[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 10 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E103-E104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO RUTH AND BILL GRAHAM

                                 ______


                               speech of

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 23, 1996

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2657, legislation 
which would award a Congressional Gold Medal to Ruth and Billy Graham. 
In a time when we are searching for leaders to show us the way back 
toward the values of community, hope, faith, and character, Ruth and 
Billy Graham stand among us as the embodiment of that kind of 
leadership. For over 60 years, together they have worked in a 
nonpartisan way to bring reconciliation, justice, peace, and salvation 
to the people and leaders of America and the world. As they have sought 
to follow the will of Jesus Christ in their lives and lead many toward 
faith, they are living sacraments of God's love and the highest 
American ideals.
  It is no wonder that the Grahams consistently rank among America's 
most respected people. When numerous ministries and their leaders have 
disappointed us with their insincerity and greed, the Billy Graham 
ministries stand as an unfailing rock of integrity and conviction. When 
a majority of evangelical ministers were content to preach a message of 
salvation from within their church walls while ignoring social issues 
like racism and poverty, Billy and Ruth Graham, looking deep into the 
heart of the Gospel they proclaimed, stepped into the public arena to 
confront its greatest evils with love and truth. When most of us are 
content to settle for partisan bickering and alienation, Billy and Ruth 
Graham have served America's Presidents and the world's leaders in our 
times of greatest crises without regard to party or platform. Truly, 
they are a man and woman of and for our times.
  My father and mother, the late Frank G. and Lucille Clement, found 
faithful friends in Billy and Ruth Graham. They visited together on 
numerous occasions during and after the time my father served as 
Governor of the State of Tennessee. They often took trips together, and 
Dr. Graham begged Dad to leave politics and join the Billy Graham 
crusades. My Dad was a man steeped in biblical knowledge--he even 
taught a Sunday School class while he was Governor. My father assisted 
Dr. Graham with his crusades in Nashville, but also around the country. 
Dad was honored by Dr. Graham's invitation, but his calling lay in 
politics, not preaching.
  Dad asked the Tennessee poet Peck Gunn to work with Billy Graham on 
the road, and together they organized train crusades originating from 
Nashville, TN and stretching across the country. These were memorable 
moments 

[[Page E104]]
for the crusades as the good news made its way across the heartland 
carrying God's spokesman.
  Dr. Graham's loyalty and friendship toward my family has endured now 
for a half century. Just recently, my mother, Lucille Clement, passed 
away after 75 beautiful years. Several years ago, Mother visited Ruth 
at the Graham home in Montreat. My mother spoke often of how she was 
blessed by this time well spent. So, upon my mother's death, Dr. Graham 
issued a statement to the press of his great love and friendship for my 
mother and our family. I was very grateful.
  For these reasons and more, it was my pleasure to work with 
Representative Charles Taylor to invite our colleagues to sign on as 
cosponsors of this important legislation which will record for history 
our admiration and highest honor for these two servants of God and the 
world.
  I call upon my colleagues today to support this bill which awards the 
Grahams with the highest honor of the U.S. Congress, but an award much 
too inadequate for this couple. I am reminded today of how the writer 
of the New Testament book of Hebrews describes the heroes of our faith. 
These heroes, like Billy and Ruth Graham, are those ``of whom the world 
is not worthy.''

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