[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 22885]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    IN REMEMBRANCE OF PAUL WELLSTONE

  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, like all of my colleagues, I was shocked 
and deeply saddened by the tragic accident that claimed the life of 
Senator Wellstone, his wife Sheila, their daughter Marcia, two pilots, 
and three members of Paul's staff. My heart goes out to the families 
and they will remain in my thoughts and prayers.
  It was always a privilege working with Senator Wellstone. In fact, 
one of the last images I have of him was in the final days of the 
session, when I encountered him coming up the aisle in the Senate 
Chamber after a vote with his typical boundless energy, warm smile, and 
friendly greeting. He was a compassionate, honorable man--and it was 
obvious to all of us that, together, Paul and Sheila made an 
extraordinary and loving team.
  As a public servant, Senator Wellstone's most enduring legacy will 
surely be his career of conscience in elective office. With his 
unwavering passion and integrity, he was highly respected and will be 
long remembered.
  With both of us hailing from northern border States, we shared the 
same perspective on a number of issues such as the reimportation of 
prescription drugs, and we worked together over the years to ensure the 
critical low-income energy program, LIHEAP, would be there for the 
people of Maine and Minnesota.
  I was proud to serve with him on the Small Business Committee where I 
saw his diligence and tenaciousness firsthand, and to work with him on 
issues of importance to our veterans such as a bill establishing July 
16 as a National Day of Remembrance for Atomic Veterans, as well as a 
measure providing for increases in veterans spending. I was also 
pleased to help champion his and Senator Domenici's legislation to 
create mental health parity--a perfect illustration of his compassion 
and the causes for which he felt duty-bound to fight.
  Indeed, all of us and, most importantly, the people of Minnesota 
could count on Paul to stand up for his deeply held beliefs, speaking 
always from the courage of his convictions. He personified the notion 
of being able to

disagree--even vehemently--without being disagreeable.
  In fact, I cannot help but recall that when Senators were offering 
their appreciation to Senator Helms upon the occasion of his 
retirement, Senator Wellstone offered very heartfelt and touching 
words. He acknowledged that he and Senator Helms often differed on the 
issues. But Paul respected the purity of the convictions of his 
colleague across the aisle--and he wished him well.
  Now, it is Paul Wellstone who has left our midst, and the entire 
Senate family shares in the sense of loss. We have a desk that was once 
filled with Paul's irrepressible spirit, and it strikes me that Paul 
Wellstone perished in pursuit of the very ideal he held to be so noble 
and worthy--public service.
  This institution is always at its strongest when it is populated with 
men and women of Paul Wellstone's authenticity. We are diminished by 
his passing, and he will be missed.

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