[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H6722-H6723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING BILL EMERSON

  (Mr. POMEROY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I came down here with a text on one of the 
many issues before this country. I am putting that text away, because I 
too want to reflect upon Bill Emerson and publicly express my deep 
sympathy to his family.
  I served on the Agriculture Committee with Bill Emerson for the last 
two sessions. He was without question a tough Republican and we banged 
heads. Sometimes we banged heads hard. But Bill Emerson was a man with 
a very big heart. He has left me with three impressions that I will 
particularly remember:
  The first, he was a man of strong faith. I remember vividly when he 
presided over the National Prayer Breakfast in 1993, my first year in 
Congress.
  Second, he was a man that approached the duties of a legislator with 
professionalism. When we would bang heads, we would walk out of 
committee, and that would be the end of it. We were each trying to do 
the best we could, we understood that about each other, and our policy 
differences never

[[Page H6723]]

came between our friendship. We have too little of that in this 
Chamber. I hope we remember the example of Bill Emerson and do a better 
job, each of us, going forward in the tough debates that are ahead.
  Third, he was a man of incredible courage. We all watched as he 
maintained his perfect voting record this year in a state of obviously 
disintegrating health. It was terrible to watch someone we love like 
Bill grow sick and obviously failing right in front of us. But he hung 
in there and there was never any talk of retreat or surrender from Bill 
Emerson. He was going to beat this cancer and he was going to be 
reelected. He was not done serving the people of Missouri. That courage 
and never, ever stopping, looking forward, and doing his best is 
something that I will never forget from my friend Bill.
  Rest in peace, old buddy.

                          ____________________