[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 109 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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

 
                  TRIBUTE TO MEDAL OF FREEDOM WINNERS

  (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President awarded the highest 
civilian award and the gift of this Government, the Medal of Freedom, 
to eight Americans: Herbert Block, the cartoonist, for his biting 
satire; the late leader of the United Farm Workers, Cesar Chavez, for 
his inspiration; Arthur Flemming for his service to every President, 
from President Roosevelt to President Reagan; James Grant, for his 
compassion as Executive Director of UNICEF; civil rights advocate 
Dorothy Irene Height for her hope; former Member Barbara Jordan for her 
wisdom; Lane Kirkland, for his service to labor; Sargent Shriver, for 
his leadership on the Peace Corps, VISTA, and voluntarism; and 
yesterday the President awarded the Medal of Freedom to our 
distinguished minority leader and friend, Bob Michel, for putting the 
interest of his Nation ahead of his own.
  We salute each of the award recipients for their outstanding 
achievements, but I take the floor today to offer a special salute to 
our distinguished colleague and my friend from Illinois, who so richly 
deserves this honor.
  Nobody with whom I have served has brought more civility and dignity 
to this Chamber than the gentleman from Illinois. He is a symbol of 
what the House of Representatives was intended to be, a place where the 
conflicts of this diverse Nation are resolved with good will and good 
intentions, and, after fierce and full debate, often by creative 
compromise.
  Former Speaker Sam Rayburn once said:

       The district that is best represented is the district that 
     is wise enough to select a man of energy, intelligence, and 
     integrity, and reelect him year after year.

  The wise voters of the 18th District of Illinois sent such a man to 
Congress in 1956, and they have sent him back 18 times.

                              {time}  1230

  Each time Bob Michel has served them with extraordinary skill, 
decency, and honor. His career has been exemplary. One could stand in 
this well all day and not list all of his accomplishments, from his 
courageous service in the Army in World War II to his fervor on the 
floor of this Chamber on every major issue that has shaped the Nation 
in the last half of this century.
  But perhaps his greatest accomplishment is setting a standard of 
decency and integrity in public service that is rarely met in politics 
and Government today.
  I remember his opening remarks of the 103d Congress and a quote is 
the sum and substance of Bob Michel's leadership. He said, ``in every 
instance, ceremonial and political, mutual respect and goodwill should 
be at the heart of our endeavors.'' That has been how the distinguished 
minority leader has conducted himself in the business of this House.
  Mr. Speaker, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is an extraordinary 
honor, and no one deserves it more than the gentleman from Illinois. He 
has led his party for 13 years, is second to no Member of this House in 
his patriotism, his humanity, and his great love of the House and its 
role in this democracy. He has set a standard of high purpose in public 
conduct second to none.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite the House again to salute this signal honor and 
achievement.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the record the citation of the Medal of 
Freedom awarded to Bob Michel and his colleagues.

                                                  The White House,


                                Office of the Press Secretary,

                                   Washington, DC, August 8, 1994.
       The President today awarded the Presidential Medal of 
     Freedom to the following individuals. The text of the 
     accompanying citations reads as follows:
       Herbert Block. Combining humor, satire, and an incisive 
     wit, Herbert Block, better known by his pen name Herblock, 
     has endowed editorial pages with his skilled artistry for 
     nearly half a century. His political cartoons continue to 
     enliven the minds and tweak the sensibilities of millions of 
     Americans. Usually selecting his targets from among the 
     powerful of Washington, every President since Herbert Hoover 
     has known the sting of Herblock's pen. He instills in our 
     Nation's leaders a dose of humility, reminding all of us that 
     public service is a privilege.
       Cesar E. Chavez. (Posthumously) With few material 
     possessions, but guided by his parents' steady example, his 
     Catholic faith, the lessons of Gandhi, and unshakable belief 
     in justice, Cesar Chavez brought about much needed change in 
     our country. An agricultural worker himself since childhood, 
     he possessed a deep personal understanding of the plight of 
     migrant workers, and he labored all his years to lift their 
     lives. As the leader of United Farm Workers of America, he 
     faced formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and 
     nonviolence. And he was victorious. Cesar Chavez left our 
     world better than he found it, and his legacy inspires us 
     still.
       Arthur Flemming. The highest attributes of Government 
     service are clearly evident in the brilliant career of Arthur 
     Flemming. Serving every President from Franklin Roosevelt to 
     Ronald Reagan, he is a proven resource of astute intelligence 
     and steadfast loyalty. On the first two Hoover Commissions, 
     he strove to renew and reinvigorate established principles of 
     governmental power and responsibility. From his role as 
     Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, to his landmark 
     efforts as Chairman of the Commission on Civil Rights, he 
     consistently challenged the status quo. He not only sought 
     health care reform, but he also summoned our Nation to uphold 
     its promise of equality. Arthur Flemming has selflessly 
     labored for decades to make American Government more 
     effective and efficient. A grateful Nation thanks him.
       James Grant. Recognizing that our children are our most 
     important resource and most profound responsibility James 
     Grant has devote his life to making the world a better place 
     for its youth. He has proven to be a compassionate and 
     visionary executive director at UNICEF, teaching us the 
     disastrous effects of poverty, population growth, and 
     environmental degradation upon the vulnerable and 
     dispossessed children of our world. Under his leadership, 
     UNICEF has fought to reduce disease, malnutrition, 
     disability, an illiteracy on a global scale. His wise 
     stewardship has pointed the way toward a future in which 
     these adversities may no longer threaten our children. James 
     Grant continues to create hope and opportunity where there 
     was once only despair, earning our eternal gratitude and 
     ensuring a brighter tomorrow for our world.
       Dorothy Irene Height. Dorothy Height has spent a lifetime 
     providing leadership in the struggle to make the promise of 
     equality a reality for people around the world. Beginning as 
     a civil rights advocate in the 1930s, she soon gained 
     prominence through her tireless efforts to promote 
     interracial schooling, to register and educate voters, and to 
     increase the visibility and status of women in our society. 
     She has labored to provide hope for inner-city children and 
     their families, and she can claim responsibility for many of 
     the advances made by women and African Americans over the 
     course of this century. For helping our Nation to more 
     accurately reflect the noble principles on which it was 
     founded, we honor Dorothy Height.
       Barbara Jordan. Teaching by deed, as well as by word, 
     Barbara Jordan has dramatically articulated an enduring 
     standard of morality in American politics. Guided by an 
     unshakable faith in the Constitution, she insists that it is 
     the sacred duty of those who hold power to govern ethically 
     and to preserve the rule of law. As the first African 
     American woman elected to the Texas State Senate, her 
     conspicuous abilities led her to the United States Congress, 
     where her brilliant oratory and meticulous judgment earned 
     our lasting respect. She continues her life's work as 
     teacher, explaining and analyzing complex issues of moral 
     responsibility in politics and imbuing the leaders of 
     tomorrow with the ability to follow her formidable lead.
       Joseph Lane Kirkland. Lane Kirkland is a hero of the modern 
     labor movement--a man who has spent his life forging 
     solidarity among the men and women whose sweat and toil have 
     built our world. Ever resolute in his quest to enhance 
     opportunities for working people, he has tirelessly worked to 
     strengthen democracy and to further the cause of human 
     rights. During the Cold War, his vital assistance to the 
     Solidarity movement in Poland spurred the forces of freedom 
     toward victory in Eastern Europe, just as his guidance here 
     at home helped to renew and fortify the American economy. As 
     a people, we are indebted to Lane Kirkland for his talented 
     leadership efforts as an advocate for unity and social 
     justice.
       Robert H. Michel. Demonstrating loyal devotion to our 
     country, Bob Michel has worked ceaselessly to move our Nation 
     forward. After valiant Army service during World War II, he 
     chose to serve his community and country in the Congress, 
     earning the trust of his constituents, election after 
     election for nearly four decades. Raising his voice, 
     sometimes in song, but always in the spirit of creative 
     compromise and cooperation, he has won the enduring respect 
     of his colleagues on Capitol Hill and of the nine Presidents 
     with whom he has served. He retires as House Minority Leader, 
     leaving a history of legislative victories that often broke 
     gridlock in times of crisis. America thanks him for 
     demonstrating the highest standards of public service, 
     putting the interests of the Nation ahead of his own.
       Robert Sargent Shriver. Robert Sargent Shriver has not only 
     shared, but shaped, the action and passion of his times. it 
     was Sarge Shriver's energy, persuasion, and leadership that 
     made the goals of the Peace Corps attainable--that living 
     reminder that the essence of American power is not might of 
     arms, but constancy of ideals and perseverance of effort. 
     That so much endures with his indelible stamp both stuns and 
     invigorates: Head Start, VISTA, Foster Grandparents, Legal 
     Services, the Job Corps, and more. He released a torrent of 
     creative energy--from Special Olympic athletes to Head Start 
     students to National Service pioneers. ``Serve, serve, 
     serve,'' Sargent Shriver told Americans, ``because in the 
     end, it will be the servants who save us all.'' His service 
     has been our legacy of hope.

                          ____________________