[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 38 (Friday, March 21, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONNECTICUT PAYS TRIBUTE TO SECRETARY RON BROWN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 20, 1997

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, March 24, 1997 Connecticut will 
become the first State to participate in a State to State Day for the 
Ronald H. Brown Foundation. I am very pleased to rise today to pay 
tribute to the life and work of Ronald Brown and his family's efforts 
to continue his work through the Ronald H. Brown Foundation.
  Secretary Brown spent a lifetime working to improve and expand 
opportunities for Americans. He spent 12 years working for the National 
Urban League as Deputy Executive Director, General Counsel and vice 
president for its Washington organization. He will always be remembered 
for his tremendously successful tenure as chairman of the Democratic 
National Committee when he was instrumental in President Clinton's 
election. The President referred to Ron as ``a strong and independent 
leader and a forceful advocate'' when he nominated him to be the 30th 
United States Secretary of Commerce.
  Dynamic and persuasive, Ron Brown used his position in the Commerce 
Department to be a tireless crusader for economic policies which build 
a partnership between the public and private sectors. While Secretary 
of Commerce, Ron made working with small business and minority 
entrepreneurs one of his priorities. However, Ron Brown's focus did not 
stop at the United States borders. He realized that America had to 
retain the lead in international commerce to continue to grow and 
provide economic opportunity for all of its citizens. To this end, he 
traveled the world to promote trade and the export of United States 
goods and services. Indeed, he will long be remembered for his far-
reaching vision and unique style.
  Ron Brown believed that economic opportunity would come from the 
integration of education, political development and international 
commerce. His legacy to us is the challenge of making his goals a 
reality. His family has taken on that challenge and founded the Ronald 
H. Brown Foundation to ensure that Ron Brown's lifetime of work will be 
carried on. The Foundation will focus on three areas: policy 
development, global commerce, and education.
  I am proud that Connecticut is the first State to participate in the 
State to State effort to get the Ronald H. Brown Foundation on its way. 
I thank Ron Brown's wife Alma and his children, Michael and Tracy, for 
allowing me to be a part of this exciting new venture. We all have 
great hopes for the Foundation and I know that Ron Brown would be 
pleased to see that the vision he dedicated his life to is now closer 
to reality. My congratulations to everyone involved in this 
extraordinary project.

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