[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 98 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H6032-H6033]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   SALUTE TO RICHARD E. FLUGE, PRESIDENT, MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF 
                             COMMISSIONERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hayworth). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. I rise, Mr. Speaker, to salute Richard E. 
Fluge, president of the Abington Township, Montgomery County Board of 
Commissioners who died suddenly this morning. It is a great loss for 
our country, because local government leaders like Richard Fluge are 
closest to the people, they see the problems first and they solve them 
best.
  Mr. Fluge was one of the most inspirational local government leaders 
in the United States. He championed for many of the items that were 
passed in the contract:
  The unfunded mandates. As president of the Board of Commissioners in 
Abington Township, Montgomery County, he knew how harsh the unfunded 
mandates were and the fact is that through his leadership, we no longer 
have Federal initiatives without money being sent from Washington.
  He also championed for a balanced budget. Every other government, 
school, township, and States have to balance their budgets and now as a 
result of the House's action and hopefully we will have the Senate 
action as [[Page H6033]] well, a balanced budget will be a reality and 
the fiscal integrity that Richard Fluge championed for will be 
achieved.
  He also worked for regulatory reform, to make sure we have less of 
the redtape in government and more of the services to the people.
  He also worked to have a line-item veto, like 43 Governors and our 
President will soon have, to make sure we cut out the waste in 
Government action, the pork-barrel projects.
  He also worked in long-range planning. Many people in government plan 
for today and do not work for tomorrow. Dick Fluge's idea was, let's 
look to a 5- and 10-year plan, where this country will be, where his 
community will be.
  He also just recently attended a special Medicare preservation task 
force with the citizens to protect Social Security and Medicare in 
nearby Blue Ball, PA. There he spoke in behalf of senior citizens and 
protecting these important programs.
  He was a role model, a visionary leader, honest, principled, fair, a 
great intellect, someone who was low-key, modest, and organized.
  Mr. Fluge's type of leadership, his legacy that lives on will in fact 
be followed by those who follow in his footsteps. They will make great 
contributions like he has to our country.
  I conclude, Mr. Speaker, with these comments. One of his favorite 
quotes was, ``If it's morally right, it's politically right.''
  He also quoted Dag Hammarskjold, former Secretary-General of the 
United Nations. When asked what direction this country and world were 
going, he said, ``It's not north, not south, not east nor west but 
going forward.''
  And in reference to that, with leaders like Dick Fluge, who inspired 
us to do our best, we will go forward, to work together for the common 
good, who put service above self. The future of our country's progress 
is unlimited with people like Dick Fluge, who gave a great legacy of 
service.


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