[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NOMINATING DANTE B. FASCELL FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 20, 1998

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, last week more than 100 Members of 
Congress signed their names to a letter nominating Hon. Dante B. 
Fascell for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is a measure of 
respect for Dante that those names include prominent Republicans as 
well as Democrats, and Members who know him only by reputation as well 
as many close friends.
  I submit the text of the letter and the accompanying signatures to be 
printed in the Congressional Record.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                 Washington, DC, October 14, 1998.
     Mr. Phillip M. Caplan,
     Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary, The White 
         House Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Caplan: We write to nominate Dante B. Fascell to 
     receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As Chairman of the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs, Dante B. Fascell exercised 
     strong, principled leadership for our country during the 
     final chapter of the Cold War. He has the respect of 
     Democrats and Republicans and should be properly honored for 
     his service to America. We believe that the Presidential 
     Medal of Freedom would be the most appropriate honor.
       Dante B. Fascell, born in Bridgehampton, New York, March 9, 
     1917, moved to Florida in 1925 where he completed his 
     education and was admitted to the bar in 1938. Dante Fascell 
     entered the Florida National Guard on January 6, 1941. 
     Commissioned a Second Lieutenant May 23, 1942, he served in 
     the African, Sicilian, and Italian campaigns of World War II. 
     Dante Fascell served as a member of the Florida state house 
     of representatives from 1950-1954. Subsequently, he served in 
     the House of Representatives from January 3, 1955 to January 
     3, 1989. Congressman Fascell served as Chairman of the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs from the Ninety-eighth through 
     the One Hundredth Congresses.
       During his tenure on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
     Dante Fascell was instrumental in enacting an astonishing 
     array of bills that significantly advanced America's interest 
     abroad. These included the creation of the National Endowment 
     for Democracy, Radio Marti, the Inter-American Foundation, 
     and the North-South Center. Congressman Fascell also authored 
     and advanced numerous bills to improve international 
     narcotics control and aviation safety, as well securing 
     passage of the Freedom Support and SEED Acts, the Fascell 
     Fellowships, and biennial State Department Authorization 
     bills. Dante Fascell was also a driving force behind 
     establishing the Commission on Security and Cooperation in 
     Europe.
       We respectfully request you submit this nomination to the 
     President to award Dante B. Fascell the Presidential Medal of 
     Freedom, pursuant to Executive Order 11085, in recognition of 
     Chairman Fascell's exceptionally meritorious contributions to 
     the national security interests of the United States.
           Sincerely,

                                           Benjamin A. Gilman,

                                                         Chairman,
                             Committee on International Relations.

                                                  Jesse Helms,

                                                         Chairman,
                                   Committee on Foreign Relations.

                                             Richard G. Lugar,

                                            United States Senator.

                                          Christopher J. Dodd,

                                            United States Senator.

                                              Lee H. Hamilton,

                                        Ranking Democratic Member.
                             Committee on International Relations.

                                                  Connie Mack,

                                            United States Senator.

                                                   Bob Graham,

                                            United States Senator.


     Sam Gejdenson (D-CT)
     David Bonior (D-MI)
     Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
     Jim Oberstar (D-MN)
     Dick Gephardt (D-MO)
     Gene Taylor (D-MS)
     Dan Miller (R-FL)
     Hal Rogers (R-KY)
     Martin Sabo (D-MN)
     Donald Payne (D-NJ)
     Tome Lantos (D-CA)
     Robert Mendendez (D-NJ)
     John Olver (D-MA)
     Tom Barrett (D-WI)
     Henry Hyde (R-IL)
     David Dreir (R-CA)
     Owen Pickett (D-VA)
     Dave Obey (D-WI)
     Porter Goss (R-FL)
     John Mica (R-FL)
     Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
     Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
     Robert Wexler (R-FL)
     Jim Davis (D-FL)
     Jim Leach (R-IA)
     Gerry Solomon (R-NY)
     Clay Shaw (R-FL)
     John Fox (R-PA)
     Chris Smith (R-NJ)
     Dan Burton (R-IN)
     Matthew Martinez (D-CA)
     Doug Bereuter (R-NE)
     Ben Cardin (D-MD)
     Jim Barcia (D-MI)
     Bob Clement (D-TN)
     Solomon Ortiz (D-TX)
     T.J. Manton (D-NY)
     Ellen Tauscher (D-CA)
     Gene Green (D-TX)
     Neil Abercrombie (D-HI)
     Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
     Elizabeth Furse (D-OR)
     Jose Serrano (D-NY)
     Mike McNulty (D-NY)
     Karen McCarthy (D-MO)
     Lynn Rivers (D-MI)
     Bill Luther (D-MN)
     Jack Quinn (R-NY)
     Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
     Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
     Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)
     John Conyers (D-MI)
     Elliot Engel (D-NY)
     Peter King (R-NY)
     Howard Berman (D-CA)
     Barney Frank (D-MA)
     Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)
     Nita Lowey (D-NY)
     Denis Kucinich (D-OH)
     Billy Tauzin (R-LA)
     Don Young (R-AL)
     Bob Livingston (R-LA)
     Rick White (R-WA)
     Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
     John Dingell (D-MI)
     Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
     Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
     Carrie Meek (D-FL)
     Martin Frost (D-TX)
     Charlie Rangel (D-NY)
     Frank Mascara (D-PA)
     Jim Moran (D-VA)
     Jack Murtha (D-PA)
     Bob Weygand (D-RI)
     Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
     Tom DeLay (R-TX)
     Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
     Joe Moakley (D-MA)
     Nick Rahall (D-WV)
     Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
     Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI)
     Tom Allen (D-ME)
     Adam Smith (D-WA)
     Henry Waxman (D-CA)
     Bob Borski (D-PA)
     Robert Matsui (D-CA)
     Gary Condit (D-CA)
     Norm Sisisky (D-VA)
     Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA)
     Corrine Brown (D-FL)
     Eva Clayton (D-NC)
     Lois Capps (D-CA)
     Norm Dicks (D-WA)
     Ed Markey (D-MA)
     Allen Boyd (D-FL)
     Collin Peterson (D-MN)
     Martin Meehan (D-MA)



     

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