Discharged Nominations

DISCHARGED NOMINATIONS -- (Senate - November 19, 2004)

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TRIBUTES TO RETIRING SENATORS

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Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. president, the year was 1980. Inflation was 13 percent, mortgage rates were hitting 15 percent, unemployment was 7.1 percent, and the economy was suffering its fourth year of recession in 10 years.

The Soviet Union was on the march in Afghanistan, its puppets were leading insurgents in Central America and South Africa, and U.S. Embassy officials were being held as hostages in Iran.

"Stagflation" and "malaise" were the new words of the American lexicon.

Then the Reagan revolution swept across this Nation and into this town. And while Ronald Reagan was the leader, he was not alone. Across this broad Nation, ordinary people came to this city with similar vision and they helped President Reagan accomplish extraordinary things.

One of these ordinary people was a young businessman from Ponca City, OK. At the tender age of 31, DON NICKLES was the youngest Republican ever elected to the U.S. Senate.

But while he might have been young, it didn't take long for the Senate to discover that this young man-a former janitor who worked his way through college-was wise beyond his years and as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.

Freedom has had no greater defender than DON NICKLES. He has been a strong proponent of the free enterprise system. On budget, tax, debt matters-in fact on almost every conceivable question of fiscal policy, DON NICKLES was dead on target.

He was absolutely committed to the bedrock Republican principles of cutting taxes, reducing the size of the Government, and slaying the budget deficit leviathan.

And to these seemingly insurmountable goals, he brought a relentless yet cheerful determination.

He has served this Nation and the people of Oklahoma so very well, with distinction and unwavering courage.

Too often, public servants come to Washington to drain the swamp until they see it as a hot tub. Not DON NICKLES. He changed Washington rather than letting Washington change him. When he came to the Senate, he wanted to rein in Government so people could keep their hard-earned dollars, and when he leaves now, his belief is the same today as it was when he placed his hand on the Bible.

That is the way it was then and now, and every day of his almost quarter of a century of Senate service. And he still looks like he is 31.

Back then, he fought to eliminate the inheritance tax on spouses and now he works to eliminate the inheritance tax altogether.

Back then he fought natural gas price controls which contributed to our energy crisis and now he fights price controls on prescription drugs.

Back then he fought the windfall profits tax and now he fights to ease the tax on profits and wages of businesses and families alike.

Mr. President, there isn't a Member of this body who doesn't respect DON NICKLES as a man of strong conviction, character, and deep faith.

I think there is good reason why he is seen that way. When the Founding Fathers designed the Senate to be one of the central pillars of American democracy, I think DON NICKLES is exactly the sort of citizen legislator they envisioned.

He has been a strong but happy warrior, and used the rules of this body to bring honor to the Senate and good service to our country. He loves the Senate and it showed every time he spoke. And we grew to love him in that process.

Through it all, he has never forgotten where he came from, or the people who put him here 24 years ago, or those who supported him, especially his wonderful wife, Linda and his four children.

He will be remembered as the "keeper of the conservative flame," and like Ronald Reagan, should enjoy the legacy of freedom and economic prosperity he has created for all Americans in the years to come.

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