[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 149 (Thursday, December 1, 1994)] [Senate] [Page S] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [Congressional Record: December 1, 1994] From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] THE RETIREMENT OF SENATOR JOHN DANFORTH Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, when the U.S. Senate begins its next session in January, one of our most distinguished colleagues will no longer be among us. As you know, Senator John Danforth of Missouri will retire when his current term ends. I wanted to take this opportunity to comment on Senator Danforth's career and his service in this body. Several years ago, David Broder of the Washington Post wrote that if you were to ask members of the Washington Press Corps for a list of Senators who had distinguished themselves for their dedication and service to the Nation one of the names you would hear most often is that of Senator John Danforth. U.S. News and World Report singled him out ``as an honorable'' man. When Senator Danforth retires from the Senate it will be the end of a 20-year career in public service beginning in 1968 when he was elected attorney general of Missouri. Senator Danforth is the only Republican in the history of his State to be elected to three terms as a U.S. Senator. When he served as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, it was the first time a Missouri Senator had chaired a major congressional committee since the end of World War I. As a senior member of the Finance and Commerce Committees, he has devoted significant attention to international trade policy. The trade goals were aimed at expanding U.S. exports and establishing the concept of reciprocity in trade by removing foreign trade barriers to American goods and services. Senator Danforth has authored laws to require strict on-the-job testing of key transportation workers for drugs and alcohol, to strengthen Federal and State laws against drunken driving and to improve the inspection of safety equipment on commercial trucks and buses. He also has sponsored legislation to modernize airports and our Nation's air transportation system. He was the principal sponsor of the Cable Television Consumer Protection Act that stimulated competition in the cable industry and allowed greater local authority over cable television rates in markets where service was a monopoly. He has been a leader in efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition throughout the world, and among the many awards he has received is the Presidential World Without Hunger Award. But perhaps it is his sponsorship of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 that will be best remembered in this Chamber. At times, Senator Danforth's convictions forced him to take issue with a President of his own party. But he put what was morally right above what was politically expedient. Discussing Senator Danforth's work on the Civil Rights Act, Senator George Mitchell cited Senate Danforth's ``unshakable commitment to a society free of discrimination.'' As the only ordained minister among us, Senator Danforth has over and over reminded us what was morally right. Senator Danforth's dedication to working for the American people without regard to partisanship or parochialism was demonstrated earlier this year when he joined me and several other senators of both parties to form what came to be called the Mainstream coalition--a bipartisan group dedicated to reaching a compromise plan for national health care reform. Let me say we did not always agree, but we listened to each other, worked together and eventually came up a proposed bill that would have dramatically increased access to health care for millions of Americans. In the end, time ran out on health care reform. But as Senator Danforth returns to private life we should remember that in his last year here he remained committed to working for the greater good of the people of our nation. As a friend, I will miss Senator Danforth. As a body, we will miss his dedication and service to our Nation. ____________________