[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 50 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         A EULOGY FOR RON BROWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the house, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. martinez] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, earlier today there was a resolution that 
was passed by this Congress honoring former Secretary Ron Brown. I was 
unable to attend that because I was in a hearing of a subcommittee on 
which I am the ranking member, but I did want to do this then, and I 
take the time now to do it.
  Mr. Speaker, one or two days after the tragic death of Ron Brown, I 
was traveling to an event in my district and listening to KNX news 
station. Dave Ross, reporting for CBS news radio, came on the air and 
gave what I consider to be a tremendous eulogy for Ron Brown.
  I would like to share it with the Members of the House.
  Mr. Ross entitled his tribute, ``death of a salesman.''

       A tragedy freezes time. Events you would otherwise ignore 
     become significant.
       Pictures of a Cabinet official eating breakfast in a tent 
     end up on the front page. And the story of a trade mission 
     which otherwise couldn't compete with the FBI's latest 
     unabomber suspect or the standoff in Montana becomes the 
     center of attention.
       Before now the only time you heard of Ron Brown was when 
     some new piece of evidence surfaced in his Justice Department 
     investigation.
       He was suspected of spending too much on travel and using 
     international junkets to reward campaign contributors.
       Some junket. Breakfast in a tent and travel in a plane so 
     poorly equipped no passenger airline could legally fly it. 
     But a salesman can't stop to wonder whether the plane is safe 
     or what his critics are saying--there's a product to move.
       Instead of gun boat diplomacy, Brown's philosophy was 
     MacDonalds diplomacy. If you want to spread democracy, sell 
     American products. Sell a way of life where people spend 
     their time making money instead of making enemies.
       The old Yugoslavia, which had a healthy economy, then 
     killed it, seemed to defy that philosophy. But a good 
     salesman keeps trying.
       My boss used to have a plaque on his desk which said, 
     nothing happens until something is sold. It was there to 
     remind us that those people in the sales department, the 
     one's who got their hands dirty closing deals, were the 
     people who kept our paychecks from bouncing.
       Trade missions, and I've attended a few, are pretty boring. 
     Business executives talk about exchange rates, ownership 
     rights, local taxes. It's nothing newsworthy. It just creates 
     thousands of jobs.
       A toast then, to the salesman. Traveling on a shoe shine 
     and a smile. Sometimes, on a wing and a prayer.

  Thank you, Mr. Ross. I know that the family of Mr. Brown thanks you 
as well.

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