[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 2, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H288-H291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DANTE B. FASCELL NORTH-SOUTH CENTER
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 432) to designate the North/South Center as the Dante B.
Fascell North-South Center
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 432
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[[Page H289]]
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NORTH/SOUTH CENTER AS THE DANTE B.
FASCELL NORTH-SOUTH CENTER.
Section 208 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act,
Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (22 U.S.C. 2075) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center Act of 1991'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) by amending the subsection heading to read as follows:
``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center.--''; and
(B) by striking ``known as the North/South Center,'' and
inserting ``which shall be known and designated as the Dante
B. Fascell North-South Center,''; and
(3) in subsection (d), by striking ``North/South Center''
and inserting ``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
(a) Center.--Any reference in any other provision of law to
the educational institution in Florida known as the North/
South Center shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``Dante
B. Fascell North-South Center''.
(b) Short Title.--Any reference in any other provision of
law to the North/South Center Act of 1991 shall be deemed to
be a reference to the ``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center
Act of 1991''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pleasure that I
bring a bill before the House to honor our esteemed former colleague,
the distinguished chairman of the Committee on International Relations,
Dante Fascell. Our friend and colleague, Dante Fascell, regrettably
passed away on November 29 after a long illness. On October 29, one
month before Congressman Fascell died, President Clinton honored him at
Cape Canaveral, Florida, with our Nation's highest civilian honor, the
Medal of Freedom. Well over 100 Members of Congress signed what the
White House termed the most bipartisan petition for the Medal of
Freedom that they had ever seen.
Mr. Speaker, this bill renames the educational institution known as
the North/South Center as the Dante B. Fascell North-South Center.
Chairman Fascell was responsible for establishing that center in 1991
to help us promote better relations between our Nation and the nations
of Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada through cooperative study,
training and research.
During his tenure on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Dante Fascell
was instrumental in enacting an astonishing array of bills that
significantly advanced Americans' interest abroad, and those included
the creation of the National Endowment for Democracy, Radio Marti, and
the Inter-American Foundation. Congressman Fascell also authored and
advanced numerous bills to improve international narcotics control and
aviation safety, as well as securing passage of the Freedom Support and
SEED Acts, the Fascell Fellowships and the biennial State Department
authorization bills. Dante Fascell also was a driving force behind
establishing the Committee on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Today we recognize the significant contributions that former Chairman
Fascell made to U.S.-Latin American relations and indeed to so many
other aspects of our Nation's foreign policy. He was a dedicated
legislator and statesman. It is a privilege to sponsor this measure
with our committee's ranking Democratic member, the distinguished
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson). This is only a modest
gesture to recognize a truly great American.
Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will be honoring the memory of Congressman
Fascell in a ceremony in our Foreign Affairs Committee room, and I urge
our colleagues to join us on that occasion.
I ask support for this measure, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. I had the privilege of
serving under Chairman Fascell for many years, and I think what we are
doing here today is obviously an appropriate response. But we could
really go to almost any corner of the globe and look at the tremendous
work that Dante did. There was no place where humans were in suffering,
where there was a crisis, that Dante Fascell did not take a leadership
role in trying to resolve that crisis, to relieve that pain.
But it is appropriate, looking at the place where he had his greatest
focus, settling in Florida early in this century, he recognized before
most of the rest of the country did how critical this North/South
relationship would be, economically and politically, and for his years
in the Congress he led the fight to make sure that we engaged our Latin
American neighbors on an equal footing, trying to help nurture their
democratic institutions and their economies.
What we do here today is a small part of the honor that Dante
deserves. We all miss him, and we all admire and respect his great
accomplishments.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member, the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), for yielding this time to
me, and I thank the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman)
for bringing this measure to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I was a sophomore at Coral Gables High School in the
fall of 1954, and there was a gentleman running for Congress. I was 15
years of age, and the gentleman's name was Dante Fascell. I did not
know him, but that was the first congressional race I ever focused on
because we had a Problems of Democracy class, and we studied the
congressional election.
Mr. Speaker, Dante Fascell was elected to the Congress that year, and
27 years later, in 1981, I was elected to the Congress. Dante Fascell
had already served from 1955 to 1981, and was one of the senior
Members. I had met Dante Fascell on numerous times before my election
to Congress, and we had become good friends.
In 1976 Speaker O'Neill appointed Dante Fascell chairman of the
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. That is now known as
the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and it is a
vital factor in European peacekeeping, in a focus on human rights and
conflict resolution. It is playing a major role in Bosnia and a major
role in Kosovo. The OSC, a very vibrant organization, was formed in
August of 1975 when 35 signatory States, including the United States
and Canada, joined with 33 European states in forming the Organization
on Security, then called the Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe.
Dante Fascell was a vital founding member of that organization. As
the Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
from 1976 to 1985, he forged U.S. policy in many ways regarding
security and cooperation in Europe.
Upon his becoming Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in 1985,
I was privileged to be recommended by him and then appointed by Speaker
O'Neill to succeed him as chairman of the Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.
{time} 1445
Mr. Speaker, those who did not know Dante Fascell missed knowing a
very decent, able, giving, caring, effective American and Member of
this body.
Dante Fascell was the epitome of a bipartisan Member of the House. He
worked without respect to party. He worked on behalf of the best
interests of the United States of America and the best interests of the
world community. He was, in many ways, an international citizen.
I had the opportunity to attend the North American Assembly on
numerous occasions with Dante Fascell and others, and Dante Fascell was
appropriately perceived as a leader in that organization, which is an
adjunct of NATO.
Dante Fascell has been missed in this body since he left. When he
left the Congress, he returned to practice law in his beloved Florida.
I had the opportunity of talking to him on numerous occasions, and I
lament his loss.
[[Page H290]]
Dante Fascell was a good and decent man, who raised his hand and
swore to defend the Constitution of the United States. No Member has
done his duty better than Dante Fascell. We do ourselves proud by
passing this legislation and honoring Dante Fascell.
Dante Fascell honored this institution and the people's House through
his service. He served the people of Florida for over 30 years with
such distinction that Floridians felt compelled every two years to
return him to this body. I am honored to join with the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), my good friend, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Gilman), and all the Members of this body, to say to Dante
Fascell, thank you and farewell. You were honored while you were here,
and you are honored still.
Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek).
(Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and
extend her remarks.)
Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of this bill, which would
designate the North/South Center at the University of Miami as the
Dante B. Fascell North/South Center.
My rhetorical question is, how else could it be, what other name
could be designated, to cover this center? No man in this country has
done more for north-south relations than the late Dante Fascell.
But what I liked most about Dante Fascell was that he was a
gentleman. He was a populist. The people knew him well. I serve part of
his district today, and never a day passes that someone does not say
something good to me about what Dante Fascell has done.
Mr. Speaker, that will be Dante's legacy, what he has done for the
people, what he has done to make relationships between the north and
the south become real.
I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) for his
initiative in this matter, for it is a fitting honor for a truly great,
and, most of all, humble man.
For 38 years, Dante Fascell served on the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, eight years as a full committee chairman. He devoted his whole
life time to the service of this Nation and the nations of the world, a
man of great insight, a man of good judgment and knowledge.
He advised presidents, but he never lost common touch, Mr. Speaker.
He was sought by foreign leaders and foreign dignitaries, but he never
got so full he didn't think about the people back home who had domestic
problems as well.
Throughout his decades of service in this body, 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.
If it were not for Dante Fascell, you would not see the strong cemented
relationships now that exist between this country and Latin America and
other countries, particular in the Caribbean as well.
He is recognized as the father of the North/South Center, which today
Congress has seen fit, thank God, to authorize as 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, Dante Fascell never forgot his roots,
he never forgot from whence he came. The son of Italian immigrants, he
met with presidents and kings and was a recipient of the President's
Medal of Honor, the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by our
country. He was, by any measure, a truly great man, but he was,
nonetheless, always friendly, and I keep underlining that, open and
approachable to his constituents in South Florida.
Who among you who knew him can forget the warm feeling inside just
knowing that Dante was on the phone waiting to talk to you? He was
welcome wherever he went.
There is not anyone in South Florida that can ever forget attending
the Dante Fascell picnic on Labor Day, where they got to shake hands
with the proud and the mighty as well as the low and those were
aspiring to be high. 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, and I believe will remain forever, truly a legend in
Florida and in this country.
Mr. Fascell retired from Congress the year that I was elected, in
1992, so I never had the honor of serving with Dante. But the minute I
hit Capitol Hill, Dante saw fit to advise me. He never said, ``Carol,
you can't do this.'' He said, ``You strive for what you want and work
hard for it, and you can get it done.''
I knew Dante for many years, and he did not hide behind his desk. He
came out and advised me as to what I should do. In typical Fascell
fashion, he opened up his office. Right now I am sitting in my office
in one of Dante Fascell's chairs. I wish, by God, I could ever reach
any heights that Dante reached. But the mere fact I inherited his
furniture gave me a certain amount of inspiration and motivation to do
well here. As a new Member of Congress, he opened up his doors to me.
When he retired, Dante said something that bears repeating. He said,
We should all be proud of whatever part we have done to promote the
American dream. For all its faults, our method of self-government
allows for more tolerance of other people and their views; more
compromise when our opinions differ; and more willingness to listen to
other people's problems than any government I have dealt with during my
long association with nations.''
He was proud of this nation. He was proud of this institution. He was
proud of South Florida. He was proud of South Florida. I wish more of
us in this body could emulate Dante Fascell, to share in his national
pride, and spend more time in making this institution one in which
there is love and caring for everyone, instead of tearing it down.
Throughout his life, Dante Fascell set a very high standard for
public service, which all of us should follow. I am completely
confident, Mr. Speaker, that those of you here today who served with
Dante Fascell will agree with me that he is one of the finest men who
will ever serve in this body.
Mr. GEJDENSON. I again commend the chairman for moving this
resolution. Dante Fascell was an incredible individual. We are all
privileged to have served with him. Mr. Speaker, I have no further
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
General Leave
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on H.R. 432 and H.R. 68.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson)
for his supportive remarks. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs.
Meek) for her support and her eloquent words.
Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this
legislation to rename the University of Miami's North/South Center in
honor of my good friend Dante B. Fascell. Dante Fascell worked
tirelessly to help create and fund the North/South Center during his
tenure as the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Throughout his service in Congress, Dante Fascell was a constant
advocate for the cause of democracy and open dialogue among the nations
of the Western Hemisphere. Our nation owes him a debt of gratitude for
his years of service.
Dante Fascell's support for the creation of the North/South Center
stemmed from his strong belief that the free exchange of ideas would
strengthen our nation's security, competitivenes and economic vitality.
The North/South Center provides a forum for research and policy
analysis that is unparalleled by any other institution in the country
and promotes better understanding and relations between the United
States, Canada, and the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean.
In 1990, with the pasage of the North/South Center Act, Congress
authorized the establishment of the Center as a place for ``cultural
and
[[Page H291]]
technical interchange between North and South.'' Dante Fascell's dream
was to focus the country on the pursuit of policies which strengthen
our national economic policy, trade practices, and relations with the
countries of the Western Hemisphere.
The North/South Center plays many roles. It is a think-tank, a
foundation, a public resource center and a repository of information.
The work of the Center informs our national debate regarding topics of
major significance, such as trade, economic growth, immigration, drug
control policies, and the spread of democracy.
There is no greater way that we can thank Dante Fascell for his vital
contributions to the North/South Center than naming it in his honor.
Dante Fascell served his constituents in Florida and the nation as a
whole for 36 years. He is, indeed, worthy of this tribute and I think
that this is an excellent way to honor his memory.
Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 432--a
bill to designate the North-South Center as the Dante B. Fascell North-
South Center. This legislation is a fitting tribute to a man who
devoted his life toward promoting cultural understanding throughout the
world.
South Florida was deeply saddened to learn of Dante's passing on
November 28, 1998. Dante, the son of Italian immigrants and a World War
II veteran, became a legend in South Florida during his 38-year career
in Congress. He is remembered as a powerful, yet kind political figure
who left an enduring mark on the Everglades, the Florida Keys, and
world affairs.
An advisor to eight Presidents, Dante remained a humble man who
demonstrated the greatest qualities of any public servant. Reflecting
on his service upon his retirement from Congress, Dante said, ``We all
should be proud of whatever part we have done to promote the American
dream.''
Dante held a strong belief in American democracy saying, ``For all
its faults, our method of self-government allows for more tolerance of
other people and their views, more compromise when our opinions differ
and more willingness to listen to other people's problems than any
government I have dealt with during my long association with other
nations.'' Last October, President Clinton presented Dante with the
Presidential Medal of Freedom--our nation's highest civilian honor--
calling him a ``man of reason and conscience'' who was ``courageous in
war and public service.''
Mr. Speaker, it is entirely appropriate that Congress dedicate
Miami's North-South Center to Dante Fascell. This designation reflects
Dante's impact on the Caribbean and Central America, both of which he
felt were direct extensions of South Florida. Among his most famous
statements, Dante often said, ``When Central America sneezes, Miami
catches cold.'' The North-South Center is a living extension of Dante's
long-held belief that cultural and economic understanding between the
Americas is essential to our mutual prosperity. I rise in full support
of H.R. 432 and urge my colleagues' unanimous support.
Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 432, a bill to
name the North-South Center after our former colleague, the late Dante
Fascell.
It is fitting that Congress is naming the North-South Center, which
Dante helped found, in his honor. During his long and distinguished
career in the House, Dante used his position as chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee to promote understanding and cooperation between
nations of the Western Hemisphere. To advance this view, in 1984 Dante
helped establish the North-South Center, located in Miami. This
educational institution helps promote better relations between the
United States and the other nations of the Western Hemisphere through
cooperative study, training and research. Today, the North-South Center
plays an essential role in the conduct of American diplomacy.
Mr. Speaker, one of Chairman Fascell's top priorities in Congress was
to promote closer relations among our allies in this hemisphere. Dante
was also a tireless fighter against tyranny and oppression in Latin
America and the Caribbean. Since the North-South Center is essentially
carrying on Dante's work, it is fitting that this organization be named
in his honor. I hope the naming of the North-South Center will remind
future generations, and especially South Floridians, the gratitude we
owe Dante Fascell for his tireless efforts.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 432.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 432.
The question was taken.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________