[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      CLAUDE HARRIS, JR. BUILDING

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the 
Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 4948) to designate Building Number 137 
of the Tuscaloosa Veterans' Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL, as the 
``Claude Harris, Jr. Building,'' and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Mississippi?
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I will not 
object, I yield to the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery], 
chairman of the committee, for an explanation.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, we are very proud that this bill will name a building at 
the VA Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL, the ``Claude Harris, Jr. 
Building.''
  Mr. Speaker, Claude Harris was a Member of this body for a relatively 
short period of time. But his service to the residents of the 7th 
District of Alabama, and the impression he left on Members who came to 
know him, was quite remarkable. I can still hear his voice arguing in 
favor of veterans' legislation being considered by the House.
  ``Judge'' Harris was a gentleman who was interested in the problems 
facing all Americans, but he has a special understanding and regard for 
the problems of working-class Americans. His voice was their voice, and 
his heart was filled with their desires for greater justice and a 
better life.
  On the Veterans' Affairs Committee, he, Marcy Kaptur, and George 
Sangmeister guided through the Congress legislation that is now law 
providing that National Guardsmen and Reservists who served over 6 
years in the Reserves would be eligible for veterans home loan 
programs, and with his leadership, National Guardsmen and Reservists 
with 20 years of Reserve duty can now buried in one of our national 
cemeteries.
  Mr. Speaker, he was a good friend, a strong believer in honoring 
veterans. He left this body of his own accord, knowing that he had 
faithfully represented his constituents. On behalf of the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee, I want to extend our condolences and deep sorrow to 
his wife, Barbara, his sons, Jeffrey and Claude, and the rest of his 
family. The House of Representatives was made better by Claude Harris' 
service, and it is only fitting that we honor him by naming this 
building, which he fought so hard to ensure would be built, in his 
honor.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
yield to the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Callahan].
  Mr. CALLAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, 2 years ago this week, I stood on the floor to lead a 
special order praising the dedicated work of my friend and colleague, 
Congressman Claude Harris, of Tuscaloosa.
  As many will recall, Claude was retiring at the end of the 102d 
Congress after a brief, yet most distinguished tenure here on Capitol 
Hill.
  Like most of my colleagues, I wanted to pay tribute to Claude and add 
my name to the list of men and women who recognized his uncommon 
goodness and decency, as well as wish him well in the future.
  As we all know, Mr. Speaker, a lot can happen in 2 years.
  For Claude, he went on to become an outstanding U.S. attorney for 
Alabama. He became a grandfather. And unfortunately, he fought a 
painfully difficult battle against lung cancer.
  We recognized the many contributions of Claude Harris back on October 
1, 1992, and today, we gather for a moment to pay our last respects to 
him.
  Mr. Speaker, there were so many things about Claude Harris that made 
him unique.
  His unwavering commitment to public service.
  His unimpeachable personal integrity.
  His faithfulness to his constituents.
  And his love and loyalty to his family.
  To be certain, this institution has had many honorable men and women 
come here and serve. Most who are remembered for their good deeds and 
noble actions spent the better part of a lifetime here.
  But while Claude Harris' time in Congress was brief, it was not 
without its purpose nor its legacy.
  Claude will go down in history not just for being a good man who did 
great things for his State and Nation. No, Claude Harris will be best 
remembered for being a great man who did many good things.
  During our 6 years up here together, Claude and I became close 
friends and traveling partners. Most weeks, we would meet in Nashville 
for the flight up to Washington, as well as the return flight home to 
Alabama.
  During those trips, Clause loved to tell stories about his district, 
and about the people he represented and for whom he cared so very much.
  He also liked to tell the story that few young boys from Shannon, AL, 
his hometown, ever dreamed of being elected to Congress.
  Today, we can give thanks that one young man from Shannon, AL, did 
just that and our country, I can honestly say, is better for it. It is 
indeed appropriate to rename a building at the Tuscaloosa Veterans 
Medical Center the Claude Harris, Jr. Building.
  Our hearts and prayers go out to Barbara and their two children, as 
well as to the other members of Claude's family, and his friends and 
loyal staff.
  We are going to miss Claude Harris. He was our friend.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will give their unanimous support 
to this legislation.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
yield to the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Bachus], the chief sponsor of 
the bill.
  Mr. BACHUS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, on August 12, I filed this bill 
in the House, not knowing that when it came up today as it was 
scheduled that Congressman Harris would not be with us.
  This bill is a tremendous and fitting tribute to a dedicated public 
servant. I will be very brief. I want to thank the members of the 
Alabama delegation: Mr. Bevill who is going to speak in a minute Mr. 
Browder, Mr. Callahan, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Everett, and Mr. Hilliard.
  I also want to commend the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hutto], one of 
Mr. Harris' very good friends who is on the floor; the gentleman from 
Georgia [Mr. Rowland]; the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery], 
the chairman of our committee, and others who may wish to speak.
  Mr. Speaker, I simply want to read two excerpts. Claude Harris' 
adopted city was Tuscaloosa, AL. From this morning's Tuscaloosa News, I 
am only going to read a brief remark that that newspaper said about 
Claude Harris:

       Given a choice of one word to sum up Claude Harris' public 
     career, we'd choose this one: integrity.
       Harris, H.R. attorney for the Northern District at the time 
     of his death on Sunday, had also served this community and 
     state as a congressman, as a circuit court judge and as a 
     prosecutor. In each of these roles and during a course of 
     three decades as a public servant, Harris demonstrated a 
     quiet but unyielding determination to know the truth and to 
     speak the truth, to work to the best of his ability and to 
     represent well those who put him into office.''
       For his sense of integrity, Harris will be honored. But for 
     his other traits--fair-mindedness, an unfailing courtesy to 
     all people, an ever-present warmth and kindness--Harris will 
     be genuinely missed.

  Then from the hometown paper where he was born and raised, the 
Birmingham Post Herald said this:

       People who take a dim view of all politicians could not 
     have known U.S. Attorney Claude Harris, who died of lung 
     cancer Sunday at the too young age of 54.
       Harris was the model of what a public official should be: 
     honest, hardworking and never forgetting that his job was to 
     serve the public, not himself.

  Also, Mr. Speaker, he was President Bill Clinton's first judicial 
appointment in Alabama.
  I will close the way the Birmingham Post Herald closed.

                              {time}  2000

  It said, ``Claude Harris will be sorely missed.'' I agree.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the entire editorial from the 
Tuscaloosa News on Claude Harris, as follows:

                [From the Tuscaloosa News, Oct. 4, 1994]

                           Claude Harris, RIP

       Given a choice of one word to sum up Claude Harris' public 
     career, we'd choose this one: integrity.
       Harris, U.S. attorney for the Northern District at the time 
     of his death on Sunday, had also served this community and 
     state as a congressman, as a circuit court judge and as a 
     prosecutor. In each of those roles and during a course of 
     three decades as a public servant. Harris demonstrated a 
     quiet but unyielding determination to know the truth and to 
     speak the truth, to work to the best of his ability and to 
     represent well those who put him into office.
       ``Claude had a good reputation from the time I first met 
     him,'' said Joe Colquitt, retired circuit court judge and a 
     former colleague and friend of Harris. ``I've never heard 
     anyone say anything but that Claude was a person of great 
     integrity, honest and true to his word.''
       For his sense of integrity, Harris will be honored. But for 
     his other traits--fairmindedness, an unfailing courtesy to 
     all people, an ever-present warmth and kindness--Harris will 
     be genuinely missed.
       Those characteristics were made evident to people no matter 
     where Harris served: in the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, in 
     our nation's capital or in his U.S. Attorney's office in 
     Birmingham.
       Voters appreciated Harris for those endearing qualities. He 
     was a huge local favorite as a judge; and as congressman, his 
     landslide vote totals swelled with each of his three 
     successive election wins.
       Only the redistricting issue could defeat him. That came in 
     1992, when Harris' congressional district was reshaped and 
     his home base was cut in half; facing a campaign that might 
     have been divisive to Democrats, he retired. Later, he was 
     the first judicial appointment in Alabama by the Clinton 
     administration.
       Of many things that we remember from his congressional 
     career, these come to mind immediately: that Harris took much 
     care to ensure that his voting record would reflect the 
     conservative nature of his constituents; that his name was 
     not among those congressmen (which included most of the 
     House) who had overdrafts in the House banking scandal, and 
     that upon his decision to retire, Harris and his wife took 
     the extraordinary step of returning personal checks to those 
     who had contributed to his campaign.
       ``I've never known a politician to give a contribution 
     back, not even if you asked for it,'' said one astonished 
     Dallas County politician. But there was only one Claude 
     Harris.
       ``I took seriously the notion that a public office is a 
     public trust,'' Harris told one civic group shortly before 
     leaving Congress, ``and when I was elected to Congress, I 
     resolved to hold myself and my staff to this same standard.''
       He met that standard at every career step. We at this 
     newspaper, knew Claude Harris well for three decades. It was 
     an honor and a pleasure.

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I 
yield to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hutto].

  Mr. HUTTO. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate very much the gentleman 
yielding. I rise in strong support of this bill. I think it is 
altogether appropriate that the building at the VA Medical Center in 
Tuscaloosa, AL, be named the Claude Harris, Jr., Building.
  Claude indeed during his time in this body was a friend to all of us. 
He was low key in many ways, but very sincere, up front, and a very 
good Congressman. Though I represent a district in Florida, I was born 
and raised in Alabama and have kept in touch with my relatives and with 
what goes on in Alabama. I know that Claude is so well respected by 
people throughout the State of Alabama.
  He has served in many positions, as a judge as well as other 
positions, and of course here in Congress he made his mark. He was very 
strong for the military. As a longtime member of the Guard, he 
supported the Guard and Reserve in many ways. So he will be sorely 
missed by the people of Alabama and particularly the area of Alabama 
that he served in Congress, and he will be missed by the people in this 
body. But we will have good memories, and it is particularly 
appropriate that he will be remembered in Alabama with the naming of 
this building the ``Claude Harris, Jr., Building'' at the VA Center in 
Tuscaloosa.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. de la Garza].
  Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and 
I rise in support of this legislation, unfortunately in a sad way 
because we have just lost our dear colleague, Judge Claude Harris. He 
served on our committee and was a major contributor to many of the laws 
that were enacted while he was a member of our committee.
  His great love for the Guard and the military was always noted, and 
he was a very kind and gentle person who cared much for his family, for 
his State and for his country.
  I might add just one little personal note, that before he left here 
we had visited, and I had observed that I had seen a sweater with some 
geese on it, embroidered on the sweater and I forgot about it. After he 
had been gone for about 6 months from here, a package came with the 
sweater. This is the kind of individual that he was.
  This building will have indeed a great American for its name, and I 
join all of my other colleagues and associate myself with their 
remarks, and extend our condolences to his family, his friends on the 
terrible loss to the State of Alabama and our country. But we are glad 
he came this way and we had the opportunity to serve briefly with him, 
and indeed to know him as we knew him.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I am 
pleased to yield to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell].
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want 
to commend the committee, the distinguished chairman and members for 
having brought this legislation to the floor.
  Like most of us who are here at this moment, I served with Claude 
Harris. He was a distinguished and valuable member of our Committee on 
Energy and Commerce. He was well identified by his good humor, his 
cheerfulness, by his wisdom, his thoughtful and careful approach to 
legislation, his honesty, and his integrity.
  He was a man of great intelligence, and he was very careful in his 
service in the public interest. His enthusiasm for his home State and 
for the district which he served so well knew no bounds.
  It was with a great sense of personal loss to me when he retired from 
the Congress. I have found it a still greater sense of loss that now we 
have lost him to lung cancer. The country is poorer, his district is 
poorer, the Congress is poorer, and all of his friends are the poorer 
for his departure.
  I believe this bill is a fitting one, and I commend the committee and 
the distinguished gentleman for making my comments possible, and for 
honoring a really great American.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I 
yield to the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Browder].
  Mr. BROWDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4948, naming the 
Veterans' Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL, in honor of our friend 
Claude Harris.
  Alabama lost a U.S. attorney when Claude Harris passed away this 
weekend and America lost a public servant in the true old-time sense of 
the term.
  Claude Harris served as a prosecutor and judge before coming to the 
U.S. Congress. The Alabama delegation counted on him for direction on a 
lot of issues but especially those affecting crime and the judicial 
process. His wisdom was usually delivered in a low-key but direct 
manner often illustrated with a humorous anecdote or colloquialism. He 
brought that same wisdom to true public service throughout his career.
  Claude Harris was a straight arrow. He was the same person whether 
you talked to him here on the floor of the U.S. Congress or at a fish 
fry back home in Alabama. He never acquired the pretensions of a man 
who attained his high stature in life.
  Claude is a part of our life forever; and his wife, Barbara, and his 
family are in our prayers.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I 
yield to the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Rowland] who is another Member 
we are going to miss this coming session.
  (Mr. ROWLAND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. ROWLAND. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Claude 
Harris not being with us anymore is certainly a great loss to this 
institution, to his State, and the country.
  I knew Claude and his wife, Barbara, on very many occasions having 
visited in their home in Alabama, and I came to know them and their 
family very well. Claude is going to be missed greatly by the people in 
his home county, and his home State; and the country is going to be 
worse off for having lost this truly great American.
  I want to commend the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Stump], and the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery], for this resolution naming 
this building for a wonderful man from Alabama, Claude Harris, Jr.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am pleased to 
yield to the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller].
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding. I want to join my colleagues in their comments and tributes 
to Claude Harris, who was an outstanding member of this body, a man of 
great humor and great ethics and great principles, who I also had the 
pleasure of enjoying when work was done here and at dinner and social 
events. And a truly outstanding and wonderful person that we clearly 
are all going to miss. I want to thank the gentleman again for this 
tribute and the naming of this building after our former colleague.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.
  Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Weldon].
  Mr. WELDON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague for 
yielding. I rise in support of this particular piece of legislation.
  I also want to add to the many comments about our good friend and 
colleague, Claude Harris. I came to the Congress the same session that 
Claude did. I knew him as most of our colleagues did as someone who was 
concerned about agricultural issues, concerned about a strong military 
and a strong defense, but also had a common sense about him in terms of 
government in general.
  There was one particular project that I had the honor of working with 
Claude on, an issue very dear to me, and we have talked about Claude's 
concern for the armed services. But it was Claude Harris who on the 
agricultural bill last session introduced the Rural Fire Protection Act 
which was the first time in this country that we authorized a program 
specifically to help those rural fire departments, especially those who 
have a terrible problem in gaining the equipment and materials. I see 
the chairman shaking his head. I think he remembers Claude's work on 
this issue. Claude Harris traveled the country to speak to groups on 
this concern. I had the opportunity to travel with Claude twice to 
Alabama to speak to his fire service leaders. Claude was a hero in that 
State and nationally for what he had done.
  Claude Harris is probably the example of what a Member of Congress 
should be, and all of us on both sides of the aisle have looked up to 
him, and we send our condolences and sympathy to the family. I think it 
certainly is appropriate that we take this step and honor him in this 
way by naming this building after him.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his statement.
  (Mr. STUMP asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4948, to 
name a building at the Tuscaloosa Veterans' Medical Center in honor of 
our late and distinguished former colleague, Claude Harris, Jr.
  ``Judge Harris,'' as he was known to us, commanded wide respect on 
both sides of the aisle. His views on veterans matters while a member 
of the Veterans' Affairs Committee carried great weight. He tirelessly 
advocated an adequate budget and better access to health care for 
veterans.
  Even though he was not here long enough to attain formal leadership 
positions, he was a leader because of the man he was. A county 
prosecutor who became a judge in Tuscaloosa, AL, Judge Harris served 
three terms in this body and was then appointed U.S. attorney for the 
Northern District of Alabama. He was also a member of the Alabama 
National Guard. In all of these ways, his was a life of exemplary 
public service and accomplishment.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend our Veterans' Affairs Committee 
colleague from Alabama, [Mr. Bachus], for introducing this bill, and 
our chairman, Mr. Montgomery, for bringing it to the floor so 
expeditiously.
  We will miss Judge Harris. He was, as many of my colleagues have 
observed, a champion for veterans and the common man. This would be a 
fitting way to honor him, and I wish he could have still been on this 
earth to see it happen, which was our intent.
  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the support of my 
colleagues for H.R. 4948, which designates a building at the Tuscaloosa 
Veteran's Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL, as the Claude Harris, Jr. 
Building. This bill is of the utmost importance to me, as well as to 
the family, friends, and colleagues of the late, Honorable Claude 
Harris, Jr.
  Congressman Harris was my predecessor as U.S. Representative of the 
Seventh Congressional District of Alabama. All who knew him would agree 
that he was a man of great honor and virtue. He was selfless and 
untiring in his quest to serve others. He was a dedicated husband, 
father, and friend. He was especially committed and unrelenting in his 
service as a Member of this esteemed body. The strength he exhibited 
throughout his personal battle with cancer over the past 6 months, is 
inspirational to all of us whose lives he touched.
  It is most fitting that this particular project should bear his name. 
The funds for the completion of this facility were secured in large 
part by the tremendous efforts of Judge Harris during his tenure on the 
House Committee on Veteran's Affairs. His dedication to the needs of 
our Nation's veterans was typical of his commitment to all of the 
people he served.
  I am honored now to follow in his distinguished footsteps, 
representing the Alabamians who prospered from his years as a U.S. 
Congressman. It is my hope and pleasure that this building would stand 
as a tribute to Claude Harris, Jr., a rarity among men. Finally, 
without any objections, I would like to submit the following House 
Resolution, which honors the memory of Mr. Harris, into the Record.


                             general leave

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous matter on H.R. 4948.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Skaggs). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  2010

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I withdrew my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Skaggs). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 4948

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       Building Number 137 of the Tuscaloosa Veterans' Medical 
     Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, shall be known and designated 
     as the ``Claude Harris, Jr. Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the building referred 
     to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``Claude Harris, Jr. Building''.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on 
the table.

                          ____________________