Bob Dole: “on August 4, 1789, in the first year of existence, the U.S. Senate approved legislation to establish the Department of…”

“on August 4, 1789, in the first year of existence, the U.S. Senate approved legislation to establish the Department of War. In the nearly 207 years since that date, the Senate has always devoted a great deal of attention to matters of national security. Few Senators in that time, however, have devoted as much attention as Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia, who will leave this Senate next January after 24 years of service. While Senator Nunn and I have not agreed on every issue, I am just one of many Republicans who has always respected his expertise and admired his patriotism. I especially recall the affection and admiration which our former colleague Barry Goldwater had for Senator Nunn. During the first 6 years of the Reagan administration, Senator Goldwater and Senator Nunn worked on a bipartisan basis to rebuild America's military. Senator Nunn has also worked with another military expert, Senator Richard Lugar, in working with the former Soviet Republic to relinquish their nuclear weapons. On nondefense matters, I have appreciated Senator Nunn's strong support for a balanced budget amendment, product liability reform, and anticrime and antidrug efforts. The high respect in which Senator Nunn is held in Washington, DC, is echoed in his home State of Georgia. In 1978, Senator Nunn won reelection with 83 percent of the vote. In 1984, he received 80 percent, he ran completely unopposed.…”