[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6950]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING BOB BENNETT

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, all of us mourn the passing of a 
distinguished former Member of this body, Senator Bob Bennett of Utah, 
who died of an illness on May 4.
  I doubt that there were any in the Senate who did not truly like and 
admire Bob Bennett. His gentle spirit, his kindness, his civility, and 
his empathy for others were reflected in his work here for the people 
of Utah and for the Nation. Marcelle and I are fortunate to have called 
Bob and Joyce Bennett our friends while we served together.
  Senator Bennett and I were poles apart on many issues that came 
before the Senate, but, as with many others in this body, we were able 
to work together in good faith to find ways forward through many 
issues, knowing how important it was to our constituents, to the 
country, and to the Senate for us to do that. He followed the tradition 
of other highly respected Senators when I joined this body: He always 
kept his word.
  At the very end of his life, as he lay in a hospital bed in Salt Lake 
City, we now have heard from his family of yet another sign of his 
decency and humanity, as he specially sought out Muslim members of the 
hospital staff to thank them and to personally apologize to them for 
what they have heard of the divisive and hateful messages and the 
pandering to fear that has spilled out from the current Presidential 
campaign. He wanted them to know that he and most Americans welcome 
them, appreciate them, and recognize the pain that these invectives 
have caused and continue to cause.
  Reading and hearing his son's description of his dad's outreach in 
his final days touched me deeply, as I am sure is the case for all of 
us here and for all Americans of goodwill everywhere. All of us can 
learn from his poignant gestures, and we can resolve to deepen our own 
commitment to the eternal values--and the American values--that 
motivated him. What a powerful lesson he leaves for us all.
  I ask unanimous consent that an article from the Salt Lake City 
Deseret News about this remarkable and telling episode from the final 
days of Senator Bennett's life be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                 [From The Deseret News, May 19, 2016]

 Former Utah Sen. Bob Bennett's Apology to Muslims Receiving Attention 
                      From News Outlets Worldwide

                           (By Scott Stevens)

       Weeks after former Utah Sen. Bob Bennett's death, several 
     national news media outlets have published stories praising 
     the Utah politician for comments he made regarding Muslims 
     and their acceptance in America shortly before his death on 
     May 4, 2016.
       In the weeks following former Utah Sen. Bob Bennett's 
     death, several national news media outlets published stories 
     praising the Utah politician for comments he made about 
     Muslims and their acceptance in America, shortly before his 
     death.
       In late April the Deseret News reported about Bennett's 
     battle with pancreatic cancer and a stroke. He told the 
     Deseret News ``I want to go to every Muslim and say thank you 
     for being in our country . . . ,'' and, like many other 
     politicians, Bennett expressed his distaste in the tone and 
     tenor of the Republican presidential race as he remarked ``I 
     want to apologize on behalf of the Republican Party for 
     Donald Trump.''
       The Daily Beast picked up on the Deseret News' interview 
     with the Bennetts a few weeks after the former senator's 
     death and followed up with their own interview with Bennett's 
     family. ``He would go to people with the hijab (on) and tell 
     them he was glad they were in America, and they were welcome 
     here,'' Bennett's wife Joyce told The Daily Beast. ``He 
     wanted to apologize on behalf of the Republican Party.''
       Quartz followed suit, citing the Deseret News and Daily 
     Beast interviews with the Bennetts, and adding that Bennett's 
     thoughts on the treatment of Muslims seemed to be frequently 
     on his mind in the weeks and months leading up to his death.
       NBC News echoed the report that in Bennett's last days he 
     approached Muslims to offer his well-wishes to them--even 
     going as far as to ask his son, Jim, if there were any 
     Muslims in the same hospital as him so he could thank them 
     for their residence in the United States.
       An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
     day Saints, Bennett's faith was also at the forefront of his 
     thoughts as cancer and a stroke left him partially paralyzed. 
     Bennett ``recognized parallel between the Mormon experience 
     and the Muslim experience,'' The Week reported, and he 
     ``wanted to see these people treated with kindness and not 
     ostracized.''

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