[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 71 (Thursday, June 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                TRIBUTE TO SENATOR DAVID S. HOLMES, JR.

                                 ______


                       HON. BARBARA-ROSE COLLINS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 9, 1994

  Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to 
the late State Senator David S. Holmes, who served in the Michigan 
Senate for 20 years and the Michigan House of Representatives for 14 
years.
  Senator Holmes started in politics with a mission to serve the 
underprivileged in his community and continued that tradition until his 
untimely death. Few men have been held in as high esteem as he was for 
so many years and few can say that they truly belonged to all of us. 
Senator Holmes will be remembered as a treasure in Michigan because his 
politics were based solely on putting people first.
  Although he was an outspoken Democrat, he was an individualist, who 
served according to his convictions and not according to partisanship. 
Many will remember his sense of humor, which proved that a man of 
serious purpose need never take himself too seriously.
  As politicians, we can learn a great deal from the life of David 
Holmes. He knew that his political friends were not always his allies 
and that his adversaries were not necessarily his enemies. He knew how 
to make the process of democracy work and loved the intricate workings 
of the democratic system. But above all else, he understood that words 
were weapons and that his word was his bond.
  As we do honor to his memory, let us never forget the single quality 
that made him unique, the quality that made him powerful, and made him 
beloved--the quality of character.
  Those who were privileged to be his friend can take comfort in the 
fact that Senator David Holmes, in the rich evening of his life, his 
leadership unchallenged as chairman of the Democratic caucus, his mind 
sharp, could look back on his life and say, I fought the good fight and 
now can rest and be at peace.

                          ____________________