[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 11 (Thursday, January 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CLAUDE HARRIS, FORMER MEMBER OF CONGRESS

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                         HON. EARL F. HILLIARD

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 19, 1995

  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, many of us are still mourning the loss of 
the Honorable Claude Harris, a former distinguished Member of this 
body, who until his untimely death on October 3, 1994, was serving as 
the U.S. Attorney for the northern district of Alabama.
  A moving editorial tribute to Congressman Harris, written by one of 
Mr. Harris' longtime friends and associates, Mr. Robert Betz, was 
recently published in Mr. Betz' Federal Legislative Report. In short, 
it states that Claude Harris was a real public servant, patriot, 
statesman, and friend to all people.
  Mr. Speaker, in the interest of time, I ask that the aforementioned 
article be printed in its entirety in the Congressional Record, and 
that a copy be sent to his family in Tuscaloosa, AL.

                        Tribute to Claude Harris

       Sometimes in the space of the Federal Health Policy Report, 
     I pause to comment to the readers about personal issues 
     related to the work of the Alabama Hospital Association in 
     Washington, DC.
       It is in this spirit that I want to say a word about the 
     late Claude Harris, former prosecutor and circuit court 
     judge, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. 
     Attorney, and my friend. People often ask me who I think in 
     Congress is a real public servant, patriot, statesman, or 
     just someone who has not lost touch with ``folks back home.'' 
     Claude Harris was such a man. He was also a friend of the 
     hospitals of Alabama. He was a man of honor, courage and 
     humility and although I cannot say for sure, I believe Claude 
     Harris walked in the light of God.
       I met Claude in 1987 when he first came to Washington as a 
     brand new member of the Alabama congressional delegation. He 
     drove himself to Washington pulling a U-Haul van of which he 
     was splitting the cost with his Administrative Assistant, 
     Walter Braswell. I took him to dinner the first week he was 
     here and we stayed up late talking about issues. He impressed 
     on me then, as now, how he had a firm grip on himself and his 
     ego. Recognizing that there were things he needed to learn, 
     he carefully developed a reputation for listening to many 
     voices and opinions. After six years he still viewed his role 
     in Congress not as a life-long entitlement but as a steward 
     with a great responsibility to his country, his state and his 
     district.
       His staff loved him. Unlike many congressional offices, 
     Claude had a very small staff that he worked hard and paid 
     well. I remember the day I walked into his office to drop off 
     a paper and there was his entire staff sitting in his office 
     eating fried chicken out of a big tin bucket with Claude. It 
     wasn't the private members' dining room, it was a commander 
     eating with his troops.
       Speaking militarily, Claude continued to serve as a colonel 
     in the Alabama Army National Guard the whole time he was in 
     Congress, making the long trip back to his unit after a 
     grilling week in Washington. When Desert Storm came along I 
     saw him at his most worried. He agonized about the safety of 
     the men and women from his state that were serving their 
     country in a dangerous situation.
       When the future husband of one of his staff members finally 
     got up the nerve to propose to her, Claude escorted the two 
     of them to the top of the U.S. Capitol so the young man could 
     pop the question. This is a members-access-only privilege and 
     one of the toughest stair climbs in the world. Claude took 
     the time to do this to make it special for one of his staff 
     people. No wonder his staff adored him.
       There are many good people who work in Washington and in 
     government in general. Sometimes I think the bad apples get 
     all the press. That's why the untimely passing of Claude 
     Harris is such a loss. When he was in Washington, the 
     hospitals of the state of Alabama had no greater friend. When 
     he voluntarily stepped down so that a colleague could have a 
     better shot at a newly drawn district, he was sad but not 
     about losing the seat so much as there was so much more he 
     wanted to do.
       I realize that I only got to be a part of Claude Harris' 
     life. I am sure that his other friends will have other 
     viewpoints on a multifaceted man. However, what I saw 
     impressed me greatly. Specifically, it boiled down to this--
     he was someone who understood the importance of viewing 
     Washington's follies from a seat of sanity on the front porch 
     of an honest perspective. I can't say that about many. Claude 
     Harris may, in fact, have been what Thomas Jefferson had in 
     mind when he talked about a citizen government.
       In my years of working in Washington, AlaHA has had many 
     friends. None of them has been greater than Claude Harris. My 
     deepest condolences to his wife Barbara and to his family, 
     and to the many friends that will mourn the passing of this 
     good man and public servant.

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