[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 50 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H3587-H3599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO SECRETARY RONALD H. BROWN AND AMERICANS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES 
                          ON MISSION TO BOSNIA

  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for the immediate 
consideration in the House of the resolution (H. Res. 406) in tribute 
to Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and other Americans who lost 
their lives on April 3, 1996, while in service to their country on a 
mission to Bosnia.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Quinn). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The clerk will report the resolution.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 406

       Whereas Ronald H. Brown served the United States of America 
     with patriotism and skill as a soldier, a civil rights 
     leader, and attorney;
       Whereas Ronald H. Brown devoted his life to opening doors, 
     building bridges, and helping those in need;
       Whereas Ronald H. Brown lost his life in a tragic airplane 
     accident on April 3, 1996, while in service to his country on 
     a mission in Bosnia; and
       Whereas thirty-two other Americans from government and 
     industry who served the Nation with great courage, 
     achievement, and dedication also lost their lives in the 
     accident: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives pays tribute to 
     the remarkable life and career of Ronald H. Brown, and it 
     extends condolences to his family.
       Be it further resolved, That the House of Representatives 
     also pays tribute to the contributions of all those who 
     perished, and that we extend our condolences to the families 
     of: Staff Sergeant Gerald Aldrich, Duane Christian, Barry 
     Conrad, Paul Cushman III, Adam Darling, Captain Ashley James 
     Davis, Gail Dobert, Robert Donovan, Claudio Elia, Staff 
     Sergeant Robert Farrington, Jr., David Ford, Carol Hamilton, 
     Kathryn Hoffman, Lee Jackson, Steven Kaminiski, Katheryn 
     Kellogg, Technical Sergeant Shelley Kelly, James Lewek, Frank 
     Maier, Charles Meissner, William Morton, Walter Murphy, 
     Mathanial Nash, Lawrence Payne, Leonard Pieroni, Captain 
     Timothy Shafer, John Scoville, I. Donald Terner, P. Stuart 
     Tholan, Technical Sergeant Cheryl Ann Turnage, Naomi 
     Warbasse, and Robert Whittaker.
       Sec. 2. The Clerk of the House shall transmit a copy of the 
     resolution to each of the families.

                              {time}  1030

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Quinn). The gentleman from Missouri [Mr. 
Gephardt] is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
In a moment, I will yield to the distinguished Speaker of the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning with great sadness to offer a 
resolution in tribute to Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and all of the 
Americans who lost their lives in that awful tragedy on April 3 while 
they were all serving their country on a mission to Bosnia. I am 
pleased that we are able to make this a bipartisan resolution, in fact, 
a resolution of all the Members of the House. For when a highly and 
distinguished member of the U.S. Cabinet is killed overseas for the 
first time in American history, when we lose an individual, and 
individuals of such extraordinary ability and achievement, when we lose 
so many other dedicated business leaders and public servants, members 
of the Commerce Department, members of the U.S. Air Force, it is not a 
partisan tragedy, it is truly a tragedy for all of our citizens and all 
of our country.
  In the week since Ron Brown's death, it has already become a cliche 
to speak of his brilliant political and public service career. Of his 
pioneering role as chairman of the Democratic Party and his efforts to 
almost single-handedly redefine the Commerce Department and its 
mandate. For those of us who considered Ron a friend, as I did, it is 
reassuring to know that the country remembers him as fondly as we do. 
But when there are so many tangible achievements to celebrate in a 
man's life, it becomes harder to recognize what is less tangible but 
perhaps as more important.
  To me, there is a simple reason why Ron Brown broke down so many 
barriers in so many areas and shattered so many preconceptions, about 
politics, race, and America's place in the world. For all of his 
practical and political talents, Ron Brown was an idealist, pure and 
simple. His goals for himself, his party and his country were always 
based on what should be and not on what others thought could be. This 
is a rare quality in any of us, in a politician, a rate quality in a 
human being. But it is why so many people loved and respected Ron Brown 
and were so often willing to abandon their own goals and egos to work 
with him for a higher purpose.
  Mr. Speaker, much has been said in recent days about Ron Brown's 
ability to heal divisions, to reconcile views, to focus on what unite 
people rather than on what divide them. He truly believed that you 
could always accomplish more by working together, by bringing others 
along with you. That is one reason why he nurtured so much talent in so 
many other people throughout his career. As party chairman, he really 
did bring the Democratic Party together, something that is hard to do, 
sometimes almost one person at a time.

  To see the depth of his empathy and understanding, to see how far he 
would go to understand people who disagreed with him and opinions and 
then to find the common ground between them was to see the very essence 
of leadership. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown dramatically expanded his 
mandate, reinvigorating the foreign commercial

[[Page H3588]]

service and becoming a real booster of U.S. exports on a scale that we 
have never seen before. He poured all of his passion and energy in his 
work at Commerce, as he had at the Democratic Committee, and I always 
admired the aggressive way in which he led that department, even in the 
face of criticism.
  Mr. Speaker, our country could use more Ron Browns, for he pushed 
boundaries, broke down barriers almost instinctively, intuitively as if 
he simply refused to acknowledge that they were there in the first 
place. Perhaps in that sense, we can find a shred of meaning in Ron 
Brown's death, because no risk, no naysayers could ever have kept him 
from exploring new terrain, for reaching new challenges, and from 
trying to redefine the world in which we live.
  That he managed to do all of these things in so few years is a 
powerful legacy indeed. I also want to reach out on behalf of all of us 
to the families not only of Ron Brown but all of the Americans who died 
in this terrible tragedy. All of them together, in their own way, were 
trying to do something very important for the United States and for the 
world. The business people who were out there were out there to help 
rebuild an economy torn by war and strife.
  Mr. Speaker, the truth is there was no real profit to be made by 
these companies. They were there on a mission of the United States to 
help the people of Bosnia. Unlike maybe many of the other trade 
missions that Ron Brown asked them to be on, this one was truly a 
mission of help. This was a mission of altruism in the highest sense of 
the business community and the people of this country.
  So to the families of all of these people, whether it was business 
leaders, whether it is Ron Brown, whether it was the Air Force people 
who were trying to take them there, whether it was the staff people at 
Commerce, I want to reach out and deliver in as heartfelt a way as we 
can the deep sympathy and the feeling of gratitude and appreciation 
that all of us have for all of these people and their families.
  There is no way that any of us can bring these lives back, but we can 
at least stand here today and on behalf of the American people give a 
heartfelt condolence of sympathy and heartfelt thanks and appreciation 
for the sacrifice of all of the people who died in this terrible 
tragedy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished 
Speaker of the House, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich].
  Mr. GINGRICH. Let me thank my colleague for yielding and let me thank 
the minority leader for proposing this resolution which I think every 
Member of the House will support and which I think every Member of the 
House wishes to reach each family touched by this tragedy.
  The House, I believe, will want to extend condolences to every member 
of every family to realize that there were a number of Americans 
serving their country, serving the cause of freedom, seeking to help a 
war-torn region who found themselves willing to take real risks. This 
tragedy is a reminder that service in our armed services and at times 
service to our country is potentially dangerous and requires of our 
citizens a willingness to put duty above pleasure and to put country 
above self.
  Mr. Speaker, Secretary Ron Brown is the first Cabinet Secretary 
killed on duty in over 150 years. I think it was an enormous shock to 
all of us to be reminded of the dangers traveling around the world that 
can affect those who serve even in civilian posts. I knew Ron Brown as 
a competitor. We did not meet in the same planning meetings. We were 
not involved in the same things when he was chairman of the Democratic 
National Committee, but I got to know him as somebody who was 
brilliant, who was charming, who was energetic and, maybe more 
important, who had a kind of creativity with a remarkable resilience. 
Whatever angle you came at Ron from, he came back with a new idea, a 
new approach, new intensity. He was a great competitor. I think that 
both Lee Atwater before his death and Haley Barbour since have found in 
Ron Brown a personal friend and somebody who shared their passion for 
democracy and shared their zest for partisan competition.
  It is true that Ron Brown was at times very controversial and a lot 
of questions were raised, a lot of charges were made. Certainly, of all 
the Members of the House, I may be the most able to identify with being 
at the center of controversy at times. And I can say that every time we 
would meet and we would talk, there was a positiveness to his approach. 
There was an intensity and a willingness to live out whatever happened 
and whatever fights he was in, a willingness to move forward, to focus 
on getting things done that was quite remarkable.
  At the Commerce Department, he traveled across the world, worked with 
senior executives, did, I thought, remarkably creative things to create 
American jobs through world sales. And again and again he would put 
together a team, they would go to a country and he would achieve 
breakthroughs for American workers and for American sales that had not 
occurred before. In his last mission, as my good friend from Missouri 
was pointing out, Ron Brown was on a selfless venture to help those who 
needed help, to help those who sought peace, recognizing that as 
Commerce Secretary, if he could help them begin to rebuild their 
economies, he might be able to begin to rebuild their cultures, and 
they might be able to find a way to seek prosperity together rather 
than to destroy their region in war.
  I think we in the House want Ron Brown's family and the families of 
all of those who died in this accident to know that we are deeply 
grateful for the commitment they made to freedom, to the willingness 
they had to serve their country, and that our offices and our doors are 
open, both to Secretary Brown's family, but equally important, to the 
family of every American who was on that airplane, to the family of 
every person who died in service to their country.
  Again, I thank my friend for offering this resolution which I so 
strongly support and which I would hope the House will pass unanimously 
in just a few minutes.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Speaker for that fine 
statement and urge all the Members to vote for this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Michigan 
[Mr. Dingell] be allowed to manage the remainder of the time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I first want to commend our distinguished minority 
leader and the Speaker for introducing this important resolution and 
for bringing it to the floor in this expeditious manner.
  I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this resolution, which pays tribute 
to Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and the other 33 Americans who lost 
their lives in the tragic airplane crash on April 3.
  In the past 2 weeks, we all have heard the tremendous accolades paid 
to Secretary Brown for his numerous contributions to this Nation. He 
was a great public servant, a loving husband and father, and a man who 
brought tremendous enthusiasm, vision, humor, and intelligence to every 
challenge he accepted.
  The country is much better off because of Ron Brown. We have all 
heard the many tributes from American business leaders who have called 
him the best Secretary of Commerce in our Nation's history. These 
statements were made well before his tragic death. As Secretary of 
Commerce, Ron worked tirelessly and aggressively to create and protect 
American jobs. Under his leadership, the Department delivered more for 
less by making sensible investments in our communities, protecting 
intellectual property rights, stimulating advances in technology and 
telecommunications, increasing our competitiveness and exports, and 
providing essential weather forecasting, research, and environmental 
services.
  I know many other Members with to speak this morning, so I will end 
by simply saying farewell and thank you to my dear friend Ron Brown and 
by extending my deepest condolences to his wife Alma, to his wonderful 
children, and to the families and friends of the other Americans who 
lost their lives in service to their country on April 3. The loss of 
their collective talents will be felt for years to come.

[[Page H3589]]

                              {time}  1045

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Meek].
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to 
thank, as a representative of the Congressional Black Caucus, to thank 
the leader, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Gingrich], to thank our 
Speaker, and to say to our Speaker we thank him for bringing in the 
bipartisan part of this resolution, and I thank him very much, Speaker 
Gingrich, for adding this dimension to this resolution.
  Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and the other Americans who lost 
their lives on April 3 while in service to our country, they were true 
patriots, and they deserve the honor which patriots should receive.
  The Congressional Black Caucus thanks all of this House for 
representing and paying a tribute to Secretary Brown. We also want to 
thank Senator Bob Dole, who cosponsored the resolution in the Senate, 
and 98 of his colleagues properly and officially honored, just as we 
are doing, Secretary Brown and the other great Americans who died in 
the service of their country.
  We pay tribute to Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and the others. He was 
the 30th U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He had been a strong and forceful 
advocate for not only American business, but Ron Brown stretched all 
out to the byways and the ghettos of this country, and they all had a 
model to follow, regardless of race, color, or creed. He was a beacon 
of hope for the divergent messages that make up this country.
  Under Secretary Brown's leadership, the Commerce Department became 
one of the major success stories in the Clinton administration. He 
launched a national export strategy predicated on the very basic idea 
that American exports translate into jobs and opportunities for 
American business and working people. In the pursuit of this strategy, 
Secretary Brown conducted trade mission after trade mission.
  He was a tireless worker or soldier in the American Army. He had the 
vision to see that beyond the horrors of war, behind the horrors of 
war-torn Bosnia lay opportunities, not only for American business, but 
for the Bosnian people. To be of service, he wanted to be, and he did 
it as well as to engage in commerce.
  Ron Brown was a common man with an uncommon touch who, while fighting 
against this Nation's injustices, also believed he could be bettering 
this Nation and that all people could be lifted up to reach their 
highest potential. Because of Ron Brown, doors have been opened for 
many Americans that were never evern cracked before.
  The Congressional Black Caucus is grateful for Secretary Ron Brown's 
legacy, which he left to all of us. He came from humble roots, but he 
did not internalize his race or his color or his creed. He did not 
internalize his humble beginnings. He made something out of each one. 
He did not relate himself to the roles which society had defined for 
him and others like him.
  He was an unifying and driving force to indicate to all of us what a 
public servant should be like. He knew what it meant to be one. He put 
the needs of the American people ahead of his own. He lived for 
America, and ultimately, Mr. Speaker, he gave his life for America.
  So I want to thank this House for bestowing this tribute on Ron 
Brown, and on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucuss I would like to 
say, ``Thank you to all of you.''
  Mr. DINGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Forbes].
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and 
most importantly I rise in support to celebrate the life of the man 
that we knew as Ron Brown.
  I am a new Member of this body, going on my 15th month, and early in 
my tenure Ron Brown reached out to me as one of those new freshmen 
Members, those Republican freshmen Members of the Congress, because Ron 
Brown, above all else, was the kind of man that built bridges, and, 
yes, we know his service as a great politician, and I say that in the 
most reverent and decent sense because he understood good politics, he 
understood the art of compromise and building bridges.
  Ron Brown was a people person, he was a good and decent man, and I am 
so very honored to stand in this well with so many others who have come 
to revere and respect Ron Brown and to have called him my friend.
  Mr. Speaker, over the last 15 months we spent many moments together, 
some of his more difficult personal moments. I was honored to have 
spent some time over in his office with him, and, Mr. Speaker, Ron 
Brown, as I said, was a tremendous individual, and he was a tremendous 
public servant. He built the Commerce Department in a way that I think 
few on either side of the aisle would dispute. It said that the work of 
Ron Brown has sowed the seeds for about $44 billion in new economic 
opportunity for American businesses as a result of his travels around 
the globe to build partnerships with other nations.
  As I said, he was a good and decent man, and we shared something else 
in common: our love for a place on eastern Long Island called Sag 
Harbor, and he spent many wonderful private moments there with his dear 
wife, Alma, and with his children.
  Mr. Speaker, Ron Brown, as I say, will be sorely missed. He was a man 
of good humor, good decency, and we reached out and spoke with each 
other many, many times over the last 15 months.
  I disagree with some who think that, for example, we should change 
the way the Commerce Department is set up. I disagree with that, and 
Ron understood that, and we talked at great length about that.
  I shared his interest in the National Marine Fishery Service, which 
was one of the many agencies under his charge at the Department of 
Commerce, and they did tremendous things, the National Marine Fishery 
Service, something again that we had in common with my eastern Long 
Island district, and, as I have acknowledge, he has built tremendous 
bridges across the world on behalf of all Americans in the area of 
international trade particularly, and during my last 15 months in this 
body I have heard repeatedly, long before the tragedy, of the 
tremendous accomplishments of the Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown, in 
the area of exporting.
  So I rise today in support of the resolution. I extend to the family 
of Ron Brown, to his dear wife, Alma, and his children, Tracy and 
Michael, and to all of the families of the 33 others whom we lost in 
the tragedy earlier this month, I extend our condolences, our heartfelt 
sympathies, and our prayers and thoughts are with all of you.
  I stood in this well several evenings ago and made note of another 
individual whom we lost in this tragedy from my district, young Gail 
Dobert, who served with Ron Brown in his chairmanship of the Democratic 
National Committee, and with excitement and great promise went with him 
over to the Department of Commerce and served so ably to help build 
this international presence that Ron made possible.
  So I rise in support of this resolution, and I appreciate the House 
taking this time today to celebrate the life of Ron Brown. He was a 
good and decent man.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly].
  Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, today we honor a dear friend and a great 
leader, the late Commerce Secretary, Ron Brown.
  Every so often, fortunately, our country produces someone who reminds 
us of the hope, energy, and optimism that are the very essence of being 
an American. Ron Brown was such a person. He was a vital man--vital in 
his love of life, and vital in the energy that he brought to his work.
  Those of us who had the joy of working with Ron Brown know the total 
dedication he brought to any job. Verve, style, and sheer energy were 
his hallmarks.
  But beyond that dazzling surface lay an intellect of great depth in 
understanding the forces at work in the world today. He knew that in an 
increasingly complex and competitive world, Government officials must 
fight to gain a fair share of foreign projects and markets for U.S. 
goods. So Ron Brown pioneered commercial diplomacy. From his first day 
at the Commerce Department to his last tragic

[[Page H3590]]

flight, Ron Brown proved himself to be the best advocate American 
business ever had. Against the world's toughest competition, he 
championed our country's industries, workers, and products. He 
pioneered commercial diplomacy from his first day at Commerce to his 
last, tragic flight.
  Ron Brown proved himself to be a strong voice for American business 
and for all Americans. Against the world's toughest competition, he 
championed our country. His knowledge, his good will, and his 
commitment to this country will all be missed deeply. With my 
colleagues, I send my deepest sympathy to his family.
  But, Mr. Speaker, on a personal note, I just want to speak about Ron 
Brown as I knew him. He had something that always had me in awe. When 
Ron Brown talked to you, you thought he cared about you.
  The last time I talked to Ron Brown was a week before he went on his 
trip. My colleagues would have thought this terribly busy man was 
waiting for my call. And my call was a request, another request of so 
many requests, to take up part of his very important time.
  My sympathy to his family, my sympathy to the United States of 
America, because he is gone.
  Ron, your thousands of friends are going to miss you.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon].
  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan, John 
Dingell, for being gracious with his time, and I will only take just a 
couple of minutes.
  Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise as a conservative to pay tribute 
and give my sympathy to the family of Ron Brown.
  Ron Brown was a liberal. We rarely shared the same philosophical 
views. But let me say to my colleagues there was no more trusted man in 
politics, in my opinion, than Ron Brown because he really believed what 
he said. He was truly genuine. I think we really need to learn from Ron 
Brown's spirit. Even though he was a partisan Democrat and I am a 
partisan Republican, we all could meet with him, and when that meeting 
was finished and when I was walking out of the room, it felt like 
walking out after having met with a friend even though we might have 
disagreed.
  That is the kind of man that Ron Brown was. We need more people like 
that in Government, we need more people like that in this House of 
Representatives. We all, those of us who show emotion from time to 
time, could take a lesson from Ron Brown because he was truly a decent 
human being, liked by so many people, including me.
  Our condolences also go out to all of the families of those who lost 
their lives in the terrible tragedy including the families from Glens 
Falls, NY, my hometown, Claudio Elia, the husband of Susan Day, who 
grew up next door, and to Walter J. Murphy, who also grew up in Glens 
Falls.
  They and Ron Brown were just 2 of the 33 decent human beings who were 
doing their part in trying to bring peace and stability to that 
troubled part of the world.
  May God Bless them all.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton].
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this time 
to me, and I thank him for his leadership and his tribute to Ron Brown.
  Seven Americans, seven public servants, went down on that fated plane 
in Bosnia. One of them was Ronald H. Brown. He was my friend of 30 
years and my constituent. This was the city in which he was born, it is 
the city where he lived out his life, it was the city where he became 
known as both a public man and a public servant.
  Many of us will remember him also as a family man. The most poignant 
photograph of Ron is the one with his twin grandsons.

                              {time}  1100

  What Ron meant to his son Michael and his daughter Tracy is itself a 
model for how to be a parent in these days when so many have lost that 
art. Yet, this most busy of men was a wonderful parent to his children.
  Ron will be remembered as a breaker of barriers on one hand, and as 
an extraordinary innovator on the other. He broke barriers that no man 
or woman before him had even attempted. This was, I have to say, my 
colleagues, a black man who simply did not know his place and refused 
to accept the notion that there was one for him. So when it came time 
to resurrect the Democratic Party, it was Ron Brown who stepped forward 
and said not ``Not me,'' but ``It must be me.''
  When he went to the Commerce Department he said not ``How do you do 
this job?'' but ``I will do this job in a way it has never been done 
before.'' So after he broke the barriers, he did something much more 
important. He was a pioneer in turning around each of those 
institutions.
  It was Ron Brown who engineered the comeback of the Democratic Party 
in 1992, and it was Ron Brown who perfected the art of diplomacy, of 
commercial diplomacy at the Commerce Department. Either one of these 
breakthroughs, either one of these pioneering efforts, would have left 
Ron's name written in the book of American history. He wrote new pages 
wherever he went. He wrote them in part because he had it all. He was 
an extraordinarily talented man, and because he understood the expanse 
of his talents, he gave it all.
  Ron exemplified the best of our country, the American spirit of 
optimism, the refusal to recognize any limits. May our country also 
make that same refusal.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute today to a 
great America, Ron Brown, who was an outstanding father to Tracy and 
Michael, a loving husband to Alma, a fine Cabinet secretary, a trusted 
adviser to President Clinton, a champion of business. He helped 
increase the growth of this country's companies and, as well, increased 
jobs; a goodwill ambassador for the United States; a positive spirit; a 
modern-day Will Rogers. He never lost his cool.
  The world gave him lemons and he made lemonade; a role model for our 
young people; for those who want to get involved in government, work 
for a good candidate, work for a good cause, and work for your country, 
just like Ron Brown did, a great American who we tribute today, and who 
will be greatly missed.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spratt].
  (Mr. SPRATT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I proudly sponsor this resolution because 
Ron Brown was a friend and a rare American. He was African-American, 
but he transcended race and color. He was a party leader, and one of 
the best because he resurrected our party, but there was nothing ever 
small or petty or partisan about him. He had this enormous affinity for 
people, and he led by bringing people together, not by splitting us 
apart.
  When he came before our committee to defend his embattled Commerce 
Department, he was a forceful advocate with the facts at his command, 
but he made his case without a trace of rancor or resentment. He could 
do that because he sat there as the single best argument for that 
embattled department.
  Ron Brown was a bridge-builder at a time when so many of our 
differences seem unbridgeable. His goodness and his decency and his 
energy and charm are assets we sorely need in the public life of this 
country. We can ill afford to lose leaders like him, before his time, 
still in his prime.
  But in the broadest sense, we have not lost Ron Brown, for he remains 
a lasting symbol of what America at its best can be. I extend to his 
family, and to the families of all those who perished in this tragic 
accident, my sympathy and our gratitude for the selfless service 
rendered our country in the cause of peace in a forlorn place.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Ney].
  (Mr. NEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from yielding time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to extend on behalf of my district and, 
obviously,

[[Page H3591]]

all the Members of the House, condolences to the family of Ron Brown 
and all those who were aboard the airplane that crashed in Bosnia.
  Also, Mr. Speaker, I wanted to point out that one of my constituents 
who was originally from Zanesville, OH, Shelly McPeck Kelly, was aboard 
that plane. She leaves behind a loving family in Zanesville, OH. That 
would be her mother, Shirley Clark, and also her stepfather, Sam Clark, 
and several siblings. She also leaves behind a loving husband, Dennis, 
and two children, Sean and Courtney.
  Shelly McPeck Kelly was to retire in 2 years from the Air Force. She 
achieved the rank of technical sergeant. She was a loyal and devoted 
wife and a loving mother. She served faithfully her Government aboard a 
U.S. Air Force plane, and also had previously served for the President 
aboard Air Force One during the Bush administration.
  I recognize her service to the country, and rise on behalf of the 
residents of eastern Ohio to say that we want to commend Shelly McPeck 
Kelly for her service to the United States of America during the Bosnia 
peacekeeping mission, and just also say that the residents of eastern 
Ohio join me in honoring the memory of Shelly McPeck Kelly and send 
condolences to her family, as we also send to the family of Ron Brown 
and the other devoted and loyal Americans aboard that plane.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Jackson].
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell] for yielding this time to me, and 
for his forthright vision in honoring the late Secretary of Commerce.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to join my colleagues in sponsoring 
this resolution in honor of Secretary Ron Brown and the others who lost 
their lives on Wednesday, April 3. The tragic plane crash and death of 
Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown is a personal loss, as well as a 
national loss of a great public servant. In addition to being a 
professional colleague, I was a close personal friend, not only of Ron 
Brown, but of his entire family, his wife Alma, his two children, 
Tracey and Michael, and his brother Chip Brown.
  Our prayers are with Ron Brown's family and with all of the families 
who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy--Bill Morton, Carol 
Hamilton, Duane Christian, Kathryn Hoffman, and the others. It is a 
reminder to all of us to be good stewards of the time and talent that 
God has given us on this Earth, and to use it to serve others to the 
best of our abilities.
  I was with Secretary Ron Brown just a couple of weeks ago at a 
breakfast meeting. He came up to me and congratulated me on my election 
to Congress. He said, ``I am so proud of you.'' The feeling was mutual, 
I was also proud of him.
  I was appointed to the Democratic National Committee [DNC] by Paul 
Kirk, largely at the behest of Ron Brown, who shortly thereafter was 
chosen as the chairman of the DNC. As Chair of the DNC, he is credited 
with running a coordinated campaign, which not only elected Democrats 
to the Senate and House, but helped to elect Bill Clinton President of 
the United States. Shorty, thereafter, he was appointed Secretary of 
Commerce, where he did a splendid job for the President and for the 
country.
  Ron Brown was the convention manager for my father's Presidential 
campaign in 1988, where he used his bridge-building skills to close the 
gap between progressives and the more conservative members of our 
party. In many ways, even more than business development, that is Ron 
Brown's legacy. He was a gifted bridge builder--bridging the gaps of 
human misunderstanding and fear; and building human trust and 
understanding.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Roth].
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I got to know Ron Brown because I serve on the 
International Relations Committee, and because I also serve as Chairman 
of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus. Ron Brown had a great 
sense of humor. He was also a fellow that helped Republicans. I hold an 
exports conference every year, and over 1,000 people come to that 
conference each year. Ron Brown was one of the keynote speakers at the 
conference 2 years ago.
  As I said, he had a great sense of humor. When I spoke with him at 
the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism, he said to me, ``You 
know, you are my favorite Republican.'' I was really proud of that 
until someone told me, Ron tells all the Republicans they are his 
`Favorite Republican'.''
  We have a travel and tourism bill developed from the recommendations 
of the White House conference. The success of that bill is a 
testimonial to Ron Brown, because we have 225 cosponsors of that 
legislation.
  Ron and I also worked together on another bill, the Export 
Administration Act. For 17 years, Congress was unable to put together 
an export administration act. Then, I want to Ron Brown and said, ``I 
have to talk to the President about this.'' Thanks to Ron Brown, I did 
have a chance to talk to President Clinton three times on the 
legislation. That bill has been reported out of our full committee, and 
it is waiting for a full House vote in May.
  Ron Brown was a great Democrat, and he worked hard for the party. I 
think the loss of Ron Brown to Clinton is comparable to the loss of Lee 
Atwater to President Bush. That is my opinion. That is how much I 
thought of Ron Brown.
  Yes, he was the loyal opposition, but he knew when to put aside 
partisan politics. He went out of his way to help make my Exports 
Conference a success, and I happen to be a Republican. His help with 
the Export Administration Act was invaluable. That bill will increase 
our exports by $30 billion.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want the people of this body to know that when 
Ron Brown went overseas, he worked hard. When he went down with a 
number of CEO's to Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, he worked as many as 
35 hours in a row briefing people, talking to people, and trying to 
create jobs. Ron Brown did a lot for the economy of this country, and 
we are going to miss him. I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Payne].
  (Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from 
Michigan [Mr. Dingell] for handling this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, last night we held a special orders session to honor our 
friend and a great American hero, Ron Brown. I rise now to join my 
colleagues in supporting this resolution paying tribute to this 
remarkable public servant.
  As Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown was known around the world as a 
tireless crusader for fair and free trade. A skilled negotiator, he 
kept America's interests in the forefront while winning the respect of 
our foreign competitors. Although Ron Brown's life was cut short, it 
was filled with extraordinary achievements: U.S. Army captain, vice 
president of the National Urban League, chief counsel, Senate Judiciary 
Committee, partner in the law firm Patton, Boggs & Blow; chairman of 
the Democratic National Committee, and his crowning achievement, 
Secretary of Commerce.
  His dynamic energy was the force that propelled the Commerce 
Department forward. He and his energetic young staff brought billions 
of dollars of business home to the United States, transforming a 
lackluster Federal agency into a whirlwind of productive activity. We 
take a moment now to say thank you, Secretary Brown, for being both a 
dreamer and a doer. Your candle has not been extinguished; its light 
continues to burn.
  Our deepest sympathy goes to his loving family--his wife, Alma and 
children Michael and Tracey and to the families of all of those 
dedicated Americans who died on that fateful mission.
  We will miss Ron. He was a true American. He was an American who said 
that we can do it. He opened the eyes of this world to what can be done 
with dedication. Thank you very much for your service.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Shays].
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me, and

[[Page H3592]]

I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Franks], for 
letting me go a bit out of order.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to pay my solemn and deep respects for Mr. Brown, 
who was an outstanding chairman of a major political party, the 
Democrat Party, and an outstanding Secretary of Commerce. He was 
someone who was extraordinarily energetic. I never met with him when he 
was not upbeat and excited and very dynamic. I wish to express my 
condolences to his wife, Alma, and to his two magnificent children, 
Michael and Tracy.

                              {time}  1115

  This resolution also honors the others who died in this tragic plane 
crash in the former Yugoslavia, and I want to pay particular respect to 
Robert Donovan, who was the president and chairman of ABB, and, a 
resident of Fairfield, CT. I also want to pay respect to his 
magnificent wife Peg, and his two children, Kara and Kevin. I learned a 
lot from meeting with them after the death of their husband and father 
about the resilience of a great American family and how proud he could 
be of his family. I want to pay respect for his service to West Point 
and to his country. He was a true great American patriot.
  At this time I also want to pay my respect to Claudio Elia, who was 
president and chairman of Air and Water Technology. He was a recent 
citizen of the United States, and I am told by his wife Susan and his 
children Mark and Christine that their father would have taken 
extraordinary joy, pleasure, and admiration--they would have been so 
proud to have heard the President of the United States call him and the 
others who went on this dangerous mission great American patriots. I 
was in awe of this family, the Elia family, in terms of my conversation 
and dialog with them, on how they dealt with the death of their husband 
and father.
  My respects to Mr. Brown and to these two great families.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Rangel].
  (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my friend from Michigan for 
managing this bill for my dear friend Ron Brown.
  One of the questions that I have found most difficult to answer was 
what made Ron Brown so different. I have to admit that I do not really 
have the answer, but one of the things that I think that made him 
different was the depth of which he loved this country and the fact 
that the country gave him an opportunity to show just how good he was.
  When you think about that, you have to take a look at the history of 
our country, where we were and where we are going, and was Ron Brown 
not the right guy at the right time.
  Everything that we have been taught in this country in our history 
deals with our relationship with England and with Europe. But now that 
they have their Common Market, we have to find other places to sell our 
goods: Central America, South America, Africa, China, all of these 
markets. And we have to do it in a way that we are not so hung up with 
our European connection as much as we are with our human being 
connection, and that was what Ron Brown was all about.
  Ron Brown saw despair. He saw the need for economic development. He 
knew what a job would do for a person in terms of family values and 
dignity and planning a family and having a place to live. When he went 
to these countries, he did not just see a place to sell airplanes. He 
saw the pain and the misery and the opportunity to help build their 
economy, build friendships and, of course, while doing that, to create 
the jobs and the dignity and the disposable income that would be 
necessary for trade.
  That is why when I have had the opportunity and the honor to travel 
with him, that he never just stayed with the big shots. He always went 
out there with the beneficiaries, the poor, those that sometimes seemed 
to be without hope. Even in South Africa, where he went to Soweto and 
spent more time than I would normally spend to see the people in 
Soweto, to sing their national anthem in his honor and his presence, 
meant that he did more than just sell goods to these people. He was 
selling the United States of America.
  I hope those that have targeted the Commerce Department would realize 
that Ron Brown electrified everybody in Commerce. They love their 
country and they love what they are going. Whenever Ron Brown went 
overseas, our embassies turned overnight into being satellites of the 
Commerce Department, and our business people, instead of seeing staid 
diplomats and ambassadors, they saw those people that were there making 
deals for them.
  I hope as this Congress moves forward and we have to go to the North 
American free trade countries and we have to go to China and Japan, 
that we really give other Americans the opportunities and change the 
complexion literally of the State Department, as Commerce has changed, 
and give America a better chance to show how good we really are.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Franks].
  Mr. FRANKS of Connecticut. I thank the gentleman from Michigan for 
yielding me the time this morning.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to read a letter that I sent to Alma Brown, 
Michael, and Tracy and the other members of the Brown family:

       It is with great sorrow that I write this letter of 
     condolence to all the members of your extended family. Losing 
     a family member is always difficult, particularly when it is 
     someone who has been so vibrant and been so wonderful to this 
     country, as well as one who would have such a great future 
     that was taken away from him so abruptly.
       Secretary Brown dedicated his life to his country and, 
     ultimately, died in service of it. There is no greater love 
     that one can have for one's country than to die for it.
       Even though he died at a relatively young age, Secretary 
     Brown's accomplishments were far greater than most people 
     ever achieve at any age.
       I realize the feelings of grief that you must feel at this 
     tragic time. However, the love of your family and the warmth 
     and sincerity of neighbors, friends and the many people of 
     our great country who are mourning the loss of Secretary 
     Brown, will help sustain you in the days to come.
       I know that Secretary Brown's memory will be cherished by 
     the many people whose lives he touched and affected.

  My prayers are also being sent, Mr. Speaker, to the other passengers 
who died in the crash, including the two families from my State of 
Connecticut.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer].
  Mr. HOYER. I thank my friend from Michigan for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, on April 3 of this year, 33 bright and shining stars of 
America lost their lives on a mission for their Government. Whether 
they came from the private sector, the armed services, or public 
service as Ron Brown and his colleagues from Commerce, they were all 
serving America and serving as a shining example to us, all of the best 
that is within us.
  I, and a number of my colleagues, went to Dover Air Force Base to 
welcome back the 33 caskets containing those bodies. Their souls, of 
course, had gone to God. But as we paid tribute to them as human beings 
and expressed our sorrow along with their families at their leaving, we 
listened to the President's eulogy which was appropriate and, I 
thought, compelling. He said that these 33 lives show us the best of 
America, and indeed they did. And as this resolution does, the 
President named each and every one of those 33.
  Ron Brown was, as he was to so many, my friend. I particularly 
remember an incident where we were going to Los Angeles to speak, and 
he had arrived at Dulles on an airplane, and I had gone there from 
here, and he had a very short connection. We got on the plane and we 
were flying to Los Angeles, and he had to speak that night at 5 o'clock 
and, lo and behold, his bags had not followed him and he was in casual 
clothes.
  Now, Ron Brown was not one to speak in casual clothes, as we will 
recall. Luckily, I had two suits in my bag, so we went in the men's 
room at the Denver Airport, and there we were, a black man and white 
man exchanging suits and dressing to speak that night. I am sure a lot 
of people said, ``What's going on here?''
  Ron Brown spoke that night, and he said, ``I'm Ron Brown, but this is 
Steny Hoyer's suit.'' He was so elegant, I am sure that he thought my 
suit was not quite up to his standards.

[[Page H3593]]

  Ron Brown contributed greatly to this country in so many different 
ways. Yes, he was as shining an example of what a Secretary of Commerce 
ought to be as any in history, but he was much more than that. He was, 
as so many of my colleagues have indicated, a representation of what 
America is all about and what its best instincts produce.
  Ron Brown was indeed a happy warrior. He was the embodiment of the 
joy of politics. Ron Brown, for all the young people of America, ought 
to be an example that there are no barriers too high, no mountains too 
hard to climb that should preclude you from accomplishing all that your 
character and your energy and your commitment will allow you to 
accomplish.
  The President of the United States, as he closed the eulogy in Dover 
on April 6, said this:

       Today we bring their bodies back home to America, but their 
     souls are surely at home with God. We welcome them home. We 
     miss them. We ask God to be with them and their families.

  The President said that we ought to pray that God bless America. And 
God did bless America. He did so through the lives of these 33 shining 
examples of the best of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I include the remarks of the President on April 6 at 
this point in the Record.

  Remarks by the President and Brigadier General William J. Dedinger, 
   Deputy Chief of Chaplains, at Ceremony Honoring the Americans Who 
         Accompanied Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown to Croatia

       Brigadier General Dedinger. Let us pray. Almighty God, 
     source of all comfort and consolation, we ask your blessing 
     as we receive the victims of this tragic accident. Though we 
     walk through the valley of death and grief, we fear no evil, 
     for you are with us with your comfort and consolation. You 
     always prepare a table of refreshment for us, and surely your 
     goodness and mercy will uphold us in our grief and sorrow in 
     these days.
       Help us always to remember these public servants, ever 
     mindful of their willingness to share their talents and 
     wisdom, not only with their own nation, but also with people 
     seeking to recover from the ravages of war. May their example 
     renew our personal vision of public service. Lord, give us 
     this day a new hope, as we feel despair; new light, as we 
     sense darkness; deeper compassion, as we experience loss. May 
     this hope, this light, this compassion heal the brokenness of 
     our hearts and minds.
       This we ask in you holy name. Amen.
       The President. My fellow Americans, today we come to a 
     place that has seen too many sad, silent homecomings. For 
     this is where we in America bring home our own--those who 
     have given their lives in the service of their country.
       The 33 fine Americans we meet today, on their last journey 
     home, ended their lives on a hard mountain a long way from 
     home. But in a way they never left America. On their mission 
     of peace and hope, they carried with them America's spirit, 
     what our greatest martyr. Abraham Lincoln, called ``the last, 
     best hope of earth.''
       Our loved ones and friends loved their country and they 
     loved serving their country. They believed that America, 
     through their efforts, could help to restore a broken land, 
     help to heal a people of their hatreds, help to bring a 
     better tomorrow through honest work and shared enterprise. 
     They know what their country had given them and they gave it 
     back with a force, an energy, an optimism that every one of 
     us can be proud of.
       They were outstanding business leaders who gave their 
     employees and their customers their very best. They were 
     brave members of our military, dedicated to preserving our 
     freedom and advancing America's cause.
       There was a brilliant correspondent, committed to helping 
     Americans better understand this complicated new world we 
     live in. And there were public servants, some of them still 
     in the fresh springtime of their years, who gave nothing less 
     than everything they had, because they believed in the 
     nobility of public service.
       And there was a noble Secretary of Commerce who never saw a 
     mountain he couldn't climb or a river he couldn't build a 
     bridge across.
       All of them were so full of possibility. Even as we grieve 
     for what their lives might have been, let us celebrate what 
     their lives were, for their public achievements and their 
     private victories of love and kindness and devotion are 
     things that no one--no one--could do anything but treasure.
       These 33 lives show us the best of America. They are a 
     stern rebuke to the cynicism that is all too familiar today. 
     For as family after family after family told the Vice 
     President and Hillary and me today, their loved ones were 
     proud of what they were doing, they believed in what they 
     were doing, they believed in this country, they believed we 
     could make a difference. How silly they make cynicism seem. 
     And, more important, they were a glowing testimonial to the 
     power of individuals who improved their own lives and elevate 
     the lives of others and make a better future for others. 
     These 33 people loved America enough to use what is best 
     about it in their own lives, to try to help solve a problem a 
     long, long way from home.
       At the first of this interminable week, Ron Brown came to 
     the White House to visit with me and the Vice President and a 
     few others. And at the end of the visit he was bubbling with 
     enthusiasm about this mission. And he went through all the 
     people from the Commerce Department who were going. And then 
     he went through every single business leader that was going. 
     And he said, you know, I've taken so many of these missions 
     to advance America's economic interest and to generate jobs 
     for Americans; these business people are going on this 
     mission because they want to use the power of the American 
     economy to save the peace in the Balkans.
       That is a noble thing. Nearly 5,000 miles from home, they 
     went to help people build their own homes and roads, to turn 
     on the lights in cities darkened by war, to restore the 
     everyday interchange of people working and living together 
     with something to look forward to and a dream to raise their 
     own children by. You know, we can say a lot of things, 
     because these people were many things to those who loved 
     them. But I say to all of you, to every American, they 
     were all patriots, whether soldiers or civil servants or 
     committed citizens, they were patriots.
       In their memory and in their honor, let us rededicate our 
     lives to our country and to our fellow citizens; in their 
     memory and in their honor, let us resolve to continue their 
     mission of peace and healing and progress. We must not let 
     their mission fail. And we will not let their mission fail.
       The sun is going down on this day. The next time it rises 
     it will be Easter morning, a day that marks the passage from 
     loss and despair to hope and redemption, a day that more than 
     any other reminds us that life is more than what we know, 
     life is more than what we can understand, life is more than, 
     sometimes, even we can bear. But life is also eternal. For 
     each of these 33 of our fellow Americans and the two fine 
     Croatians that fell with them, their day on Earth was too 
     short, but for our country men and women we must remember 
     that what they did while the sun was out will last with us 
     forever.
       If I may now, I would like to read the names of all of 
     them, in honor of their lives, their service and their 
     families:
       Staff Sergeant Gerald Aldrich
       Ronald Brown
       Duane Christian
       Barry Conrad
       Paul Cushman III
       Adam Darling
       Captain Ashley James Davis
       Gail Dobert
       Robert Donovan
       Claudio Eli a
       Staff Sergeant Robert Farrington, Jr.
       David Ford
       Carol Hamilton
       Kathryn Hoffman
       Lee Jackson
       Stephen Kaminski
       Katherine Kellogg
       Technical Sergeant Shelly Kelly
       James Lewek
       Frank Maier
       Charles Meissner
       William Morton
       Walter Murphy
       Lawrence Payne
       Nathaniel Nash
       Leonard Pieroni
       Captain Timothy Schafer
       John Scoville
       I. Donald Terner
       P. Stuart Tholan
       Technical Sergeant Cheryl Ann Turnage
       Naomi Warbasse
       Robert Al Whittaker
       Today we bring their bodies back home to America, but their 
     souls are surely at home with God. We welcome them home. We 
     miss them. We ask God to be with them and their families.
       God bless you all, and God bless our beloved nation. Amen.

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde].
  (Mr. HYDE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I did not have the honor of personally knowing 
Ron Brown, but I knew him by reputation and by watching him work with 
flair and gusto in a very important job. He was a great role model for 
everybody. He was indeed a marvel.
  One searches tragedies for some meaning or for some glimmer of good. 
Out of Ron Brown's tragic end and out of the deaths of his passengers, 
it seems to me we can take comfort in the fact that he died as a public 
servant and elevated the category of public service through his 
sacrifice and through his example. And those of us who are very 
concerned about the low estate and esteem that public service has in 
people's minds, it seems to me can take some consolation.
  God bless Ron Brown and his family and all of those on the plane.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Ford].

[[Page H3594]]

                              {time}  1130

  Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Michigan for 
yielding me 2 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to support the resolution that is 
before the House today in tribute to Secretary Ron Brown and other 
Americans who met their untimely death.
  Ron Brown, and I really associate myself first with all of the 
remarks that have been made so far on this resolution before the House, 
and we all were saddened with the death of Ron Brown and others, for 
this Nation to know that Ron Brown was a good public servant, that Ron 
Brown not only served his Nation well, but I was a neighbor of Ron 
Brown's. That is true for Alma and Tracy, along with Mike and the two 
grandchildren.
  Being a neighbor, I guess for the past 15 years here in the D.C. 
area, to know Ron Brown and his family, and to see and to watch how he 
was able to develop such a great family and a good support system for 
that family, and he was a good neighbor. Ron kept the neighborhood 
upbeat. He was one who was always available and had time for young 
people.
  I can say that, because I have three sons myself, and my three sons 
have been somewhat raised in the presence of Ron Brown, and to know of 
his leadership and to know of his character and to know of his 
smartness. He was extremely bright while he was there at the law firm 
here in the District.
  He went on to become the chairman of the Democratic National 
Committee. Then I was on the plane with him going to my hometown in 
Memphis back in 1992, the end of 1992, when he was called by the 
President-elect Clinton to be offered a Cabinet slot in the 
administration. We had that 2-hour flight. He left Memphis and went to 
the Little Rock area.
  But to hear him and listen to him, and to know he was about serving 
this Nation, and to see Ron Brown as a corporate giant, leading 
corporate American into other ventures throughout the world, and to 
create jobs and to bring huge dollar amounts into this country, as a 
neighbor and as a friend and as a Member of this body, I would say that 
he made a great contribution to mankind, he made a great contribution 
to America, and Ron Brown will be missed.We are certainly praying for 
the family and other family members of the other deceased persons.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Portman].
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for giving me the 
opportunity to speak.
  I was over at my office and I heard this, and I wanted to be here. 
Twelve years ago, fresh out of law school, I worked with Ron Brown as 
an international trade lawyer. At the time I was doing volunteer work 
for then Vice President Bush. So clearly we were on opposite sides of 
the political aisle. Yet Ron reached out to me and befriended me, and 
for the past 12 years that friendship continued.
  Most recently at home on a Sunday he called me to talk about 
preserving the international trade functions at the Department of 
Commerce, a function that he exercised as well as any Secretary of 
Commerce in history, I think better than any Secretary of Commerce in 
history.
  As Ron was so good at doing, he reached out to me again and found 
common ground, in this case our mutual back problems we were 
experiencing. Unfortunately, my back surgery kept me away from his 
funeral last week.
  Toby Roth said he called him his favorite Republican, and apparently 
he called some other Republicans that. He never called me that, but he 
did call me his friend, and I cherish that, and will cherish that 
forever.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Georgia [Ms. McKinney].
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
resolution, and I would like to thank the Democratic leader and the 
Speaker for bringing this measure to the floor today.
  First, I wish to extend my condolences to the Brown family and to the 
families of all those who went down on that fateful flight. Their loss 
is our loss, and America mourns the passing of some of our best and 
brightest.
  Mr. Speaker, I personally admired Ron Brown as a role model and as a 
public servant. Moreover, his work touched the lives of my constituents 
who benefited from his vision of improving the lives of working 
families through investments and exports.
  Ron Brown exemplified everything we as Democrats believe in and stand 
for. His belief in the human spirit and the American dream permeated 
every aspect of his life. His unwavering compassion and concern for the 
less fortunate was the moral compass by which he guided his work. As 
Democrats, we have lost one of our party's finest.
  Mr. Speaker, it is not often that I get to meet the likes of a Ron 
Brown. Moreover, I am proud to have known him and appreciate what he 
has done for my constituents, for my party, and for my country.
  A young woman from Atlanta was also on that plane, Kathryn Hoffman. 
My condolences are extended to her family and to her friends.
  I was recently asked by a journalist about the loss of Ron Brown, a 
black leader. I corrected that journalist. Ron Brown was an American 
leader.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to my good friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Watt].
  Mr. WATT of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, all of those of us who were 
friends of Ron Brown certainly have their own personal stories, and I 
have mine, but I will not take the time to dwell in personal stories.
  I simply wanted to be one of the Members who rose in support of this 
resolution and to express my condolences to the Brown family and the 
families of all the other brave Americans who lost their lives in this 
tragic accident.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Bishop].
  Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, history will remember Ron Brown as one of 
the most dynamic, creative and brilliant leaders to ever serve in a 
Presidential Cabinet.
  These characteristics stand out strong and clear in the many articles 
reviewing his career that were published after the plane crash that 
took his life and the lives of the staff Members and business leaders 
accompanying him on that fatal trip to the former Yugoslavia.
  One national magazine, Jet, featured a number of photographs of Ron 
Brown at work. They showed Ron Brown in China, in Japan, in South 
Africa, in Egypt, in Saudi Arabia, in Israel, in Gaza, in Russia, in 
Germany, in Chile, in Indonesia, and in Bosnia, just hours before the 
crash on the mountain top.
  He seemed to be everywhere during those few busy years he served as 
Secretary of Commerce, the first African-American to hold that office, 
even coming to the Second District of Georgia to deliver the 
commencement address at Albany State College.
  In a span of less than 3 years, he made 15 trade missions to more 
than 25 countries. These trips produced a record 80 billion dollars' 
worth of new business contracts for U.S. made goods and services. His 
work in foreign trade led to a 26-percent increase in U.S. exports. But 
he also worked to enhance minority business enterprise in America and 
abroad.
  Vice President Gore called him the greatest Commerce Secretary in 
history. But it was not just political allies who recognized his 
extraordinary ability. Senator Dole described him as a tireless 
advocate for American business and a gifted leader.
  Born in Washington, DC, and raised in Harlem, Ron Brown was gifted at 
everything he did, as a student at Middlebury College and St. John's 
University, as an Army officer in Germany and Korea, as an official and 
social worker with the National Urban League, as a senatorial aide and 
chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee, as chairman of the 
Democratic National Committee, as an attorney in a leading law firm, 
and as Secretary of Commerce, and as a friend.
  Many of the articles about Ron Brown's career referred to him as a 
trailblazer. This was certainly true, and the trails he blazed brought 
jobs and a more secure economy for all Americans. He will be sorely 
missed.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Hefner].

[[Page H3595]]

  (Mr. HEFNER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HEFNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution 
and thank the gentleman for bringing it forth. We have lost a dear 
friend.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Levin].
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of feeling after Ron Brown's 
death was unique. It was a tribute to Ron, to his capacity for 
friendship, to his verve, his zest for life, his intelligence, his 
caring. It was also a tribute to Ron Brown's America.
  Ron Brown's life showed that there are almost no limits to 
opportunity in America. You have to work for it. But we often talk 
about the limitlessness of opportunity, It is not always quite true. 
Ron tried so hard to make it true.
  Like so many other dear friends of Ron Brown, I have mourned his 
death. I miss of him every day.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson].
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, Ron Brown, who was a good friend of many 
years, and I appeared on a program about 3 weeks into his position as 
Secretary of Commerce, and I was somewhat nervous for my friend, 
because the breadth and depth of areas covered by the Commerce 
Department are so vast. Within 3 weeks he had mastered the area of 
high-technology licensing and exports to a degree which most 
secretaries had not at the completion of their term, his interest 
length was such and his intensity and commitment to the areas he was in 
charge of. He knew his job, he executed it with dignity and grace and 
with an energy that ought to inspire everyone in both the public and 
private sector.
  He fought for the economic strength of this country from every 
working man and woman's point of view. He wanted to make sure there 
were jobs so that each American would have the kind of opportunity he 
had made for himself.
  He was a friend, he was incredibly capable. I cannot imagine that 
there is anyone who will serve in that capacity who will have the 
energy and intellect that Ron Brown had.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell] 
has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of the time to the 
distinguished gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Fields].
  (Mr. FIELDS of Louisiana asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FIELDS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman 
for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, Ron Brown was a very personal friend of mine. I had an 
opportunity to meet him on a Presidential campaign in 1988, where he 
and I shared many platforms together. There is not another American 
that I have ever met in my lifetime who has worked as hard, who has had 
such a strong commitment to country, than Ron Brown.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand before the House today to say that Ron Brown was 
indeed a scholar, a leader, and a role model, for people all across 
this country.
  The last time Ron Brown and I had an opportunity to sit down and talk 
was actually in the Fourth Congressional District. I called him at the 
Department of Commerce and said, Mr. Secretary, I want you to come to 
Louisiana and talk about economic development. And right off the cuff 
he just said, I will be there. And in about 30 minutes, he called back 
and said, I will be there in about 3 weeks.
  So I want to thank the Ron Brown family. I also want to give a 
special tribute to a family from Louisiana. The pilot of that plane was 
from my home State of Louisiana, Ashley Davis. To his wife and to his 
two little children, we want to say that we offer our condolences to 
them and to all of the families of those who lost their lives in this 
tragic accident. To them we say God bless you, and we will pray for 
you.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is possible for everyone to fully 
comprehend what a loss the Nation will suffer without the late Commerce 
Secretary Ron H. Brown. Not only was he a champion for the domestic and 
international development of American business, but also, and more 
importantly, his extraordinary character was an invaluable asset to the 
U.S. Government. Every project he touched was approached with a 
tireless devotion and a profound understanding of the initiative's 
impact on the Nation's economy. He led by example, urging others to 
work as partners instead of competitors to maximize opportunities.
  Truly, this man was in the business of building bridges and 
reinforcing existing relationships to ensure opportunities for 
advancement of large and small business interests alike. Under his 
leadership, all facets of the Commerce Department flourished and 
enjoyed the benefits of innovative policies. He was instrumental in 
developing a comprehensive and coordinated plan for bringing together 
the many elements of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration; he 
sought to improve patent and trademark protection of U.S. interests in 
intellectual property; he worked diligently for telecommunications 
reform to create a competitive marketplace and to illuminate how 
technology can alleviate geographic barriers and enhance education; he 
instituted a long-term plan to assist the New England fishing 
industry--the list goes on and on.
  A man of firsts, Ron Brown was the first African-American chairman of 
the Democratic National Committee and the first African-American to 
hold the office of U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He worked tirelessly to 
promote the Commerce Department's mission of long-term economic 
growth--to him we owe a debt of gratitude for our Nation's prosperity. 
At a time when diversity seems to be a dividing force in this country, 
Ron Brown demonstrated that diversity is our Nation's greatest asset. 
It is in this spirit that I offer these words of tribute.
  During this time of remembrance, I would like to pay tribute to an 
Air Force pilot who lost his life serving our country, Capt. Ashley J. 
Davis. Captain Davis was from my hometown, Baton Rouge, LA. A victim of 
the tragic plane crash which ended the lives of 33 Americans who were 
serving their country, Captain Davis' mission was to pilot the 
dignitaries who visited Europe. He was chosen for the job just 18 
months ago, over 38 other pilots. I offer my condolences to Captain 
Davis' family. He is survived by his wife Debra, and two children. A 
man of great spirit and patriotism, I know his family and friends will 
miss him. The Air Force has also suffered a great loss in his untimely 
death during his dedicated service to our country. Today, I extend my 
prayers to this family as well as the families of all the persons who 
lost their lives in Croatia.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 
former Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown.
  Throughout the past several days I have heard the accomplishments of 
Ron Brown extolled by my colleagues. Americans everywhere, and 
especially those who were close to Ron are deeply affected by this 
tragedy. Ron was much more than a great chairman of the Democratic 
Party and Secretary of Commerce, he was a true pioneer and an 
inspirational human being.
  I feel extremely fortunate to have known Ron as a personal friend. 
Ron began to serve as chair of the Democratic Party around the time I 
became chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Ron 
exhibited unwavering optimism in the face of adversity and inspired 
others to do the same. Through his tireless efforts, Ron Brown restored 
the Democratic Party to greatness and brought a Democrat back to the 
White House.
  Ron was the type of person who consistently exceeded people's 
expectations. As Commerce Secretary, Ron single-handedly defined his 
role. He succeeded in promoting American business and boosting exports 
to new heights.
  Ron Brown was a pioneer in every sense of the word. He spent his life 
overcoming obstacles and opening up new doors for others to follow. His 
death occurred while he was cultivating the seeds of economic growth 
and creating greater opportunities for a country ravaged by war.
  Ron Brown will be long remembered for the tremendous service he 
provided to his country. However, I will miss him as a close friend.
  Adam Darling, a 29-year-old Commerce Department employee was also 
among those who perished in the crash. Darling had worked at the 
Department since 1993 and had helped plan the trip to the region. A 
former Davis, CA resident and graduate of the University of 
Pennsylvania, Darling had a promising future ahead of him. My deepest 
sympathy goes out to Adam's family.
  Tim Schaefer, a Sacramento native, was among the six Air Force crew 
members who perished in the accident. Schaefer, the plane's copilot, 
had earned a degree in mechanical engineering from California State 
University, Sacramento. Also among the crew was Capt. Ashley J. Davis. 
Both men had been stationed at Beale AFB. I salute these members of the 
armed services who paid the ultimate price to serve their country.
  Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ron Brown, the United 
States Secretary

[[Page H3596]]

of Commerce who was killed in a tragic accident on April 3, 1996. He 
and 35 other victims died when their plane went down on a stormy 
evening in Croatia. He was serving as a diplomat in the war-torn area, 
analyzing the economy and what actions needed to be taken in the former 
Yugoslavia in order to spur economic growth to secure the peace.
  Ron Brown was indeed an asset to the United States. He was one of the 
ambitious, special people who is capable of performing multiple roles 
in their lives while at the same time succeeding in all arenas and 
remaining true to their ideology.
  Ron Brown was a vocal and successful civil rights advocate, political 
strategist, corporate lawyer, and propagator of American business 
interests.
  He tirelessly campaigned to make the interests of American businesses 
a foreign policy goal. He certainly deserves credit and thanks for 
market expansion.
  It is because of his success in multiple arenas and in the 
international community that the United States and the world mourn 
together. Today we should all take a moment to remember the career and 
the man we lost.
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, on April 3, 1996 the United States lost a 
leader. Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown inspired us all with his 
ability to bring together people from different backgrounds, beliefs, 
and cultures to find and achieve a goal for the common good.
  He inspired us by his commitment to finding opportunities for U.S. 
businesses overseas, recognizing that our country's trade deficit is 
harmful to our domestic economy and the jobs Americans want and need.
  Because of his leadership, many California technology firms have 
increased their sales to foreign countries, which has increased 
employment and a rebounding California economy. According to the Joint 
Venture's Index of Silicon Valley, 46,000 jobs have been added to our 
region since 1992. The semiconductor industry, which has endured years 
of job loss due to a trade deficit with Japan, showed a gain of 4,300 
jobs between 1994 and 1995. Business confidence of Santa Clara County 
companies reached an all-time high of 73 percent in 1995.
  Secretary Brown advocated effectively for economic and employment 
improvements in Silicon Valley, and this is just part of his legacy. 
Members of Congress, the administration, business leaders, and citizens 
must work to preserve this legacy of proactive work on behalf of the 
people of our country.
  America will miss his leadership. I will miss his friendship of 
almost two decades. Secretary Brown gave his life while serving his 
country. God rest his good soul.
  Ms. DUNN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to pay tribute to 
Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown and the 32 other Americans who lost 
their lives when their plane crash near Dubrovnik, Croatia, on April 3, 
1996.
  Throughout his tenure as Commerce Secretary, Ron Brown successfully 
worked on behalf of American companies and their workers in opening 
doors to the global market. For many companies in my home State of 
Washington, Secretary Brown was instrumental in promoting our products 
and cultivating new and/or improved business relationships with our 
international neighbors.
  The most important role of any Commerce Secretary is the promotion of 
American companies and the workers they employ. Ron Brown will forever 
be remembered as being a success at this task.
  The people who died aboard that plane gave the ultimate sacrifice in 
the name of democracy and a global free market. Prosperity and economic 
hope are essential in bringing long-term peace and security to that 
region of the world. Ron Brown and the other individuals on that plane 
knew this and recognized their role in spreading our Nation's 
democratic and free-market beliefs around the globe.
  My heart goes out to each and every family member of those who died 
in that tragic crash. In this time of great sadness, these families 
should know that as Americans their loved ones will be missed, as 
patriots they will never be forgotten.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, ``Fanfare to the Common Man'' was played 
triumphantly at the funeral of the late Commerce Secretary, Ronald H. 
Brown. His family could have played some horn tooting type music, in 
view of the facts that Mr. Brown was truly a successful, high stakes 
Washington player and an overachiever in many respects. However, they 
know Ron would not have wanted it any other way.
  Ron Brown did not see himself as a Democratic power broker or jet 
setter or trailblazer like we did. He saw himself as a middle-class kid 
who grew up in Harlem that loved the basic things in life: family, 
friends, work, and country. He was passionate about each. He was also 
passionately devoted to ensuring that everyone got an opportunity, a 
chance to do better. He believed in opportunity so much that he 
insisted that his Commerce Department staff memorize a one-sentence 
mission statement. It reads: ``The mission of the Department of 
Commerce is to ensure economic opportunity for every American.'' We 
should all agree that this is still a noble cause.
  Mr. Brown set several honorable examples for people from different 
walks in life. He encouraged young people to strive and reach for the 
gold. And indeed, he practiced what he preached, he had several raising 
stars on that ill-fated plane with him. He encouraged CEO's and 
business leaders to lend their expertise for the improvement of cities 
in our country and in foreign lands. On that plane were business 
leaders from across the country. Ron Brown always did what he could to 
provide an opportunity for everyone, everywhere.
  We each will remember Ronald Brown, in our own way, but collectively 
we will remember him as a great, inspiring American.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ron Brown and to 
express my deep sorrow and sincerest condolences to his wonderful 
family. Ron Brown was my friend, and he was a great American.
  As Secretary of the Commerce Department, Ron Brown played an 
instrument role in implementing the administration's economic plan that 
has created 8.4 million jobs nationwide since taking office. He was a 
major force behind job creation efforts and the chief architect of 
high-technology initiatives to provide greater employment opportunities 
for working Americans.
  Previously, Ron Brown served as chairman of the Democratic National 
Committee. He was the first African-American in history to head a major 
national political party. At the DNC, Ron Brown rebuilt the party and 
laid the groundwork for the Democrats to win back the White House after 
losing three straight national elections.
  Last summer, Ron Brown traveled to my congressional district to 
attend the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in New Haven. We 
spent the glorious Connecticut morning touring events and had a great 
time with those wonderful Special Olympians who shared Ron's never-
give-up spirit.
  Mr. Speaker, Ron Brown lived the American dream and served as an 
inspirational role model for America's youth. Our country has lost a 
great leader.
  I also want to convey my condolences to the friends and families of 
Robert Donovan, the chief executive officer of ABB, Inc., headquartered 
in Norwalk, CT, and Claudio Elia, the chairman and chief executive 
officer of Air and Water Technologies Corp. in Branchburg, NJ, who 
lived in Greenwich, CT. In addition, the Nation lost many fine, 
dedicated people in this tragedy who gave their lives in an attempt to 
heal a nation and a world ravaged by war. Connecticut and the Nation 
mourn the loss.
  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues in tribute 
to a truly remarkable man, the late Honorable Ron Brown. Ron Brown was 
a prominent black American who dedicated his life to building a better 
world for all people. Blessed with many talents and opportunities, Ron 
used them wisely and he shared his gifts generously.
  Ron Brown was a compassionate man who thrived on challenge. He blazed 
new trails and often was the first black American in his field. Ron was 
the first black member of his college fraternity, the first black 
counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee, the first black chairman of 
the Democratic Party, and the first black Secretary of the Department 
of Commerce.
  Ron had a charming manner and a graceful style. He showed a deftness 
for overcoming the odds and doing some impossible things. When many 
experts and political pundits said it could not be done, Ron 
rejuvenated the Democratic Party and spearheaded the campaign that 
elected Bill Clinton President, and when Ron did these things he made 
it look easy.
  Ron Brown had the courage of convictions that inspired others to join 
in his crusades. He shared his vision and his faith in a brighter 
future. He was a force for unification of diverse groups and the 
resolution of conflict among them. His last mission was dedicated to 
rebuilding a war torn land and I am sure he would have made a great 
contribution to the rebuilding of Bosnia if only he had lived a little 
longer.
  Ron lived his life sowing the seeds of peace and hope. He left this 
world way too soon, but he left it better than he found it. We will 
long feel the force of Ron Brown's smiling spirit and long celebrate 
the legacy of good will he left behind.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a very 
special man, Ronald H. Brown. Most Americans will remember him as the 
Secretary of Commerce. However, he was much more. He was the 
personification of the concept of a bridgebuilder.
  In his role as the Secretary of Commerce, Ron constantly promoted 
American trade. His zeal was premised upon the notion that if the 
commerce of the United States thrived it would directly translate to 
increased economic vitality for our Nation. Ron, who never forgot

[[Page H3597]]

where he came from, knew that his efforts would result in jobs for the 
common man.
  As chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ron Brown set the 
stage for a resurgence of the Democratic Party. This is a resounding 
testament to his ability, for it was under his leadership that the 
Democratic Party was able to elect Bill Clinton as President. Ron 
accomplished this task on the heels of three consecutive Presidential 
defeats of Democratic candidates.
  His memory deserves more than the mere recognition of his official 
position. For his title was but a small reflection of what he was. 
Drive, tenacity, compassion, and loyalty were his trademarks. Most of 
us hope to attain all of these attributes. Few of us attain them with 
the proper balance. And even fewer attain these attributes and are able 
to parlay them into avenues for even greater achievement. Ronald H. 
Brown was one of these rare individuals.
  Whitney Young once said, ``We can't * * * sit and wait for somebody 
else. We must go ahead--alone if necessary.'' Ron Brown was a 
trailblazer and a visionary. He never waited for opportunities, he 
created them. Because of this, all American people have benefited.
  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, Ron Brown was a renaissance politician, a 
jack of all trades who mastered them all. He was a mentor for seasoned 
professional politicians and he was qualified to tutor most of us. Ron 
used his considerable influence and charm to become an extraordinary 
fundraiser for the Democratic Party. From the complex job of raising 
money to the details of election day engineering, Ron performed with 
great enthusiasm.
  I first met Ron Brown in Chicago while campaigning for Harold 
Washington for mayor of Chicago. Former Majority Whip Bill Gray, Ron, 
and I were on a campaign swing through the public housing projects on 
Chicago's Southside. At that time, Ron was working with a well-known, 
prestigious, and powerful law firm in Washington. However, on that day, 
he was simply Ron the loyal friend, campaigning for a fellow Democrat. 
We went into huge, tall, cold concrete buildings and walked on floors 
which seemed to be completely out of this world.
  The deterioration and garbage inside the halls were unbelievable even 
to a poor boy like me whose father had never earned more than the 
minimum wage. I had lived in some of the poorest neighborhoods of 
Memphis and worked in some of the poorest neighborhoods in New York, 
but never had I seen such despair. The only glimmer of light we saw in 
those highrise urban tunnels were the Harold Washington posters that 
the residents waved at us when they saw our familiar signs. We had 
connected with the most oppressed among us. As my eyes met Ron's he 
broke into his signature smile: ``This is what politics has got to be 
all about,'' he said as we plunged into the crowd of outstretched hands 
and marched through the halls reminding folks that tomorrow was the day 
to go out and elect the first African-American mayor of Chicago.
  Ron Brown was the unifying force behind the most successful and 
conflict-free convention the Democrats have had in nearly two decades. 
Ron was a star who kept his poise, kept peace among the many party 
factions, and made the Democratic National Committee an effective force 
to be reckoned with in politics. Ron Brown was a masterful strategist 
who began his tenure as party chairman with several special election 
victories despite great obstacles. He was a great communicator and a 
great cheerleader who also understood the nuts and bolts of winning 
campaigns.
  Seldom in America does one man so gracefully transcend the racial 
chasm. Ronald H. Brown did, and in his journey, he deeply touched the 
heart and soul of a nation. As our Secretary of Commerce, he was our 
corporate ambassador to the world. As the chairman of the splintered, 
fractious Democratic Party, he was the glue that held it together, and 
in so doing, delivered the White House and became the most beloved 
chairman in history.
  Ron Brown was undaunted and unfazed by challenges. Being a first was 
not unusual for him. He was the first African-American in his college 
fraternity, the first African-American counsel for the Senate Judiciary 
Committee, and the list goes on. Ron was a trailblazer and an eternal 
optimist. He saw no mountain that couldn't be climbed or moved or 
conquered.
  The Nation has lost a great leader and statesman. I join Ron's many 
colleagues and friends not in mourning his death, but in celebrating 
his life, his accomplishments, his style, and his spirit. Ronald H. 
Brown will be missed, but never forgotten.
  Mr. McDADE. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues from both sides 
of the aisle today in paying tribute to former Commerce Secretary 
Ronald H. Brown and the 34 others who lost their lives in the tragic 
plane crash on April 3 in Croatia.
  I had the privilege of personally knowing Ron Brown. I respected and 
liked him as a dedicated public servant, an individual of the highest 
caliber, and a man of great intellectual ability. A man of his 
abilities and experience, who possessed such tremendous personal 
characteristics, will be greatly missed.
  Ron Brown leaves behind a legacy of achievement in the military, 
political, government, and business arenas that few people can match. 
He led an extraordinary life and we are all saddened by the loss of 
this talented, exceptional, and energetic man.
  My sympathy and condolences go to his wife and two children and to 
all of the families of those who died in this tragic accident. As 
Americans, we all mourn the loss of life and note the sacrifice of 
these individuals who died in the service to their country.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I wish to join my 
colleagues, Mr. Gephardt and Ms. Meek, in support of the resolution in 
tribute to Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and the 32 other patriotic 
Americans, including several from my State of Massachusetts, who lost 
their lives on St. John's Hill outside of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
  Ron Brown was truly a living American hero, and his loss will be 
sorely missed--and my heart goes out to his lovely wife Alma and his 
loving children, Michael and Tracy. I will miss Ron dearly. He was a 
colleague and a friend of more than 20 years, and his loss is a 
personal one.
  In an era where cynicism too often wins out over optimism, where fear 
too often conquers hope, and where the art of politics is seen by most 
in a less-than-admirable light, Ron Brown showed that public service is 
indeed an honorable profession.
  Whether in his service to his country in the U.S. Army, as a leader 
in the civil rights movement, as a public and private sector lawyer, as 
a political party professional, or as an advocate of business and job 
creation for all Americans, Ron Brown was a leader, a visionary, and a 
dreamer of what America could and should be. But most importantly, was 
a passionate advocate for expanding equal opportunity to all Americans.
  In a world with too few heroes, we have lost a true American hero.
  Ron Brown was truly a man who viewed politics as the art of the 
possible. Ron Brown's legacy will far outlast most of us--his unique 
and enviable ability to bring people together to find a common goal.
  You had to know Ron Brown on a personal level to understand his 
unique ability--his intelligence, his boundless energy, his strong 
will, his resilience, his ability to grasp complex ideas and to 
advocate them in a way that always brought people together.
  But you also had to appreciate how Ron Brown took on each and every 
opportunity with a spring in his step, a twinkle in his eye, and a 
smile on his face. It's been said before, but Ron Brown was Will Rogers 
in reverse: you never met anyone who didn't like Ron Brown.
  Ron Brown had a passion for achievement that you rarely see in 
individuals, and he was an extraordinarily gifted man. I will always 
consider myself fortunate to have known Ron Brown as a friend.
  He will indeed be remembered as a patriot and a friend, and we will 
miss him dearly.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is a sad responsibility to rise to join 
with my colleagues in paying tribute to an outstanding public servant 
who has been lost to us all too prematurely and in support of House 
Resolution 406.
  Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown, throughout his many years of public 
service--and let there be no mistake that he did indeed contribute many 
years of public service--was well known for his outstanding 
personality, his determined professionalism, and perhaps, most 
importantly of all, his charming sense of humor which won him the 
admiration of political allies and adversaries alike.
  Ron Brown, before entering the public limelight, was well known as 
political mover and shaker behind the scenes here on Capitol Hill. 
While serving on the staff of Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, 
he learned the importance of compassion in legislation, the importance 
of compromise, and the importance of consensus.
  As Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown was an inspiration to us all. He 
genuinely cared about the business community of this Nation, and 
understood that a strong economy is the cornerstone of national 
strength.
  It was in pursuit of expanding trade opportunities in that part of 
the world which used to be called Yugoslavia that Ron gave his life. 
The tragic and untimely death of Ron Brown is a reminder that those who 
devote their lives to public service are in just as much jeopardy as 
are those who volunteer for the battlefield.
  The fact that 33 young public servants also gave their lives with Ron 
Brown only underscores his ability to inspire others, especially young 
people, to public service. These devoted young people deserve our 
admiration.
  It is with deep regret that I learned that one of those 33 victims 
was a constituent in my 20th Congressional District of New York. Lee 
Jackson, a 37-year-old native of the town of Greenburgh in Westchester 
County, was the

[[Page H3598]]

son of Luther Jackson, Jr., a highly respected journalism professor at 
Columbia University, and Mrs. Nettie Lee Jackson, a long time community 
activist.
  Lee was inspired to go into public service by Secretary Brown, under 
whom he served in the Department of Commerce. As we extend our 
condolences to the Jackson family--and to the families of the other 
victims--the bereaved families should be assured that many Americans 
share their loss.
  Ron Brown, and his courageous coworkers, will long be remembered and 
will long be missed.
  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that I 
learned of the tragic accident that took the life of Ron Brown and 34 
dynamic young Americans who were on a journey of hope to a dangerous 
part of the world.
  I had never had the pleasure to meet Ron Brown until I came to 
Washington last year, but I knew long before that, that he was a 
crusader, an energetic advocate, and a dedicated public servant. In 
politics he was a more than worthy opponent to his Republican 
counterparts, and in Government he was clearly a most valued member of 
the President's Cabinet and an effective ambassador for America around 
the world.
  Our country was well served by Ron Brown's enthusiasm, competence, 
and determination. His work as a member of the Cabinet earned him well-
deserved praise, especially from the Nation's business community.
  My heart and prayers go out to Ron Brown's family at this difficult 
time, and also to the families of all those who lost their lives on 
this mission of hope. They all shared in that great American gift of 
optimism and that great American belief that we can make the future 
better than today. They went to the Balkans to share that great 
American gift with a people whose history has stolen their hope and 
their optimism and their dreams for their children.
  Our greatest tribute to these dedicated Americans would be to renew 
their journey of hope and to share their great dream of a better future 
with those who suffer around the world.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a great 
American, the late Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown. I am pleased to be 
a part of this resolution for tributes to distinguished leaders of our 
great Nation. Ron Brown's life work is a true American success story. 
It is that American agenda opportunity that I alluded to when I was 
sworn in; that gives an opportunity to every American, that hope that 
is embodied in our creed. They will soar to high of this Cosmos.
  The loss of the Secretary of Commerce is tragic which is underscored 
by his commitment to jobs, social justice, and economic security. 
During the times that we met at several official occasions, I found him 
to be a charming, warm, intelligent, and always a gentleman. I have 
fond memories of my discussions with Ron Brown.
  I remember watching the news in the immediate aftermath of the civil 
unrest in Los Angeles in 1992 following the Rodney King beating trial 
verdict, when he met with the angry and frustrated youth of south 
central Los Angeles. He and the President played basketball, 
demonstrating his ability to relate intergenerationally and across the 
socio-economic spectrum. That was perhaps his greatest attribute. He 
understood that we must work to help others, and he did that.
  Ron Brown perished in Bosnia trying to acquaint a delegation of 
businesspeople with the market conditions there and to bring peace to a 
war-torn region. Speaks to his humanitarian efforts and as a parallel--
he also worked to bring jobs to south central Los Angeles and improve 
the lives of the people, and finally bring peace to people who have 
desired it for so long. Ron Brown knew the value of a job to people and 
to a community. He worked to improve people's lives by bringing jobs to 
those who wanted to work.
  I want to offer my condolences to Alma Brown, a woman of courage and 
strength, the Brown family and the families of the people whose lives 
were lost that day.
  I am pleased to participate in this tribute to a wonderful American.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I 
rise today to pay tribute to the late Commerce Secretary, Ron Brown, 
and his colleagues who lost their lives while serving our country in 
Bosnia. Secretary Ron Brown, through his eloquence and determination, 
contributed greatly to our Nation. Even before his days at the Commerce 
Department, Ron Brown's capability and many successes advanced racial 
equality in America. His commitment to fostering relations between 
foreign governments and U.S. business is evident in America recovering 
its leadership role in world trade.
  Mr. Speaker, one can never be prepared for such a sad and unexpected 
event. Secretary Brown and his colleagues brought hopes of prosperity 
to a war-torn region. Those of us from Long Island were especially 
saddened to find that Gail Dobert of the Commerce Department was among 
those who lost their lives in this tragic end to a mission of peace. We 
have witnessed a great loss, not only to friends and family, but to the 
Nation. I join with my colleagues today in offering my deepest 
sympathy.


                             general leave

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Resolution 406.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question on the 
resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). The question is on the 
resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evidently a quorum is not present.
  The Sergeant at Arms will notify absent Members.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 423, 
nays 0, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 123]

                               YEAS--423

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allard
     Andrews
     Archer
     Armey
     Bachus
     Baesler
     Baker (CA)
     Baker (LA)
     Baldacci
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (NE)
     Barrett (WI)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Becerra
     Beilenson
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berman
     Bevill
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Bliley
     Blute
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Bono
     Borski
     Boucher
     Brewster
     Browder
     Brown (CA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Brownback
     Bryant (TN)
     Bryant (TX)
     Bunn
     Bunning
     Burr
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cardin
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Chapman
     Chenoweth
     Christensen
     Chrysler
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clinger
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Coburn
     Coleman
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (IL)
     Collins (MI)
     Combest
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cooley
     Costello
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cremeans
     Cubin
     Cunningham
     Danner
     Davis
     de la Garza
     Deal
     DeFazio
     DeLauro
     DeLay
     Dellums
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Dornan
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Durbin
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Engel
     English
     Ensign
     Eshoo
     Evans
     Everett
     Ewing
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fawell
     Fazio
     Fields (LA)
     Filner
     Flake
     Flanagan
     Foglietta
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fowler
     Fox
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (CT)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frisa
     Frost
     Funderburk
     Furse
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gejdenson
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Gingrich
     Gonzalez
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham
     Green (TX)
     Greene (UT)
     Greenwood
     Gunderson
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hall (TX)
     Hamilton
     Hancock
     Hansen
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hefner
     Heineman
     Herger
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hoke
     Holden
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hoyer
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inglis
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jacobs
     Jefferson
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Johnston
     Jones
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kennelly
     Kildee
     Kim
     King
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Klug
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Largent
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Laughlin
     Lazio
     Leach
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Lightfoot
     Lincoln
     Linder
     Lipinski
     Livingston
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Longley
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Luther
     Maloney
     Manton
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Martinez
     Martini
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDade
     McDermott
     McHale
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McKeon
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Meyers
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (CA)
     Miller (FL)
     Minge
     Mink
     Moakley
     Molinari
     Mollohan
     Montgomery
     Moorhead
     Moran
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myers
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Neal
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Ney

[[Page H3599]]


     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Orton
     Owens
     Oxley
     Packard
     Pallone
     Parker
     Pastor
     Paxon
     Payne (NJ)
     Payne (VA)
     Pelosi
     Peterson (FL)
     Peterson (MN)
     Petri
     Pickett
     Pombo
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Poshard
     Pryce
     Quillen
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Reed
     Regula
     Richardson
     Riggs
     Rivers
     Roberts
     Roemer
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roth
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sanders
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaefer
     Schiff
     Schroeder
     Schumer
     Scott
     Seastrand
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skaggs
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Solomon
     Souder
     Spence
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stenholm
     Stockman
     Stokes
     Studds
     Stump
     Stupak
     Talent
     Tate
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Tejeda
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thornberry
     Thornton
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Torkildsen
     Torres
     Torricelli
     Towns
     Traficant
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Visclosky
     Volkmer
     Vucanovich
     Walker
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Ward
     Waters
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Waxman
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     White
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Williams
     Wilson
     Wise
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Yates
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)
     Zeliff
     Zimmer

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Fields (TX)
     Geren
     Gibbons
     Hayes
     Hinchey
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Kasich
     Lantos
     Rose
     Tanner

                              {time}  1203

  Messrs. STOCKMAN, LaHOOD, KENNEDY of Rhode Island, and HASTERT 
changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the resolution was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid upon the table.

                          ____________________