A resolution expressing gratitude and sincere respect for Jesse R. Nichols.

Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute to the life of Jesse Nichols, Sr., who passed away on February 22, 2005. Jesse R. Nichols, Sr., faithfully served the U.S. Senate for over 30 years. He was the first African American Clerk employed by the U.S. Senate.

Jesse Nichols was born on June 14, 1909, in Clarksdale, MS. He began his service when the late Pat Harrison of Mississippi was the distinguished Chairman of the Finance Committee--the committee I am now privileged to chair.

Jesse was appointed as a messenger for the Finance Committee in 1936, and was elevated about 6 months later to assistant clerk of the Committee. At that time, the staff of the Finance Committee numbered only three.

In 1967, on the occasion of his thirtieth anniversary on the Senate staff, several members of the Finance Committee, led by Delaware Republican John J. Williams, rose in the Senate chamber to pay tribute to Jesse Nichols who had ``earned the respect of those former giants of the Senate, each of whom was proud to call him a friend.''

Senator Williams added that:

It is refreshing to meet a man who throughout the years has

served the Senate and his country with but one thought in

mind, and that is, to do his job to the best of his ability,

always remembering that as a Government employee he is a

servant of the people.

Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen added his endorsement, noting that:

Thirty years of faithful and devoted service certainly

deserves to be taken account of in the proceedings of this

body.

An oral history interview conducted by the Senate Historical Office from March 26 to April 12, 1994, is available on the Senate Web site. The history documents Jesse's employment by the Committee on Finance from the 75th Congress through the 91st Congress.

He worked under the guidance of Democratic and Republican Chairmen, including Walter F. George of Georgia, I Senator Eugene Millikin of Colorado, Harry Flood Byrd of Virginia and Russell B. Long of Louisiana.

Jesse Nichols' service was faithful, exemplary and noteworthy. He served not only the Finance Committee with class and grace, but also the Senate as a whole during that critical period in American history. I join my colleagues in recognizing Mr. Nichols' life and am grateful to his service to our country.

S. Res. 168

Whereas Jesse R. Nichols, Sr., faithfully served the United

States Senate and the Committee on Finance as the Government

Documents Clerk and Librarian from nineteen hundred thirty-

seven through nineteen hundred seventy-one;

Whereas Jesse R. Nichols, Sr., was born on June 14, 1909,

in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and was the first African

American Clerk employed by the United States Senate;

Whereas he carried out his duties in exemplary fashion,

bringing credit to the Committee and to Congress;

Whereas Jesse Nichols worked effectively under the guidance

of Democratic and Republican Chairmen, including Pat Harrison

of Mississippi, Walter F. George of Georgia, Harry Flood Byrd

of Virginia and Russell B. Long of Louisiana from the 75th

Congress through the 91st Congress; and

Whereas the Committee on Finance will long remember the

commitment, service and leadership of Jesse R. Nichols, Sr.,

as documented in an oral history posted on the Senate

Historian's website: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the United States Senate expresses its deep

gratitude and sincere respect for Jesse R. Nichols for his

unfailing service and his dedication to the United States

Senate. The Senate hereby expresses condolences to the family

due to the death of Jesse R. Nichols, Sr., on February 18,

2005.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 168, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. President, this resolution expresses our gratitude and respect to the family of Jesse Nichols. I will take just a couple of moments to comment on Jesse Nichols, who was the first African-American clerk to be employed by this body, the Senate.

Jesse Nichols was born on June 14, 1909, in Clarksdale, MS. In 1930, Jesse enrolled at Howard University where he hoped to study medicine, but his plans were derailed by the Depression, and he, as so many others, had to join the employment line.

After a stint working at a local delicatessen, Jesse secured a position at the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Then in 1937, Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi hired Jesse Nichols to join the Finance Committee as document clerk/librarian. He became responsible for the committee's immense collection of tax codes and hearings, witness statements, and other publications.

Over the days and the weeks ahead, Mr. Nichols became indispensable to the committee staff and the Senators who depended on his professionalism and accumulated knowledge. On his 30th anniversary in the Senate, Member after Member rose to pay tribute to Mr. Nichols. Senator Russell Long praised Mr. Nichols for his consummate professionalism, diligence, and devotion to this body. Delaware Senator John R. Williams testified that over his three decades of service Jesse Nichols ``earned the respect of those former giants of this Senate, each of whom was proud to call him a friend.''

Jesse Nichols was deeply respected by his colleagues and was dearly missed when he retired from the Senate in 1971. On February 18th of this year, Jesse died a few months short of his 96th birthday. Jesse Nichols lived a full and long life. On behalf of the Senate family, I recognize the contributions of Jesse Nichols to this venerable body. We are sincerely grateful for his service and dedication.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to Jesse R. Nichols, Sr. Mr. Nichols, who passed away on February 15, was the first African-American clerk for the Senate Finance Committee and one of its longest serving staff members. He worked with the committee from 1937 to 1971.

Born in Clarksdale, MS, Mr. Nichols came to the Finance Committee at a time early in the building of its staff. Back then, there were few, if any, African-Americans on staff with the Senate. At Finance, there were just three staff members with the committee and no standing subcommittees. Today, there are 70 staff members and 5 standing subcommittees.

During his more than 30 years with the committee, he created the committee's archival system and became our resident historian. He also contributed to the history of the Senate as a whole. In 1994, he generously participated in an extensive oral history for the Senate Historical Office. In it, he describes some of his most memorable moments during his long tenure. Mr. Nichols rubbed elbows with some of the most important leaders of the day--but he was excluded from eating in the Capitol's restaurant and cafeterias because of his race.

On the day that Mr. Nichols celebrated his 30th anniversary with the committee, several Senators paid him homage on the Capitol floor. They noted that Mr. Nichols outranked every member of the Finance Committee in terms of length of service. Senator Long in particular called Mr. Nichols a ``senior member'' of the committee and ``one of God's best people.'' When Mr. Nichols finally retired in 1971, the committee had to hire two people to carry on his extensive work.

I salute Mr. Nichols for his long and trusted service to the Senate and send my heartfelt condolences to the Nichols family.