congressional_record: CREC-2000-12-15-pt1-PgS11846
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| CREC-2000-12-15-pt1-PgS11846 | 2000-12-15 | 106 | 2 | RETIREMENT OF SENATOR WILLIAM ROTH | SENATE | SENATE | RETIREMENT | S11846 | S11846 | [{"name": "Carl Levin", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "John Warner", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "Kent Conrad", "role": "speaking"}] | 146 Cong. Rec. S11846 | Congressional Record, Volume 146 Issue 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000) [Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)] [Senate] [Page S11846] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RETIREMENT OF SENATOR WILLIAM ROTH Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I want to join my colleagues in bidding good wishes and God speed to Senator William Roth, the distinguished senior senator of Delaware. I have served with Senator Roth for most of my career on the Governmental Affairs Committee. For a significant period of that time, Senator Roth chaired that committee and its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Senator Roth proved an able and dedicated advocate of government reform, guiding our committee through oversight hearings and investigations into how our Federal programs were or were not working. He also spearheaded a number of key efforts--many of which were successful--to change our laws to reduce opportunities for waste, fraud and abuse. When I sat in my seat on the dais of the Governmental Affairs Committee, I often heard Senator Roth argue passionately and convincingly for the enhancement of the M, or management responsibilities, in OMB, the Office of Management and Budget. As much as anyone in this body, Senator Roth truly cared about the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs. He has my deep respect and the gratitude of all of us for his efforts in this area. In addition, Senator Roth distinguished himself as a gentleman in a chamber that has sometimes lost its gentlemanly manner. Senator Roth could be tough, there's no doubt about that, on issues about which he cared, as well he should be, but he was always civil. We will miss his gentlemanly ways and his guiding hand on the important but not-always-so-visible issues of government management. I wish him well and hope he enjoys an active but less hectic life which he so clearly deserves. Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a man I have worked with my entire Senate career: Senator Bill Roth. He is a true friend and gentleman, as well as a superb legislator whose contributions to the nation are many. Senator Roth will likely be best remembered as the co-author of the famous Kemp-Roth tax cuts, initiated during President Reagan's tenure and for the Roth IRAs which have made it possible for millions around the country to invest taxable income that can be withdrawn tax-free in their retirement. Senator Roth has represented Delaware for 29 years, making him the longest serving Senator in our ``First State's'' storied history. Senator Roth is a decorated veteran of World War II, and began his Congressional service in 1966. He has served his country for almost 40 years. We all are indebted to him for his remarkable service. I wish Senator Roth and his wife, Jane, well and hope that they will cherish the years to come in the same way they have those that have past. Bill Roth's gentlemanly nature, his quietness and his humility were his hallmarks and strength. Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, when this Congress finishes its work it will also mark the end of a particularly distinguished 30-year career in this body. I rise to pay tribute to my chairman on the Finance Committee and my friend, Bill Roth. No Senator could hope to serve under a more thoughtful and considerate Chairman than those of us on the Finance Committee have experienced over the last five years. Bill is a true gentleman who works as hard as any Senator I know to make sure that issues under his control have the broadest possible consensus. He has consistently reached out to members on our side of the aisle in order to make law in a way that honors the Senate's best traditions. Like Bill, I represent a small state. He knows, as I know, what a special responsibility that is. People in a small state expect to have a personal relationship with their Senators, and I know from the times I have taken short vacations in his beautiful state the deep affection Bill inspires all over Delaware. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to work so closely with him on the important tax, health, and trade issues we deal with in the Finance Committee. Bill has a natural appreciation for the strong roles agriculture and tourism play in the economy of my state of North Dakota because they are such important components of Delaware's economy as well. He knows instinctively the value of looking for common ground. Even as he leaves the Senate, however, one thing will set Bill apart. Many Senators are well known among the public at large, but very few have their names become household words. Senator Roth earned his membership in that tiny elite. Bill's deep commitment to retirement security and savings led directly to the establishment of the Roth IRA, a retirement savings vehicle that will give savers decades from now a reason to be grateful to our beloved colleague from Delaware. When we consider the departure of Senator Roth in conjunction with the simultaneous retirement of the Senator from New York, the Committee on Finance is losing more than half a century of institutional memory and experience. That is a loss not only for our committee, but for the country as well. We wish Bill Roth all the best as he leaves us, but he will be greatly missed by his many friends and colleagues in the Senate. ____________________ |