[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E2155]]



            DANTE B. FASCELL--NORTH-SOUTH CENTER ACT OF 1991

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 12, 1998

  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 
4757, which would designate the North/South Center at the University of 
Miami as the Dante B. Fascell North/South Center.
  I thank Chairman Gilman for his initiative in this matter, for it is 
a fitting honor for a truly great man.
  For 36 years, Dante Fascell served on the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee, eight years as full Committee Chairman. He devoted his whole 
lifetime to the service of this nation and the nations of the world. A 
man with great insight, judgment, and knowledge, he was an advisor to 
Presidents who was also sought out by foreign leaders and dignitaries.
  Throughout his decades of service, Mr. Fascell became more and more 
convinced of the need for an American foreign policy based on cultural, 
educational, trade and person-to-person exchanges between nations, in 
addition to normal government-to-government contacts. His vision became 
reality at his alma mater, the University of Miami. Dante Fascell is 
recognized as the father of the North/South Center, which today is 
Congressionally-authorized and one of the nation's leading institutions 
focusing on improving relations between the countries of North and 
South America and the Caribbean.
  Despite his great achievements, however, Dante Fascell never forgot 
his roots. He was always friendly, open and approachable to his 
constituents in South Florida. He committed his efforts to solving 
little problems, as well as big ones. His common sense and common touch 
endeared him to--literally--generations of voters. It is not an 
exaggeration to say that, by the end of his service in Congress he was, 
as he is today, truly a legend in Florida.
  Mr. Fascell retired from the Congress the year that I was elected, in 
1992, and so I never had the honor of serving with him. But I have 
known him for many years. He set a very high standard for public 
service which all of us who follow him try daily to meet. And I am 
completely confident that those of you here today who served with Dante 
Fascell will agree with me that he is one of the finest men to serve in 
this body.
  I would like to share with my colleagues a few comments on Dante 
Fascell which appeared in a Miami Herald editorial on his retirement.

                 [From the Miami Herald, May 28, 1992]

       Dante Fascell retiring? Say it isn't so! But it is: 
     Yesterday the veteran South Dade congressman announced in 
     Washington that he won't seek a 20th term on Capitol Hill. 
     Neither will he convert to his personal use, though legally 
     he could, the $500,000 or so in his campaign treasury. That's 
     fully consistent with his integrity, public and private.
       Representative Fascell is a close second in seniority, but 
     a clear first in  esteem, among the members of Florida's 
     congressional delegation. He has served with distinction 
     as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
       Never was his wisdom on better display than during 1990's 
     congressional debate of America's role in the Persian Gulf. 
     His reasoned support for deploying multinational forces 
     against Saddam Hussein was pivotal to winning House approval 
     of President Bush's policies.
       Yet Mr. Fascell, 75, also knows full well that violence 
     rarely resolves international disputes. Long before Iraq's 
     invasion of Kuwait, for instance, he had built a solid record 
     of support for negotiations to bring peace to the Mideast 
     while ensuring Israel's security. He also played a key role 
     in congressional efforts to end violence and injustice in 
     Central America and to restore democracy and human rights in 
     Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Chile.
       Less visible but arguably as important was Mr. Fascell's 
     work in concert with leading European parliamentarians on 
     behalf of human rights behind the Iron Curtain. Their efforts 
     to free dissidents and goad the Eastern bloc to honor the 
     Helsinki accords may well have helped hasten tyranny's demise 
     and the Cold War's end. . . .
       Among Mr. Fascell's endearing traits is one all too rare 
     among elected officials: candor. He still has a way of 
     cutting through baloney to get to the point. You can believe 
     what he says.
       You can also believe, however, that Mr. Fascell might leave 
     some things unsaid in deference to his longtime colleagues 
     and to an institution that he loves. Some retiring 
     congressmen have spoken bitterly of their disillusionment 
     with politics and of the `poisonous atmosphere' pervading 
     Capitol Hill. Mr. Fascell said that it was simply time to go 
     after nearly 38 years of service.
       Even so, there's cause for concern over Mr. Fascell's 
     departure. Granted, many term-limits advocates would argue 
     that he had already stayed on too long. It ought to be 
     worrisome, though, when able public servants no longer feel 
     that serving in Congress is rewarding enough or enjoyable 
     enough to make them want to stick around.
       For the nation and for Florida, then, Mr. Fascell's 
     retirement is a loss. Beyond that, though, the obvious 
     erosion in public service's attractiveness to candidates of 
     his stature is an even greater loss.

     

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