III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 475 

Relating to the death of the Honorable E. James Abdnor, former United 

States Senator and Congressman from the State of South Dakota. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 24, 2012 

Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. REID, Mr. 

MCCONNELL, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. ALEXANDER, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. 

BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BROWN of 

Massachusetts, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. BURR, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. 

CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. COATS, Mr. 

COBURN, Mr. COCHRAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. COONS, Mr. 

CORKER, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. 

ENZI, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. GRAHAM, 

Mr. GRASSLEY, Mrs. HAGAN, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. HATCH, Mr. HELLER, 

Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. ISAKSON, 

Mr. JOHANNS, Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin, Mr. KERRY, Mr. KIRK, Ms. 

KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KOHL, Mr. KYL, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. LAUTENBERG, 

Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LEE, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. 

MANCHIN, Mr. MCCAIN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 

MERKLEY, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. MORAN, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, 

Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. PAUL, Mr. 

PORTMAN, Mr. PRYOR, Mr. REED, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. 

ROCKEFELLER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. SESSIONS, 

Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. SHELBY, Ms. SNOWE, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. TESTER, 

Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. 

VITTER, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WEBB, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WICKER, and 

Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Relating to the death of the Honorable E. James Abdnor, 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 475 ATS 

former United States Senator and Congressman from 

the State of South Dakota. 

Whereas James Abdnor was born in Kennebec, South Dakota, on February 13, 1923, and was the son of an immigrant from Lebanon who peddled and homesteaded in 

Lyman County, South Dakota; 

Whereas James Abdnor enlisted in the United States Army 

during World War II, farmed in Kennebec after graduating from the University of Nebraska in 1945, and 

later taught and coached in neighboring Presho; 

Whereas James Abdnor served as Chairman of the Lyman 

County Young Republicans in 1950, Chairman of the 

State Young Republicans from 1950 to 1952, and Farm 

Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation 

from 1953 to 1955; 

Whereas James Abdnor served as the First Assistant Chief 

Clerk of the South Dakota House of Representatives during the legislative sessions of 1951, 1953, and 1955; 

Whereas James Abdnor was elected to the South Dakota 

Senate in 1956, where he served until his election as the 

30th Lieutenant Governor of the State of South Dakota, 

a position he served in from 1969 through 1971; 

Whereas James Abdnor was elected to the United States 

House of Representatives for the 93rd United States 

Congress in 1972 and served a total of 4 consecutive 

terms, representing the Second Congressional District of 

South Dakota; 

Whereas James Abdnor served on the Committee on Public 

Works of the House of Representatives, the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives, and 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 475 ATS 

the Select Committee on Aging of the House of Representatives; 

Whereas James Abdnor was elected to the United States Senate for the 97th United States Congress in 1980 and was 

appointed Chairman of 3 subcommittees on his first day, 

including the Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service, 

and General Government of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Subcommittee on Water Resources of the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works of the Senate, and the Subcommittee on Agriculture and Transportation of the Joint Economic Committee; 

Whereas James Abdnor was appointed Vice Chairman of the 

Joint Economic Committee and served on the Committee 

on Indian Affairs of the Senate; 

Whereas James Abdnor was a voice for the rural United 

States in Congress, where he advocated for family farms 

and small business, rural water systems and electrification, a balanced budget, and small-town values; 

Whereas James Abdnor was appointed by President Ronald 

Reagan to serve as the Administrator of the United 

States Small Business Administration from 1987 to 1989 

following his service in the United States Congress; 

Whereas James Abdnor will be remembered for his humble 

service to his constituents, dedication to the youth of 

South Dakota, and defining influence on South Dakota 

politics; and 

Whereas the hallmarks of James Abdnor’s public service were 

his integrity, kindness, respect for the common man, and 

love for South Dakota: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 475 ATS 

1 (1) the Senate expresses profound sorrow and 

2 deep regret regarding the death of the Honorable 

3 James Abdnor, former member of the United States 

4 Senate and House of Representatives for the State 

5 of South Dakota, on May 16, 2012; 

6 (2) the Senate respectfully requests that the 

7 Secretary of the Senate communicate this resolution 

8 to the House of Representatives and transmit an en9 rolled copy of this resolution to the family of the de10 ceased; and 

11 (3) when the Senate adjourns today, the Senate 

12 stand adjourned as a further mark of respect to the 

13 memory of the Honorable James Abdnor. 

Æ 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS