[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 132 (Monday, September 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H9166-H9175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE DISTINGUISHED CAREER OF REPRESENTATIVE LEE HAMILTON OF INDIANA
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 7, 1997, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to stand before the
Members of the House tonight in a special order devoted to honoring our
colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) who will be
retiring from this institution after serving for 34 years.
The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) has had a distinguished
career, and I would note that literally, depending on the day the 106th
Congress is sworn in next year, Mr. Hamilton may also hold the
historical record of having served in this House longer than anyone
else in the history of the State of Indiana.
I am here tonight, and I know my colleagues are here tonight, not
because of the quantity of the service of the gentleman from Indiana
but the quality of the man and the quality of his service; the quality
of his mind, which is exceptional; the quality of his service. He has
been selfless every day of those 34 years as far as his commitment to
the American people and to those who he has served internationally; and
the quality of his person, his ethical conduct, his commitment to his
God, to his family and, again, to the people that he has represented in
the Ninth District of Indiana.
Seventeen years ago, as a young man, I decided to run for the United
States Congress, and at that time the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Hamilton) gave me a gift. He gave me the gift of his intelligence and
he gave me the gift of his support.
Following my election, 14 years ago, as a Member, the gentleman from
Indiana gave me additional gifts: The gift of his patronage in the
House of Representatives and the gift of his counsel.
{time} 1945
To all of us, he has given the gift of his time, whether as chairman
of the Joint Economic Committee, where he attempted to ensure that
every American had the fairest chance for the best job in the world's
strongest economy, whether it was chairing the House Intelligence
Committee to ensure that our Nation was secure above all others, or
whether it was his distinguished service on the Committee on
International Relations as chair and ranking member, where he ensured
that the voice of those least fortunate or those most in danger was
always heard.
But on a personal note, I must emphasize that what I will miss most
about Lee Hamilton is our extended conversations about the Indiana
University football team. I say that simply because Lee was the athlete
I never was and never will be and would point out to those who might
not know that
[[Page H9167]]
while at Central High School, Lee was best known for his skill on the
basketball court. And as a senior he led his team to the final game of
the State basketball tournament in Indiana before being sidelined with
an injury. Though Central lost the championship, Lee was honored with
the Trester award given to the senior in the final four who best
exemplifies excellence in both athletics and scholarship.
In recognition of his athletic accomplishments, Lee was inducted into
the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982, certainly a very rarefied
group. I would simply, in my remarks, wish Lee, his wife, Nancy, and
their children Debbie, Tracy and Doug, every joy and every happiness
that life has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a colleague and mentor,
Lee Hamilton.
Lee will retire this year after thirty-four years of distinguished
service in the House of Representatives. The leadership Lee
demonstrates in his roles as the senior member of our delegation and
the Chairman of the International Relations Committee are only the most
recent examples of greatness in a career that spans decades.
When I first ran for Congress in 1984, Lee was a confidant and a
valuable resource. When I won the Democratic primary, Lee became my
patron. And, after I became a Member of Congress, Lee's opinions on
policy and the issues of the day were among the first I sought.
Needless to say, this House will be a different place for me, without
Lee Hamilton.
The one thing that each of us has a finite amount of, is time. One
thing Lee has always been ready to share with me, and each member, is
his time. On both the professional and personal levels, Lee never
hesitates to lend an ear and impart sage counsel.
I would point out that it is not just his friends and colleagues for
whom Lee makes time. Lee has always striven to make sure the voices of
those less fortunate, in our nation, and throughout the world, are
heard. As Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, he also worked to
make sure that we have the strongest of economies in this country, and
that every American has the chance to get a good job.
When you think of Lee, you think of someone who is judicious,
deliberate, and serious about his work, without being serious about
himself.
Aside from his interest in international affairs, Lee is deeply
committed to the people of Indiana's ninth congressional district, the
state of Indiana, and this nation. Now, Lee will take his commitment to
public service to Indiana University, where he can keep a closer eye on
the I.U. football program.
Congressman Hamilton will be dearly missed in the counsels of
government everywhere. He is a gentleman in the truest sense of the
word. I wish Lee, Nancy, and their family continued success and
happiness in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman),
chairman of the Committee on International Relations.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with mixed emotions that I rise to
join in this special order for our good friend and colleague from
Indiana, the ranking Democratic minority member of our Committee on
International Relations, Lee Hamilton.
On the one hand I am delighted with this opportunity to pay tribute
to a Member of Congress who has exemplified and personified the highest
standards of public service to our Nation for a period that extended
over more than a third of our century.
I want to thank our colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Burton), distinguished chairman of our Committee on Government Reform
and Oversight, and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) for
taking the initiative in arranging for this special order this evening.
On the other hand, I am saddened that this well-deserved tribute is
occasioned by the fact that Lee Hamilton has decided to retire at the
end of this Congress. I say it is premature. The courage, fortitude and
plain midwestern common sense that have been his trademark will be long
remembered and deeply missed.
Lee was first elected to Congress in 1964 and he was already a
veteran House Member of four terms when, in January of 1973, I was
privileged to join him as a freshman on what was then the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs in the 93rd Congress. At that time Doc
Morgan of Pennsylvania was our chairman, and our good friend Peter
Frelinghuysen of New Jersey was our ranking Republican. But Lee became
my squad leader, so to speak, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Near
East and South Asia, to which I was assigned as a junior member. And so
began a working relationship that has spanned more than three decades,
although our joint service on that subcommittee lasted only through
that Congress.
We did not serve together on the subcommittee again until 1985, when
Lee Hamilton was chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle
East and I became its ranking Republican.
You might say that since then we have been joined at the gavel.
I was privileged to serve with Lee as cochairman of the Task Force on
Foreign Assistance that was established by our good friend and former
chairman, Dante Fascell from Florida during the 101st Congress. The
report of our task force was a groundbreaking achievement that has
served as a blueprint for many of the reforms that have helped to make
our foreign assistance programs and the Agency for International
Development, which administers them, even more effective.
The trademark of Lee Hamilton's service in Congress has been his
thoughtful and analytical approach to foreign policy. At times we may
have disagreed, but we have always been able to work together on so
many important foreign policy issues.
Lee Hamilton has been a man of candor, of conviction and integrity.
His sage and deliberate counsel will long be missed as Congress
continues to take up the many complex foreign policy issues that face
our Nation. We hope Lee will not be a stranger to this body.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, permit me to say to Lee Hamilton, God bless,
Godspeed, and best wishes for success and happiness to both Nancy and
yourself in all of your future endeavors.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer).
Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from the northwestern
part of the great State of Indiana, and I thank my friend, the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), from down south of me, more of
southern Indiana, who join together in paying tribute to Lee and Nancy
Hamilton. I know Nancy joins us in the gallery this evening as well,
too.
I recall, Mr. Speaker, that John Quincy Adams, after he had served in
the presidency, was elected to the United States Congress. When asked
about his service in the United States Congress, he said that it was
probably the highest honor he served, a great compliment to this
distinguished institution.
I do not think it is overemphasizing anything at all when we talk
about Lee Hamilton's 34 years of service to the people of Indiana, to
the people of this country, and to those who have served with him over
those 34 years in this body, to say that Lee Hamilton has lived up to
those kinds of accolades and expectations laid out by John Quincy
Adams.
He ranks up there with the people that I look up to and admire
through the history of this country. I will talk a little bit about
some of those names as I close.
I want to talk about three instances, very briefly, Mr. Speaker, that
really epitomize and bring out the talents and the skills of Lee
Hamilton. First, the Iran Contra hearings. These hearings, Lee Hamilton
conducted with civility and bipartisanship. He had a tight grasp of the
law, a firm understanding of how to apply it fairly, and he epitomized,
I think, what we vitally need in this body today, and that is that
sense of objectivity and fairness and application of the law.
Secondly, on the Persian Gulf, that was my very first vote as a
freshman Member of Congress, and I looked to the distinguished
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) for his understanding of foreign
policy, for his spirited argument on why we should wait and have
sanctions apply. And I think Lee's statement that I reread a few weeks
ago probably is as applicable today as it was 8 years ago.
And thirdly, I think Lee Hamilton has overseen and contributed to
some of the most fundamental changes over these 34 years to make the
domestic and the foreign policy institutions that we have in this
country adopt to world changes and make sure we stay in a peaceful
environment and an environment that is prosperous for our people;
[[Page H9168]]
not an easy task at all, as we have seen such change from the Cold War
to the new environment in 1998.
I do not think anybody can be a public servant and have public
service as their goal without a family that supports them. I cannot
think of anybody that my wife Sally looks up to more than Nancy
Hamilton. Nancy's paintings adorn Lee Hamilton's office. They are all
over his office. They are beautifully done and show her talent, her
skill and her commitment.
Lee and Nancy's children, Debbie and Tracy and Doug, are also in
different areas that epitomize Lee and Nancy's teachings and their
parental skill and their devotion to family.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, Ernest Hemingway, in John Kennedy's book
Profiles in Courage, talked about the meaning of courage. And he
defined it as grace under pressure, grace under pressure.
I do not think anything epitomizes Lee Hamilton or Nancy Hamilton or
their family more than grace, more than civility, more than helping the
people of Indiana, intelligence, commitment, wit, style, charm and
devotion to this great country of ours.
Lee will continue to live up to those standards and goals, as he
works at the Woodrow Wilson Center and establishes a center for a
better understanding of Congress at Indiana University. I think we
could all use a better understanding of Congress. Lee's work is cut out
for him. We wish him well. We pray for him, and we wish his family
well.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. Burton), the senior Member of the Indiana delegation.
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, that means that I am now going to
be the oldest.
Mr. Speaker, you can tell an awful lot about people by their
children. And I regret that I never had the chance to meet Lee
Hamilton's mom and dad, because they sure raised a wonderful son. I
know his brother is a minister. I have never had the pleasure of
meeting him, but I understand he is a wonderful guy as well.
Let me just say that in the time that I have worked with Lee Hamilton
on the Committee on International Relations, I have not known a nicer
fellow than Lee Hamilton. Obviously, we have strong differences of
opinion on issues, but Lee handles those strong differences in a way
that even though you strongly differ with him, you still like him.
That is very difficult in a body such as this. Sometimes our tempers
get awfully hot and we explode and we say things that we do not mean,
and we even say things about our colleagues that we should not say. But
Lee Hamilton has never made that mistake. I have watched him year after
year on this floor and in the committee, and he handles those issues
with diplomacy and understanding and tact. And he has just been an
exemplary Member of this body and an exemplary member of the Committee
on International Relations.
I, too, am a great admirer of athletic prowess, and I was talking to
Lee just a few moments ago. I knew that he had won the Trester award
when he was in high school back in 1908, excuse me, 1948. I am just
teasing, in 1948.
And it came to my attention tonight that he was disabled in the State
championship game by a torn cartilage in his knee, and they worked all
afternoon trying to fix it so he could play that night, and he was only
able to play about 3 or 4 minutes. With all deference to the team that
won the State championship in 1948, I am confident that if Lee Hamilton
had been able to play the whole game in sound physical condition, his
team would have been the State champion. But I doubt, Lee, if you would
have won the Trester award had that happened.
Let me just say, once again, in closing that Lee Hamilton will be
missed by both Democrats and Republicans in this body because he is a
good man. He is a kind man. He is a thoughtful man. He is a caring man.
And he is a man that will be remembered by every Member who has served
with him as a great Congressman.
Thank you, Lee, for all your service.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks.
I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula).
Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
Maxwell Anderson wrote of George Washington: There are some men who
lift the age they inhabit until all men walk on higher ground in that
lifetime. Lee Hamilton, by his presence, has lifted the age in which he
has inhabited the House of Representatives. Perhaps the greatest
comment on a person's life is the legacy one leaves behind, and Lee's
legacy will be his unwavering dedication to the House and our
legislative responsibilities in regard to our Nation's role in world
affairs as well as domestic challenges.
{time} 2000
Lee has long recognized that we must not look only inward, we must be
a Nation actively engaged in the word around us. Lee has been a leader
in promoting an appropriate role for Congress in the foreign policy-
making process and, at the same time, educating legislators, his
colleagues, on world affairs and their need to understand those issues.
He nonetheless never has forgotten his roots in the soil of Indiana.
Buckeyes and Hoosiers are down to earth people, well grounded, if you
will. That grounding in love of country and a profound understanding of
its good people augmented Lee's ability to represent our Nation's
foreign policy in Congress and overseas. Now he leaves us to embark on
a new mission as Director of the Woodrow Wilson Center.
I have raised some challenges to the Wilson Center in the past few
years, because I believe that the center has strayed from its mission
and its dedication to serving the public purpose. With Lee's
leadership, I am confident that the Wilson Center will be in good hands
and will be responsive to fulfilling its goals. I am also pleased that
in this new assignment I will have the opportunity to continue working
with Lee.
I wish Lee and Nancy the best for their continued success; Lee in the
role of inspiring Americans through the Wilson Center; and Nancy in the
world of beauty through art.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's
participation, and yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Indiana for yielding to
me. I too want to rise before this body tonight and offer my sincere
thanks and congratulations to Lee Hamilton.
Lee, I was 1 year old when you joined this great body, the United
States Congress. Not to date you or anything. As a freshman Member,
when I am back home in Western Wisconsin people come up to me and ask
me how do you do it, how do you come up to speed with all the
procedures and all the substance that you are confronted with out in
Washington, D.C. And in a large respect it is by just listening and
getting feedback from the people who sent me there to represent them.
But I also tell them that as a new Member you seek out role models in
this body, people who you can admire and emulate, that you can sit back
and watch and listen to, see how they conduct themselves, see how they
handle themselves during debate, and sit next to them at times before
votes and as policy is starting to develop, especially in the area of
foreign policy, and just pick their brains.
And, Lee, I am not too proud to admit tonight to you and to the
Nation that you have always been one of my role models as a freshman
Member. There have been countless times when I have taken the
opportunity, that we so often have in between votes, to sit down next
to you and talk to you about events in China, Kosovo, Bosnia or Russia,
understanding the wisdom and experience that you bring and insight that
you bring to these discussions that we wrestle with day-to-day in the
United States Congress.
I have always been amazed at how oftentimes you turn the subject back
to me in your questions, about me personally and the family and the
children, my athletic career, which too was shortened because of a
career-ending injury, and your intense interest on the Wisconsin
Badgers. I was not so sure if it was because of your interest in Big 10
football, or if you were just getting a scouting report for Indiana
University before the big game.
But I really have admired you and I have appreciated all the advice
and counsel you have given me, someone who has an interest in foreign
policy,
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having studied abroad, in London for a couple of years; having traveled
in Europe extensively, Central Europe, North Africa, and realizing the
importance that foreign policy decision-making is to this place, the
United States Congress.
It is my only hope, Lee, that when I finish my career here, however
long the people in Western Wisconsin want me to represent them, that I
will have lived up to the very high standard of personal integrity and
honor that you have brought to this institution; that you have
established while you have been here. I think the Woodrow Wilson Center
and Indiana University are extremely lucky to get you, your wisdom,
your integrity and your experience with the greatest Democratic
institution in the world.
I wish you and your family a very long and very happy retirement.
Thank you, Lee.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's
participation and would recognize and yield to the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Pease).
Mr. PEASE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Indiana for
yielding to me, and I rise to add my voice to the chorus commenting on
the contributions and virtues of my friend from Indiana, the
distinguished Congressman from the 9th district, Lee Hamilton.
It is typical of us Hoosiers to be obsessed with basketball and
politics. Mr. Hamilton is the quintessential Hoosier, because he has
excelled in both. As a high school athlete, he propelled the Evansville
Central Golden Bears to the Indiana High School State championship
basketball game. And the Bears would have won if the future Congressman
had not suffered an injury during the afternoon game.
He was awarded the coveted Trester award, which goes annually to the
high school basketball player who has the best mental attitude. It is
the most prestigious award conferred on an Indiana high school athlete,
and it defines all that is best in sportsmanship and fair play. He went
on to DePauw University, a fine institution, coincidentally in my
district, where he also excelled in basketball and academics.
He is the son and brother of United Methodist ministers. Perhaps this
background is responsible for the strong moral and ethical behavior
that he has demonstrated over his lifetime and his career in the House
of Representatives. He is well-respected by Members of both major
political parties in Indiana.
Mr. Hamilton and Senator Dick Lugar make joint appearances in Indiana
each year to enlighten the members of the press and others about the
current aspects of United States foreign policy. I hope you will
forgive my Hoosier pride for my belief that these two gentlemen are
among the most knowledgeable Members of Congress on foreign policy
issues.
There is no doubt that Lee Hamilton could have had his party's
nomination in Indiana for governor, for United States Senator, perhaps
on more than one occasion. However, his devotion to his work in the
United States House of Representatives precluded his accepting those
opportunities, which many, though probably none in this chamber, would
have thought were promotions.
On a personal note, let me say that Mr. Hamilton, who came to this
House when I was in junior high school, has been an example, a mentor,
and a leader, but, most important, a friend to me as a freshman Member
of this House. He has helped me professionally, he has supported me
personally. His staff has helped mine as they have learned how this
place works, and they reflect his professionalism and his ethical
action.
Lee, please accept my thanks for all you have done for me, for our
State, for our Nation. My best wishes to you and Nancy as you begin a
new career, and may God continue to bless your life and your work. I
thank the gentleman from Indiana.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I deeply appreciate the gentleman's
participation and would yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman).
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me,
and I guess I have to start off by saying how old I was when Lee
Hamilton was first elected. Lee, I was 10, and it was shortly
thereafter, living in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a district that actually
borders Mr. Hamilton's district, we are in Southwestern Ohio, he is in
Southeastern Indiana, that I began to hear about Lee Hamilton.
I worked up here on the Hill briefly for my predecessor, Bill
Gradison, and looked up to Mr. Hamilton as someone of high integrity.
And particularly in the foreign policy area, he was deemed, even in
those early days, as being truly an expert.
He has been talked about tonight by a lot of people, including the
chairman of the Committee on International Relations as an expert on
international matters, and he is. Free trade is something that Lee has
taken a courageous stand on over the years in that context, and I
appreciate what he has done for our country in that regard. He has
often stood up against his own party and done what is not necessarily
popular politically, whether it is free trade generally or talking
about our misguided sanctions policy, because he believes strongly in
the fact that through trade we will create jobs and make a better
country. He has put the Nation first, I really think, on foreign
policy, again and again. And I am one of those who want to stand up
here tonight and tell him that we appreciate that.
I got to work with Lee not too long ago on the Tropical Forest
Conservation Act. Again, he put the interests of his country first and,
frankly, gave us credibility to be able to promote that idea, which is
a debt-for-nature swap. It makes all the sense in the world. I then
went down with Lee to Santiago, Chile, for the Summit of the Americas,
several months ago, and got to see him in action not only as someone
who is highly regarded by the current administration, in terms of his
foreign policy expertise, they do turn to him frequently, that is when
all the right decisions are made, Lee, I understand, but also by
leaders from around the hemisphere. There were 34 presidents there from
34 countries in our hemisphere, and it was amazing the respect that he
has among those leaders and among their foreign ministers, their trade
ministers and so on. And I got to see that firsthand, Lee, and was
greatly impressed.
Again, he came to my aid recently. I told him on that trip to
Santiago about an effort underway to try to pay tribute to George Bush,
our only President who had served as the Director of the Central
Intelligence Agency. And it was Lee Hamilton who stood up, when needed,
and provided a strong bipartisan support for that effort, which I think
will probably be enacted into law, Lee, here in the next few weeks.
And, again, I personally appreciate what you did there, putting your
country first and making sure that this place continues to operate on a
bipartisan basis.
One thing I want to mention briefly, if I might, and is something
that folks may not be as familiar with about Lee's background and his
interests. He has been known, again, as truly one of the most
distinguished leaders on foreign policy in this body, but he has also
focused on illegal drugs in a very interesting way, not only on the
interdiction side, which would make sense, given his focus and his
experience, but also in his own back yard, in rural Indiana.
Lee has held meetings throughout rural Indiana, talking with law
enforcement officials, talking with parents, talking with school
administrators, talking with people in the trenches who are trying to
deal with the problem of illegal drugs. He has spearheaded a project
called Rural Indiana Profile, a comprehensive study that gives
community officials, public officials throughout Indiana a sense of
what is going on in our rural communities with regard to the illegal
drug problem that is robbing so many of our young people of their
dreams, indeed of their lives at times. And, Lee, I want to thank you
for that, which is something that probably is not well-known in this
body.
He was also a strong supporter of the Drug-Free Communities Act that
was signed into law last year because of his recognition that we are
not going to solve this problem just by focusing on source country
problems, interdiction, but that we also have to look into our own
hearts to see what we are doing wrong in our own communities and to
begin to change the attitudes of our young people.
Mr. Speaker, my neighbor, Lee Hamilton, is truly an example of the
best in public service. The gentleman from
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Wisconsin said earlier that he has been a role model. He certainly
should be a model for all of us who have been fortunate enough to serve
with him in Congress. I will miss his friendship in Congress. I hope we
can stay in touch in his new role at Woodrow Wilson School and at
Indiana University. I will miss his common sense. He has the most
commonsensical haircut in the United States Congress, incidentally. And
I wish him very well in his new responsibilities and also in his
renewed responsibilities.
I know he had other opportunities to lead this country and to serve
this Nation in very substantial and prestigious ways with the current
administration and, instead, chose to remain here, closer to his
family, closer to his beloved wife, and so I also wish him luck in his
renewed responsibilities as a husband, as a father, and as a
grandfather.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's
participation very much, and now yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana
(Ms. Carson).
Ms. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank very much the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) for arranging for this special tribute to the
Honorable Lee Hamilton. This tribute is reminiscent of a poet that
wrote many years ago that ``He shall be like a tree that is planted by
the rivers of water that bring forth fruit in its season.''
I rise today to pay tribute to a towering figure in the House of
Representatives and this Nation, and certainly on behalf of the State
of Indiana. It comes as no surprise to those who have observed the
Honorable Lee Hamilton that he is the son and brother of Methodist
ministers. In a political world sometimes characterized by dishonesty
and backstabbing and inter-party feuding, Lee Hamilton stands out as a
rock of integrity and someone that certainly I have been extremely
blessed to have had an opportunity to know even before I became a
Member of this distinguished body.
{time} 2015
In the 34 years that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) has
been in the House of Representatives, he has built bonds of trust on
both sides of the political aisle, and he can always be counted on to
put the country ahead of any partisan political politics.
He is a man of great intellect. He has become perhaps the leading
congressional spokesman on our relations with foreign lands and
peoples. He also is a leading exemplar of the concept all too rare in
Congress today, that politics stops at the water's edge.
The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) has been a forceful
advocate for honor with pragmatism in foreign affairs regardless of
which party controls the White House. As chair of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and ranking member of the Committee on International
Relations, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) has been a strong
defender of the President's right to determine foreign policy, but was
opposed to Presidents in both parties when he thought they were wrong.
He exemplifies the highest degree of courage and commitment to the
patriotism that all of us enjoy.
I remember in 1987 Mr. Hamilton served as House chairman for the
committee investigating the Iran-Contra matter. In his post he was
stern, but a fair inquisitor in terms of where we were and where we
ought to be in that particular situation. He is a firm believer in the
rule of law. In the Iran-Contra investigation, he decried the
establishment of a government within a government that was not ruled by
the democratic process. He has always been guided by his belief that
all public officials should be accountable to the law and to the
voters.
It is for all of those reasons and certainly more than I could
delineate here tonight that I am just happy that I have had an
opportunity to stand in the Chamber that the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. Hamilton) has served so well for so many years. And even though he
has chosen not to run again for the House of Representatives, he will
always be a Member of the House of Representatives because he will
continuously be sought after for his wise advice, especially on foreign
affairs.
The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), in closing, exemplifies
what a gentleman's gentleman is like. Andy Jacobs told me a few minutes
ago that Mr. Hamilton has always been a very civil person and very
determined and dedicated.
I pay a special tribute to Lee Hamilton, and certainly to Nancy, as
he begins his next life as a scholar and a statesman in the academic
community. And I certainly wish him good luck and Godspeed and thank
him very much for all that he has done for Americans. It has really
been a pleasure to have known him.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Campbell).
Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. Speaker, I have been privileged in preparing my
remarks to have the benefit of the wisdom of Mr. Ben Cole, who for many
years was the Washington correspondent of the Indianapolis Star and who
I have the privilege of calling father-in-law. And Ben told me that in
all of his time watching the Members of the House of Representatives
from the Hoosier State, there is no one who in commitment to principle,
integrity, intelligence, stands out more than the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Hamilton).
But passing now to my own remarks, as I say informed by my father-in-
law, let me say there has been too much of a note of sadness here about
the departure of Mr. Hamilton from the political world. There should
instead be a note of celebration at his admission to the world of
professors.
Mr. Speaker, I ask to advise the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Hamilton) that this is a much better world and he has the qualities
that will make him a superb teacher. Here is what I see when I make
that statement.
First of all, a good teacher knows his subject and the students know
it real fast if he does not. And just from what I have seen on the
Committee on International Relations, Mr. Hamilton knows the subject
matter. People come to him because they know that he can recite it from
memory, he can recite it from his experience, he can recite it because
he has studied it. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) will be a
superb teacher for that reason.
Secondly, students catch on if we are one-sided and they turn off.
Nothing is worse than using the platform of a professor to be a
proselytizer, and that happens on the right as much as on the left. Mr.
Hamilton does not use that platform to proselytize. As a professor, Mr.
Hamilton will find his students excited and interested because they
will know that his point of view is not predetermined as to whether
their point of view will be welcome in class discussion or not, but
rather that he will be seeking the truth and inspiring them to find the
truth through their own processes and their own gifts that God gives
them.
And third and last, probably the most important aspect of a good
professor is that there be something deep that the student sees,
something worth admiring. Any idiot can hand out a grade. What matters
is that the students admire the professor because there is something
worth admiring in that professor. And that is what all of our
colleagues have spoken to tonight. That is why we have as many
Republicans as Democrats taking part in this special order.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hamilton's students will see in this teacher a
person who went into public life for all the right reasons, who went
into the field of international relations in order to do his best for
the people whom God made on this earth who may not have as many
advantages as those of us with the tremendous privilege of being born
in the United States.
I close by commenting with all sincerity that the students of the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) will see in him a peacemaker whom
our Lord has blessed; those who seek peace shall be called the children
of God. And they will see in him a man who seeks after justice, who
hungers and thirsts for justice, for he will be satisfied.
Mr. Speaker, on the graduation of our colleague the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) from this institution to the new and in many
ways more important institution of teaching, I offer my congratulations
and my expectations of continued excellence in every respect.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the participation of the
gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell).
I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).
[[Page H9171]]
(Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I too join my colleagues in praising our
friend and colleague, the gentleman from the great State of Indiana
(Mr. Hamilton). I know I speak for other Members in saying that it will
be sad to see him leave this place.
As a member of the Committee on International Relations, which Mr.
Hamilton is the ranking member, he has held many hearings, timely
hearings succinctly on issues of great concern to American people and
people throughout the world.
I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) and the others who
have called this special order because I know that the 9th District
will be pleased to have Mr. Hamilton come home. He has developed a
reputation here in Congress as a very thoughtful and committed person.
To countries going through transition, in particular trying to struggle
with democracy and new issues, he has had keen interest in that. He is
an independent thinker and treats foe and friend alike.
In some of the hearings, we would hear him question members of the
administration, whether it was this current administration or previous
administrations run by the other party. And so he is an independent
thinker, a person who has served for 33 years in this House.
In 1964 the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) was elected to
Congress at his first attempt at public office, which is a very unique
and honorable position to be in. As a matter of fact, it was not until
my third attempt that I was able to get here, so I should have studied
Mr. Hamilton's techniques a little earlier before I took the challenge
on.
But during his tenure in Congress, he has often been tapped for key
leadership positions. In 1993 to 1994, as my colleagues know, he
chaired the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, currently serves as our
ranking member, and also chaired the House Intelligence Committee, and
cochaired the House-Senate Committee which investigated the Iran-Contra
affair.
Mr. Hamilton has taken a lead in working to make Congress more
effective. In 1991 he sponsored legislation to create a joint committee
on the organization of Congress. Under his leadership, this committee
recommended major reforms to Congress, a number of which have been
adopted, and he continues to push vigorously for enactment of further
reforms.
His leadership on the Joint Economic Committee has allowed Mr.
Hamilton to give even greater emphasis to some of the key interests in
Congress, ensuring a sound and healthy economy and promoting economic
development. Through his continuing service on the panel, the gentleman
from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) has held many hearings and discussions on
economic challenges facing the 9th District, and he has worked long to
improve education and job training and the infrastructure in southern
Indiana.
I am pleased to hear that he will not go far from issues of real
concern to all of us, as he will be appointed as the new director of
the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He will continue
the legacy that he left behind and will continue to work for all the
people of the world.
I have enjoyed working with him. I know during 1992, when we had to
reduce our standing committees or our subcommittees in the Committee on
International Affairs from 8 to 6, I was very interested in the fact
that I wanted the Subcommittee on Africa to remain as a standing
subcommittee, and working with Mr. Hamilton, working with other members
of the committee, we were able to preserve it during that cut and even
further when we reduced the number of subcommittees to five. And it has
been his support that has allowed us to continue to move forward.
So I wish him well in his retirement. I started as a teacher and
tried to come to Congress. He came to Congress and will end as a
teacher. And so I do want to compliment him again for his success.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I appreciate the
remarks of the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), and I do have
some concern based on the comments made by the gentleman from
California (Mr. Campbell) about Mr. Hamilton's impact on academic
politics, but I guess only history will tell the story.
Mr. Speaker, before I conclude my remarks, I would simply reference
several essays that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton) wrote a
number of years ago about the influence of religion on politics. I have
kept those theses that Mr. Hamilton prepared, and was struck by the
theme of both articles, and that is his abhorrence of those who are
intolerant to others' ideas and the civility in which he connoted that
we ought to, again, respect our differences of opinion, seek a
responsible middle ground, and recognize that we have a country to
govern in a moral perspective and that we ought to balance those two
interests. I think it represents the gentleman that Mr. Hamilton is and
every good thing that that term connotes.
Mrs. NORTHUP. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here today to honor Lee
Hamilton, who has served this distinguished body for 33 years.
Divided only by the Ohio river, his district of Southern Indiana and
my district of Louisville, Kentucky have shared a great deal together:
The tribulations of the river flooding, the highs and lows of economic
success, and the community spirit which makes Kentuckiana what it is
today.
Lee Hamilton is a part of that spirit.
While his talents have served his district and mine, his work on
international issues has made him well known and well respected
worldwide.
As the former chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and now
the ranking member of the House Committee on International Relations,
Lee has represented our country with the utmost dignity and dedication
to helping others internationally, while maintaining our nation's place
in international affairs.
Although he has served this Congress for many years and in the role
of both the majority and the minority, Lee has always been able to work
on a bipartisan nature.
Last year, I had an opportunity to work with Lee on a project that
would help bring our districts even closer by providing the
infrastructure needed to cross the Ohio River. Although we may be from
different political parties, and even though he had been here many
years and I was just a freshman, Lee Hamilton treated me with the same
respect as he has treated more senior members.
For this, I will always admire and respect him.
Mr. Speaker, it is only appropriate that we honor Lee Hamilton today
to thank him for his service and to wish him the best in the future.
His presence in Congress will be missed by his colleagues and his
district.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, few of our former colleagues can claim, upon
retirement, to have had a profoundly positive impact on the House of
Representatives, but Lee Hamilton is clearly one of them. His fairness
and professionalism as a committee chairman, his leadership on trade
and foreign policy issues, and his respect for the institutions of
government are attributes that I strive to emulate in my day-to-day
work as a Member of Congress.
Serving with Lee on the Joint Committee on the Organization of
Congress in 1993 was a particularly rewarding experience, and I value
our resulting friendship. Although our reform efforts did not meet with
immediate success, Lee's leadership was instrumental to our later
success in adopting a number of significant institutional reforms with
strong bipartisan support.
Commentators regulatory highlight the partisanship that so often
prevails on Capitol Hill these days. Lee is certainly a good Democrat,
but he understands the value and importance of listening to other
people's ideas, even if they come from Republicans. Our Joint Committee
was evenly balanced between Democrats and Republicans and I can attest
that Lee gave everybody a chance to be heard. He found friends and
allies on both sides of the aisle.
I know I speak for many of our colleagues in saying that Lee's
decision to retire at the end of this Congress is more than a personal
loss. The institution will be losing one of its most respected Members
and effective advocates. At a time when citizens generally view
Congress skeptically and many of our colleagues feed their skepticism
and even cynicism by blaming Congress for things that go wrong, no one
has stood up more for the institution than Lee Hamilton.
Fortunately, when Lee retires from Congress at the end of this year,
he will remain close by as a result of his new career as director of
the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. There, he will
undertake a project to combat public cynicism toward and distrust of
Congress. I am confident that he will do an outstanding job, I look
forward to playing a role in making the project an enormous success.
[[Page H9172]]
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
honoring Lee Hamilton, a man who has rendered thirty three years of
distinguished service as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
It was nearly two years ago that I, as a freshman member of Congress,
first met Lee Hamilton. Having been newly assigned to the House
International Relations Committee, Lee Hamilton was there to assist me
during my very first days on the committee. And whether it has been
learning more about the foreign policy challenges facing America, or
working to build a consensus to support American efforts to bring peace
abroad, Lee Hamilton has always been there for me and the Democrats who
serve on the International Relations Committee.
For all his work to enhance and advance American interests abroad,
Lee Hamilton deserves our enduring thanks. He has been a champion of
U.S. engagement abroad, fighting this fight, often in the face of
isolationists here in this very Congress.
I wish Lee Hamilton the best as he takes leave of this body. I know
that I and my colleagues on the House International Relations
Committee, both Democrat and Republican, will miss his remarkable
contributions, not only to our committee, but to the entire Congress
and to our entire nation. Lee Hamilton is and will continue to be a
leading voice on foreign affairs.
Mr. Speaker, over eight decades ago President Woodrow Wilson remarked
that ``there must be, not a balance of power [in the world], but a
community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized peace.''
Lee Hamilton, to his credit, has worked to advance this goal like no
other member of Congress during his 18 terms in the House of
Representatives. For that our nation is eternally grateful.
Mr. SKAGGS. Mr. Speaker, when the gentleman from Indiana retires at
the end of this session of Congress, this body will be losing one of
its most thoughtful leaders.
Lee Hamilton will be rightly lionized as an expert and a statesman in
foreign policy matters; a Member whose thinking is consistently sought
out to illuminate foreign policy debates. During his tenure on the
International Relations Committee, he has brought a reasoned and
careful approach to foreign policy. He's been irrepressibly
constructive, keeping in mind the longer-range goal of leading Congress
and the country along the path of international engagement where he
knew we needed to go. He's never shrunk from being one of the few to
stand up against popular but wrong-headed policies, even if that meant
being on the losing end of a very lop-sided vote. He has been even-
handed in the hard cases in foreign policy, such as U.S. policy toward
the Middle East, or Cuba.
This body will also be losing a Member who cares deeply about the
institutions of government, particularly Congress and its role under
the Constitution. He played a leading role in one of Congress' best
hours in recent years--the 1991 debate about whether to go to war with
Iraq. He led the inquiry into the Iran-Contra scandal--an abuse that
threatened our Constitutional order more than any in recent years. He
led the panel in the 103rd Congress that resulted in important
institutional reforms, including the gift ban and the application of
workplace rules to Congress, that were implemented in the next
Congress. Lee served as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee and of
the Joint Economic Committee. He has been a workhorse on often
unheralded projects, like the panel that reviewed government secrecy.
While focusing on Congress' role in foreign policy, Lee has also been
mindful that Congress should not encroach on powers and
responsibilities that are properly the President's. He has often worked
to be sure that Congress' zeal on a particular issue does not tie the
President's hands and impair the flexibility he needs in conducting our
foreign policy.
Lee Hamilton is a serious legislator, and a work-aholic. He is never
too busy to discuss issues at length with other Members--or with his
constituents. With all the time he spends on the big picture and on
U.S. foreign policy, Lee has never forgotten the people of Indiana's
9th Congressional District. At a time when more and more Members are
abandoning town meetings, Lee has continued to see the value in that
kind of direct contact with the people he serves, hosting several
meetings each year in the 20 counties of the 9th.
Lee Hamilton is irreplaceable. He is a role model others can aspire
to follow. I hope the 106th Congress will see Members of Lee Hamilton's
stature. But if it doesn't, it will have the benefit of his example and
his legacy.
At a time when Washington desperately needs all the grown-ups we can
find, Lee Hamilton has been a reliable adult. We all join in thanking
Lee for his exemplary public service and wishing all the best.
Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, Lee Hamilton is a tall order to follow. I am
not making allusions to his height, although he is a tall man. But he
stands tall in so many other ways. He is the conscience of America's
foreign policy. He is the soul of dignity in politics. He is an
institutional memory of the Congress. He is the epitome of clear,
concise thinking and reasoning.
Lee Hamilton is also the Dean of my State's delegation. He has been
and remains to me an inspiration, a mentor, and a true friend. I will
miss his presence here dearly.
Mr. Speaker, five decades ago, a young athlete at Evansville Memorial
High School gained a reputation for dogged hard work, dedication, and
perseverance. This student, Lee Hamilton, would maintain the same
reputation in the congressional career that began 16 years later, and
keep it for over 30 years. When I first arrived here nearly 8 years
ago, Lee was here to show me the many ropes. His quiet dignity, hard
work, and keen knowledge of the issues has been a fine example every
day since.
Lee has a talent for respecting the past while building the future,
for defending and maintaining what is good in the world, and educating
colleagues and citizens about what must change. He is a traditional man
with conservative instincts, yet can still inspire young people and new
Members with ideas about the future. Like the best thinkers of any
generation, Lee teaches us that progressive ideas work best on solid
foundations.
It is sad to reflect on the loss of talent that Lee Hamilton's
departure brings to the Congress. Lee is the epitome of bedrock values,
straightforward thinking, and most of all, Hoosier common sense. He
leaves a gap that will not be filled easily or soon.
Mr. Speaker, I join all of our colleagues in saluting Lee Hamilton
and his wife, Nancy, their children and family. I wish them all the
very best for the future. I want Lee to know that following in his
shoes is, for me, a very tall order. But Lee set such a good example,
and has been such a good teacher, that he has given us all a very tall
head start. I sincerely am indebted to him, as is the Nation, for his
service, his leadership, and his dedication. I will have very few such
friends in this life, indeed.
Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my thanks to
one of our nation's tireless advocates of responsible and thoughtful
American foreign policy. Lee Hamilton is known around the world for the
critical role he has played in shaping our relations with other
countries.
But his also is a familiar hand in guiding our country's domestic
initiatives, and by adding his strong voice to so many noble causes,
Lee has has ensured that the voices of millions of Americans have been
heard.
Lee's name is recognized all over the world--in the powerful circles
in New York, Geneva, Rome, Beijing, and Tokyo--and it is synonymous
with integrity. His work has left its mark in other places too, because
it has made a real difference to countless millions who lack power and,
often, hope. Most recently, he made sure that the Freedom to Farm Act
of 1996 included provisions for hungry and poor people.
Mr. Speaker, Lee Hamilton is a legend in this Congress, and in our
capitol. He was a work horse, chairing the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, the Intelligence Committee, the Iran-Contra Committee, and
undertaking countless other assignments that are essential to an
effective Congress.
The tremendous strides we have made in almost every measurement of
poverty have come during Lee Hamilton's tenure, and many of them bear
evidence of his involvement. For example, the number of people who die
every day of hunger and its related diseases is just half what it was
when he first came to Congress. At 24,000 a day, that number is still
tragically high, but initiatives that bear Lee's fingerprints are
continuing to lessen such suffering.
And that is just one example. From infant mortality, to teaching
literacy, to fighting disease, the people of the world have made
unprecedented strides in the past three decades. Throughout this era,
Lee Hamilton has often been at the center of the battles that matter
most: the struggles to ease suffering and make life better from
millions of people.
Mr. Speaker, these are difficult times for the Congress, especially
when we take up foreign policy. It is hard to imagine our debates
without Lee Hamilton's measured contributions to them. It is harder
still to assure our allies abroad that without Lee Hamilton Congress
will remain a reasonable partner in efforts to deal with the political
and economic challenges ahead.
For many of us who have spent our careers in Congress secure in the
knowledge that we can always turn to this senior statesman to improve
our understanding or polish our approach, Lee's retirement will be a
personal loss. It has been an honor to serve with you, Lee, and you
will be missed.
I join my colleagues in wishing Lee Hamilton all the best, in
thanking him for his dedicated service, and in appealing for his
continued presence as we debate how America can best serve the people
we represent in both our foreign policy and domestic policy.
[[Page H9173]]
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lee
Hamilton who is retiring from the House after 34 years of exemplary
service. The House is losing its most respected voice on foreign policy
issues, and for that the institution will be poorer.
Lee began his service in 1965, after winning election to the Congress
in his first attempt. He has served the people of the Ninth District
well, and they have returned him to Washington in every election since.
That's a pretty good streak and it reflects the winning tradition that
Lee established early in life, beginning with his leadership of Central
High's basketball team all the way to the State championship.
During his tenure in Congress, Lee was often tapped to lead in very
difficult situations. In 1986, he co-chaired the Iran-Contra
investigation and in 1992 he chaired the Joint Committee on the
Organization of Congress.
But his expertise in foreign policy rose to the fore and he was
rewarded with the chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee during
the 103rd Congress. Lee has always led the sometimes lonely fight for
the Clinton administration's policies but he has never shied away from
letting the President know when the policy was wrong.
Lee's tenure on the Joint Economic Committee allowed him to pursue
his interests in ensuring a sound economy and promoting economic
development in order to bring economic and infrastructure development
to the people of the Ninth District.
Mr. Speaker, we wish Lee well in his new roles at the Wilson Center
and with Indiana University and we hope that we can continue to call on
his expertise, as the Congress deals with future foreign policy issues.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the service to the United
States of America by Mr. Lee H. Hamilton.
In my 16 years in the House of Representatives I have come to know
and admire Lee for the wisdom and seriousness which he brings to
consideration of the people's business. The Hoosiers of the Ninth
District lose a great congressman with Lee's retirement.
In 34 years few can challenge his record for thoughtful integrity in
the face of strong political pressure. While confronting some of the
nation's most serious foreign policy challenges, he always approached
every issue with intellectual depth.
He led the Congress in defending the President when under partisan
attack, but he worked hard to ensure that the administration did not
make foreign policy decisions without full consideration of every
option and insisted that action be taken only after the administration
had developed a rationale for its policy which would have the support
of the American people.
His reputation for probity and judicious reflection have made him the
leader of choice when the Congress faced difficult foreign policy
issues, whether as chairman of the Select Committee on Iran-Contra or
more recently of the Select Subcommittee on Iran Arms Transfers to
Bosnia. I have had the honor of serving with Mr. Hamilton on one of
those select committees and seen first hand how the nation has been
well assisted by his probing intellect.
I have also been proud to serve with Mr. Hamilton when he was
chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. In his years as chairman, he
demonstrated again and again the ability to forge the type of
bipartisan political coalition essential to making government work for
the people. Lee had a instinctive understanding that democracy was more
important than politics and that he was elected to serve all the
people, rather than a narrow agenda agreeable to the few.
The Ninth District has lost a great Representative in the retirement
of Mr. Hamilton. We honor more than Mr. Hamilton today, we honor the
principles which he has stood for against so many pressures for so
long. I wish I could say that in losing Mr. Hamilton, some are gaining
more but I am afraid that his retirement is the country's loss.
I thank you for your service to the Congress and the American people.
I salute you. I will miss you on the committee but I know you will not
have gone far and we will continue to benefit from your expertise on
foreign policy at the Wilson Center.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is truly a pleasure for me to join our
colleagues in paying tribute to our colleague and my friend,
Congressman Lee H. Hamilton of Indiana, for his distinguished service
to our nation as a Member of Congress for 34 years. I can think of few
members who can rival his intelligence, wit, integrity, and commitment
to public service.
For the past 18 years that I have been a Member of this body, I have
served on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs/International
Relations, and during that entire time I have served with Lee Hamilton.
For well over a decade, I sat next to him on the Subcommittee on Europe
and the Middle East, which Lee chaired for two decades. When Lee served
as chairman of the full Committee on Foreign Affairs, I headed one of
the subcommittees, and in that capacity we worked closely together for
two years.
Mr. Speaker, it has been truly an honor to serve with Lee over these
many years, and to admire his commitment to democracy and America's
international interests in the broadest and most positive sense. From
the cold war to the collapse of the Iron Curtain to the serious
challenges of the post-cold-war world, Lee has stood as a pillar of
principle in defending the values that we in America cherish. In
combating world hunger, firmly backing foreign assistance to the
developing democracies in Eastern Europe, and fighting for developing
programs for sustainable development in Africa, he has never hesitated
to use his superb intellect and creativity to address our national
concerns. Even when we have disagreed on policy matters, I have found
it impossible to keep from admiring his independence, integrity, and
moral conviction underlying his beliefs. Lee Hamilton is a statesman, a
leader, a champion for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to say something about Lee's wife, Nancy
Hamilton. Of all of Lee's many good decisions, his judgment in marrying
Nancy was probably his best. She has been a steadfast and dependable
companion throughout his service in the Congress. She has not only
brightened Lee's office with her outstanding and original art, she has
added an air of elegance and quality to all that Lee has done.
While I have no doubt that Lee will continue to serve our country and
the state of Indiana even though he will be retiring from the U.S.
Congress. I believe that I speak for all of my colleagues in the House
when I say that Lee's voice of reason and the integrity that he brings
to our deliberations will be sorely missed.
Mr. Speaker, we all owe the people of southeastern Indiana an
enormous debt of gratitude for giving us Lee Hamilton.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to pay
tribute to my esteemed colleague, Lee Hamilton, as he retires from the
House of Representatives after 34 years of service to Indiana's Ninth
District, and to our Nation.
Lee Hamilton arrived in Washington to begin his long tenure in the
House during the Lyndon Johnson administration. As those times
demanded, he was present for the creation of such landmark legislation
as the Elementary and Secondary and Higher Education Acts, helping
assure an educated citizenry so that the socio-economic needs of this
country might be met. He also presided over the enactment of
legislation to assist those living at or below poverty--especially the
children--as Johnson's War on Poverty began, and the President's Great
Society began to take shape.
Lee Hamilton was here in 1965 when the Medicare Program for senior
citizens health care was enacted, lifting many seniors out of poverty
once they no longer had to choose between paying for health care and
eating, providing seniors with a healthier, quality life of hope and
dignity.
There was much going on in this House when Lee Hamilton arrived from
Jeffersonville, Indiana to begin his service as the representative of
the Ninth District of that great state, and aside from domestic issues,
Lee was soon to become deeply involved in international issues as well.
As Lee Hamilton's distinguished service grew and flourished on behalf
of those who needed federal support in order to obtain an education,
food, shelter and health care, he quietly became our most able leader
in International affairs. As the chair of the International Relations
Committee for many years, and as its current ranking member, Lee has
devoted himself to leading this country through the cold war, helping
bring about the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the
former Soviet Union and the Communist threat.
Lee Hamilton too great care to help ensure America's security in an
unsafe world.
Lee's lifetime commitment to public service, under the
administrations of seven Presidents from both parties, has never
faltered. His enormous achievements are a testament to a remarkable
life of selfless duty and an unstinting commitment to the peace and
prosperity of the people of Indiana as well as our Nation, for which we
owe him a great debt of gratitude.
Lee is known for his unimpeachable integrity, his gentle voice of
reason, and a firm hand, and I have personally benefited from both his
reason and his strength.
I take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to publicly thank Lee for his
assistance to me over the years with concerns I have had over events in
the Middle East, and especially in the land of my grandfathers,
Lebanon. His deep understanding of the culture, history and traditions
of the Middle Eastern countries is enormous. I know there have been
many times over the years when, at my request and no matter how busy he
was, he has taken the time to share with me and my colleagues his
remarkable insight into how best to address
[[Page H9174]]
events in a troubled area in times of great distress.
I thank him also for his direct assistance to me as I have endeavored
to bring humanitarian and non-lethal military assistance into Lebanon
as that country struggles to return to its former state of independence
and sovereignty after a 17 year civil war.
And so it is with warmest personal regard, highest esteem and deepest
appreciation that I rise to pay tribute to Lee Hamilton as he takes his
leave of this House where he has served with distinction for more than
three decades. I wish him God Speed, and great personal happiness and
success as he embarks upon his newly chosen career path.
Mr. LUTHER. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives will lose one
of it's most respected members with the retirement of Lee Hamilton. As
a junior member of the International Relations Committee, I have come
to greatly admire Lee's evenhanded and bipartisan approach. At a time
when far too often questions of foreign policy become mired in partisan
battles, I believe it is essential that we continue Lee's tireless
efforts to achieve bipartisanship on international relations matters.
Because of his extraordinary leadership in foreign affairs, many
people don't realize Lee's many other significant accomplishments. For
example, he was among the first to call on Congress to reform its
internal operations. In 1992 he served as co-chairman of the Joint
Committee on the Organization of Congress which was among the first to
recommend long overdue ideas, which we now take for granted, such as
the gift ban, tightening lobbying regulations and applying laws of the
workplace to Congress.
Coming from Minnesota where we have had great leaders like Hubert
Humphrey, Walter Mondale and former Congressman Don Fraser, I have been
particularly impressed with Lee's leadership on international issues.
Just one current example is his highlighting the many negative effects
that the proliferation of unilateral economic sanctions have had on our
relationship with our economic allies. As many of you know, Lee is the
lead House author of legislation which would establish a more
disciplined and deliberative process for imposing unilateral sanctions.
I am going to miss Lee Hamilton not just because he is an excellent
leader on foreign policy and an admirable person, but because he is the
kind of person we need more of in Congress. A person truly dedicated to
making government work better for our employers, the people we
represent. As a relatively new person to this institution, I sincerely
thank him for the guidance he has given me and for his outstanding
service to the people of our country and the world.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Lee Hamilton for his
34 years of service to the House of Representatives and our great
Nation. Lee Hamilton is one of the greatest statesmen of our time and I
am honored to be able to count Lee Hamilton as a friend, fellow
Democrat, role model, and inspiration. Through his hard work,
dedication, sensitivity, and strong ethical underpinnings; Lee Hamilton
has forged a path in the U.S. House that all politicians strive to
duplicate.
Lee is one of the most influential policy makers of this century,
both domestically and internationally. This is not by accident--his
hard work and determined spirit, coupled with his strong efforts to
promote ethical behavior in those that govern, has distinguished him as
an exemplary statesman and policy maker, a positive role model not only
to those of us in Washington, but for our Nation and future
generations.
Lee has excelled as a U.S. leader at the forefront of world affairs
by distinguishing himself as a thoughful policy maker, with a strong
understanding of the difficult issues that effect the world political
environment. To name but a few examples: His support of the Middle East
peace process over the entirety of his career and his leadership in
initiating and crafting U.S. aid to the former Soviet Union in the late
1980's and early 1990's has helped to craft the social, political, and
economic environment of both of these regions.
But probably the most important contribution Lee has made to this
House is the contribution he has made to the foreign affairs debate
over the last three decades. Lee has been instrumental in not only
addressing the important issues; but in bringing the foreign policy
debate to a new level. He has served to broaden Members' understanding
of the issues through his careful review of these issues. Lee has
impacted the foreign affairs agenda for an entire generation of
Americans--for both Congressman, political leaders, and individual
citizens.
Lee Hamilton stands for all that is good about the American political
system. It has been an honor to serve with him and follow his example
of ethical behavior, dedication to the American people, the
determination to bring and keep important issues at the forefront of
the national American debate. Lee's contribution to this House will be
sorely missed, but luckily in his new capacity as director of the
Woodrow Wilson Center, we in Congress will be able to continue to rely
on his valuable contributions to the foreign policy debate.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, if there is a Member who deserves
recognition for his years of service to his constituents, to the
country, and to this institution--it is Lee Hamilton.
Throughout his distinguished career as a Representative from the
Ninth District of Indiana, Lee has challenged generations of Members to
research the issues, make them their own, to defend their positions
with vigor--even if that position meant being philosophically and
fundamentally opposed to Lee's views.
Lee and I have certainly had our fair share of disagreements on U.S.
foreign policy, in particular, when it came to the best approach to
bring about freedom and democracy to the Cuban people. However, he was
always respectful of differing views, advocating open, comprehensive,
and frequent--very frequent--debate.
Lee has been more than a participant in the formulation of foreign
policy. He is truly dedicated to studying the nuances of world events.
He excels in times of crises and thrives on analyzing the potential
impact of global developments on U.S. national security.
Whether the issue is the proliferation of chemical and biological
weapons, or climate change and the Kyoto Protocol, or reform in Latin
America or NATO enlargement, we have grown to expect Lee Hamilton to
know every intricacy and to be able to encapsulate the contending
approaches.
While he may be leaving this body, I am certain his involvement in
foreign affairs will continue. We would not want it any other way.
We are all the better for having had Lee Hamilton as a Member of this
body for over three decades.
He is a scholar, an exemplary public servant, a formidable adversary,
and a gentleman.
Lee, you will be missed.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is certainly my honor to yield to the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hamilton), our leader in the Indiana
delegation.
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. And of
course, first I want to express my appreciation to my friends and
Indiana colleagues, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) and the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), for making arrangements for
this special order. I am most grateful to them.
Secondly, I want to express my thanks to all of the Members who have
spoken and a large number of Members who have submitted their
statements to me, many of which I have had an opportunity to read.
I must say that the constant references to my age and the references
to how young they were when I first came to Congress have made me feel
a little uneasy tonight, but it has impressed me about how young the
Members of this institution are and how able they are as well.
All of their remarks have been very kind and generous, and of course
for me memorable. I shall think very often of this evening and the
comments that have been made about me. I have always wanted to walk off
the stage before I was kicked off or shoved off, and I think their
comments tonight have made me think I have done that.
I had the Library of Congress check the other day, and I have worked
with 1,515 House colleagues. I guess with most of those colleagues I
have had differences from time to time, but I think I can say that I
have liked all of them, I have enjoyed their friendship, and I have
certainly tried to respect them.
The Members of this House reflect the American people I believe more
than any other institution in America, at least so far as I know.
Getting to know the Members has been just an extraordinary privilege.
The recollections of my colleagues form in my mind an endless line of
splendor. Working with them has given me insights into the vastness and
the complexity and the diversity of this country. It has reinforced my
belief in representative government and the crucial role that Congress
plays in reflecting the diverse points of view, acting as a national
forum in this room, managing conflict in the country, and over time,
usually but not always, developing a consensus that reflects the
collective judgment of the people.
{time} 2030
I have been impressed almost daily with the enormous importance and
resilience of the institution of the Congress and the Members who make
up this body. It has always been a source of great pride for me to say,
as I have
[[Page H9175]]
done on so many occasions, that I am a Member of the House of
Representatives.
So it has been a great privilege to work in this chamber and in this
Capitol building in the area of my interest, which is public policy. I
have been grateful for every day that I have been part of this House. I
do not know of any place in the world that I would have preferred to
be.
I am pleased that this evening my colleagues, for whom I have the
greatest respect and affection, have noted my work, and I thank you
all.
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