[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 28, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H3857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO BRIAN SCHLIENTZ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Zimmer). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Stupak] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Last 
Saturday my Upper Peninsula representative, Brian Schlientz, died. 
Brian was 27 years old. He had courageously battled a rare form of 
brain cancer. His life was brief, but it was filled with church and 
social activities, academic and athletic achievements, and community 
involvement.
  Some would say success always came easy for Brian. But his greatest 
success was Brian's love of God, his family, and his country.
  It is difficult to articulate success as it applies to faith in God. 
It is difficult to describe love of family when cancer denied Brian his 
wedding day 3 weeks ago on March 4.
  For some people, it is hard to envision one's love for their country 
when Brian never served in the armed services; still Brian left his 
college studies to help me get elected to Congress in 1992. Just to 
help me? No, but to help his country, for Brian believed with all his 
heart in life.
  He worked so long, so hard, just so a right-to-life Democrat could be 
elected to the U.S. Congress.
  It was Brian's love of God, his family, and his country that 
propelled him to become an extraordinary person.
  Brian is survived by his parents Don and Dorothy, his twin brother 
Matt and Matt's wife, Tiffany, Brian's sister, Heidi, his brother-in-
law, Chad, and his devoted fiancee, Kristy, many relatives and all of 
his many, many friends.
  To his family and to each of us, Brian has his own special 
significance. He had his own personal impact on all of us. When we 
gather at Northern Michigan University this Thursday for a memorial 
service for Brian, a university where he starred in academics and on 
the football field, we will all have our own personal songs, thoughts, 
and prayers for Brian and his family. While there is certainly sadness 
in our hearts, it is quickly being replaced by joy, much like this holy 
season of Lent in which we sacrifice and we try to cleanse our 
spiritual life just to experience the joy and the holy significance of 
Easter Sunday. So too should we all bask in the joy of Brian's life, 
the joy of knowing him, the joy of his love for each of us.
  Just think of the joy that Brian brought to each of us.
  As my Upper Peninsula congressional representative, Brian and I 
traveled together, we worked together and we prayed together. Brian was 
a joy to be around. You wanted to be with Brian. He brought out the 
best in everyone.
  As Brian and I would drive the vast distances between the small towns 
that comprise the Upper Peninsula of Michigan our discussions always 
seemed to turn to his love for God and the difficulty, yet the strength 
and the joy he found in being, and working with and for a right-to-life 
Democrat.
  Brian excelled in his position as my Upper Peninsula representative 
because of his love, joy that he had in God, his family, and this great 
country.
  Although he already had one bachelor's degree in biology and 
chemistry, Brian went back to his studies so he could become a teacher. 
But, Brian, you are a teacher. Brian, you have been a great teacher and 
for all of us, Brian, you will continue to be a great teacher. As you 
look down upon all of us with that huge smile upon your face, I know 
that you will grade us not in the classroom, not in our academic and 
athletic achievements, but in the joy, strength, and love that we bring 
to each other. For you taught us, teacher, that the joy, success, and 
accomplishment in life is found in one's love of God, family, and 
country.
  Thank you, Brian, for teaching us and reminding us of the secret: the 
success and the joy of your life.

                          ____________________