[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H2525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO SAM GILMAN OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a good friend 
of mine, Sam Gilman of Illinois. Tonight the Quad Cities Israel Bonds 
Council will award Sam with the Jerusalem Medal for dedicated service 
to his community and to Israel. I have learned so much from Sam about 
public service over the years and I take great joy in seeing him 
recognized for his outstanding achievements. He knows what it means to 
give of yourself to help others.
  After graduating from college, he served our country in the United 
States Army during World War II. Following law school at Harvard, Sam 
returned to the Quad Cities to practice law and later became a director 
of the Pinnacle Banc Group. He has also helped build enduring 
institutions that serve the entire community, including founding WQAD 
and WKPT and serving as chairman of the board of Franciscan Medical 
Center.
  Sam has been instrumental in developing a strong Jewish community and 
support for Israel in western Illinois. His leadership as a director 
and past president of the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, as 
founder of the Quad Cities Yom HaShoah Committee, and past director of 
the Tri-City Jewish Center strengthened those groups and laid a 
foundation to be erected for an active community for many years to 
come.
  I have witnessed Sam's love for Israel and his dedication to helping 
Jews in need around the world. In 1986 we went together with a group to 
Israel and I learned to appreciate the deep affection he has for that 
land and its people. Two years later, on a journey to the former Soviet 
Union, I joined Sam as we met with refuseniks and worked to help Soviet 
Jews fighting for their freedom under a repressive regime.
  Sam's work and that of countless others in the Jewish community is 
directly responsible for securing the right of Jews to emigrate from 
the former Soviet Union and for helping Israel to resettle this mass 
exodus of people in a land where they can now be free.
  Finally, I have been fortunate to benefit from Sam's wise counsel and 
support for almost 20 years. He has been a true mentor to me as I first 
sought to represent western Illinois in Congress, and as treasurer of 
my campaign, he has always had a critical role in every race that I 
have run. Most of all, I am proud to call Sam a friend and look forward 
to many more years of sharing his advice.

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