[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16712-16713]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING SENATOR TED STEVENS, THE RECIPIENT OF THE ARLEIGH BURKE 
     AWARD FROM THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, our distinguished colleague, the Honorable 
Ted Stevens, was presented with the Arleigh Burke Award on June 11, 
2003, by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The award, 
named after the famed Admiral, who was the longest serving Chief of 
Naval Operations, recognizes Senator Stevens's leadership in the fields 
of strategy, resources, and maritime affairs, as well as his hard work 
and selfless dedication to promote public service and the ideals of 
freedom.
  When Senator Stevens accepted the Burke Award, he delivered a 
thoughtful speech that underscored Admiral Burke's conviction that duty 
to country is more important than duty to the Commander-in-Chief, and 
that we should oppose the concentration of power.
  I ask unanimous consent that Senator Stevens's speech be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

Speech by Senator Ted Stevens at the CSIS Arleigh Burke Memorial Dinner 
                  on June 11, 2003, in Washington, DC

       Good evening. Thanks to my good friend and colleague 
     Senator Warner for that warm introduction.
       My congratulations to General Keene, the Army's new Acting 
     Chief of Staff. I wish him success in the coming months.
       It is a tremendous honor to receive an award named after 
     Admiral Burke. Like many of you, I am familiar with the 
     Admiral's distinguished life of dedication, service,

[[Page 16713]]

     and achievement. When I served in China during World War II, 
     he was an admiral in the Navy, and the battles that made him 
     one of that war's greatest combat leaders were well-known.
       I met Admiral Burke during the Eisenhower Administration. I 
     was working on statehood for Alaska and Hawaii in the 
     Department of Interior in those days. Admiral Burke was the 
     Chief of Naval Operations. Like everything he did, Admiral 
     Burke served as CNO with tremendous distinction. He was the 
     youngest and longest serving CNO in history, and during his 
     tenure he fought for technologies and strategies that 
     continue to form the foundation of our Armed Services.
       To refresh my memory of Admiral Burke's accomplishments, I 
     went back to E.B. Potter's book about him.
       Potter reported that in January of 1958, the year Alaska's 
     Statehood Bill was enacted, Burke opposed the Gaither Report, 
     which recommended streamlining and centralization of defense. 
     At the National Press Club he warned against control of all 
     U.S. forces by ``one man, a military Solomon.''
       Notwithstanding that position of the CNO, in April 1958, 
     and I quote from Potter's book on Arleigh Burke:
       ``. . . Eisenhower sent to Congress a special message on 
     reorganization of the Department of Defense. Its chief 
     recommendations were (1) to remove the Service Chiefs from 
     the operation chain of command; (2) to restrict Service 
     Secretaries to administration, relieving them of 
     responsibility for military operations; (3) to restrict 
     duties of Joint Chiefs of Staff mainly to advising the 
     Secretary of Defense; (4) to enlarge the Joint Staff; and (5) 
     to limit control of operating forces to the President and the 
     Secretary of Defense.''
       Eisenhower sent word through Secretary of Defense McElroy 
     that he wanted all senior officers and officials to support 
     his plan.
       Arleigh was called before the Senate Armed Services 
     Committee. As Potter stated, Admiral Burke ``put duty to 
     country over duty to the Commander-in-Chief,'' and opposed 
     this concentration of power in the Secretary of Defense.
       The Defense Reorganization Act of 1958 did not rubber stamp 
     the Gaither Report. It followed many of Admiral Burke's 
     suggestions.
       To his great credit, Ike appointed Admiral Burke to a third 
     term as CNO in August 1959.
       It is my hope that in reviewing the current proposals from 
     D.O.D. before Congress, senior officers and officials of 
     D.O.D. and all members of Congress will follow the great 
     traditions Admiral Burke upheld.
       Arliegh Burke lived his life by principles which guided him 
     through the perils of World War II and still pertain today.
       He once described his philosophy as:
       ``An old-time philosophy--a philosophy of realism. You must 
     always ask yourself the question, `What is important in life? 
     . . . I don't think it's very important to be remembered. . . 
     . The ideas I stood for should be remembered.''
       Admiral Burke also demonstrated his loyalty to the men 
     under his command. The spirit of Admiral Burke's commitment 
     to his sailors is reflected in the steps the Congress has 
     taken to support our troops and honor our promises to our 
     veterans.
       Admiral Burke was a hero and a visionary, and I can think 
     of no greater honor than to be your guest at this evening's 
     event. Thanks again for this award.

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