[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8164-S8165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MAX FISHER, OF MICHIGAN

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to actually announce to the 
Senate and to, at least from a distance, celebrate the 90th birthday of 
one of the great citizens of my State of Michigan, and also one of the 
truly great citizens of America, Max Fisher.
  Mr. Fisher is a friend of many of us who have served in public 
office--certainly in Michigan, and even here at the national level--
because of his longstanding involvement in the political process. But 
he is much more than a political activist, he is a business leader of 
great renown, having built very successful companies in our State and 
around the country. He has grown those companies and employed many, 
many Americans in a variety of different functions.
  After establishing his business success, he then turned his attention 
to our State of Michigan and, most particularly, to his hometown of 
Detroit. There, for the last several decades, he has been one of the 
community's great leaders, very much involved in the development of 
Detroit, the rebirth of Detroit after the riots in that city in the 
sixties. He has been very active in the governance of southeastern 
Michigan in a variety of ways, investing his own time and resources in 
many worthwhile causes aimed at making certain that the Detroit 
metropolitan area remained a strong, economically vibrant, 
compassionate community, which it is today.
  Mr. Fisher's involvements go beyond, however, his own hometown. He 
became active in the political process in the early 1960s. He became 
very involved in the activities of the then Governor George Romney, and 
then through that he began an involvement with the Republican Party on 
a national level. His interests, however, transcended his party. It 
clearly is an interest born of a love of this country and of the issues 
we confront. As a consequence, he has served as an advisor to many who 
have held office, both in the U.S. Senate and in the House of 
Representatives, and even the Presidency itself. He has been a close 
advisor and a close friend to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Bush, 
and I believe also some on the other side of the aisle as well. Indeed, 
tonight, at a celebration of his 90th birthday, several of our former 
Presidents will be in attendance to demonstrate their friendship and 
admiration for him.
  Max Fisher's interests have gone beyond the shores of the United 
States as well. He is a great champion of the nation of Israel. He has 
played a very active role in the American Jewish community, various 
organizations and foundations; and, through several of those, he has 
provided a great deal of support and assistance to the development of 
the nation of Israel. I know that he is held in great esteem there as 
he is here in the United States.
  His interest in others transcends just one particular cause. It 
basically applies to virtually every cause I am familiar with. His name 
is inevitably linked to charitable organizations, to

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foundations, and various other community service entities in our State, 
as well as across this country, that try to make America and Michigan 
better places to live and better places to raise families.
  In any event, Mr. President, Max Fisher has led a great life, and he 
has contributed much during that life to all of us, and to his nation 
in particular. So I wish to pay tribute to him on the event of his 90th 
birthday and also to pay tribute to him for the many things he has done 
to advance us, whether it is in the political arena, the business 
arena, the charitable arena, or a variety of others. Unfortunately, 
because of our schedule, I will not be able to participate in the 
events this evening that will commemorate his birthday. I know that I 
speak for a number of our colleagues, who have friendships with Max, in 
sending him, on all of our behalf, warm congratulations on this 
important event.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under whose time is the quorum call?
  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I yield it on the basis of the time that 
has been yielded under the previous quorum call.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. BUMPERS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas.
  Mr. BUMPERS. Parliamentary inquiry: Does the order provide for a 
quorum call?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The unanimous consent agreement called for the 
time to be counted equally against each side.
  Mr. BUMPERS. I ask unanimous consent, with the permission of the 
Senator from Michigan, to divide the time of the quorum call between 
the two parties, the proponents and the opponents.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. I thank the Chair.

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