[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 20, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JAMIE L. WHITTEN

                                 ______


                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN P. MURTHA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 19, 1994

  Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, when the new Congress convenes next January, 
Jamie Whitten will not be sworn in for the first time in over half a 
century. The magnitude of what has occurred domestically and 
internationally during Mr. Whitten's service in the Congress is 
breathtaking.
  When he arrived in Congress World War II had not begun, He was 
prepared to go in the service, but the Secretary of the Navy felt that 
Jamie could better serve the country by remaining in Congress where he 
served on the Naval Committee.
  The Berlin Wall went up about 8 years after Jamie Whitten came to 
Washington. It was torn down 5 years before he leaves the Congress.
  The U.S. economy was in a depression when he was sworn in for his 
first term.
  As he leaves the Congress, America is a global economic powerhouse 
and the envy of the world.
  Others will address the dramatic changes that occurred in America's 
agriculture during Jamie's tenure as chairman of the Agriculture 
Appropriations Subcommittee. Many referred to Mr. Whitten as the 
``permanent Secretary of Agriculture.'' Suffice it to say that our 
agricultural community is the most productive in the world and a key 
component of the prosperity we enjoy today. Jamie has had much to with 
that success.
  Mr. Speaker, controlling Federal spending has been in vogue in recent 
years but this was a concern of Mr. Whitten long before it was popular. 
He has consistently stressed the need to restrain Government 
expenditures.
  Now, I must admit, on a few rare occasions when it was in the 
national interest, Jamie had inserted a project or two above budget for 
his district in various appropriations bills.
  But seriously, the record speaks for itself.
  Listen to this statistic. From 1945 until the end of Jamie Whitten's 
tenure as chairman of the Appropriations Committee, the Congress 
appropriated $229,880,300,000 less than the administrations' requested 
in those years.
  Mr. Speaker, the skill of Mr. Whitten as a consumate legislator is 
also shown by his success in passing legislation during his service as 
chairman of the full Appropriations Committee. Of the 218 appropriation 
bills passed during that time, 203 were signed into law. Of the 15 
vetoed, I was overridden. In other words, 94 percent of the 
appropriations bills passed under his tenure became the law of the land 
without change. This is a remarkable record.
  There are many anecdotes I can tell about Mr. Whitten, but one that 
comes to mind was at my retirement from the Marine Corps Reserve in 
1989. I had served a total of 38 years in the Marine Corps--two tours 
of active duty and the rest of the time in the Marine Corps Reserve. 
The retirement ceremony was an emotional day for me and Congressman 
Whitten was present. He put things in perspective for me when he said, 
``Jack, when President Bush announced a few weeks ago that we have to 
cut back on Defense, I bet you didn't know you would be the first to 
go.''
  Jamie, it's been an honor to serve with you over the years.
  The attributes you brought to your daily work in this House--
integrity, hard work, consistency, perspective--are deeply appreciated 
by all.
  In your retirement years, your presence will be deeply missed by me, 
the Appropriations Committee and the Congress and give our best to your 
lovely wife Rebecca.

                          ____________________