[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E778-E779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THANK YOU, RICHARD W. CARLSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 1997

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, public broadcasting recently learned that it 
will lose one of its ablest and most effective leaders--Richard W. 
Carlson, the president and CEO of the Corporation for Public 
Broadcasting [CPB].

[[Page E779]]

  Mr. Carlson, who also has served our country as an ambassador and as 
director of the Voice of America, has informed the CPB board of 
directors that he will resign no later than June 30 to pursue other 
interests.
  Although he only intended to stay at the helm of CPB for 3 years, he 
has wound up staying for 5. In my judgment, his extended tenure has 
been to public broadcasting's great benefit.
  Since 1992, Richard Carlson has represented public broadcasting's 
interests with considerable skill and evenhandedness. He has been 
articulate and straightforward in his dealings with members on both 
sides of the aisle. And while he has been a forceful advocate for CPB 
and the work it does, he also has distinguished himself by being a 
voice of moderation and common sense when dealing with some complex 
and, at times, rather emotional issues.
  In a time of budget constraints and reduced Federal funding for many 
programs, Richard Carlson has spoken candidly to his own constituents, 
the stations, about the pressing need for consolidation, greater 
efficiencies and new sources of revenue that will help reduce the 
system's dependence on annual appropriations for the Congress. He 
deserves credit for his candor and leadership in delivering that tough 
message to public broadcasting stations.
  I would like to thank Dick Carlson for his service to public 
broadcasting. I wish him well and I know that he will be missed.

                          ____________________