[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 127 (Thursday, October 12, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9879-H9880]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TOM BLILEY

  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, It would be easy to overlook many of the 
accomplishments of his life and career--I'd like to share some of the 
highlights of a lifetime of accomplishment. Tom Bliley represents the 
Seventh Congressional District of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the 
United States House of Representatives. The Seventh District includes 
the western part of the City of Richmond as well as sections of 
Albemarle, Chesterfield, and Henrico Counties; it includes all of 
Culpeper, Goochland, Greene, Hanover, Louisa, Madison, Orange, and 
Powhatan Counties.
  Tom Bliley began his political career in 1968 when he was first 
elected to the City Council of Richmond, Virginia. He served as Vice-
Mayor from 1968 to 1970, and then as Mayor from 1970 to 1977. He was 
first elected to Congress in 1980 and has been elected to each 
succeeding Congress. As a former President of Joseph W. Bliley Funeral 
Homes, he gained important business experience that has shaped his 
attitude towards problems facing small business owners.
  In Washington, Mr. Bliley is serving his third term as Chairman of 
the House Committee on Commerce, the oldest committee in the House. As 
Chairman, he is an ex officio member of the five Commerce Committee 
subcommittees: Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection; 
Finance and Hazardous Materials; Health and Environment; Energy and 
Power; and Oversight and Investigation.
  As Mr. Bliley plans the committee agenda and schedule hearings and 
legislation for the 106th Congress, he follows the same, time-tested 
principles that have made his committee one of the most constructive 
and successful in Congress: Promoting free and fair markets, standing 
up for consumer choice and common sense safeguards for our health and 
the environment, keeping an eye on the federal bureaucracy.
  In the 105th Congress, Mr. Bliley was instrumental in the enactment 
of the Food and Drug Administration and Modernization Act. New 
treatments will be available sooner for the seriously ill while 
expanding access to safe and effective drugs, devices, and food because 
of Mr. Bliley's efforts. Electronic commerce is the newest, fastest 
growing form of interstate and foreign commerce. Mr. Bliley was a 
leader in the enactment of a new law setting a three-year moratorium on 
certain taxes for Internet access or consumer purchases made via the 
Internet.
  Mr. Bliley also led the drive to enact the Mammography Quality 
Standards Act of 1998. This legislation will assure the safety, 
accuracy, and overall quality of mammography services for women. This 
bill will help save lives by ensuring for the first time that all 
patients are directly notified of their mammogram results in terms they 
can understand.
  In the 104th Congress, Mr. Bliley broke up bigger monopolies than 
President Theodore Roosevelt. He tore up more federal regulations over 
American businesses than President Reagan. Mr. Bliley led passage of 
the Telecommunications Act and opened a trillion-dollar a year industry 
to fair, free, and open trade. He gave Americans peace-of-mind about 
the chemicals in the foods we eat, and about the purity of the water we 
drink when he successfully led bipartisan efforts to enact Food Safety 
and Safe Drinking Water legislation into law.
  Mr. Bliley also spearheaded enactment of Securities Litigation 
Reform, part of the ``Contract with America.'' When President Clinton 
vetoed that measure, Mr. Bliley led the House in the first--and only--
successful veto override of the Clinton Presidency. Under Mr. Bliley's 
leadership, the most comprehensive overhaul of the nation's securities 
laws in more than 60 years was achieved upon enactment of the Capital 
Markets legislation.
  Since his first election to Congress, Mr. Bliley has been recognized 
by many organizations for his work. He has served in various roles with 
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly--from November 1994-October 1998, he 
was Chairman of the Economic Committee, in November 1998, he became one 
of the four Vice Presidents; and, with the resignation of its President 
in May 2000, Mr. Bliley became the Acting President and will serve in 
this capacity until November 2000. His commitment to balancing the 
federal budget has earned him the National Watchdog of the Treasury's 
``Golden Bulldog Award'' every year since 1981. He has been named a 
``Guardian of Small Business'' by the National Federation of 
Independent Business. The Louisville Courier Journal called him ``the 
most powerful Virginian since Harry Byrd'' and the National Journal, in 
a front page feature, called him ``Mr. Smooth.''

[[Page H9880]]

  Mr. Bliley has served on a number of boards and commissions 
including: National League of Cities; Children's Hospital; and, 
Metropolitan Richmond Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Bliley is a member of 
the Richmond Rotary Club and he currently serves on the Virginia 
Biotechnology Research Park Authority. In 1996, Mr. Bliley was named to 
the Board of Governors of the Virginia Home for Boys.
  Born in Chesterfield County, Virginia, Mr. Bliley is a lifelong 
resident of the Richmond area. He earned his B.A. in History from 
Georgetown University and immediately following served three years in 
the United States Navy rising to the rank of Lieutenant. He has 
recently received honorary doctorate degrees from Georgetown 
University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Christopher Newport 
College, Belmont Abbey College and University of Richmond. Mr. Bliley 
received the Beta Gamma Sigma Leadership Award from the University of 
Richmond's Robins School of Business.
  Mr. Bliley is married to the former Mary Virginia Kelley and is the 
father of two, Thomas J. Bliley III and Mary Vaughan (Bliley) Davies. 
The Blileys have two granddaughters, Jenny and Kathy Davies and two 
grandsons, Thomas J. Bliley IV and Shawn Bliley.
  Mr. PICKETT. Mr. Speaker, we come together today to honor my 
distinguished colleague and friend, Chairman Tom Bliley. I have had the 
pleasure of working with Tom during my entire career in the U.S. House 
of Representatives. As dean of the Virginia delegation, I have come to 
know him as a gentleman and a tireless servant to the people of the 
seventh district of Virginia and the nation as a whole.
  As Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Tom oversaw the 
passage of the landmark Telecommunications Act, which opened up the 
industry to free and open competition. During his tenure, he has 
striven to support common sense safety standards, to reduce the 
regulatory burden on our nation's small businesses, and to overhaul the 
nation's securities laws.
  I have traveled with Tom many times over the years to attend NATO 
Parliamentary Assembly sessions. Tom has served a number of roles in 
the Assembly since 1994; currently, he is serving as the Acting 
President. His dedication to maintaining a strong trans-Atlantic 
relationship and strong support for the NATO alliance will leave its 
mark for years to come.
  With his retirement, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation will 
lose one of its most dedicated and conscientious servants. As a fellow 
``rag boater,'' I want to wish Tom and his wife, Mary Virginia, the 
best for the years to come.
  Mr. SISISKY. Mr. Speaker, what can I say about Tom Bliley that has 
not already been said?
  He has been an effective Member of Congress, looking out for our 
national interests as chairman of the House Commerce Committee.
  He has effectively represented his constituents in Virginia's seventh 
district--as well as the rest of the commonwealth.
  But he's been around longer than that--serving as mayor, vice-mayor, 
and as a member of the city council of Richmond.
  Prior to that, Tom's business background and experience gave him 
special insight about the problems and challenges faced by small 
business.
  Obviously, that background and experience is similar to mine.
  But that is not the only thing that endears Tom Bliley to me.
  I can truly say, ``I knew him when.''
  He has been a friend for so many years that I'm not sure I even like 
to think about how long it's been.
  As I look back on all the things he's done, I realized I first knew 
him when he was mayor of Richmond.
  That was 30 years ago. Then he was elected to Congress in 1980.
  I was elected just a couple of years later.
  And I can assure you: One of the most rewarding parts of this job has 
been serving and working with Tom.
  We've worked on issues ranging from those that impacted Virginia to 
those that impacted NATO.
  For a couple of young men from Richmond, I'd say we've come a long 
way.
  But Tom's greatest strength, and I hope one I share, is he never 
forgot where he came from.
  Serving the people at home was his strong point, equaled only by 
being such a great Virginia gentleman.
  I am honored that he is my friend.

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