[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9529]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          THIS GREAT DEMOCRACY

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, this has been a tumultuous week in the 
Senate. We have had significant legislative accomplishments. I think it 
is an interesting process to watch the changes that are taking place. 
It always makes me value our Constitution and the peaceful transitions 
of power our Constitution has provided.
  I was watching C-SPAN this morning. The topic was ``The Greatest 
Generation.'' People were talking about what they consider to be our 
greatest generation. The debate was about whether the greatest 
generation was the wonderful heroes who went to battle in World War I 
and especially World War II, because we are talking to them, and in Tom 
Brokaw's book ``The Greatest Generation'' being the silent heroes, the 
people who answered the call of their country and fought bravely and 
came home and never talked about it, never whined, never complained. 
They are, indeed, our great heroes.
  Then people started talking about the greatest generation being our 
Founding Fathers and their families, and the sacrifices they made when 
they declared independence and when they crafted our Constitution that 
set in place the document that has kept us vibrant and alive today.
  Through all of the things that I, personally, have lived, even in my 
mere 7 years in the Senate, I have seen our Constitution tested and 
prevail, tested and come through, tested and show the wisdom of the 
balance our Founding Fathers put in place so we could have changes in 
power and have them peacefully.
  While talking about the greatest generation, it also has come home to 
me when I have visited foreign countries, foreign countries that have 
seen the despotism of military rule, of dictatorships, of communism. 
They are coming out of those totalitarian governments. They are coming 
into democracy. I thank the Lord, I thank my lucky stars, and I feel so 
grateful we had Founding Fathers, and families who supported our 
Founding Fathers, who created a document that is living today, that has 
given the balance so we have never had a totalitarian government since 
the democracy we formed in 1776.
  I feel very proud, and it came home to me today as I started thinking 
about the greatest generation. I think our Founding Fathers and their 
families certainly created generations behind them who also were great 
in that they answered the call of the time. That is what has happened 
throughout the 17 or so generations since the founding of our country. 
Sometimes we have not had to answer a crisis. Sometimes the United 
States has had a period of peace and prosperity. When we have been 
tested throughout the 17 or 18 generations, we have met the test. We 
have met the test because we have learned from our Founding Fathers and 
their families and we have built on their strengths and the 
Constitution they created. We have been able to answer every test with 
success.
  I feel very grateful to live in a society where we can debate which 
were the greatest generations. I don't think we have had a generation 
that has ever sunk to the lows we have seen in other countries and 
other societies where our Government has broken apart or our 
institutions have broken apart. I think we have perhaps expanded beyond 
the boundaries, but we have always come back because we have the 
structure that we do.
  I appreciate very much the opportunity to serve in the Senate in this 
great democracy and hope we will always be able to meet the test of the 
strength of our Founding Fathers and always be grateful for the 
Constitution that has been so vibrant throughout the generations.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Inhofe). The Senator from Maine.
  Ms. COLLINS. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Ms. Collins pertaining to the introduction of S. 970 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I yield the floor and, seeing no one 
seeking recognition, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Collins). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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