[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S8710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  NATIONAL DAY OF RECOGNITION FOR THE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS OF DIANA, 
                           PRINCESS OF WALES

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, today I am offering for myself, Senator 
Leahy, Senator Specter, Senator Landrieu, Senator Mikulski, and I am 
sure others, a resolution that designates Saturday, September 6, 1997, 
as a National Day of Recognition for the Humanitarian Efforts of Diana, 
Princess of Wales.
  Death is always difficult to accept. It is, however, more difficult 
when it captures someone in the prime of her life as it has Princess 
Diana. It is safe to say that events surrounding her death will make us 
all take a closer look at the handling of this event by the press, its 
responsibilities, and the role it should play in the future.
  As a mother, humanitarian, and a goodwill ambassador, Princess Diana 
was an inspiration to many people throughout the world who admired her 
strength in adversity, her dedication to those less fortunate, and her 
devoted love to her children.
  The extraordinary outpouring of grief and affection is a true 
testament to the legacy that she leaves. The stunning array of flowers, 
candles, and notes in front of the British Embassy is just one 
indication of the high esteem in which the Princess was held here in 
the United States. Our country rejected a monarchy a long time ago, but 
we know a true friend when we see one.
  In a town accustomed to the art of issue advocacy, the Princess of 
Wales was clearly one of the most persuasive and compelling advocates 
to have graced our Nation's Capital. Much has already been said about 
her efforts to raise awareness and attention to breast cancer and AIDS. 
She recently took up the cause of banning the deployment of 
antipersonnel landmines. She was informed and articulate and committed 
to these causes.
  Many people can make speeches, and many people can throw gala 
benefits. What set Diana apart from others working for these same 
causes was the gentleness of her spirit. To break the back of 
intolerance and to help to dispel unfounded notions about AIDS, Diana 
broke tradition, and held babies afflicted with AIDS in her arms and to 
offer her hands to comfort AIDS patients.
  We understood that she participated in these activities not just out 
of a sense of duty but because she genuinely cared. She delighted in 
children, commiserated with the rank and file, and listened to the 
elderly or less fortunate. Her vulnerability was also her strength. She 
could connect with people like few people ever could. She was indeed 
the people's Princess.
  Although she was a symbol of glamour and celebrity, she taught us all 
that the quality of life is measured by what you do for others and how 
you treat others. By that measure, Diana's all too short life was very 
rich indeed. Her warmth and joie de vivre transcended wealth and power.
  Along with my fellow Utahns and millions of people around the world, 
Elaine and I were shocked and saddened to hear the tragic news of her 
untimely and tragic death. We want to extend our sincere and heartfelt 
condolences and sympathy to her family, and especially to her two sons, 
Prince William and Prince Harry.
  In offering this resolution, Mr. President, Senator Leahy and I 
believe it is appropriate to extend the sympathy of all Americans to 
the people of the United Kingdom on the death of such an extraordinary 
lady.
  Mr. President, we expect to pass this today and I urge the support of 
all of our colleagues.
  This is a sad event. This was a sad day. This is a tremendous loss 
for the world. And this is the least we can do.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LEAHY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I am proud to cosponsor with the senior 
Senator from Utah this resolution that designates September 6, 1997, as 
a National Day of Recognition for the Humanitarian Efforts of Diana, 
Princess of Wales.
  What we try to do with this resolution is to convey a sense of the 
tremendous sorrow that Americans--indeed, people around the world--felt 
at the shocking news of her death in Paris.
  I was with my wife in Vermont, and was called out of a gathering to 
be given the preliminary news of the accident. The two of us went back 
to our home that evening praying that the injuries were not life 
threatening. Of course, within a matter of hours we learned that she 
had died.
  We have all been moved by the outpouring of affection by people 
everywhere, who remember the Princess of Wales as an extraordinary 
humanitarian who gave voice to the most vulnerable people. I remember 
the conversations I had with her about the scourge of landmines. This 
was an issue that I was honored to work with her on. She and Elizabeth 
Dole, the wife of our former distinguished majority leader and 
President of the American Red Cross, and myself and others, held a 
fundraiser for the victims of landmines earlier this year, and raised 
over half a million dollars for people who had lost arms and legs or 
their eyesight from landmines. She could do that, by simply spending an 
evening talking about the plight of landmine victims. She said about 
her trip to Angola, ``Before I went to Angola, I knew the facts but the 
reality was a shock.'' I wish more people would go see what she saw, 
and walk where she walked. Landmines would be banned tomorrow.

  A lot of us can give speeches about landmines. Many people around the 
world have worked to stop the scourge of landmines, but Diana brought a 
human face to the crusade to ban them. She gave a voice to landmine 
victims. When she visited them, in Angola, or Bosnia, the whole world 
saw those victims. When she held in her arms a child maimed by a 
landmine, the whole world saw that child. And when they saw her walk 
into a minefield, the whole world saw the danger so many people face 
every day.
  There was never a question in my mind, in my conversations with her, 
about the sincerity of her compassion. She saw the victims of landmines 
through the eyes of a mother, a mother who cared not only for her own 
two sons, but for the sons and daughters of those dying worldwide.
  This week and next week nations of the world meet in Oslo to take the 
final steps toward an international treaty banning landmines. I hope 
each of them will think of what this woman did, in calling attention to 
the victims of landmines. There would be no more fitting memorial to 
this great woman than a treaty that bans anti-personnel landmines from 
this Earth forever.
  I thank my distinguished colleague. I have appreciated working with 
him on this. He spoke about the many other humanitarian causes the 
Princess was involved in. I mentioned landmines, of course, because I 
saw first-hand how she became involved not as a Princess but as a 
mother, a mother who knew how other mothers suffered when their 
children suffered. She spoke for all of us.
  I yield the floor.

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