Congressional Record, Volume 143 Issue 148 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)

[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H9617-H9627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF HON. WALTER H. CAPPS,
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution
(H. Res. 286) and ask for its immediate consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hobson). The Clerk will report the
resolution.
The Clerk read as follows:

H. Res. 286

Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of
the death of the Honorable Walter H. Capps, a Representative
from the State of California.
Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as
the Speaker may designate, together with such Members of the
Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral.
Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be
authorized and directed to take such steps as may be
necessary for carrying out the provisions of these
resolutions and that the necessary expenses in connection
therewith be paid out of the contingent fund of the House.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to
the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the
deceased.
Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as
a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California [Mr. Fazio] is
recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by expressing the
deep appreciation of all those assembled for the eloquent prayer
offered by our Chaplain, Jim Ford, who is not only a great leader in
times of distress but in this case a close personal friend of the
deceased, our friend, Walter Capps.
I hope we have an opportunity today and later this week to have many
Members come to the floor to express their strong feelings about Walter
Capps. There is much good to remember, even though his time with us was
rather brief. We have yet to even reach the anniversary of his
election, and obviously he did not serve the entire first year of his
term. But Walter Capps had made an impact here because of his wisdom,
his maturity, his sense of proportion, and his bipartisan goodwill.
A professor from the University of California at Santa Barbara for
over 30 years, he came here and quickly developed the ability of a
pragmatic and effective politician and public servant, without losing
the perspective of someone who had spent his life studying religion and
its effect on the human soul. He was truly ecumenical in his ability to
communicate between religions and here across party lines.
Walter Capps is the kind of individual who rarely comes our way. It
is obviously a great loss when we have failed to get from his public
service the benefits that we could have easily anticipated.
His wife, Lois, is here today, as she has been with him, inseparable
from the moment he began his quest for Congress in 1994. We offer her
our great condolence and sympathy and support, and hope that their
three children, Lisa, Todd, and Laura, as well as their grandson,
David, will be held in the hearts of all those who, in the next week
particularly, will be praying for the Capps family.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt], our leader.

[[Page H9618]]

{time} 1015

Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, this is a particularly difficult day for
all of us who loved Walter Capps and his family. It was only last week
that I was able to meet with Walter and many of his constituents who
had come to Washington to be with him and to learn from him. On this
particular day, Walter was in his usual optimistic, positive,
idealistic frame of mind about his district, about America and about
the public service that he was so well giving for the people of his
district.
I have never met someone in public life who was so grounded in their
beliefs, their morals, ethics, in his religion, his belief in religion,
his belief in how America and how public service could be better. He
served his constituents as faithfully as anyone I have ever known. He
went back to California every weekend. He was on the plane and was
working for his constituents, meeting with them in the district, having
meetings, listening to them, trying to understand their needs, trying
to understand their concerns.
It is almost impossible to understand how someone so young and
someone so talented, someone so committed, someone so idealistic could
be taken from us before a year of his service had even transpired. I
guess the only thing we can do to understand it is to be thankful that
he had the 10 months that he had in the House of Representatives. I can
say without qualification that in those short 10 months, he did as much
as anyone has ever done here to contribute to his fellow Members and to
represent his constituents faithfully and honestly and with great
skill.
We will miss him very much. He is irreplaceable for his constituents
and for all of us. We grieve with his family, his wonderful wife Lois
who is here, we grieve with his children, and we grieve with all of his
constituents. We know that America and the House of Representatives has
been a far, far better place because Walter Capps was here.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Sherman], a neighbor of Mr. Capps'
district.
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday this country lost a leader of
depth and integrity. Yesterday, we in this House lost one of our own.
Yesterday I lost a role model and a friend. And yesterday Lois and
Lisa, Todd, and Laura lost a husband and a father. Walter Capps was the
professor that we called a freshman. Most of us come to Congress hoping
that we will make a contribution of which we can be proud.
Walter Capps came here having already done more than most of us can
hope to do. Like many freshmen, I came here and I often seek advice.
When I wanted to know what was the smart political move, I never called
on Walter. But when I sought wisdom and thoughtfulness and a way of
looking at things that is different from today's headlines or
yesterday's poll questions, I sought out Walter Capps, and he was
always there.
We who hold elective office are often viewed as cynical manipulators
of public opinion or as slaves to it. We are depicted as knowing more
or caring more about politics than we do about substance. You can say
what you will about most of us, but you cannot say all of us, because
for a short time we served in this House with Walter Capps, and he is
everything you want us to be. He was the best of us. He will be missed.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Gallegly], another representative of the
south coast of California.
Mr. GALLEGLY. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr.
Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to my friend, Walter Capps. He
will be missed not only by those he represented but by those of us who
had the opportunity to work with Walter. Walter and I did not always
see eye to eye on every issue, but he always remained true to his
beliefs and principles. His intense spirituality and dedication to his
community and country will always be an inspiration to those of us that
had the opportunity to serve with Walter. Our thoughts and prayers go
out to Lois, Lisa, Todd, and Laura today. Walter will be missed. Walter
was my friend.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Turner].
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the freshman class of this
Congress, it certainly saddens each of us to have lost one of our own,
Walter Capps. Walter was a deeply spiritual man, a man who thought deep
thoughts, a man who represented his district well and always had a
quick smile for each of us as we passed his way.
Lois, we join you this morning in your grieving, and Lisa and Todd
and Laura. We saw you many times, Lois, walking hand in hand with
Walter across the Capitol grounds, and you joined him on many occasions
for events and committee meetings. We know that you will miss him
deeply, as we will. He was a great American, a great husband, a great
father, and a great friend to all of us who had the time and chance to
know him for these brief few months we served together. We will miss
Walter Capps. The people of this country will miss Walter. He
represented the very best that we can offer.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier].
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me this time.
I would like to join with my colleagues in extending our condolences to
Lois and Lisa and Todd and Laura. I would like to say as a Californian
that I have had the privilege of serving in this body for, this is my
17th year. I have known more than a couple of people who have served
here. When I heard the news last night from my friend Howard Berman of
Walter's sudden passing, I was struck first with how horrible, how
horrible it is to hear of someone who is so young, who is just
beginning what obviously is a new chapter in his life. He has only had
the opportunity to serve here for 10 months. Then I began to think
about how Walter Capps was clearly the nicest Member of Congress I have
ever met. Some Members of Congress are not very nice, but there are a
lot of nice people. But I cannot think of anyone who was nicer than
Walter.
I also found him, surprisingly to many maybe on this side of the
aisle, to be very reasonable. When I sat down with him and began
talking about the need to reduce the top rate on capital gains, I was
stunned when Walter said to me, ``David, I want to cosponsor your
bill.'' I thought, wow, here is a guy who really is thinking deeply
about a lot of issues and is not having a knee-jerk response to every
single thing which many people had categorized, some, as his having
done. I will say that I will miss him greatly. He was a true friend to
many of us. That kind of levelheaded thinking is needed more in this
institution.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Berman].
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am still shaken by the news of the passing
of our colleague, the arbitrariness of it all, and almost the whimsical
nature that someone so vibrant and so healthy could all of a sudden be
gone. I think Walter had something very instructive for the rest of us.
I remember first hearing about Walter from a friend of mine, a former
legislator from the area, Gary Hart, who told me about his background.
I thought, how does somebody with this background and this perspective
win a tough election? One message of Walter's life is that one does not
have to trim his sails, one does not have to compromise his fundamental
principles to win a tough election, that he goes out there and says
what he thinks and convinces people of the wisdom of his ideas and the
principle and depth of his conviction, and he can be successful in the
political process.
Another thing Walter meant for me was sort of the serenity in the
midst of all the frenetic behavior that exists in this business and in
this Chamber, that this was somebody who could maintain his serenity
and his perspective and his fundamental calmness in the midst of all of
that and analyze and judge and make decisions sort of as if he were
almost apart from all of that frenzy that goes on here.
Lois, you and the children perhaps more than anybody have the ability
to continue Walter's legacy in whatever you choose to do. I know you
will miss him greatly. We all will. Our thoughts are with you.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough].

[[Page H9619]]

Mr. SCARBOROUGH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo the sentiments of
what some of the other people have said today. Mr. Capps certainly led
a very active life, a successful life as a professor. He went to
divinity school at Yale. He was a trend-setter. He was the first person
to teach a course on the Vietnam war. He wrote 14 books.
In his short time here he introduced legislation to help people with
Lou Gehrig's disease; in an amendment to a foreign aid bill he
advocated the preservation of Tibetan culture; he also introduced an
amendment with conservative Chris Smith to the Foreign Policy Reform
Act to eliminate restrictions on United States expansion in Vietnam.
But more importantly than that was really what he taught us on a
personal level. I know I worked with him on an issue regarding human
rights in the Sudan, but also talking about serenity in the face of
adversity, reading about his response after the car accident that
almost killed him. He came out of that positively and he said, ``I
would never wish for a car accident like this. But I have learned from
it. Love and caring for one another is what is at the core of what
links us.''
Talking about the House, he said he wanted to promote conciliation in
the House and was put off by partisan confrontations on procedure. ``In
the world I came from, the world of religion, people don't worry about
procedure. They just give you the high ideals. The question is, what
will I do? Am I being true to who I am? If I go this way, will I have
violated anything that is essentially human?'' That is a question today
that I think we can all ask ourselves. I certainly hope that as a
father I can be that type of example to my young boys.
I can tell you, I and everybody else was very moved by his
relationship with his wife. Seeing you two walking around hand in hand
on the weekends I think was an example for a lot of us. I certainly
agree with the rest of the men and women here that he certainly will be
missed. He was a great example while in his 10 months here in the
House.

{time} 1030

Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Matsui].
Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for
yielding me time.
I think Walter's election last November is a good indication that the
system of America works and that a gentle person can win an election in
this country, in spite of all of the kind of rhetoric we have been
seeing over the years. I think the one regret many of us in this
Chamber have today is the fact that the American public will not get to
know Walter Capps better, as many of us in this Chamber have gotten to
know him.
He was one individual that when he confronted an issue, he could
really understand it from an ethical and from a value system basis. As
a result of that, he would have added greatly over the years to this
institution and to this country.
I have to say that my friend, Brad Sherman, a freshman Member of
Congress, referred to Walter just a few moments ago as a mentor. I have
been here for now 20 years. This is my 10th term, and I also would
regard Walter Capps as my mentor, because he really understood what our
country was about and certainly had the values in order to impart it
upon all of us.
I give my deepest sympathies to Lois and the three children. I think
all of us, including myself, the people of the State of California, and
the people of this Nation, will greatly miss Walter, but we have
actually gained so much by his 63 years on this Earth.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Sensenbrenner].
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Walter Capps as well.
Congressman Capps served on the Committee on Science for the last 10
months, and I got to know the quality of this individual during our
rather lengthy meetings in an attempt, successfully, to achieve
bipartisan policy to advance the cause of science and education.
Mr. Capps was a tremendous asset to the committee, not only because
of his ethical principles, but also because of his background in
education and knowing what works in the educational arena and what does
not.
But I think the true mark of this man was a conversation that I had
with him about 4 months ago after a very long, productive and
bipartisan session in the Committee on Science, where he told me that
he was so pleased with seeing how Congress should work actually working
out.
After our session in the Committee on Science was over with, he said
he was invited to participate in a meeting by some people on the
Democratic side of the aisle who were not quite as bipartisan in
outlook as Mr. Capps was, and the Committee on Science has been. And he
said, ``You know, after seeing how productive the Science Committee was
working on a bipartisan basis, I just could not attend the meeting to
try to disrupt the operations of the House.''
Walter Capps was one of the most principled people I have ever met,
and this House and this country has really suffered a great loss with
his passing.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentlewoman from Colorado [Ms. DeGette].
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, Walter Capps had a keen intellect. He had a
kind heart, and, most of all, he had a gentle soul. I know we will all
miss Walter. But for me, my service in Congress will never be exactly
the same, because Walter was my friend.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from California, [Mr. Filner].
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a fellow Congressman and a fellow
professor of humanities, not to mourn Walter Capps, but to remember
him.
In many ways, a lot of us thought that Walter seemed out of place
here. In a place that prided itself on action, Walter was reflective;
in a place that prides itself on hardball, Walter was gentle; in a
place that prides itself on its magnetism, Walter was moral and
ethical. In a place where supposedly nice guys finish last, Walter was
nice.
Yes, he was out of place here, but even in his short time, he made
this a better place. His own example did that. Lois, we loved him; we
love you. We will miss him.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Waxman].
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
Mr. Speaker, I want to join in expressing my shock and grief at the
loss of our friend and colleague, Walter Capps. When we think of Walter
Capps, the overwhelming aura of the man is the fundamental decency of
him. In his life and in his death, he reminds us of those things that
we value most; honesty, friendship, loyalty, civility, and an
unwavering dedication to the public good.
On a recent flight back to California we were sitting next to each
other. We got on to the topic of religion, in which both of us having a
great deal of interest in it. It was right before the Jewish holidays.
We were talking about how important it is for people to know they have
control over themselves and a higher power willing to help them along.
I wished he had been here longer and been able to serve in the House
of Representatives and his district for a longer time, but his legacy
will live on in the lives of the thousands of students that he touched
so deeply.
I want to join my colleagues and the whole House of Representatives
on this very sad day in expressing our condolences to his family. He
will be sorely missed.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute the to the
gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee].
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a headline this morning read,
``A California Congressman dies after being stricken at an airport.'' I
think the headline should be, ``A great American dies while in the
service of his country.''
Representative Walter Holden Capps was a professor of religion, but
he was a spiritual person with a great love for his Nation. I enjoyed
talking to Congressman Capps on the floor of the House, because his
analytical mind and his sensitivity always shed the

[[Page H9620]]

kind of light that we should have in coming together on these very
important issues.
He was the first Democrat elected in his district since World War II,
but he came here with a sense of commitment to his constituents, and he
exuded love toward his fellow Members.
He was a religious professor, but he had a great curiosity about
science, and I enjoyed serving with him on the Committee on Science. He
held a doctorate from Yale University and he shared his knowledge
through 14 books, but he taught his students for 33 years.
When he ran in 1996, he was in a terrible car accident, but he came
back and he won. He perservered.
We will miss Walter Capps. I would like to conclude by simply
acknowledging the words of President Bill Clinton, that Walter Capps
was a rare soul, someone able to fuse intense spirituality with a
devotion to his community and country. He brought constant values, a
rare perspective, and a sense of moral grounding that public life too
often lacks, and we will sorely miss him.
God bless his family, God bless Walter Capps, a great American, and
God bless America.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Jackson].
(Mr. JACKSON of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, let me first begin by giving
honor and praise to God for the life of Walter Capps. Many of us live
our lives as if life is certain and death is uncertain. The reality is,
life is uncertain and death is certain.
While many of us today have been given 60 seconds to talk about the
life of our good friend, Walter Capps, 60 seconds, 120 seconds, 180
seconds by no means can express the depth of sorrow of what this
country and this House has lost on this occasion.
Walter Capps could be seen in this House not so much talking to most
Members of this body, but standing in the first three rows of this
aisle on a regular basis talking with Dr. Ford about some of the great
spiritual as well as philosophical differences that exist within this
House.
Members of Congress from ages ago stood in the old House Chamber
without cameras, and above the Speaker's chair is Clio there watching
over the work of Members of Congress as they deliberated upon posterity
of ideals of liberty for all people.
Today in the House of Representatives there is no Clio over the
Speaker's chair, as Walter Capps would tell us; there are simply C-SPAN
cameras. So Members of Congress come to the floor, not only as
representatives of their district, but they come to this floor in part
as entertainers seeking reelection.
No, Walter Capps was not out of place in the House of
Representatives, we are out of place in the House of Representatives.
Walter Capps was reflective upon the decisions that Members of this
body were entrusted to make. He was a minister. He led a complete life:
His outward reach and concern for God, something bigger than himself;
ideals that were bigger than himself; his concern for humanity. That is
why he ran for Congress and won and represented people other than
himself. But also his concern, which was healthy for himself, his wife,
and his children.
We will miss Walter Capps, not because of the short amount of time
that he spent in the House of Representatives, but because of the
amount of time that he spent and the quality of that time, Mr. Speaker.
We give honor and praise to God for his time well served.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. Hooley].
Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, to Lois and her children, I offer
my condolences. We all suffered a great loss last night. Walter was an
absolute joy to be around. He was a devoted public servant and he was a
good friend.
The first time I met Walter he talked about the car accident, in the
middle of a campaign, and it was a serious car accident. I said,
``Well, what did you do and how did you carry on?'' He said, ``Well, I
wrote a book.'' I said, ``You wrote a book in the middle of a campaign
while you were recovering from this accident?'' He talked about that as
the most normal thing in the world. I think to most of us, that was
rather surprising.
One of the things we will miss about Walter is the thoughtful way he
approached legislation and legislative problems. We will miss his
absolute unwavering commitment to the people in this country. We will
miss his pleasant smile, his easygoing nature, his calmness, and, most
of all, his great sense of humor.
Even though he was here only a short time, his spirit, his energy,
and his commitment made a difference to all of us and to all of our
lives.
Walter, we will miss you.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Kennedy].
Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, in this House, where power is sort of compared to who
serves on what committees, who has more power, I think there was not
anybody in this House that was more powerful than Walter Capps.
I guess at this time, when we have lost somebody, we think about how
untimely death is when it comes so early in someone's life, like it did
with Walter, and we think perhaps, how are we living our lives?
Well, I can tell you, I know myself that as Walter lived his life,
that is the one thing that we can feel that was joyful, because he
never wasted a moment. He was true to himself; he was true to his
heart. I think probably the worst thing in life is to feel like you
live life and did not live it honestly.

{time} 1045

One thing about Walter is he lived his life honestly. He loved, as I
heard some of my colleagues, he loved people.
I was really fortunate to have been able to go with him and do a few
political events in his district, and accompany Lois. I think that he
loved Lois so much. I just cannot recall all the times, and I know my
colleagues have said it, when we walked out the door at the end of
votes, and Lois, you were always there waiting for him. What a
beautiful love you two had, and what a love he had for his family. I
think what a love he had for his country.
I think he was a truly great American, and this country has lost a
really fine American.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Reyes].
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day for those of us that knew Walter
Capps, but I am thankful to have had an opportunity to know Walter. I
remain thankful for knowing Lois and Lisa, and I look forward to
meeting Todd and Laura as well.
But I will tell the Members, my dad always used to tell us, when the
good Lord brought you to this Earth, he brought you here with simply
one thing, and that was a good name. He always told us, never do
anything to dishonor that name, because in the final analysis when you
leave this Earth, you are going to take nothing except your name and
your reputation.
Today, although it is a sad day for us, I think Walter Capps has
taken with him not only a name that he carried with honor, a name that
he took with him with honor, but a gentleman that really has redefined
in this day and age what public service is all about.
I think it is important for all of us to look at Walter Capps and
say, we can be that way. God put him here for a reason. The reason was
so we could have a standard. He set that standard for us. He may have
been a freshman, but he was a giant in this House. I am very proud to
have known him.
I am also proud to have had an opportunity last week to have been at
a function that he was hosting for some constituents of his from his
district. I am so thankful to God that I got an opportunity to say the
things that I felt about him while he could still here them on this
Earth. Few of us here in this House probably had that opportunity, but
I will forever be grateful.
In finishing, my wife has a theory that when God needs a new angel,
he calls one of us from this Earth. God has a great angel with him now.
God bless Lois, and Lisa, Todd, and Laura, because through them, Walter
will never die.

[[Page H9621]]

Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Davis].
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman
from California for yielding time to me.
Mr. Speaker, I first met Walter when we were candidates and we were
waiting to make our television appearance at the Democratic Convention,
to be made up. Walter looked at me and said, I do not know if the
makeup is going to help you or not, but I do not think it is going to
do much for me. So Walter had a great sense of humor, but also a great
sense of sensitivity, always talking about those things that meant
much.
My best memory, fondest and perhaps last memory of Walter was just
last week. We were walking over to vote, and there was a young man with
him about 12 years old who was just as excited as he could be. Walter
introduced him to me and said, this is the chairman of my youth
council. These people are the future of America.
And I thought that that was just one of the greatest ways to remember
Walter, always nurturing, always teaching, and always looking forward
to tomorrow. Yes, we shall, indeed, miss him.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Blumenauer].
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, like many in this Chamber, yesterday
evening I was struck with a sense of unfairness and sadness, learning
the news of Walter's passing, somebody who has worked so hard to get
here. Yet, it seemed to me that Walter would have us focus on what that
year meant, his passion for justice, his enthusiasm for what this body
can mean.
I do identify with the remarks of the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms.
Jackson-Lee], that he is, indeed, a role model. I do not think he was
out of place here at all. I think it is for us to reflect on the extent
to which we measure up to the ideal that he has established for us,
being reflective, honest, thoughtful, and having the enthusiasm for
serving the people. I think his influence is going to be felt for as
long as any of us who served with him will continue in this Chamber. I
hope that he will accept the deepest sympathy for his family and many
friends from Oregon. We would like to thank them for sharing Walter
with us.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Kind].
Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, we are gathered here today not to mourn the loss of our
beloved friend, Walter Capps, though mourn him we will and we must, but
really to celebrate his life and the effect that he had on all of us
here.
I am a proud member of the freshman class who entered this Congress
this year with Walter Capps. He made us all better. Although I knew him
and Lois for a little less than a year, I felt as if I had known him my
whole life, because he was someone who I aspired to become, someone who
loved and cared for his family very much, someone who was a deep
thinker, philosophically and theologically, someone who had great
respect for this institution, for the process of this great democracy
of ours, but especially someone who had great respect and showed great
interest in the individuals who make up this institution.
I will never forget, shortly after the swearing in ceremony this
year, I was sitting next to Walter and we were talking about the
future, and how he exuded this idealism and his respect for this place,
but also the responsibility that we all shared.
But perhaps, most of all, and this was something you could see daily,
was Walter's attempt to get to know all of us on both sides of the
aisle. We would constantly see him seated next to someone, just talking
to them, picking their brains, getting to know them a little bit
better.
In this era of modern politics where so many of us are dedicated to
destroying one another, attacking each other's character, he tried to
work from the other point of view, to get to know one another,
realizing that ultimately only good things are accomplished when we can
work in a bipartisan fashion together, and in the best interests of
this country.
Lois, Walter will be missed, but he will never be forgotten here.
Rest in peace, my friend.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Davis].
Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this morning is an opportunity to
give thanks for the remarkable life of Walter Capps, and an opportunity
for us to reflect on some of the amazing characteristics of a very
unique man.
One of the things I will always remember about Walter is just how
incredibly strong-willed he was in a body of very strong-willed people.
How else can you explain a man who, at not a terribly young age,
invested the time and energy he did in two campaigns, including one
while he was seriously injured, in the hospital. Yet one of the unique
things about Walter was, while he was so strong-willed, he was so
incredibly selfless. Walter invested his will in a search for the
truth.
The other thing I will remember about Walter is his quiet strength.
In a place where there is a lot of noise and hyperbole, Walter lived as
an example of the power of knowledge, a belief in the power of
conviction, in the power of belief. That is the way he went about
conducting his business. He did so in a way that set a very powerful
example for all of us.
The other thing I will remember about Walter is his incredible peace,
his incredible stillness, to me a reflection of a very rich spiritual
life and a tremendous sense of self-knowledge. I think some of us were
even a little envious. Walter knew who he was, he knew what he
believed, and he simply came here to do it.
Walter's untimely passing is our loss. Above all, Walter was a great
teacher. We were just starting to learn from Walter. But in the short
time that he has been with us we have learned a lot, and certainly the
influence he has had on all of us, as lawmakers, as husbands, as
fathers, as citizens, will last for a very long time.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly].
Mrs. KENNELLY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness
that I join my colleagues here today to honor the life of Congressman
Walter Capps of California. In his year in the Congress of the United
States of America, he added immeasurably to the lives of those with
whom he served. His thoughtfulness, his eagerness to engage in dialogue
on both sides of the aisle, and his commitment to the idea that well-
meaning people can reason together was an inspiration and should be a
model for all us.
I met Walter Capps during the freshman orientation of the 105th
Congress's new Members. He was thrilled to be here. Walter was a brave
man. He had run for Congress once and lost, and had the courage to run
again. He was delighted to be a Member of the Congress of the United
States of America. He was gracious, incredibly gracious as he
introduced each and every one of us to his wife, Lois.
Most importantly, Walter Capps was a man who understood governance.
He understood he was part of making our democratic system work. He came
to Washington to make democracy work. He wanted it to work for the
country that he loved and respected. In his year here he only enhanced
that democractic system he loved so much.
Most importantly, Walter Capps understood the relationship between
this great country and religion. He understood that that wall between
the U.S. Government and our houses of worship had to be an incredibly
strong wall. That should be universally understood in this body, and if
Walter Capps had reminded here, he would have been able to explain to
every Member in this body that they should not mix government and
religion. So that is one of the reasons, of the many reasons that I
feel so badly that Walter has left us, because he could have led us in
that dialog.
In a way it is fitting that Walter Capps left us as he did, rushing
back to the Capitol to serve his constituents. My thoughts are with his
wife, Lois, and with his children. I hope they will find comfort in the
fact that this wonderful man had such an impact on this body in 1 year.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California [Mr. Farr], a friend of

[[Page H9622]]

Walter's and his neighbor to the north.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding me the time.
Mr. Speaker, I guess we are all in shock, considering that yesterday
at this time our colleague was en route to this very room, and today he
is not with us. I do not know what we all have to say, except to
reflect on the fact that we serve in an institution that he campaigned
to be here in a style which is remarkable, because he comes here with
such unusual gifts that this institution needs. He has a doctorate.
There are not many Members of Congress that have doctorates.

{time} 1100

He has written 14 books. Not many Members have written any. He was an
incredible human being with just a family that is the envy of everyone.
And I guess as the son of a politician, I rise sort of for Lisa and for
Todd and Laura, who are his kids, who no longer have a father, and for
Lois, his wife, who is just a remarkable woman.
I think his life teaches that we have to take a look at this
institution, at the way we treat one another, the way we treat our
radical schedule, and remember that he represented on this battlefield
of this floor, a peacemaker. We need more peacemakers. And we need to
make sure that Walter Capps, who was a gift to this institution, shall
not die in vain, that in his memory this institution will better itself
and that we will be more civil, that we will better treat our schedule
and people who serve in public office.
Because, Mr. Speaker, he is the one who did not have to serve. He had
a career in education. He chose to come here, and that is the kind of
people we like to attract to this institution. But if we keep treating
ourselves the way we have been, people like Walter Capps will not come
to the U.S. Congress. Let us not let him die in vain. Let us remember
him, and to Lisa, Todd, Laura and Lois, I am very, very sorry.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Michigan [Ms. Stabenow].
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I rise as someone who is very sad to be
joining my colleagues today. At the same time, I am very proud to have
entered the Congress with Walter Capps and to have served on the
Committee on Science with him.
The Committee on Science is meeting as we are here today. It is
meeting about a subject that Walter cared deeply about, and that is
science education. Science education is something that we shared a
great and common interest in and Walter sat right next to me on the
Committee on Science, and I will go back to committee this morning and
he will not be there.
But I will always remember his wonderful commitment and intellect,
the caring that has been talked about this morning. There are so many
common themes and words that we are hearing from colleagues this
morning about our friend, Walter Capps. His sense of humor. His
strength. His quietness. His caring. His dedication.
He is a gentleman who worked very, very hard on behalf of his
constituents and cared and was so proud of his wonderful family. My
heart goes out to them as we grieve together and celebrate having had
the opportunity to serve with him.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi].
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is
with great sorrow that I join my colleagues in observing the passing of
our dear friend and colleague, Walter Capps. It was like a chill wind
coming through this Chamber last night when the word spread, the
unbelievable word spread that Walter had passed away.
Mr. Speaker, my first reaction was it cannot be true. After that, how
unfair. How unfair. Walter was only here 1 year, but I thought back to
his accident about 1\1/2\ years ago and, as I prayed and tried to
understand why Walter would leave us, I thought perhaps God decided at
the time of the accident that Walter would have 1\1/2\ more years to
live and that would be his gift to his family and to this Congress and,
therefore, to the country, because certainly, although Walter only
served here 1 year, the quantity of time he spent here was not great,
the quality of the time he spent here was unsurpassed. He had a
tremendous, as our colleagues have referenced, impact on this body, on
our colleagues, by the dint of his personality. He was truly a gentle
man. We call each other gentleman, gentlewoman; this man was a gentle
man.
Mr. Speaker, I was recalling two happy incidences, one in which
Walter made others happy and one in which I saw him enjoy himself
within the past 2 weeks. The first incident was a while ago during the
campaign when my family and I were very honored to host a reception for
Walter in our home. And after he spoke, the people who had gathered
there were so impressed, so inspired, so full of hope, that a person of
Walter's caliber and his background and his commitment would be willing
to endure the rough and tumble of politics and try to come to Congress.
In fact, the first response to his speech was tearful and joyful and
then tremendous applause. He made us happy and hopeful.
Then just 2 weeks ago, Lois joined Walter at the White House for the
ceremony for the awards of NEA and NEH. Walter had been a recipient of
NEH, a participant in the past and he was in his glory. He was in his
element. He was recognized by the people there as one of them, a man
who bridged both worlds, the political and the creative and the
humanitarian.
Mr. Speaker, like so many others here, I want to recognize Walter's
patriotism, he certainly loved the American flag and all that it stood
for; recognize him as a teacher by profession and by his nature he
taught us; and say to Lois, I hope that it is a comfort to you, Lois,
to Lisa, to Todd and Laura, that so many people mourn your loss, so
many people recognize Walter's worth. My hopes and prayers go out to
you and I join my colleagues in extending the good wishes of the people
of my district to your family and to Walter's constituents. He loved
his family. He loved his constituents. He loved his country.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Lewis].
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deep sense of
loss over the passing of a great Member of this House, Walter Capps
from Santa Barbara. Very few of us have the opportunity to make a
difference in the world. Walter Capps was such a person.
Whenever I saw him, he shared a great appreciation for the best our
Nation had to offer. He was a lover of the principles of democracy. He
cared deeply for the people he represented.
I heard of Walter's accomplishment as a scholar, teacher, writer, and
thinker long before he came to Congress. When he came here in January
of this year, I wanted to meet him because I knew he would add
something different to this body. I knew that he was not a seasoned
politician, but a deeply caring and sharing citizen of his community.
I knew that Walter loved ideas and that somehow his ideas would shape
the laws we make and the destiny of our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, on several occasions I had an opportunity to talk with
Walter on the floor, in the cloakroom, walking across the lawn. Just
last Thursday we had an opportunity to talk, and he was so pleased to
introduce me to the grandson of Cesar Chavez.
Walter Capps was the personification of the best of human kind, and I
think we all can learn from his example. He was our colleague. He was
my friend. He was my brother.
To Lois, his wife, and to his family, we mourn with you. And as
Members, we are more than lucky we are blessed we had an opportunity to
know him. We will miss Walter.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella].
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I did not know Walter Capps very well. I
served on the Committee on Science with him, and I found him to be a
very honorable, fair, gentle man who cared about issues, who was
dedicated to public service, to his country, his community, his
friends, and indeed to his family.
I offer my condolences to his family. He is a man who is also very
bipartisan in terms of being very fair. He will be

[[Page H9623]]

missed by this Chamber. He will be missed by his district, by his
friends, and by his family.
As Thornton Wilder said, ``There is a land of the living and a land
of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only
meaning.'' I think that Walter Capps will live on in love.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Michigan [Ms. Kilpatrick].
Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I come to this podium today to join my
colleagues as a Member of the freshman class with Mr. Capps, Mr. Walter
Capps, a distinguished literary man, a professor of religion, but more
than that, a man who would take the issues of this Congress, listen to
them thoroughly, and then let his conscience and the well-being of the
American citizens determine how he would cast his vote.
Mr. Speaker, I sat with him last Thursday as we discussed the Loretta
Sanchez case out in California's 46th. How worried and troubled he was
that an election that could be won by some 900 votes could be simply
thrown aside and castigated and, more than that, the Congresswoman duly
elected be chastised and harassed after having won an election in his
beautiful home State of California.
Mr. Speaker, I sponsored the Wilma Rudolph Congressional Gold Medal
legislation last week, and I think my legislation might have been the
last one that Mr. Walter Capps was able to cosponsor. I am proud to
have him as a cosponsor. I want his wife, Lois, and his family to know
that all of us will remember Walter as we carry out our congressional
duties, that this Congress will be a better Congress because Walter
served here.
So, Mr. Speaker, I say to Lois and his family, ``He lives and he will
always live because we will always remember him. God bless you.''
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Roemer].
Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend my prayers and my
sympathies to the Capps family, to Lois and Lisa and Todd and Laura.
And I want to just reflect for just a minute about Walter Capps, who
was a man of contrasts but certainly not conflicts.
He was gentle in his personality, but strong and towering in his
views. He was a professor of theology, and he was very, very strong in
his faith, yet he did not preach to others.
He was an academician, but not in the ivory tower sense. He had a
wonderful and very witty sense of humor. He was humble. When my
colleague just mentioned that he had written 14 books, with his great
sense of humor and his humbleness he might have turned to me as a
member of the Committee on Science and said, ``Roemer, have you even
read 14 books?"
He was somebody who always sought out other people's opinions and
listened to those opinions to form his own view. Yet that was not a
view that was a weak view; it was a resolute view and an informed view.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would say as I come from the Committee on
Science, where I shared that committee with Professor and Congressman
Capps, he worked and was dedicated to issues such as science and
education. Well, now where he rests he can work on issues that he cares
maybe even more deeply about. That is personal faith and world peace.
May God bless you, Walter Capps.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. Snyder].
Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, it is always tragic to lose someone like
Walter Capps, who showed such enthusiasm for his newest challenge in
life, this new career in Congress. But I will have to say if Walter had
stayed on this Earth until he was 103, his life even then would have
been tragically interrupted because I suspect he would have been
mastering some new skill, taking on another new challenge, inspiring
those around him to do better, probably writing another dang book.
Mr. Speaker, he worked hard for his country because he loved his
country. We loved Walter Capps. We respected Walter Capps and we will
miss him.
Mr. Speaker, I noticed in the last few moments that we have heard the
delightful sound of little children in the gallery. I think Walter
would have liked that.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from California [Ms. Millender-McDonald].
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I too rise to express my
heartfelt sympathy to the family of Representative Walter Capps and
extend my condolences and those of my constituents to his wife Lois and
his children, Laura, Todd, and Lisa.
Mr. Speaker, during the time I knew him and had the opportunity to
serve with him in this House, it was a pleasure. His gentle, reflective
nature had a calming influence, one I appreciated during those times we
have to dash to the floor to cast votes.
On one occasion, Mr. Speaker, when we were discussing the challenges
of maintaining two households, one here and one in our districts, I
encouraged him to consider a place in my building because Walter was
more than an educator, a father, and a Member of Congress; he was a
neighbor whose civility, reflections, experience, and knowledge helped
him to master a rule of the House we should all refer to more
frequently: The Golden Rule.

{time} 1115

For even in this House, with all the issues, the stakes and the
games, Walter would do unto others as you would have others do unto
you. The great State of California has lost a great warrior of the
people.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Ford].
Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I express my sympathies and prayers to the
Capps family and the constituents of the 22d District of California.
Mr. Speaker, John Kennedy once said, I am certain that after the dust
of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered
not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our
contribution to the human spirit.
We will not have to wait for the dust to settle on the work of this
great giant, Walter Capps, to understand and to remember the
contribution he made to lifting the human spirit of this great body of
Congress. He brought a sense of spirituality to this body and was a
model of integrity and generosity, indeed, a decorated soldier for
humanity. The 15th verse of the 116th Psalm, Mr. Speaker, reads that
precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Oh, what
a sight Walter Capps must be.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McGovern].
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I am very sad that this House and this
Nation has lost a decent, caring and thoughtful Member. Walter Capps
ran for Congress and won for all the right reasons. He stood for
something. He cared passionately about issues. He was principled. He
was a man of strong ideals.
My wife, Lisa, and I admired Walter very much, not only for his
views, but also because he brought a special dignity to this office.
This Congress and our country has lost a great patriot. My deepest
sympathies go out to Lois and Walter's entire family. Walter has set a
powerful and compassionate example that all of us in this Chamber
should follow, and we will miss him very much.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Boswell].
Mr. BOSWELL. Mr. Speaker, I have appreciated in our sorrow the
reflections about Walter. He was a great man. I would say to Lois and
the family, remember those great and wonderful memories that you have
got. In this moment of sadness, they will carry you through.
Walter touched me many ways. He was kind of my buddy. We kind of
jabbed each other once in a while about being the oldest in the class.
We talked just about every day, shared a few pleasantries, tried to
have a new joke for one another. But in the process, I realized that
Walter was a man of great depth.
He was a teacher. He was a writer. He was a loving person. He was
very sincere. Even though he had a lot of fun, he was very sincere
about life. The inscription above the Speaker's head, in God we trust,
he believed that.
I think we can take some comfort in what is a favorite scripture of
mine, John 14, that I go to prepare a place for you and will receive
you to myself.

[[Page H9624]]

I think Walter is there. I think he is watching us. I think there is
a smile upon his face because he knows that he touched our lives,
touched every one of us, and our lives have been made better because of
Walter Capps. So may the good Lord bless him and may we remember those
good times and appreciate him, is my thought.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from North Dakota [Mr. Pomeroy].
Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, rare, but from time to time we will meet
someone whose decency, intellect, and integrity leave upon us a
permanent impression. Such was the case with Walter Capps for me.
The House of Representatives, on any given day, can be a very tough,
rough and tumble place, and yet during the visits I would have with
Walter at the back of the Chamber, somewhere across the face of this
Capitol campus, I would always come away feeling better, feeling a
little calmer, a little more upbeat because of his person. He was so
good that he just left you feeling better for having talked to him.
Some try in this place to lead by angry bombast. With Walter, it was
the case of leading by quiet, dignified example.
To spend any time with him, you would just simply gather a sense that
Walter had a great sense of personal balance. Watching the beautiful
friendship, the loving friendship he had with his wife, Lois, his
inseparable companion during his time here, left that impression ever
so clearly.
Walter, you were not here long but by virtue of the man you were, you
have touched our lives and in the process you have uplifted the
people's House of Representatives.
God bless you, Walter.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Kucinich].
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, as a new Member of Congress, I am proud to
be part of a class which included Walter Capps of California. He was a
man of decency, integrity, and perseverance. His passing is a loss for
Lois and the family, and it is a loss for our congressional family.
He had an easygoing style and grace, a light which emanated from his
smile and his humor. He was a gentleman in the finest sense, gentle.
May he go gently into the light.
God bless you, Walter.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Maine [Mr. Allen].
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I come from the other side of the country
from Walter and Lois Capps, but Diana and I count as one of the
blessings of this job the chance that we had to get to know both Walter
and Lois. We will miss him.
I am told that his class on the Vietnam war at the University of
California Santa Barbara, taught annually, had the largest enrollment
on campus and reached more students than any other course in the entire
University of California system. Knowing Walter, I believe that. I
understand that.
He brought a decency, a compassion and honesty about this business to
this House that was a credit to him and to the citizens of the 22d
District of California. He cared deeply about education, that was his
background. But he also, because he came at this time of life that he
did, he was not caught up in all of our partisan battles. He really was
here to do good, and he did it as long as he was here.
I was talking to a member of my staff a moment ago. She said she met
him once and he was a kind soul. She said it well. He was a good and
kind and strong gentleman, and we will miss him.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Washington [Mr. McDermott].
Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say a word or two to Mrs.
Capps and the kids.
This is a remarkable hour. Not many people could spend 1 year here
and have this many Members say what they are saying. Most of us, we are
here 10 years, 20 years, not this kind of thing would occur for them.
He aimed well. He succeeded.
God bless you.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Weygand].
Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, those of us who came in as freshman class
Democrats came from all parts of the country with different viewpoints
and different backgrounds. I think when we all first came here, we kind
of looked for someone, someone that we could always associate with.
That person happened to be Walter Capps.
He was like a soul mate to all of us. Whenever you spoke with him,
you always felt at ease. Whenever you talked with him about an issue,
he always understood and you always had a sense that, in fact, you were
connecting. I guess he always had that ability to do so. He was such a
loving man, a man of family, a man of community.
But I think most of all, he was a man that we remember, a man of
decency. In a Chamber that is often characterized by yelling,
screaming, and finger pointing, Walter Capps was, in fact, perhaps the
best image that we could ever have, a true man of decency, and we will
miss him.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman].
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to pay tribute to
the memory of our late colleague. Congressman Walter Capps of
California's untimely passing yesterday has brought sorrow to all of
us.
As an active member of our Committee on International Relations,
Walter Capps brought a wealth of wisdom and experience developed during
his career that spanned 33 years as a professor of religious studies at
the University of California in Santa Barbara, including the authorship
of more than a dozen books.
Walter had a special interest in the study of conflict resolution, a
subject that is of particular concern to us in the field of
international relations. His strong record of constructive
participation in the work of our committee and on the floor of this
body demonstrated his deep commitment to the work of the Congress.
Congressman Walter Capps, in his dedication to public service, was a
man distinguished by gentleness who cared deeply for others. The House
is greatly diminished by his loss. Our heartfelt sympathies and
condolences to go out to his wife, Lois, and their three children.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentlewoman from California [Ms. Lofgren].
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in expressing our
very sincere condolences to the Capps family, to the residents of
Walter's district and really to this country, because Walter was a
special person.
Walter was an honest man in a time when some of us see things but
fall short of that. He was honest intellectually. He loved this job.
And in all the discussions I had with him, he talked about what a great
honor it was to share the power and the hope and the ideal of this
country with people who felt that they were left out.
I can remember nights walking through the halls when he would be
showing young people from his district this building and explaining the
majesty of the Congress and making them feel that they owned it as much
as anyone in this country. To Lois, we honor you for all you have done
with Walter. He could not have done it without you.
We miss you, Walter.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Gejdenson].
Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I just want to join with my colleagues,
to the family, to give our concern and our love. He was a special
individual on the committee. From the first day there, he brought with
him an intellect that is hard to match and an understanding of history
and the courage to follow those convictions through.
We often have Members that have courage. We often have Members that
have an understanding of history, but they never seem to be quite as
joined as they were in Walter, a great sense of what has happened and
where we should go, the courage to stick with it.
It always, I think, brought us great joy to see Walter and his wife
around the Capitol together. It was a privilege to serve with him on
the Committee on International Relations.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Upton].
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, when I returned home last night and told my

[[Page H9625]]

wife the sad story about Walter Capps leaving this place, the first
thing she asked was about Lois.
A lot of us, in the 10 months that we were here, did not know Walter
Capps all that well. I got to know him a little bit at Hershey, he and
his wife both. He was an honest, decent guy that worked so hard for his
constituents back in California. He was well-respected on both sides of
the aisle. We are going to miss him.
Like a lot of Members in this House, he was not flashy. His name was
not a household name. But I think it was his courage and wisdom and
thoughtfulness that, in fact, made a difference for not only his
constituents, but for this House as well.
We are going to miss him. We wish Lois and his family the very best
in our prayers.

{time} 1130

Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Strickland].
Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, John Gardner has written that ``some
people strengthen this society just by being the kind of people they
are.'' Walter Capps was such a person. I would like to say that some
Members strengthen the House of Representatives just by being the kind
of person they are, and Walter Capps was such a Member. I admired him
greatly.
And Lois, I would like to say that when it comes time for me to leave
this Earth, I hope that people can feel about me the way we all
obviously feel about your Walter.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from Washington [Mr. McDermott] has
said, this has been an extraordinary outpouring of sentiment during an
extremely busy time of a very busy day at the end of the session; and
it is totally appropriate for Walter Capps.
I had the privilege of working with him during his two campaigns for
Congress. The first real communication I had with him was by computer.
He sent me a message from Santa Barbara. It said, ``You cannot imagine
how entirely irrelevant the material you are sending me is.''
As chairman of the DCCC, I realized he not only had a great sense of
humor, he also had a very incisive intelligence. And I came to respect
his different approach, a successful approach which we have all come to
appreciate.
I saw him among his constituents from Santa Maria the other day, not
the bastion of Walter Capps' support in his first two races for
Congress. But I could tell you, I could see the growing pride, the
clear respect those constituents had for his efforts and his service
here. I know the leaders of that community, largely of the other party
from Walter's, were looking forward to his reelection. And the depth of
feeling about his passing will be felt just as strongly there as it was
in Santa Barbara.
We have talked about his introduction of legislation on Lou Gehrig's
disease, and the time he spent in the hospital recovering from a near
fatal auto accident, during which he wrote a book. But we do not know
that the reason that he introduced that bill was because, during his
time in the hospital, he befriended an individual suffering from Lou
Gehrig's disease and learned from that man things that brought him to
that introduction when he became a Member of Congress.
Walter was always sensitive to those around him, always learning and
doing what he could to be helpful. I was most impressed not just by the
vote he cast, but by the process he went through struggling with the
question of how to vote on the constitutional amendment on flag
burning. There were many who assumed they knew how Walter Capps would
vote on that issue. But Walter Capps went in depth to his family and
his friends and the veterans he knew so well and decided, contrary to
my view, I might add, to support that amendment. And in doing so, I
think he sent a message to all of us that he was here for the people
and he was going to be independent in his judgment on every issue.
There was no typecasting Walter Capps. And that is why this
incredible loss will be felt most of all when we debate those questions
of church and state, the interrelationship of our religious faith and
our belief in democracy and free speech. His loss there will have to be
compensated for only by his writings.
And so we, I think, all feel a tremendous loss for a man who spent
all too little time with us but made an incredible impact on us.
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, this morning I wish to join with my
colleagues in mourning the loss of our friend, Congressman Walter
Capps.
First of all, allow me to extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife
Lois, and his children. My thoughts and prayers are with you in this
time of loss.
Walter Capps lived a rich and vigorous life, serving his community in
several different capacities. As a young man in Omaha, NE, he learned
the value of a hard day's work with Union Pacific Railroad and by
delivering newspapers and painting houses. As a professor of religious
studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he emerged as a
national leader in the study of peace and conflict studies, veterans
affairs, and American democracy. And while at UCSB, he also developed
one of the first college curriculums on the history, experience, and
ramifications of the Vietnam war. Furthermore, he was very active with
community service organizations in the Santa Barbara area and in his
own Lutheran church.
Walter epitomized the type of individual we all strive to be, not
only as Members of Congress, but as human beings. In a time where petty
partisan wrangling has engulfed this body and prevented us from doing
the people's work, Walter Capps exuded a sense of humility, compassion,
empathy, and inner peace that we all should endeavor to attain.
Refusing to subscribe to the lowest common denominator of discourse, he
spoke from the heart, challenging all of us to see the big picture and
work for a world where harmony, reconciliation, and scholarship are
more common than conflict, ignorance, and economic disparity.
While campaigning to represent the people of the 22d Congressional
District of California, Walter Capps often spoke of the broken bond of
trust between the people of the United States and their government. He
believed that Americans deserve a government as good as the people it
serves and that idealism has a place in Washington, DC. Therefore, in
the memory of Walter Capps, I challenge each and every Member of this
House and every Member of the U.S. Senate to seize this idealism and
begin to work for a nation that Walter would have been proud of: a
place where social divisions melt away into a national community coming
together to solve its problems in a constructive, thoughtful, and
compassionate manner.
It was a great honor to serve this Nation with Walter Capps and to
have gotten to know him and work with him however briefly. His loss is
a wound that will not heal swiftly. It is my hope and prayer that this
House will carry on his legacy and always remember and live up to his
expectations and grand vision of the potential of the Federal
Government and of humanity.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. I rise to share my condolences with the
family of Walter Capps--Lois, Lisa, Todd, and Laura--and with every
member of this House because we've all lost a true contributor: A man
who legislated from his soul.
We are all left shocked and sorrowful at his death. But there was
perhaps no one more prepared for this moment than Walter himself.
Elected officials often suffer from erosion--outside forces chip away
at our thoughts, and work to influence our actions.
But Walter didn't work from the outside in--he worked from the inside
out. His studied philosophies, his moral strength and his writings have
left us with an example to follow in our professional lives.
His sincerity, and that twinkle in his eye, have left us with fond
memories to carry home.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of my friend and
colleague, Congressman Walter H. Capps. Although Congressman Capps was
with us for a brief period of time, he left his mark in Congress and on
the world. Congressman Capps and I both served on the Committee on
International Relations which he joined in 1996. When Representative
Capps joined the International Relations Committee he did so because of
his commitment to changing and making a difference in the world with
all people from all races and religions. Although he was with us for a
short period of time, he touched many lives. Capps was a prominent
figure in the circle of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all
peoples but he was especially concerned with the growing human rights
abuses of the Chinese officials toward the Tibetans. I think that
during the visit of Jiang Zemin this week, we should be mindful of the
things that Congressman Capps stood for--the right of a people to live
in peace and the right of a people to determine their own future.

[[Page H9626]]

Congressman Capps was a spiritual and devout man who taught religious
studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara for 33 years.
His pioneering spirit led him to write several books. He was best known
for a well-renown course he taught on the Vietnam war.
Capps had a subtle drive. He had a civil, congenial nature, that
became contagious whenever anyone was in his presence. He was admired
by many of his colleagues and friends for his gentile and deferential
nature. In committee hearings, he would often question the inhospitable
nature of members and would encourage bipartisanship. Although it was
difficult for some of his colleagues to see an answer to a problem, he
would help solve disputes with amicable diplomacy and resolve.
He was respected and admired by many people. Capps has left a legacy
and an enlightened path will be difficult to follow.
Mr. DOOLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of our
colleague and friend Walter Capps, whose generosity of spirit enriched
this Chamber, the State of California, and this country immeasurably
during his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives. He brought to
this House the same intellectual rigor and deep compassion that allowed
him to excel as a professor of religious studies at the University of
California at Santa Barbara, as an author, as a U.S. Congressman, and
as a husband and father.
Representative Capps was a man of patience and principle whose
leadership in the House, while brief, had a significant effect on his
colleagues. He did not enjoy conflict, yet he fought with passion and
sensitivity for the issues he felt were crucial to his constituents and
to his own conscience. He did not make decisions lightly, but, once
decided, his opinions were profoundly argued and vibrantly supported by
his actions. He did not consider himself a politician, and resisted the
deal-cutting and personal attacks that represent the worst part of
government. Yet he himself represented the best of what politics can
be, as an independent thinker, a sympathetic listener, and a devoted
advocate for the concerns of his constituents and of all Americans.
Walter was a man of faith, not only of the spiritual kind, but of the
political kind. He had faith in the democratic process, and had faith
that it would allow him to be elected even after an initial defeat. His
victory proved to all of us in California and across the country that
voters will choose substance over style, and that true leadership will
be recognized no matter what the odds.
To Lois and his children, I offer my sincere condolences, with the
hope that they may find comfort in the tremendous good Walter has done
in this House and within the 22d District of California. He will be
truly missed. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to the
memory of our colleague, the Honorable Walter Capps.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Walter Capps.
Those of us in this House were privileged to know and serve with
Walter this past year. This institution is diminished by his passing.
Just recently Walter and I worked together in an effort to prevent
imported assault weapons from flooding our streets. Walter was
undeterred by the political risks involved with taking on this issue
because he was here not merely to occupy a seat--but to make a
difference.
As a professor, he understood the value of education and the
importance of history. He brought thoughtful convictions and a gentle
manner to an institution too often characterized by bluff and bluster,
and reminded us all of the importance of decency and integrity.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Lois and her children. Walter made
a real impact here and he will be missed.
Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take a moment to
honor the tremendous accomplishments of a special man, a friend, and a
dedicated public servant, Walter Capps.
I had the great pleasure of entering Congress with Walter. At a time
when, as a freshman class, we were embarking on a remarkable privilege
and profound challenge, Walter's warm and caring nature, constant
humor, and analytical mind truly added a great deal to our process.
Most important, Walter's strong commitment to getting the job done for
America's families without engaging in partisan politics is truly to be
commended: Walter's priority was always focused on making a difference
in the lives of the families of California's central coast. Whether
improving education, saving Morro Bay, supporting Vandenberg Air Force
Base, or protecting seniors, Walter's strong commitment to his
constituents always took first place in all he worked for and
accomplished.
At a time when new Members of Congress are working hard to break with
the politics of old and create a new more cohesive and productive
atmosphere, Walter will be greatly missed, but his contributions will
never be forgotten. My thoughts go out to his wife Lois, three
children, and grandchild.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that I
learned of the death of Walter Capps, my colleague in the House and a
member of the Science Committee, which I chair. Walter died yesterday
of an apparent heart attack after arriving at Dulles airport upon
returning to Washington from his California district.
Before his election to Congress, Walter was a professor of religious
studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He also
established and taught the first college course on the Vietnam war. His
lifelong commitment to education was evident to everyone who knew him.
His experience as an educator was a tremendous asset to the Science
Committee and our work to improve science and math education.
I was particularly impressed by the integrity and honesty that Walter
Capps displayed at all times. I recall a conversation I had with Walter
after a particularly successful bipartisan markup we had in the Science
Committee earlier this year. He told me he was impressed by the
bipartisan spirit and focus on policy over politics and he hoped that
it would catch on in the House. Displaying the integrity that I
particularly admired in Walter Capps, he indicated to me that he was
going to skip a meeting later that day with Members of his own party
that he believed to be intent on promoting partisan politics.
Walter was a pleasure to work with and will be missed as both a
friend and a colleague. I know that all of the Science Committee
members would want to join me in extending our sympathy to his wife,
Lois, and three children, Lisa, Todd, and Laura.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday this body lost a great Member.
The passing of Walter Capps will be felt deeply by all of us. He was a
wonderful man, dedicated to making a difference. He will be missed
terribly.
Walter was not a politician. He was an academic at heart, and it was
his background in academia that enabled him to bring a unique viewpoint
to Congress. His expertise in the study of the Vietnam conflict and
conflict resolution earned the respect of his colleagues, and enabled
him to play a significant role on the International Relations
Committee, even as a freshman.
A truly remarkable individual, Walter was deeply affected by the 1996
car accident, which left him temporarily in a wheel chair. From this
tragedy, he learned a lesson that many of us would have overlooked,
that loving and caring for each other was what mattered in the end. He
carried this perspective into his daily work on the House floor.
Determined to protect those individuals who could not help themselves,
Walter would always cast his vote to protect the most vulnerable in our
society. He truly believed that even if reform was called for, the
Government must not abandon what he felt to be its mandate: to help
families and individuals who could not help themselves. This kindness,
compassion, and genuine concern for his fellow man was evident in all
that Walter said and did.
I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Walter`s wife, Lois,
and to their children. At this time of great sorrow please know that
you will be in the thoughts and prayers of myself and the other
Members. I hope that you can take some small comfort in knowing that
Walter was admired and respected by all who came in contact with him.
He truly was a great man, and I am honored to have known him.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to share the
intense grief of my colleagues over the passing of Water Capps. This is
a truly sad day in the Congress and a truly sad day for our country.
In a body often riddled with cynicism, Walter Capps stood above the
crowd as a straight-forward man of integrity and honor. Grounded in his
own deeply moral and ethical beliefs, he served as a shining beacon to
us all on the virtues of conciliation, kindness, and compassion.
Before entering the Congress, Walter gained national prominence on
the stage of academia. He spent 30 years as a professor of religious
studies at the UC-Santa Barbara, where he authored 14 books, became
widely known as an expert on religion, conflict resolution, and
American democracy, and developed an extraordinarily popular course on
the Vietnam war that brought together soldiers, protestors, and
Vietnamese refugees. He brought this unique perspective on politics and
on life to the Halls of Congress, enriching the atmosphere and
heightening our collective sense of dignity and comradery.
The Santa Barbara News Press describes Walter as a Congressman who
sought to personalize American politics and bring civility back to the
discourse on Capitol Hill. This sense of purpose was a common threat
running throughout Walter's personal and professional life. Walter's
tireless work on behalf of his congressional district, traveling back
to California every week, listening to and connecting with his
constituents, represented his uniquely personal brand of politics.

[[Page H9627]]

Mr. Speaker, it is never easy to lose a colleague or a friend. But,
our grief is overshadowed by those that knew Walter on a more personal
level. It is my sincere wish that his wonderful wife Lois, and his
children Todd, Lisa, and Laura, take solace in the knowledge that
Walter was so highly respected and revered by his peers. Today's
outpouring of emotion on the House floor accurately reflects the high
esteem with which Walter was held.
Walter will be missed by this body, and he will be missed by a county
seeking the values and commitment to civility he so fully represented.
While only here in Congress a short while, I know that Walter Capps has
made a lasting impression upon us all.
Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my
shock and profound sadness at the sudden passing of our friend and
colleague, Walter Capps. I send my most sincere condolences to Walter's
family and I wish to let them know that he will be missed and fondly
remembered.
Like many of us here, I came to know Walter when he decided to run
for office in the 1994 elections. Even before meeting him during the
campaign, word traveled from California to Washington that a respected
professor and an exciting man wanted to represent the people of Santa
Barbara in Congress. We were told that he was smart, compassionate, and
would fight hard for his beliefs and his community.
Advance praise for Walter Capps was not undeserved. My only regret
was that we did not have more time to work together and to become
better friends. Some of my most recent memories of Walter include
standing together on the steps of the Capitol one sunny day this month
demanding a vote on campaign finance reform. And, one day while walking
across the street to vote on another matter, Walter and I discussed the
brewing controversy over the future of the ranch in Santa Barbara owned
by the Reagans.
Walter was well versed in matters both local and national and I
believe he would have been one of our great Members of Congress had he
only had the chance.
Walter, I will miss you. We will all miss you. I am proud to have
known you and to have served with you and I will do my part to see that
your dreams for our country are realized.
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in paying respect to
the memory of Walter Capps.
Walter was an especially decent man, one of the few freshmen to make
an immediate impact upon arrival. That impact was based on a strong
sense of moral purpose and a grounding in the belief that Congress
could solve problems without resorting to partisanship or one-ups-
manship. With Walter's sudden passing yesterday, a bright light has
gone out.
Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate to have had Walter here in Congress,
even for a brief time. Sidney and I express our deepest sympathies to
his wife, Lois, and the Capps family.
Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back any time I may
have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hobson). Without objection, the previous
question is ordered on the resolution.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid upon the table.

____________________