[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO JESSE BROWN, SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, the veterans' community is 
about to lose one of its best and strongest champions--Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, Jesse Brown. After 4 years as the Secretary, Jesse 
Brown is retiring from Government service. He will be deeply missed by 
millions of veterans and their families, and everyone else who has had 
the good fortune of working with him.
  Secretary Brown is one of the staunchest advocates the veterans' 
community has ever known. A veteran himself, injured during the Vietnam 
war, he articulated passionately and eloquently the needs of veterans, 
and the obligation of our Government to take care of those who served, 
often at great personal sacrifice. His oratory could move an audience 
to tears, and there was never any question but that his concern was 
genuine and sincere. He truly was a ``veterans' veteran,'' as he was 
often called, and he fought to the last to further and protect 
veterans' best interests.
  Jesse Brown undertook an ambitious agenda as Secretary. Under his 
watch, the Veterans Health Administration was reorganized into 22 
Veterans Integrated Service Networks [VISNs], the VA health care system 
began the transition from inpatient to outpatient care, the Veterans 
Benefits Administration moved to reduce its tremendous backlog of 
cases, and benefits were extended to Persian Gulf war veterans 
suffering from undiagnosed illnesses and Vietnam veterans' children 
born with spina bifida. Most significantly, he was tremendously 
successful in protecting his department from some of the deep budget 
cuts suffered by most other Federal agencies.
  Secretary Brown's departure is a great loss. I wish him every success 
in the years ahead--and I have every confidence that he will succeed in 
whatever he undertakes.
 Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Jesse Brown, who will retire as Secretary of Veterans Affairs on July 
1, 1997.
  Since his appointment to this post on January 22, 1993, Secretary 
Brown has been the champion of our Nation's 26 million veterans. But 
his commitment to those who fought for this country began long before 
he accepted the awesome responsibility of heading the Federal 
Government's largest Department.
  Secretary Brown's service in the Marine Corps formed the foundation 
for his strong commitment to veterans. He later worked for the Disabled 
American Veterans, where he was an advocate for the highest quality 
healthcare and benefits for veterans and their families. Secretary 
Brown translated his personal experiences into action as he accepted 
the charge of providing for those who have protected our country.
  As a fellow veteran, I appreciate all of Secretary Brown's work on 
behalf of our Nation's veterans and their families. In the 4\1/2\ years 
since he accepted this challenging post, he has worked diligently to 
move the VA into the 21st century. His personal commitment to veterans 
has produced numerous accomplishments.
  Secretary Brown has overseen the Department's first national summit 
on homeless veterans. He has worked to expand the Department's services 
to women veterans. And under his leadership, the VA has opened 
community based outpatient clinics, giving more veterans wider access 
to VA healthcare services. In all that he has done, his commitment to 
broadening veterans' access to the system has never faltered.
  Throughout his service, Secretary Brown has gone out of his way to 
ensure that those who honorably served their country receive the 
attention, benefits, and services they deserve. Last year, Secretary 
Brown visited New Jersey, where he personally met with veterans to 
address their concerns about benefits and the VA healthcare system. 
After this meeting, numerous veterans from New Jersey contacted me to 
convey their appreciation for Secretary Brown's work on their behalf.
  Mr. President, Secretary Brown's service to this country will be 
sorely missed. As a fellow veteran, I join all of the veterans in New 
Jersey and across the country in thanking him for his work and wishing 
him well in his future endeavors.

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