[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 28 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1998-S2000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO GOVERNOR JAMES S. GILMORE

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, on Saturday, January 17, 1998, I 
had the privilege of joining other members of the Virginia 
Congressional delegation in Richmond for the inauguration of James S. 
Gilmore III as the sixty-eighth Governor of the Commonwealth of 
Virginia.
  In the weeks prior to his inauguration, Governor-elect Gilmore 
crisscrossed the state and captured the confidence of Virginians who 
embraced his initiatives to revamp education and roll back the car tax. 
He returned to the State Capitol to issue this challenge to every 
Virginian: ``Now we stand at the end of one century, and the beginning 
of another, and--in the life of man--the end of one millennium and the 
beginning of another. Can we in Virginia, the home of the American idea 
of the rights of man--can we set the course for the future? If we do, 
we can make Virginia's future worthy of its great past.''
  I am convinced, and there should be no doubt, under Governor 
Gilmore's stewardship, the future of Virginia is as bright as ever. On 
a historic day last November, Jim Gilmore was overwhelmingly elected as 
Governor after proving to a vast majority of Virginians that he has the 
character and distinct qualities necessary to guide our state well into 
the 21st Century. In his inaugural address, which I will enter into the 
Congressional Record today, Jim Gilmore remarked, ``I am a common man 
with an uncommon chance to serve the people as Governor.'' I rise today 
to pay tribute to this self-described `common man' as he embarks on the 
most important endeavor of leading our great Commonwealth.
  Over the years, I've had the great opportunity and privilege to work 
with many Governors of Virginia. I am extremely pleased with the 
decision the citizens of this Commonwealth have made in choosing Jim 
Gilmore to steer Virginia into the next millennium. Governor Gilmore 
will, undoubtably, prove a worthy resident of the Governor's mansion in 
Richmond and I look forward to working closely with my good friend in 
the coming years.
  Mr. President, I ask that Governor Gilmore's inaugural address be 
printed at the appropriate place in today's Congressional Record.
  The address follows.

       Inaugural Address James S. Gilmore, III, January 17, 1998

       Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Members of the General 
     Assembly, My Fellow Virginians,
       Virginia's march into the 21st century begins today. 
     Virginians have energized me with a contagious spirit and 
     common purpose. We again unite to make history.
       It is incumbent upon us to pause and pay tribute to the 
     great Virginians who nurtured our unique heritage. We 
     recognize the awesome responsibility of our inheritance.
       We can focus our vision on the next millennium because of 
     the leadership provided by Governor Allen. Governor Allen, 
     your leadership and reforms, have, as you said Wednesday 
     evening, made this a great time to be a Virginian. Governor, 
     Virginia thanks you and your family.
       I am humbled to stand in the shadow of Virginia's great 
     Governors. It seems appropriate that I begin my service as 
     Governor by asking you to join me in prayer for wisdom and 
     guidance.
       Let us pray.
       Almighty father, we thank you for the many blessings 
     bestowed on us as individuals, families, and Virginians. As 
     we move into a new millennium, we ask you most of all . . . 
     to unite us as one Virginia. A Virginia where no one is left 
     out. A Virginia where all families will experience renewal in 
     values and commitment of service to our fellow man.
       I ask for your guidance in leading the Commonwealth of 
     Virginia over the next four years. We look to you for 
     constant inspiration. May our debates be characterized by 
     civility, fairness and justice. May we govern with long term 
     vision.
       Help me to be open to the ideas of others while adhering to 
     the fundamental belief that your will is done when the people 
     are free to achieve their hopes and to follow their faith and 
     their dreams.
       With your blessing, we devote ourselves to the goal of 
     improving the lives of all Virginians. Amen.

[[Page S1999]]

       I have been blessed by parents who instilled in me the 
     values of hard work, honesty, and service. Together, with 
     Roxane, we have done our best to pass these values onto our 
     sons, Jay and Ashton. To my family, to Roxane, to Jay and to 
     Ashton, you give me continued strength.
       I am a son of Virginia. Born here in the Fan District of 
     Richmond--attended William Fox Public Elementary School. I 
     went to Public Schools in Henrico suburbs; I attended a great 
     Public University of this state; as well as its law school. I 
     have worked in grocery stores, I've been a bank teller, and I 
     have practiced law. I served my country when it needed me in 
     the U.S. Army.
       My home has been Virginia all my life, and my life has been 
     the same experience of my fellow Virginians, from all walks 
     of life. Abraham Lincoln said, ``God must love the common 
     people because he made so many of them.'' Well, God has 
     blessed this common man with a truly uncommon chance to serve 
     the people as Governor.
       Over the past week, we crisscrossed the state making this a 
     time for all Virginians. We celebrated this inauguration in 
     Abingdon in Western Virginia and in Northern Virginia with a 
     technology showcase and in Hampton Roads home of our great 
     Port.
       And we have renewed our heritage of freedom at Gunston 
     Hall, the home of George Mason, and Raleigh Tavern in 
     Williamsburg, where the patriots met, and at Mr. Jefferson's 
     Rotunda at the University of Virginia; and at the place of 
     Patrick Henry's ``Liberty or Death'' speech at St. John's 
     Church here in Richmond.
       It is good to remember on this day these great Governors--
     Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, and their historic 
     leadership of our state and our nation.
       Now we stand at the end of one century, and the beginning 
     of another and--in the life of man--the end of one millennium 
     and the beginning of another. Can we in Virginia, the home of 
     the American idea of the rights of man--can we set the course 
     for the future? If we do, we can make Virginia's future 
     worthy of its great past.
       We live in a day of great cynicism; which endangers the 
     American spirit. Let us as Virginians reaffirm our commitment 
     to live as a free people--empowered to do what is best for 
     our families, committed to building a more perfect democracy 
     where our votes and voices genuinely affect the course of our 
     public affairs--that we not be frozen by our fears, but 
     enabled to reach for our hopes and dreams.
       Virginians from all walks of life have told me that they 
     want their government to empower them to meet their needs. 
     This should not be a request any citizen has to make. But too 
     many citizens feel forgotten and isolated as they pay their 
     income taxes, sales taxes, utility taxes, meals taxes, gas 
     taxes and car taxes. Certainly the people responded to this 
     concern when they voted--concern that their families were not 
     being full considered in the halls of government.
       Today we live within a political culture where people are 
     expected to pay and pay taxes, yet feel detached from the 
     expenditure of their money. Today some in government view 
     citizens as nothing more than a source of revenue--some glory 
     in the growth of government revenue because it means more and 
     more can be spent, without considering the impact that 
     taxation has on the lives of people.
       Let us never allow the complexities of billion dollar 
     budgets and highly technical new issues to cloud our minds 
     and prevent us from remembering that it is the people who 
     ultimately pay every dollar.
       The young woman working the drive-through window at our 
     local bank should be the light casting common sense on our 
     decisions.
       The grandmother whose fixed income doesn't allow her enough 
     money to buy each grandchild a Christmas present sheds light 
     on why we need to give her a tax cut.
       The father commuting from Dale City to Dulles with despair 
     in the little time he spends with his children is reason 
     enough for us to make his commute as easy as we can.
       Individual Virginians, their daily lives and problems are a 
     light too often dimmed by the process of government. Let 
     their lives guide us to a better Virginia.
       Unlike the nation, Virginians have not been complacent in 
     the face of tax increases. Through their votes, our citizens 
     delivered a strong message, not of selfishness, but of an 
     insistent demand that their ability to make decisions over 
     their own lives must be just as important as someone else's 
     decision to spend tax money for someone else's priority.
       In the spirit of Patrick Henry, Virginians are saying we 
     don't work for the purpose of funding government. We work to 
     provide for ourselves and our family. We have the right to 
     decide how we spend our own money.
       Virginians are generous people, and over the next two 
     years, 40 billions of dollars of the people's money will be 
     spent for public purposes, and most often the spending is 
     needed to lift up the quality of life for all Virginians--but 
     the spending goals of the influential must not overbear the 
     capacity of everyday Virginians to lift themselves up to 
     independent lives. Who speaks for these Virginians? The 
     Governor of all the people must--and I will!
       Since the first Virginians settled at Jamestown, Virginia 
     has been a shining example of the right way to govern. To be 
     that beacon for our nation and the world is our aspiration 
     and our fate. I believe at the end of this century and the 
     beginning of another, history looks to us again. As with 
     every generation we are challenged to prove that government 
     can be the servant of the people and not their master.
       Let there be no doubt, I am here because working Virginians 
     embraced this very message. They delivered a clear mandate. 
     Now we must deliver on our promise to the people.
       The ``No Car Tax'' pledge grew from the understanding that 
     working families would no longer allow themselves to be left 
     out while watching government prosper.
       We have a moral obligation to help families by eliminating 
     this harsh tax on the mobility of people in a modern mobile 
     world. I do not care how they spend their tax savings. It's 
     not government's business how private citizens spend their 
     earnings. My desire is to give them the opportunity to make 
     that decision.
       My determination to make government work for the people is 
     just as intense as my determination to provide tax relief.
       As we improve government services, I will have the honor 
     and privilege of working with one of Virginia's most valuable 
     assets. Our state employees need to know that they march by 
     my side as we lead Virginia into the next century.
       State employees must have the resources to perform their 
     job. Experience in managing public servants has taught me 
     many lessons. I know productivity requires an atmosphere of 
     high morale. Ours is a united mission.
       We have an ambitious agenda. On Monday night, I will 
     outline that agenda before the Joint Session of the General 
     Assembly. However, some key items deserve mention today.
       Welfare reform is working. We will fully implement these 
     reforms. I will veto legislation to weaken current reform in 
     any way, shape or form.
       Violent crime continues to decline but we will not stop 
     strengthening criminal laws and punishment until it can be 
     declared that the war has been won. Our administration 
     commits to protect natural resources, build a better 
     transportation system, and serve Virginians who use state 
     health and long term care services.
       I am passionate in my love for Virginia. With this passion, 
     I will recruit new jobs to Virginia to give new opportunities 
     for our young people, and to improve their quality of life.
       We have exciting plans to bolster our growing information 
     technology industries. The economic return these efforts 
     generate will benefit every single Virginian. Virginia is the 
     Information Technology state!
       Education requires urgent attention.
       I have yet to meet the first public official who is not 
     sincere in support for public education. Virginians are 
     united in support for public education. With all of us 
     seeking the same goal, we can certainly do more for the 
     children of Virginia.
       My vision is to demand no less than excellence from our 
     public schools.
       No goal could be more noble as we advance into the 21st 
     Century than making Virginia's system of public education, 
     from Kindergarten to post graduate, the very best.
       Virginians gave us their strong endorsement to move forward 
     on two fronts that will have significant impact as we strive 
     for excellence in education. Voters told us to implement the 
     Standards of Learning and hire 4,000 additional teachers. We 
     are well prepared to move forward.
       While raising expectations for Virginia's public schools, 
     more teachers must be hired. No student should be 
     shortchanged in the instruction required to master the 
     Standards of Learning.
       Crowded classrooms test the limits of even our best 
     teachers. We are going to reduce class size!
       While higher education has become the topic of healthy 
     public debate, global leaders recognize Virginia as home to 
     some of the world's best colleges and universities.
       Higher education faces new challenges in the 21st Century 
     because Virginia lacks a formal policy or direction on higher 
     education. We need to chart our course for the future and 
     give direction to our Colleges and Universities. A Blue 
     Ribbon Commission on Higher Education in Virginia will help 
     us chart that course. I am going to sign an Executive Order 
     creating such a commission right now!
       Let us advance into the 21st Century united, leaving behind 
     the 20th Century barrier of regionalism.
       The success of Northern Virginia depends on the success of 
     Southwest Virginia.
       The prosperity of Hampton Roads depends on the prosperity 
     of Southside.
       The standard of living in Central Virginia depends on the 
     standard of living in the Shenandoah Valley.
       We are one Virginia. Let us forever be united in common 
     purpose.
       At every juncture in time, issues come and go. We must be 
     ever mindful of our obligation to lead, fully focused on our 
     vision for the 21st century.
       Governors and legislators are citizens temporarily given 
     power to perform the awesome requirements of self Government. 
     Governors make mistakes and so will I, but be sure no mistake 
     will be of intentional origin.
       Democracy is a fragile institution. I am intent on 
     strengthening that institution, so when it passes to 
     Virginia's next Governor, it will be a little less fragile.
       Let no person underestimate our commitment to the vision of 
     a prosperous Virginia filled with strong families and 
     optimism. We march united as one Virginia into the 21st 
     Century. We go forward with the idealism

[[Page S2000]]

     that people can define and control their own lives, and live 
     independent lives which is the essence of free men and women.
       As we go forth, into this new century and millennium--we 
     can have courage and confidence that we can fulfill our hopes 
     and dash our fears, and we can control change, and make it 
     our servant and that the ideals and lessons of our great past 
     can light the way for the future in an even greater Virginia.
       May God bless the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United 
     States of America.

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