing the 
grief felt by us all at the passing of Senator Paul Coverdell.
  As a fellow Southerner, I can tell you that Paul epitomized all that 
is good and noble about the South. He was principled, but always looked 
for workable solutions to problems. He was a determined advocate, but 
always added an air of civility to this chamber. He was a Republican 
through and through, but always sought out ways to work with the other 
side of the chamber.
  My friend, the Senior Senator from New York, called Senator Coverdell 
a man of peace. I think that sums up his contribution to this world 
very eloquently.
  His work, as director of the Peace Corps during a time of world 
transition, was extremely important. He brought the Peace Corps the 
nations of the Warsaw Pact and the former Soviet Union. This single 
decision may harvest benefits to this nation that we will enjoy for 
many generations.
  Had Senator Coverdell's life work ended there, he would have 
accomplished much for which he and the nation could be proud. However, 
fortunately for the people of Georgia, he continued his life in public 
service.
  When I came to the Senate in 1997, one of the first bills that I 
worked on as a Democratic sponsor was with Paul Coverdell. I will 
always remember the warm reception that he gave me, and the 
encouragement to go forward with the Coverdell-Landrieu Protecting the 
Rights of Property Owners Act.
  Since I had just finished a bruising campaign it was such a pleasure 
to be welcomed in such a warm and bipartisan manner from this southern 
gentleman.
  Senator Coverdell was also an early and ardent supporter of the 
Conservation and Reinvestment Act. As many in this Chamber well know, I 
have pestered and cajoled my colleagues on CARA for 2\1/2\ years. Paul 
must have seen it coming and was one of the first to sign on.
  For his leadership on this, I owe him a debt of gratitude I cannot 
repay.
  Senator Coverdell shall be missed, in this chamber, by the people of 
Louisiana, and by people throughout the country. My deepest condolences 
to his family.

                          ____________________