[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 18 (Thursday, February 8, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ALAN CRANSTON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 8, 2001

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, Alan Cranston, who died at the age of 
eighty-six on December 31, 2000, represented California in the United 
States Senate from 1969 until 1993. In addition to a distinguished 
political career, Alan was an accomplished writer and journalist, 
businessman, international advisor, and leader in the movement to 
eliminate nuclear weapons.
  Alan was effective in everything he pursued because he had the 
intelligence to understand conceptual complexities and the pragmatism 
to achieve what he wanted. He and Pat Brown rejuvenated the California 
Democratic Party and led it to power in 1958. My own experience with 
Alan goes back to 1960 when I was a student at UCLA and he was a model 
for young Democrats to follow. We were both active in the California 
Democratic Council, a grassroots party organization, and I was grateful 
for the personal support he gave me a number of years later when I 
decided to run for public office.
  I learned from Alan that the enactment of good legislation could not 
be accomplished without attracting good people to our party. He was a 
visionary in knowing how to help build a party to lead California, but 
he also worked hard on the everyday nuts and bolts decisions that would 
make it happen. He brought the same skills to the U.S. Senate in 1968. 
He was a visionary in shaping the debate on great issues--the Vietnam 
War, nuclear proliferation, the rights of the disabled, medical care 
for veterans--and he served as the Majority Whip for fourteen years. He 
was a consummate vote counter and leadership strategist, and he had a 
hand in crafting and moving some of the most important legislation 
enacted while he served.
  Lance Murrow once said, ``Leaders make things possible. Great leaders 
make them inevitable.'' By every estimation, Alan Cranston was a great 
leader.

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