[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 126 (Tuesday, August 1, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1574-E1575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        IN MEMORY OR ELMER CERIN

                                 ______


                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 1, 1995
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, Congress has lost one of its most precious 
resources.
  On Monday, July 24, Elmer Cerin passed away. I join with many of my 
colleagues, our staff, and others whose lives intersect with our's on 
Capital Hill to mourn Elmer's death and to take a moment to celebrate 
his life.
  Unlike many of Elmer's admirers, I only knew him for a short time. 
When I arrived in Washington in January 1993, I began, of course, to 
meet the Hill's personalities. I met the Speaker. I met powerful 
Senators. I met important Ambassadors. And I met Elmer. Bounding into 
my office 1 day with a huge smile on his face and a stack of Dear 
Colleagues under his arm, I first laid eyes on this incredible man, on 
this Capitol Hill institution.
  One of my staff members, who had known Elmer for several years, 
filled me in. Elmer was a volunteer lobbyist for a number of important 
causes, including health care, religious freedom, and pro-Israel 
issues. Although he had reached the age of 80, he had the energy of the 
interns a quarter his age with whom he constantly bantered. He was kind 
and funny, I was told, but also incredibly persistent and persuasive. 
With the force of his personality and his shoeleather, Elmer won many 
more legislative battles than he lost.
  Elmer had a long and distinguished career before he ever began his 
lobbying crusades. He served in the administrations of Presidents 
Roosevelt and Truman, and also worked for the Postal Service for over 
20 years. Subsequently, Elmer was a successful attorney in private 
practice.
  When Elmer's beloved wife, Sylvia, was diagnosed with ALS--Lou 
Gehrig's disease--in 1977, he began the phase of his life that put him 
in contact with so many on the Hill. Elmer began a personal effort to 
lobby for more research funds for ALS. Over the years, he took 

[[Page E1575]]
on additional health issues including breast cancer, smoking, and NIH 
funding. For many years, he worked out of the office of our colleague 
Henry Waxman, who spoke eloquently last week at Elmer's funeral.
  Elmer also had a desk in Steve Solarz's office where he worked with 
Steve on human rights and Jewish issues. I'm told that he helped 
Representative Solarz pass the famous yarmulke bill--which allowed 
Jewish servicemen to wear religious head coverings while on duty--by 
recounting to Members and staff the fact that Elmer himself wore his 
yarmulke while parachuting behind enemy lines in World War II.
  Together with his second wife, Shoshana Riemer, herself an activist, 
Elmer was very involved in a host of civic and community affairs. He 
was legendary for his continuous vigil in front of the Soviet Embassy 
during the dark days of oppression of Soviet Jews. He and Shoshana were 
charter sponsors of the Holocaust Museum.
  In a New York Times profile about Elmer written in 1986, Elmer said, 
``During my lifetime, if I can reduce suffering in this world a little 
bit, I will be more than rewarded for all my efforts.'' Sadly, Elmer's 
life has come to an end. But he did indeed succeed in helping many, 
many people. And he enriched and inspired those he left behind. The 
poet Thomas Campbell wrote, ``To live in the hearts we leave is not to 
die.'' By this measure, Elmer will live on in all who knew and loved 
him.


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