[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 1 (Monday, January 24, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E4]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO REP. FRANK HORTON

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 24, 2000

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to a former colleague 
and dear friend, the Honorable Frank Horton of New York.
  Representative Horton embodied all the best traditions of this 
institution. He was known--indeed, was legendary--for outstanding 
constituent service, for his votes cast in a spirit of bipartisanship 
and integrity, and for a commitment to the best interests of his 
district and the nation as a whole. For those of us who had the 
privilege of serving with him, he was a role model and a special 
friend.
  On the recent occasion of Representative Horton's 80th birthday, his 
colleague at the law firm of Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civiletti, 
Andrew Fois, composed a moving tribute to this great man. I would like 
to share it with my colleagues today. I hope you will all take the 
opportunity to read it; we could all learn a great deal from the 
example of Frank Horton.

                            (By Andrew Fois)

       Within days of the dawn of the new millennium, a great man 
     of the 20th century marked his 80th birthday. Frank Horton, 
     born on December 12, 1919 in Cuero, Texas, represented parts 
     of Rochester and its surrounding areas for thirty years in 
     the United States House of Representatives. During the course 
     of his remarkable life, Frank Horton saw combat in World War 
     II, engaged successfully in the private practice of law, 
     served as President of the Rochester Redwings minor league 
     baseball franchise, raised a family, published a children's 
     song and as one of the most well-respected congressmen of his 
     generation.
       Frank Horton's accomplishments are enough for several 
     lifetimes. What made Frank so remarkable as a congressman, 
     however, is something that is becoming increasingly scarce in 
     the Congress. Although Frank was and always will be a 
     Republican, and represented a majority Republican district, 
     he always put the interests of his district, state and 
     country before those of his party. He was a true bipartisan, 
     able to work effectively with Democrats as well as 
     Republicans. As a testament to the value of that attribute 
     Frank was selected by his New York colleagues to serve as 
     Dean of the New York State delegation--despite the Democrats 
     holding a substantial majority of the seats.
       Frank's independence was not universally admired, however. 
     The kind of man Frank Horton is, and the kind of congressman 
     he was going to be, was apparent from his very first vote in 
     Congress in 1963. The issue was the composition of the 
     powerful Rules Committee and the proportion of Democrats, 
     then in the majority, to Republican members. Frank supported 
     the Democrats' position in a vote the outcome of which was 
     certain from the start. While the vote was still pending he 
     was questioned by then Minority Leader Charlie Halleck. 
     ``Son,'' said the older man, ``I think you made a mistake.'' 
     ``No, sir, Mr. Halleck,'' responded the freshman lawmaker, 
     ``I believe that the majority should have the ability to 
     control the committee.'' Halleck just walked away. Before 
     that fateful vote, Frank was in line for a coveted position 
     on the Judiciary Committee. Halleck, however, saw to it that 
     Frank's independence was ``punished'' by ``relegation'' to 
     the Committee on Government Operations, which oversees the 
     federal bureaucracy, and the District of Columbia Committee.
       This incident at the start of Frank's Washington career 
     proves two points. First, that brass-knuckle partisanship is 
     not a recent political innovation. Second, sometimes standing 
     up for what you believe pays off in the end because Frank is 
     convinced that Halleck did him a big favor. He went on to 
     serve with great success on the Government Operations 
     Committee for thirty years--most of them as the senior 
     Republican on the panel where he enjoyed a great relationship 
     with its feisty Chairman and fellow Texan, Jack Brooks. 
     Ironically, he also rose to serve on the Committee on 
     Committees, where he helped decide committee assignments for 
     other Republicans.
       Despite being a member of the minority, Frank left his mark 
     on important legislation and other issues of substance. He 
     was a tireless watchdog of the executive branch rooting out 
     waste, fraud and abuse and was a leader in the effort to 
     establish inspectors general in federal agencies. He 
     championed legislation to reduce government paperwork and 
     reform federal procurement procedures. He fought for creation 
     of the Department of Education--the only Republican on 
     Government Operations to support it. He was an early 
     proponent of home rule for the District of Columbia and he 
     sponsored legislation honoring Asian-Pacific Americans. He 
     was a founder of the Northeast-Midwest Coalition, helping to 
     focus attention on the distribution of federal funds in the 
     industrial corridor.
       But his ability to reach across the aisle and work with his 
     colleagues of the opposite party is Frank's greatest legacy. 
     Unfortunately, few members of either party seem able, or 
     interested in, doing the same today. It is a shame that Frank 
     Horton never saw a single day in the majority despite his 
     thirty years in Congress. If he had been serving the last few 
     years you can be sure that many highly charged matters would 
     have been handled in a much more bipartisan and productive 
     fashion.
       Among the professional mementos on display in his office is 
     a personal note coincidentally dated December 12, 1968, from 
     President Lyndon Johnson that stands as summary of, and 
     testament, to Frank's career. In it, the outgoing President 
     writes of the memories he will take with him when he leaves 
     the White House and observes that, ``High among them will 
     always be the knowledge that we stood together, men of 
     different parties, to work for a better America.''
       Happy birthday, Frank. And thank you.

       

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