FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2001
Friday, August 17, 2001
(Extraordinary Statewide Session)
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
The Senate assembled at 11:00 A.M., the hour to which it stood adjourned, and was called to order by the PRESIDENT.
A quorum being present, the proceedings were opened with a devotion by the Chaplain as follows:
Beloved, hear words from the First Psalm:
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked... but his delight is in the law of the Lord... He is like a tree, planted by the streams of water that yields its fruit in its season.”
Let us pray.
Our Father, we thank You for the life and labors of Your servant, our friend, FLOYD SPENCE, who once served with us here in this Chamber.
We shall treasure his memory as a man who loved his God and served his fellow human beings.
Thank You, Lord, for lengthening his days!
We lift up, in prayer, his family, his loved ones, his grateful constituents. Grant them, Father, the consolations of the Gospel, peace of mind... and peace of soul!
O Divine Redeemer, grant to us all, whether in public or in private life, that we find our highest motivations in life as a humble servant of God!
Amen.
Expression of Personal Interest
Senator WILSON rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.
Remarks by Senator WILSON
Mr. President and fellow members of the Senate:
I sincerely appreciate Pastor Meetze’s prayer; it is certainly fitting for Congressman FLOYD SPENCE and at this time I would like to move that, when we adjourn today, we do so in his memory.
I really began my association with Congressman SPENCE right here in the Senate of South Carolina in that I was a clerk in his law office when he was serving in the Senate. He had the highest regard for the many people he was honored to serve with, like the Senator from
Greenwood. He loved the Senate of South Carolina. He also had the distinction of being what he called the Minority Leader. He was the Minority Leader of two Republicans at that time. He was again ahead of the curve.
It makes me proud to know what he has done for South Carolina. I also had the opportunity to be his campaign manager five times in three different decades. You really get to know a person very well under the high stress circumstances of campaign manager. But I can tell you that Congressman SPENCE was the same person in private as he was in public.
It was difficult in some regards to campaign for him because he wouldn’t talk about himself. We would have to pull his achievements out of him. There were things that he did that I found out about just by driving around with him. Just in casual conversations I found out that, while serving in the Senate, he was on a study committee. The study committee he was talking about was to establish technical colleges in South Carolina - which, of course, led to the development of Midlands Technical College, which is so important in our community.
I remember one time we were driving by Lexington Medical Center, which now employs 3,200 people - the largest employer in our county. He led the effort here in the General Assembly to create the Lexington Medical Center. There were criticisms at that time that our county was too small to support a world-class medical center, but he had the foresight to see what could be developed and what was crucial for our quality of life in Lexington and the Midlands. We’re proud that it serves everyone.
Another example of how I found out what he did, not because it was in a political advertisement, or that he even spoke about it, but one time we were driving by Allied Chemical on St. Andrews Road, which is now Honeywell. He told me the story of how the farmer that owned that property didn’t want to sell the property; he wanted to keep farming. But he was able to convince the farmer to sign the deed for the building of that facility which was crucial to provide an industrial base to create the Irmo-Chapin School District, District 5. This really caused the schools of Lexington County all to compete with each other in a positive way to become some of the finest in the United States.
Another unheralded feat of Congressman SPENCE was that he was instrumental in keeping the Confederate submarine Hunley in South Carolina. Those pesky folks from Alabama had inserted a very minor technical amendment - we all know about those technical amendments - that was actually going to take the Hunley from South Carolina back to Alabama. The Congressman found out about this and, of course, stopped it. That’s history and thank God for Senator GLENN McCONNELL for making this history come alive to the people of the United States and the world.
Congressman SPENCE was the most elected and re-elected official - he, of course, ran every two years - in the Midlands in the 20th Century. Another point that my colleague and friend Senator SETZLER and I were talking about was the fact that he very likely has, by being Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, achieved the highest position of anybody in the Government of the United States from the Midlands of South Carolina. I am grateful for my association and I’m grateful of my family’s association.
I thank you for listening to this today. God Bless you all.
Expression of Personal Interest
Senator COURSON rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.
Remarks by Senator COURSON
Mr. President and members of the Senate, I first met FLOYD SPENCE in 1964. I was in undergraduate school and working with Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign.
Congressman SPENCE has represented his congressional district with honor and dignity. This is all one can really ask of a public servant. His constituent service is legendary. Outside of Senator STROM THURMOND, he probably has the best congressional staff in Washington.
If one had to use just one word to describe Congressman SPENCE, I believe that word would be courage. In 1988 he went to Jackson, Mississippi, for a double lung transplant. When he was planning to leave Columbia for Mississippi, Senator THURMOND’s obligations kept him from coming to personally wish Congressman SPENCE well. So, he called me and asked if I would read a letter on his behalf. I went to the airport and read the letter of best wishes from Senator THURMOND and extended my personal hope for a successful operation.
When FLOYD stepped onto the plane, I thought I would never see him again. He came back after four months. Again, Senator THURMOND was tied up in Washington and he asked if I would welcome the Congressman home on his behalf. Of course, I did and it was a very emotional experience. This man went to Jackson, Mississippi, for surgery that was very risky. Transplant surgery was still considered experimental and extremely dangerous. Congressman SPENCE stepped off the private plane and walked to the podium. There was not a dry eye at the airport.
I guess the most fitting comment came yesterday afternoon after the Senate reapportionment meeting. A member of the media and I were talking and he said, “You know, I’ve known FLOYD SPENCE for three decades. He has never – ever – said anything bad about anybody.” The Congressman had courage. He had class. We will miss him.
Expression of Personal Interest
Senator McCONNELL rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.
Remarks by Senator McCONNELL
Mr. PRESIDENT, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate:
I'll be brief, but I certainly want to rise. Although he did not represent us in Charleston, when I needed something done in Washington, he was one of the people, Senator from Greenwood, that we went to. I have always said that having people like him and Senator HOLLINGS and Senator THURMOND in Washington, people that you can go to, to get things done, is very important.
I know I'll always have the memory of when we were in the tug-of-war over the Hunley; and in that room, sitting there with Senator HOLLINGS, Senator THURMOND, and Congressman SPENCE, some people came into that meeting some 30-40 minutes late. Holding up the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee of both Houses and the Senior Democrat from the Finance Committee was not the smartest of politics.
My last encounter with the Congressman was out at the Battle of Lexington. He was the same old Floyd that we always knew. I went with him to several Republican National Conventions when we nominated Ronald Reagan.
This is a loss for the State. I really rose to ask unanimous consent, on behalf of the Senate, to send a letter to the family communicating that we did adjourn in honor of him; and on behalf of the entire institution of the Senate, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences. He will be missed. I would ask to write that on behalf of the Senate.
Motion Adopted
On motion of Senator McCONNELL, with unanimous consent, the Senate agreed that Senator McCONNELL would send a letter to the family of Congressman FLOYD SPENCE, on behalf of the entire Senate, expressing the Senate’s condolences and deepest sympathies and advising that the Senate had adjourned today in memory of Congressman SPENCE.
Expression of Personal Interest
Senator DRUMMOND rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.
Remarks by Senator DRUMMOND
Mr. PRESIDENT and members of this wonderful Senate, I served with the Congressman and you know we can learn a lot from listening. FLOYD SPENCE loved people. You know when he had an opponent, he didn’t try and knock his opponent down; he built him up and he left it to the people to make the decisions. Evidently, our good Lord thought a lot of FLOYD SPENCE, because with modern technology and the medical field, he gave him about an additional fifteen years. I remember that double transplant and JACK LINDSEY sitting here and he said, “FLOYD’s getting some new lungs and I’d like to have his old ones.” Do you remember that? The good Lord blessed FLOYD. He was a people person and let’s all think about that as we go about our daily duties. We can learn a lot from FLOYD SPENCE and I’m proud that I was his close, personal friend.
Thank you.
Expression of Personal Interest
Senator SETZLER rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.
Remarks by Senator SETZLER
Mr. PRESIDENT, Ladies and Gentlemen, I’ll be very brief.
Many of you probably do not know that Congressman SPENCE and I were kin and were very proud of the relationship that we had. I think what’s been said here this morning about him is very important and that is that he never changed when he was elected to public office. He was “FLOYD” when he got elected and he was “FLOYD” when he passed from this earth yesterday. And I think we owe him gratitude and thanks for what he has done for our constituents because each one of us has been enriched by his being involved in our lives and having touched our lives and the lives of the people that we represent, particularly the people of Lexington County that I represent.
But I think we also ought to say a “thank you” to his family – to his four sons and to his wife – for sharing him with us and for his public service, because public service is a sacrifice to the families of those of us who serve. So I hope that the Senate will also not only send their sympathy to the family and their expressions of love and gratitude, but also let them know that we thank them for sharing him with us.
Thank you.
Expression of Personal Interest
Senator RAVENEL rose for an Expression of Personal Interest.
Remarks by Senator RAVENEL
Fellow members of the Senate, I believe I was associated with FLOYD SPENCE probably longer than anybody else here in the Senate, except Senators SALEEBY and HOLLAND. I wish they were here today to hear us all talk about FLOYD.
I first bumped into FLOYD SPENCE over there in the House of Representatives, back in the ‘50’s. Jimmy Burns was Governor. Some of you remember FLOYD as a young man. He was a real football hero over there in Lexington County. He was a real jock, and a great guy with a good sense of humor, a very private person.
When he left the House, FLOYD came over here to the Senate and I followed him here years later. Then I followed him up to Washington as a Congressman. We’d always kept in touch as we both belonged to the same political party. Now, if you think partisanship is tough here, you ought to go to Washington and you’ll really learn how severe partisanship really is. But FLOYD was one of those exceptional, wonderful people whose personalities and actions and politics transcended the partisanship that went on there in Washington. And if it had not been for his influence I would never have gotten on the Armed Services Committee where I was able to serve with FLOYD for eight years. I thought it was tough getting elected to Congress, but it was a lot tougher getting on that Committee.
Then FLOYD, as you know, developed a lung illness. It was not due to smoking. No one really knew exactly what caused it, but it was systematically destroying his lungs. He started losing weight and going down physically and, gosh, we all thought it was just going to be a matter of time and FLOYD would be gone. He got down to where he had to be brought to the door of the House in a wheelchair. Then he’d pick up his little hand-held bag of oxygen and come in there and vote. He decided to get a double lung transplant, if some lungs became available. I remember that just two or three days before he got the call that some lungs were available from a young man who’d been killed in a motorcycle accident, that he came in and he voted and then everybody went back to what they were doing. FLOYD was sitting there with me and the two of us began talking about old times. It just looked to me like perhaps this would be our last conversation. And all of a sudden he said to me - and, I’ll never forget it - he said, “You know, Arthur, a lot of folks down there at home think I’m going to die and a lot of them are thinking about running for my seat.” Then he turned to me, with a twinkle in his eye, and said, “But, Arthur, I’m going to fool them.” And he did. A couple of days later he got that call and went down there to the University of Mississippi and got himself some new lungs. Imagine, a double lung transplant, stitching all of those ends together as fragile as lungs are. And we all prayed for him up there in Washington and FLOYD made it. Lord, it almost makes me want to cry now remembering it, because when FLOYD SPENCE came back to the House they had a quorum call and the word went out that ‘FLOYD was back and we all wanted to be there to welcome him.’ And that entire House turned out and stood up and there was hardly a dry eye in that chamber when FLOYD came in. It was a wonderful, wonderful testimony to that wonderful guy.
So, I followed him around. I followed him over there to the House, I followed him here to the Senate, I followed him to Washington and I hope to follow him to heaven, but not too quickly.
Motion Adopted
On motion of Senator LEATHERMAN, with unanimous consent, the remarks by Senators WILSON, COURSON, McCONNELL, DRUMMOND, SETZLER and RAVENEL were ordered printed in the Journal.
The PRESIDENT called for Petitions, Memorials, Presentments of Grand Juries and such like papers.
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
The following were introduced:
S.777 -- Senators Wilson, Courson, Bauer, Ryberg, Setzler, Alexander, Anderson, Branton, Drummond, Elliott, Fair, Ford, Giese, Glover, Gregory, Grooms, Hawkins, Hayes, Holland, Hutto, Jackson, Land, Leatherman, Leventis, Martin, Matthews, McConnell, McGill, Mescher, Moore, O'Dell, Patterson, Peeler, Pinckney, Rankin, Ravenel, Reese, Richardson, Ritchie, Saleeby, Short, J.VerneSmith, Thomas, Verdin and Waldrep: A SENATE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONING OF A PORTRAIT TO BE PLACED IN THE SENATE CHAMBER OF REPRESENTATIVE FLOYD D. SPENCE, LONGTIME AND BELOVED CONGRESSMAN FROM THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
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The Senate Resolution was introduced and, on motion of Senators WILSON and COURSON, with unanimous consent, ordered placed on the Calendar without reference.
S.778 -- Senator Jackson: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE MRS. ERNESTINE JORDAN STEWART, A NATIVE OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, NOW RESIDING IN COLUMBIA, ON THE OCCASION OF HER ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY ON AUGUST 27, 2001.
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The Concurrent Resolution was adopted, ordered sent to the House.
S.779 -- Senators Wilson, Alexander, Anderson, Bauer, Branton, Courson, Drummond, Elliott, Fair, Ford, Giese, Glover, Gregory, Grooms, Hawkins, Hayes, Holland, Hutto, Jackson, Land, Leatherman, Leventis, Martin, Matthews, McConnell, McGill, Mescher, Moore, O'Dell, Patterson, Peeler, Pinckney, Rankin, Ravenel, Reese, Richardson, Ritchie, Ryberg, Saleeby, Setzler, Short, J.VerneSmith, Thomas, Verdin and Waldrep: A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW AND EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO THE FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS OF ONE OF THE PALMETTO STATE’S MOST PROMINENT AND RESPECTED LEADERS, THE HONORABLE FLOYD D. SPENCE, LONGTIME AND BELOVED UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.