December 15, 1977
Page 39331
ON THE DEATH OF JOHN McCLELLAN
Mr. MUSKIE Mr. President, John McClellan's death is a loss to the country, and a personal loss for those of us privileged to know him.
John spent more than 40 years in the Congress and 35 in the Senate. They were years of distinguished service to his State, his country and his fellow Americans.
Most Americans know him as the man who led the Senate investigations into union corruption and the TFX scandal; as the strong and influential chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee; as an expert on criminal law who worked many years to fashion a new criminal code.
But his constituents in Arkansas also knew him as a superior representative who worked hardest for their needs. The lives of the people of Arkansas are better today for his efforts.
I sometimes did not agree with John McClellan's political philosophy or sense of the proper direction for the country. But our differences were on questions of policy only.
From my first years in the Senate, I found him a fairminded, honorable man. The Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations, which I chair, was established during John's chairmanship of the Government Operations Committee. I always valued his advice, even when his thinking did not agree with mine.
More recently, I had the opportunity to work closely with John in the past 3 years as the Senate Budget Committee began its work. I found him a strong ally in the committee's work, and his support was invaluable.
The Budget and Appropriations Committees were potential adversaries. His insightful leadership helped make them effective partners in the struggle for fiscal responsibility.
It is sad that John will not witness the enactment of major criminal code reform, nor help see the Budget Committee through its future tests.
The Senate will miss him, as will I.