[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO STATE REPRESENTATIVE MORRIS HOOD, JR.

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, earlier this month, a powerful voice 
for fairness and compassion fell silent with the untimely death of 
State Representative Morris Hood, Jr.
  Representative Hood served in the Michigan House of Representatives 
for 28 years, representing a part of the City of Detroit, my home town. 
He was the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He 
distinguished himself in that role by fighting to make education 
accessible to all people. He strove to give everyone the opportunity to 
go to school, to obtain a job and earn a living. He was the primary 
founder of the King-Chavez-Parks initiative, which has provided 
thousands of dollars in scholarship money to deserving minority 
students. He was a believer in a positive role for government in our 
society. He once said, ``There are some things government is meant to 
do. One of the them is to take care of those who can't take care of 
themselves.''
  Morris Hood, Jr. recognized the painful effects of discrimination and 
sponsored legislation to give small and minority owned businesses the 
ability to compete for state contracts. Foremost of all, Morris Hood 
was a promoter of the City of Detroit. He saw in Detroit a community 
full of possibilities, inhabited by people full of potential. He saw as 
his responsibility to use government as one means to unlock that 
potential. That is why he was such a strong supporter of Focus: HOPE, 
an organization that is near and dear to my heart. His voice will be 
dearly missed. Our hearts go out to his children, Denise and Morris 
III.
  Mr. President I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in honoring the 
memory of a passionate legislator, State Representative Morris Hood, 
Jr.

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