[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5933-5934]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE MEMORY OF THE HON. HOWELL HEFLIN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2005

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, the entire state of Alabama recently lost a 
dear friend, and I rise today to honor him and pay tribute to his 
memory.
  Senator Howell Heflin was a devoted family man and dedicated public 
servant throughout his entire life, someone who devoted nearly a 
quarter-century in public service to the residents of Alabama.
  Born on June 19, 1921, the son of Reverend and Mrs. Marvin Heflin, 
Senator Heflin was a native of Poulan, Georgia, and spent his childhood 
moving from one Alabama community to another before his family settled 
in Colbert County. He was a 1942 graduate of Birmingham-Southern 
College. Within a short time following his graduation, he joined the 
United States Marine Corps and served during World War II in the 
Pacific Theater of Operations. He was wounded twice during his service 
and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action before being 
discharged in 1946. Following the completion of his military 
obligations, he enrolled in the law school at the University of Alabama 
and graduated from that institution in 1948.

[[Page 5934]]

  From 1948 until 1970, Senator Heflin worked as a prosecuting attorney 
in the City of Tuscumbia before winning election as Chief Justice of 
the Alabama Supreme Court. For the next six years, he served with 
distinction on the court and is known for many accomplishments during 
that time, including implementing large reforms of the state court 
system that eliminated years of backlogged cases. He earned so much 
respect for his work as Chief Justice that, even after having been 
elected to the United States Senate, friends, colleagues, and admirers 
continued to refer to him as ``The Judge.''
  First elected to the Senate in 1978, Senator Heflin served with 
distinction for 18 years and ably represented the interests of all 
Alabamians. During his three terms, he served most notably as a member 
of the Senate Judiciary Committee and as both chairman and vice 
chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, a position he held for 12 
years. Additionally, he served as a member of that body's Agriculture 
Committee and was a strong and able advocate for the interests of 
Alabama's agricultural community.
  During his three terms in Congress, Senator Heflin developed a 
reputation of working with his colleagues to find common ground on 
numerous issues, and always with the best interests of his constituents 
at heart. Many times, he put partisanship aside to support issues for 
which he saw great benefit, but which others were actively working to 
oppose. And while his personal views tended towards the conservative 
end of the spectrum on defense and financial matters, he was more 
progressive on social issues. In fact, two African-American federal 
judges from Alabama, U.W. Clemon of Birmingham and Myron Thompson of 
Montgomery, were both championed by Senator Heflin.
  In an article appearing in the Mobile Register following the 
senator's death, former Alabama Congressman Sonny Callahan was quoted 
as saying, ``He was always there for us when we needed him. We had 
common goals for Alabama and worked towards those goals.'' Perhaps 
these words more than many others spoken in the days following his 
passing are an accurate summation of the tremendous work completed 
during his long career and of the faith and trust he in turn earned 
from his constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering a 
dedicated public servant and long-time advocate for the state of 
Alabama, a man whose significant impact and dedication to the needs and 
interests of his constituents will be felt for many years to come. 
Senator Heflin will be deeply missed by his family--his wife, Elizabeth 
Ann Heflin, his son, Tom Heflin, and his two grandchildren--as well as 
the countless friends he leaves behind. Our thoughts and prayers are 
with them all at this difficult time.

                          ____________________