[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BILLY AND RUTH GRAHAM

                                 ______


                        HON. STEVE C. LaTOURETTE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 7, 1996

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, today the Congress presents its highest 
honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to the Reverend Billy Graham and 
his wife, Ruth.
  It is fitting that such an honor be bestowed upon the Reverend 
Graham, as he has played such a pivotal and selfless role in shaping 
and maintaining the moral fiber of our country. Perhaps Reverend 
Graham's greatest appeal is that his message pertains to all and 
excludes no one. Here in our Nation's capital, the party of Lincoln 
often speaks of the big tent, and how everyone is welcomed into it. 
While I believe that to be true, I also accept that our tent, when 
compared to the tent the Reverend Graham has built over the years, is 
more like a pup tent. He has the capacity and love to reach millions 
through the word of God, and has made that his lifetime cause.
  The Reverend Graham instills in us the importance of hope, salvation, 
goodness and spiritual renewal, and how these measures require a 
lifetime commitment. He does not preach by whim or trend; in the 
Reverend Graham's world family values is not a recent phenomenon, but 
rather a way of life. For those who have lost their way and whose faith 
has been tested or questioned, the Reverend Graham is always there to 
welcome them back, to begin the process of spiritual rebirth with new 
vigor.
  Whether he is acting as an unofficial spiritual adviser to one of the 
many U.S. presidents he has counseled over the years or preaching to 
the youth of America in one of his many crusades, the Reverend Graham 
has an uncanny ability to connect with people. Unlike so many 
evangelists whose sincerity seems manipulated for television audiences 
and who have become seduced by greed and power, the Reverend Graham has 
never strayed from the ethical, moral, and spiritual highroad. The only 
thing scandalous about this great man is that his life and preaching is 
devoid of scandal, which in this day and age is rare.
  When I think of Rev. Billy Graham, I think of him as perhaps the best 
elder statesman America has known. I also think of his crusade in 
Cleveland a few years back, when he transformed the cavernous Cleveland 
Municipal Stadium into a massive sanctuary, touching and enriching the 
spiritual lives of so many. And, I think about the wonderful 
partnership he has with his wife, Ruth, which is proof positive that 
behind every great man is a great woman.
  On this day when we award the Grahams the Congressional Gold Medal, 
we also give thanks for their years of devotion and inspiration, and 
for a constant affirmation of all that is right with America.
  I have always believed our country has been touched and blessed by 
the hand of God. Today, we as a nation acknowledge that we also have 
been touched and blessed by the hand of the Rev. Billy Graham.

                          ____________________