[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 6 (Wednesday, February 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E98]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR NELSON MANDELA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. AMO HOUGHTON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 1998

  Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of you and a 
bipartisan group of our colleagues, to introduce a bill to award the 
Congressional God Medal, our nation's highest civilian honor, to Nelson 
Rolihlahla Mandela, President of the Republic of South Africa.
  Nelson Mandela has dedicated his entire life to the abolition of 
apartheid and creation of democracy in his beloved country, South 
Africa. His story is familiar to us all; his impact on Members of this 
body and citizens of our nation--immense. This will be his final full 
year in office. We therefore thought that honoring him might be 
appropriate.
  For the three decades that he was in prison, Nelson Mandela never 
once gave up on the struggle to free South Africans from their racist 
oppressors. He sacrificed his life, his youth. His daughter, Zindzi, 
often said that she ``grew up without a father, who, when he returned, 
became the father of a nation.'' There is no doubt that he became and 
remains South Africa's best known and most beloved hero, a sentiment 
that exists here in the United States.
  As President of South Africa, Mandela's dedication to his people did 
not cease once the apartheid laws were lifted. He refocused his efforts 
toward his nation's reconciliation by creating the Truth and 
Reconciliation Commission, Chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. This 
Commission has been a fair, no-nonsense forum to expose an 
uncomfortable past in a constructive--not divisive--way.
  When he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with then-President FW de 
Klerk in 1993, he did so as a tribute to all people around the world 
who have worked for peace and stood against racism. This of course 
includes former South African Nobel Peace Laureates Chief Albert 
Luthuli and Bishop Desmond Tutu, and so many others, including some of 
our colleagues and fellow citizens.
  Here in the United States, I think especially of our colleague, Ron 
Dellums, who retires at the end of this week, as someone who fought so 
hard against apartheid, and worked to convince members of this body to 
impose sanctions on the South African government, which eventually led 
the events that culminated with apartheid's demise.
  Our bill also specifically recognizes American student Amy Biehl, and 
her parents, Peter and Linda Biehl. Amy lost her life in the struggle 
against apartheid when she was murdered by the hands of an angry, 
racially-charged mob, in the Guguletu township outside Cape Town. Amy 
was a bright young woman, full of potential. She had traveled to South 
Africa to help register African women to vote. Peter and Linda are 
extraordinary people. When they confronted Amy's murderers last year, 
they showed an element of forgiveness and compassion rarely seen on 
this earth. They are an example to us all.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I would especially like to express my thanks for 
your cosponsorship and the other Members who have joined us as original 
cosponsors--Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Waters, Mr. Gilman, Mr. 
Hamilton, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Bereuter, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
Sanford, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. 
Dellums, Mr. McDermott, and Mr. Hall of Ohio. I hope, with your help, 
we can assemble an appropriate number of cosponsors to move this 
bipartisan bill through the House and Senate--then welcome President 
Mandela to the United States this year and offer him this gift to 
recognize our immense appreciation for all he has done to rid the world 
of the scourge of racism.

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