The publication is reproduced in full below:
Remembering Robert J. Dole
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I know many Senators will be speaking further on this floor about one of the most distinguished Senators, certainly, I have had the honor to serve with, and that is Bob Dole, the Senator from Kansas, a former majority leader.
We will hear, as we should, of his bravery, courageous nature in World War II, how he overcame the horrific injuries received to go on to a life of service--continuous service for the State of Kansas.
We have so many wonderful memories of him, how he and the Democratic leader would meet in person or by phone several times a day, the comments they made about each other. You could always take his word. He never surprised me. That is the way he was. He was the way a Senator should be. He always kept his word.
But I also think of the personal things. He went to Europe, to Italy, to represent President Ronald Reagan on D-Day. President Reagan was going to be in Normandy, and he asked Senator Dole to go over and represent him in Italy, and there would be several Congressional Medal of Honor recipients on board the plane.
I was honored that he wanted to make it a bipartisan trip, and he asked me and my wife Marcelle to join him on the trip to Italy. The reason I mention the trip is that these Congressional Medal of Honor recipients--all for enormous bravery. They, so typical of Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, did not brag about what they did. They were just so honored to talk to Senator Dole about what he did.
Senator Dole tried to be very modest about his exploits. He talked to them about those exploits of theirs that brought about the receipt of the Congressional Medal of Honor. He would brush it off, but they would ask: Senator Dole, what about this and what about that? And all the way through, he was great, a sense of humor, self-deprecating. Everybody on that plane realized this was a true hero of that war.
I will speak more later on, but he was a good friend.
I was honored to join Senator Pat Roberts to speak about Senator Dole when he received the Congressional Gold Medal. I told him what an honor it was that he asked me to speak. Certainly, when I think back on my years here in the Senate, that is one of the highest honors I received, to have this man whom I admired, I liked, was my friend, to ask me to speak for him. I also felt that there were so many others who were probably even far better prepared to speak for him. I felt the honor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 210
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