[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 49 (Wednesday, April 17, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            FURTHER TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HONORABLE RON BROWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, last evening our colleague, the gentlewoman 
from North Carolina, Representative Eva Clayton, called a special order 
to honor the memory of and celebrate the life of Secretary of Commerce 
Secretary Ron Brown. There were so many of us who wanted to participate 
that we have some overflow this evening. I am among those. I want to 
acknowledge the leadership of the gentlewoman in calling that special 
order. She asked us to focus not only on our personal, but our 
professional relationships with Ron Brown in remembering him.
  First, I would like to say, Mr. Speaker, that our country suffered a 
staggering tragedy with the loss of our distinguished Commerce 
Secretary, Ron Brown. How he would enjoy seeing some of the tributes to 
him that were written in the past week. The Washington Post says ``Best 
in the Business.'' Another headline, ``Brown, a Pioneer at Home In 
Black and White America. Ex-Party Chief Had Key Role in Clinton Win.'' 
Indeed he did.
  Another headline, ``Builder of Bridges.'' How he would like to have 
seen this headline, ``Devoted To Mission Until the End.'' ``Ron Brown's 
contribution to his people,'' ``Changing the face of America's 
executive suites, still lily white, is a tribute worthy of Brown.''
  And the list goes on and on of Ron Brown's contributions. Commerce 
Secretary Ron Brown showed endearing enthusiasm for whatever task he 
undertook. How true that is.
  I call these to your attention, Mr. Speaker, and to the attention of 
our colleagues, because I know that Ron Brown would have enjoyed them. 
I hope that they are a source of comfort to the Brown family.
  Our colleague the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, Ms. 
Eleanor Holmes Norton, when she made her presentation last evening 
mentioned some of the other people who, unfortunately, also lost their 
lives in the tragedy, and I would like to call attention to three 
others who I am familiar with. The First Lady attended the funeral of 
Adam Darling, an optimistic and interested person in politics who went 
on to work at the Commerce Department under Ron Brown's leadership. I 
note with particular sadness the death of Bill Morton, a dynamic and 
brilliant young man who devoted his life to advancing minorities in 
public service. And in our community in San Francisco, we are 
particularly grief stricken by the death of Don Terner, the BRIDGE 
Housing Corporation executive, who was a member of the delegation.
  Don Terner is a great lost to the San Francisco Bay Area and the 
affordable housing community nationwide. In his life, he gave dignity 
and hope to American families by providing shelter. Don Terner died as 
he had lived, bringing hope to people in need.
  Now I would like to return my focus to Secretary Ron Brown. I had the 
privilege of working with Ron Brown since the early eighties, when we 
worked together putting together the 1984 Democratic Convention in San 
Francisco, but also working on the delegate selection process. In the 
convention in 1992, I served as cochair with Governor Romer of the 
Platform Committee. I mention those two relationships with Ron because 
in both of those instances, whether it was participation in the party, 
in the delegate selection process, or whether it was policy formation 
in putting together a platform, Ron Brown gave no tolerance to 
discrimination. Our party would be open and our policy would be open to 
all people in our society. Indeed, I believe that is a hallmark of the 
Clinton administration, and Ron Brown's influence was surely felt 
there.
  I hope it is a comfort to all of the families of all of the people in 
the delegation, I hope it is a comfort to their loved ones that they 
are mourned by an entire Nation, that they died in a mission of peace, 
bringing humanitarian and economic assistance to the Balkans, and that 
their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
  I want to particularly commend Alma Brown and extend sympathy to her 
and to Michael and to Tracy, Ron and Alma's children. Across the world, 
people saw Alma Brown as dignified in her sadness. I happened to be in 
Indonesia when we got the news, and even at that distance, the press 
was one of great admiration and, of course, sympathy for Alma. But she 
led us through this tragic time, through this sadness, in a way that I 
know would have made Ron Brown very, very proud. But, of course, he 
knew that about Alma.
  So I would say that as we mourn, the leaders of the delegation, we 
must also remember the patriotic members of the military on the flight 
and the members of the Commerce Department staff. The prayers of my 
family I know will always be with the Brown family, as well as with the 
families of this mission of peace.

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