A resolution relative to the death of James Albertus McClure, former United States Senator for the State of Idaho.

Mr. President, Senator Risch and I are here today--in fact, I note we are joined on the floor by our former colleague Senator Larry Craig--to honor one of Idaho's greatest statesmen who passed away on Saturday. We rise to honor the distinguished life of Senator James A. McClure, a mentor and a dear friend of mine. As I indicated, Senator Craig is here. Senator Craig is the one who followed Senator McClure into the seat in the Senate. We appreciate him making the effort to get here to also share his concerns and condolences, and frankly, to help honor Senator McClure.

I join Senator McClure's wife Louise and their family and friends and all of Idaho in mourning the passing of Senator McClure and honoring his great legacy. His sound guidance, strong advocacy for Idaho, and his personal encouragement will be missed by all of us, but definitely not forgotten.

Throughout his decades of public service, Jim McClure set a standard for public servants that will endure for generations. Senator McClure dedicated much of his life to honorable service to our Nation. At the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Navy and served honorably in World War II. He then returned to Idaho and attended law school at the University of Idaho, worked as a prosecuting attorney for Payette County, and served in the Idaho State Senate. With 6 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and 18 years in the U.S. Senate, his exemplary service in the Congress spanned 24 years.

His unfailing good will, respect for others, and his essential Western conservatism helped him to maintain throughout his life the kind of service that is still the best model for how to engage in today's public policy debates. He was recognized by all as a gentleman but a powerful advocate.

Senator McClure's legacy as a Congressman and a Senator is broad, and on many issues, such as energy and natural resource management, his service to Idaho is historic. Jim utilized his service as chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to advocate for Idaho issues and their ideals. He also helped to guide the Senate through his chairmanship of the Senate Republican Conference from 1981 to 1985. Jim worked diligently to achieve solutions to Idaho and national challenges. He also had a forward-thinking focus on fiscal discipline--one that we could well use in the Senate today--and on energy independence, another critical issue which we continue to battle for today. These are critical issues he helped set the foundation for and, frankly, which his wisdom would have helped to solve.

Jim was a friend and a role model for me and I am sure for many others in Idaho and throughout the Nation. His dedication, kind treatment of others, and skillful proactive and principled approach are long going to endure. He will be sorely missed, but his lifetime of accomplishments will be with the people of Idaho forever.

I offer my sympathy and my love to Louise and to the entire McClure family and to Jim's many friends and associates.

Mr. President, I yield the time to Senator Risch.

Mr. President, Senator Risch's comments prompted me to think of a time when I was first elected to the House of Representatives. Senator McClure had long been counseling and working with me and helping me to see the kind of civility about which Senator Risch talked and also that strong, powerful leadership he brought to issues.

When I was first elected to the House of Representatives--I began thinking as Senator Risch was talking--Jim McClure and Louise invited me to go to dinner. Jim and Louise sat with me for an evening right here in Washington, DC, at a local restaurant. We just talked about politics, about Idaho, about America, about the world, and about how one should lead on issues as they dealt with them in Congress.

I have to tell you, it would take too long to repeat all the lessons I learned that night that were taught to me by Senator McClure as he made that extra step to reach out. I said in my initial remarks he was a mentor and a role model for me. I truly mean that.

I had to add those comments as I thought about that while Senator Risch was talking.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 78, relative to the death of Senator James A. McClure.

Mr. President, I note this resolution was submitted earlier today by Senator Risch and myself. In fact, our leadership helped in preparing it and bringing it forward. All 100 Senators are cosponsors of this resolution. I think it a fitting tribute to the respect and honor in which Senator James A. McClure is held by this Senate.

Before I ask unanimous consent to take action on the resolution, I ask if Senator Risch has anything further he wishes to add.

Before I ask unanimous consent, Mr. President, I know Louise and a number of Senator McClure's family and friends are watching. This is a short but meaningful resolution. I believe I should read it in its entirety:

Relative to the death of James Albertus McClure, former

United States Senator for the State of Idaho.

Whereas James A. McClure served in the United States Navy

during World War II;

Whereas James A. McClure served in the state of Idaho as a

prosecuting attorney, a city attorney, a member of the Idaho

state Senate, and as a member of the United States House of

Representatives;

Whereas James A. McClure served the people of the State of

Idaho with distinction for 18 years in the United States

Senate;

Whereas James A. McClure served the Senate as Chairman of

the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in the Ninety-

seventh through the Ninety-ninth Congresses and Chairman of

the Senate Republican Conference in the Ninety-seventh and

Ninety-eighth Congresses;

Whereas James A. McClure served his caucus as a founding

member and Chairman of the Senate Steering Committee in the

Ninety-fourth through Ninety-sixth and Ninety-ninth through

One Hundredth Congresses; Now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow

and deep regret the announcement of the death of the

Honorable James Albertus McClure, former member of the United

States Senate.

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate communicate

these resolutions to the House of Representatives and

transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the family of the

deceased.

Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns today, it stand

adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of the

Honorable James Albertus McClure.

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

Mr. President, we have come to the floor to mourn the loss of a great statesman in Idaho. Jim McClure was loved uniformly across

the State of Idaho and had dedicated his entire life to public service, first as a prosecuting attorney in Payette County, ID, and then, of course, the State senate and Congress--the House of Representatives and then the Senate of the United States.

From a little historical background, Jim McClure, when he was elected to this body, was elected to the Shoup seat. The Shoup seat was first held by Senator Shoup, who was the last territorial Governor of Idaho, the first State Governor of Idaho, and the first Senator to hold that seat. Jim McClure was the ninth person to hold that seat. In the interim, it was held by Borah. Both Shoup and Borah have statues in Statuary Hall.

Prior to my election as the 11th person to hold this seat, the seat was held by our distinguished colleague, Senator Craig, who has joined Senator Crapo and I on the floor and I am sure joins us in our remarks and condolences to the McClure family.

Jim McClure was a family man. He was truly dedicated to his wife Louise and his children. Back when Jim served here, many of the Members actually moved here as opposed to going home on the weekends, as most of us do today. The McClure family spent a lot of time here. But they did spend their summers--that is when the Senate was out most of the summer--they did spend their summers in Idaho and other times in Idaho.

Jim McClure was very dedicated to a couple important issues, the first one being fiscal. Jim McClure would come back to Idaho and warn about the spending habits this Congress had. In fact, I knew Jim McClure since I was a young prosecutor in the 1960s. I think Jim McClure was the first one I ever heard speak directly about the danger this Congress was leading this country into with its spending habits. Had his advice been followed back then, we would not be, as a country, in the difficulties we are today.

Secondly, Jim's issue was energy. Jim spent time as chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Indeed, I sit on that committee today. Senator Craig sat on it before me, Senator McClure before him, and Senator Jordan before Jim McClure. Indeed, we cannot recall when we did not have anyone from Idaho serving on that committee. Indeed, it was the Shoup seat that has sat on that committee for as long as any of us can remember.

As a testament to the larger-than-life persona that Jim McClure had, the following are named after Jim McClure in Idaho. In 1995, the College of Mines and Earth Resources at the University of Idaho was dedicated as the James A. McClure Hall. In December of 2001, the Federal building and U.S. courthouse in Boise, ID, was renamed for Jim McClure. In 2007, in Moscow, ID, the University of Idaho named their bureau of public affairs research the James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research.

All of this recaps in certainly an inadequate way the many things Jim McClure did for the people of Idaho, indeed for the people of America and the people of the world, as he led in the Senate.

I wish to close, briefly, with what I knew about Jim McClure and I think what those of us here knew about Jim McClure and what he is remembered for in the Senate.

In the media today, we see a lot of rancor and we see a lot of arguing and a lot of hostility involved in the political process. If I can say one thing about Jim McClure, it is that what he brought to the entire process was civility. No matter how tough sledding got, no matter how disagreements escalated, Jim McClure always kept it level. He always kept it at a very civil tone, and Jim McClure approached everything with a gentle sense of humor, which many times diffused things that could have gotten out of hand.

To his family, again, we express our deep condolences, and the people of the State of Idaho mourn today.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. President, we have gone through the various attributes for which Jim McClure was known. It is a true loss to Idaho and a true loss to the Nation. He was held in such high regard by all Idahoans. I am proud to be the person holding his seat.

He was a cofounder and a charter member of the steering committee on the Republican side. The steering committee is a group that was brought together to talk about and develop policies from a conservative standpoint for the Nation. It certainly is something that has been very helpful to the Republican Conference over the many years. Senator McClure will be remembered for that, and we certainly thank him for that.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order and under the provisions of S. Res. 78 as a further mark of respect to the late former Senator James McClure.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Special Committee on Aging rules for the 112th Congress be printed in the Record.