[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1797-E1798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IN HONOR OF THE LATE REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE E. BROWN, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR.

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, it should be easy to honor someone that 
you have known for almost 16 years. However, it is difficult to honor 
every poignant and inspiring memory of

[[Page E1798]]

him. Sixteen years sounds like a long time of fond memories, but my 
dear friend and colleague, George Brown, has been making lasting 
impressions in this country for over 35.
  From the depth of issues like fighting discrimination and 
segregation, to the brink of the AIDS epidemic and continuing world 
conflicts, George has experienced a changing country and world 
throughout his time in Congress. However, experiencing change is 
considerably separate from making change, which George Brown did much 
of. He has been a part of these changes, and for that reason, we honor 
him today.
  As a college student in the 1930's, Brown began inspiring change when 
he began to fight for civil rights. At the University of California at 
Los Angeles, George helped to integrate the campus when he was the 
first white man to live with an African-American roommate. That strive 
for change continued as he graduated from UCLA with a degree in 
Industrial Physics and used it to serve the people of Los Angeles. He 
was elected to the Monterey Park, CA, city council in 1954 and became 
mayor of the city in 1955, just one year later. George moved on to the 
California State Assembly in 1958, where he focused on environmental 
issues. This drive to fight for the environment stayed with George 
throughout his entire career, including his 17 terms in Congress.
  In 1962, George Brown ran to represent the 29th district in 
California and won his seat with an 11 percentage point margin. During 
his years in Congress, Representative Brown voted for the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964, served on the House Committee on Science as a ranking 
member, served on the House Committee on Agriculture, worked to 
integrate technology and education, spoke out on foreign policy issues 
and fought painstakingly hard to keep the environment safe, clean and 
healthy.
  I would like to praise George Brown for who he was and how he 
contributed to this society. As a Congressman, as a family man, as an 
environmentalist and as a citizen, George Brown will be remembered.

                          ____________________