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HON. JESSE HELMS ÷ z 1921–2008 

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Jesse Helms 

LATE A SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA 

MEMORIAL ADDRESSES AND 

OTHER TRIBUTES 

IN THE CONGRESS OF 

THE UNITED STATES 

UNUM

E PLURIBUS


congress.#15
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Jesse Helms 

Courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office 


43500.002
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2009

S. DOC. 110–16 

Memorial Addresses and 

Other Tributes 

HELD IN THE SENATE 

AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OF THE UNITED STATES 

TOGETHER WITH A MEMORIAL SERVICE 

IN HONOR OF 

JESSE HELMS 

Late a Senator from North Carolina 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

Second Session 

÷ 

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Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Biography .................................................................................................. v 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Brownback, Sam, of Kansas ...................................................... 7 

Bunning, Jim, of Kentucky ....................................................... 20 

Burr, Richard, of North Carolina .............................................. 14 

Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia ............................................. 18 

Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi ................................................... 7 

Corker, Bob, of Tennessee ......................................................... 24 

Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut ....................................... 9 

Dole, Elizabeth, of North Carolina ........................................... 12 

Ensign, John, of Nevada ............................................................ 30 

Enzi, Michael B., of Wyoming ................................................... 31 

Feingold, Russell D., of Wisconsin ............................................ 20 

Graham, Lindsey, of South Carolina ........................................ 28 

Hagel, Chuck, of Nebraska ........................................................ 21 

Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah ........................................................... 25 

Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas ............................................... 19 

Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii ..................................................... 23 

Klobuchar, Amy, of Minnesota .................................................. 6 

Kyl, Jon, of Arizona ................................................................... 22 

McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky ................................................. 4, 9 

Reid, Harry, of Nevada .............................................................. 3 

Shelby, Richard C., of Alabama ................................................ 23 

Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania ................................................ 29 

Warner, John, of Virginia .......................................................... 27 

Proceedings in the House of Representatives: 

Tributes by Representatives: 

Brady, Robert A., of Pennsylvania ............................................ 36 

Burton, Dan, of Indiana ............................................................ 36 

Foxx, Virginia, of North Carolina ............................................. 35 

Hayes, Robin, of North Carolina ............................................... 39 

McHenry, Patrick T., of North Carolina .................................. 37 

Memorial Service ...................................................................................... 41 

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[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

Senator JESSE HELMS served for 30 years in the U.S. Senate and retired from the Senate at the end of 2002. He was 

considered one of the most influential individuals in American Government and received scores of awards for his distinguished service to his State, his country and freedomloving people around the world. 

Senator HELMS was born in Monroe, NC, on October 18, 

1921. His family and his teachers taught lessons that laid 

the foundation for a commitment to hard work and excellence. It was also in Monroe that Senator HELMS had his 

first opportunities to work at a newspaper and begin his career in communications. 

JESSE HELMS attended Wingate (NC) Junior College (now 

Wingate Junior University) and Wake Forest College (now 

Wake Forest University). He holds honorary doctor of law 

degrees from many universities including Bob Jones University, Grove City College, Campbell University, and Wingate 

University. 

His first full-time job out of college was as a sports reporter with the Raleigh News and Observer. It was there 

that he met Dorothy Coble, who was the society reporter. 

They were married in October 1942 when Senator HELMS returned from naval training in San Diego. The Senator had 

enlisted in the Navy at the start of World War II and was 

assigned to the recruiting command following training. 

After the war the Senator returned to Raleigh and to a 

new job as the news editor for the Raleigh Times. He left the 

newspaper for his first job in broadcasting and established 

one of the first local news operations on radio in the United 

States. 

During World War II HELMS served in the U.S. Navy. 

Upon leaving the Navy, HELMS held numerous positions in 

many fields. These included serving as the director of the 

North Carolina Cerebral Palsy Hospital in Durham, the director of the United Cerebral Palsy of North Carolina, the director of the Wake County Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation 

Center in Raleigh, and serving on the Board of Trustees of 

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[ vi ] 

versity, and Wingate University. He served as a deacon and 

a Sunday School teacher at Hayes Barton Baptist Church in 

Raleigh, and was one of the founders and served as a director of Camp Willow Run, a youth camp for Christ at Littleton, NC. From 1953 through 1960, HELMS was executive director of the North Carolina Bankers Association. 

Positions held in journalism and broadcasting included the 

city editor of the Raleigh Times, the director of news and 

programs for the Tobacco Radio Network and radio station 

WRAL in Raleigh, and the editor of the Tarheel Banker. In 

1952 HELMS directed the radio-television division of the 

Presidential campaign of Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr., of 

Georgia, who was seeking the U.S. Democratic Party nomination. He went on to become the executive vice president, 

vice chairman of the board and assistant chief executive officer of Capitol Broadcasting Company in Raleigh, NC, from 

1960 until his election to the Senate. 

He also wrote and presented daily editorials on WRAL–TV 

and the Tobacco Radio Network. His editorials were printed 

regularly in more than 200 newspapers throughout the 

United States. They were broadcast by more than 70 radio 

stations in North Carolina. 

By the mid-1960s Senator HELMS was the executive vice 

president for Capitol Broadcasting in Raleigh where he directed an outstanding news operation and personally delivered a daily editorial comment from the station’s editorial 

board. These commentaries were aired on radio over the Tobacco Network the following day and JESSE HELMS became 

a well-known voice around the Carolinas and beyond. It was 

at the request of many of those listeners and several close 

friends that Senator HELMS agreed to accept the challenge of 

running for the U.S. Senate. His election in 1972 marked the 

first time since Reconstruction that a Republican had won 

any statewide election in North Carolina. 

HELMS began his first term in the Senate in January 1973; 

was reelected to a second term on November 7, 1978; to a 

third term on November 6, 1984; a fourth term on November 

6, 1990; and a fifth term on November 7, 1996. HELMS retired on January 3, 2003. His seat was taken by Elizabeth 

Dole, former president of the Red Cross, Presidential Cabinet 

Member, and 2000 Presidential candidate. 

HELMS was noted as a staunch conservative and as a rigid 

anti-Communist. 

As a U.S. Senator he was a leader in the rise of the modern conservative movement, a trailblazer for men and 

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women who wanted to see their government return to its 

proper role and turn away from too many taxes and too 

many giveaways. Senator HELMS was one of a handful of 

conservative lawmakers in 1972, but by the time of his retirement he was a respected member of a group of conservative leaders whose efforts led to significant changes in national policy from welfare reform to strong national defense. 

Throughout his life Senator HELMS made the cause of freedom a priority, particularly in the years he served as chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. At the 

same time he held firm to his dedication to uphold the traditional moral values that are embraced by most Americans. 

From his fearless stand against government-funded pornography and his support of the rights of the unborn to his defense of the rights and reputation of the Boy Scouts of America, Senator HELMS never turned aside from doing what was 

right, no matter how many stood with him or how much criticism might have been leveled against him. 

After retiring from the Senate in January 2003, HELMS

continued working with the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate, 

NC. In August 2005, Random House published ‘‘Here’s 

Where I Stand,’’ a personal memoir. 

He is survived by his wife, the former Dorothy Jane Coble 

of Raleigh, his three children: Jane (Mrs. Charles R. Knox of 

Raleigh), Nancy (Mrs. Randy Grigg) of Chapel Hill, and 

Charles of Winston-Salem, and seven grandchildren. 

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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND 

OTHER TRIBUTES 

FOR 

JESSE HELMS 

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Proceedings in the Senate 

MONDAY, July 7, 2008 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, on Friday, the Fourth of July— 

in fact the Fourth of July had just broken; it was an hour 

and a half after midnight—the Senate lost a Member of our 

Senate family: JESSE HELMS of North Carolina. 

I can’t but think of JESSE HELMS and the first name that 

enters my mind is Senator Paul Wellstone. Paul Wellstone, 

as we all remember, was a Senator from Minnesota. I am 

sure it seems odd to most people—recognizing their political 

proclivities; that is, those of Senator Wellstone and those of 

Senator HELMS—why my mind picks up Paul Wellstone 

upon mentioning the name of JESSE HELMS. It is hard to 

imagine two Senators more divergent in their views. 

Senator Wellstone was clearly a liberal. Senator HELMS

was clearly a very conservative man. Their views were very 

divergent, very different. It is no secret because he told everyone when he came to Washington—Paul Wellstone made 

it clear he didn’t like his rightwing colleague from North 

Carolina, JESSE HELMS. He said that openly. But it was not 

long before Paul Wellstone publicly changed his view of Senator HELMS. Senator Wellstone continued to fiercely disagree 

with JESSE HELMS on most issues, but he quickly came to respect him for his sincerity. 

When I came to the Senate, I, similar to all new Senators, 

was excited to be here and understood what a great honor 

it was to represent the people of the State of Nevada in the 

Senate. But one of the last people whom I was going to try 

to befriend was JESSE HELMS. As a moderate Democrat, I 

found his views extreme. We found little common ground in 

points of policy, it appeared. 

As a freshman Senator, I enjoyed presiding, as does the 

presiding officer now presiding over the Senate. I spent my 

share of time in the seat the presiding officer now has. I enjoyed that very much. During my time, that first 2 years I 

was in the Senate, I watched JESSE HELMS right over here 

to my right, stand and talk often—and a lot. I can remember 

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one time he was here—I was the presiding officer, he was 

over there—there was not another person in this Chamber. 

JESSE HELMS said to me, as sincerely as anyone could say 

anything—and he had a distinct speaking voice—he said: 

‘‘Mr. President, I don’t want to be here on this issue but no 

one else will come and talk on it.’’ 

It was an issue dealing with pornography. The speeches 

JESSE HELMS gave were often on issues that other people 

would not speak out about. I became so impressed with his 

sincerity, that he wasn’t doing what he said for political reasons; he was doing it because that is what he believed. We 

all have to admire someone such as that, even though we 

may disagree with what they say. 

I came to understand what Paul Wellstone had come to realize. I came to it before Paul Wellstone did because I got 

here before he did. Whether you agreed with the Senator 

from North Carolina, his sincerity and his views and the 

forthright way in which he stood by them were remarkable. 

So I believe it is fitting that JESSE HELMS’ last day on Earth 

was the Fourth of July. He loved his country. He spent every 

day doing what he believed was necessary to make it stronger. His wife Dorothy and children, Jane, Nancy, and Charles, 

along with seven Helms grandchildren and one great-grandchild are in our thoughts. 

Rest well, JESSE HELMS. 

I have some other things to say, but perhaps my colleague 

wants to say something about Senator HELMS? If that is the 

case, I will save my remarks until he finishes. 

Mr. MCCONNELL. I thank my friend, the majority leader. 

Let me just add, JESSE and Dot Helms were good friends of 

Elaine’s and mine and good friends of a lot of other people 

in the Senate on both sides. There are a significant number 

of our conference planning to attend the funeral tomorrow. 

I thank the majority leader for his accommodation of those 

requests by having the votes on Wednesday morning. At Dot 

Helms’ request, I will be doing one of the eulogies tomorrow 

at the funeral, and I will have more to say about the life of 

my good friend JESSE HELMS when I get back. But I wish to 

echo the remarks of the majority leader about what a fine 

gentleman he was. 

If you took a poll around here of the pages and the people 

who work in the Capitol about who was the most popular 

Member, I expect JESSE HELMS would have won it—which 

would surprise an awful lot of people in the press and out 

in America who thought of Senator HELMS as sort of a fierce 

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individual. In fact, in person he was as gentle, as accommodating, and as friendly as anybody I have ever met. We all 

will miss JESSE HELMS a great deal. 

I thank the majority leader for giving me an opportunity 

to make some comments at this point about our good friend 

JESSE HELMS. 

SENATE RESOLUTION 608—RELATIVE TO THE DEATH OF JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., FORMER UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM 

THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA 

Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mrs. Dole, Mr. 

Burr, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Allard, Mr. Barrasso, 

Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brown, Mr. Brownback, Mr. 

Bunning, Mr. Byrd, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, 

Mr. Casey, Mr. Chambliss, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Coburn, Mr. 

Cochran, Mr. Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Corker, 

Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Craig, Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Dodd, 

Mr. Domenici, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Ensign, Mr. 

Enzi, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Hatch, Mrs. 

Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kerry, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Kohl, Mr. 

Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Levin, 

Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Martinez, Mr. 

McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. 

Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Nelson 

of Nebraska, Mr. Obama, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed, Mr. Roberts, 

Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 

Sessions, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Smith, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, 

Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Sununu, Mr. Tester, Mr. 

Thune, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Warner, Mr. Webb, 

Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to: 

S. RES. 608 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., born in Monroe, North Carolina 

on October 18, 1921, spent a 52-year public career dedicating himself to his 

country, his family, and his home State, representing North Carolina in the 

United States Senate for 30 years; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., served in the United States Navy 

from 1942 until 1945; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was educated in the public 

schools of Monroe, North Carolina and at Wingate Junior College and Wake 

Forest College, served as city editor of the Raleigh Times, administrative assistant to United States Senators Willis Smith and Alton Lennon, executive 

director of the North Carolina Bankers Association, member of the Raleigh 

City Council, and a television and radio executive; 

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Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was elected to the United States 

Senate in 1972, and served as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations 

Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee, ultimately serving five 

terms, equal to the longest of any Senator from North Carolina; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was a leader against Communism 

and became the first legislator of any nation to address the United Nations 

Security Council; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was married for 65 years to Dorothy ‘‘Dot’’ Coble Helms, whom he termed his ‘‘best friend’’ and is the father 

of three children; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., made invaluable contributions to 

his community, State, Nation, and the World; 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of the Honorable JESSE ALEXANDER

HELMS, JR., former Member of the United States Senate. 

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate these resolutions 

to the House of Representatives and transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the 

family of the deceased. 

Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns today, it stand in adjournment 

as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Honorable JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR. 

ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 10 A.M. TOMORROW 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, if there is no further 

business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent 

that it stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the 

memory of former Senator JESSE HELMS. 

There being no objection, the Senate, at 7:05 p.m., adjourned until Tuesday, July 8, 2008, at 10 a.m. 

TUESDAY, July 8, 2008 

PRAYER

The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following 

prayer: 

Let us pray. 

O maker of the seas and the Earth, speak to our hearts 

today that we may cling to things that cannot fail. Speak to 

our lawmakers that they may embrace Your purposes and do 

Your will. Give them rest—not from labor but strength for 

the work before them. And, God, we also ask You to bless 

this land. Defend it from the forces that seek to destroy our 

freedoms. May its citizens never forget that ‘‘righteousness 

exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.’’ 

Today, be with the family members of former Senator 

JESSE HELMS as they mourn his death. Give traveling mercies to our Senators who will attend the funeral. 

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We pray in Your compassionate Name. Amen. 

Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I was saddened by the 

news of the death of our former colleague, JESSE HELMS of 

North Carolina. It was a privilege to work with him when he 

served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee. He was always courteous and respectful of the interests of all of the 

members of the committee. His conscientious efforts to be 

fair and resourceful in achieving a consensus on the provisions of legislation providing Federal Government support 

for the producers of food and fiber were deeply appreciated 

by me as a Senator from the State of Mississippi, which is 

so heavily dependent on farming and agribusiness. 

I also admired his warmhearted and friendly manner. He 

was the epitome of the Southern gentleman. He was forceful 

and combative in his arguments in support of the issues he 

believed in, and he was never afraid to say what he thought, 

even though he knew he might not be supporting the prevailing view. 

His wife Dot was one of the most precious Senate Wives 

Club members. My heartfelt sympathies go out to her and all 

the members of the family of our departed colleague. 

Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to 

a great patriot—and a good friend—who passed away on our 

Nation’s Independence Day. 

It seems somehow so fitting that Senator JESSE HELMS

should have left us on July 4, the anniversary of America’s 

foundational document. Senator HELMS was, above all else, 

a patriot who loved his country and the ideals we embody as 

a Nation. And he spent his entire adult life defending those 

ideals, beginning with his service in the U.S. Navy in World 

War II. 

JESSE always fought for what he believed in, even at great 

personal—or political—cost. Two things friends and foes 

alike acknowledged, and admired, about Senator HELMS

were that you always knew where he stood and that his 

word was as good as gold. He was a man of enormous integrity, as all who dealt with him on a personal and professional level can testify. 

While he was a formidable politician, there were some 

things that, for JESSE, were more important than political 

success or winning elections. 

He spent much of his three decades in the Senate standing 

up for the principles he believed so deeply in, even if that 

meant taking on powerful opposition, sometimes in his own 

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party. But as JESSE famously said, ‘‘I didn’t come to Washington to be a ‘yes man’ for any President, Democrat or Republican . . . I didn’t come to Washington to get along and 

win any popularity contests.’’ 

What he did win in Washington was the enduring affection 

of people on both sides of the political aisle who found that 

this tough-as-nails politician was also a gracious, generous, 

compassionate human being. As Linda Chavez so aptly said 

in tribute to Senator HELMS, ‘‘he took his politics seriously, 

but he didn’t use political differences as an excuse for bad 

manners.’’ He embodied Southern charm, good manners, and 

courtliness. He seemed to recognize that there is never a 

contradiction between standing up strongly for your political 

and philosophical principles and always treating people, including those who disagree with you, in a way that always 

respects their human dignity. 

Nor was this just a public display of good manners—JESSE

HELMS’ Christian charity extended to his private life as well. 

Having been active in the pro-life movement for a long time 

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the accusation 

that pro-lifers only care about life from conception to birth— 

after that, they have no interest in caring for their fellow 

human beings. 

Well, suffice it to say that Senator HELMS disproved this 

caricature. JESSE and his wife Dot were always what I like 

to call ‘‘pro-life and whole-life.’’ In 1963, after 21 years of 

marriage, they adopted a disabled child, their son Charles, 

after they read a newspaper article in which the child, who 

was 9 at the time, wished for a mother and a father for 

Christmas. Senator HELMS never used adopting a child with 

cerebral palsy to soften his image as a hard, uncaring rightwing ideologue—in fact, he refused to talk about it in interviews. But Charles was, he said, a great blessing and was 

the center of his family. He served for years on the boards 

of private charities to help others with cerebral palsy. 

For those young people who had the opportunity to work 

with him, he was a wonderful mentor. More than anything 

else, he loved to talk to young people, give them guidance 

and encouragement, and show them the ropes of public service. Those who knew the dynamics of his office testified that 

he was always more accessible to young people than he was 

to high-powered lobbyists. One of his great legacies is the 

Jesse Helms Center near his hometown of Monroe, NC, an 

organization centered on young people and dedicated to asVerDate Aug 31 2005 15:01 May 15, 2009 Jkt 043500 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\HELMS\43500.TXT CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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suring that future generations fully understand and appreciate the blessings and opportunities of this great country. 

What is perhaps most obvious about Senator HELMS was 

that he was, simply put, a political giant. He was among the 

first to take up the pro-life cause in Congress, and his dedication to that cause never wavered. He was a lifelong opponent of Communist tyranny, and his leadership in key cold 

war battles was indispensable. Ronald Reagan never could 

have achieved all that he did without Senator HELMS’ strong 

and steady leadership as chairman of the Foreign Relations 

Committee. 

And that was not all the Reagan revolution owed to JESSE

HELMS. Like Ronald Reagan, he left the Democratic Party 

after many years as a Democrat because he believed it no 

longer embodied the principles he believed in. He was on the 

cutting edge of transforming the solid South from the Roosevelt coalition to the Reagan coalition. His support for Ronald Reagan in his State’s primary in 1976 was the key to 

Reagan’s victory, and the beginning of the revival of his fortunes that led to the Reagan landslides of 1980 and 1984. 

Senator HELMS’ political leadership will be missed, but his 

impact on our Nation will remain as his lasting legacy. We 

mourn the passing of this great American, and we offer our 

heartfelt condolences to his family, his friends, and to the 

people of his beloved North Carolina and across the Nation 

who loved him. 

Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 

the tributes to Senator HELMS in the Congressional Record 

be printed as a Senate document and that Senators be permitted to submit statements for inclusion until August 1. 

WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2008 

Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on one other item, yesterday we said goodbye to our former colleague, Senator 

JESSE HELMS. A significant number of our colleagues were in 

attendance at the funeral in Raleigh. Since his passing was 

expected, we certainly did not suffer from shock. It was anticipated that our friend and colleague would soon pass 

away, so in many respects it was a celebration of the life of 

a unique and great American. 

I was honored by Mrs. Helms to be asked to do one of the 

eulogies at the funeral yesterday. I ask that my remarks be 

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printed in the Record for any of our colleagues who might 

want to see what I had to say on behalf of our friend and 

colleague yesterday as we bid him farewell. 

I ask unanimous consent to have those remarks printed in 

the Record. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be 

printed in the Record, as follows: 

MEMORIAL SERVICE OF SENATOR JESSE HELMS

REMARKS OF U.S. SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL

JULY 8, 2008 

Dot, Jane, Nancy, Charles, members of the Helms family, Mr. Vice President, Senate colleagues, Reverend Bodkin, distinguished guests, and friends 

of JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS. 

Many good things have been said about JESSE HELMS since he left us 

early Friday morning. And none, I think, was more true than a note that 

was sent to the Helms Center over the weekend. ‘‘He was caring about those 

he knew and didn’t know,’’ it said. ‘‘He wanted others to succeed.’’ 

In the Senate, he always sought them out. Whether it was the schoolchildren that he met with by the thousands; the staff members he didn’t call 

staff, but family—the Helms Senate family; or the Senate pages he would 

always stop to talk to, and who would send him notes later on in life to 

thank him for a kindness, a word of encouragement, or to show him pictures 

of a newborn baby. 

Over the years, anyone who passed by JESSE HELMS in the Capitol, or 

worked in his office, would remember him as one of the kindest men they 

ever knew. No matter who you were, he always had a thoughtful word and 

a gentle smile. He put duty above all else—duty to God, to country, and to 

family, yes—but also a duty that’s often overlooked: the simple duty of 

treating other people well. 

He never let the seriousness of his job in the Senate become an excuse 

for pretense. 

Just ask the Senators who always had to make room for JESSE’s constituents on the Senators-only elevators. Or the tourists from all the other States 

who noticed that Senator HELMS always put visitors from North Carolina 

at the front of the Senate subway car when he rode with them. Or the constituents who weren’t even from North Carolina, but who could always 

count on the Helms Senate family to help if their own Representatives 

didn’t. Their boss always made sure of it. 

One of the more notable features of being a Member of the U.S. Senate 

is that you get to see how different the public image of certain well-known 

Senators is from the men and women you actually get to know as colleagues 

and as friends. No one seemed to suffer more from this peculiar disconnect 

than JESSE HELMS. And no one seemed to care about it less. 

I remember walking into his office for the first time and being disarmed 

by his kindness, and then stepping into his private office and being disarmed again at seeing an entire wall covered with some of the nastiest political cartoons I’d ever seen. Every one was critical of JESSE. And he loved 

them. Visitors would come into his office, look at the wall, look back at 

JESSE, and he’d just smile. 

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There was a lesson here: You can let your adversaries beat you down, or 

you can let it roll off your back. JESSE taught many of us to do the latter, 

and we were grateful for the advice. 

Staffers learned how to deal with the critics too. One time, after a particularly harsh editorial in the New York Times, a new Helms staffer dashed 

off a harsh response and brought it in to the boss for his review. JESSE read 

it, patted the young man on the shoulder, and said, ‘‘Son, just so you understand: I don’t care what the New York Times says about me.’’ 

He had a kind of preternatural calm about what other people said. But 

for JESSE, standing on principle and fighting back in defense of one’s views 

was never to be confused with animosity for one’s adversaries. Political disagreements were never a reason to treat others badly. As one of his Democratic colleagues put it over the weekend: ‘‘He was always a gentleman.’’ 

When he fought back, he did it in the most effective way he knew how. 

Nobody knew the rules of the Senate better than JESSE HELMS, and no one 

used them against his adversaries to more frustrating effect. There’s a saying in Washington: Whenever a Member of Congress looks into the mirror, 

he sees a future President. But JESSE HELMS was always an exception to 

the rule. He never saw himself as anything other than a Senator. And he 

played the role masterfully. 

Of course, there was one person whose opinion did matter. And, as I recall, she was never one to hold back. If JESSE gave a speech that was a little 

too long, he’d be sure to hear about it in the car ride home. And, unlike the 

editorial writers, JESSE always took Dot’s wise counsel to heart. 

It’s ironic, of course, that JESSE HELMS would find his wife in a newsroom—ironic that someone who had so little use for newspapers would have 

started out at one. But he always remembered those early days at the News 

& Observer fondly. He remembered that the best path to his desk was the 

path that led him past Dorothy Coble’s desk. 

He took that path often. And soon enough, he and Dot were covering the 

news together, and becoming close friends over late-night steak dinners at 

the Hollywood Cafe. Decades later, looking back on all the state dinners and 

all the visits from various dignitaries and world leaders, JESSE would say 

those dinners with Dot at the Hollywood Cafe were, for him, the most memorable. 

Dot, you had the perfect partnership. We miss you in Washington. And 

we honor you today too, for your devotion and your strength, especially in 

these last years, which haven’t been easy, we know. 

JESSE HELMS was not above sharing the secret of his success with anyone 

who asked. 

One time, a college student who admired him called his office on a whim 

to see if Senator HELMS would be willing to speak to a college group he ran. 

The boy was shocked when Senator HELMS himself cut in on the phone line 

and said, ‘‘I’ll do it.’’ But he was shocked even more when, on the day of 

the speech, he asked Senator HELMS for the one piece of advice he’d give 

a young man just starting out in politics. ‘‘Son, find yourself a good wife.’’ 

It has been noted by many others how fitting it should be for a man who 

spent his entire adult life talking about the ‘‘miracle of America’’ to pass 

away on Independence Day. It was no less fitting, I should think, for a man 

who did so much to promote the vision of the American Founding Fathers 

to have come from as modest a background as so many of the men who secured it in battle. 

That too, of course, has always been a part of the Miracle of America: that 

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feat the British Army. That a boy from Kentucky whose father couldn’t even 

sign his own name would go on to write the words of the Gettysburg Address. Or that a policeman’s son from Monroe, NC, could, in his own time, 

have such a powerful effect on the course of human events. JESSE HELMS

rose the way so many others in our country have from its earliest days, not 

by inheriting something, but by building something. 

He was a product of the public schools, but his most important education 

came from the home. In the Helms household, JESSE said, it was not uncommon for him to wake up and find his mother cooking breakfast for the hobos 

that his father had rounded up the night before. And on Sundays, the whole 

family would worship together at the First Baptist Church on Main Street 

in Monroe. 

It was the kind of home where a young boy could learn a boundless hope 

in the promise of America. It was the kind of place where a young boy could 

learn about the importance of strong principles, and the importance of fighting for them, regardless of the personal cost. 

I remember once, as a young Senator, walking into the Republican cloakroom, and seeing what that kind of tenacity looked like: a lone Senator, sitting in the corner. JESSE had put the rest of us in some parliamentary tangle about one thing or another. He’d ground the place to a halt. And he was 

completely comfortable with the whole situation. It was truly something to 

behold. 

Once, after a disastrous early battle in the Revolutionary War, John 

Adams was asked for an explanation. ‘‘In general,’’ he said, ‘‘their generals 

outgeneraled our generals.’’ For the last three decades of the 20th century, 

the same would never be said of a certain North Carolina lawmaker whenever he decided to take on an issue in the U.S. Senate. JESSE HELMS always 

held his ground. 

Many others who never saw JESSE HELMS on the Senate floor have noted 

with admiration the same qualities over these past days. One man from 

Florida wrote that Cuban Americans will never forget his staunch opposition to the Castro regime. And one of JESSE’s many unlikely friends on the 

international stage, Bono, left a tribute at the Helms Center that many men 

could only dream of. 

‘‘Give Dot and the family my love,’’ it said. ‘‘And tell them there are two 

million people alive today in Africa because JESSE HELMS did the right 

thing.’’ 

Today, we are sad at the passing of our friend, but we are consoled by 

the promises of a God he loved. JESSE HELMS was once asked whether he 

had any ambitions beyond the Senate. ‘‘The only thing I am running for,’’ 

he said, ‘‘is the Kingdom of Heaven.’’ 

Now that day which comes to all of us has come for JESSE HELMS. And 

we are confident that he has heard those words he longed to hear: ‘‘Well 

done, good and faithful servant . . . Come and share in your Master’s joy.’’ 

Mrs. DOLE. Madam President, yesterday, hundreds of 

people from all walks of life and across the political spectrum 

traveled from near and far to Hayes Barton Baptist Church 

in Raleigh, NC, to pay their final respects to U.S. Senator 

JESSE HELMS and to express condolences to his beloved wife, 

Dot, and their family. 

In the days since JESSE’s July 4 passing, we have heard 

it said by many: ‘‘You knew where JESSE HELMS stood.’’ As 

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my husband, Bob Dole said, ‘‘You didn’t have to look under 

the table. You always knew where JESSE was.’’ 

Even those who disagreed with JESSE on an issue could respect the fact that he always stood tall and firm—for his convictions, his faith, his family, his home State of North Carolina, and the United States of America. 

When I announced that I was running to succeed Senator 

HELMS—and I have always said ‘‘succeed’’ him because no 

one could replace him—I pledged to continue his commitment to constituent service that was second to none. He 

helped thousands upon thousands of North Carolinians, 

Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. No problem was too small or too great for JESSE and his staff to take 

on during his 30 years of service for the people of our State 

and the Nation. 

I can still hear my father saying, ‘‘JESSE HELMS is our 

watchdog. He’s a relentless watchdog for North Carolina and 

for America!’’ And JESSE often recalled that my mother was 

in the front row at his very first rally in Rowan County. 

Through the years, JESSE unfailingly phoned my mother on 

her May 22 birthday, and she lived to be just 4 months short 

of 103 years old. In fact, JESSE would often stay late at his 

Senate office, making thoughtful phone calls and writing personal letters to constituents, colleagues, and friends. 

For all his small gestures of kindness and his great acts 

of service, JESSE HELMS was not driven by self-serving motives. He did not seek recognition for good deeds, or public 

acclaim for success. JESSE shunned the spotlight of the Sunday morning talk shows. The people he served from North 

Carolina, he said, weren’t watching, they, like he and Dot, 

were in church. 

In 1997, Fred Barnes wrote a piece in the Weekly Standard that proclaimed: ‘‘Next to Ronald Reagan, JESSE HELMS

is the most important conservative of the last 25 years . . . 

and the most inner-directed person in Washington.’’ And 

Fred adds, ‘‘No conservative save Reagan comes close to 

matching HELMS’ influence on American politics and policy 

in the quarter century since he won a Senate seat in North 

Carolina.’’ Of course many have said that President Reagan 

might never have been elected at all without the help of 

JESSE HELMS in the 1976 North Carolina primary—a win 

most pundits credit with rejuvenating the Reagan campaign—and setting Ronald Reagan up to win the nomination 

4 years later. 

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On the national political stage, JESSE HELMS was known 

by both fans and critics as a tough-as-nails Senator who was 

a relentless fighter for the causes he believed in. A master 

of the Senate rules, he would use them to call up votes that 

required his colleagues to go on the record on difficult issues. 

He believed the American people were entitled to know their 

representatives’ positions. But it was JESSE’s kindness to 

Senate employees, his pride in his staff and his love for helping youngsters that made him absolutely legendary. He 

would ask the Senate pages, ‘‘Would you like to go down and 

have some ice cream in the Senate Dining Room?’’ Imagine 

the thrill for these young people when the renowned chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee took time 

out to sit down and talk with them over ice cream. 

A gentleman always, JESSE was known for his civility 

among his colleagues, the elevator operators, the Capitol Hill 

police, and all who worked throughout the Capitol. 

This past Monday evening, the Senate approved a resolution—cosponsored by all 100 Senators—honoring the life, career, and great achievements of JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, 

JR. His public career certainly yielded many notable accomplishments—as a leader in the fight against communism, as 

a staunch protector of U.S. sovereignty, as a reformer of the 

United Nations, and as the first legislator of any nation to 

address the United Nations Security Council. 

That said, in keeping with JESSE’s character and his own 

commitment to himself not to become a ‘‘big-shot Senator,’’ 

he would probably like for us to consider that his greatest 

accomplishments were in his roles as husband, father, 

grandfather, and friend. 

My husband Bob and I are forever grateful that we were 

able to call JESSE HELMS a friend and colleague for so many 

years, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the Helms 

family in this difficult time. 

Mr. BURR. Madam President, I rise to honor a friend, a 

mentor, and a colleague I thought was a true statesman. I 

mourn the passing of one of North Carolina’s greatest sons, 

Senator JESSE HELMS. Senator HELMS passed away last Friday, the Fourth of July, a very fitting day for Senator HELMS

to leave because of his deep belief in the independence of this 

country, in the liberties and freedoms we have. 

It says a lot when you can simply mention a man’s first 

name in his home State and everyone knows exactly who you 

are talking about. JESSE, as most North Carolinians referred 

to him, was a true gentleman. He was a good man who 

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fought hard for what he believed in. Some core principles— 

free enterprise, traditional values, and a strong national defense—guided his 30 years of service in this institution, the 

Senate. He never relented in his pursuit to defend his beliefs 

or to stand up for his constituents, and he wouldn’t shy away 

from an unpopular idea. JESSE HELMS was a fearless, honest 

man who was considered by all who actually knew him as 

a true patriot. Those he served with on both sides of the 

aisle considered him one of the most influential Members to 

enter service in this body. You may not have agreed with 

him on every issue or any issue, and you may have been disappointed by some of the positions he took, but he was respectful, a soft-spoken man with an impeccable character 

and a professional and personal integrity that could never, 

ever be challenged. 

It speaks volumes that one of his closest friends among his 

colleagues was the late Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. Both 

men were, to borrow from Senator HELMS’ description of 

Senator Wellstone, ‘‘courageous defenders of what they believed.’’ 

Senator HELMS harbored honored qualities that today too 

often are taken for granted. If JESSE HELMS looked you in 

the eye and gave you his word, you could count on him to 

deliver. JESSE’s word was better than any written agreement 

or signed contract. He was a man you could trust when you 

shook his hand. 

Certainly, a contributor to these qualities was his humble 

origins in the small town of Monroe, NC. I can speak for 

days attempting to describe the full impact that Senator 

HELMS had on my home State of North Carolina and the impact he had on this great Nation. But JESSE HELMS was 

more than a champion of one State or one Nation. He was 

a global force and was always willing to stand up to oppressive governments, dictatorships, and ineffective international 

organizations. Some of the more controversial positions he 

voiced during the course of his career might have clouded the 

mammoth change his service to our Nation brought to the 

entire world. 

As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, he 

wasn’t afraid to boldly speak his mind in the interest of defeating international tyranny, promoting U.S. sovereignty, 

and solidifying our Nation’s place as the leader of the free 

world. His global influence is still noticeable in many ways 

within the international arena. 

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Among his historic accomplishments were his tireless efforts toward the much-needed reforms of the United Nations. 

For a legislator, JESSE wielded a unique international prominence that was proven when he was invited to be the first 

legislator from any nation to address the United Nations Security Council. Through his service, JESSE made our country 

safer. But his passion for protecting our national security, 

assuring our global distinction, and preserving our valuable 

individual democratic freedoms ran much deeper than his 

broad foreign policy work might suggest. 

One of JESSE’s most impressive qualities was that he never 

lost sight of his role in Washington. He knew that as Senators, we are sent here to serve the constituents of our home 

States, not with the power of the position. JESSE HELMS focused his most unwavering efforts toward seeing every single 

one of the constituents who contacted his office. It is a path 

I have endeavored to follow, and I am grateful to him for 

having provided that model. If you were from North Carolina 

and you had a question you wanted answered by the Federal 

Government, JESSE would get you the answer. It didn’t matter what your political affiliation happened to be or who you 

supported in an election. JESSE HELMS mastered the art of 

constituent service. It wasn’t unusual for him to pick up the 

phone himself, call a civil servant at a Federal agency working on a particular piece of case work that was lingering unresolved, and directly ask for an answer himself. That is the 

kind of man Senator HELMS was. He wasn’t interested in the 

rank-and-file bureaucratic hierarchy of the Federal Government. He wanted answers to questions, questions that his 

hardworking, Federal tax-paying constituents had. So in his 

gentle and respectful tone, he would simply ask for an answer. 

Constituents knew they could turn to their home State 

Senator to solve their problems. Even if they disagreed with 

JESSE’s politics, they knew he would help them. It will surprise no one who reads his memoirs that he dedicates an entire chapter to constituent service. I read it as a tribute to 

those who worked for Senator HELMS on behalf of North 

Carolina for so many years. The stories about his focus on 

constituent service sound almost legendary. I am sure many 

of my colleagues, and no doubt a number of North Carolinians, have heard the one about two liberals chatting about 

the problem one of them was having in getting a Federal 

agency to respond to a question of one kind or another. It 

could have been about a problem with a Social Security 

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check or a disability payment or any of the hundred other 

things that congressional offices deal with on behalf of their 

constituents on a daily basis. 

One was complaining to the other that they were at the 

end of their rope. They are tired of everything, including 

their Congressional Representative. The other one listened 

intently, nodding in sympathy with the plight of their friend. 

When the friend was done talking, the other thought for a 

moment and finally said: ‘‘I hate to say it, but it is time for 

you to call JESSE.’’ 

When it came to constituent service, ‘‘Senator No,’’ as he 

was often referred to by his critics, was more often than not 

actually ‘‘Senator Yes.’’ 

John Wooden, the great basketball coach, once said: ‘‘You 

can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone 

who will never be able to repay you.’’ JESSE HELMS lived his 

days in the Senate by that creed. 

Senator HELMS proved that you do not need to win by a 

landslide to make policy or to make a difference. As he might 

put it, he campaigned and legislated based upon his principles rather than his preferences. Those principles and his 

constituents guided his public service. He was successful in 

his work, however, because of his willingness to take a 

stand. 

Much has been made, of course, about JESSE HELMS’ 

stands against programs and spending that he felt were misguided or were not a proper responsibility of the Federal 

Government. Those stands had a tendency to be misunderstood. If you did not know where Senator HELMS stood on an 

issue, it was probably because you did not ask. 

Madam President, today I thank JESSE HELMS. I thank 

Senator HELMS for his service, for his leadership, for the fact 

that he was willing to take a stand, a stand that was not 

popular every time, a stand that he believed was right, not 

because of any political influence but because of what he understood this job to be about. 

JESSE HELMS today enters a house that I think he looked 

forward to being in. It is not the House of Congress. But 

truly, JESSE HELMS was greeted with the sound of angels 

and the words ‘‘good job.’’ 

Today, our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Dot and 

their entire family. His Senate colleagues miss him. But the 

Senate is a much better institution today for the 30 years of 

service of Senator JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR. 

Madam President, I yield the floor. 

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Mr. BYRD. Madam President, back in the 1960s, JESSE

HELMS was the commentator for WRAL radio in North Carolina, and on his radio program he offered me support and 

comfort for some controversial views which I held at the 

time. 

Although he had worked as a staffer for two different Senators, as far as I knew, JESSE HELMS and I had never met. 

But there he was, in Raleigh, NC, in a series of radio commentaries, defending my right to take positions based on my 

personal convictions and values. He said I was a Senator 

whose ‘‘greatest strength’’ was my ‘‘dedicated independence 

of thought and action.’’ I was a Senator who was ‘‘neither 

easily frightened nor intimidated.’’ A Senator who always 

‘‘stood up for what he regards as important.’’ 

I appreciated his support during those trying times. I 

never forgot it. 

Therefore, when JESSE HELMS was elected to the Senate in 

1972, it seemed that we were already well acquainted. We 

became friends as we came to know each other, and to respect each other. 

JESSE HELMS was a courtly Southern gentleman of the 

first order, a product of the South and his beloved North 

Carolina, which happens to be my native State. JESSE

HELMS was also a deeply religious man of integrity, honesty, 

and patriotism. 

He believed in the Constitution. He believed in the Senate 

as an institution and in its premier place in our government. 

Senator HELMS was one of those rare Senators who was 

never looking for another office. He wanted to be a Senator. 

He was grateful to be able to serve the people of North Carolina and the United States in this Chamber. 

And he certainly made his presence felt here in the U.S. 

Senate. During his years in the Senate, he served as chairman of the Senate Agricultural Committee and the Senate 

Foreign Relations Committee. 

More than once, Senator HELMS was the singular ‘‘no’’ vote 

on a particular matter, for example, the Frank Carlucci nomination as Secretary of Defense, November 20, 1987, 91 to 1: 

Elementary and Secondary Education Improvement Act of 

1987, December 1, 1987, 97 to 1, S. 373. He proudly wore his 

well earned title of ‘‘Senator No.’’ 

No matter what the press said, no matter what the pundits were saying, no matter what even his colleagues were 

saying, he never wavered in his convictions. The ‘‘paramount 

thing’’ for political leaders, Senator HELMS once explained, 

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‘‘is whether a man believes in [his] principles . . . and whether he is willing to stand up for them, win or lose.’’ 

Consequently, we always knew where Senator HELMS

stood. Take an issue—abortion, prayer in school, Presidential 

nominations, reducing the deficit, taxes, government waste, 

the future of this country—if you did not already know 

where he stood, he was always ready to tell you. 

Some of his positions were unpopular. Some of them 

seemed extreme and doomed from the start. 

But his differences with his Senate colleagues were always 

political, not personal. They were differences of opinions, not 

of heart. 

Madam President, I express my most heartfelt condolences 

to the family and friends of this extraordinary Senator. 

Mrs. HUTCHISON. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to the memory of our former colleague, Senator JESSE

HELMS, who passed away, fittingly, on Independence Day, a 

day which meant so much to him. 

A great deal has been written and said about Senator 

HELMS. He was a man who provoked strong feelings—both 

pro and con—and he enjoyed being the subject of spirited 

discussions. 

It is well known and well told that Senator HELMS could 

be, and often was, a tough opponent but also could be and 

often was an invaluable ally. 

He was a man of strongly held, deeply held views and was 

never hesitant to share those views with the rest of the Senate. 

But it is less well known that JESSE HELMS was a kind 

and considerate colleague. Fifteen years ago, he welcomed a 

new Member from Texas into the Senate. I always appreciated his advice and his love of the Senate as an institution. 

JESSE HELMS began as an editor at a newspaper in North 

Carolina and then went to a TV station in Raleigh. It was 

the notoriety which he gained from being a TV commentator 

which led him to the U.S. Senate. 

Today we have many former colleagues who started in the 

U.S. Senate and are now TV commentators. It was typical of 

JESSE to do it the opposite way. 

He once said of his career in the Senate, ‘‘I would like to 

be remembered as a fella who did the best he could and 

didn’t back down when he thought he was right.’’ 

JESSE HELMS was a man who had the courage to stand 

against the often transient winds of political convenience. He 

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wasn’t always right. He was right a good part of the time, 

but he was always JESSE. 

Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, everyone in this Chamber 

is saddened by the loss of our former colleague from North 

Carolina, JESSE HELMS. Many of us served with him, and 

know how dedicated a public servant he was. I didn’t always 

agree with him; in fact, we disagreed much of the time. But 

one of the many wonderful things about working in the Senate is finding ways to work together with colleagues who 

have very different beliefs and goals for the good of the country. 

Senator HELMS and I shared a commitment to ensuring 

that the United States only entered into trade agreements 

that are fair to the hardworking men and women of this 

country. I appreciated his commitment to that issue, and I 

was pleased to work with him to support fair trade. 

I also served with Senator HELMS as a member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee. He served as chairman 

for many years, and during that time we also found common 

ground on the issue of most-favored-nation, MFN, status for 

China. Senator HELMS and I worked together in opposition 

to granting MFN status to a country with such gross human 

rights violations. Together, we led the fight against MFN because it ignored the appalling human rights abuses in China, 

and abdicated the Senate’s responsibility to exert pressure 

on the Chinese Government to improve its record on human 

rights. 

In the wake of Senator HELMS’ passing, people will remember him for the many different things he accomplished 

in his lifetime. I add these memories to those remembrances 

of Senator HELMS, who led such a full life inside and outside 

of public service. My thoughts are with his family, and the 

people of North Carolina he served with such dedication for 

30 years. 

Mr. BUNNING. Madam President, I would like to pay 

tribute to a friend and great American Senator who, fittingly, left us on the Fourth of July—the same day as two 

of our Nation’s Founders: Thomas Jefferson and John 

Adams—at the age of 86. 

In terms of a U.S. Senator, JESSE HELMS was a heavyweight. JESSE HELMS was relentless in his fight to defend 

the ideals that embody America. And no matter what policy 

JESSE HELMS was defending during a debate, everyone could 

agree on one thing: you always knew where he stood and 

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that he was a man of his word. A devoted and outspoken 

conservative, his principles of small government and individual freedom served as an international microphone for 

American creed during the cold war and beyond. 

While JESSE’s political life was open to everyone, I had the 

distinct honor of knowing him on a personal level. In 1998, 

after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for over 

a decade, I came to the Senate and was quickly greeted by 

Senator HELMS—apparently Senator HELMS knew a conservative when he saw one. As someone who shared many of the 

same philosophical views as JESSE HELMS, we would often 

discuss contentious issues that arose before the Senate. During these moments I realized that behind his hard public 

image, JESSE HELMS was one of the most compassionate and 

sincere men I had ever met. This affectionate and friendly 

attitude brought out the Southern gentleman whom we all 

loved. 

I will miss Senator HELMS’ political leadership, but I am 

happy his impact on our country lives on. Mary and I send 

our thoughts and prayers to his wife Dot and their family as 

they mourn for their loss and remember an extraordinary 

life. 

THURSDAY, July 10, 2008 

Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 

our friend and former colleague, Senator JESSE HELMS of 

North Carolina. When Senator HELMS passed away on the 

Fourth of July, our country lost a patriot and a strong conservative voice. 

Senator HELMS’ life was about public service. During 

World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he first developed his commitment to a strong U.S. military and America’s security at home and abroad. He served in a number of 

public roles in Washington, DC, and in his home State of 

North Carolina, and in 1972 was elected to the U.S. Senate—a position he held for five consecutive terms. 

Senator HELMS was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when I came to the Senate in 1996, where 

I have served for 12 years. As chairman, he consistently 

maintained a powerful and determined voice in his efforts to 

strengthen America. I will always be grateful for his many 

personal courtesies and his constant encouragement and assistance over the 6 years that we worked together. 

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Senator HELMS was outspoken, strong-minded, and unwavering in his beliefs. He was a leader who will be missed. 

Lilibet and I extend our thoughts and prayers to JESSE’s 

widow and our friend Dot and his wonderful family. 

TUESDAY, July 15, 2008 

Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I wish to pay tribute to my late 

colleague, Senator JESSE HELMS of North Carolina. Other 

Senators have spoken at length in remembrance of our 

friend, recalling the man and his many accomplishments in 

this body. It was wonderful to hear the tributes by friends 

and family at his services in Raleigh, NC. 

It was my good fortune to come to the Senate when Senator HELMS was leading a lot of fights for a strong America. 

Senator HELMS took charge of the Foreign Relations Committee at the same time I arrived in the Senate. From that 

perch as chairman, he steadfastly defended the Nation’s interests. Senator HELMS relished defending his principles, 

and I am sure he enjoyed his victories. 

One such victory in this body is of particular note to me, 

for I was privileged to play a part in it. In 1999, in Senator 

HELMS’ fifth and final term in office, the Comprehensive Test 

Ban Treaty was before the Senate, and it was poised for ratification. But, with his support and blessing, I helped secure 

the votes to defeat the treaty, and it fell far short of the twothirds vote that had at one time seemed assured. 

That is but one of the many victories for U.S. national security in which JESSE HELMS was involved in his three decades in the Senate. 

Senator HELMS fought some of most contentious and courageous fights in the Senate on issues of profound significance. Yet even when the stakes were so high that they involved preserving and safeguarding this Nation, Senator 

HELMS remained unfailingly courteous. He held to his principles even when they were not popular, but he did so in a 

way that did not damage friendships. 

My wife Caryll and I offer our sympathies to JESSE’s wife 

Dot and their family. Senator HELMS took the positions he 

judged to be right and he didn’t flinch. He was a kind and 

gentle man who deeply believed in his country, his family, 

and his God. 

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WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2008 

Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I was saddened by the 

news of the death of our former colleague, JESSE HELMS of 

North Carolina. 

He was a man of strong convictions, even if it meant being 

in opposition of his own party. He fought for what he believed, and he stood by his word. It was a privilege to work 

with Senator HELMS, even though we disagreed on policy 

matters we were able to do what we could for the love of our 

country. 

Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying 

tribute to this magnificent Senator, a great American, and a 

true patriot. He will be missed. 

Mr. SHELBY. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to my honorable colleague, Senator JESSE HELMS. North 

Carolina’s longest serving popularly elected Senator, JESSE

was a good friend and a true conservative. I join the entire 

Nation in mourning his passing. 

JESSE was born in Monroe, NC, on October 18, 1921. He 

attended Wingate University and Wake Forest University 

and had a successful career in newspapers, first as a sports 

reporter for the Raleigh Times and later as the paper’s city 

news editor. He also served as a recruiter for the U.S. Navy 

during World War II and worked in radio and television. 

In the 1950s HELMS began to pursue his interest in politics, working on Willis Smith’s U.S. Senate campaign and 

later in his Senate office. HELMS also worked on Senator 

Richard Russell’s Presidential campaign and I. Beverly Lake, 

Sr.’s gubernatorial campaign. After these efforts, JESSE went 

back to journalism serving as the Capitol Broadcasting Company’s executive vice president, vice chairman of the board 

and assistant chief executive officer. From these positions, 

JESSE gained local celebrity as a conservative commentator 

on the Raleigh-based TV station. 

His notoriety in the area led to a 4-year position on the 

Raleigh City Council. JESSE remained at the Capitol Broadcasting Company until 1972, when he became the first Republican elected to the Senate from North Carolina in the 

20th century. JESSE served North Carolina well as chairman 

of both the Agriculture and Foreign Relations Committees. 

While in the Senate, JESSE was a conservative leader who 

worked tirelessly for small government, sound foreign policy, 

and strong communities. 

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After serving five terms in the U.S. Senate, JESSE retired 

and returned to North Carolina, where he wrote and published his memoir, ‘‘Here’s Where I Stand.’’ He also continued his work with the Jesse Helms Center, a nonprofit organization started in 1987 to promote the principles JESSE felt 

so strongly about—democracy, free enterprise, and strong 

values. 

In my time with JESSE in the Senate, I knew him to be 

honest, hardworking, and committed to the people of North 

Carolina and this Nation. It is fitting that he passed away 

on Independence Day, as JESSE was certainly an independent man who loved this country and the values for 

which it stands. 

JESSE is loved and will be missed by his wife of 66 years, 

Dorothy; his son Charles; his two daughters, Jane and 

Nancy; and seven grandchildren. He was an inspiration to 

many and will be remembered for his dedication and many 

contributions to North Carolina and this Nation. I ask the 

entire Senate to join me in recognizing and honoring the life 

of JESSE HELMS. 

THURSDAY, July 24, 2008 

Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, today we remember and celebrate the life of the great Senator from North Carolina, 

JESSE HELMS. 

Senator HELMS dedicated much of his life to serving his 

country and the people of North Carolina. He developed a 

lasting legacy as a man who held to his convictions and 

championed the causes he believed in so deeply. 

He began his career in the U.S. Navy during World War 

II, where he was assigned as a recruiter. After the war, he 

became involved in North Carolina politics and campaigned 

for Senator Willis Smith, later serving on his staff. Senator 

HELMS continued to establish himself, working as a political 

commentator for local Raleigh newspapers and radio stations. In 1957, Senator HELMS was elected to the Raleigh 

City Council, where he served with the same conviction that 

he would later bring to the Senate. 

He was first elected to the Senate in 1972 and was reelected four more times, making him the longest serving U.S. 

Senator in North Carolina history. He quickly became known 

for his unfailing dedication to upholding traditional American values and protecting freedom. He said, ‘‘The challenge 

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is always before us. Whenever we lose sight of the principles 

that mattered to our Founders we run into trouble.’’ 

During his tenure in the Senate, HELMS served on the 

Senate Foreign Relations Committee and was chairman from 

1995 to 2001. Under his leadership, the committee played a 

powerful role in setting U.S. foreign policy. 

Senator HELMS will be greatly missed and remembered as 

one of the most influential Senators of his time. 

FRIDAY, July 25, 2008 

Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to speak today about 

former Senator JESSE HELMS, who passed away on July 4, 

2008, at the age of 86. I knew Senator HELMS well, and I am 

sure I am joined by many of my colleagues in saying that he 

will be missed. 

Senator HELMS was born in Monroe, NC, in 1921. His first 

full-time job was as a sportswriter for the Raleigh Times. 

After serving as a recruiter for the U.S. Navy during World 

War II, Senator HELMS became the city news editor for the 

Times before moving on to do journalistic work in both radio 

and television. In 1960 he began working at the Capitol 

Broadcasting Company in Raleigh as the executive vice 

president, vice chairman of the board, and assistant CEO. 

He became famous in his home State for his daily CBC editorials, which featured his now-famous Southern anecdotes 

occasionally laced with his sometimes provocative political 

views. 

Prior to coming to the Senate, Senator HELMS’ only political experience consisted of two terms on the Raleigh City 

Council. However, in 1972, Senator HELMS became the first 

Republican Senator elected from North Carolina in the 20th 

century, replacing the retiring Senator B. Everett Jordan. 

During his three-decade tenure in the Senate, JESSE became known as one of the Chamber’s staunchest conservatives. His refusal to compromise on his beliefs was the 

source of both his greatest strength as a legislator and, as 

I am sure some would argue, his greatest weakness. Indeed, 

I don’t think there are any of us who served alongside Senator HELMS who did not, at one time or another, find themselves in a disagreement with him. 

However, while I didn’t always agree with JESSE, I do have 

a number of fond personal memories of him. 

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For example, when I first came to the Senate in 1977, Senator HELMS was nearing the end of his first term. About 3 

months into that first session, still becoming acclimated to 

life in the Senate, I took a few moments to write down some 

of my early impressions of my fellow Senators. About JESSE, 

I wrote that he was ‘‘one of the dearest people in the Senate,’’ and that he had always treated me with kindness and 

respect. I also noticed that, despite having a reputation for 

being an unmovable conservative, he had a knowledge of 

parliamentary procedure and tactics that was virtually unmatched. 

A couple years later, I witnessed this knowledge first hand 

when Senator HELMS and I found ourselves on the same side 

of the debate over what was being called a ‘‘labor reform’’ 

bill. Sadly, as I was working with a number of my colleagues 

to sustain a filibuster against this unabashedly radically liberal pro-union legislation, our friend Senator James Allen 

passed away. While we were all saddened by the loss of our 

dear friend, at the back of our minds we were worried that, 

without Senator Allen’s mastery of Senate procedure, our efforts might fail. However, Senator HELMS stepped up and 

provided much-needed insight, helping us to block this harmful legislation. At one point during this debate, while many 

of us were worried about the strength of the filibuster, Senator HELMS assured us, saying that we would keep the necessary Senators on the floor ‘‘if they have to wear their pajamas and bedroom slippers.’’ 

I believe we were all surprised during the latter part of 

Senator HELMS’ tenure when he coauthored the landmark 

2002 legislation authorizing funds that were, at that time, 

unparalleled for international AIDS relief. Many of his colleagues, including myself, had sparred with JESSE over providing support for AIDS relief and research. But, in those 

last few months of his Senate career, I believe he showed the 

world that, while he wasn’t always the most agreeable of 

politicians, he was a compassionate man who was committed 

to doing what he thought was right. 

Mr. President, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to 

the Helms family. As I said, JESSE and I did not always 

agree on the issues before the Senate, but I can say, without 

reservation, that he was a dedicated public servant and dear 

friend to those of us who knew him well. 

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THURSDAY, July 31, 2008 

Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute 

to a fellow Senator, a friend, and a true Southern gentleman, 

Senator JESSE HELMS, who passed away on July 4, 2008. He 

was a man resolute in his beliefs. I have heard many say 

here in the Senate, as well as outside the Capitol Grounds, 

that regardless of what you thought about his position or 

opinion, you always respected Senator HELMS for standing 

up for what he believed. 

As a master of the Senate parliamentary procedures, he 

did not hesitate to use this knowledge as a tool when he 

thought it was necessary to get his point across. While inevitably these tactics might have frustrated some of his colleagues from time to time, Senators couldn’t help but marvel 

at his courageous defense of his beliefs, and they never 

doubted that Senator HELMS would treat them with respect. 

I have heard from those close to Senator HELMS, and experienced it myself, that he was true to his belief that standing 

up and defending one’s opinion was never to be confused 

with, or provided a reason for, animosity toward one’s opponents. 

His kindness and respect did not stop with his colleagues 

in the Senate. Senator HELMS was a true advocate that Senators were here to represent and serve their constituents regardless of any party affiliation, and his office was known for 

its impeccable constituent services. His beliefs and service to 

his fellow citizens not only endeared him to those he served 

or those he served with, but also to those that had the privilege to serve on his staff. I don’t think he even referred to 

them as his staff but as his Senate family—the Helms Senate family. 

His dedication to his staff is exemplified by the number of 

his staffers who went on to serve in important positions in 

Federal and State government and in the private sector, having been ‘‘tutored and trained’’ in the discipline of Senator 

HELMS. An excellent example is Robert Wilkie, now serving 

in the Defense Department as Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs. 

Respect for Senator HELMS extends well beyond these Senate halls to across the globe. Senator HELMS’ experience with 

foreign policy started with his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II and continued with his efforts to reform 

the United Nations. His effect was no less prevalent when he 

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rity Council. I was privileged to witness his stalwart performance. 

It goes without saying that the Senate, this Nation, and 

the State of North Carolina are better today because of Senator HELMS. I extend my most heartfelt condolences to the 

HELMS family and his friends. 

Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, today I rise to speak about 

the contributions and service of one of the true giants of the 

U.S. Senate. 

Senator JESSE HELMS of North Carolina was one of the 

longest serving and most distinguished Senators in the history of our Nation. During his time in the Senate, he was 

known as a strong advocate for his causes and was one of 

the most tenacious fighters this body has ever seen. Senator 

HELMS knew what he believed, why he believed it, and he 

was always prepared to fight strenuously for his cause. 

On those occasions when the Senate was prepared to promote ideas with which he disagreed, Senator HELMS proved 

to be one of the most adept at slowing the body to a crawl. 

It was a trait that endeared him to many of his supporters 

and was a source of much consternation for his detractors. 

However, if there is one accomplishment for which Senator 

HELMS will be long remembered and greatly admired, it is 

his steadfast warnings and commitment to fighting the 

scourge of communism. Not a day went by that Senator 

HELMS was not concerned about the spread of communism 

around the globe. 

Like President Reagan and South Carolina’s own longstanding Senator Strom Thurmond, Senator HELMS understood that communism was an evil ideology and, at its most 

basic form, a means of enslaving millions of people. As a Nation of freedom-loving people, we had a responsibility to stop 

its spread. 

The struggle against communism continued for decades 

with Senator HELMS playing a leading role in encouraging 

our Nation to confront this evil. Eventually, the hard line he 

took against communism, along with Reagan, Thurmond, 

and others, was vindicated. The Berlin Wall tumbled and the 

Soviet Union collapsed. 

Today, communism has been discredited and millions of 

people have been freed from its bonds. Senator HELMS, and 

the other strong anti-Communists, deserve our thanks for 

their steadfast fight and eventual victory over communism. 

It would not have been possible without their hard work. 

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In closing, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Senator HELMS and I want to take this opportunity to send my 

condolences to his family and friends. I also want to express 

my sincere appreciation for his long service in the U.S. Senate and to the Nation he loved. 

Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to 

pay tribute to my late colleague from North Carolina, Senator JESSE HELMS. I look back upon his career in the U.S. 

Senate and remember a true champion of conservative values; a Senator who stood by his convictions with a tenacity 

for which he will long be remembered. 

Senator HELMS was initially introduced to public service 

by his father, who served their North Carolina community as 

both the fire chief and the chief of police. After working in 

print, radio, and television journalism and serving on the Raleigh City Council, JESSE HELMS decided to run for the Senate in 1972 and proved his political mettle by defeating three 

opponents to win the seat. 

Senator HELMS spent the next 30 years serving five terms 

in the Senate, leaving behind a legacy of uncompromising 

and unapologetic conservatism. He could boast of many accomplishments during his career, including being dubbed 

‘‘Senator No,’’ a moniker he earned for standing strong 

against issues he felt threatened the conservative agenda. 

Senator No chaired the Agriculture Committee from 1981 to 

1987 and the Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 

2001, where he had a hand in cultivating many important 

pieces of legislation. His firm stance against tyranny led to 

successful negotiations and passage of a bill to assist Cuban 

citizens, organized efforts to bring more countries into the 

NATO alliance, and supported the development of a missile 

defense system to defend our allies abroad. 

Senator HELMS also made his presence known on the national campaign trail where he played a pivotal role in fostering the conservative agenda in Ronald Reagan’s Presidential campaign in 1976. His efforts were so effective he 

was asked to participate again in 1980. Clearly Senator No 

helped the future President shape his conservative message. 

Senator HELMS and I may have differed on many issues, 

but I respected his wide array of knowledge and the vigor 

with which he defended them. I am glad to say I served in 

this Chamber with JESSE HELMS and will always honor his 

passion for life and dedication to service in the Senate. 

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Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, President William McKinley 

once said, ‘‘That’s all a man can hope for during his lifetime—to set an example—and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history.’’ 

Of all his accomplishments during his lifetime, the example that Senator JESSE HELMS set for treating others rises 

above everything else. During my first term in the Senate, 

I had the privilege of traveling to Mexico as part of a congressional delegation with JESSE HELMS. I saw his kindness 

and sincerity in the way he treated everyone, regardless of 

position. The foreign dignitaries received the same respect 

and consideration as staff. Not enough Senators treat members of their staff like members of their family, but JESSE

HELMS did. And that gentleness extended to all who came 

into contact with him. 

The kindness with which he touched so many lives stands 

in stark contrast to the harsh and tough image which many 

had of JESSE HELMS. Seen as rough and hard hitting, a more 

fitting description of JESSE HELMS is that he was a steadfast 

believer in the principles of America. JESSE HELMS was the 

voice, sometimes the lone voice, of a centuries’ old vision of 

a sovereign United States committed to freedom, a strong 

national defense, and free enterprise. He was willing and 

able to stop business in the Senate when the strength of our 

Nation was threatened. 

But to those whose lives were personally touched by JESSE

HELMS, progress was never paused. Instead, JESSE HELMS

was a conduit of democracy and opportunity. Generations of 

Cubans, Taiwanese, Iraqis, and Africans will always remember the support that a Senator from North Carolina dedicated to their causes. 

And countless North Carolinians will remember the meaningful impact that JESSE HELMS had on their lives as their 

advocate to a sometimes unyielding government bureaucracy. One constituent from Raleigh noted her Senator’s efforts on behalf of her aging parents. She remembered her 

mother saying if there was a problem that couldn’t be resolved, ‘‘Call JESSE HELMS. He won’t stop until he gets it 

solved.’’ 

His commitment to his constituents speaks volumes about 

JESSE HELMS’ passion for his job and the people who elected 

him. He always remembered who he represented and why. 

And he always remembered that we ensure the strength of 

our Nation by inspiring young people to continue the work 

of generations of patriots. He never turned away young men 

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and women looking for advice and often engaged them in dialog. Time and again he told them to stand up for their principles. And then he showed them by example. 

Very few Americans in our Nation’s history have risen to 

the level of accomplishment and reverence as JESSE HELMS. 

During three decades in the Senate, he set an example for 

all Americans as he always stood by his principles and extended kindness to friend and foe. Now he is an inspiration 

for history. 

FRIDAY, August 1, 2008 

Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I join with my colleagues in the 

Senate and the House, and with the people whose lives he 

touched all across the Nation, in saying how sorry I was to 

learn of the passing of JESSE HELMS on July 4. He was a remarkable man, and he has left his mark on the United 

States that he loved so very much and the State of North 

Carolina that he served with great pride. He will not be forgotten. 

JESSE HELMS was an American in every sense of the 

word—one who was firmly and staunchly dedicated to the 

principles upon which our country was founded. Those principles guided him through his life and helped him to make 

every difficult decision that confronted him in his 86 years 

of life. 

JESSE HELMS was an established force in the Senate by 

the time I arrived. As a freshman Senator I knew I had a 

lot to learn and I was able to learn a lot from him as we 

served together and worked on several issues that meant a 

great deal to us both. We didn’t always agree, but I always 

found him to be a man of his word who said what he meant 

and meant what he said. You always knew where you stood 

with him and when he said ‘‘Yes’’ you knew that you could 

count on him to do what he said he would. 

Many of us come to Washington hoping to change Washington. Then, with the passage of time, we find that instead 

of changing Washington, Washington has changed us. How 

we are changed says a lot about us and our commitment to 

the principles and values that motivated us to run for the 

Senate in the first place. 

That kind of change is only natural and, for many of us, 

the changes that occur help us to see other viewpoints and 

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bers on both sides of the aisle so we can achieve common 

goals and work for the best interests of the United States 

and the American people. 

Like so many of us, JESSE HELMS was changed by his experience in the Senate. One of the most notable examples 

was the President’s foreign AIDS relief package we worked 

on together. 

For years JESSE was opposed to providing any assistance 

to countries fighting the AIDS epidemic. Some thought he 

would always oppose any kind of relief. Then, Bono, who is 

a powerful advocate for the cause, made an appointment to 

see JESSE HELMS so he could share the human side of the 

problem with him. 

I guess no one had been able to put a human face on the 

AIDS epidemic for him before. However, Bono was able to do 

it. He was able to touch JESSE’s heart and convince him that 

the need was real—and the right thing to do. In response, 

JESSE was big enough to admit that he had been wrong. 

After Bono’s presentation, JESSE decided to work on a proposal that would provide the needed funds to fight AIDS in 

Africa. The proposal was passed and signed into law, and 

thanks in part to his support, countless lives were saved. It 

is no coincidence that the reauthorization of this legislation 

that he worked so hard to pass was recently enacted into law 

by President Bush. It is a part of his legacy that will continue on after him and make a difference all over the world 

for many years to come. 

That is but one facet of his character, and one we are all 

familiar with. And, now that he has been taken from us, we 

will all take with us many more memories that come from 

our service with JESSE HELMS in the Senate. 

A lot of what we remember about JESSE HELMS and his 

service in the Senate would surprise those who only knew 

him by reputation because people thought he was a tough 

guy. But when you met him, you quickly came to see that 

he was a friendly person. He enjoyed greeting the tourists he 

met in the halls and he made them all feel welcome because 

he always had a kind word for everyone he met. Those who 

worked here in the Capitol liked him because he treated 

them all with kindness and respect. 

At the top of JESSE’s list were those who work with us to 

help the House and Senate function as it should—especially 

the pages. I don’t think JESSE HELMS ever missed a chance 

to say thank you to the pages for their service to the Congress. That was just one of the ways that JESSE honored the 

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Senate’s traditions and respected the office he was elected to 

hold. 

I remember a story he told me about his first Senate race. 

The campaign was in full swing, but JESSE’s numbers didn’t 

look too good. Then one day he ran into a fellow Mason who 

handed him a Masonic lapel pin. ‘‘Here,’’ he said. ‘‘Wear this 

during your campaign and I guarantee you that you will 

win.’’ 

He took his friend’s advice and wore the pin every day. 

Then, when the votes were counted, JESSE was the newly 

elected Senator from North Carolina. 

He told me that story while we were in the cloakroom and 

I was watching him put a new back on the pin that now 

showed a lot of use. I told him that I was a Mason, too. As 

he put the pin back on his lapel, he told me that he had 

worn that pin every day since his friend gave it to him during that first Senate campaign. 

As I came to know him, I saw that JESSE and I shared a 

great fondness and appreciation for the youth organizations 

that are recognized by the Congress. He knew that they were 

teaching our kids things they weren’t going to be getting any 

other way. He knew that these groups were helping our kids 

learn how to be good citizens and good students and to stand 

up for the things they believed in. He knew that they were 

helping to prepare our young people for the challenges they 

would face in school and later in life. 

One organization we both worked to support was the Boy 

Scouts. He was a strong supporter of scouting and he stood 

up for them whenever they were unfairly criticized or attacked. His response to each attack was to craft a bill that 

protected the promotion of volunteerism, values and faith to 

ensure those valuable lessons would continue to be taught to 

the Scouts. 

That is just one example of JESSE’s commitment to the values that meant so very much to him. That is why he was 

able to get a lot of things done over the years. His success 

was based on his strong foundation of values and beliefs that 

he would stand fast on and that was enough for him to win 

on most occasions. Watching him in action on the floor or in 

committee taught me that conviction counts, especially when 

you are firm and comfortable in what you believe. 

JESSE was a kind, soft-spoken, effective, persistent, and 

successful individual. He paid attention to people and they 

responded to him—in North Carolina and across the country. 

Another of his great political secrets was his understanding 

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that a problem always appears bigger if it is your own. 

That’s why the people of his State sent him back to the Senate for five terms. He listened to the people of North Carolina, he understood them, and he made their problems his 

own. 

Now that the last chapter of his life has been written, 

JESSE HELMS’ record speaks for itself. It reflects the fact that 

he was never concerned with being popular or taking positions because they mirrored the results of the latest poll. His 

focus was always on doing what was right—because it was 

the right thing to do. I think he owes his perspective on life 

to some advice his father gave him that helped to shape his 

character and point him toward his destiny. JESSE would 

often share his father’s words with others, ‘‘The Lord does 

not require you to win, but he does require you to try.’’ 

JESSE never forgot what his father told him. In fact, he 

lived those words by putting them into practice every day. 

No matter the odds or how impossible the situation was, 

JESSE stayed true to the life lesson his father taught him 

many years ago. 

Now that he has been taken from us, it will be for others 

to judge his place in history and the impact his life had on 

the Nation. Whatever is decided, for me and for so many others, the record will show that JESSE HELMS didn’t always 

win, but he never let the fear of losing keep him from fighting for a cause he believed in. For JESSE HELMS, the glory 

came not from victory, but from giving all he had in a noble 

effort in support of a worthy cause. 

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Proceedings in the House of 

Representatives 

TUESDAY, July 8, 2008 

Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 

of Senator JESSE HELMS. Senator HELMS, who passed away 

this past Fourth of July at the age of 86, was renowned for 

his considerable personal warmth and his commitment to the 

good of his constituents. So it is no surprise that in the days 

after his passing, tales from his constituents across the State 

of North Carolina paid tribute to his decades-long track 

record of thoughtful constituent service. 

But Senator HELMS was so much more than a good public 

servant. He was a man of integrity, and over the course of 

his 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate, you could always 

count on one thing: You knew where JESSE HELMS stood on 

the issue. An outspoken conservative who was never bashful 

about defending the conservative principles of small government and individual freedom, he was a man who refused to 

compromise on his principles. 

Senator HELMS knew a conservative when he saw one. 

This is why he helped propel Ronald Reagan to the national 

stage by orchestrating Reagan’s North Carolina primary victory in 1976. In so doing, he helped prepare the groundwork 

for the eventual Reagan revolution of the 1980s. 

As we remember the life of Senator HELMS, we know we 

have lost one of the finest conservative statesmen of a generation. Senator HELMS believed that America was the greatest nation in the world, and that belief informed his principles and the policies that he ultimately pursued. For instance, he knew that a strong America would be a signpost 

of hope for millions during the uncertain times of global 

Communist influence in the 1970s and 1980s. As a strident 

anti-Communist, he fought to ensure America would be a 

bulwark against the forces of oppression and tyranny in the 

Communist corners of the globe. 

Senator HELMS was also an indomitable champion of life. 

He believed in the dignity of the lives of the unborn and 

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fought with heroic energy to see to it that they might receive 

the protection they deserve. His pro-life legacy is still with 

us today. In fact, Senator HELMS successfully amended legislation 35 years ago to include what is today known as the 

Helms amendment. This amendment, which is still in effect, 

mandates that no U.S. foreign aid money may be used to pay 

for or promote abortions. 

Yes, Senator HELMS fought for the innocent unborn, he 

condemned widespread corruption in the United Nations before it was popular to do so, and he staked out clear conservative positions without having to consult a pollster. He was 

a one-of-a-kind leader who passed on conservative principles 

to many, including me. But his crusades were never just 

about him. Rather, he fought for his country and the ideas 

that he knew made America great. 

He said it best in his farewell address to the Senate: 

Being remembered isn’t important. What is important is standing up for 

what you believe to be right, hoping that you have done everything you can 

to preserve the moral and spiritual principles that made America great in 

the first place. 

Senator HELMS’ death last Friday was a profound loss for 

America and for the State of North Carolina. He served his 

country well, dispatching his duty to stand up for what is 

right with unrivaled moral clarity. He will be missed, and 

today my thoughts and my prayers are with his family and 

loved ones as they grieve this loss and remember a life well 

lived. 

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I would like to 

say to the gentlewoman who just spoke that I sure share her 

admiration for JESSE HELMS. I had the honor to work with 

him on legislation known as the Helms-Burton law, and I 

want you to know he was a wonderful man, a titan and a 

real conservative, and the kind of man that everybody in 

America could be proud to say that he was a Senator in the 

august body on the other side of the building. . . . 

THURSDAY, July 10, 2008 

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration 

be discharged from further consideration of House Resolution 

1325 and ask for its immediate consideration. 

The Clerk read the title of the resolution. 

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[ 37 ] 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania? 

There was no objection. 

The text of the resolution is as follows: 

H. RES. 1325 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., born in Monroe, North Carolina 

on October 18, 1921, spent a 52-year public career dedicating himself to his 

country, his family, and his home State, representing North Carolina in the 

United States Senate for 30 years; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., served in the United States Navy 

from 1942 until 1945; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was educated in the public 

schools of Monroe, North Carolina, and at Wingate Junior College and Wake 

Forest College, and served as a city editor of the Raleigh Times, an administrative assistant to United States Senators Willis Smith and Alton Lennon, 

an executive director of the North Carolina Bankers Association, a member 

of the Raleigh City Council, and a television and radio executive; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was elected to the United States 

Senate in 1972, and served as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations 

Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee, ultimately serving five 

terms, equal to the longest service of any Senator from North Carolina; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was a leader against Communism 

and became the first legislator of any nation to address the United Nations 

Security Council; 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., was married for 65 years to Dorothy ‘‘Dot’’ Coble Helms, whom he termed his ‘‘best friend’’, and JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., is the father of three children; and 

Whereas JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., made valuable contributions to 

his community, State, Nation, and the World: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) honors the life, achievements, and distinguished career of JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., public servant and former Member of the United States 

Senate; and 

(2) expresses its condolences to his wife, ‘‘Dot’’, and his three children on 

his passing. 

The resolution was agreed to. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. 

TUESDAY, July 15, 2008 

Mr. MCHENRY. Mr. Speaker, this evening, I rise with a 

heavy heart to honor the life of former Senator JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR., of North Carolina. Senator HELMS served 

from 1972 to 2002, 30 years in the U.S. Senate, tying the 

longest serving Senator from North Carolina in that record. 

Senator HELMS was known to most Americans as a rockrib conservative, both committed to a smaller, more efficient 

government that taxes less and spends less, and also a social 

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[ 38 ] 

conservative who would stand up to the common society of 

the day that was allowing for many permissive activities. 

Senator HELMS was much more than that, though. He was 

an ardent anti-Communist, and supported freedom around 

the world against the tyranny of communism. Senator 

HELMS has a very distinguished record in the U.S. Senate 

spanning three decades. 

He was known as the strongest conservative in the U.S. 

Senate in his time, one of the best known American conservatives of his time. But what many people don’t realize is that 

in 1976, just 4 years into his first term in the U.S. Senate, 

Senator HELMS did a very bold thing—he endorsed Governor 

Ronald Reagan in his primary bid for President against Gerald Ford. Senator HELMS was the only Senator to endorse 

Reagan in 1976. 

Although then-Governor Reagan had not won any primaries coming into the North Carolina primary, Senator 

HELMS put his full campaign organization behind Governor 

Reagan. And in an upset victory, Governor Reagan beat sitting President Gerald Ford in that Republican primary, the 

first primary that Reagan won in 1976. 

Historians note that without winning the North Carolina 

primary, Ronald Reagan may not have had the opportunity 

to be President in 1980. He may not have had the ability to 

continue his campaign going into the convention in 1976. So 

for Americans who know Reagan, they should thank Senator 

HELMS and his bold move in endorsing Governor Reagan. 

Beyond that, in his final term in office, the world came to 

him. He didn’t change his principles, he didn’t change the 

things that he was focused on, but he took the opportunity 

to reform the United Nations, working with Senator Joe 

Biden of Delaware. The Helms-Biden agreement called on 

the United Nations to reduce its budget and define its mission. It also forced a much-needed review of all U.N. policies. 

It was a large reform, and Senator Biden said at the time, 

‘‘Just as only Nixon could go to China, only HELMS could fix 

the United Nations.’’ 

Just after that in 2000, HELMS was the first U.S. lawmaker to address the United Nations Security Council. That 

is an amazing tribute to his leadership. He was not simply 

‘‘Senator No,’’ he was voted as the ‘‘Nicest Lawmaker in Congress.’’ 

What people know about him was the personal touch he 

had with people. My first political memory was in 1984 as 

a 9-year-old going to a HELMS-Reagan rally. That is my first 

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political memory. Beyond that when I was a high school student, I stopped into JESSE HELMS’ office and he took a few 

minutes to sit and talk with me, take a picture with me at 

his desk, and showed me around his office. And I realized 

once I became a lawmaker how very short time is here on 

Capitol Hill, and for him to give me that moment is a special 

memory that I will always cherish. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Helms family, and 

his wife, Dot. 

At this time I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina 

(Mr. Hayes). 

Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of attending 

Senator HELMS’ funeral along with Congressman McHenry, 

Congressman Jones, Senator Biden, Senator Dodd, Senator 

Byrd, Senator Dole, and others. And there were two 

takeaways from that funeral that I particularly remember. 

One was directly from Senator HELMS. He said, ‘‘You can always change your priorities, but never change your principles.’’ That was a hallmark. 

The other thing that the pastor said, ‘‘The Lord always examines the heart of the giver before he examines the gift.’’ 

Senator HELMS’ heart was with his constituents. His constituent service, regardless of party, was absolutely remarkable, and it was a tribute to him, his relationship with his 

wife, Dot, his family and his children. 

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Senator McConnell and 

Jimmy Broughton and the Helms family for the wonderful 

testimonial of his service to his country. 

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Hayes Barton Baptist Church 

Raleigh, NC 

A Celebration of Life 

U.S. Senator Jesse Helms 


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[ 42 ] 

U.S. SENATOR JESSE HELMS

October 18, 1921–July 4, 2008 

Pallbearers 

Tom Boney 

Jimmy Broughton 

Paul Coble 

John Dodd 

George Dunlop 

Andy Hartsfield 

David Rouzer 

Eddie Woodhouse 

Honorary Pallbearers 

Hoover Adams 

Bob Caudle 

Buddy Cheshire 

Jack Coble 

Tom Ellis 

Lauch Faircloth 

Jim Goodmon 

Jim Hill 

Henry Lineberger 

Brian Rogers 

Ed Woodhouse 


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[ 43 ] 

JESSE ALEXANDER HELMS, JR. 

July 8, 2008—Two o’clock 

THE PRELUDE MUSIC

June Burbage & Larita Kellison 

* THE ENTRANCE OF THE FAMILY

THE CALL TO WORSHIP

Tom Bodkin 

John 11:25; Matthew 11:28–30, RSV 

THE INVOCATION AND LORD’S PRAYER

* THE HYMN OF FAITH 416 

My Faith Looks Up to Thee ...................................... OLIVET

THE OLD TESTAMENT READINGS

Psalm 23—Responsive reading with congregation 

(back page) 

Proverbs 29:23; II Chronicles 7:14; 

Psalm 121, RSV 

THE CHOIR ANTHEM

How Great Thou Art .................................................. Hine 

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee 

How great Thou art, how great Thou art! 

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; 

How great Thou art! How great Thou art! 

THE NEW TESTAMENT READINGS

Romans 8:28, 35–39, II Timothy 4:7–8; 

Matthew 25:21, RSV 

REFLECTIONS

The Honorable Mitch McConnell, 

Senate Republican Leader 

Jimmy Broughton 

Grandchildren 

* THE HYMN OF GRACE AND ASSURANCE 330 

Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound ................... NEW

BRITAIN

THE SERMON

The Measure of a Man 

Micah 6:6–8, RSV 

Tom Bodkin 

THE CHOIR ANTHEM

When the Saints Go Marching In ............................. Rutter 

* THE BENEDICTION

* THE FAMILY RECESSIONAL

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God .................................. Luther 

THE POSTLUDE

Private interment for the family 

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THE OLD TESTAMENT READING

Psalm 23—Responsive reading with congregation 

Minister: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; 

People: he makes me lie down in green pastures. 

Minister: He leads me beside still waters, he restores 

my soul. 

People: He leads me in paths of righteousness for 

his name’s sake. 

Minister: Even though I walk through the valley of the 

shadow of death, I fear no evil; 

People: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy 

staff, they comfort me. 

Minister: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies, thou anointest my head 

with oil, my cup overflows. 

All: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow 

me all the days of my life; and I shall 

dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

In The Evening 

O’ Lord, 

support us all the day long, 

until the shadows lengthen, 

and the evening comes, 

and the busy world is hushed, 

and the fever of life is over, 

and our work is done. 

Then in thy mercy, 

grant us a safe lodging, 

and a holy rest, 

and peace at the last. 

Amen. 


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Mitch McConnell. [The text of Mr. McConnell’s eulogy can 

be found on page 10.] 

Jimmy Broughton. Mrs. Helms, members of the Helms 

family, Mr. Vice President, distinguished Members of the 

U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, the Governor of North Carolina—the past few days have been like 

a mini Helms Senate family reunion. Many of us have been 

calling and e-mailing each other to talk about the Senator 

and our time together on his staff. Without fail, the first 

question folks asked was ‘‘How is Mrs. Helms and the family’’? While we all knew this day would come—the reality of 

it takes a while to sink in. 

Much has been written about the Senator in recent days 

and, of course, a lot of those stories have been prepared for 

many years. Upon hearing the news of his death, I had to 

chuckle just a little at the fact that the Senator had likely 

ruined the vacation plans of some of those ‘‘big city editors’’ 

he often tangled with over the years. 

Many of us have been asked to tell something about Senator HELMS that the public may not know—a question that 

evokes a flood of memories and I think it’s fitting to share 

some of those personal memories this afternoon. I stand 

here—humbly—realizing I am representing hundreds of 

members of our Senate family and I am grateful to them for 

their input. 

Like many of us, I started in the mailroom, which may be 

one reason I do not like to open my own mail to this day. 

Back then, in 1991, Senators received hundreds of letters 

daily and our office always had one of the highest mail 

counts in the Senate. The Senator paid special attention to 

the mailroom and insisted that letters be opened, sorted, and 

answered as quickly as possible. He often remarked that if 

a person takes the time to write, he or she deserved a 

thoughtful, timely response. Senator HELMS was a great letter writer himself and he was known to stop by the mailroom late on a Friday afternoon and grab a stack of letters 

to answer over the weekend. 

It’s important to note that our office had been a well-oiled 

machine for many years thanks to the leadership of the Senator, of course, and of his longtime administrative assistant 

Clint Fuller who was one of his most unfailingly loyal aides 

through the years. Mr. Fuller was an institution in his own 

right and I had the privilege of interning in the office before 

he retired. His other most trusted advisor was Admiral Bud 

Nance, his childhood friend from Monroe who served as chief 

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[ 46 ] 

of staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Admiral 

Nance left a significant imprint on many in this audience 

and the committee itself. 

The Senator’s reputation as someone who was responsive 

to the needs of the people of North Carolina was legendary 

and I often asked myself how that developed. I recently 

spent a day at the Helms Center in Wingate and uncovered 

a memo he had written to Senator Willis Smith in 1952 

when he was Senator Smith’s AA. It was a detailed account 

of the goings on in the office for a 2-week period. So when 

Mr. JESSE HELMS was elected to the Senate in 1972, he just 

picked up where he left off. 

On January 16, 1973, Senator HELMS presided over his 

first staff meeting and set the tone for the office that would 

carry through until his retirement. I am quoting from the 

minutes of that meeting with the Washington staff: 

A meeting of the staff of Senator HELMS was held at 4:30 p.m. today with 

Senator HELMS presiding. 

He made some very complimentary comments about the staff. His message was basically that we have a ‘‘family relationship.’’ He wants no bowing and scraping to him; he’s just a country boy from Union County. 

And so the Helms Senate family was born. 

As I said earlier, someone asked me about a favorite memory and while there are so many that come to mind, a few 

define the person who was Senator JESSE HELMS. I often told 

folks that I would have never worked for the man I read 

about on the editorial pages. 

Illustrating the fact that he was well known for his constituent work is the story of a lady here in Raleigh whose 

husband had died and she was having a hard time sorting 

out details with the Social Security Administration. Now as 

I recall the Senator telling it, this lady lived over in Cameron Park which is close to NC State. Her neighbor, a professor, I think, and a staunch Democrat, was helping her. He 

finally threw up his hands and said, ‘‘Well, I despise the 

S.O.B., but it’s high time you call JESSE HELMS.’’ 

Another memory that made a lasting impression on me 

was a morning back in 1993 or so. The Senator was getting 

ready to offer an amendment to the Senate floor—something 

he did with regularity. In any event, several of us were in 

his office as the Cloakroom had called saying they were 

ready for him to come down to offer his amendment. We had 

the speech, text of the amendment, and all relevant documents ready, and several of the legislative folks were trying 

to go over it with him before he went to the Senate floor. He 

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gave us all the time-out sign and told us to hush while he 

had an important call to make. He picked up the phone that 

dials the Capitol operator and he said, ‘‘Nice lady, can you 

ring me Senator Simon’s office.’’ He always said ‘‘Nice lady 

can you ring me so and so—as though he was talking to Sara 

from Mayberry on the other end. Now we three staffers in 

the office looked at each other in bewilderment trying to figure out why he was calling Senator Simon—our neighbor in 

the Dirksen Building and one of the nicest Senators, but he 

would have never supported the amendment. He asked for 

his friend Paul who was not in and he proceeded to tell his 

secretary, ‘‘This is JESSE HELMS down the hall and please 

tell Paul that he needs some air in his left rear tire otherwise he will not make it home to Jeanne.’’ Now there we 

were with what we thought was such important business 

and leave it to Senator HELMS to put it all in perspective— 

he proved what really mattered. 

Now preparing a letter or a speech for the Senator was an 

ordeal. While he often wanted a draft, he edited and rewrote 

paragraphs and the copy he returned was bleeding blue 

ink—or worse, he had tossed your draft aside and typed up 

his own using that old manual Royal typewriter which 

sounded like cannon fire when he chiseled out statements 

and letters. He would often buzz you on the phone and would 

ask, ‘‘Can you step in here, son?’’ 

That was not really a question of course. I remember it 

well. It meant several things—among them the possibility 

that we split an infinitive in a draft. You see, a split infinitive in our office was trampling on the grave of Miss Annie 

Lee, the Senator’s grade school grammar teacher in Monroe. 

We all knew about Miss Annie Lee. 

The Senator had a way with words and expressed himself 

succinctly. Perhaps one day the Helms Center will publish a 

collection of his letters—they are indeed classic. He was a 

stickler for grammar which often surprised people given his 

image. One of the joys of a calmer Friday afternoon was 

being able to spend an hour or so going through his weekly 

correspondence or PDs as we called them—short for Pat 

Devine, his longtime personal secretary. Pat was the keeper 

of his letters and she or Frances Jones in Raleigh was the 

one who retyped them on letterhead for his signature. 

It’s impossible to convey adequately how he treated all of 

us. From his walks through the office every morning speaking to all of us to the insistence that famous visitors do likewise, it was obvious he genuinely cared about us all. SpeakVerDate Aug 31 2005 15:01 May 15, 2009 Jkt 043500 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 H:\DOCS\HELMS\43500.TXT CRS2 PsN: SKAYNE
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ing of famous visitors, I know there are some here who will 

never forget the afternoon when Henry Kissinger appeared 

in the mailroom, unannounced and unaccompanied, proclaiming that Senator Helms asked him to stop by the mailroom on his way out to meet the staff and interns, while the 

Senator headed to the floor for a vote. 

There are countless similar remembrances but he would 

not want me to filibuster. To have known Senator Helms as 

we all did was one of the greatest gifts we will have ever 

been given. He had a plaque on the wall in his office that 

meant a lot to him—it was a quote from his father, Jesse 

Helms, Sr., who was the police and fire chief in Monroe—it 

read ‘‘The Lord doesn’t require us to win. He just expects us 

to try.’’ Senator HELMS tried all right and we are all better 

off because of it. 

Jennifer Knox. On behalf of the entire Helms family, I 

would like to thank everyone who has kept us in your 

thoughts and prayers, not only in the last 4 days but also 

over the last 5 years or so as Granddad’s health and his 

mind faded. We thank you. 

I was always close to my grandfather, I think because I always loved going up to Washington and visiting Grandma 

and Granddad. I loved going to the Senate and sitting in the 

gallery and watching the Senators as they debated the issues 

and as they took votes. I think he appreciated that. 

And in doing so, I learned a lot of things from my grandfather, not the least of which was his work ethic. He usually 

started his day early in the morning and you always knew 

when he was working at home because—the typewriter that 

Jimmy was talking about—you could hear that thing going 

in his office. He was a hunt and pecker but he was fast. And 

it was like cannon fire. But he would work in his office for 

several hours in the morning, and then he would go up to 

the Senate office. 

One morning I was up there visiting Grandma and 

Granddad and he said, ‘‘You want to go to the Senate with 

me? ’’ I said, ‘‘Sure.’’ So we went up there and met with some 

constituents and then the buzzer rang for a Senate vote. He 

said, ‘‘Come on let’s go vote.’’ So we went down to the basement and took the underground trolley over to the Capitol. 

He voted, and then for the next 3 hours he dragged me all 

around the Capitol, all around the Senate office buildings, 

meeting with all sorts of people, going to all sorts of committee meetings until we finally made it back to his office. 

He had another 3 hours of work and the day was not over. 

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That night Grandma and Granddad had been invited to dinner, so we all went to this dinner. We finally get home about 

9:30 and Grandma and I are wiped out, and then I hear this 

noise and it’s Granddad back in his office typing away, and 

he worked for another hour and a half that night. And that 

was a normal day for him. 

One of the things everybody has heard a million times 

about Granddad is that you always knew where JESSE

HELMS stood on the issues, and that’s true. One of the things 

that you didn’t always hear about is how hard it was to 

stand for those principles, and that is something that our 

family has all learned from him. One of the things Granddad 

had always said was you can compromise your preferences, 

but never your principles. And he never did. 

As I go through life and my decisions, my job, and my personal life, I always remember that no matter how difficult 

the decision is, it’s OK to make it, it’s OK to accept the consequences because I saw him do that every day of my life. 

I think the greatest lesson that my grandfather gave me was 

the lesson of love. He did all these things, he made all those 

stands, because he loved the Lord, he loved his country, he 

loved North Carolina, and he loved his family. And I see his 

love reflected in the faces of the Helms Senate family. I see 

it reflected in my family and that’s his love, and I would like 

to share with you a note he wrote to me almost 10 years ago. 

It was right before he was going in to have surgery, having 

both of his knees replaced. It is dated July 19, 1998. It 

reads—and of course it is typed on that old typewriter: 

My dear Jennifer, I wanted to get the enclosed to you before I come down 

to trade in my antique 1921 model knees for the newer 1998 models. We 

love you and are proud of you. Hold on to your principles. Unless I missed 

my guess, you have some great days ahead, they won’t be easy always, but 

they’ll be meaningful to you and to the country. 

Granddad 

Mike Stuart. Well, the world has seemed a little less bright 

as the reality of our grandfather’s passing sets in. I’m sure 

all of us can relate to the initial void that is felt at the loss 

of a loved one. Over the last few days we have had time to 

reflect on our grandfather’s life and realize the family legacy 

that he left behind, and this legacy makes our days feel a little less empty. 

Memories are remembrances of a certain event, but an association is a perpetual memory that runs deeper, is burned 

into your being, and recalls itself when you least expect it. 

For example, Granddad loved breakfast and he loved cooking 

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a big breakfast for our family, especially on Christmas. After 

I consumed a full plate of eggs, bacon, toast, grits, and 

donuts, Granddad would insist on my eating more. He would 

hold up a plate and say, ‘‘You’re going to hurt this last piece 

of bacon’s feelings if you don’t eat it. Can’t you see it crying 

sitting here all by itself on the plate? ’’ Now, whenever I cook 

breakfast, I’ll think of Granddad. 

And as Jimmy mentioned, Granddad was a stickler for 

grammar. When my sister Katie would tell Granddad that 

she was doing good, Granddad would respond by asking her, 

‘‘I know you are good baby, but aren’t you also doing well? ’’ 

Now when I write I always think of Granddad, because he 

did not teach me to never split an infinitive, he taught me 

never to split an infinitive, and it has come in handy for me 

in school. 

Also Granddad had a love for animals. His last pet was a 

British blue cat named Miriam. At his house Miriam would 

sit on the arm of his recliner just purring away while 

Granddad scratched her ears. His eyes would get real big 

and his face would get real long and light up to let us know 

when he was in a humorous mood, and he would say, ‘‘Oh, 

come listen to Miriam purr, listen to her buzz, buzz, buzz, 

buzz, buzz, buzz.’’ So now whenever we hear a cat purr we’ll 

always think of Granddad and we’ll all find ourselves saying 

‘‘buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.’’ 

But most of all, we will associate the word legacy with our 

grandfather. Not only did he leave behind a political legacy 

from his 30 years in the U.S. Senate, but he also left behind 

another legacy and this is the importance and value of family. Grandma and Granddad instilled in their children the 

value of honesty and integrity, faith, service, love, respect, 

and perseverance. And our parents passed these values down 

to us. Today, the Helms family includes present and future 

nurses, doctors, teachers, CPAs, judges, lawyers, HIV/AIDS 

advocates, scientists, business professionals, church workers 

and entrepreneurs. If Grandma and Granddad had not been 

the people they were, we would not have become the people 

we are today. So thank you Granddad and thank you Grandma for being who you were and are, because it gave us a 

platform to believe in ourselves and follow our dreams. 

Through your legacy we know we can make a positive difference in this life. 

Æ