[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO SENATOR HOWELL HEFLIN

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is with deep sadness that I learned this 
past week of the passing of a dear friend and former colleague, Senator 
Howell Heflin.
  My thoughts and prayers today and those of my wife, Barbara, are with 
his loving wife, Elizabeth Ann ``Mike'', and his family.
  Everyone thought of Howell as ``Judge'' Heflin, even as he served in 
the Senate, because he forever looked and acted the part of the 
``country judge''. He came to the Senate, as I did, in the class of 
1978. Howell was then already a distinguished jurist, having served 6 
years as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He went on to 
build a solid reputation and to play an important role in the life of 
the Senate over the next 18 years.
  Howell Heflin, a man of not only intellect, but warmth and good-
humor, tackled some of the more thankless tasks in the Senate, 
including the arcane issues involving bankruptcy and administrative 
practice, and serving as the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee in 
particularly turbulent times. He could always be counted on to approach 
difficult issues with careful thoughtful analysis, and to apply his 
balanced judgement objectively. For this reason, and others, Howell 
Heflin was respected on both sides of the aisle. In fact, he frequently 
served as a bridge between Democrats and Republicans in a way sorely 
needed in today's Senate. He was a true moderate, moderate in politics 
and by temperament. His demeanor, his objectivity, as well as his 
expertise, diligence and attention to the facts, have been missed and 
are among the very elements most needed now in this Chamber if we are 
to hope to remain the world's most deliberative body.
  Senator Heflin served the people of Alabama, proudly. He served our 
nation with genuine dignity. And, today, as I look back on the life and 
career of Howell Heflin, I reflect on how proud I am of having had the 
opportunity to serve with this very special man, and to call him my 
friend.

                          ____________________