against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and attempts to weaken enforcement of consumer protection measures. He strongly supported affirmative action laws. He voted against confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the United States Supreme Court, citing Thomas's lack of experience. In 1993, Heflin gave a memorable speech on the Senate floor in support of Senator Carol Moseley Braun's successful effort to deny renewal of a Confederate Flag design patent for the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Heflin spoke of his pride and love for his Confederate ancestors, his respect for the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and his conflict in breaking with them over this issue. But, he said: We live in a nation that daily is trying to heal the scars that have occurred in the past. We're trying to heal problems that still show negative and ugly aspects in our world that we live in today, and perhaps racism is one of the great scars and one of the most serious illnesses that we suffer from still today. Heflin lived at his long-time residence in Tuscumbia until his death on March 29, 2005, of a heart attack. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth Ann, his son H. Thomas, Jr., known as Tom, and two grandchildren. Heflin was the last Democrat to serve as a senator from Alabama until the swearing in of Doug Jones (winner of the December 2017 special election) on January 3, 2018, 21 years to the day after Heflin left the seat. Heflin had been a mentor to Jones, who worked for him as a senatorial aide. Honors The University of Alabama School of Law has honored Heflin with the "Howell Heflin Conference Room" in the Bounds Law Library. Tuscumbia named a street "Howell Heflin Lane", in his honor. The Howell Heflin Lock and Dam in Alabama is named in his honor. The Howell T. Heflin Seminar room in the Birmingham-Southern College Library is also named in his honor. The New York Times characterized him as the "conscience of the Senate". See also Conservative Democrats References Notes External links Oral History Interview with Howell Heflin from Oral Histories of the American South |- |- 1921 births 2005 deaths United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II Birmingham–Southern College alumni People from Tuscumbia, Alabama Recipients of the Silver Star United States Marine Corps officers Chief