Cliff Stearns: “as the 104th Congress draws to a close, we can look back at a solid record of common-sense accomplishments. However, the…”

“as the 104th Congress draws to a close, we can look back at a solid record of common-sense accomplishments. However, the end of this Congress will bring about the end of the distinguished service rendered to this body, and to this nation, by my dear friend and colleague--Bill Zeliff. Elected in 1990, in only his second term Bill put his name on an amazing proposal--the ``A to Z'' plan. Zeliff was the ``Z'' in this plan--an idea to hold a week long marathon session devoted solely to debating spending cuts. Although this plan did not make it to the floor, it did set the stage for the remarkable record of holding down the growth in spending accomplished in this Congress. Although at the end of the alphabet, Bill Zeliff was a leader in our efforts to balance the budget. However, Bill never limited himself to just one issue. With all of the problems we face in this Nation, Bill was always willing to take on another assignment. He demonstrated his leadership through the Whip organization as well as his skills in working with Bill McCollum on the Waco hearings. He did a superb job. His efforts to combat the scourge of drugs has also been outstanding. No matter how tough the issue, Bill was willing to meet it head on. It was only natural that Bill and I would become friends. We shared many of the same concerns and a common background. We were small- business owners before coming to Congress, both of us as innkeepers.”