[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 78 (Tuesday, June 20, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H4720-H4722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       JOHN BRADEMAS POST OFFICE

  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2938) to designate the facility of the United States Postal 
Service located at 424 South Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana, as 
the ``John Brademas Post Office''.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2938

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION.

       (a) In General.--The facility of the United States Postal 
     Service located at 424 South Michigan Street in South Bend, 
     Indiana, shall be known and designated as the ``John Brademas 
     Post Office''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be 
     a reference to the ``John Brademas Post Office''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh).


                             General Leave

  Mr. McHUGH. 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. 2938.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have before us today, as the Clerk just designated, a 
bill that will name the facility of the United States Post Office 
located at 424 South Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana, as the 
John Brademas Post Office.
  As is the practice under the government reform procedures of this 
bill, I am proud to state it does carry the cosponsorship of the entire 
Indiana delegation. Mr. Speaker, as I do on all of these bills, I have 
had the opportunity to read the real life story of Mr. Brademas, and it 
is a remarkable one.
  I am very proud of the record that the House Subcommittee on the 
Postal Service has accrued and are working in partnership together. I 
want to thank certainly the ranking member, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), a 
very distinguished Member of that subcommittee, thank the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for his efforts, not just on this bill, but 
in all of our work and, of course, for his managing the minority side 
of the discussion here this afternoon. The ranking member of the full 
committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), and, of course, 
the full committee chairman, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), 
for what is yet another demonstration of bipartisanship in advancing 
this bill.
  I particularly want to pay tribute to the main sponsor of the bill, 
the gentleman from Indiana, (Mr. Roemer) for really his tireless 
efforts in ensuring that we have this moment today.
  As I mentioned, Mr. Brademas has just a remarkable career that 
expands over so many years, and I do not want to take away from what I 
expect will be rather thorough comments by the gentleman from Indiana 
(Mr. Roemer) to whom I will yield to his side in just a moment. So I 
will not recount all of the many, many achievements of this 
distinguished gentleman, but let me say in relationship to the others 
who have received similar tributes on this House floor, that even by 
those very, very high standards, Mr. Brademas really excels.
  Mr. Speaker, of course he was a colleague and Member of this great 
body from 1959 to 1981, more than 2 decades, 22 years, in fact, of 
distinguished service to the people of his district in Indiana and, of 
course, to the people of this country; and he achieved so much that it 
is hard to define them all.
  Certainly, I think as we take an overview, his efforts on behalf of 
education particularly stand out. It is a dedication that he brought 
virtually to every effort that he made, and it is a dedication that 
predated his time here in Washington and certainly continues even past 
that to this moment.
  I want to say as someone who has the honor of representing one of the 
districts of New York, we are particularly pleased that we can claim a 
bit of a piece of Mr. Brademas. Certainly, that becomes possible 
through his exemplary service as the president of New York University, 
the largest private university in the United States, where he led that 
great institution for some 11 years, transforming it from what was then 
really a regional commuter school into a national and international 
residential research university.
  Even today, he continues to serve as the president emeritus of that 
great facility and a trustee of the university. As I mentioned, we have 
before us today a distinguished gentleman, one for whom I think we can 
all direct a great deal of admiration and from whom we can draw a great 
deal of inspiration.
  Again, to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), a great deal of 
thanks for bringing this very, very fine nominee to our attention; and 
I would certainly encourage all of our colleagues here to support this 
very, very fine bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Subcommittee on the Postal Service, I 
am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 2938, 
legislation designating the United States Postal Service facility 
located at 424 South Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana, after the 
Honorable John Brademas, a former Member of Congress.
  H.R. 2938 was introduced by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) 
on September the 3, 1999, and reported unanimously from the Committee 
on Government Reform on September 30, 1999.
  This measure is supported and cosponsored by the entire Indiana 
congressional delegation. Mr. John Brademas was born in Mishawaka, 
Indiana, in 1927 and graduated from South Bend Central High School in 
1945. He joined the Navy and was a Veterans National Scholar at Harvard 
University from which he graduated in 1949 with a BA magna cum laude 
and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
  He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and received the doctor 
of philosophy in social studies degree in 1954. Dr. Brademas, the first 
native born American of Greek origin to be elected to Congress, 
represented with honor and distinction the 3rd Congressional District 
of Indiana for 22 years, from 1959 to 1981.
  He served on the Committee on Education and Labor and was House 
majority whip for his last 4 years in Congress. As a Member of the 
Committee on Education and Labor, Congressman Brademas played a key 
role in authorizing legislation concerning student financial aid, 
elementary and secondary education, vocational education and support 
for libraries, museums and the arts and humanities.
  After serving in Congress, Dr. Brademas became president of New York 
University, the largest private university in the United States, for 11 
years, transforming NYU from a regional commuter school into a national 
and international residential research university. He is currently 
serving as president emeritus of this university.
  Dr. Brademas has been awarded honorary degrees by 50 colleges and 
universities and serves on numerous boards of nonprofit and for-profit 
organizations. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) is to be 
commended for seeking to honor the caliber of a man such as former 
Congressman John Brademas.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to

[[Page H4721]]

the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer).
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Illinois (Mr. 
Davis) for yielding me the time and for his kind comments about our 
colleague, Mr. Brademas. I want to thank also the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh), from the great State of New York, for his help in 
putting up with my tireless efforts and helping us pass this 
legislation here today.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Waxman), and special gratitude goes to the entire Indiana delegation, 
who not only agreed to cosponsor this legislation, but also to help 
push this legislation and see the success that we have today. I also 
want to thank all nine of the other members of the Indiana delegation 
for their help.
  I am joined today by a distinguished Member, the gentlewoman from 
Indianapolis, Indiana (Ms. Carson), who also will say some words about 
John Brademas.
  Ms. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in support of H.R. 
2938, a bill I introduced several months ago to designate the United 
States Post Office located at 424 South Michigan Street in my hometown 
of South Bend as the John Brademas Post Office.
  John Brademas is one of the most distinguished people to serve in 
Congress from the 3rd Congressional District of Indiana, as a matter of 
fact, from the State of Indiana and probably in the country. While John 
Brademas was serving in the House, I briefly worked as a staff 
assistant in his congressional office. His guidance has been a constant 
source of inspiration to me, and I have always tried to serve in 
Congress with the same degree of honor and integrity and respect for 
the institution and the office to which I have now served and which 
John Brademas served for 22 years.
  John Brademas helped teach me the importance of family and community 
and the value of public service. John Brademas graduated from South 
Bend Central High School in 1945. After service in the U.S. Navy, he 
was a Veterans National Scholar at Harvard University from which he 
graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts. He also served as executive 
assistant to the late Adlai Stevenson in 1955 and in 1956.
  Dr. Brademas was in charge of the research on issues during that 1956 
presidential campaign. Three years later, he was elected to the U.S. 
House of Representatives for the 3rd district of Indiana.
  Over the years, John Brademas has made numerous enduring 
contributions for the great State of Indiana and for our Nation. His 
accomplishments and contributions are as impressive as they are 
numerous. As those of us who served with John know, he was for 22 years 
a particularly active member of the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce, where he earned a highly distinguished reputation for his 
leadership in promoting education.
  He also worked tirelessly in support of landmark legislation, such as 
the Higher Education Acts of 1972 and 1976, which cleared the way for 
more Americans to gain access to financial aid. Dr. Brademas was also 
the primary sponsor of legislation improving elementary and secondary 
education, vocational education, as well as services for the elderly 
and the handicapped.
  Following his retirement from Congress, Dr. Brademas served by 
appointment of the House Speaker Tip O'Neill on the National Commission 
on Student Financial Assistance and chaired its Subcommittee on 
Graduate Education. Upon leaving Congress, John Brademas became 
president of NYU, New York University, our Nation's largest private 
university, a position in which he served for 11 years.
  In 1984, he initiated fund-raising campaigns that produced a total of 
$1 billion over 10 years. The New York Times headline from that time 
read, ``A decade and a billion dollars put New York University in first 
rank.''
  Now, president emeritus, Dr. Brademas is also chairman, by 
appointment of President Clinton, of the President's Committee on the 
Arts and Humanities. In 1997, this committee released Creative America, 
a report to the President recommending new and innovative ways to 
strengthen support and improve on private and public education for 
these two fields.
  In addition to his responsibilities at NYU, Dr. Brademas is currently 
the chairman of the board of the National Endowment for Democracy and 
serves on the Consultants' Panel to the Comptroller General of the 
United States.

                              {time}  1600

  I am proud to sponsor this bipartisan legislation, and am pleased 
that all 10 members of the Indiana delegation of the House of 
Representatives are original cosponsors.
  This measure is a fitting tribute to one of the great leaders and 
educators to have served in Congress, and I strongly encourage my 
colleagues to support H.R. 2938.
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in support of H.R. 
2938, a bill I introduced with the entire Hoosier delegation to 
designate the United States Post Office located at 424 South Michigan 
Street in my hometown of South Bend, Indiana, as the ``John Brademas 
Post Office.''
  John Brademas is one of the most distinguished predecessors as the 
U.S. Representative in Congress of the Third Congressional District of 
Indiana. While John Brademas was serving in the House, I worked as a 
staff assistant in his congressional office. In that time, I learned a 
great deal from him about the importance of family and community and 
the value of public service. His guidance has been a constant source of 
inspiration to me, and I have always tried to serve in Congress with 
the same degree of honor and respect for the institution and the office 
to which I was elected.
  John Brademas graduated from South Bend Central High School in 1945. 
After service in the U.S. Navy, he was a Veterans National Scholar at 
Harvard University from which he graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of 
Arts, magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He wrote his 
doctoral dissertation at Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes 
Scholar. As Executive Assistant to the late Adlai Stevenson in 1955-56, 
Dr. Brademas was in charge of research on issues during the 1956 
presidential campaign. Three years later, he was elected to the U.S. 
House of Representatives to represent Indiana's Third Congressional 
District.
  Over the years, John Brademas has made numerous enduring 
contributions for the great state of Indiana and our Nation. His 
accomplishments and contributions are as impressive as they are 
numerous. As those of you who served with John Brademas know, he was 
for 22 years (1959-1981), a particularly active member of the Committee 
on Education and Labor, where he earned a highly distinguished 
reputation for his leadership in promotion education. He also worked 
tirelessly in support of landmark legislation such as the Higher 
Education Acts of 1972 and 1976, which cleared the way for more 
Americans to gain access to student financial aid. Dr. Brademas was 
also the primary sponsor of legislation improving elementary and 
secondary education, vocational education, as well as services for the 
elderly and handicapped. I am very proud to follow John Brademas' as a 
member of the same committee, now known as the Committee on Education 
and the Workforce. He served his last four years in the House as the 
Chief Majority Whip.
  Following his retirement from Congress, Dr. Brademas served, by 
appointment of House Speaker Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, Jr., on the 
National Commission on Student Financial Assistance and chaired its 
Subcommittee on Graduate Education. In 1983, the Commission approved 
the Subcommittee's study, Signs of Trouble and Erosion: A Report of 
Graduate Education in America. Upon leaving Congress, John Brademas 
became president of New York University, our nation's largest private 
university, a position in which he served for 11 years (1981-1992). 
During that time, Dr. Brademas led the transition of NYU from a mostly 
regional school to a national and international residential research 
university.
  In 1984, he initiated a fundraising campaign that produced a total of 
$1 billion over ten years. The New York Times headline from that time 
read, `` A Decade and Billion Dollars Put New York University in [the] 
First Rank.'' Now president-emeritus, Dr. Brademas is also chairman, by 
appointment of President Clinton, of the President's Committee on the 
Arts and the Humanities. In 1997, this committee released Creative 
America, a report to the President recommending new and innovative ways 
to strengthen support, private and public, for these two fields.
  In addition his responsibilities at NYU, Dr. Brademas is currently 
the chairman of the board of the National Endowment for Democracy and 
serves on the Consultants' Panel to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. He is co-chairman of the Center on Science, Technology 
and Congress at the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science.

[[Page H4722]]

He earlier served on the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology and 
Government and chaired its Committee on Congress.
  I am proud to sponsor this bipartisan legislation and am pleased that 
all ten members of the Indiana delegation in the House of 
Representations are original cosponsors of the bill. This measure is a 
fitting tribute to one of the greatest leaders and educators to have 
ever served in Congress. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support 
H.R. 2938.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time 
as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson).
  Ms. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, I certainly thank the distinguished 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), as well as the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. McHugh).
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reiterate my support for the designation 
of the South Bend Post Office in honor of a former colleague, Mr. John 
Brademas.
  Throughout the 22 years Mr. Brademas' devoted to representing 
Indiana's Third District in the United States Congress, his 
demonstrated commitment to improving our country's education system was 
extremely significant. As former House Majority Whip and a former 
member of the Committee on Education and Labor, Mr. Brademas led the 
efforts to enact much of the legislation regarding education produced 
during his tenure in Congress. The State of Indiana is quite proud to 
have been represented by a man of such distinction and intellect.
  After his Congressional service, Mr. Brademas led New York University 
as its president from 1981 to 1992 and was appointed by President 
Clinton to chair the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities 
in 1994.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure that will honor a very 
accomplished former Member and will make tangible our appreciation for 
his tireless commitment to serving the public.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we have had this matter before us 
today for consideration. Certainly again I commend the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Roemer) for giving us the opportunity to pay tribute to 
such an outstanding American.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, briefly and in closing, let me add my words 
to that of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and thanks to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), and, as the gentleman so 
graciously noted too, his colleagues within the Indiana delegation, for 
providing us with this opportunity.
  As we have certainly heard here today, this nominee, I think, 
demonstrates the kind of achievement, the kind of devotion and 
dedication that should make all of us very proud for this moment and 
this opportunity to extend to him a very deserving recognition.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud as well of the initiative and the efforts of 
all of the Members of this body to take ourselves into sometimes 
unchartered water. However, I would note on occasion it is worthy and I 
think comforting to note that we follow others.
  I think it is significant as sort of a capstone to the very gracious 
things rightfully said about Mr. Brademas, that over the course of his 
very distinguished career and lifetime he has been awarded 50 honorary 
degrees by distinguished colleges and universities such as the 
University of Athens; Brandeis; the City College of New York; my 
father's alma mater, Colgate; the University of Cyprus; Fordham 
University; the University of Southern California; Indiana University; 
Notre Dame; and just on and on and on. So we follow perhaps rather 
well-trod, but I think very, very fine ground here today. I would urge 
all of our colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong support 
for H.R. 2938, which will designate a post office in South Bend, 
Indiana, as the John Brademas Post Office.
  I had the honor of serving with John Brademas from 1965 through 1976. 
We served together on the Education and Labor Committee, and I remember 
well his leadership in developing legislation to improve education, to 
provide services for the elderly and handicapped, to support libraries, 
museums, the arts, and humanities, and to help develop early childhood 
education.
  Dr. Brademas was a major sponsor of the Higher Education Acts of 1972 
and 1976, which greatly expanded college opportunities by strengthening 
student financial aid. He was the chief House sponsor of the Education 
for All Handicapped Children Act, the Humanities and Cultural Affairs 
Act, the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act; the Older Americans 
Comprehensive Services Act; and the Museum Services Act, which created 
the Institute of Museum Services. The impact of his vision and 
leadership in education, culture and the arts, and seniors issues is 
evidenced by the centrality of these programs in the work of the 
Education Committee a quarter century after he left the Congress.
  John Brademas served as chair of the Education Subcommittee which 
heard countless witnesses on the subject of comprehensive early 
childhood education. This was an area of my greatest personal interest 
and priority. In fact, Congress passed such a bill in 1972, which was 
vetoed by President Nixon. Since that time, Congress has failed to 
legislate in this critical area.
  I also remember John as a valued mentor and friend. His integrity, 
his dedication to providing America's children and young people with 
the best possible educational opportunities, and his concern for the 
most vulnerable members of our society--children, the disabled, the 
elderly--were deeply inspiring to me.
  After leaving Congress, Dr. John Brademas further distinguished 
himself as president of New York University from 1981 to 1992. Under 
his leadership, New York University went from being a regional commuter 
school to a national and international residential research university. 
Dr. Brademas is currently president emeritus of NYU, chair of the 
President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, co-chair of the 
Center on Science, Technology and Congress, and board member of 
Americans for the Arts, Kos Pharmaceuticals, Loews Corporation, Oxford 
University Press-USA, and Scholastic, Inc. He is also chair of the 
Board of the National Endowment for Democracy and serves on the 
Consultants' Panel to the Comptroller General of the United States.
  The people of the Third District of Indiana can be justly proud of 
this great man whose legacy deserves to be memorialized in the 
designation of The John Brademas Post Office.
  Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2938.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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