[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H9791-H9792]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HON. WALTER H. CAPPS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Farr] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Texas [Mr. Reyes].
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Farr], for yielding.
  It is a special time for us here as we talk about a dear friend. And 
for those of us that think that we have to know somebody for a long, 
long time in order to respect them, in order to love them, we do not.
  Walter Capps most of us only truly knew for about 10 months or so. I 
can only say for my part that I feel a great sense of loss for losing 
him, but most of all, for not having the opportunity to have known him 
longer or having met him earlier in my life.
  I can remember clearly the first time that I met Walter Capps. We 
were at one of our freshmen orientations. He came down and sat down 
next to me, like he would sit down to talk to others, and he looked at 
me and he said, ``You are that Border Patrol guy, aren't you?'' Walter 
Capps was unique. I did not know quite how to respond to him. Except, 
he spoke to me at length, and later I had the distinct feeling that I 
had just been through an interview in a very friendly and charming sort 
of way.
  Walter Capps was a humble and gentle man. He was patient. He had a 
sense of humor. Many times in this hall, I wound up sitting next to him 
and we would trade witty remarks, and he would look at me and smile 
with a twinkle in his eye and say, ``You know, you are pretty good at 
this stuff.'' And he was not so bad himself. He always kept a good 
sense of humor. He had a great sense of family. You could see that.
  To the people of the 22nd District, I wanted to say thank you for 
giving us the opportunity to serve with a man of integrity, a man of 
high morals, a man of principles.
  In closing, I would like to remember him as he truly was, as a loving 
husband, a devoted father, a dedicated true public servant and, for me 
and my wife, a dear friend that we will miss but that we know tonight 
is looking out for all of us, and most especially for you, Lois, for 
Lisa, for Laura, and for Todd. This world is a better place because 
Walter Capps walked among us. He was a giant. He was a friend. And he 
will be missed.
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan [Ms. Stabenow].
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. Speaker, I take just a moment this evening to join 
with my colleagues. It is an honor to serve in this body with my 
friends in the freshmen class. And it has been an honor to serve with 
Walter Capps. So much has been said about him, it is hard to know what 
to add, except to share a couple of personal experiences about Walter.
  He and I met through the television set. We were both featured on one 
of the stories near the end of the campaign about hot-contested races. 
I had the opportunity to hear about this wonderful man, this bright, 
wonderful author and professor in California. We both had similar 
opponents. When we got here at orientation, we were very quick to look 
each other up and, not knowing each other, gave each other a hug and 
said that we were glad that we had both made it.
  We went on to sit together on the Committee on Science. Walter sat 
next to me. He was all the things that everyone has said tonight in 
terms of his wit, his compassion, his intelligence, his caring. Sitting 
next to him on the committee, we had an opportunity to share some 
really important discussions about education, science and math 
education, the importance of investing in research, in science. It was 
clear to me that this was a man of incredible depth, as well as a man 
who was extremely caring and respectful of other people.
  He was always teasing me about my legislative director, who he said 
was wonderful and he wanted to steal her from me. And every time she 
came up to speak with me on the Science Committee, he would say, ``Is 
she treating you all right? And if she is not, just let me know.'' My 
staff loved to talk with Walter.
  I think when I heard about what happened on Tuesday, and I was with 
my legislative director, both of us felt like we had been hit in the 
stomach, we were so shocked, and had a very difficult time the rest of 
the evening as we went back to the office and had an opportunity to 
share with each other about the wonderful discussions and interactions 
with our friend, Walter Capps.
  To Lois and the family, our prayers are with you. You have had a 
wonderful opportunity to know our friend, Walter Capps, certainly much 
better than we have. But for me, for my staff, we want to let you know 
that we care deeply about your family and your loss and our prayers are 
with you.
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume and then with a close to the gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. 
Furse].
  Mr. Speaker, tonight the United States Capitol mourns the loss of our 
colleague, Congressman Walter Capps. Tonight, it is a beautiful autumn 
evening outside. The Capitol is basking in spotlights, and the flags 
are all at half-mast. Forty-eight hours ago in this Chamber, the House 
of Representatives, we were a buzz as the news, the shocking news, was 
passed from Member to Member about Walter's sudden heart attack.
  Tonight, I rise to pay tribute to this great man. First, because he 
was what politics in America needs, a scholar, a thinker, an 
accomplished man, Ph.D. from Yale, an author of 14 books, and, as so 
many speakers before me have mentioned, an incredible loving husband to 
Lois, the partnership that I think was the envy of the Capitol.
  But he was also an incredibly loving, wonderful father to Lisa, Todd, 
and Laura. How many times we saw Laura at Capitol events as she worked 
in the White House. And how many of us as parents envied the ability 
and the wonderful relationship that he had with his daughter to be able 
to work in the Nation's Capitol alongside one of your children.
  Walter was a mentor to us. What was so wonderful about him is his 
style, as everybody has mentioned. In an era of cynicism about 
politics, he made the cynics doubt themselves. He represented the 
district that is next door to mine, a district that I have long had 
close relationships with. The politicians in that district have been 
like the politicians in my own. I went to school with county supervisor 
Billy Wallace. And Jack O'Connell, the State senator, was my roommate 
when I was in the State legislature. And Andrea Seastrand, who preceded 
her husband, Eric Seastrand, who served with me in the State 
legislature and also died while he was in office. All of these people 
have been about that wonderful district.
  Walter Capps was a futurist about that district. He knew that he 
could make a difference. And he was making a difference. He was excited 
about the

[[Page H9792]]

future. And he knew that he was going to help Santa Barbara County and 
San Luis Obispo County.
  Tonight, those counties have lost a great Congressman. California has 
lost a great scholar. The Nation has lost a model public servant. So 
tonight's tribute to Walter, with the flags at half-mast, it is also 
about patriotism, but not so much about the protection of the land of 
Walter's forefathers as it is about the preservation of the land of 
Walter's children.
  Walter, look around you right now. I know up there in heaven, next to 
you is my father, who is former State Senator Fred Farr. He passed away 
just a few months ago. You two are probably sitting right now 
chuckling. With the passing of so many good Democrats, you are probably 
saying, the Lord is just trying to make a more perfect union.
  Good night, Walter. Good night, Lois. Good night, kids. We love you.

                          ____________________