Throughout the rest of his career in Congress, Dole made a name for himself by proposing bills and being a master of legislative cooperation among the parties.

Article by Garrett Whitton, Junior White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON - The United States recently lost an iconic American patriot. This year, Senator Bob Dole was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and underwent many chemotherapy treatments, but ultimately passed away on December 5, 2021. He was 98. Though he is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and his daughter, Robin, his legacy lives on through the countless accomplishments he made in war, government, and his personal life. 

Senator Dole was born to a family in the small town of Russell in western Kansas on July 22, 1923. After some time spent on the Kansas plains, the Doles and many others began to experience major dust storms caused by a ravaging drought. Though the Dust Bowl did not affect the Doles as much as other families, the concurrent Great Depression did. Once Dole graduated high school, he was fortunate enough to receive a $300 loan from a local banker to help pay for his enrollment at the University of Kansas, where he had been recruited to play basketball for the Jayhawks. He began classes at the university in 1941. But, he dropped out soon after that to enlist in the military after getting word that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor, which forced the United States into the Second World War. After the attack, patriotism swept the nation, prompting many to do the same. His enlistment marked the beginning of his long career in the government. 

In the summer of 1943, Dole entered and completed an officer candidate school and was immediately deployed to Italy. Two years later, Second Lieutenant Dole was ordered to be part of Company I Third Battalion, Tenth Mountain Division. The job of these brave men was to remove German troops from the Apennine Mountains north of Bologna. While doing so one morning, the platoon was attacked. During the chaotic firefight, Dole’s arm was ripped apart, and his collar bone was smashed, paralyzing him from the neck down. He laid motionless in one spot for the next ten hours until medics rescued him. He was discharged and spent the next 39 months in a hospital, receiving countless surgeries and participating in rehabilitation clinics. He slowly gained back feeling and function in both his legs and left arm but was forever paralyzed in his right. Once the residents of Russell, Kansas heard what happened to him, they helped with most expenses with a fund that they started. 

Once he returned to Kansas, he thought it would be his best to complete some schooling, so he enrolled at the Washburn Law School in Topeka, Kansas. While he was a student in the 1950s, he married his physical therapist, Phyllis Holden, had a child, and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives. Once his term ended, he began practicing law privately and was eventually elected District Attorney. 

After getting a taste of government work, Dole decided to run for a congressional seat. He won and began forming opinions and percolating ideas that identify with conservative politics. While in Congress, he supported monumental bills such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Following his time as a congressman, he was elected to the US Senate to represent Kansas. The relationships he made while in the House of Representatives, including one with then-President Richard Nixon, helped him earn the position of chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1971. George H.W. Bush then replaced him after the 1972 election. 

Around this time in Dole’s career, he and his wife divorced. He remarried three years later to Elizabeth Hanford, a member of the Federal Trade Commission who held many government offices herself, such as Senator from North Carolina. She also started and still runs the Elizabeth Dole Foundation that raises awareness of the contributions and challenges of the millions of military and veteran caregivers around the country and abroad.

Once married, Elizabeth continually supported Dole’s decisions, including one in 1976, when Gerald Ford asked him to be his running mate. Unfortunately, they lost the election to Jimmy Carter and his running mate, Walter Mondale. However, the loss worked out for Dole because once Ronald Reagan became president four years later, he became part of the Senate Majority for the first time. Dole was also named the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, where he played an instrumental role in reducing tax rates.

Throughout the rest of his career in Congress, Dole made a name for himself by proposing bills and being a master of legislative cooperation among the parties. He transformed the world of medicine by introducing the Patent and Trademark Act Amendments of 1980, which gave universities, nonprofits, and small businesses the ability to retain ownership of patents on inventions resulting from their federally funded research. Dole also advocated for America’s food-insecure population and created the Food Stamp program and the International Food Aid Program with the help of some colleagues. Furthermore, Dole also supported individuals with disabilities in his work with the government and his personal life.

In 1984, Dole became the Senate Majority Leader and served under Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton until he resigned in 1996. While the Republican Leader, Dole decided to run against George H.W. Bush for the Republican Presidential Nominee spot. Unfortunately, he lost the 1988 primary because he was reluctant to sign the “No-New-Taxes Pledge” because he was too concerned about deficit spending. However, the Senator ran again in 1996 and won the spot for the Republican Party Nominee. But, again, he ran and lost against Bill Clinton, who was running for his second term. Nevertheless, Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom shortly after he had lost the election to recognize his ambition and the numerous contributions he made to his nation. 

Though everything Dole did over his 45-year career is commendable, nothing gave him more satisfaction than the fundraising he did to help construct the World War II Memorial in the National Mall. Along with others, Dole managed to raise $185 million, all of which was used to design, construct, and maintain the memorial. His respect, dedication, and service to his country prompted President Donald Trump to promote him from Captain to the honorary rank of Colonel in the US Army. Only George Washington and Meriwether Lewis have received such recognition.

Unfortunately, on December 5, 2021, Senator Dole passed away in Washington, DC. Just four days after his death, he lay in state in the US Capitol and was visited by numerous dignitaries. The viewing was closed to the public because of Covid-19 precautions. His body was moved to the Washington National Cathedral the next day for a memorial service and then was driven past the World War II Memorial that he helped erect. There, the public was able to pay respect to the late US Senator and hear tributes from actor Tom Hanks and TODAY co-host Savannah Guthrie. His wife also honored him by displaying a wreath, which is appropriate given the time of year. Later that day, his body returned to Kansas for a final visit. A public viewing took place at a local church before he was taken back to interred alongside his brethren at Arlington National Cemetery.