[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6777-S6778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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            COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF JACQUES-YVES COUSTEAU

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, in every area of human endeavor, 
major advances often seem to depend on a single individual whose unique 
vision and dedication to pursuing that vision break through existing 
barriers to understanding. On Tuesday, the world lost one of those 
individuals, a pioneer in the area of oceanography and marine 
conservation. I am speaking, of course, of Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
  I have had the pleasure and honor of knowing Jacques Cousteau as a 
friend and colleague for more than three decades. Our relationship was 
based on a common passion for exploring and protecting the oceans. We 
also shared a lifelong interest in ocean and coastal management and in 
sustainable development and use of marine resources. One of the most 
valuable perks of membership in the U.S. Senate is the opportunity it 
affords us to meet gifted leaders from every walk of life. Few of those 
leaders have made a greater or more lasting contribution than Jacques-
Yves Cousteau.
  Jacques' first adventure underwater was in Vermont at age 10. For the 
next 75 years, he continued his adventures, and he brought the rest of 
us with him. He was a pioneer in undersea exploration, and I can 
testify firsthand that diving with him was an unforgettable experience. 
He developed the first scuba gear, took the first underwater color 
pictures, and started the first undersea colony.
  Probably as important as his scientific and technical achievements, 
Jacques brought the oceans to life for millions of Americans through 
breathtaking books, films, and his documentary television series, ``The 
Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.'' His film ``The Silent World'' 
brought viewers aboard his ship, the Calypso, for the first time and 
won an Oscar for best documentary. He went on to win 2 more Oscars, 10 
Emmys, and numerous other awards by astonishing viewers with the life 
under the waters all over the world from the Red Sea to Antarctica and 
from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean.
  As Jacques continued to explore the ocean, he became deeply committed 
to protecting it against pollution and other manmade hazards. In 1971, 
he accepted the Senate Commerce Committee's invitation to testify and 
spoke to us about the International Conference on Ocean Pollution. He 
later testifed before the committee on other ocean issues. His 
testimony and other activities were key to public realization that the 
oceans are not a vast and unlimited resource, that human activities do 
indeed have profound impacts on the oceans, and consequently, that we 
have a duty to protect the marine environment.
  A number of years later, I was privileged to present Jacques with the 
1983 Neptune Award of the American Oceanic Organization. The award 
recognized his extraordinary contribution to promoting the use, 
understanding, and protection of the oceans. At the award ceremony, 
Jacques showed his new film on his trip up the Amazon River. None of 
those present will forget his evocative description of the pink 
dolphins and flooded forests of the Amazon. Jacques had a rare gift for 
allowing people to see the wonderful diversity of life beneath the 
water's surface.
  Jacques-Yves Cousteau taught the world how to appreciate, understand, 
explore, use, and preserve the oceans which cover 71 percent of the 
Earth's surface. We will greatly miss his wit, wisdom, and zest for 
life.

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