[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H6481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ADAM DARLING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Farr] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise on the third 
anniversary of the day on which I took the oath of office 3 years ago 
in this Chamber to replace then-Congressman Leon Panetta, who had gone 
to work in the White House as head of OMB.
  Standing in the well before me, I thanked the California State 
legislature, which I had left the night before, for the good work they 
were doing in guiding the State of California. At the same time I paid 
tribute to my mother, who had died of cancer while I was in the Peace 
Corps; and to my sister, who was killed while visiting me in the Peace 
Corps.
  In the gallery at the time was my father, Fred Farr, and my sister, 
Francesca Farr. Also in the gallery from my district was Rev. Darrell 
Darling and his son Adam Darling, who grew up in Santa Cruz, part of 
the district I now represent.
  Tonight, on the third anniversary, I want to pay tribute to that 
beautiful young man, Adam Darling, who lost his life in the plane crash 
with Secretary Ron Brown in Bosnia.
  Adam Darling died doing precisely what he wanted: serving his country 
while working to make the world a better place. He was an eternal 
optimist. Adam had once offered to ride his bike across this country 
from his home State of California to Washington, DC for then-Governor 
Bill Clinton because he felt that he could make a difference in the 
1992 presidential race just by riding a bicycle across the Nation. 
After the election he ended up in Washington working for the Commerce 
Department.
  When I arrived to be sworn into Congress, Adam was there to meet me. 
He brought his father, Rev. Darrell Darling, with him from Santa Cruz 
all the way here to Washington, DC. According to his father, Adam 
Darling was a leader among his peers, his friends, his family and in 
his work. His leadership grew from a keen and uncluttered mind, a 
character free of shame, given or received, and thoroughly generous in 
spirit.
  He was very realistic about both public policy and public service and 
the limitations and temptations of both. Adam's realism never was 
cynical. ``When you decide to make a difference where there is risk, 
you cannot calculate the cost or be guaranteed delivery from pain or 
loss. Bosnia is a land of grief and turmoil and none of us are immune 
from it.'' Those were the words of his father upon learning of his 
son's death.
  Adam was working for the Commerce Department when I arrived. He 
served on the staff of the press office for several months before 
becoming a personal assistant to the Deputy Secretary for 2 years. Adam 
was also instrumental in bringing state-of-the-art science to the 
central coast and to the country. Just 1 year ago he helped organize 
the first-ever link between the classrooms across America and marine 
biologists working in the Monterey Bay.
  Ron Brown had asked Adam to handle press relations and advance 
planning for the economic development mission in Bosnia. According to 
Adam's family, Adam saw it as an opportunity to make a significant 
contribution to the peace effort where it was severely needed.
  Rather than working hard to gain personal attention, Adam worked hard 
for the sheer pleasure of doing well and the satisfaction of knowing he 
had helped make someone else's life a little more livable.
  Adam saw life as an opportunity to serve the world, telling his 
family at the age of 5 that he would be President of the United States 
someday; a young boy made his commitment to bettering the country at 
any cost. During the few years that he was afforded, Adam worked with 
the dedication and commitment of a President and accomplished more for 
the good of humankind during his lifetime than many even attempt in 100 
years.
  The loss of Adam Darling and 34 others in Bosnia will be sorely felt 
by all and will remain in our hearts as a memorial to all who pay the 
highest cost possible in order to keep the world by serving their 
country. I want to thank the Darlings for being here on this day of my 
anniversary of being sworn into Congress, and I want to pay tribute to 
Adam Darling who was here to greet me when I first arrived, and wish 
that he was still here today.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me this time to pay tribute to 
this great young American.

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