[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16883-16886]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    IN REMEMBRANCE OF STROM THURMOND

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, last night with the passing of our 
revered colleague, Senator Strom Thurmond, I indicated I would have a 
longer recount of his work. The Nation has lost one of its most 
distinguished and longest-serving public servants, my State has lost 
its greatest living legend, and I would like to add to my comments.
  By any measure, Senator Thurmond ranks as a giant of modern American 
politics. Few people in recent memory have had greater influence on the 
shape and substance of American politics, and few elected officials 
have shown themselves more devoted to serving the people of their State 
and nation. There was no more hard-working politician in America than 
Senator Thurmond. Right up to the day he retired from the Senate, he 
remained devoted to his constituents.
  Of course, any discussion of Senator Thurmond's political and 
legislative legacy ultimately turns to a discussion of Senator Thurmond 
the man. He was one of the most amazing men anyone in this Chamber ever 
has met. He was what we attorneys call ``sui generis.'' When God made 
Strom, He broke the mold for sure. Merely listing all of Senator 
Thurmond's ``firsts'' conveys the prodigious energies and talents of 
the man.
  In 1929, he began his political career by becoming the youngest 
person ever elected Superintendent of Education in Edgefield County, 
South Carolina. He entered state-wide politics in 1933, when he was 
elected to the State Senate. As a South Carolina Senator, he was known 
for his devotion to improving public education and promoting 
opportunities for the people of my State. His concern for the common 
man motivated many of his legislative efforts, such as writing the act 
that raised workers' compensation benefits and sponsoring South 
Carolina's first Rural Electrification Act. Although these efforts may 
seem far removed from our concerns today, they were crucial to my State 
at the time.
  He left the Senate in 1938 to become Judge Thurmond. Continuing his 
life-long love affair with politics and public service, he served as a 
South Carolina Circuit Judge until the United States entered the Second 
World War in 1941. Then Judge Thurmond took off his robe and 
volunteered for active duty. He enlisted despite the fact that, as a 
39-year-old Circuit Judge, he was exempt from military service.
  He fought in five battles in 4 years, and on D-Day, he rode a glider 
into Normandy with the 82nd Airborne. For his wartime service, Senator 
Thurmond was awarded 18 decorations, including the Purple Heart, Bronze 
Star for Valor, and Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster. He remained 
in the Army Reserves after the War and was made Major General in 1959.
  After the war, he came home and ran for Governor. He was elected in 
1947, and his administration was known for its progressive policies on 
education and infrastructure. During his tenure, 60,000 new jobs were 
created in the private sector, teacher pay was boosted to unprecedented 
levels, and the State Farmers' Market was begun. These initiatives 
helped start South Carolina on

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the road to a dynamic, modern economy.
  In 1948, Governor Thurmond ran for President on the States' Rights 
ticket. In 1954, he became the first person ever elected to the Senate 
as a write-in candidate. That election established him as a force in 
national politics and a giant in South Carolina.
  He was reelected to the Senate eight times, more than any Senator. 
When he left in January, he was the oldest and longest-serving Senator 
in U.S. history. He served as chairman of two powerful committees: 
Judiciary and Armed Services. In those capacities, he played an 
important role in keeping our national defense strong and ensuring the 
quality of our Federal judiciary.
  He took controversial stands on civil rights and other divisive 
issues, but over time he changed and ended up garnering the support of 
many of those whom he opposed. He will go down in history for his 
devotion to his constituents.
  Senator Thurmond also changed the course of politics in the South. 
His conversion to the Republican party in 1964 heralded a new age in 
party affiliation in the South and led the way for the region's 
transformation from a one-party, Democratic stronghold.
  Senator Thurmond is gone, but his legacy will live on for many 
lifetimes. The people of South Carolina loved him as they have loved no 
other politician. Today his loss is mourned across my state, by 
Democrats and Republicans alike. Those of us who have the privilege of 
serving in the Senate lament the loss of an admired colleague whose 
influence on this institution will stand for generations.
  Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I want to take a minute to say a few 
words in honor of Strom Thurmond, our friend and former colleague, who 
has passed away.
  From the moment Strom Thurmond set foot in this Chamber in 1954, he 
has been setting records. He was the only person ever elected to the 
U.S. Senate on a write-in-vote. He set the record for the longest 
speech on the Senate floor, clocked at an astounding 24 hours and 18 
minutes. He was the longest-serving Senator in the history of the U.S. 
Senate. He was also the oldest serving Senator. Many of my colleagues 
will recall the momentous occasion in September of 1998 when he cast 
his 15,000th vote in the Senate. With these and so many other 
accomplishments over the years, he has appropriately been referred to 
as ``an institution within an institution.''
  In 1902, the year Strom Thurmond was born, life expectancy was 51 
years--and today it is 77 years. Strom continued to prove that, by any 
measure, he was anything but average.
  He was so much in his life. To provide some context, let me point out 
that during his lifetime, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and 
Hawaii gained Statehood, and 11 amendments were added to the 
Constitution. The technological advancements he witnessed, from the 
automobile to the airplane to the Internet, literally spanned a century 
of progress. Conveniences we have come to take for granted today were 
not always part of Strom Thurmond's world. Perhaps this explains why, 
during Judiciary Committee hearings, he was often heard asking 
witnesses who were too far away from the microphone to ``please speak 
into the machine.''
  The story of his remarkable political career truly could fill several 
volumes. It began with a win in 1928 for the Edgefield County 
Superintendent of Schools. Eighteen years later, he was Governor of 
South Carolina. Strom was even a Presidential candidate in 1948, 
running on the ``Dixiecrat'' ticket against Democrat Harry Truman.
  I must admit that he came a long way in his political career, given 
that he originally came to the Senate as a Democrat. I was happy to say 
that wisdom came within a few short years when Strom saw the light and 
joined the Republican Party.
  When I first arrived in the Senate in January of 1977, he was my 
mentor. As my senior on the Judiciary Committee, it was Strom Thurmond 
who helped me find my way and learn how the committee functioned. He 
was not only a respected colleague, but a personal friend.
  During his tenure as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Strom 
Thurmond left an indelible mark on the committee and the laws that came 
through it. He became known and respected for many fine qualifies and 
positions--his devotion to the Constitution, his toughness on crime, 
his sense of fairness.
  He was famous for his incredible grip. Many of us in this Chamber had 
the experience of Strom Thurmond holding our arm tightly as he 
explained a viewpoint and asked for our support. I might add that this 
proved to be a very effective approach.
  Strom was also known to have a kind word or greeting for everyone who 
came his way, and for being extremely good to his staff. Despite his 
power and influence, he never forgot the importance of small acts of 
kindness. For example, whenever he ate in the Senate Dining Room, he 
grabbed two fistfuls of candy. When he returned to the floor of the 
Senate, he handed the candy out to the Senate Pages. Unfortunately, it 
was usually melted into a kaleidoscope of sugar by then! I have a 
feeling that the Pages preferred it when Strom took them out for ice 
cream.
  Strom Thurmond was truly a legend--someone to whom the people of 
South Carolina owe an enormous debt of gratitude for all his years of 
service. Clearly, the people of South Carolina recognize the sacrifices 
he made and are grateful for all he did for them. In fact, you cannot 
mention the name Strom Thurmond in South Carolina without the audience 
bursting into spontaneous applause. He truly was an American political 
icon.
  Abraham Lincoln once said that ``The better part of one's life 
consists of friendships.'' With a friend like Strom Thurmond, this 
sentiment couldn't be more true. I am a great admirer of Strom 
Thurmond, and I am proud to have called him my friend.
  One final note about Strom Thurmond: He was a great patriot. A 
decorated veteran of World War II who fought at Normandy on D-Day, 
Strom Thurmond loved this country. Let me close by saying that this 
country loved him, too.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, this is a sad day for the family of our 
late and beloved colleague, Strom Thurmond. I want to begin my remarks 
by extending my and Barbara's heartfelt condolences to all of them for 
their great loss. It is also, though, a day for all Americans, and most 
especially those of us in the Senate community, to remember a man who 
spent a lifetime--in fact more than the average lifetime--in dedicated 
public service to this nation.
  When I joined the Armed Services Committee in 1979, Senator Thurmond 
had already served on the committee for 20 years. I knew of him as a 
passionate and effective advocate for a strong national defense even 
before I joined the committee. In the 24 years that we served on the 
committee together, I came to appreciate even more his commitment to 
the welfare of the men and women who serve and who have served in our 
nation's military, as well as their families.
  One of the reasons Senator Thurmond was such an effective leader on 
national security issues is that he spoke from his heart and from 
personal experience. He served his country in uniform for 36 years. He 
was commissioned in the Army Reserve even before he began his 
remarkable career in politics. He retired as a Major General in the 
Army Reserves.
  In June 1944, Lt. Col. Strom Thurmond landed behind German lines in a 
glider with the rest of the 82d Airborne Division as part of the D-Day 
invasion. He truly was a member of what Tom Brokaw called ``the 
greatest generation.''
  During Senator Thurmond's long tenure on the Armed Services 
Committee, our Armed Forces faced challenge after challenge in Western 
Europe, Vietnam, the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, and 
Afghanistan. Through it all, Senator Thurmond was unwavering in his 
support for our men and women in uniform. His steadfast commitment to 
our national defense was a rock

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upon which they and we could all depend. He never stopped working to 
ensure that our military is always ready to answer the call whenever 
and wherever needed.
  Senator Thurmond served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services 
Committee in the 104th and 105th Congresses. I had the honor and 
pleasure to serve as his ranking member in 1997 and 1998. I know from 
personal experience how seriously Senator Thurmond treated his duties 
as chairman and how hard he worked to be fair and even-handed with 
every member of the committee. Our former colleague and chairman, 
Senator Sam Nunn, was right when he said that there was not a single 
national security issue facing this country that has been or could be 
solved by one political party. That legacy of bipartisanship on the 
Armed Services Committee was continued under the chairmanship of Strom 
Thurmond. I am sure that I speak for all of our colleagues in saying 
just how much we appreciate not only the commitment that Senator 
Thurmond brought to his duties as chairman, but also his lifelong 
dedication to the defense of our Nation and to the welfare of those who 
defend us.
  In my 24 years of service with Strom Thurmond, I never knew him to be 
anything other than unfailingly optimistic, always courteous, and ever-
thoughtful of his Senate colleagues and their families. I cannot say 
how many times he gave me and all my colleagues advice on exercise, on 
diet, and on taking care of ourselves and our families in general. I 
wish I had followed his advice more often because it was always given 
out of his true concern as a friend. Strom himself was a marvelous 
specimen of physical fitness. One need only receive a handshake or a 
shoulder slap from Strom Thurmond to fully appreciate his strength and 
stamina.
  Sadly Strom Thurmond has left this Earth and we will always miss him. 
I hope his family takes comfort in knowing, though, that he leaves an 
example of dedicated public service that will stand as a inspiration 
for generations to come.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, we are deeply saddened by the death of 
our former colleague, Strom Thurmond. He was a beloved friend, always 
gracious, and affectionate.
  His service in the Senate was distinctive not only because he served 
so many years but because of his love for his job and his dedication to 
serving the interests of the people of South Carolina.
  He was determined to make his influence felt in the committees and on 
the floor. He took an active part in the debates even on the most 
controversial issues.
  His 24 hour speech on the Civil Rights Act was a record-setting 
event. He also was a fervent and effective supporter of our military 
forces and the veterans who had risked their lives in military service 
to our Nation.
  I will always count it as one of my richest blessings that I got to 
know Strom Thurmond and the members of his family. My hope is that 
Nancy and their children will be comforted by the warmth and sincerity 
of the esteem and affection in which the Thurmond family will always be 
held by their many close friends in the Senate family.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to my colleague and 
dear friend, Senator Strom Thurmond, who passed away last night at the 
age of 100.
  A few months ago, as he was about to retire from the United States 
Senate, I said on this floor that I could not even begin to imagine the 
Senate without Senator Thurmond. And since he left this Chamber, I 
can't tell you how many times, during a vote, when the clerk would 
reach the lower half of the alphabet, I've looked up from wherever I 
was on the floor--expecting to see the man who was, for so long, South 
Carolina's senior Senator.
  He was truly an institution within this Chamber--a ranking Member, a 
committee chairman, a President pro tempore, and the first ever 
President pro tempore emeritus. He cast over 15,000 votes. His service 
spanned the terms of 10 U.S. Presidents. And he was directly involved 
in the confirmation hearings of all nine current Supreme Court 
Justices.
  Strom Thurmond's life was one devoted to public service. He was a 
teacher, a school superintendent, a State Senator, a judge, a war hero, 
Governor, and, of course, a Senator for nearly 50 years.
  At each step in his life, Strom Thurmond was searching for ways to 
serve his country. As a circuit judge in South Carolina, he took a 
leave of absence to volunteer to parachute behind enemy lines during 
the D-Day invasion at Normandy. For his valor in World War II, he 
received the Purple Heart, five Battle Stars for Bravery and numerous 
other decorations. And shortly after the war ended, he was elected 
Governor of South Carolina, an office he held for 4 years.
  But there is no doubt that when his constituents remember Strom 
Thurmond, their thoughts will immediately turn to his years as their 
Senator. He served them in this body for over one-fifth of our Nation's 
history. For many South Carolinians, when he retired earlier this year, 
he was the only senior Senator they had ever known.
  Strom Thurmond did not merely serve in the Senate; he did so, even 
during his final years, with unparalleled vigor. His commitment to the 
people of South Carolina was legendary--whether it was helping an 
elderly constituent get a Social Security check, or ensuring that the 
widow of a law enforcement officer could keep her husband's badge, 
Strom Thurmond never forgot the people who sent him to Washington.
  And the dozens of schools, buildings, parks, and streets in South 
Carolina that bear his name today show that they never forgot him 
either.
  I served with Strom Thurmond for 22 years in the Senate, and my 
father served with him for 12--that's 34 years in which a Dodd served 
in this body with Senator Thurmond. Both of us certainly had our share 
of disagreements with him. But those disagreements always came in the 
spirit of respect, thoughtfulness, and collegiality that are hallmarks 
of the Senate. And Strom Thurmond truly embodied those qualities.
  To the Dodd family, though, Strom Thurmond was more than just a 
colleague--he was a true and loyal friend. We will never forget the 
loyalty and friendship he showed us even during some trying and 
difficult times.
  It is impossible to look back at the years of Strom Thurmond's life 
without being amazed. He lived through the invention of the Model T 
Ford and the creation of the Internet. As a child, he read newspaper 
accounts of battles that were fought with bayonets in the trenches of 
Europe. And in his later years, he watched satellite television reports 
of conflicts won with smart bombs and laser technology. He experienced 
the Great Depression of the 1930s and the technology bubble of the 
1990s.
  And as America matured and changed during his lifetime, Strom 
Thurmond grew, as well.
  Senator Thurmond didn't just live through a century of history. He 
was intimately involved in it. In each step that America took, Strom 
Thurmond was there. In that respect, and in so many others, Strom 
Thurmond was a truly unique and rare individual.
  I offer my condolences to the entire family of Strom Thurmond. We 
will miss him very much.
  Mr. CRAIG. Madam President, a constant of the universe has changed. 
Strom Thurmond is no longer with us. We mourn because this world is 
poorer for his passing, but we also know he smiles down upon us from a 
better, happier place.
  True to the creed taught him by his father, Strom always gave of 
himself, to his family, his beloved state of South Carolina, and to his 
country. He understood that the essence of leading is serving.
  Strom changed his times and changed with his times. Born during the 
administration of Theodore Roosevelt, he retired a thoroughly modern 
Senator.
  He wanted to be history's first 100-year-old Senator. Through faith 
and force of will, he made it. Even more happily, he wanted to see the 
birth of

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his first grandchild, and he did, just recently.
  Like many great persons, Strom combined changeless values with an 
amazing ability to adapt in a changing world. In turns, he was a 
liberal and a conservative; a Democrat, Independent, and Republican; a 
famous bachelor, widower, husband, father, and now grandfather. He came 
to the Senate from what they call the ``Old South,'' but when I came to 
Congress, I saw in Strom a Senator committed to equal opportunity and 
inclusiveness. He was young at heart, had a sense of fun and adventure, 
and was always open to new ideas. This is the way Strom should be 
remembered, as an example of how the human spirit can grow and mature 
gracefully.
  Yet, for all the changes, Strom's constituents were reassured by a 
sense of his being changeless. What never changed was a foundation of 
timeless values. He was devoted to faith, family, patriotism, 
integrity, public service, hard work, and compassion for everyday 
people.
  Only in recent years, did Strom and I discover from a genealogy 
website that we were distant cousins. After that, we enjoyed greeting 
each other with, ``Hi, Cousin!''
  Today, I say, ``Farewell for now, Cousin. Your life has honored and 
inspired your family, friends, and Nation.''

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