On the recordSeptember 19, 2011
this weekend Senator Charles Percy of Illinois, the progressive Republican and father-in-law of Senator Jay Rockefeller, died at age 91. He had been failing for some time, and I maintained contact with Senator Rockefeller about his wife's father. I didn't know Senator Percy--only by reputation. But I do know he was an independent thinker and a moderate who always put his country before party. The Senate could use more of his brand of pragmatism today. Senator Percy was a proponent of tough environmental regulations and consumer protections and was an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam war and a proponent of nuclear nonproliferation. He was also a Navy veteran and businessman who was often mentioned as a Presidential contender. This body, the Senate, honors him for his faithful service to his country as a sailor and as a Member of Congress. My thoughts are with his family, including Senator Rockefeller and his lovely wife Sharon. ____________________
