[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 22820-22821]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO SENATOR JESSE HELMS

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the senior Senator from North Carolina, Mr. 
Helms, is in some ways my Senator. I was born in North Carolina. I was 
born there before Senator Helms was born there. My natural father and 
mother are buried there in North Wilkesboro, NC. One of my brothers, 
the only brother I have still living, still lives in Wilkes County.
  Many years ago, before the senior Senator from North Carolina joined 
the Senate, he was a radio commentator on WRAL in Raleigh, NC. During 
one of his radio commentaries, it is my understanding that the future 
Senator from North Carolina--the future Senator then, Senator Helms, 
not Senator at that point--spoke of me as a Senator whose ``greatest 
strength is his dedicated independence of thought and action,'' as a 
Senator who is ``neither easily frightened nor intimidated,'' as a 
Senator who ``stands up for what he regards as important.''
  I have always appreciated those words, and over the many years, I 
have appreciated the friendship of the senior Senator from the State of 
North Carolina. So when Jesse Helms was elected to the United States 
Senate in 1972, it seemed to me that we were already long-time friends, 
and we became even closer friends.
  The more we came to know each other, the more at least I liked and 
respected him. I think he returned the compliment, but I cannot speak 
for that. I can only say for myself that I liked and I like Jesse Helms 
and I respect him, and I have always respected him.
  I found Senator Jesse Helms to be a deeply religious man of immense 
integrity, indisputable honesty, unqualified patriotism, and absolute 
independence, a man who is absolutely fearless. He is a southern 
gentleman of the first order. He is a product of the old South and a 
product of his beloved North Carolina.
  He has certainly made his presence felt in the Senate. During his 
years in the Senate, he served as chairman of the Senate Agriculture 
Committee, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and was 
made a grand duke by the country of Lithuania for his contributions to 
the reestablishing and strengthening of the independence of the Baltic 
nations.
  He also acquired a powerful and widely recognized reputation for his 
strong independent stands, and I am here to verify that many of the 
stands he has taken have not only been strong stands and independent 
stands but, in some cases, Senator Helms stood virtually alone.
  Some of his positions have involved his standing, as I say, alone not 
only against Presidential administrations but against the remainder of 
the entire U.S. Senate, or at least most of the Senate. More than once, 
Senator Helms has been the singular vote on a particular position, and 
I know that can be a bit lonely. But he has never wavered in the 
strength of his convictions or his votes.
  ``The paramount thing for political leaders,'' he once explained, 
``is whether a man believes in his principles and whether a man is 
willing to stand up for them, win or lose.''
  That was Jesse Helms. Consequently, we always know where Senator 
Jesse Helms stands. Take an issue--abortion, prayer in school, 
Presidential nominations, reducing the deficit, taxes, Government 
waste, the future of the country-- if one did not already know where 
Jesse Helms stood, Jesse Helms was always ready to tell you where he 
stood.
  Some of his positions have been unpopular. Some of them may have 
seemed out of step with the march of history, but he has contributed to 
the great debates that from time to time have been heard over and 
throughout the land. Jesse Helms has made a major contribution to those 
debates.
  In volume 2 of my own ``History of the Senate,'' I express the 
concern ``ours is becoming a nation of hardened cynics.'' I went on to 
point out that we ought to return to our beginnings. Go back to the 
hills--the hills of West Virginia or the hills of North Carolina--look 
up at the treetops and into the open sky and gain a renewed sense of 
God's presence in our personal lives and in the life of the Nation. As 
Senators, we especially need to remember the old values, such as faith 
in God, obedience to law, respect for the flag, honesty, and thrift. 
How very well Senator Helms has reflected those values.
  I close, Mr. President, by repeating the words Senator Helms spoke of 
me 40 years ago, words I remember so well, words I think so aptly tell 
the story of Senator Jesse Helms:

       He is a Senator whose greatest strength is his dedicated 
     independence of thought and action. He is a Senator who is 
     neither easily frightened nor intimidated.

  And foremost--

       He is a Senator who has always stood up for what he regards 
     as important.

  Mr. President, my wife Erma, who is an old-fashioned girl who married 
an old-fashioned guy, and I wish the very best for Jesse Helms and his 
lovely wife Dorothy Jane Coble as they enter the next phase of their 
lives.
  I yield the floor, and 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. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Nelson of Florida). Without objection, it 
is so ordered.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in 
morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is in morning business.

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