[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 141 (Tuesday, October 31, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H11707-H11709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO BILL BARRETT OF NEBRASKA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 1999, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) is 
recognized for 40 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, tonight I wanted to pay tribute to my 
colleague from the Third Congressional District in Nebraska, 
Congressman Bill Barrett.
  Nebraska has a very small House delegation, only three of us, and we 
are very close. We are very close for a variety of reasons. In addition 
to the fact that we are a small delegation, all of us happen to be of 
the same political party. Nebraska has a unique tradition in that we 
have a breakfast every Tuesday when the House and Senate are both in 
session to which we invite all Nebraskans and their guests visiting the 
Nation's Capitol to meet with us. We have been doing that since 1944, 
which I guess makes us the oldest breakfast on Capitol Hill.
  It has forged a relationship, a close bond, even a bipartisan bond, 
within the delegation, that I think is one of the strongest in the 
Congress. It is a way for us to know each other well. It keeps us 
cooperating and working well, and our staffs as well. It has been my 
pleasure to learn much more about the capabilities and the personality 
of my good colleague from the Third District. Bill Barrett represents a 
huge piece of America. The Third Congressional District is 66 counties 
in size, which makes Bill Barrett's Third larger than 30 States, 30 
individual States. He represents these 540,000 people scattered over 
about 63,000 miles.
  Bill Barrett, my colleague, is now serving in his fifth term as he 
prepares to retire from the Congress of the United States. He has not 
only had a distinguished career here in the House of Representatives 
during this five terms but he had a distinguished and very productive 
service to the State of Nebraska in many capacities before he came to 
the Congress of the United States. He had a very important leadership 
background in the Republican Party in our State, serving 10 years on 
the Republican State executive committee. He served as the State party

[[Page H11708]]

chairman for two years, as well as on the National Republican 
Committee. Later, he was elected to the Nebraska unicameral 
legislature. In fact, he and I missed serving together only by a matter 
of days. He served 10 years in that body as well, and during the last 4 
years he served as the speaker of our unicameral house legislature, our 
one-house legislature.
  Things are very different in that body. Not only is it nonpartisan, 
and it truly has acted that way in most respects, it is, of course, 
unicameral. There are no party caucuses in that body, and the chairman 
and the speaker are chosen by secret ballot by the entire membership of 
the legislature.
  Now, that is very different than the U.S. House of Representatives, 
indeed. Bill Barrett was elected to two successive terms as speaker, 
covering a period of 4 years, by secret ballot by his colleagues in the 
Nebraska legislature, because of their confidence in his fairness and 
his capabilities. In fact, I think he may well have been the first 
person at the time to be voted two successive terms as speaker, because 
ordinarily it rotated from one member to another that was chosen by 
that secret ballot.
  Well, Bill Barrett is going home to the Third Congressional District. 
He has been a champion of agriculture, a statesman. He is a father of 
four children with his wonderful wife Elsie, and now he has two 
grandchildren. He says he wants to spend more time with those 
grandchildren and as a recent grandfather myself I do understand how 
all of these grandchildren we have are really super children, and I can 
understand why Bill wants to retire back to, I am sure, a very active 
life in business and government and public service in Nebraska. He will 
be going back to his hometown of Lexington, Nebraska, shortly.
  I will continue, but I would be pleased to yield to my colleague, the 
gentleman from the State of Michigan (Mr. Smith), who I think he serves 
together on the Committee on Agriculture with Bill Barrett.

                              {time}  2245

  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding, because I have served with Bill for the last 7 years on the 
Committee on Agriculture, and I would like to just try to portray his 
diligence, enthusiasm and dedication to trying to make sure that the 
farmers not only in Nebraska survive, but the farmers all through the 
United States. We underwent a rewrite of the Federal agricultural 
policy. We are going to miss Bill Barrett next year as we start the 
next 5-year rewrite. He has been a leader, of course, as chairman of 
one of the major subcommittees within the Committee on Agriculture; and 
I, as well as many of my colleagues in this Chamber, are going to miss 
Bill and Elsie. We hope they will come back and visit often. He has 
contributed enormously to the success of this Chamber, this body, and 
the committees on which he has served.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his remarks, and 
I know that Bill Barrett and Elsie appreciate them as well.
  The gentleman mentioned his service on the Committee on Agriculture. 
The other committee on which Bill served, as he has from the beginning, 
is now called the Committee on Education and the Workforce; and the 
chairman of that committee is here, the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Goodling), and I yield to him.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, about a year ago, and to the detriment of 
this House, Bill Barrett announced that he was retiring at the end of 
the 106th Congress. His public service did not begin in the Nation's 
Capital; he started at the grass-roots level. He has been active in 
local, State, and national politics for many years. In fact, he has 
served the Republican Party in one capacity or another for over 40 
years.
  He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1990, and 
when we adjourn the 106th Congress, hopefully in the next day or 2 or 
3, he will be completing his fifth term in Congress. I know there are 
many people here in Congress that will be sorry to see Bill retire, and 
I am sure there are quite a few people in Nebraska's third district 
that will miss his tireless service, considering he has been reelected 
by margins of 75 percent or more in each of his campaigns for the 
House. Everybody should envy that.
  Bill served with me on the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
and is the vice-chair of the Committee on Agriculture and chairman of 
the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Resource Conservation and 
Credit. Although we spend a lot of time in Washington, he always 
remembered the reason that he was here and effectively worked for 
business, child care, senior citizens, education, health care, rural 
development, agriculture, trade, and other issues vital to his 
residents in his district.
  The third district of Nebraska can be proud of Bill Barrett. His 
tenure here in the House is highlighted with many accomplishments and 
indeed evidence of his hard work. He was here when the Republicans made 
history and became the majority party in the House of Representatives 
for the first time in 40 years; and as a result, Congressman Barrett 
was a valuable part of the majority that finally restored fiscal 
responsibility, balanced the Federal budget, and started to pay off the 
national debt.
  Congressman Barrett has always been an effective voice for rural 
America. His leadership contributed greatly to the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement Reform Act of 1996, which is helping to provide the basis 
for a strong and profitable agriculture sector in the 21st century. 
Over the years, he has worked to improve rural education. In fact, I 
think it is safe to say that in every debate, discussion or vote we had 
in the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Bill Barrett was 
there, trying to make sure that we were addressing the needs of small 
rural schools. He would never let us forget that rural school districts 
could not compete against larger school districts for Federal education 
grants and has worked diligently to increase the flexibility so that 
these schools are in a better position to improve academic achievement.
  Just this past week, he was instrumental in ensuring the passage of 
the Older Americans Act, and that was not an easy job. We have been 
trying to reauthorize that act for many, many years. About a year and a 
half ago, Bill came and said, I would be very happy to take that on as 
a challenge, if you want me to do so; and I said, I am sure that the 
subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), and 
I would be extremely happy if you would take on that challenge. 
Everybody thought that we did not make it again; but lo and behold, 
last week, through his consistent determination that it was going to 
happen, it was passed. So he has been very instrumental in that passage 
of the Older Americans Act.
  So not only did Congressman Barrett care about the programs that 
affected his district, he also cared about the individual constituents 
in his districts. I know that he felt one of the most important duties 
of a Member of Congress is constituent casework. He tried to always be 
there to lend a hand when his constituents needed help cutting through 
the government's red tape. He could not guarantee a solution to every 
problem, but he sure tried.
  Bill Barrett is a fiscal conservative, a dedicated public servant, a 
champion for agriculture and education, a respected statesman, and one 
of the nicest guys you will ever meet. I read somewhere that Bill has 
finally decided that he is at the point in his life where he would 
rather start the day with ``good morning, Grandpa'' instead of ``good 
morning, Congressman.'' Well, I cannot say I disagree with him. I envy 
him, because I do not have any grandchildren to say that. He should be 
truly proud of the years that he has committed to Nebraska, and indeed 
our country; and I thank Bill Barrett for his service, and I wish him 
and Elsie many years of happiness in the future.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I do want to thank the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling), the distinguished chairman 
of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for his remarks 
regarding our colleague, Bill Barrett. I know that they will be very 
well received by Bill.

[[Page H11709]]

  Mr. Speaker, he is exactly right, and I can imagine that he would be 
bringing up the interest of rural, not metropolitan, America in 
practically everything he did on the gentleman's committee. In fact, I 
asked for examples from his staff on three of the things that Bill was 
most pleased or proud of in recent times, and two of the things the 
gentleman mentions are indeed among them. His staff said, well, 
certainly one of the things is the reauthorization of the Older 
Americans Act.
  Secondly, I know that he was involved in some issues that relate to 
schools and giving rural schools a better opportunity to use their 
funds more flexibly. I think it is called the Rural School Initiative, 
whereby included in the appropriations conference report it would allow 
rural schools to combine formula grants and apply for supplemental 
funds to offer extra flexibility and funding for locally determined 
education needs. Also, the passage of a bill, the Grain Standards and 
Warehouse Improvements Acts of 2000, which is extremely important to 
his district and to rural America generally.
  It is true that Bill Barrett is one of the nicest people you will 
ever run into. He regards everybody that he meets as a potential 
friend; and I think, as you walk with him through the halls of the 
House of Representatives, it is very interesting and complimentary to 
him that he is on a first-name basis with so many of the people on the 
staff who do exceptional work for us here in the House of 
Representatives. This is a special place to Bill, and the people that 
work here with us are special to him.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to mention that my other colleague from Nebraska 
(Mr. Terry) may not be able to join us tonight. I know he had, in 
effect, I believe baby-sitting duties for his three young sons, but I 
will submit his statement certainly for the Record here. I wanted to 
just read a couple of excerpts from the letter of our colleague from 
the second district in his first term, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. 
Terry). He has this to say about Bill Barrett: ``He has spearheaded 
efforts to maintain alcohol fuels tax credit and in 1998, succeeded in 
extending a program vital to Nebraska's corn growers and a nation in 
need of renewable energy resources. He is a distinguished gentleman who 
is always well informed and insightful. Congressman Bill Barrett, even 
though I was in my first term,'' Mr. Terry goes on to say, ``never 
pushed his advice on me; he was always available when I sought his sage 
advice on policy and procedure. Without exception, it was well grounded 
and rooted in his love for our State. There is no doubt his counsel 
made me a better representative for Nebraska, as the wonderful public 
servant that he is, Congressman Barrett is an even more remarkable man 
for his devout faith, spirituality, and his unending love of his 
family.''
  I think in light of that last remark, it is not surprising to know 
that Bill Barrett was, in fact, the chairman of the House Bipartisan 
Nondenominational Prayer Breakfast, which meets every Thursday here at 
8 a.m.
  Bill Barrett is without a doubt the colleague that I have served with 
who is the most cooperative and friendly and totally dedicated person 
in his performance that I have had the pleasure to serve with. He has 
many friends here. He was elected as the president of his class, and I 
think continued to serve in that throughout his career here.
  Among his classmates are two gentlemen that are alleged to look 
exactly like him. I know when the three of them are sitting together, 
as not only good friends, but they look alike, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Ewing) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg). 
They oftentimes will sit right over there, and they make sure that they 
have their glasses on at the same time so that they are almost 
indistinguishable, and sometimes I think they take great care in what 
they deliver in the way of comments on the House Floor because they 
might be mistaken for the other.
  In any case, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing) is also leaving. 
He is also a distinguished member of the Committee on Agriculture that 
has been very helpful to Bill and to me and to our constituents. But I 
know that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing), and the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), in particular, asked me to express 
their extraordinary fondness and appreciation for the service that Bill 
Barrett has rendered here as a Member of the United States House of 
Representatives.
  Those of my colleagues that watch the proceedings of the floor will 
oftentimes find Bill Barrett as the presiding officer of this body. 
Again and again, throughout the day and into the evenings, he is a 
person you could rely upon to give fair kinds of decisions and good 
council and dignity to the Chamber as a presiding officer.
  So Bill Barrett and Elsie, we are going to miss Bill here very much. 
We know that you are going to be happy to have more of his time. But we 
look forward to the last few days of service here with Bill Barrett, 
and then I look forward to continuing to work with him as a citizen of 
our State of Nebraska.
  Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
Nebraskan, a respected colleague, and a tremendous friend. Congressman 
Bill Barrett is not only a consummate gentleman and a devoted public 
servant, but he is also able to balance his weighty duties in Congress 
with his even weightier duties as a father of four, a proud 
grandfather, and a husband to his remarkable wife, Elsie. Congressman 
Barrett has my admiration and respect for a life of public service, and 
the admiration, respect, and thanks of the entire state of Nebraska. 
Upon his retirement, he will be missed by an entire state that has 
looked to him for leadership and guidance in his 30 years of public 
service.
  Congressman Barrett officially began a life in politics as a member 
of the Nebraska State Republican Party. He served as Chairman from 1973 
to 1975. In 1979 he was elected to Nebraska's State Legislature where 
he ascended to become Speaker of the Unicameral for his last four years 
there, from 1987 to 1991. Congressman Barrett was elected to this body 
of Congress in 1990. He has spent his entire life devoted to his 
districts, his state, and his country.
  Congressman Barrett's  most notable accomplishment in Congress came 
in 1996, when his leadership on the Agriculture Committee greatly 
contributed to passage of the Freedom to Farm Act. The Act's sweeping 
reforms brought much-needed change to antiquated farm-subsidy programs 
by replacing them with market-based policies that allow our producers 
to better compete in a global agricultural economy. He also spearheaded 
efforts to maintain alcohol fuels tax credits, and in 1998, succeeded 
in extending a program vital to Nebraska's corn growers and a nation in 
need of renewable energy resources. Nebraska's farmers, and America's 
farmers, owe Congressman Barrett a debt of gratitude.
  Before I ran for Congress, I met with Congressman Barrett on only a 
half-dozen occasions. He always strikes me as a person who epitomizes 
Congress. He is a distinguished gentleman who is always well-informed 
and insightful. It was only after I was elected to this body in 1998 
and spent a great deal of time with Congressman Barrett that my 
appreciation and respect for him as a person, a father, a grandfather, 
and a friend blossomed. Plenty of my colleagues are willing to offer 
advice, but few offer it as genuinely. Congressman Barrett never pushed 
his advice on me; he was always available when I sought his sage advice 
on policy and procedure. Without exception it was sound and rooted in 
his love for our State. There is no doubt his counsel made me a better 
representative for Nebraska.
  As wonderful a public servant he is, however, Congressman Barrett is 
even more remarkable a man for his devout faith, spirituality, and his 
unbending love of family. When he told me he was days away from 
announcing his retirement, water welled in his eyes as he looked at my 
children, Nolan, age 5, and Ryan, age 2, and said, ``My grandkids are 
about the same age and I want to go home and spend time with them.'' I 
wish only the best for Congressman Barrett's family as they gain as a 
grandfather what we in Congress lose as a colleague. I am fortunate to 
always have in him a true friend.
  Bill, you have the Terry family's and the State of Nebraska's humble 
thanks and eternal gratitude. We wish that in your retirement, your 
only job as a grandfather, you find the same fulfillment and richness 
you found in your years of service to Nebraska and to our great 
country. God bless you.

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