Date: 1988-10-18
Speaker: LAWTON CHILES (democrat)
Chamber: S

retires at the end of this term. the U.S. Senate will lose a wealth of both experience and prudence and integrity. Senator CHILES seems to have obtained the perfect balance which enables him to serve the best interest of this Nation while helping Florida to grow and prosper. I know the people of Lakeland and the rest of Florida will be sad to see him leave Washington but happy to welcome him home. Much can be learned about the character and resolve of LAWTON CHILES by examining his original U.S. Senate campaign in 1971. Senator CHILES had served 8 years in the Florida House of Representatives and 4 years in the Florida Senate before he ran for former U.S. Senators Spessard L. Hollands vacated seat. This legislative experience was important but the most important aspect of the campaign was his. now legendary. walk across Florida. This walk convinced Floridians that LAWTON CHILES cared about what they thought and valued their opinions. His three Senate terms have proved that these Floridians were correct. Throughout his 18 years in the Senate. LAWTON CHILES has been a model of integrity. In this day of corruption and graft. his record serves as a shining example of how much an honest politician can accomplish without yielding to special interests. Senator CHILES has consistently gone out of his way to ensure that he has no conflictofinterests. Soon after his election. he resigned from his law practice and made personal financial disclosures which reassured voters of his honesty. He has declined to accept the honoraria which has become associated with speeches. articles. and special appearances. In keeping with his frugality and his desire to remain independent from special interests. Chiles limited campaign contributions to $10 per person in his 1976 reelection and to $100 in his 1982 reelection. And if this were not enough. he prohibited political action committee and outofState contributions. I wonder how many of us can claim these distinctions. Senator CHILES has brought to this body the foresight and leadership which have enabled us to deal with many of the problems facing our great Nation. His legislative accomplishments. while far too numerous to list. represent his worthy efforts to convert his vision of a better America into a reality. Part of his vision involves opening the governmental process to the public. With this in mind he authored the Government in the Sunshine Act which allowed the press and the public access to Government agency meetings. His efforts also led to the same openness for Senate committee business. Mr. President. LAWTON CHILES has brought to this body a concern for fiscal responsibility and a belief in the responsible use of Americans tax dollars. He has been able to help enforce these beliefs thrruh his position as a charter membec of the Senate Budget Committee and its chairman since 1986. While on the Governmental Affairs Subcommittee. Senator CHILES helped expose fraud and abuse in the procurement process of the Defense Department. The General Services Administration. and the Small Business Administrations minority contracting program. His diligent efforts in these areas helped correct these problems and saved the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. While always serving the Nations best interest. Senator CHILES never turned his back on Floridians and never forgot that it was they who elected him. He always seemed to find a way to preserve Floridas natural beauty or improve the quality of life for its citizens. He was instrumental in the establishment of the 574.000acre Big Cypress National Preserve and its recent 146.000acre addition which together help protect the water flow into the Everglades National Park. As you can see. Senator CHILES has shown strong support for the environment. He also led the fight against phosphate stripmining in the Osceola and proposed legislation which successfully banned the mining. His efforts in these areas will help preserve Floridas scenic beauty for generations to come. Senator CHILES and his wife. Rhea. realized that they could make life simpler for tens of thousands of Floridians by giving them a central location from which to explore the Nations capital. They located and renovated a large townhouse next to the Supreme Court and across from the Capitol. This house came to be known as the Florida House and has offered a convenient information and rest stop for over 20.000 Floridians per year. This is just another one of the ways Senator CHILES has kept the best interests of Floridians in mind. While the Senate recently passed the drug bill. LAWTON CHILES has worked for 10 years to combat the mushrooming problem of illegal narcotics smuggling and trafficking. Due to geography. Florida has become a central player in the drug game. Many of Senator CHILES proposals have been enacted to halt this flow of drugs through Florida and rid his State and this country of this tragic burden. His efforts have made it easier for the military. the Coast Guard. and law enforcement officers to track and catch smugglers planes and ships. He has helped lead efforts to increase penalties for drug traffickers and increase Governments authority to deal with violators. Mr. President. I am indeed sorry to see Senator CHILES leave this body. He brought his many talents and abilities to Washington and gave freely of himself. I know he is proud of his many accomplishments here and proud of the way he represented all Floridians. Most of all. I am sure he is ready to leave behind the hustle and bustle of Washington in favor of the tranquility of the Florida wilderness and his true passions of hunting and fishing. Florida is fortunate to have had someone of LAWTON CHILES ability and integrity to serve them for 18 years. I am sure they will welcome him home with open arms. Thank you. Mr. President.