Congressional Record UNUM

E PLURIBUS

United States

of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 110th

 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

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S10959 

Vol. 154 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 No. 187 

House of Representatives 

The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Saturday, January 3, 2009, at 11 a.m. 

Senate 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 

(Legislative day of Wednesday, December 10, 2008) 

The Senate met at 10 and 23 seconds 

a.m., on the expiration of the recess, 

and was called to order by the Honorable CARL LEVIN, a Senator from the 

State of Michigan. 

f 

APPOINTMENT OF ACTING 

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will please read a communication 

to the Senate from the President pro 

tempore (Mr. BYRD). 

The legislative clerk read the following letter: 

U.S. SENATE, 

PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, 

Washington, DC, December 12, 2008. 

To the Senate: 

Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, 

of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby 

appoint the Honorable CARL LEVIN, a Senator from the State of Michigan, to perform 

the duties of the Chair. 

ROBERT C. BYRD, 

President pro tempore. 

Mr. LEVIN thereupon assumed the 

chair as Acting President pro tempore. 

f 

TRIBUTES TO SENATORS 

ELIZABETH DOLE

∑ Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, one 

of the great privileges of my career has 

been the time I have spent working 

alongside Senator Bob Dole and his 

wife, Senator ELIZABETH DOLE. I feel a 

special kinship to the Doles. Not only 

are they both dear friends to Elaine 

and me, but in my position as Republican Leader I often think back on 

Bob’s superb stewardship of the office. 

BOB DOLE was in many ways a model 

and a mentor to me. I was humbled and 

honored to assume a role that he filled 

for so long with such dignity and skill. 

And today I am honored to submit for 

the RECORD a letter of tribute from my 

old friend to his remarkable wife at the 

conclusion of her Senate career. ELIZABETH DOLE has graced this chamber in 

the same way that she has graced 

every other institution of which she 

has been a part in a long and distinguished career of public service. We 

will miss Senator DOLE’s kindness, her 

warmth, and her unyielding belief in 

the greatness of her country. Senator 

DOLE is one of the great public servants 

of our day. It is my great pleasure to 

ask that this letter from one dear 

friend to another be printed in the 

RECORD. 

The letter follows. 

DECEMBER 12, 2008. 

DEAR MITCH: I wish I could be a Senator 

again just long enough to speak of Senator 

Elizabeth Dole’s accomplishments which 

have spanned a period of nearly a half century. 

Elizabeth correctly chose to focus her farewell remarks on those who helped and counseled her along the way. She spoke about 

those who were most important in her life’s 

journey such as her mother, her father, her 

teachers, co-workers, and her dear brother, 

John, who passed away on April 8, 2008. John 

was her mentor, her confidant, and a proud 

naval officer in World War II. Elizabeth’s 

speech was all about others rather than herself, which, in itself, says a lot about Elizabeth as a caring human being. 

So in an indirect way, I want to share her 

many areas of service with all those thinking about their future and the path they will 

follow. Believe me when I say they will not 

find a better example than the Senator Dole 

from North Carolina. Senator Dole, in many 

respects, was a pioneer for American women, 

as many of her early opportunities came before women were in the forefront of public or 

private sectors of meaningful service activity. 

Elizabeth has never stopped looking for 

ways to make a difference. It would be impossible to determine the number of good 

people in North Carolina and across America 

that Elizabeth’s efforts have had an impact 

upon, myself included. She assisted me three 

times in campaigning full-time for the presidency, taking a one year leave of absence 

from the Red Cross, but more importantly 

were the countless times she assisted me personally because of my disabilities. 

Let me recount some of the highlights of 

Senator Dole’s career so that those who may 

be looking for a role model may fully understand the differences she has made for others, irregardless of party, race, religion or 

status. 

PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER AND SELECTED

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ELIZABETH DOLE

Early 1960’s: Summer jobs during graduate 

school 

Office of Senator B. Everett Jordan (D–NC) 

United Nations Guide 

United Nations Intern Program 

1966–1967: Assistant at the U.S. Department of 

Health, Education and Welfare 

After completing her Master of Arts in 

Teaching and her graduation from Harvard 

Law School, Elizabeth Hanford was hired by 

the U.S. Department of Health, Education 

and Welfare. Her assignments there included 

planning the first-ever United States government sponsored conference on education of 

the deaf. This conference, which spawned a 

career-long dedication to the rights of the 

disabled, was held in Colorado Springs in 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE