[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 26622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                           SENATOR ROD GRAMS

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, our distinguished colleague, Senator 
Grams, will go on to, I hope, an even greater challenge.
  What a privilege it has been for me and I think all in this Chamber 
to have had his service for a few years. I was particularly impressed 
by Senator Grams's willingness to take on assignments which others felt 
they would rather not have because of the challenge--particularly on 
the Foreign Relations Committee and those relating to Africa, those 
relating to the United Nations, and issues which are very vital not 
only to our Nation but to the whole world.
  I wish to commend the Senator. I hope that he will continue to apply 
his talents and his wisdom and energy to solving those difficult 
challenges.
  I recently visited the U.N. with Ambassador Holbrooke. Time and time 
again, I was in consultation with him and other ambassadors from other 
nations in regard to the budget situation. Senator Grams was 
instrumental in the landmark piece of legislation, Helms-Biden.
  I hope he will continue to apply his talents.
  I wish Senator Grams and his family well.
  Mr. GRAMS. I thank very much the Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, will the distinguished Senator yield?
  Mr. GRAMS. I graciously yield to the Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I asked the Senator to yield because I want 
to share in the good wishes that have been expressed by the 
distinguished senior Senator from Virginia to the Senator who is about 
to depart from our midst.
  Let me say that the Senator has always been nice to me. He is always 
cheerful and is always ready to reach out a welcoming hand. I 
appreciate that.
  The Senator and I don't serve on any committees together. I am sorry 
I never had that opportunity or that pleasure.
  But I shall miss the Senator. I shall miss his ready smile and his 
firm hand claps.
  I, too, wish him well in the days to come. Our Senate is better for 
his having served here. My life is better for having known him and 
having had the opportunity to serve in this great body with him.
  I hope he will come back to see us. I hope I shall get to see him 
again. I thank the Senator for yielding.
  Mr. GRAMS. I thank the very honored and respected man in the Senate, 
the Senator from West Virginia, for his kind words.

                          ____________________