[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 24028-24029]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING OF TRIBUTES AND OTHER RELATED MATERIALS IN 
                  HONOR OF THE LATE SENATOR PAUL SIMON

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 471, submitted 
earlier today by Senator Durbin.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 471) authorizing the printing of 
     tributes and other related materials in honor of the late 
     Senator Paul Simon.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, as we approach the first anniversary of 
the death of Senator Paul Simon, I would like to take this opportunity 
to pay tribute to my late friend and colleague.
  At the age of 19, Paul Simon became the Nation's youngest editor-
publisher

[[Page 24029]]

when he accepted a Lion's Club challenge to save the Troy Tribune in 
Troy, IL. From that start, he build a chain of 13 newspapers in 
southern and central Illinois.
  Paul Simon served the State of Illinois and the United States for 
decades. He is the only individual to have served in both the Illinois 
House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate, and the U.S. House of 
Representatives and U.S. Senate.
  Paul highly valued education and the youth of our Nation. In addition 
to his work in Congress to strengthen public education in America, he 
started the public affairs reporting program at Sangamon State 
University, now the University of Illinois at Springfield. He later 
became the founder and director of the Public Policy Institute at 
Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, and taught there for 
more than 6 years.
  Weeks before his death, Paul made the rounds to Washington and the 
editorial boards in Chicago. He was promoting an idea to create a new 
scholarship program which would send American students overseas to 
study and invite their foreign counterparts to come to America to 
learn. As Paul explained it, this opportunity to learn would help an 
often hostile world to understand us and help the next generation of 
American leaders to understand the world we live in. It was Paul 
Simon's long-term solution to the threat of terrorism: dialogue, 
education and tolerance--the hallmarks of his public life. In a modest 
way, we came through for him.
  Earlier this year, this Congress established a commission to 
recommend the framework for an international study abroad program for 
college students. The program Senator Simon envisioned and worked so 
hard to create was what he called the Lincoln Fellowships. The program 
under development is designed to encourage and support the experience 
of studying abroad in developing countries--in countries whose people, 
culture, language, government, and religion might be very different 
from ours.
  Shortly after Paul's death, I introduced legislation to name the 
Federal building located at 250 West Cherry Street in Carbondale, IL, 
the ``Senator Paul Simon Federal Building.'' In May 2004, this bill was 
signed into law. Naming this building in Carbondale after Paul Simon 
will help present and future generations remember and honor a great man 
who lived in and worked for the people of Southern Illinois and served 
in our Federal Government with the greatest integrity.
  From journalism to Government to education, Paul Simon set the 
standard for honesty and caring in public life. Paul set a standard for 
integrity in public life the rest of us can only aspire to. Whether you 
agreed with his politics or not, you always knew you could trust Paul. 
He didn't apologize for dedicating his public life to the less 
fortunate. He believed and taught those of us who worked with him that 
honesty and caring were the real standards for public service. He was 
genuine in his politics, in his life, and in his values.
  I wouldn't be a Senator today if it weren't for Paul Simon. He 
believed in me, he inspired me, and he was a true friend.
  Today I am introducing a resolution to authorize the printing of 
tributes and other related materials in honor of Senator Simon. This 
resolution will authorize the collection and printing of these 
materials in an official Senate document. The compilation of the 
tribute statements made by my Senate colleagues will serve as a lasting 
testament to our former colleague.
  Through these small measures, Congress has paid tribute to the 
lasting legacy of our friend, Paul Simon. His dedication to public 
service serves as an example for all Americans.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the 
Record, without intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 471) was agreed to, as follows:

                              S. Res. 471

       Resolved, That there be printed as a Senate document a 
     compilation of tributes and other related materials 
     concerning the Honorable Paul Simon, late a Senator from the 
     State of Illinois.

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