[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H7448-H7451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RONALD V. DELLUMS FEDERAL BUILDING
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3295) to designate the Federal building located at 1301 Clay
Street in Oakland, California, as the ``Ronald V. Dellums Federal
Building.''
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3295
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.
The Federal building located at 1301 Clay Street in
Oakland, California, shall be known and designated as the
``Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper,
or other record of the United States to the Federal building
referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to
the ``Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Kim) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Kim).
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, again, H.R. 3295 designates the Federal building located
in Oakland, California, as ``Ronald Dellums Federal Building.''
Congressman Dellums was born in Oakland, California, on November 24,
1935. After 2 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Congressman
Dellums received an honorable discharge. He then followed educational
pursuit and received his AA from Oakland City College in 1958, his BA
from San Francisco State University in 1960, and his MSW from the
University of California at Berkeley in 1962.
In his public role, Congressman Dellums served on the Berkeley City
Council from 1967 to 1970, when he was then elected to the United
States House of Representatives to represent northern Alameda County.
Congressman Dellums' first major effort after arriving in Washington
was toward finding a resolution to the war in Indochina. This
experience prepared him to be a strong advocate for arms reductions
throughout his entire career.
In addition, Congressman Dellums championed issues involving civil
rights, equal rights for women, human rights, and environment.
At the time of his retirement, Congressman Dellums was the ranking
member on the House Committee on National Security. During his tenure,
he also held chairmanship of the Committee on Armed Services and the
Committee on the District of Columbia.
Throughout his 27-year career, Congressman Dellums served on a
variety of other committees and caucuses, as well, including the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Post Office and
Civil Service, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the
Congressional Black Caucus.
This is a fitting tribute to our esteemed colleague, and his
compassion for causes will be deeply missed in this body.
I support the bill and urge my colleagues to support the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Miller), a distinguished leader on the Democrat side.
(Mr. MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and urge the House to
pass it. I am proud to have authored this legislation to name the
Federal building in Oakland, California, after Ronald V. Dellums, the
man who represented the people of Oakland and Berkeley in Congress for
2\1/2\ decades.
The people who will go in and out of this building with Ron's name on
it can take pride in knowing that Ron cared about them, he fought for
them, and he left a mark in Congress and this country in their names.
I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), the
majority leader, for scheduling the bill on the floor today. And I also
would like to thank the subcommittee chairman and the ranking member,
the gentleman from California (Mr. Kim) and the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Traficant), for their support in the full committee and to thank
the full committee chairman and ranking member the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr.
Oberstar) for their support of this legislation.
I also want to acknowledge the support of the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lewis) for his coauthorship of this bill. And I would
like to thank Senator Barbara Boxer for passing this legislation in the
Senate in June.
Ron Dellums was truly a unique Member of Congress. His passion was
[[Page H7449]]
his fuel, and his passion did not blind him. He was clear, incisive,
instructional, and inspirational. He was a tireless champion.
I know I speak for most of my colleagues when I say that rarely a day
passes that I do not remark on how I miss his presence in this body.
Ron Dellums was always known to be the best-dressed Member of Congress.
He was known as one of the Congress' great orators, colorfully and
articulately dancing in the well of the House to draw support for his
positions. And he is known as one of the greatest advocates for peace,
justice, and human rights.
Ron Dellums has been our modern-day drum major for peace. He saved us
from many weapons systems that we did not need, could not afford, and
probably could not control. As a titan in the movement for human
rights, he brought the titans of apartheid to their knees and dragged a
reluctant American Government along the way. He fought for the civil
rights of all Americans. And more than any other Member of Congress, he
helped to clearly illustrate how an overfed military budget was
literally starving our children, our schools, and our communities.
And Congressman Ron Dellums served the people of America and fought
for human rights around the world. He did not bid for the monied
special interests that prey on Congress to answer their every narrow
need. And he is always there to help his friends.
When it came time to downsize the military establishments in the Bay
Area and across the United States, Ron fought to ensure the base
closure process was fair and expeditious. He also made sure that in
fact it was about economic conversion and the communities that were
affected by base closing.
Perhaps in naming this Federal building in Oakland will serve as an
opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the challenges that Ron Dellums
championed. Maybe if we learn to carry the convictions of a more just
society with us and to work every day as he did, just maybe we will be
able to make America an even better place and a world just a bit safer.
With passage of this bill today, I look forward to the President's
signature in naming the Federal building in Oakland after Ronald V.
Dellums, Congressman, brother, and champion to us all.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Solomon) chairman of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I certainly thank the gentleman from
California (Mr. Kim) for yielding the time.
People might be surprised when this, one of the most conservative
Members of the Republican Party, stands to pay tribute to one of the
most liberal Members who ever served in this body, Ron Dellums.
I represent the Adirondack Mountains, about as far east as we can
get. And Ron Dellums, of course, represented the other end of the
country, out in California. And yet, this conservative Member respects
Ron Dellums perhaps as much, if not more, than almost any other Member.
And there is a reason for that: Because Ron Dellums is truly a great
American.
Yes, he served in the Marine Corps, like I did many years ago. But
when he came to this body, he did not speak often, but when he did, he
spoke with sincerity. He spoke from his heart, and we knew that he was
not playing to a crowd, that he really was debating the issues that he
believed in.
When he became the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, as it
used to be called, many of us on our side of the aisle thought that he
might not do a good job. But do my colleagues know something? He did
one of the finest jobs that any Democrat from the other side of the
aisle ever did as chairman of that committee. He was fair to all of us.
And that is why he and I never had a cross word, except for early in
both of our careers, almost 20 years ago. And I can recall it was late
at night, maybe 1:00 in the morning. We were in a furious debate on the
floor and we got mad at each other. And after the debate was over, Ron
Dellums came over to me and he said, ``Solomon, why don't we step
outside and settle this.'' And I looked up at him, I say ``up at him''
because he was 5 inches taller and 80 pounds heavier, and I said,
``Your guns or mine?'' And he said, ``What do you mean?'' I said,
``Well, Ron, you are so much bigger and in so much better shape and you
are younger, we have to handicap this.'' So I said, ``Your guns or
mine?'' And he broke out in a smile and he said, ``Solomon, you are
okay.''
And you know what? We never had a cross word after that time because
we both respected each other. And that is why I stand here today in
support of naming this building after a great American, a great
Congressman named Ronald Dellums.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi).
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Traficant) for yielding, and I commend him and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Kim) and particularly the author of this resolution the
gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), his cosponsor the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lewis), and our great Senator, Senator Boxer, for
their authorship of this.
How wonderful this is for us in the Congress of the United States to
be naming a Federal building for someone who just a few short months
ago we called ``colleague.'' And indeed it was an honor for every one
of us who had ever had the privilege of calling him ``colleague'' to
serve with Ron Dellums.
As has been mentioned by my colleagues, he served here with great
dignity. He brought a brilliant intellect, great integrity, tremendous
passion and energy to all of the issues that he cared about.
I think it is particularly appropriate that this conversation is
taking place on a day when we are also honoring Thomas Edison, Lewis
and Clark, fitting that Ron Dellums' name should be listed among the
great pioneers of our country, because a pioneer he was indeed and is
indeed.
Although he does not serve in Congress, he is still a leader for
social and economic and environmental justice in our country and indeed
throughout the world.
And as we all take great pride in the role America played in ending
apartheid in South Africa, we must remember that it was not easy and it
took great and tremendous leadership at the start and was met with
resistance from the start. But Ron Dellums was there from the start. He
fought that fight. And I cannot help but think that it has to be his
proudest boast that he helped end apartheid in South Africa.
As a Bay Area Member, as a Member from California, I want to say what
great pride his constituents take in Ron's service in Congress.
Actually Ron has a Bay Area-wide constituency, actually a national
constituency, because of his eloquent leadership and passionate
leadership and the great intellect that he has brought to issues.
And so, I want to join my colleagues in support of this resolution.
As the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller) mentioned, for
generations to come, young people will go to that Federal building and
the name ``Ron Dellums'' in history will be synonymous with honor,
integrity, concern about issues, social and economic justice in our
country and throughout the world.
Thank you very much to those who led the way on this, the gentleman
from California (Mr. Miller) especially, for giving us the privilege in
this House. In honoring Ron Dellums, we bring honor to this House of
Representatives.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
{time} 1330
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to thank the
gentleman from California (Mr. Kim) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Traficant) for bringing this legislation to the floor. I want to thank
the gentleman from California as well as the gentlewoman from
California for their remarks, and for the opportunity to allow me to
say a few words concerning this piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in the years I have known and been a Member of this
body, Ron Dellums' name stands out as a giant, in my opinion. There
have been
[[Page H7450]]
a lot of misunderstandings among our colleagues about this gentleman,
especially over the positions that he has taken on questions of
national security and our defense posture.
If there was ever someone that I have always respected for what he
has advocated so strongly over the years, Ron Dellums was not against
our defense, but he was against corruption and the idea that you can
buy a little bolt or a little nut that is worth only about 50 cents in
a hardware store and is sold among the defense industry for $150. That
is the kind of thing that Ron Dellums stood for.
I do not think there has ever been a Member that I have known who,
when he stands up and makes his statement or gives a speech in this
body, he speaks with such great passion and such a tremendous amount of
understanding and knowledge on whatever issue he takes up. I have never
known a gentleman that could speak with great eloquence without even
the use of notes or anything such as Ron Dellums.
I think it is most fitting that our colleagues have brought forth
this legislation to name a Federal Building after this gentleman, and I
sincerely hope that my colleagues will support this piece of
legislation.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller).
Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I was reminded when the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) talked about people going in
and out of this building, people go to the Federal buildings very often
seeking help, compassion and understanding. Very often their arguments
are not recognized with dignity. Hopefully people will understand that
this building and the people who work in it, it is named for a man who
gave dignity to people's arguments and concerns, even when he so
strongly disagreed with them.
Ron Dellums used to say that he arrived in Congress as an Afro-top
bell-bottom militant from Berkley, and he rose to become chairman of
the Committee on National Security. One of the amazing things was after
he became chairman of the Committee on National Security, where there
were serious disagreements about military policy, national policies,
the future, procurements and all this, the people who disagreed with
him so much on the issues commented how fairly they had been treated by
him in those hearings and how fairly they had been treated in front of
the Committee on Rules, because he believed that people should be able
to and that this body could only function if people were allowed to
bring amendments to the floor and have a free and fair and open debate
on those issues.
So when we name this building for Ron Dellums, we do so in the spirit
of what should be the best about the Congress of the United States,
what should be the best about public service, and what should be the
best about public servants looking at their constituents and
recognizing their dignity and recognizing their needs and understanding
the need to be heard on their arguments, even when you disagree with
them.
So, again, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Kim)
and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for bringing this
legislation to the floor, because I think here truly we do honor the
best of the Federal Government when we seek to name this building after
Congressman Ron Dellums.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, he was a liberal, he was a Democrat, but he was a great
American. I have heard him called so many things on the floor. I look
back at the history of Ron Dellums, and what a great Member we had in
our midst. What an orator. It is so fitting to see the gentleman from
New York (Chairman Solomon), one of our great Members, discuss here
some of the little anecdotes of Ron's great involvement in our
Congress.
Just in passing, I don't want to embarrass her, but Susan Brita of
our staff at the Committee on Transportation, the Subcommittee on
Public Buildings and Economic Development, said she can remember the
day when Ron Dellums brought the mayor in from Oakland, and he was
lobbying to get free land to have this courthouse built, this very same
courthouse, that will appropriately be named in his honor.
I have had a few run-in's with Ron. I disagreed with him on troops on
the border and I disagreed with him on some other issues, but I will
tell you what: He was always straight up, looked you right in the eye
and told you what he felt, right to your face, and you had to
appreciate that.
But I want to go step further here today. Nelson Mandela and his
great efforts in South Africa can never be overshadowed, but there is
one real big one here today that has to be laid on the platter of
service of Ron Dellums: Ron Dellums had as much to do with ending
apartheid in South Africa and developing self-determination in that
nation as any other American. He deserves absolutely this great and
fitting tribute.
So if Ron is out there watching, and he should be, I want him to
change his position on the border and securing our national security.
His powerful voice could help our country end that plight. But I want
to raise my voice today and say Ron Dellums, you deserve this. And to
see one of his former colleagues, the fine Senator from Illinois here,
Mr. Durbin, it is so great to see him. I am sure if he could take the
mike, I would like to yield to you, Senator, and I am sure you would
like to say this.
So, on behalf of the fine Senator who took his time to come over, Ron
Dellums, you deserve this. You are an absolutely great American. You
stood in the well and you stood on this side for things that were not
popular years ago, but they are not only popular today, they are the
law today, and that is the tribute, when you put that name on that
courthouse.
H.R. 3295, is a bill to honor Ron Dellums by naming the federal
building in Oakland, CA the ``Ron V. Dellums Federal Building.''
As you know, Ron represented the 9th district of California for 26
years and during that period distinguished himself in many, many ways.
He fought tirelessly for vigorous examination of the state of our
military establishment including its purposes, its budget, and other
issues involving racial and sexual discrimination.
He was a dynamic advocate for arms reduction and peaceful resolution
of international conflict. Ron's interests extended to healthcare,
civil rights, Congressional authority, and alternative budgets.
He was a great friend, a mentor, always a gentleman, and leader. His
kindness and humor are missed by all.
I support this bill and urge my colleagues to join me in support of
H.R. 3295.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3295 is a bill to designate the
federal building in Oakland, CA, in honor of our colleague, Ron
Dellums.
For over a quarter century Ron represented the 9th district of
California. Elected to Congress against the backdrop of the Vietnam
War, Congressman Dellums worked to end that conflict and remained a
steadfast advocate for peaceful solutions to conflict.
Ron became a leader for such diverse issues as rational military
policy, comprehensive and progressive healthcare, and social justice
for all.
He was an early and out spoken critic of the racist apartheid
policies of South Africa. He was a determined advocate of Congressional
authority to declare war. He led the fight against racial and sexual
harassment in the military forces. He was sponsor of the alternative
agendas for the Congressional Black Caucus.
Ron was always a gentleman, a consensus builder, a mentor, and great
friend to all members. His humor and judgment are sorely missed.
With great enthusiasm I support H.R. 3295, a bill to honor Ron
Dellums by designating the federal building in Oakland, CA, as the
Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3295, which
designates a federal building in Oakland, California as the ``Ronald V.
Dellums Federal Building.'' The naming of this building after my
predecessor, Ronald V. Dellums, is an honor that many of his
constituents, his colleagues, and his supporters from across this
nation have awaited; it is a mark of recognition, a symbol of their
appreciation, our appreciation, for the role that he played, the
leadership that he gave, the work that he did, and the spiritual uplift
that he gave to the critical issues of our times.
Ron, as constituents, colleagues, friends and family call him, from
the time of his first office as a member of the Berkeley City Council,
became the focus and the leader of a ever-growing group of people who
were hungry for leadership on the critical issues of the
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late 1960s and the 1970s. These people activists who were upset, angry
about the Vietnam War, angry about injustices to Blacks and people of
color, and yearning to be part of a larger America that would be moral
and ethical domestically and internationally. Like his elder
contemporary Martin Luther King, Jr., Ron Dellums, joined the activists
for civil rights and activists for peace. For over two decades, this
coalition provided some of the greatest political energies and social
and political achievements that we have known.
This coalition propelled him to the House of Representatives where,
as a result of his distinguished work in the Armed Services Committee,
now the National Security Committee, he was elected to be the Chair and
later the Ranking Member of that committee. He was valued and loved
because of the role that he took on that committee and on the floor of
Congress. He spoke the fears and doubts about an involvement in the war
in Southeast Asia; he addressed, passionately, the need for social and
economic justice domestically and abroad. He helped to forge the annual
Alternative Budget which was a product of the Congressional Black
Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This budget was of
tremendous importance to his district and to national constituents
because it provided a necessary voice to many of their deepest moral
considerations.
The people who worked with Ron, who supported Ron, who became the
people who love Ron, I know will value this designation. I urge my
colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on behalf of
this bill, which designates the Federal Building located on Clay Street
in Oakland, California, the ``Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building.''
With the announcement of his sudden retirement from the Congress last
month, Representative Ronald V. Dellums, the esteemed former chairman
of the House National Security Committee (previously called the House
Armed Services Committee), began to write the final chapter of a
brilliant legacy of public service spanning well over three decades,
that simply cannot go without recognition.
After a distinguished tour of service in the United States Marine
Corps, Congressman Dellums began to prepare himself to pursue a career
of helping others. Congressman Dellums was the first member of his
family to attend college, and completed his studies with a Masters
Degree in Social Work from the University of California. The
Congressman's chosen field was that of psychiatric social work before
he realized his true calling was in the area of public interest.
While serving as a well-respected community activist in the Bay Area,
Congressman Dellums was persuaded by friends that he could be an even
greater good to the local community by serving on the Berkeley City
Council. The Congressman consented to these requests, and was elected
to the Berkeley City Council in 1966. After four years on the City
Council, in 1970, Congressman Dellums challenged the incumbent of the
Ninth Congressional District of California, and won. From this point
on, I guess one could say that the ``rest was history''.
Dellums, upon his arrival in Washington in 1971, emerged as one of
the most controversial figures on Capitol Hill. Always willing to be a
balanced and independent voice in times of crisis, Congressman Dellums
soon rose to national prominence as one of the most intelligent and
articulate members of this Congress. Congressman Dellums was widely
recognized as the kind of man that did not just give lipservice to his
announced legislative priorities, but actually worked tirelessly to
meet these objectives in order to better serve his constituency and the
nation at large. There is only one word that can accurately described a
man like this, integrity.
Mr. Dellums, first as Chairman of the Acquisitions Subcommittee and
then as the Full Committee Chairman, showed the kind of exemplary
dignity befitting of the Chairman's gavel. Even though Congressman
Dellums was always an advocate of lower military spending, he never
used the power of the Chair as a means of impeding any opposing views
held by his colleagues. Dellums used only his intellect and his vote as
a way of expressing his views on pending legislation, and I am sure
that this is how the Framers of the Constitution envisioned a
Congressional Representative would conduct his or herself.
I honestly cannot think of a higher compliment to give to a lawmaker
than to say that they consistently stood upon their convictions in the
face of opposition with honor and dignity. Ronald V. Dellums, without
exception, remained this kind of man of convictions, during his nearly
thirty years of service in the United States Congress, and this must be
applauded. Like Robert Frost said, Congressman Dellums took ``the road
less traveled by, and that has made all of the difference''.
In conclusion, I believe that designating a federal building in honor
of Congressman Dellums is the absolute least we could do. It is but a
small part in his legacy, one which will leave an imprint of his
dedication to public service in the minds of all of the federal
employees in this building, while that imprint remains firmly in the
hearts of the Members of this elected body.
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gillmor). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Kim) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3295.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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