[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 146 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H10747-H10753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF THE HONORABLE JOHN H. 
             CHAFEE, SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged 
resolution (H. Res. 341) and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 341

       Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of 
     the death of the Honorable John H. Chafee, a Senator from the 
     State of Rhode Island.
       Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to 
     the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the 
     deceased.
       Resolved, That a committee be appointed on the part of the 
     House to join a committee appointed on the part of the Senate 
     to attend the funeral.
       Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as 
     a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased 
     Senator.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). The gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, after my opening remarks, I 
yield 30 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), pending 
which I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for many today in saying that it does not 
please me to be standing here before the House.
  We are here today because of the passing of a man of uncommon valor, 
honor, and integrity. That man is the senior Senator from Rhode Island, 
John Chafee.
  It is with great regret and sadness that I offer my condolences to 
his wife, Virginia, his son, Warwick Mayor Lincoln Chafee, and all the 
members of the Chafee family. We can only hope that our words today 
will help to ease the grief that we are experiencing and that they are 
sure to experience in a very personal, personal way.
  While we cannot begin to understand their depth of loss and what they 
are suffering, we can understand, as many Rhode Islanders will know and 
as many Americans will know, that the covenant that the people of this 
Nation have with their government is that much lessened today by the 
loss of a selfless public servant like Senator Chafee.
  Mr. Speaker, Senator Chafee led the life of an exemplary public 
servant. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, speaking of the 
challenges this Nation faced with the economic collapse and war 
beginning to thunder in Europe, stated ``For the trust reposed in me, I 
will return the courage and the devotion that befit the time. I can do 
no less.'' Senator Chafee lived this ideal and he lived it until his 
last days.
  He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the child of one of the 
State's most storied families. He was still a young student at Yale 
University when the call went out to mobilize our Nation for war, 
thrusting America into the furnace of conflict in Europe. The weight of 
the lives of millions across the globe was placed squarely upon the 
shoulders of countless young men like Senator Chafee, who left his 
studies at Yale and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
  Senator Chafee willingly walked into the fire of war, serving in the 
invasion force that blunted the Japanese advance at a tropical island 
that is now part of our Nation's collective memory, Guadalcanal. Mr. 
Speaker, his astounding bravery and willingness to shoulder the burden, 
placing his very life on the line, speaks far more eloquently than 
words could ever speak about his dedication and his love for this fine 
country.
  Indeed, he was recalled to active duty in 1951, when he once again 
risked his life for freedom so that countless people around the world 
would enjoy the same freedom we enjoy here in this country. He 
commanded a rifle company of 200 American fighting men in the brutal 
Korean conflict.
  I would like to take a moment to read a few lines from The Coldest 
War, by James Brady. Jim Brady, who I am told had dinner with Senator 
Chafee just this past week, served with then Captain Chafee in the 
Korean War. As we all know, the Korean war claimed the lives of 54,000 
Americans. This book is a first-person account of their experience.
  At the outset, Jim Brady states of his book, ``Memoirs are about 
remembering. I wish I could recall all the

[[Page H10748]]

names. If the book has a hero, it is Captain John H. Chafee.''
  Captain Chafee was in charge of the Dog Company in the U.S. Marine 
Corps' First Division. Of Captain Chafee, Jim Brady writes, ``You learn 
from men like Chafee, a Yalie with a law degree from Harvard who came 
from money, a handsome, patrician man, physically courageous and 
tireless. From all that could have come arrogance and snobbery. He 
possessed neither of these traits. He was only calm and vigorous and 
efficient, usually cheerfully, decent and humane, a good man, a fine 
officer.''
  Mr. Speaker, far too often we use terms like ``going to war'' and 
``trench warfare'' when talking about legislative battles which go on 
in Washington, D.C. We should not throw around these terms so lightly, 
Mr. Speaker, for we have seen in the actions of Captain Chafee a true 
example of patriotism and self-sacrifice, of a willingness to accept a 
much more daunting challenge than simply a House or Senate floor vote, 
an election campaign, or a policy or political debate.
  The man that Jim Brady described in this book, Captain Chafee, was 
willing to make what is called the ultimate sacrifice, the giving of 
one's life for one country.
  Mr. Speaker, no one could ask for anything more than what Captain 
Chafee was willing to offer. However, even after risking his life by 
serving in the frozen tracts of Korea, Senator Chafee strove to give 
even more of himself to his community and to his State, contributing to 
the quality of life in his home in the State of Rhode Island.
  Senator Chafee graduated from Yale University and eventually went to 
Harvard Law School, entering the public arena in 1956 when he was 
elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives. He served 6 years 
in this capacity, where he was also elected the Minority Leader. He was 
elected Governor of Rhode Island in 1962, handily winning reelection 
for two additional terms.

  In a heady appointment for this former marine, Senator Chafee was 
appointed to be President Nixon's Secretary of the Navy, working with a 
branch of the Armed Forces he dedicated so much of his life to. Senator 
Chafee entered the United States Senate in 1976, and most recently 
elected to serve a fourth term in 1994.
  Senator Chafee was well known across the Nation as a moderate in his 
party, a Senator who would often place pragmatism above partisan 
politics. He used his frequently commonsense approach to policy to 
bring together all kinds of legislative coalitions that keep our Nation 
moving forward in progressive and steady manner.
  His range of accomplishments is staggering, touching on everything 
from health care to gun control. The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence 
stated that ``Senator Chafee was a national leader on gun control,'' 
calling him ``one of the most effective voices for gun control in the 
Congress.''
  However, it was as chairman of the Environment and Public Works 
Committee that Senator Chafee made a lasting and tangible contribution 
to all the lives of everyone across this Nation. Senator Chafee has 
been a champion for the environment during his time in the United 
States Senate. He has worked to improve the air that we breathe with 
the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and the fight against the 
pollutants that are causing global warming.
  He fought to preserve our natural beauty and environmental safeguards 
that protect the lands we live in by protecting open space and 
preserving wetlands from irresponsible development and exploitation. He 
fought for our world's biodiversity, working hard for the Endangered 
Species Act and successfully trying to keep the most egregious anti-
environmental riders from ever seeing the legislative light of day.
  While we honor Senator Chafee by looking back on his accomplishments, 
we also should look at two good things he was still working on at the 
time of his untimely death last evening.
  Two legislative proposals of note were S. 662 and S. 664. S. 662 was 
Senator Chafee's latest effort to assist the fight against breast and 
cervical cancer. This legislation attempted to make screening for these 
diseases available to low-income women. S. 664 is the Historic Home 
Ownership Assistance Act, and as anyone from my State of Rhode Island 
will tell us, preserving our many historic homes is a means by which we 
preserve our heritage. This legislation seeks to make historic 
rehabilitation and restoration a priority in the Tax Code.
  On both of these legislative fronts, we should all do well to honor 
not only Senator Chafee's accomplishments, but also his work as well.
  Mr. Speaker, Senator Chafee and I often engaged in what can be termed 
``lively debates'' about issues that we have had differences of opinion 
on. Senator Chafee was indeed a formidable partner in our debates about 
public policy. However, it is the nature of our government, and I 
always felt that I had grown as a legislator and as a citizen and even 
as a person, as a result of our exchanges, to put aside the personal 
and to underscore the professional in our convictions to our home 
State.
  When I look back at my work with Senator Chafee, a quote I heard 
recently from Thomas Jefferson comes to mind. In his first inaugural 
address as president of this great Nation, Thomas Jefferson stated 
that, ``Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. 
We have called by different names brethren of the same principle.''
  In many situations we call ourselves Democrats or Republicans, 
liberals or conservatives, left-wing or right-wing. With Senator 
Chafee, however, it was understood that labels were irrelevant. 
Whatever he did, you could be sure that it was done for the good of 
Rhode Island and of our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, when all is said and done, when the plaudits and the 
pundits finish speaking about Senator Chafee's chairmanships, his 
committees, his campaigns, his debates, his bills, and his legislative 
accomplishments, what will remain is what will always have been there. 
That is, before the chairmanship of committees in the United States 
Senate, before overseeing our Nation's fleet as Secretary of the Navy, 
before sitting as Governor of the State of Rhode Island, even before 
the minority leadership of the State legislative body, there was a 19-
year-old known only as John Chafee.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to paint a picture. It was the winter of 
1942, and this young man, a college student, made a decision to leave 
the coziness and the tradition-steeped security of the halls of 
Yale University for the uncertainty of a position as a private in the 
United States Marine Corps, a move that would almost certainly lead to 
his exposure to enemy fire in the heat of combat.

  To this young man, the future Senator John H. Chafee, there was no 
thought of the marbled corridors of the United States Senate in 
Washington, of the imposing office that he would have as Secretary of 
the Navy at the Pentagon, of the impressive view that he would have as 
Governor of the State of Rhode Island. There was only one thought in 
Senator Chafee's mind. That was of what was right and what was wrong.
  This young man made the right decision to fight for the right 
freedoms for those who were half-way across the world. He brought his 
honor and his integrity into the Senate, the courage to vote his 
convictions, and the integrity to defend his beliefs.
  There is no difference between that 19-year-old student who chose 
conflict over complacency during a world war and the United States 
Senator whom we mourn today. Both saw the challenges and scorned the 
path of least resistance. Instead of blazing their trail, they blazed 
their trail on the shining battlefield. Instead of shirking their 
responsibilities, they lived up to their responsibilities as citizens 
of this great country of ours, and that should serve as a shining 
example that will far outlast even those of us who honor him to this 
day.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I will share my time with some of my colleagues, and I 
thank the Rhode Island delegation for their love and respect for this 
great Senator and wonderful human being.
  I particularly want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. 
Weygand), who is going to allow a number of our colleagues to make

[[Page H10749]]

short comments before they get on their way.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
  (Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)

                              {time}  1915

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief. I rise in very strong 
support of this resolution to express our sympathy to the Chafee 
family. Senator Chafee had an outstanding record, as the gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) expressed, both in the military and as 
Secretary of Navy and in the Congress. He was a strong, good friend of 
the State of Virginia.
  I had the opportunity to sit with Senator Chafee several months ago 
at the dedication when they named the CIA after former President George 
Bush. He expressed at that time that he was leaving and very anxious to 
go back and live in his home State of Rhode Island.
  So I wanted to just present myself here and say to the Chafee family 
and to the United States Senate, we are very, very sorry.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).
  (Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, the Nation has suffered a great loss with 
the death of Senator John Chafee. I do not say that lightly, for John 
Chafee was the conscience of the Senate. He was an inspiration for 
literally hundreds of people who have chosen the path of public 
service.
  George Bernard Shaw once said, ``Some men see things, as they are and 
ask why. I dream things that never were and ask why not.'' That 
exemplified the manner in which this great American conducted himself 
every single day that he was privileged to serve in public office.
  He saw the environment being ravaged, pollution rampant, and said we 
must do something about it. He led the way. He saw poverty and squalor 
and said someone has to do something about it. He led the way. He 
championed for improving health care delivery in America. He did so 
many things so well.
  He was not one to seek glory but one who constantly worked tirelessly 
to obtain results. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was privileged to be 
at a banquet where this very distinguished United States Senator and 
great American was honored by the League of Conservation Voters. Ted 
Roosevelt, IV, was presiding. A number of us, the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and others, were there that evening.
  I think all of us stood a little bit taller when John Chafee was 
honored. The applause seemed never to end because we did not want it to 
end. We wanted that recognition that was being accorded this fine human 
being to go on and on. The Nation has, indeed, suffered a great loss. 
So have many of us in this great institution.
  He was an inspiration for me personally. He was a mentor, someone I 
could constantly call to seek advice, to seek guidance. He never 
steered me wrong. He always wanted to do what was best for the people 
in a whole wide range of areas, the environment, health care, housing, 
assisting the disadvantaged.
  Few men of his stature pass our way. We all have been privileged to 
work with a giant in his time, one whose work will last for generations 
to come, one who has done so much for so many. I will miss John Chafee. 
The Nation will miss him.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 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 thank the gentleman from Connecticut for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, the Congress has lost a true giant of the 20th century 
last night with the sudden passing of the senior Senator from the State 
of Rhode Island, the Honorable John Chafee.
  John Chafee's outstanding dedication to public service began half a 
century ago when he left Yale University to join the Marines after 
Pearl Harbor. He was a hero at Guadalcanal, and then he was recalled to 
active duty when the Korean War broke out and commanded a rifle company 
on the Korean peninsula during that bloody conflict. He was one of the 
few members of either chamber of Congress to be a veteran of both World 
War II and the Korean War.
  This young attorney, John Chafee, became active in Republican 
politics in his home State of Rhode Island. He was elected to Rhode 
Island's State legislature in 1956 as a young man of 34. He eventually 
served as the minority leader in that body and was elected in 1962 to 
the first of three successful 2-year terms of governor of his State.
  Then in 1968, President-elect Richard Nixon appointed John Chafee to 
be our Nation's Secretary of the Navy, in which position he served 
meritoriously.
  Finally, in 1976, John was elected to the first of four terms in our 
U.S. Senate. In that position, he served his State and Nation in an 
admirable manner. He was chairman of the Senate's environment and 
public works committee. In that position, he was a constant reminder to 
all of us in both bodies of the need to protect the ecology of our 
planet. Much of the far-reaching environmental legislation in the last 
quarter century bears his fingerprints.
  John Chafee is one of the co-founders of the Theodore Roosevelt Fund, 
which helped remind his fellow Republicans that the most conservation-
minded of all Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, was a member of the Grand 
Old Party.
  John Chafee, having previously announced his plans to retire in the 
year 2000, we knew we would be soon missing his outstanding leadership.
  I join with my colleagues in extending our condolences and prayers to 
John's widow, Virginia, to his family, and to the many who admire John 
Chafee's service to our Nation.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson).
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) for yielding me this time.
  United States Senator John Chafee. It is hard to believe John's gone. 
He was a man of extraordinary intellect, of a big warm heart, 
tremendous patience and tenacity, and a rich sense of human.
  Few people have made as much difference in the lives of others as 
Senator John Chafee. When we think of people in the business world, in 
the academic world, religious leaders, people who dedicate their lives 
in the social services or in our schools, few have touched so many as 
deeply as Senator John Chafee.
  Whether it was in environmental law, in health policy, or in 
children's services, or in tax and trade law, John was there. He was 
stalwart. He was principled. He was determined. He understood what it 
meant to negotiate. He understood why in a democracy as enormously 
complex as ours one had to come to agreement.
  But compromise for John never strayed from certain fundamental 
principles of the commitments that each of us must hold to one another 
in a free society that cares for its people.
  I have enormous respect for John. I learned from him. I relied on 
him. The Senate relied on him. New England Republican Members of both 
the House and Senate relied on him. We will miss him tremendously.
  I offer my heartfelt condolences to his wife and his family and hope 
that the knowledge of his extraordinary gift to this Nation, as well as 
to their lives, will ease their pain in his loss.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio).
  Mr. LAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Connecticut for yielding me the time.
  America has lost one of the towering figures in its history in the 
loss of John Chafee. We have heard this evening about the impact that 
John Chafee has had on so many Members of Congress.
  If I can, I would like to, for a moment, just touch on how that 
senior statesman from Rhode Island who in so many ways epitomized the 
very finest of public service, who is the person that the public ought 
to be thinking about when they think about the very,

[[Page H10750]]

very best that is called to service, what he meant to me.
  When I was first elected to Congress, I asked Senator Chafee if he 
would come down to Long Island to participate in a health forum that we 
had down in Long Island. There was not a single reason, frankly, why 
somebody of John Chafee's statuture or experience and the demands on 
his time as he had would have accepted that invitation from a freshman 
who really could do nothing at all for him. But he said, without 
hesitation, yes.
  He came down. He was generous with his time. He did not rush back. He 
was gracious. He displayed the command over the nuances of health 
policy that so many have applauded him for.
  I think it says a lot to me about the man, John Chafee, about his 
character, about his sense of giving, about his leadership, about his 
investment in another young legislator, perhaps moving up the ranks.
  I have now had the pleasure to work with and work alongside John 
Chafee over my four terms in the House as I have seen him master tax 
policy, environmental policy, and health policy. This is a legislator 
who knows the nuances of policy, knows the details of policy as well as 
any staff member that is in the room. He prides himself in that 
intellect and in that work ethic of understanding the issue. He felt 
that the public deserved no less. He called to us a higher standard.
  Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend a dinner hosted by the 
League of Conservation Voters that honored John Chafee for a lifetime 
achievement. What I found remarkable about that event was, as Senator 
Chafee rose to accept the reward, this applause by people from both 
sides of the aisle, from Members of Congress, from advocates, from so-
called ordinary citizens, just grew and grew in warmth and in 
appreciation and respect.
  America mourns the loss of John Chafee because he was an outstanding 
leader, an outstanding citizen, an outstanding man who is an example to 
us all and for which I think he richly and his family richly deserves 
the accolades of this body and the American public.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray).
  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
Connecticut for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand today in honor of Senator Chafee. Senator Chafee 
is somebody that a lot of my colleagues knew personally and 
professionally for a long time.
  I just happened to have had the privilege over the last few years of 
working with the Senator on environmental issues. For those of us that 
have tried to work on bipartisan efforts of environmental issues, 
Senator Chafee was the cornerstone in the Senate to make sure that we 
did get that kind of cooperation.
  I have to say that this body is going to be less without Senator 
Chafee. The Senate actually was an integral part of our working in a 
bipartisan effort to try to improve environmental law and actually get 
the outcome.
  The Senator was somebody who understood how essential it was that 
those of us who were working on environmental issues recognize that 
there is not only a right, but a responsibility to make sure that, at 
the time we try to save our environment, there is not any need at all 
to trash our economy.
  In fact, I think he said quite clearly that the balance between 
economic and environmental issues was not only appropriate, it was 
essential; that a strong economy and a strong environment go hand in 
hand.

                              {time}  1930

  And I think Senator Chafee has proven that again and again in his 
history of working on environmental issues here in the Capitol.
  Let me just say, though, that I was privileged to be able to work 
with this man on certain issues. Our beach bill issues, border 
pollution issues. He was always at the forefront in wanting to make 
sure we made our laws here in Washington work in the real world and 
that the environment would benefit from our intentions.
  In fact, I think Senator Chafee made a great point in saying that 
when it comes to environmental issues, caring is not enough, we need to 
be smart, we need to base it on scientific approaches, and talk about 
practical outcome. And I think all of us that have worked with him on 
so many issues understand that maybe coming from a small State like 
Rhode Island he recognized that lofty ideas must be grounded in reality 
and that outcome was essential.
  A lot of people do not know about the Senator that he was a marine. 
Some say ex-marine, but those of us that know the marines know there is 
no such thing as an Ex-marine. One you are a marine, you are always a 
marine. He was mentioning to me one time that he had done his boot camp 
at Camp Elliott in San Diego, and he was wondering if he could come out 
and see the camp and how much it had changed. And, frankly, my office 
had the privilege of sending him photos of what Camp Elliott looked 
like when he was there before World War II and what it looks like 
today. And he was just very, very surprised at what a change had 
happened to Camp Elliott in San Diego since he had been there.
  Well, I think we are all going to remember what changes the Senate 
and the Capitol have had, and Washington has had since Mr. Chafee 
became Senator Chafee and what great changes and positive changes he 
put through. Be it Democrat or Republican, I would ask us all to 
remember that Senator Chafee always kept his promise to his country. 
Not just as a Senator, but also as a marine. Semper fi. He was always 
faithful. He was always faithful to what this country stands for and 
what this country needs.
  He is someone that is going to be sorely missed, Mr. Speaker, and let 
us always remember to keep forever faithful to his memory as we work on 
our legislative proposals throughout the year.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy), and wish to thank again the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Weygand) and the gentleman from Rhode 
Island (Mr. Kennedy) for their graciousness in letting a number of 
Republicans speak on this incredibly wonderful gentleman. And also to 
say to my colleagues that the Senator clearly was an American first 
before he was a Republican, and that is what made him so great. We just 
appreciate his graciousness and thoughtfulness.
  Once again, I thank my colleagues from Rhode Island, and I apologize 
because we had more speakers than I had thought we would, but that was 
nice.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleague, 
the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Weygand) and myself, I submit for 
the Record condolences and remarks by the President of the United 
States, William Jefferson Clinton; the Vice President of the United 
States, Albert Gore; the Secretary of Defense, as well as many others, 
including many of the organizations whose causes Senator Chafee 
dedicated his public service career to.

 Statement by Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen on the Passing of 
                          Sen. John H. Chafee

       ``Senator John Chafee was a valued friend, a talented Navy 
     Secretary, Governor and Senator, a valiant Marine, a New 
     England gentleman, and one of the finest people I've ever 
     known. His death is a great loss to the Senate and to this 
     nation.
       He leaves an enduring legacy of moderation, decency, 
     concern for the environment, and love for Rhode Island and 
     America. Many years into the future, his life and career will 
     be a standard against which those who aspire to public 
     service will be measured.
       Janet and I extend our most heartfelt sympathy to Virginia 
     and the entire Chafee family at this time of loss.''
                                  ____


     Statement of Sarah Brady Re: The Death of Senator John Chafee

       Jim and I were deeply saddened this morning to hear of the 
     passing of our friend, John Chafee. Senator Chafee was a true 
     gentleman and statesman. His leadership in reducing gun 
     violence in our country will be greatly missed in the United 
     States Senate.
       This past June, Handgun Control honored Senator Chafee for 
     his leadership and commitment at our 25th anniversary 
     luncheon. As he accepted his ``Celebration of Courage'' 
     award, Senator Chafee was characteristically modest. Jim and 
     I were honored to have known him and to have called him our 
     friend. We will miss him.
                                  ____


          Senator John Chafee (R-RI) Was Gun Control Stalwart

       Washington, DC--Senator John Chafee (R-RI) died Sunday, 
     silencing one of the most

[[Page H10751]]

     effective voices for gun control in Congress. Throughout 
     Senator Chafee's distinguished career, he tirelessly argued 
     for gun control and introduced landmark legislation to ban 
     the possession of handguns.
       President of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Michael 
     Beard lauded Senator Chafee's longstanding commitment to 
     preventing gun violence. ``Senator Chafee was a national 
     leader on gun control. In addition to introducing legislation 
     to ban the possession of handguns, Senator Chafee was a 
     tireless advocate for the Brady Law and a ban on assault 
     weapons. Senator Chafee understood that gun violence was an 
     epidemic, but that it was beatable through tough, restrictive 
     measures on firearms. In 1995, Senator Chafee addressed our 
     national meeting of gun violence prevention activists and 
     spoke movingly about how he came to endorse a ban on 
     handguns. He encouraged the activists to keep up the good 
     fight and to always persevere. In a time when partisan 
     bickering has kept Congress at a standstill on important 
     issues, including gun violence prevention, Senator Chafee 
     could always be counted on to rise above petty squabbles and 
     put the needs of the nation first. He will be sorely 
     missed.''
       The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence is comprised of 44 
     national organizations and over 100,000 individual members. 
     Michael Beard has been President of the Coalition to Stop Gun 
     Violence since its inception in 1974.
                                  ____


         Environmentalists Mourn Passing of Senator John Chafee

       The League of Conservation Voters is deeply saddened by the 
     unexpected loss of a true environmental hero, Senator John 
     Chafee.
       ``The passing of Senator Chafee leaves a huge hole in the 
     Senate, and an even bigger hole in our hearts,'' said LCV 
     President Deb Callahan. ``Senator Chafee's courageous 
     leadership made him one of the most important allies the 
     environmental community has ever known. His unwavering 
     environmental commitment will be greatly missed.''
       Throughout his 23-year career as U.S. Senator from Rhode 
     Island, Chafee served as both chairman and ranking member of 
     the Environment and Public Works Committee. Chafee 
     consistently worked to safeguard America's environmental and 
     public health protections. He demonstrated political courage 
     in both large and small conservation battles that were waged 
     over the years in Congress.
       Chaffee earned a lifetime environmental score of 70 percent 
     from the League of Conservation Voters. Earlier this month 
     LCV chairman Theodore Roosevelt IV presented Senator Chafee 
     the organization's 1999 Lifetime Achievement Award. Roosevelt 
     noted that Senator Chafee's successful leadership in 
     strengthening the Clean Air and Safe Drinking Water acts and 
     his tireless efforts to preserve open space and conserve 
     America's natural resources made him a true environmental 
     hero.
       The League of Conservation Voters is the bipartisan 
     political voice of the national environmental community. LCV 
     is the only national environmental organization dedicated 
     full-time to holding members of Congress accountable for 
     their votes. For each Congress, LCV publishes the National 
     Environmental Scorecard that assigns a percentage rating to 
     each member of Congress based on that year's environmental 
     votes.
                                  ____


         Sierra Club Mourns Death of Senator John Chafee (R-RI)

       Statement of Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope:
       ``The Sierra Club is deeply saddened by the loss of a true 
     environmental giant, Senator John Chafee. Senator Chafee was 
     at the helm of every major environmental achievement in the 
     past two decades. His leadership steered our nation on a 
     course of environmental conservation and protection. 
     Transcending party lines, Senator Chafee worked to improve 
     our lives by fighting for tough environmental laws, including 
     the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered 
     Species Act and Superfund clean-ups.
       ``When others sought to weaken environmental protections, 
     Senator Chafee courageously stood up and demanded that 
     companies clean up the toxic pollution they created. Thanks 
     to Senator Chafee's vision and hard work, our children have a 
     better chance to enjoy a heritage of breathable air, 
     drinkable water, abundant wildlife and clean coasts.
       ``Because of Senator Chafee's dedication, our nation is a 
     healthier, more beautiful place to raise our children. Like 
     the lands he fought to protect, Senator Chafee is widely 
     admired and completely irreplaceable.''
                                  ____


    President Clinton's Statement Today on the Death of John Chafee

       Before I begin my remarks, I would like to offer my sincere 
     condolences to the family of Senator John Chafee who passed 
     away last night. Rhode Island and America have lost one of 
     the strongest leaders this nation has ever produced. Senator 
     Chafee, who recently announced his retirement from the Senate 
     after 23 years of distinguished service, will be sorely 
     missed. He was a champion of the environment and health care 
     who always put his concern for the American people above 
     partisanship. Known throughout his beloved Rhode Island 
     simply as, ``the man you can trust,'' Senator Chafee was the 
     consummate statesman. For him civility was not simply a 
     matter of personal manners. It was his ideal of how politics 
     should be conducted. I ask all Americans to join me and 
     Hillary in offering our prayers and comfort to his wife, 
     Ginny their five children and 12 grandchildren.
                                  ____


                    Statement by the Vice President

       Tipper and I were saddened to hear of the passing of 
     Senator John Chafee.
       John was one of the friends I most respected and admired in 
     the Senate. And though we came from opposite sides of the 
     political aisle, we saw eye-to-eye on many issues. I will 
     always respect his dedication to serving the people of Rhode 
     Island, his heart-felt commitment to the environment, and his 
     bipartisan approach to the Senate.
       I will also remember John as a brave man. For despite the 
     many pressures he faced over the two decades he served in the 
     Senate, he was never a partisan, never an ideologue. He was 
     simply the gentleman from Rhode Island who was never afraid 
     to speak his mind and allow the American people to judge his 
     actions.
       Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Virginia, and 
     his children, Zechariah, Lincoln, John, Jr., Georgia, and 
     Quentin.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Rhode Island (Mr. Weygand), from the Second District of Rhode 
Island.
  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, let me first begin by thanking my 
colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) for his very 
eloquent and heartfelt words about John Chafee. It was not only a 
fitting tribute to a wonderful man but a fitting tribute by a true 
gentleman from Rhode Island.
  I also want to thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Boehlert), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Lazio) for all of their kind words, because at a time like this, 
remembrances are very important to the family members, and I do indeed 
believe that they will hear all of these and I want to thank them 
personally.
  On behalf of the people of Rhode Island, I rise today, Mr. Speaker, 
to mark the far too sudden passing of my colleague and my constituent 
John Chafee. The senior Senator from Rhode Island was someone that we 
will never, ever forget because of the great work that he has done on 
so many different areas. But first and foremost my thoughts, my 
prayers, are with the family of John, his wife Virginia, his five 
children, including Mayor Lincoln Chafee from Warwick and their 12 
grandchildren. I know it is often difficult to grasp the enormity and 
the meaning of the loss of this kind, and I offer my sincere 
condolences to the Senator's family.
  Like many Rhode Islanders, we woke up this morning in total shock 
when we heard that John Chafee had passed last evening of heart 
failure. Although his public career had spanned over 44 years, the 
Senator still had many gifts to give, and I am sure over these next 13 
to 14 months, if he had finished his tenure in office, he would have 
provided those to the people of America, and particularly to his 
beloved people of Rhode Island. I know upon his retirement, which he 
was looking forward to, he would have served us even in greater ways, 
far beyond what we would have ever expected from this fine gentleman 
from Rhode Island.
  It is indeed a huge loss for all of us. We were blessed to have a 
committed public servant such as John as a member of our General 
Assembly back in 1956, as our governor, as Secretary of the Navy, and 
for the past 23 years as our Senator. The contributions he made to our 
State, to our Nation, will never be forgotten. And his legacies, 
particularly with regard to his work on the environment, health care, 
and to disadvantaged children, will be forever appreciated.
  If there was any proof that his death came too soon, it could perhaps 
be found in the Senator's own words. Not too long ago, in fact just 
last year, when a reporter from the Providence Journal asked him, 
``Senator, what would you like to be remembered for? What would you 
like to have on your tombstone? What would you like to have as an 
epitaph?'', John Chafee laughed and rolled back in his seat and simply 
said, ``Here lies.'', and never finished the phrase. Because he knew he 
had much more work to do. He never felt that he could leave anything 
undone, and he indeed wanted to be sure that he had that opportunity.

[[Page H10752]]

  When he announced this past March that he was going to retire, he 
announced to the State, to much amazement, and to the country as well, 
``I will not seek another term as U.S. Senator.'' He said to all of 
Rhode Island, ``I want to come home.'' John Chafee had been a stalwart 
in Rhode Island politics, but he wanted to go home to his beloved State 
of Rhode Island; he wanted to share his time with his wife, his family, 
and his grandchildren.
  John was a tireless worker starting back in 1956, when he first ran 
for the State House of Representatives in Rhode Island from the City of 
Warwick. Very quickly he emerged as the minority leader in the House 
of Representatives. And just after 6 years, he ran for Governor of the 
State of Rhode Island. Winning a very narrow margin of victory in a 
Republican primary, then going on to win a razor thin victory in 1962 
to become the State's Governor.

  Quickly, in 1963, as he began his tenure as chief executive, he 
started working on many of the pressing issues of the State, including 
their State freeway and transportation systems, but most notably John 
was known for his work on the environment. I remember very clearly as a 
landscape architect and as a youngster that John Chafee started a 
program that he dubbed Green Acres. It was one of the first State 
environmental programs to enhance, to protect, and preserve open spaces 
and create recreational spaces throughout our State. It was known that 
John Chafee was, first of all, an environmentalist, but, most 
importantly, he knew how to get such a bill passed in a Democratic 
General Assembly. He was a craftsman at the very best when it came to 
the legislature.
  John Chafee, most notably, led in preservation not only as a member 
of our General Assembly and as Governor but also as a Senator. As 
Senator last year, advocating for more open space, he said, ``It is our 
duty as citizens to preserve for the future generations as much of our 
State's natural beauty, its green open spaces, sandy beaches, and 
vibrant wetlands as we possibly can.''
  Countless Rhode Islanders, including myself, can personally attest to 
the beauty of such wonderful places like Colt State Park and many of 
our beaches. And it was because of John Chafee's perseverance that we 
have these spaces today. It is because of his leadership in those areas 
that we have these wonderful open spaces today.
  In 1969, President Richard Nixon appointed him Secretary of the Navy 
and he fought through that difficult period of time during the Vietnam 
War to be the best he possibly could be as Secretary of the Navy. His 
distinguished military career, including tours in World War II and 
Korea, and his ties to Rhode Island and the strong naval heritage that 
we have, provided an invaluable background for that position. In this 
position, Senator Chafee guided the Navy through the final years of the 
conflict in Vietnam, and until he left that position in 1972.
  Then he ran unsuccessfully for Senator, but that did not stop him. He 
came back again, when an open seat became available in 1976, and won 
that spot and has been there ever since. And during his 23 years in the 
U.S. Senate, he has worked on a number of issues important to our 
Nation but, most notably, protecting and preserving the environment. 
Most of us know John for that.
  In an interview last year, John Chafee listed the enactment of the 
Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act as his proudest accomplishments. 
And Senator Chafee, for many reasons, has the right to be proud. The 
passage of the Clean Air Act has been very successful in cleaning the 
air and improving public health. The air is indeed cleaner and the 
public health is indeed improved because of John Chafee. We still have 
a long way to go, and a fitting way to pay our tribute and remember 
John Chafee is to continue the great work he began on improving the 
quality of the air we breathe, and the water that we drink and that we 
use for fishing and swimming.
  With respect to the Clean Water Act, Senator Chafee was a true 
leader, and we should be especially proud. Approximately 25 years ago, 
only one-third of the Nation's waters were safe for fishing and 
swimming according to the EPA. And now that has nearly doubled. Today, 
two-thirds of the Nation's waters are safe for fishing and swimming. 
This is especially important because of the vast majority of our 
population living near or on the coast and near those waters.
  Clean water is imperative for our State, in terms of its commercial 
fishing, its tourism, and its agriculture, but also for the entire 
country. All of these contribute significantly to our economy, not to 
mention the vast improvements to the quality of life, and we can thank 
John Chafee for that.
  In addition to his leadership on preserving the environment, he has 
been a leader when it came to health care, the quality of health care, 
access to health care, but also ensuring that child care is available 
to all working families in Rhode Island and throughout this country. 
One of the hallmarks was his recognition of the need to compromise and 
work with people from both sides of the aisle. Working with both sides 
was not something that was uncommon to John Chafee.
  I remember back in 1984, when I was first thinking about running for 
the State House of Representatives in Rhode Island, I was a Democrat 
all my life, but John Chafee called me up and asked me to consider 
running as a Republican. He said we need environmentalists and people 
who have an understanding, like you, of what it takes to get things 
done. I thanked him very kindly and humbly, because it was truly a 
tribute to have that Senator call this lowly candidate for a State 
House office and to be asked to become part of the Republican Party. 
However, I nodded and told him, ``John, I'm a Democrat. Be happy to 
work with you, but, indeed, we do have differences of opinion. But we 
can work together.'' He recognized that, and the 23 years that he 
served in the Senate, I think, were marked by bipartisanship rather 
than partisanship.
  It is truly an honor to have served with John Chafee, to have known 
him, to have worked with him, and to have helped him in whatever way we 
could on many of the pieces of legislation he thought was most 
important. He, and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), and myself 
worked very hard in opposing casino gambling. We worked together, the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy), Senator Reed, and myself on 
improving qualify home health care, and we worked on many things that 
were important to the citizens of Rhode Island.
  His congeniality, his demeanor, his ability to forge a compromise are 
perhaps the most important hallmarks not only of John Chafee himself, 
but his legacy a legislator. He was a true gentleman, a class act, and 
in the best possible way, the best possible terms, he was a statesman.
  We will miss him dearly, Mr. Speaker. Rhode Island will miss him 
dearly. Our sympathies, our condolences go out to his family. We have 
lost a giant in Rhode Island politics and in American politics.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). The gentleman from 
Rhode Island (Mr. Weygand) will control the balance of the time.
  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).

                              {time}  1945

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I had to come here simply to say that we 
in Congress and in the United States of America have really lost a 
great man. He is a man who believed in what Shakespeare said, ``To 
nature none more bound.'' He believed in the legacy that we must leave 
our offspring with regard to nature.
  I must say I feel like somebody who is bound to John Chafee. He was 
to me a role model. And I do not even think he knew that. But I looked 
to him as a man who, as has been mentioned, was bipartisan, who was a 
man of integrity, a man of coalition building, and a man who 
exemplified great common sense.
  He cared about the people that he represented in Rhode Island. He 
cared about the people of the United States. He cared about the 
vulnerable people, the children, those who needed health care. And he 
cared about the environment which, if endangered and if violated, might 
not be restored.
  So we have heard of the great tributes to him in terms of what he did 
achieve. But, for me, he was a man that I felt would take legislation 
and

[[Page H10753]]

carefully craft it, carefully work with it so it came out as something 
that we could all agree on.
  He is a man who exemplified, I think, the roughrider instinct of 
Theodore Roosevelt. Because he really was a tough rider. He had some 
difficult skirmishes that he had to contend and transcended all of it.
  So to the family of Senator John Chafee, our condolences. He will 
live on in love.
  To all of our colleagues, those from Rhode Island, those from all 
parts of the country, we will all miss him very deeply. My hope is and 
my belief is that his inspiration will live on. And so, although he 
will be lost, he will be with us always.
  So I thank so much the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Weygand) for 
his great tribute to the man that we all loved.
  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and 
all the speakers here this evening for their comments. It is a fitting 
tribute to a gentleman, a statesman, and we thank them for their 
comments.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, the Congress has lost a true giant of the 
20th Century last night with the sudden passing of the Senior Senator 
from the State of Rhode Island, the Honorable John H. Chafee.
  John Chafee's outstanding dedication to public service began over a 
half a century ago when he left Yale University to join the Marine 
Corps after Pearl Harbor. A hero of Guadalcanal, John Chafee was 
recalled to active duty when the Korean War broke out and commanded a 
rifle company on the Korean peninsula during that bloody conflict. 
Accordingly, he was one of the few Members of either Chamber of 
Congress to be a veteran of both World War II and Korea.
  As a young attorney, John Chafee became active in Republican politics 
in his home state of Rhode Island. He was elected to Rhode Island's 
state legislature in 1956 as a young man of 34. He eventually served as 
the Minority Leader in that body, and was elected in 1962 to the first 
of three successful two year terms as Governor of his state.
  In 1968, President-elect Nixon appointed John Chafee to be our 
nation's Secretary of the Navy in which position he served 
meritoriously. Finally, in 1976, John was elected to the first of four 
terms in the U.S. Senate. In that position, he served his state and 
nation admirably. He was Chairman of the Senate's Environment and 
Public Works Committee. In that position, he was a constant reminder to 
all of us of the need to protect the ecology of our planet, and much of 
the far-reaching environmental legislation of the last quarter century 
bears his fingerprints. John Chafee was one of the co-founders of the 
Theodore Roosevelt Fund, which helped remind his fellow Republicans 
that the most conservation-minded of all Presidents--Theodore 
Roosevelt--was a member of the Grand Old Party.
  John Chafee, having previously announced his plans to retire in the 
year 2000, we knew we would be missing his outstanding leadership. I 
join with my colleagues in extending our condolences and prayers to 
John's widow Virginia and to his family and the many who admired John 
Chafee's service to his nation.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, for the better part of four 
decades, John H. Chafee has served the State of Rhode Island with 
distinction and honor. As State Representative, Governor, Secretary of 
the Navy and United States Senator, John Chafee has set an 
unprecedented level of service having an impact on both his state and 
the nation. His absence will leave a void not only in Rhode Island but 
on the nation as a whole.
  When the United States entered World War II, he left Yale to enlist 
in the Marine Corps, and then served in the original invasion force at 
Guadalcanal. He was recalled to active duty in 1951, and commanded a 
rifle company in Korea.
  He served six years in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, 
where he was elected Minority Leader. Running for Governor in 1962, 
Chafee was elected by 398 votes. He was then reelected in 1964 and 
1996--both times by the largest margin in the State's history. In 
January 1969, he was appointed Secretary of the Navy and served in that 
post for three-and-a-half years.
  John Chafee's Senate career began in 1976. He was reelected to a 
fourth term in 1994, with sixty-five percent of the vote, and is the 
only Republican to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Rhode Island in 
the past 68 years.
  Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Senator 
was a leading voice in crafting Clean Air Act of 1990 which 
strengthened pollution emissions legislation, and a bill to strengthen 
the Safe Drinking Water Act. Senator Chafee is a longtime advocate for 
wetland conservation and open space preservation, and has been the 
recipient of every major environmental award.
  A senior member of the Finance Committee, Senator Chafee has worked 
successfully to expand health care coverage for women and children, and 
to improve community services for persons with disabilities. In 1990, 
Senator Chafee spearheaded the Republican Health Care Task Force and 
became a prominent figure in the national health reform debate. He went 
on to lead the bipartisan effort to craft a comprehensive health care 
reform proposal in 1994.
  The Senator has received awards and endorsements from such 
organizations as The National Federation of Independent Business, The 
American Nurses Association, The League of Conservation Voters, The 
Sierra Club, Handgun Control Inc., Planned Parenthood, Citizens Against 
Government Waste, and the National PTA.
  Senator John Chafee has approached his remarkable career with the 
single premise to operate through consensus and cooperation wherever 
possible in order to get the business of the people done. A Republican 
operating in a heavily Democratic state, Senator Chafee understood that 
partisanship had no place in politics. Today, I express my sincere 
sympathy to Senator Chafee's family, friends and the great people of 
Rhode Island. America has lost a unique native son and a hero for us 
all to remember.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues and all Rhode 
Islanders in mourning the untimely death of Senator Chafee.
  The Senator was a principled voice who was able to work with both 
sides of the aisle on the issues close to his heart. He left a lasting 
imprint in our nation's laws--playing a key role in some of the most 
important legislation passed by Congress over the last three decades, 
especially in the areas of health care and the environment.
  He proved that a sustained dedication to one's ideals through 
politics can make a real and lasting difference to our communities and 
our country. His retirement would have left a void in Congress; his 
untimely death leaves a void in the hearts of all who had the privilege 
of knowing and working with a true statesman and citizen.
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in 
expressing my deepest sympathy to Virginia Chafee and all the members 
of her family on the loss of her beloved husband, our esteemed 
colleague Senator John H. Chafee.
  Last night our nation lost a great American. John Chafee saw combat 
service in both World War II and the Korean War. He served with 
distinction in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, as Governor 
of the State of Rhode Island, and as Secretary of the Navy. For the 
past 23 years, John Chafee has served in the U.S. Senate where he was 
universally respected for his integrity, civility, and deeply held 
convictions.
  Senator Chafee's contributions to our nation are many. His legacy 
includes a cleaner environment, better health care, and a model of true 
bipartisanship from which we can all learn.
  I join in giving thanks for his life.
  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). Without objection, 
the previous question is ordered on the resolution.
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________