[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18843]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING SENATOR ROBERT J. DOLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to pay 
tribute to a great man and a great Kansan, Senator Robert J. Dole. 
Tomorrow, July 22, is Senator Dole's 80th birthday. In those 80 years, 
Senator Dole has become one of the most influential figures in American 
politics. Part of the Greatest Generation, Senator Dole is an example 
of an ordinary American who was called upon to meet extraordinary 
challenges and has risen to those challenges time and time again.
  A native of Russell, Kansas, Senator Dole was born to humble 
beginnings. I grew up within 20 miles of Bob Dole's hometown, and I 
know the dedication, commitment, love and respect that the people of 
Russell share for their hometown hero.
  In high school, Senator Dole was a good student and a good athlete 
and went on to enroll at the University of Kansas to pursue his 
lifelong dream of becoming a physician. Like so many of his time, he 
heard the call to defend his country and left KU after his sophomore 
year to join the U.S. Army.
  Dole excelled in the military and he served as a platoon leader of 
the 10th Mountain Division in the allied liberation of northern Italy. 
For his service and bravery in World War II, Senator Dole was decorated 
with two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star medal.
  Senator Dole is also well known for his service to our country as a 
Congressman, a U.S. Senator and the longest-serving Senate majority 
leader.
  Senator Dole began his public service as the county attorney in 
Russell County where the entire county's population is less than 10,000 
people. From there, he served 4 years in the State legislature before 
being elected to Congress where he would serve for the next 36 years.
  During his time on Capitol Hill, Senator Dole was known as a tireless 
leader who worked relentlessly to forge alliances in order to pass 
significant legislation. As a disabled veteran, he championed 
legislation to improve the condition of his fellow veterans and for the 
disabled, including the landmark bill, the Americans with Disabilities 
Act. Senator Dole also served as Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976 and 
received the Republican nomination for President in 1996.
  Starting this week, Senator Dole's legacy of public service will live 
on through the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University 
of Kansas. The Institute's director and four-time Presidential 
librarian, Richard Norton Smith, explained that ``this place is about 
service, that every generation could be the greatest generation.''
  The Institute is a resource for the citizens of our great State and 
for our Nation. The Center for Politics and Media focuses on public 
programming, including the Dole Lecture Series, the Dole Prize for 
Leadership, and the Presidential Lecture Series. The KU campus will 
also be enriched by this new collection of resources.
  I am proud that my alma mater, the University of Kansas, has created 
this living tribute to a life of service. A university has no greater 
mission than to prepare our Nation's future leaders. This center will 
serve as a tremendous resource in that cause.
  Since Saturday, Lawrence, Kansas, has been the center of a 4-day 
celebration culminating in the formal dedication ceremony of the 
Institute tomorrow morning. The dedication festivities include 
activities reminiscent of World War II, including an air show, an 
airplane display, a veterans' reunion, a living history encampment, and 
a reenacted USO show.

                              {time}  1945

  These activities are only a small token of Kansas' appreciation and 
affection for Senator Dole. It is my hope he will realize how much his 
lifetime of public service means to our State and Nation.
  Bob Dole is a tremendous role model for those of us involved in 
public service. I thank Senator Dole for his service to our country. He 
exemplifies so well our country's Greatest Generation, and happy 
birthday.

                          ____________________