CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE October 6, 2000 I Yield the Floor
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21232 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE October 6, 2000 I yield the floor. over his years of living in this Nation. I have known John Kluge for years The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- His remarkable gift of $60 million will and years. He was a wonderful friend of ator from Arizona is recognized. benefit all Americans by raising stand- my parents. I have spent an awful lot Mr. MCCAIN. Mr. President, I await ards of scholarly excellence, and blaz- of time with him over a number of the return of the Senator from Alaska, ing new paths of knowledge in areas of years, particularly in the last number who I believe would like to object to a science, the humanities, and the social of months. He truly is a great Amer- unanimous consent agreement I may sciences. ican, truly a great patriot, and his seek. It will also, in my view, be im- wonderful contribution is going to If the Senator from Connecticut is mensely beneficial to our institutions make the Library of Congress an even waiting, perhaps we can extend morn- of government. Those of us who serve greater institution in the years to ing business for a few minutes. in those institutions will have the ben- come than it has been. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning efit of the fresh, bold thinking that I wanted to take a minute to express business has been extended. men and women of scholarly achieve- the gratitude of all of us, my constitu- Mr. DODD. Mr. President, Senator ment can bring to the most pressing ents, and all Americans to John Kluge STEVENS and I will have a joint state- challenges that we face as a nation. for his remarkable contribution to our ment on an unrelated matter. Hopefully, this gift will contribute to Nation. Mr. REID. Mr. President, if my friend making our nation even more pros- Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, yester- from Connecticut will yield, morning perous and just in the years to come. day, as chairman of the Joint Com- business has been extended until 11:15, Perhaps most importantly, however, mittee on the Library of Congress, it with time evenly divided between Sen- this gift stands as testimony to the was my privilege to join Vice Chairman ator STEVENS and Senator DODD. I unique and ongoing promise of Amer- BILL THOMAS and Dr. James Billington think everybody will get their wish, be- ica. Every day, we are reminded by out by our Ohio Clock to announce the cause Senator STEVENS will be here events large and small that this is an largest gift in the history of our Li- momentarily to make a statement and, extraordinary country. Our is a coun- brary in 200 years. There has never following Senator STEVENS, Senator try that—despite its problems—offers been a greater gift to the Library of DODD will make a statement. individuals a level of freedom, equal- Congress. Mr. MCCAIN. I apologize to the ity, and dignity unsurpassed anywhere As the Senator from Connecticut has Chair. I thought when I left the floor else on the planet, or indeed, in the his- said, John W. Kluge is a marvelous in- that morning business had expired at tory of the world. That is why people dividual who is renowned in the inter- 11 a.m. risk their lives to come to our shores. national corporate community as one That is why we are the inspiration I will await 11:15. of the Library’s staunchest supporters for people who in fact yesterday rose Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I know my and most devoted people to the Madi- up against tyranny—the people of colleague from Alaska is going to come son Council. As a matter of fact, he Yugoslavia—on the shores of the Bal- here shortly to share some thoughts was the founder of the Madison Coun- kans. cil. He has now given the Library a gift and comments with me this morning. I The extraordinarily generous gift will begin in order to move things given yesterday by Mr. Kluge to the Li- of another $60 million. Mr. Kluge’s leadership in the Madi- along. brary of Congress reminds all Ameri- son Council has enabled the Library to f cans that ours is a land of limitless raise a total of $222 million in private possibility—a land where even the GIFT TO THE LIBRARY OF donations for the Library over the last CONGRESS most humble can go on to achieve great success. And it is a gift that re- 10 years. His contributions alone Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise—and minds each one of us that, in our own amount to $73 million. will be joined by my friend and col- Yesterday’s gift of $60 million will es- way, we have an opportunity and an league from Alaska—to speak about a obligation to give back to the country tablish The John W. Kluge Center and remarkable gift that was made to our that has given us so much. Because Prize in the Human Sciences which will wonderful country yesterday. more than anything else, America is endow 5 scholarly chairs, and fellows, Yesterday, it was announced that the the sum of the acts of selfless patriot- and will recognize areas of study not Library of Congress—the greatest li- ism of its people. Any time we are re- currently covered by the Noble prize brary in the world—would receive the minded of that fact, my colleagues, we structure. The Center will endow single largest gift in its history—$60 receive a gift whose value far exceeds chairs in areas such as American law million—to promote scholarly excel- its monetary sum. and government, American cultures lence. Like a university, the center John Kluge gave such a gift yester- and societies, technology and society, will have endowed chairs in a number day, as he has on countless other occa- and modern culture. The Librarian will of fields. sions. make the appointments in consultation The remarkable gift by a remarkable In addition to this remarkable gift with the Library’s Scholars Council, person will also establish a $1 million which John Kluge gave to the Library and the first chairs will be awarded in annual prize for lifetime achievement of Congress, he has helped raise $48 2001. in scholarly endeavors. million in private funds for the Library The Kluge Prize in the Human The gift has been made by a wonder- on previous occasions to establish an Sciences will include areas of study not ful man whom I have known for many electronic enterprise, the National Dig- covered by the Nobel Prize, including years and for whom I have great admi- ital Library, with which my colleague areas such as history, anthropology, ration, John Kluge. He is also a very from Alaska has been deeply involved. sociology, literary and artistic criti- good friend of the Senator from Alas- Congress appropriated an additional $15 cism. Strangely enough, I had been dis- ka. million for that program. cussing with one of my esteemed John Kluge immigrated to our shores Over the years, he has given $13 mil- friends a similar type of approach to from Germany nearly eight decades lion of his own money to the Library, cover areas not covered by our Nobel ago. including $5 million to kick start the Prize process. The prize will be a cash He began his working life selling digital library. award of $1 million. shoes, clothes, and stationery, and John Kluge was the major contrib- In addition, the award ceremony will moved up from there to become one of utor who orchestrated the wonderful recognize a lifetime of achievement in our nation’s most successful business- 200th celebration of the Library of Con- the Intellectual Arts, just as the Ken- men. Like many others whose lives fol- gress. nedy Center Honors recognize lifetime lowed a similar path, Mr. Kluge has de- He has given millions of dollars to achievement in the performing arts. As cided to give something back to the other wonderful causes, universities, Dr. Billington noted, ‘‘the Kluge Cen- country that has given him so much and other worthwhile enterprises. ter will help bridge the divide between VerDate jul 14 2003 13:47 Jan 10, 2005 Jkt 039102 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR00\S06OC0.000 S06OC0 October 6, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 21233 the academic and political worlds, be- and little known federal institution, to lowships for younger scholars. And most tween knowledge and power.’’ He an open and universally accessible re- prominently, it will create a $1 million prize summed up the need for the Center source for students, scholars and learn- for intellectual excellence in the human best when he said, ‘‘We need broader ers everywhere. This exciting trans- sciences, a field that Dr. Billington feels is neglected by the Nobel prizes. and deeper exchanges; to make time for formation, and my confidence in the ‘‘We’re trying to celebrate and facilitate greater contemplation, what Milton Librarian and his talented staff, have not just the life of the mind, but also the called ‘wisdom’s best nurse’.’’ led to my decision to endow a center role of the life of the mind in the life of the I speak for all of the Joint Com- for scholarship and a prize in the republic,’’ he said of the new scholar center, mittee members in saying that we are human sciences which were just an- which will be named after its benefactor, deeply grateful for the support the Li- nounced.