[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Pages 25222-25233]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO RETIRING SENATORS


                             Fritz Hollings

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want to spend a few minutes talking about 
the Senators who will not be here when the Senate starts over again 
this January. The first I ever heard about Senator Fritz Hollings was 
while watching a TV program where Senator Hollings was running for 
President, and he said, during a Presidential debate, when the issue of 
the day was whether there should be a nuclear freeze, which had been 
propounded by Alan Cranston, another candidate, when asked about the 
nuclear freeze, Senator Hollings said, ``Until a few days ago, I 
thought this was a new kind of dessert.'' That wit is typical of Fritz 
Hollings.
  Mr. President, Fritz Hollings is a man who is, as far as I am 
concerned, the epitome of what it means to be a Senator. He is a person 
who looks the role and is everything that I am not--tall, handsome, 
with flowing white hair, and very articulate. This is a man who was one 
of the original southern politicians who thought it was appropriate to 
start talking about the evils of segregation. Fritz Hollings is tall, 
handsome, with a great voice, a great sense of humor; and he is 
somebody for whom I have the greatest respect. I will miss him so much.
  He, Peatsy, and I have traveled. He is someone who has been so good 
to the State of South Carolina. I have been to his home. He has given 
me a tour of Columbia, SC, where he is a legend in his own time. He 
showed me the place where he was born.
  I want to extend through the magic of this television to everyone 
within the sound of my voice the fact that Fritz Hollings is a great 
Senator and will go down in the history of the Senate as one of the 
great Senators.
  I also want Fritz and Peatsy to know how much I care for them, and I 
appreciate very much their generosity and friendship to Landra and me 
over these many years.


                              John Breaux

  John Breaux and I came to the Senate together. We served in the House 
together. He comes from a State that, of course, is famous for 
unpredictable politics, and John has done every bit of his work to make 
sure that tradition is upheld.
  When he was running for the Senate, as only John Breaux could do, his 
opponent raised a question, and his opponent, who was somebody who also 
had served in the House of Representatives, said John Breaux can be 
bought. They would rush out to John Breaux and would say: Your opponent 
said you could be bought. How do you respond to that? John Breaux said: 
Well, I can be leased but I can't be bought. Who else, other than John 
Breaux, could get away with something like that?
  He is a great person, a person of integrity, a person who came to the 
House of Representatives way back in 1972. He served in the Congress 
for 32 years. There is no one who is better at making a deal than John 
Breaux. I say this in the most positive way. Legislation is the art of 
compromise, consensus building, and John Breaux understood that to a T. 
We need more people such as John Breaux with the ability to reach 
across the aisle.
  We will miss John Breaux, Mr. Problem Solver. I appreciate his and 
Lois's friendship over these years. I will miss him very much.


                               Bob Graham

  Bob Graham and I came to the Senate together in 1986. He first ran 
for Governor 26 years ago. Since that time, and even before, he has 
spent hundreds of days working with regular Floridians in their jobs.
  The thing we all see in Bob Graham is the little notebooks he carries 
and everything he does he writes down. I am sure some day after we are 
long gone, a historian will review those, and Bob Graham will be well 
known in the history books because he wrote the history of everything 
he has done for the last 25 or 30 years.
  He was a great Governor for the Sunshine State. He has been a 
tremendous Senator. I served with him from the time we came here on the 
Environment and Public Works Committee. He has certainly been 
tremendous on that committee. He is a detail man. He is a person, for 
example, who worked on the Everglades. He was tireless, persistent, and 
so smart. He has become an expert on foreign affairs and foreign 
intelligence. He served as chairman of the Intelligence Committee. He 
has written a book on the subject. His knowledge and contributions in 
that area will be hard to replace.
  I certainly will miss the Senator from Florida. It is just too bad he 
decided not to run for reelection.


                              John Edwards

  I ask everyone to pull out this week's People magazine, if they have 
one--if not, get a copy of it--because that tells the story of John and 
Elizabeth Edwards. The story is directed toward Elizabeth because she 
has now been stricken with breast cancer, but it tells in some detail 
about this wonderful family.
  He was the Vice Presidential candidate and is someone who has 
tremendous ability. I am a trial lawyer. He is a trial lawyer. He has 
made such a distinct impression on the country with

[[Page 25223]]

his oratorical skills. We know why he was a great trial lawyer.
  People magazine is so filled with information and inspiration. The 
last sentence in that People magazine article talks about Elizabeth 
Edwards. She knew she had breast cancer in the last week of the 
campaign. She did not tell anybody, but she tells in this People 
magazine article that was so well written that somewhere at a place she 
stopped, they were having a cancer survivor program, and one of them 
asked her: Are you a cancer survivor? She did not answer but, of 
course, thought to herself, as the article says: We'll see.
  We will see. We certainly hope for the Edwards family, which has 
already had a lot of personal problems due to the death of their 16-
year-old son, we really do hope--all of us, all Americans hope for 
Elizabeth Edwards, this wonderful woman, to recover.
  I will miss John Edwards in the Senate. He only served here 6 years, 
but he certainly left his mark as a great Senator from the State of 
North Carolina. North Carolina is going to benefit, however, from the 
defeat of the Kerry-Edwards ticket because he is returning to North 
Carolina.


                              Don Nickles

  Don Nickles and I have done some things together in the Senate that I 
will always remember. There are laws on the statute books of this 
country. One of the things we did, and people said we could not do, 
resulted because we were concerned about regulations and how burdensome 
and overbearing they can become. So we introduced legislation that 
basically said if the administration promulgates a regulation that we 
do not think helps the country, then we can overturn that regulation. 
That is the law.
  We have overturned regulations that have been burdensome to this 
country. I have not always liked the result of the legislation that has 
been overturned, but it is my law along with Senator Nickles'. He is a 
great legislator.
  We worked together on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative 
Branch. We really did some things that have changed what goes on. We 
have changed things a great deal, such as how Members of the House and 
Senate do their franking. We changed that.
  Senator Nickles and I were the first to talk about how bad the east 
front of the Capitol looked, and we did a number of things. We got the 
automobiles removed from the east front of the Capitol. This was what 
first got me interested in doing something about having a visitor 
center on the east front of the Capitol, which is now in the process of 
being completed.
  I have so much respect for Senator Nickles. He and I have a different 
political philosophy, no question about that, but I think the work we 
have done together sets an example of how Democrats and Republicans of 
totally different political philosophy can work together for the 
betterment of this country.
  Don Nickles is a good man. He is a young man. He has a great future 
in the private sector. I personally will miss him a lot. I care a great 
deal about Don Nickles and wish him the very best.


                        Ben Nighthorse Campbell

  Everyone has heard me talk about Searchlight, NV, the place of my 
birth and where I still live. The only Senator who has ever been to my 
home in Searchlight is Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Ben Nighthorse Campbell 
one day called my wife and said: I will be in Searchlight and want to 
come visit you. I will be there in about 40 minutes.
  I was out doing a little jog. I thought something was wrong when I 
came back. She said: Nighthorse is on his way.
  He had a vehicle that was so big--I live a little bit off the beaten 
path--it could not get into my yard. We went up and met him and brought 
him back to my home. We had a wonderful visit.
  Ben Nighthorse Campbell is, among other things, a great artist. He 
makes jewelry. I wanted to get my wife something very special for 
Christmas a couple years ago, and I went to Ben Nighthorse Campbell to 
see if he could do something unique. He said he was making his daughter 
a belt, and he would make one just like it for my wife.
  He did that. It is a beautiful piece of jewelry. There are two of 
them in the world. My wife has hers, and if you go to the Museum of the 
American Indian, which is right down the way and just opened, you will 
see my wife's silver belt in the museum. Actually, it is not hers, it 
is his daughter's, but there is only one identical to my wife's. Ben 
Nighthorse Campbell is a great guy, a tremendous athlete.
  I have great admiration for his physical prowess. I have always 
disagreed with his motorcycle riding but he believes he should continue 
doing that. He is a man who has written a book. I have read his book. 
It is a wonderful rags-to-riches story. He will be missed and that is 
an understatement.


                              Tom Daschle

  There is no way I can, on the Senate floor in the few minutes I am 
going to take, convey to my colleagues and the people within the sound 
of my voice the feelings I have about Tom Daschle. He and I came to the 
Senate together 18 years ago. We served in the House of Representatives 
before that. The last 6 years we have worked together daily. There may 
be a day or two that went by without our talking but they were rare. We 
spoke even during the time we were on break. We have virtually been 
together every day. The only time we really did not spend a lot of time 
communicating is when he was in South Dakota and I was in Searchlight. 
Our BlackBerrys would not work. My BlackBerry now works in Searchlight. 
His still does not work in South Dakota.
  Tom's legislative record is certainly there. It is apparent. He has 
done wonderful things for the State of South Dakota and this country. I 
could, but it is really unnecessary, explain what he has done for the 
farmers, the environment, the military, including the veterans, but 
what I can try in a very inadequate way is to express to him, through 
this manner, the things I have tried to say personally to him in the 
last couple of weeks, and that is express my appreciation to him for 
the opportunities he has given me.
  Tom Daschle is a totally unselfish person. I can remember about 6 
years ago when I was selected by my peers to be assistant leader I went 
to Senator Daschle and said: What is this job going to be? He said: 
Whatever you make it.
  I took him at his word, and this job is what I thought the assistant 
leader or the whip should be. I could never have done what I have done 
and had the good fortune of being in the places I have been and had the 
freedom to do things on this Senate floor but for the support and 
authorization of Senator Daschle.
  I do not think I have ever raised my voice to Senator Daschle. We 
both grew up with three brothers. We are the first to really go to 
school of any depth in our families. I have learned a lot from Senator 
Daschle.
  As I have told everyone, I am not Tom Daschle and I am going to be a 
different kind of person in the new duties I have beginning at the 
first of the year.
  I told Tom Daschle earlier this week that earlier this year I lost my 
best friend. His name was Mike O'Callaghan. He was someone who taught 
me in high school. He taught me how to fight in the ring and in other 
places. When I went to law school, he helped me. He was a disabled 
Korean veteran but he gave me part of his pension money to help me 
through tough times in school. I was allowed to take the bar before I 
graduated from law school. I was married and had two children, was 
desperate for money. I came back to Reno and there was Michael 
O'Callaghan. He gave me a $50 bill. That was in the fall of 1963. He 
gave me a $50 bill. I had never seen one before but he gave that to me. 
He knew I was desperate for money.
  Then I held a few offices, and as a very young man I ran for 
Lieutenant Governor. People kind of thought I was going to win that. He 
moved back from California to Nevada to run for Governor because there 
was no Democrat to run sitting for Lieutenant Governor. They knew 
O'Callaghan had no chance,

[[Page 25224]]

but he did. He became the Governor of the State of Nevada.
  I am trying to paint a picture for this man and how close he was to 
me. He was so good to me, able to give me advice and counsel. He told 
me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear, and I did not make 
a decision important in nature unless I discussed it with my friend 
Mike O'Callaghan.
  He went to church early one morning this summer and died. It was a 
very painless death. He went to church every day. He was a devoutly 
religious man, and somebody whom I have missed more than words can 
describe.
  I told my friend Tom in his office a day or two ago that he was now 
my Mike O'Callaghan, that I have somebody I will call just as I did my 
friend Mike, that I will call him often. He said: That is fine. You 
could not call me too many times.
  So Tom Daschle and I have developed a relationship that can best be 
described as two brothers. I have three brothers, one of whom is dead. 
So Tom replaces my brother Dale. I will call Tom and I will talk to him 
when I feel it necessary, knowing he will continue to give the advice 
and counsel to me that he has for the last 6 years.
  There are additional things I would like to say, but I will suffice 
to say that for the 22 years I have known Tom Daschle, which has been 
culminated in the 6 years of intense personal contact where we have 
dealt with the problems of the country and the world in great depth, 
that there will never be an opportunity and an experience like that 
again. I am grateful to Tom and to his wonderful wife Linda for their 
friendship and Tom's service to our country.
  Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to departing 
Senators for their service and devotion to the United States Senate. 
They are not only my colleagues but my friends as well.
  The reality of elections for the Senate is that every two years we 
experience change--current members depart and new members are welcomed. 
At every transition I am reminded by the reality that life is more than 
just politics. I am certain the departing Senators--are experiencing a 
tremendous feeling of sorrow, yet anticipation of things to come, as 
they leave their friends, colleagues, and this great nurturing 
institution.
  Though we may fight hard during campaigns, we return to the Senate 
after the election to realize that we are not just losing Senators--we 
are losing friends. There is a bond--a collegiality and friendship--in 
the Senate that crosses party lines. We face long hard battles on the 
campaign trail and sometimes things can get ugly. But after all is said 
and done, after election day, we must all come back to Washington and 
work together to do what is best for our country.
  I will certainly miss my colleagues with whom I have worked for 
several years. I have had the honor to serve on the Finance Committee 
with four of my distinguished retiring colleagues, including Senator 
John Breaux and Senator Don Nickles. Both of these men were 
instrumental in leading the fight to reform Medicare.
  Senator John Breaux and I have worked side by side on Social Security 
issues. He is a good friend and he has always been willing to 
compromise. He is the master of a very noble craft that of bringing 
people together from both sides of the aisle.
  Senator Don Nickles has been a valuable comrade in protecting 
intellectual property rights of pharmaceutical companies and reforming 
health care, specifically working hard to pass the Patients Bill of 
Rights. He also sponsored commendable legislation to create the Office 
of International Religious Freedom at the Department of State, which I 
cosponsored. Senator Nickles as whip and chairman of the Budget 
Committee has done more to advocate fiscal conservatism than any other 
Senator during my tenure. He has a true expertise in these issues, and 
I thank him for his guidance and leadership.
  More importantly, Senator Nickles befriended me when I first came to 
the Senate and encouraged me to get involved in the National Prayer 
Breakfast and the Senate Bible Study. If it were not for his 
friendship, my time in the Senate would have been drastically 
different.


                        Ben Nighthorse Campbell

  Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell is a very kind and humble man and I 
have had the honor to work with him to assure that nondemocratic forces 
are unsuccessful in undermining movements for democracy in the Ukraine. 
But what I remember most about Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell is a 
story he told me once about his decision to vote for the ban on 
partial-birth abortion. While in the hospital recovering from a 
motorcycle accident, Senator Campbell was touched by the immense effort 
of doctors to save the lives of babies that weighed only a couple 
pounds. He was convicted by the significance of doctors going to such 
great lengths to save babies only a couple minutes old. This picture 
made him question partial-birth abortions: Why would we not do 
everything in our power to save babies who were still in their mother's 
womb? I thank Senator Campbell for his honesty on this issue and for 
sharing that story with me. I will never forget it.


                              Zell Miller

  I had the privilege of getting to know Senator Zell Miller as we 
traveled around the country together this past fall. Senator Miller and 
I have worked hard on education issues including the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. He is a man that believes in the ideals of this nation 
and understands that we must sometimes take a stand if we want to be 
heard. I treasure the friendship that Senator Miller and I have formed 
during our service together. I want him to know how much I admire him. 
He is a man with the courage to stand up for his convictions. He did 
the hardest thing for any man to do--he endorsed the opposing party's 
nominee in this year's election. I cannot thank him enough for his 
support. I will always have undying gratitude for him.
  Our departing Senators have been lights of inspiration and men who 
went above the call of duty to serve our country in their congressional 
capacities. They each have their own unique political perspective that 
has served the Senate well. Although my philosophies may differ from 
some Senators, we do not disagree on the greatness of America. We can 
all agree that we live in the greatest nation in the world, and we all 
believe that without democracy, life, liberty, and justice cannot 
flourish.
  My departing colleagues are great men and great Americans. They have 
contributed immensely to our country--making their states and our 
country significantly better than when they first stepped foot on the 
Senate floor.
  We are all going to miss their presence and wisdom here in the 
Senate. Their departures will surely leave a hole in expertise and 
leadership that will be hard to fill. I wish them health and happiness 
in their future endeavors--wherever the road may take them. May God 
continue to bless them and their families.
  Come January, as we face another transition, I welcome in the new 
members and look forward to forging new relationships as we continue to 
work towards making Americans safer, healthier, and more financially 
secure.


                        Ben Nighthorse Campbell

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to honor my 
good friend and colleague, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado. 
Ben is my best friend in the Senate. I know every one of my Senate 
colleagues would join me in expressing how much we care for Senator 
Campbell and how much we will miss him here in the Senate.
  I have always considered Ben to be larger than life, someone you 
would read about in a novel about the Senate than someone actually 
serving in the Senate. He is a high-school dropout who became a United 
States Senator, a veteran of the Korean war, captain of the U.S. judo 
team, and an extremely successful horse breeder and jeweler. He doesn't 
conform to any stereotypes. No other senators--let alone Republicans--
wear a ponytail, ride a Harley-Davidson to work, or stubbornly refuse 
to wear any neckwear more formal than a western bolo tie.

[[Page 25225]]

  But I am sure I am not surprising any of you by saying Ben is not 
your typical politician. One of my favorite stories about Ben's 
independent streak is from a town meeting he held back when he was a 
Member of the House.
  A constituent asked Ben a question, and Ben did his best to answer 
it. The gentleman didn't like the response, so he tersely rephrased the 
question and Ben answered it again. The man got very upset, and said 
``You have not answered my question!'' Ben firmly told him, ``Look, you 
asked a question, I answered it. You asked me again, and I answered it. 
Now I can't help it if you don't like the answer you got, but these 
other folks are waiting to ask questions of their own, so you and I are 
just going to have to agree to disagree.''
  Ben started to call on another person when the man jumped out of his 
chair and yelled to Ben, ``I don't believe you are taking all of the 
facts that I've stated into account, and you are not going to simply 
dismiss me like that. I am a taxpayer, and I pay your salary, and I 
demand an answer!''
  Ben, through gritted teeth, said, ``You know, I hate it when people 
feel that because you're an elected official, they somehow own you. Do 
you realize that my salary costs every man, woman and child in this 
country about one-half of one cent each year?'' At that point, Ben 
reached into his pocket, pulled out a penny, flipped it to the man, and 
said, ``Here's your refund!'' He turned to the audience and yelled, 
``Next question!'' The audience cheered and the man left the meeting.
  Now that is a good description of the Ben Nighthorse Campbell that I 
have come to know and love.
  Most of you know that I have sat next to Ben during policy lunches 
ever since he saw the light and switched parties so many years ago. I 
still love to tell the story of when he decided to move over to the 
right side of the aisle.
  Ben and I became good friends soon after he joined the Senate, and we 
repeatedly discussed his growing disillusionment with the policies and 
politics of those on other side of the aisle. I would point out that 
power, its accumulation and retention, seemed to be of greater 
importance to some on his side than finding the right answer, that the 
worth of an issue should not always be measured simply by political 
advantage. He would disagree, but over time his protests would grow 
fewer and less heartfelt.
  I was surprised when Ben stopped me one day nearly 10 years ago and 
said, ``Orrin, you're right. I can't stand it anymore over here.'' He 
asked whether I could arrange for him to see Senator Dole, and I said, 
``I believe I can''--3 minutes later we were in Bob Dole's office.
  Bob had the biggest smile on his face I had ever seen and gave Ben a 
warm hug. He commented about the courage and principle it took to make 
such a decision, but he didn't need to make a hard sell. It was obvious 
Ben had already made up his mind to become a Republican.
  I can vividly remember when Ben attended his first Republican policy 
luncheon. Ben and I had discussed how disappointed he was with the 
direction and tone of the Democrat policy meetings. He said they had 
devolved from honest discussions of differences into angry, one-sided 
shouting matches dominated by some of the most senior and well-known 
members. If you didn't agree with their liberal positions, your view 
wasn't welcome.
  I assured Ben that the Republicans were different. We showed great 
respect for one another and there was always considerable deference 
given to differing points of view.
  When Ben and I took our places at the back of the room--where we have 
sat together since that day--a quiet discussion soon broke out into 
bitter argument. One person jumped up, anger seething from his face, 
stared at another very senior member with a snarl on his face, and then 
called him a derogatory name. Everyone started shouting, and it took 
Bob Dole several minutes to restore order.
  Ben's eyes got larger and larger as he watched what was happening, 
then without turning his head, he gave me a quick jab in the ribs. 
``Gee, Orrin,'' he muttered, ``it's sure good to see how well we 
Republicans get along compared to those darn Democrats!''
  Thankfully, Ben's decision to join the Republican Party wasn't solely 
based on policy lunches.
  I have plenty more stories to tell of my good friend from Colorado, 
but I will close by saying that I will miss Ben dearly and wish him the 
very best as he starts the next phase in his life. I know him too well 
to think that this is really a retirement from public service. This is 
just the end of one phase of service that will open up several other 
ways for him to reach out and make a difference in the lives of those 
around him.


                              Zell Miller

  Mr. President, I am grateful for the chance to take a few moments to 
recognize my good friend from across the aisle, Senator Zell Miller of 
Georgia. Zell is one of my best friends in the United States Senate. I 
know every one of my Senate colleagues would join me in expressing how 
much we care for Senator Miller and how much we will miss him.
  It is no secret that Zell is his own man, someone who does what he 
believes is right, not what is politically expedient. His values were 
shaped while growing up in the South, raised by his strong mother and 
reinforced through his service in the U.S. Marine Corps.
  And for those who say you cannot be a successful politician without 
sacrificing some of your principles, I point to my good friend from 
Georgia. When he finishes his Senate term this year, he will complete 
nearly six decades of publicly elected service, starting with his first 
election as mayor of his hometown of Young Harris, Georgia, in the late 
1950s.
  Zell was a popular two-term Governor of Georgia in fact, he was named 
the most popular Governor in America by The Washington Post in 1998. 
His popularity came from his successful programs that found national 
acclaim among them was passing the Nation's first ``two strikes and 
you're out'' law against violent felons, starting the Nation's only 
voluntary pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds, and creating the 
nationally acclaimed HOPE scholarship that has had such tremendous 
success in Georgia.
  My good friend swept into the Senate to complete the remaining 4 
years of the late Senator Paul Coverdell. Many political observers call 
Zell the last of the Southern conservative Democrats to serve in the 
Senate. He has certainly established himself as a strong voice for the 
conservative, commonsense approach to issues, reaching across the aisle 
to support tax cuts, improve education, confirm judicial nominations, 
and strengthen national security.
  Zell is widely known for his straight talk on the issues you know 
where he stands and what he stands for, and everything he says comes 
straight from the heart. I can't tell you how many times a constituent 
from my home State of Utah will write to tell me how inspired they were 
by a speech that Zell had given on this Senate floor.
  I am sorry to see Zell leave, but I am grateful for the service he 
has given these last 4 years. He is beloved by Georgians, and I know he 
would have easily been reelected, and he is beloved by millions in 
America. And, last but not least, he is beloved by his colleagues here 
in the Senate.


                          Peter G. Fitzgerald

  Mr. President, I would like to take a moment of the Senate's time, as 
we near completion of our duties for the 108th Congress, to honor the 
work and contribution to Republican Party, the Senate, and the Nation 
of my friend, the Senator from Illinois, Senator Peter Fitzgerald. 
Senator Fitzgerald has chosen to take his youth and talents and serve 
in other areas outside of the Senate. Our loss will be, no doubt, the 
gain of others.
  Senator Fitzgerald provided a good, youthful, and modern face to the 
Republican Party. Our party will only stay strong if we maintain within 
it our own diversity of perspectives, and I am grateful for the 
contribution of Senator Fitzgerald.
  Elected to the Senate in 1998 at the very young age of 38, the 
Senator immediately added his vigor, intelligence,

[[Page 25226]]

and experience in financial markets to address many of the complicated 
issues faced by your Government and society as the Nation turned into 
the 21st century.
  When corporate scandals erupted early in this century, threatening to 
undermine confidence in markets, the Senate was, indeed, fortunate to 
be able to turn to Senator Fitzgerald for his thoughtful and informed 
guidance. As a former commercial banking attorney, he used his 
expertise in his positions on the Commerce and Governmental Affairs 
Committees, particularly his chairmanship of the subcommittee on 
Financial Management, the Budget and International Security, to chair 
or support numerous hearings to illuminate the problems and necessary 
legislation we needed to return probity to financial dealings and 
confidence in our markets. The modern capitalist system is what 
provides growth and wealth to all the societies of the world, and the 
American markets are the most dynamic in the world. They are also the 
most diversified, and the vast majority of our citizens depend on them 
for employment, security and retirement. We owe a great deal of 
appreciation to Senator Fitzgerald for his work on corporate fraud 
issues, and I would like to thank him, once again.
  Senator Fitzgerald is a reformer, through and through. It is his 
dedication to our system of Government and economy that drove him to 
find ways to improve it. He applied his drive to reform to consumer 
issues, Government affairs, financial management, and the complicated 
mesh of revenue collection that is the current tax system of this 
country. And he quite deservedly received numerous acclamations from 
groups advocating for consumer and tax reform.
  Through this all, he never lost his focus on his home State. He 
didn't work for Illinois to get re-elected, he worked for Illinois 
because of his dedication to his State and his high standards of public 
service. A column in the Chicago Tribune, a good paper not known for 
being ragingly Republican, commended him for ``elevating courage and 
honesty to new heights.'' That sounds right to me.
  I will miss the presence of Senator Fitzgerald, his thoughtful floor 
statements before this body, and the impeccable manners of a gentleman 
that are so naturally his. His State can be proud of the Republican 
they sent to serve too briefly in this body. We will miss his 
intelligence and dedication, and I will miss a good Senator and friend. 
I expect that, with his relative youth, we will hear much more of Peter 
G. Fitzgerald.


                              Don Nickles

  Mr. President, I rise today to express my sincere gratitude for 
having had the opportunity to serve with Senator Don Nickles, and to 
wish him the very best as he retires from the Senate.
  A lot of descriptive words come to my mind when I think of Don 
Nickles. Among the most prominent are courageous, knowledgeable, and 
engaging. All three of these, as well as many other of Don Nickles' 
qualities, will be sorely missed in the United States Senate.
  I can think of no other Member of the Senate who has been a more rock 
solid beacon for conservatism than Don Nickles. His is the kind of 
courage that leads him to speak up alone against the whole world, if 
necessary, for what he believes. No matter what the issue or whether it 
is brought up on the floor of the Senate, in one of his committees, or 
in some other forum, Don Nickles is willing to speak up in his earnest 
yet friendly manner to ask questions, raise concerns, and stand up for 
conservative principles. Senator Nickles has been one of the most 
articulate Senators I have seen in my 28 years of service in the 
Senate. His voice, in defense for what he and many of us believe to be 
right, will be noticeably absent in the months and years to come.
  Senator Nickles is also one of the most knowledgeable Members of this 
body. I have long been impressed with his grasp of minute details of 
economic, tax, and budget issues. His major committee assignments, 
Budget, Finance, and Energy, all cover complex issues that can take a 
huge amount of effort to master. Yet, Don clearly does his homework and 
seems totally at ease in discussing details of the budget or a 
comprehensive tax bill. As chairman of the Budget Committee, Senator 
Nickles has served with distinction. With all the challenges facing the 
budget in the recent past, Don has presided over that committee in 
particularly trying times. Yet, he has exhibited patience and 
perseverance in the midst of a number of very difficult problems. Every 
citizen of this country owes him a debt of gratitude for his service on 
our behalf.
  Don Nickles is also one of the most engaging individuals I have had 
the privilege of knowing. His quick smile and friendliness to not only 
other Senators, but also to Senate staff and to everyone he meets marks 
him as a genuinely fine individual. I know Don has a deep faith in God 
and strives to do his best to live according to his convictions.
  As Senator Nickles moves on toward the next stage in his impressive 
career, I wish him the very best and hope that we have the opportunity 
to see him regularly and to have the benefit of his wisdom and 
knowledge for many years to come.


                              Tom Daschle

  Mr. President, I am grateful for this opportunity to say a few words 
about our friend and colleague, the distinguished minority leader, 
Senator Tom Daschle.
  Tom's commitment to public service, on behalf of the people of South 
Dakota and America, is an example I hope more citizens will follow. He 
served here as a Senate staff member before being elected to the House 
of Representatives in 1978. South Dakota is one of just seven States 
with a single House member, which required Tom to run a statewide race. 
That was familiar territory for him when he ran for and won his Senate 
seat in 1986. Tom is one of 49 Senators who previously served in the 
other body, experience which I believe enhances their service here and 
makes the Senate more effective in serving all Americans.
  Yesterday, our colleague Senator Durbin said that it is hard to 
imagine the Senate without Tom Daschle. Some might merit that 
compliment because of the sheer length of their tenure. Tom merits it 
because of the presence he quickly established, both as a Member and as 
a leader in this body. He was only 2 years into a second term when his 
fellow Democrats elected him their leader by just one vote. Only Lyndon 
Johnson became his party's leader more quickly.
  Tom's 10 years as Democratic leader included periods as both majority 
and minority leader. Those positions, especially in a narrowly divided 
chamber, are each very challenging and each very different. Tom served 
in each post with class and determination, unifying his caucus and 
working to achieve their agenda. Needless to say, we have not agreed on 
every element of that agenda. But in this political world, it is really 
a compliment to say that Tom effectively and skillfully used whatever 
tools were available to fight for what he believed and for what his 
caucus wanted to achieve. Even when we were at loggerheads, when it 
seemed like the irresistible force was meeting the immovable object, 
civility has always marked Tom Daschle's presence in this body, as a 
Senator and as a leader.
  I was gratified to hear Senator Daschle's comments on this floor 
yesterday and a few things really stood out. First, I was struck by the 
fact that he his number in the chronological list of United States 
Senators is 1776. Tom offered the valuable reflection that he is, as we 
all are, part of the broad sweep of American history, from the American 
revolution to the 108th Congress and into the future.
  Second, Tom asked a very important question, whether our power comes 
just from military might or also from wisdom, compassion, tolerance, 
and willingness to cooperate. Everyone who serves in this body should 
maintain that perspective.
  Third, Tom spoke of what he called the politics of the common ground. 
Individual Senators, as well as the two political parties, have certain 
bottom-

[[Page 25227]]

line issues, certain fundamental principles or positions on which they 
just find little room to give. But on others, and I sometimes wonder 
whether this list is longer than we might think, we must practice the 
politics of common ground. Reminding us of that was, by itself, an act 
of leadership by the minority leader.
  And finally, he told us of a note he wrote on one of his famous 
unscheduled driving trips across his State. He wrote, ``Everything was 
worth doing.'' Each of us who has worked alongside Tom Daschle, whether 
on the same or opposing sides, knows that this is his approach to, and 
attitude about, public service. That sets a good example for us all.


                               Bob Graham

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, with the close of the 108th Congress, the 
Senate will lose to retirement one of our most respected and admired 
Members, Senator Bob Graham of Florida.
  I remember how impressed we were in 1987 when Bob came to the Senate 
after two terms as an enormously popular Governor of Florida. From the 
start, he made his mark in this body as a serious and diligent 
legislator--a classic workhorse Senator rather than show-horse Senator.
  One of his greatest accomplishments was the passage, 4 years ago, of 
comprehensive legislation to restore and protect the Florida 
Everglades. This was Bob Graham at his very best: forging a bipartisan 
consensus, and crafting a unique partnership among Federal, State and 
local governments as well as private industries and landowners. This 
will be a living monument to Senator Bob Graham: a restored and 
revitalized Everglades.
  I first got to know Bob Graham back in 1977, a decade before he came 
to this body. At the time, he was a state senator down in Florida, 
planning to run for Governor the following year. He had heard about my 
work days, an idea that I originated when I was running for Congress in 
1974. I had spent dozens of work days--as a cop on the beat, 
construction worker, farmer, nurse's aide, and many other professions. 
It was a great way to get in touch with ordinary working Iowans and 
their concerns.
  I remember Bob coming by my office over in the Cannon House Office 
Building. He was a very serious man, very analytical and thorough. He 
asked all the right questions. And a couple weeks later, he sent me his 
plan to conduct 100 work days during his campaign for Governor. I told 
him, as tactfully as I could, that was way too many, that he would 
never be able to do it. But Bob went ahead with his plan. He did, 
indeed, conduct 100 work days. He did, indeed, get elected Governor of 
Florida. And I learned never to underestimate Bob Graham.
  By the way, Bob's work days didn't stop there. As Governor and United 
States Senator, he went on to complete nearly 400 work days, serving as 
police officer, teacher, garbage man, busboy, hurricane relief worker, 
you name it. Bob swears by the value of these days--as I do. In fact, 
in 1997, he spent one work day as a U.S. Customs inspector at the port 
in Tampa. This opened his eyes to the extreme vulnerability of our 
ports to crime, drug trafficking, and terrorist strikes.
  And the work days continue. Last month, Senator Graham spent a day as 
a high school civics teacher in Miami. And just this past weekend, he 
spent a day as a bookseller in Coral Gables.
  All of which is typical of Bob Graham. He may be retiring from the 
Senate, but he is not a retiring man. He continues to be a workhorse 
and a whirlwind of activity. His new book, Intelligence Matters, has 
stirred up controversy by shining a spotlight on the Saudi royal 
family's connections to terrorism.
  The fact is Bob is leaving the Senate at the very top of his game, 
especially in the field of intelligence and homeland security. After 
the September 11 attacks, it was Senator Graham who proposed the 
creation of a joint House-Senate inquiry into the intelligence failures 
leading up to the attacks. Senator Graham ended up serving as cochair 
of that historic effort, and he did just a brilliant job of keeping the 
inquiry bipartisan, focused on the facts, focused on solutions.
  Meanwhile, events have vindicated Senator Graham's principled stand 
as one of only 23 Senators to vote in October 2002 against the 
resolution to authorize the use of force against Saddam. At the time, 
he argued passionately that the war on terrorism should be our highest 
priority. He insisted that al Qaeda was the real threat to America, and 
that an attack on Iraq would be a detour and distraction from the war 
on terrorism. And, as usual, Bob Graham was exactly right. The Senate 
failed to heed his warnings. I failed to heed his warnings. And, as a 
result, Osama bin Laden remains at large, al-Qaida and the Taliban are 
reconstituting themselves, and our Armed Forces are bogged down in a 
quagmire in Iraq.
  So, no question, with Bob Graham's retirement, the Senate is losing 
one of its most talented and respected members. Over the years, Bob and 
Adele have become wonderful friends, and those friendships will 
continue. But I will miss the day-to-day association on the floor with 
Bob.
  As I said, you have to respect the fact that Bob Graham is leaving 
the Senate at the very top of his game. I wish Bob and Adele all the 
best.


                              John Breaux

  Mr. President, there are not many things on which all Senators agree. 
But on one thing, there is universal, bipartisan agreement in this 
body: We are going to miss Senator John Breaux when he retires at the 
end of the 108th Congress.
  Make no mistake, John Breaux is a tremendously accomplished Senator, 
with scores of legislative achievements and accomplishments. He is a 
Senator's Senator. But when I think of John Breaux, I think first and 
foremost of his character, his unique way with people, and his 
wonderful good nature.
  You can disagree with John, but you can never dislike him. He has a 
knack for taking disagreements and disputes, and turning them into 
deals to move people forward. This is a priceless talent--a special 
skill--and I have never met another politician who could match John 
Breaux's gifts in this regard.
  For John, politics is not something you do with clinched teeth. 
Politics is a joy. Politics is fun. They used to call Hubert Humphrey 
the ``happy warrior.'' And that is very much the spirit that John 
Breaux has always brought to his work in the Senate. However, John 
would rather not make war on other Senators; he would rather cut a 
constructive deal that gets things done for ordinary people.
  Of course, these personal qualities have allowed John Breaux to be an 
amazingly effective Senator for his State of Louisiana. When John comes 
to you, when he tells you he needs help on a measure critical to his 
State, it is mighty hard to say no. Frankly, many times I have had a 
preconceived notion against the oil and gas industries, and I have 
opposed what they are trying to do on this or that bill. But John 
Breaux would come to see you, he talks it through, and next thing you 
know, you find yourself supporting him. He is just so effective in that 
kind of one-on-one persuasion. And, time and again, Louisiana has been 
the big winner.
  Another hallmark of John Breaux in the Senate has been his 
commonsense centrism. John is a man of strong principles, but he is not 
rigid and he certainly is not an ideologue. The questions John asks 
are, ``What is practical?'' ``What is going to work in the real 
world?'' ``What can we bring people together on, in order to make a 
positive difference?''
  Typical of Senator Breaux was his proposal a couple years ago to 
address the problem of 54 million Americans without health insurance. 
He called for universal health care. But he kept it practical. He 
proposed that all Americans have access to a basic, government-defined 
insurance package similar to what members of Congress and our staffs 
get from the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan. And he proposed tax 
credits to make premiums more affordable for middle- and lower-income 
citizens.
  Perhaps it is symbolic that John Breaux is leaving the Senate at this

[[Page 25228]]

time. As we saw this week in the conference on the FSC bill, the spirit 
of compromise and the art of constructive accommodation seem to be 
dying in the Senate--and even more so in the House. Increasingly, the 
attitude around here is ``my way or the highway.'' And that is not the 
Senate that I have loved over the years. That is not healthy for our 
democracy.
  The shame is that John Breaux is leaving at exactly the time when we 
need his talents more than ever. In fact, we need a dozen John Breauxs 
around here to heal this body, to show people how to rise above 
partisanship in the best interests of the country.
  So I will miss John's presence in the Senate. We will all miss him. 
But John Breaux is the youngest 60-year-old person I have ever met. And 
you can bet that he has many challenges and opportunities still ahead 
of him. John and Lois have been, and will continue to be, wonderful 
friends. And I wish them all the best.


                           Ernest F. Hollings

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues in tribute to 
Senator Ernest ``Fritz'' Hollings. I will miss my good friend from 
South Carolina who in 2003, at the age of 81, finally became his 
State's senior Senator--after 36 years as a junior Senator.
  In addition to being remembered as a coauthor of the Gramm-Rudman-
Hollings legislation that cut tens of billions of dollars from the 
Federal budget deficit, Fritz Hollings has left an indelible mark on 
our Nation in the areas of health care, environmental protection, 
resource conservation, technology development, job creation, 
transportation security, and law enforcement, to name a few.
  Immediately after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on 
America, Senator Hollings worked to protect the safety of our traveling 
public by authoring the Aviation Security Act which created the 
Transportation Security Administration. Similarly, recognizing that 
America's ports and borders were our Nation's weak security links, 
Senator Hollings championed legislation to increase security at 
America's ports.
  As the father of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
Senator Hollings recognized the extent to which the ocean environment 
sustains us--from human uses in commerce and recreation to being the 
original cradle of life on our planet. He knew the importance of taking 
appropriate steps to be responsible stewards of this rich, yet fragile 
resource.
  His oceans legacy includes authorship of the National Coastal Zone 
Management Act of 1972, which established Federal policy for protecting 
coastal areas, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which also became 
the model for other countries, for the protection of dolphins, sea 
otters and other mammals. In a continuing effort to do what is best for 
our ocean environment, Senator Hollings created the U.S. Commission on 
Ocean Policy in 2000, to review the accomplishments of the last 30 
years, and recommend actions for the future. Upon the issuance of the 
report, Senator Hollings laid the groundwork for legislation to adopt 
the recommendations of the Ocean Commission. I am the proud cosponsor 
of two of those measures, S. 2647, the Fritz Hollings National Ocean 
Policy and Leadership Act, and S. 2648, the Ocean Research Coordination 
and Advancement Act.
  Beyond the oceans, Senator Hollings worked to make our communities 
and schools safer, through programs such as Community Oriented Policing 
Services--COPS--that put more than 100,000 police officers on the 
streets in 13,000 communities across the country. The COPS program is 
also the largest source of dedicated funding for interoperable 
communications for public safety officers.
  Senator Hollings brought competition to the telecommunications arena 
which resulted in new services to consumers at affordable rates.
  I will miss Senator Hollings' wisdom, vision, and wit, but, most of 
all, his friendship.
  I wish Fritz and his wife Peatsy a fond Aloha.


                              don nickles

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Don Nickles first came to the Senate in 
1980 as a young man of 31 with a vision. He now leaves us, 24 years 
later, with a record we all can envy and a reputation we all should 
emulate. There are a lot of words that can be used to describe this 
man. Perhaps these five describe him best: ``As good as his word.''
  In his eloquent eulogy to Ronald Reagan this summer, Don said that 
those who came to Washington after the watershed election of 1980, 
``considered ourselves part of the soldiers in the field trying to get 
an agenda done to expand freedom.''
  There is no more noble an agenda than the expansion of freedom, and 
he has been a devoted soldier to that cause. He has been a strong 
advocate for our Armed Forces, dedicated to the defense of our Nation 
and to the expansion of liberty around the world.
  He has been equally devoted to the freedom that comes from 
responsible, less intrusive and more accountable government. He is a 
champion of effective economic-growth policies, and of tax reform that 
encourages investment and helps build strong families and communities. 
Don Nickles has always been of the side of the American people. His 
tenure as chairman of the Budget Committee will long be held up as a 
model of effective leadership, a cooperative spirit wedded to rock-
solid principles.
  Don comes from a small State and from a background in small business. 
That we have not always agreed on every issue is insignificant. What 
does matter is the values we share and the friendship that is the 
result.
  Don is much more than just an especially effective legislator and a 
very good friend. When Oklahoma City was struck by a heinous act of 
terrorism in 1995, he was there for the people of his State, offering 
comfort and support. The rebuilding, both material and spiritual, would 
not have been so quickly and thoroughly accomplished without the 
strength of Don Nickles.
  He came here as a young man and, despite the passage of 24 years, 
leaves as a young man. And, I might add, as a pretty fast man. In the 
New York Marathon last weekend, Oklahoma's senior senator finished in 
the top half of a field of more than 36,000 runners. If there was a 
caucus for Senators able to run more than 26 miles in less than 4\1/2\ 
hours, I believe it would be the smallest in the history of the 
republic.
  Thank you, Senator Don Nickles, for your service to this institution 
and to this country. Whatever path the future sets before you, I know 
you will be at the front of the pack.


                            ernest hollings

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a legend of 
a man who has spent his career dedicated to working for the great 
people of South Carolina. There is nothing small about Senator 
Hollings. From his height, to his storied career, to his large booming 
voice and southern drawl you can always hear calling ``yea'' or ``nay'' 
during rollcall votes, Senator Hollings is a giant. A reporter once 
said that if you sent to central casting for a Senator, you got Fritz 
Hollings. I have had the pleasure of serving with Senator Hollings for 
all 30 of my years in the Senate and during that time he, and his wife 
Peatsy, have been dear friends.
  Before setting foot in this Chamber, Senator Hollings had amassed a 
career that any man would be proud of. He attended the Citadel, the 
Military College of South Carolina, and upon his graduation in 1942 
accepted a commission in the U.S. Army. He served our country honorably 
in the campaigns in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and 
received a Bronze Star for his valor. Senator Hollings began his 
political career when he was 26 as he was elected to the South Carolina 
House of Represenatives. During his second term he was voted Speaker 
pro tempore and a short 4 years later he was elected lieutenant 
governor. In 1958 at age 36 was elected as Governor, the youngest 
Governor of South Carolina in the 20th Century.
  Senator Hollings was first elected to Senate in 1966 and has 
subsequently been re-elected to six additional terms, making him the 
ninth longest serving

[[Page 25229]]

Member of this body. Throughout his entire career the Senator has been 
a leader, fighting to protect our ports, our neighborhoods and American 
manufacturing jobs. He has been an outspoken advocate for fiscal 
responsibility, civil rights and against hunger.
  In 1974, he led the creation of the Women, Infants and Children--
WIC--nutritional assistance program. In 1978, he sponsored legislation 
and helped secure funding for South Carolina's first National Park, 
Congaree Swamp. He has stood tall in protecting our oceans and coasts, 
he authored the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Oceans Act of 
2000, which created the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy.
  Since 1967 Senator Hollings has been a member of the Commerce 
Committee and from his coauthorship of the 1996 Telecommunications Act 
that deregulated the telecom industry to his work on the FTC ``Do Not 
Call List,'' he has consistently looked out for the best interest of 
consumers. In 2000, Senator Hollings and I, along with Senators 
Sarbanes and Wyden, were successful in beating back the wholesale 
federal preemptions of State consumer protection laws during 
negotiations of the E-Commerce bill which I sponsored.
  Senator Hollings is the longest serving Democrat on the Budget 
Committee, and is the only Democrat to have served on the committee 
every year since its creation. In 1984 Senator Hollings collaborated 
with Senators Phil Gramm and Warren Rudman to establish the Gramm-
Hollings-Rudman deficit reduction legislation that helped reduce the 
deficit by $70 billion in its first year of enactment.
  I have had the pleasure to serve with Senator Hollings on the 
Appropriations Committee, where he has served since 1971, and is 
currently 3rd highest ranking member. From this position he has helped 
important initiatives both in South Carolina and nationally, such as a 
cause I have always strongly supported, the battle against cancer. 
Senator Hollings helped create a nationwide program to screen women for 
breast and cervical cancer and worked to establish a cancer center at 
the Medical University of South Carolina that bears his name.
  Earlier this fall more than 600 friends came together to celebrate 
Senator Hollings's career in the Senate, an event that raised $2 
million for the Hollings Cancer Center. We toasted his accomplishments 
and his incredible career of public service that has spanned more than 
five decades in State and national politics. I joined this body in 1974 
and I immediately learned that Senator Hollings is a man that always 
speaks his mind. His straightforward manner, dynamic personality and 
unwavering integrity are qualities that make me proud to call him my 
friend. I have valued his friendship and his camaraderie over these 
past 30 years, and I wish Fritz and his wife Peatsy the best of lives 
in their beloved South Carolina.


                              john breaux

  Mr. President, the State of Louisiana has a proud history of sending 
remarkable public figures to serve in the Senate. Louisiana has elected 
leaders that have been influential in guiding the direction of our 
country. Our colleague John Breaux is a man from this same mold. For 
more than 30 years the senior Senator from Louisiana has represented 
his State in Washington, with 18 years as a Member of this body, and 14 
years of service in the House of Representatives. In that time, he has 
always been willing to reach across the aisle to bring our colleagues 
together and his leadership has produced a list of impressive 
legislative accomplishments.
  As chairman and then as ranking member of the Special Committee on 
Aging, Senator Breaux has fought tirelessly for the rights of older 
Americans, working to reform and protect both Social Security and 
Medicare. The senior Senator from Louisiana has also provided strong 
leadership within the Senate during his 8-year tenure as deputy chief 
whip. His repeated election to this position speaks to the respect that 
our colleagues have for Senator Breaux's ability to routinely bring 
together Members with differing opinions to build a consensus.
  One of Senator Breaux's lasting legacies will be the leading role he 
has taken with regard to environmental conservation. In 1990, the 
Senator authored the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and 
Restoration Act, which provides for the restoration of the vital 
coastal wetlands of Louisiana and has since become known as the Breaux 
Act. This legislation was passed during his first term in the Senate 
and has since been renewed. More recently, Senator Breaux has supported 
legislation that would help protect coastal regions from the impact of 
offshore oil and gas exploration.
  In our many years of service together, Senator Breaux and I have had 
the opportunity to work closely on a wide range of issues. We both have 
been actively involved in telecommunications legislation, and 
collaborated on legislation that authorized reform of the telephone 
industry. I am particularly appreciative of Senator Breaux's unwavering 
support for legislation opposing the use of antipersonnel landmines, an 
issue of great significance to me personally and to the safety of 
millions of people around the world.
  I am proud of the body of legislation that Senator Breaux and I 
advanced together throughout our shared time in the Senate. I commend 
Senator Breaux for his dedication to being a watchdog for American 
seniors, for his legacy of environmental protection in Louisiana, and 
for his record of public service on behalf of his fellow Louisianans. 
The Senate and the people of Louisiana are losing a dedicated public 
servant and exceptional leader. I congratulate the Senator on a 
remarkable congressional career and wish him continued success in his 
future endeavors.
  On a personal level, John and Lois Breaux are good friends. Marcelle 
and I share the joy of telling grandchildren stories--and even of 
borrowing Mardi Gras costumes. I quickly realized in wearing one that 
you needed the special Cajun flavor of Louisiana to carry it off. John 
can do that one day at a Mardi Gras party and the next day handle on 
the floor the most complex issue facing the Finance Committee. He is a 
Senator's Senator.


                               Bob Graham

  Mr. President, at the end of this Congress we will bid farewell to 
distinguished members of this body who have served their States and 
their country with honor. I rise today to pay tribute to the Senior 
Senator from Florida, a man who has been a leader in the Senate on 
national intelligence issues, prescription drugs and the environment 
and has been a strong voice in this body on behalf of the interests of 
his fellow Floridians.
  For more than four decades Senator Graham has been a leader in 
Florida politics, serving his State as a State representative and 
Senator, as Governor and as a United States Senator. For 18 years 
Senator Graham has compiled an impressive record of leadership while 
serving as chairman and ranking member of the Veterans Affairs 
Committee, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, chairman of the 
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and as a senior member of the 
Senate Finance Committee.
  Since 1974, Senator Graham has completed more than 400 ``Workdays,'' 
with Floridians around his State. During these workdays the Senator 
spends working alongside his constituents, the personal interaction 
helps him understand the challenges that Floridians face. These visits 
clearly have provided Senator Graham with an opportunity to recognize 
the community values and hard work that are exhibited and shared by his 
constituents. These jobs have gone everywhere from garbage loader to 
short order cook. No Senator has done anything similar.
  From his position on the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Graham has 
picked up the torch for causes supported by another respected Floridian 
Claude Pepper, the former Senator and Congressman. He has supported 
providing affordable prescription drugs to Americans and has advocated 
for a common sense approach to Medicare that focuses on wellness and 
preventative health. Senator Graham has increased access to the 
Children's Health Insurance Program and has pushed

[[Page 25230]]

Congress to live up to its commitment to support social services.
  Both as Governor and Senator, Bob Graham has been dedicated to 
protecting the environment. He has helped direct millions of dollars to 
protect the Everglades, restore wetlands and promote responsible 
development. In the Senate, Bob Graham has voiced opposition to 
drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf and for an end to the harmful 
practice of dredging in the Apalachicola River.
  For those of us that have served with Senator Graham in the Senate we 
have admired his hard work and dedication to his constituents. We join 
him now in celebrating his eighteen successful years in this body, a 
period of time that is one part of a career of service to the State of 
Florida. As Senator Graham moves out of the public eye, he leaves 
behind a legacy of accomplishment that will be forever remembered by 
his fellow Americans and Floridians. He also leaves a reputation of 
integrity and insight. History will show that this country should have 
listened to his warnings about the failed intelligence leading up to 
the war in Iraq.


                              John Edwards

  Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the service of Senator John 
Edwards of North Carolina.
  Because of his time on the campaign trail, Senator Edwards' biography 
is well known to most Americans. He is the son of a mill worker and was 
the first in his family to attend college. Before coming to the Senate, 
John fought for victims' rights against insurance companies for more 
than 20 years in North Carolina. He enjoyed great success in that 
career, but seeking to do more for the people of his State, he decided 
to run for the Senate in 1998. John ran against, and defeated, an 
incumbent Senator, Senator Faircloth. Immediately upon arriving in the 
Senate, Senator Edwards began to make an impact.
  Only a few days after Senator Edwards was sworn in, I asked him to 
help depose witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Clinton. I 
wanted to make sure we had the best, and I thought he was. It was 
John's career experience that made him an ideal choice to assist in the 
depositions, and he had recent experience working in the trenches. In 
that pressure filled situation John won the respect of all of his 
colleagues, both on this side of the aisle and the other.
  From his seat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, 
Senator Edwards advocated for lowering the cost of prescription drugs 
for all Americans by improving access to generic medications. In 2001, 
he authored the Patients' Bill of Rights which would have guaranteed 
that people in HMOs and other insurance plans get the health care they 
pay for. Unfortunately, this was passed in the Senate but blocked by 
the White House. In addition to serving on the HELP Committee, Senator 
Edwards served on the Intelligence, Small Business, and Judiciary 
Committees.
  As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Edwards worked 
closely with me on a number of legislative efforts. He was a cosponsor 
of the Innocence Protection Act, the National Amber Alert Network, and 
a strong voice on judicial nominations. Senator Edwards has stood up to 
efforts by this President to pack the courts with people whose records 
do not demonstrate that they will be fair judges to all who come before 
them, rich or poor, Democrats or Republicans, or any race or 
background.
  In September of 2003, Senator Edwards announced that he was running 
for President. John ran a great campaign, raising issues important to 
the American people. He frequently referred to the division of America 
into two halves, that of the haves and that of the have-nots. John 
focused on the struggles of the middle class and many of the same 
issues that he was a leader on during his time in the Senate. 
Throughout the campaign, John was a positive voice for our party, and 
he was an excellent choice as a running mate for John Kerry.
  In an interview, John once said that he had an ideal image of what a 
U.S. Senator should be. He said that ``I think about a fiery advocate, 
someone who works passionately for his constituents.'' For the past 6 
years, John has been exactly that. Be it health or education reform, 
supporting farmers or North Carolina's economic interests, John Edwards 
has been an incredible leader and advocate for his State. I will miss 
John's friendship here in the Senate. I know that he has a wonderful 
wife and three beautiful children, and that whatever steps he takes 
next that he will be just fine as long as he has their support.


                        Ben Nighthorse Campbell

  Mr. President, for the past 12 years, the Senator from Colorado has 
served his State with distinction as a member of this body. Throughout 
that time, I have been pleased to join my friend and colleague in a 
number of legislative efforts. He has been a tireless advocate on 
behalf of Native Americans, for the protection of police officers, and 
for preserving public lands and natural resources. It is because of his 
leadership on these, and many other issues, that the presence of the 
senior Senator from Colorado will be missed in this Chamber.
  In 1989, Senator Campbell, then Congressman Campbell, sponsored 
legislation to create a new museum that would ensure the recognition 
and celebration of Native American culture and history. I am thrilled 
that earlier this summer we were able to join in the celebration with 
Senator Campbell as the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian 
opened in Washington, DC. I know that none of us will ever forget the 
sight of our colleague in full chief's regalia speaking on the Senate 
floor on the day the new museum opened.
  Before serving his State in Washington, Senator Campbell represented 
his country as the captain of the U.S.-Olympic Judo team, competing in 
the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. While I have never had to witness him 
use these skills on a fellow member of the Senate, he once helped 
subdue a suspect that had shoved Senator Thurmond until the Capitol 
Police arrived.
  One of Senator Campbell's most noted passions is his enthusiasm for 
motor vehicles. Senator Campbell has a well documented love of Harley-
Davidson motorcycles, and Washingtonians have occasionally caught a 
glimpse of the Senator riding around town on his motorcycle. As the 
Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill noted in April of 2003, the Senator 
added to his vehicle collection last spring when he replaced his 20-
year-old Dodge Plymouth last spring with a brand new Mini Cooper. While 
most Americans may know how the Senator gets around town when he is in 
Washington, far fewer probably know that Senator Campbell was behind 
the wheel for most of the trip when the 2000 National Holiday Tree was 
transported from Colorado to Washington, DC on a Mack truck.
  Senator Campbell and I share a background in law enforcement, he as a 
former Sacramento County sheriff's deputy in California, and I as a 
State's attorney in Vermont. This background helped bring us together 
to develop the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Acts of 1998 that has 
since been reauthorized in both 2000 and 2004. Since its inception in 
1999, this highly successful Department of Justice program has provided 
law enforcement officers in 16,000 jurisdictions nationwide with nearly 
350,000 new bulletproof vests.
  Earlier this year, Senator Campbell and I collaborated to produce the 
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which will allow qualified active-
duty law enforcement officers to travel interstate with a firearm, 
provided that officers are carrying their official badges and 
photographic identification. I was proud to team up with Senator 
Campbell in writing and introducing the Senate version of the Law 
Enforcement Officers Safety Act that will enable law enforcement 
officers nationwide to be prepared to answer a call to duty no matter 
where, when, or in what form it comes.
  Senator Campbell has a long and distinguished legislative history as 
a Member of the United States Congress. I am proud to have served with 
him on the Agriculture and Appropriations Committees, and I am proud of 
our partnerships to protect police officers,

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fight against landmines, and to provide funding for the WIC and Head 
Start programs. I applaud the Senator for his 12 years of service in 
the Senate and 6 years of service in the House of Representatives, and 
I congratulate him on a remarkable career.
  Mrs. DOLE. Mr. President, today I want to take a moment to pay 
tribute to my friend and my colleague, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
  Long before I arrived in the Senate, Ben had proven to be a trusted 
friend. In my early days as a Senator, our friendship was furthered as 
I sought wise counsel from veteran members like Ben. I found that his 
wisdom and insight on the rules and idiosyncrasies of Capitol Hill were 
invaluable to my adjustment here. And I must say, I just thoroughly 
enjoy his company. It goes without saying that having to say farewell 
to Ben certainly pulls at my heartstrings.
  I also sought Ben's aid when I introduced my first legislation to 
finally offer the Lumbee Indian Tribe Federal recognition. This 
significant bill would not have moved forward without the strong 
assistance of the Senator from Colorado. I was moved by Ben's interest 
in the bill, and to this day, I am touched that he remains invested in 
something so close to my heart. I am eternally grateful for the role 
he's played in moving Lumbee recognition one step closer to becoming a 
reality. Ben's commitment to the Native American community is 
unparalleled and is certainly to be commended.
  Ben's legacy will linger in the halls of the Senate long after he has 
shut the door to his offices. He leaves behind a record of service that 
one can only hope to emulate. Coloradoans have benefited from Ben's 
character, conscientiousness and compassion for years, and I know they 
will welcome him home with open arms.
  My warmest best wishes to my dear and treasured friend, Senator Ben 
Nighthorse Campbell. There is no doubt that he will be sorely missed, 
not just by me, but by all of us who have been blessed to call him our 
colleague and our friend.


                              don nickles

  Mr. President, it is an honor to pay tribute to a good friend and 
colleague who has had such a stellar and effective career in the United 
States Senate. I am so proud to have worked alongside a man of such 
character and knowledge, and I am certain that I speak for all my 
colleagues when I say his leadership in Congress will be sorely missed.
  Don Nickles' career is the classic American success story. After 
working his way through Oklahoma State University by starting a 
janitorial service, he was elected to the United States Senate in 1980 
at the age of 31. While serving in Congress, his peers haveconsistently 
shown their confidence in his abilities, electing him to several 
leadership posts including senatorial committee Chair, chairman of the 
Republican Policy Committee, assistant majority leader and Budget 
Committee chairman.
  The day after Don announced he would not seek a fifth U.S. Senate 
term, the Oklahoma City Daily Oklahoman stated that his retirement 
``will leave Oklahoma without its most powerful Washington advocate.'' 
How true that is. Over his two-decades-long career, the good that Don 
has done for his constituency is immeasurable.
  As a Senator, Don has amassed a tremendous record as an advocate for 
taxpayers. When our economy was in need of recovery because of a 
recession compounded by the events of September 11, Don was a leader in 
pushing the economic growth and tax relief package through Congress. 
Thanks to his efforts, today our economy is on the upswing with jobs 
being added, homes being built and small businesses expanding. Don gets 
great credit for his role in making that happen.
  I will always remember Don coming down to Eastern North Carolina to 
campaign with me at a tobacco warehouse. Asked to speak on stage in 
favor of the tobacco quota buyout, which of course he did not support, 
he graciously spoke about how hard I would work to get this done for 
the State. Don demonstrated his character that day, as he did on so 
many other days during his many outstanding years as a servant of the 
public.
  Don has always used the power of his office for good. I admire the 
way that he has stood for what he believes, no matter the challenge. He 
has brilliantly served the people of Oklahoma and all Americans with 
courage and conviction, a stellar example for those who follow in his 
footsteps. May God bless Senator Don Nickles and his family for many 
years to come.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues today in 
paying tribute to a man who, in the President's words, ``has left his 
mark on virtually every major issue'' during his service in this body, 
the senior Senator from Oklahoma, the Budget Committee chairman, our 
colleague Don Nickles.
  For more than two decades, Senator Nickles has served the people of 
Oklahoma and America with strength of conviction, wisdom, and hard 
work, every day. I have had the good fortune of serving with the 
Senator from Oklahoma for a decade, particularly closely on the Budget 
and Finance Committee, and for 6 years as his counsel while he was 
majority whip. I have gotten to know well Senator Nickles' passion and 
insight, his firm understanding of policy matched with ability to 
plainly articulate it, and his generous sense of humor and warm 
personality that have made him a colleague no one will soon forget.
  Oklahoma sent Don Nickles to the Senate in the year of the ``Reagan 
Revolution''--1980. In many ways--and I know the Senator has said so 
himself--his start in public service was molded and defined by 
President Reagan's inspiring vision and love of freedom. Our new 69-
year-old President projected a contagious, even youthful optimism. So 
did the new Senator from Oklahoma, but in Don Nickles' case, it was the 
optimism of youth. At 31, he was the youngest Republican elected to 
this chamber in American history.
  Senator Nickles' contributions shepherding the Reagan agenda through 
Congress were immediate and his rise was meteoric. After 6 years he had 
served as NRSC chairman and was at the helm of the Republican policy 
council.
  I must say that as Chair of the Small Business Committee, I think it 
is an invaluable asset to the Senate to have a colleague such as 
Senator Nickles who has been there on the front lines of job creation 
as an entrepreneur--starting his own janitorial service to work his way 
through Oklahoma State. Before Senator Nickles came to Washington, he 
was a small businessman from Ponca City, OK. He was already allergic to 
needless red tape and gridlock. So when Senator Nickles sees a problem, 
he sets out to solve it--guided by his deeply held principles and 
informed by a firm grasp of the legislative process.
  Like the leader he counts as his mentor, President Reagan, the 
Senator from Oklahoma brings to public life his firmly rooted beliefs, 
a can-do Heartland optimism, and that rare ability to disagree without 
being disagreeable. Senator Nickles is a colleague I will miss, and I 
wish him, his wife Linda, and his family much happiness in the new 
endeavors that lie ahead.
  I am pleased to join my colleagues in thanking and honoring Senator 
Nickles for over two decades of distinguished service to the country he 
loves and the State he has made proud.


                              john breaux

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor my friend and incomparable 
colleague in both the House and Senate for 26 years, Senator John 
Breaux. The senior Senator from Louisiana leaves this institution 
stronger for having lent his voice and his leadership to these 
Chambers. Senator Breaux's commitment to bipartisan statesmanship has 
enriched the Senate, improved the lives of Louisiana families and 
resulted in landmark accomplishments for the American people.
  Churchill said that ``A pessimist sees the difficulty in every 
opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.'' By 
that definition, none can doubt which camp Senator Breaux falls in. He 
is the Senate's most irrepressible optimist. He steps into the breach, 
not merely in words, but in

[[Page 25232]]

countless efforts over his tenure in both the House and Senate to make 
the process work for the people it is intended to serve. Where some see 
hopeless gridlock, Senator Breaux always sees a glimmer of hope and 
acts on it. Never settling for complacency, he uses his trademark 
tenacity and energy to move the deliberative process forward. His is a 
record of achievement over acrimony.
  I personally was privileged to work closely with Senator Breaux for 
more than two decades. He and I have always shared a vision of politics 
and public life as positive and constructive endeavors. And we have a 
long history together, dating back to our days serving in the House of 
Representatives, of reaching across the aisle to reach consensus and 
produce results.
  In fact, we worked together on such fundamental issues as the Federal 
budget when Senator Breaux was a member of a moderate, southern 
Democrat group called the Boll Weevils, and I a member of the northeast 
Republican Gypsy Moths. Some still wonder why both our groups carried 
the names of ravenous insects.
  But it was fortuitous that Senator Breaux and I had this record of 
cooperation because it seemed only natural when we later teamed-up as 
cochairs of the Senate Centrist Coalition, which Senator Breaux founded 
along with the late Senator John Chafee in 1995 during the Government 
shutdown.
  So there is no question that I will miss him--we will all miss him--
because we need more leaders such as Senator John Breaux in Congress. 
He has proven that we can cultivate common ground even out of sometimes 
barren partisan landscape. And his ability to forge compromises has 
made possible many signature accomplishments of both Democrat and 
Republican administrations. Senator Breaux views public service as an 
opportunity to get things done for the people he serves, to make a 
difference in their lives--whether it was reforming welfare to help 
families move from public assistance to self-sufficiency, strengthening 
and saving Medicare and Social Security, preserving wetlands like the 
Louisiana Bayou, or providing tax relief to stimulate to job creation.
  What has made Senator Breaux so effective is not only his legislative 
acumen, but also his personal bonds with colleagues. The Senator has 
brought people together with his self-effacing wit, his candid 
approach, and his eagerness to reach out to colleagues on both sides of 
the aisle. So it is not surprising that he departs the Senate with the 
respect, trust and affection of Senators across the political spectrum.
  I am grateful for the opportunity to have served alongside Senator 
Breaux, and I wish him, his wife Lois, and their entire family all the 
best in their future endeavors.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, nearly 26 years ago, I arrived in 
Washington as a newly elected Congressman with an urgent desire to help 
the people of my State but not nearly as much knowledge as I wanted 
about exactly how to do that.
  Having good ideas and getting those ideas enacted into law, as my old 
friend Paul Wellstone used to say, are often two very different 
matters. I decided to call on some of my heroes men who were serving in 
Congress then who had contributed greatly to the life of our Nation and 
whom I admired. One of those men was Claude Pepper. Another was Mo 
Udall. Both shared their time and wisdom generously with me and gave me 
advice that has guided me all these years.
  In 1988, Mo Udall wrote a wonderful book entitled ``Too Funny to be 
President.'' I recommend it to anyone, especially those who have the 
privilege of serving in elected office in our great democracy. The 
ability to see humor in one's own circumstances and to share a good-
natured laugh with others is essential if you are going to last long in 
public office.
  Mo Udall dedicated his book ``to the 3,000 members of Congress living 
and dead with whom I served for nearly three decades.'' As I prepare to 
end my own nearly three decades in Congress, I, too, am deeply grateful 
to all of the Members of Congress living and dead with whom I have had 
the privilege of serving and from whom I have learned so much.
  The list of such members is long. In addition to my early mentors, 
Claude Pepper and Mo Udall, it includes members who were gone long 
before I was born, but whose legacy is still felt today giants like 
Webster, Clay, and Calhoun.
  It includes Senators such as Margaret Chase Smith, who had the 
courage to take on the red-baiting and bullying Senator Joe McCarthy in 
1954 in her famous ``Appeal to Conscience'' speech not far from where I 
stand now.
  The list includes two Senators who first inspired me to pursue a life 
in public service John and Robert Kennedy and it includes their brother 
and my friend, Senator Edward Kennedy, one of the finest, most capable 
Senators America has ever produced.
  The list also includes earlier Senate leaders--men such as Lyndon 
Johnson, the ``master of the Senate;'' Mike Mansfield, one of my 
personal heroes, who showed that progress and bipartisanship are not 
mutually exclusive; and Howard Baker, a master of the art of principled 
compromise.
  The list of those who have inspired me includes George Mitchell and 
Bob Dole, the two leaders who taught me the most about this job.
  It includes my fellow South Dakotan, George McGovern; Mark Hatfield, 
who offered to resign from the Senate rather than cast a vote he could 
not square with his own conscience; and Jim Jeffords, who showed the 
world that one person can change history. It also includes Paul 
Wellstone, the soul of the Senate; Robert Byrd, as eloquent and 
determined defender of our Constitution as has ever lived; and many 
others.
  Today, I would like to say a few words about eight additional 
Senators with whom I have served these last historic 6 years, all of 
whom will be leaving when this Congress ends.
  Senator Nickels, Senator Campbell, Senator Fitzgerald, and Senator 
Miller, it has been a privilege to work with each of you. You have each 
sacrificed much to serve our Nation and I am sure you will continue to 
serve America well in the years to come.
  Six Democratic Senators are leaving at the end of this Congress. 
Among them is our friend, the senior Senator from Louisiana.


                              John Breaux

  I was joking with another friend recently that the good thing about 
John Breaux retiring is that maybe now he will finally be able to 
loosen up a little.
  John's ability to make us laugh even in tough times is a gift we have 
all treasured. Another gift of John's is his ability to find workable 
compromises on even the most difficult issues. He really is a master of 
the art of the compromise.
  A couple of years ago, I read a newspaper article in which John 
talked about what he might do if he ever left the Senate. He pointed 
out that Huey Long had actually served as Louisiana's Senator and 
Governor at the same time. I thought when I heard that that maybe John 
would never leave the Senate; he would just diversify. Regrettably, he 
is leaving now.
  I know that serving as Ambassador to France has always been high on 
John's list of post-Senate dream jobs. I understand that a few years 
back, John asked President Clinton, ``Do you think I could handle 
France?'' to which President Clinton replied, ``The question is whether 
France could handle you.''
  Whatever John Breaux decides to do next, I have no doubt that he will 
continue to find ways to serve the people of Louisiana and America. And 
I know he will have a heck of a good time in the process. John and Lois 
are special members of our Senate family, and we wish them all the best 
in the future.


                              John Edwards

  We also say goodbye to John Edwards.
  I think it is probably no coincidence that John Edwards holds Sam 
Ervin's old seat in the Senate. Like Sam Ervin, John has a brilliant 
legal mind and a deep love of justice.
  In 2001, the first bill Democrats brought to the floor after we 
retook

[[Page 25233]]

the majority was the Patients' Bill of Rights. I couldn't believe my 
luck: My first bill as majority leader--the Patients Bill of Rights and 
I was able to tap as floor leaders Ted Kennedy and John Edwards. It was 
like looking down the bench and seeing Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. You 
just knew the Patients' Bill of Rights was finally going to pass the 
Senate. And it did--in large part because of John Edwards' remarkable 
skill and deep personal commitment.
  I think one of the great lines in American literature is the line 
near the end of ``Death of a Salesman'' where Willie Loman's wife Linda 
says her husband wasn't famous or powerful, but he was a good man to 
whom respect must be paid. That same conviction is what has motivated 
John Edwards' whole life: The belief that there is dignity and worth in 
every person, including people who work hard every day in mills, and 
factories, and farms.
  In his race for the Democratic Presidential nomination and with John 
Kerry as our party's Vice Presidential nominee, John Edwards brought a 
sense of hope and optimism to millions and millions of Americans.
  John and Elizabeth Edwards both won places in our hearts immediately, 
and our hearts and prayers are with them and their wonderful children 
today as Elizabeth continues her recovery from breast cancer. We look 
forward to spending many more happy years with them. We also look 
forward to the good work we know they will do for our Nation in the 
years ahead.


                               Bob Graham

  The best way I found to stay in touch with the people who elected me 
was to drive through every county in South Dakota every year and just 
talk to whomever I ran into about whatever was on their mind. Bob 
Graham found an equally effective way of staying in touch with average 
Floridians. He calls them workdays. He would spend a day working in 
another job.
  This year, he worked his 400th workday. He spent that day the same 
way he spent his first workday 30 years ago: as a teacher. That is 
appropriate because, in fact, Bob's entire career has been a living 
lesson in public service.
  A while back, I was looking over the list of Bob's workday jobs and I 
have to tell you, I am amazed! Think about all the things he has done: 
NASA payload specialist, firefighter, bagel maker, bullet-proof vest 
maker, pea picker, phosphate miner, Air Force Special Operations 
gunner, circus worker elf!
  Clearly, it wasn't lack of other career options that has kept Bob in 
the Senate for 18 years. What is kept him here is simple. It is his 
love of Florida, and of this country. It is a sense of responsibility 
that he inherited from his father and that has animated his whole life.
  Bob Graham is a moderate with a capital M. And he is one of the 
nicest people you could ever meet. But when it comes to the people of 
Florida, when it comes to doing right by America, strengthening 
America's economy, creating good jobs, investing in children, and 
standing up for America's veterans and military families, Bob Graham is 
a fierce fighter. And when it comes to protecting our Nation from 
terrorism, he is a heavyweight fighter. America is safer today because 
of his courage and tenacity.
  I suspect the only people who could possibly be sadder about Bob's 
retirement than the members of our caucus are the people who make those 
Florida ties! We wish Bob and Adele the very best of luck in all their 
future endeavors.


                            Ernest Hollings

  Another remarkable Senator who is retiring this year is Fritz 
Hollings.
  I used to joke with Fritz Hollings that he is the real reason C-SPAN 
first started its closed-caption broadcasts. Fritz's deep Charleston 
accent, like the man himself, is an American classic.
  When you look inside Fritz Hollings' desk on the Senate floor, you 
see the names of giants: John Calhoun, Huey Long, Russell Long, Wayne 
Morse--courageous men who never hesitated to speak their minds. Fritz 
has earned the right to stand with those legends.
  He was 36 years old when he was elected Governor of South Carolina. 
As Governor, he wrote the book on governing in the New South. He raised 
teacher salaries, invested in education and training, and laid the 
foundation for South Carolina's economic transformation from an 
agrarian State to a high-tech, high-wage State.
  One of the amazing things about Fritz Hollings is how often he has 
been able to see the future before others--not just on matters of race, 
but on issue after issue.
  He was the first Deep South Governor to acknowledge the existence of 
widespread hunger in his State. He was also the first southern Governor 
to understand that you can't create a modern economy simply by cutting 
taxes, you have to invest in education and training.
  He has been a relentless advocate of balanced budgets and fiscal 
discipline since long before they became political buzzwords. In 1984--
years before Ross Perot uttered the words Fritz Hollings made deficit 
reduction a central plank in his Presidential bid.
  He has been fighting for fair trade, and against the export of 
American jobs, his entire career. He has been calling for a long-term, 
comprehensive energy plan since before the first OPEC oil crisis in 
1973. He wrote America's first fuel-efficiency standards--in 1975.
  He was in the forefront of the movement to protect America's oceans 
in the early 1970s. He saw the future of telecommunications before a 
lot of Americans knew what ``surfing the Internet'' meant. He was 
pushing for increased port and air security before September 11.
  If some people have occasionally found Fritz a little difficult to 
understand, I suspect it was not so much because of his wonderful 
Charleston accent but because he was so often ahead of his time.
  Now Fritz and Peatsy are moving home to live full time in their 
beloved South Carolina, but they will always have a special place in 
the Senate family. We wish them the very best.
  I have to be honest, Mr. President, it was not my wish to depart with 
these fine Senators. But it has been my honor and a joy to serve with 
them, and one that I will remember all the days of my life.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio.

                          ____________________