[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 44 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H1330-H1338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF THE HONORABLE NORMAN 
     SISISKY, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 107) 
and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 107

       Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of 
     the death of the Honorable Norman Sisisky, a Representative 
     from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
       Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as 
     the Speaker may designate, together with such Members of the 
     Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral.
       Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be 
     authorized and directed to take such steps as may be 
     necessary for carrying out the provisions of these 
     resolutions and that the necessary expenses in connection 
     therewith be paid out of applicable accounts of the House.
       Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to 
     the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the 
     deceased.
       Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as 
     a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The gentleman from Virginia 
(Mr. Wolf) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the time be 
equally divided and controlled between the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Moran) and myself.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sorrow that I join my fellow members 
of the Virginia congressional delegation and other Members of the House 
today in remembering Norman Sisisky, a true gentleman and a real 
patriot.
  We had learned the news earlier this week that Norman's recent 
surgery had gone well, and he had returned home to recuperate before 
his expected return to Washington after the upcoming recess. And today 
we heard the shocking news that he had passed away.
  Mr. Speaker, his untimely passing reminds us all of our own mortality 
and how important it is to live our lives with honor and integrity, as 
Norman did, and to make the most of every opportunity to serve our 
fellow man, as Norman did. Norman was hard-working, friendly, honest, 
ethical, decent and moral. He was a Member who worked in a bipartisan 
way. He reached across the aisle to work for the best interests of 
America, and it was a privilege to serve with him for the 18 years that 
he was in Congress and to work with him on the congressional delegation 
on issues of importance to our State and Union.
  Norman was born June 9, 1927, and graduated from John Marshall High 
School in Richmond, Virginia. He joined the Navy after high school and 
served through World War II until 1946. He graduated from Virginia 
Commonwealth University in 1949 with a degree in business 
administration. He transformed a small Pepsi bottling company in 
Petersburg, Virginia, into a highly successful distributor of soft 
drinks throughout Southside Virginia.
  Mr. Speaker, he began his public service career when he was elected 
as a delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1973 representing 
Petersburg. He served five terms in the Virginia General Assembly 
before being elected to Congress in 1982. Norman, like another of our 
late colleagues, Herb Bateman, was a senior member of the House 
Committee on Armed Services, and from that vantage point was the 
protector of our national security, and probably no man or woman in 
this body did more to work with regard to national security and working 
in a bipartisan way.
  Norman was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Military 
Procurement and also served on the Subcommittee on Readiness, and the 
Subcommittee on Morale, Welfare and Recreation Panel. He had recently 
been appointed to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. 
Norman was also a Member of the Blue Dog Coalition in the 104th through 
the 107th Congress, and led bipartisan efforts that worked. In 1993, he 
was one of six Democrats for a strong defense and worked to mobilize 
against military cuts.
  Norman was instrumental in working to get funding to build the newest 
aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, which was recently christened. 
He worked tirelessly as an advocate for production of shipbuilding and 
strengthening our national defense. He represented with pride 
Virginia's Fourth Congressional District in the southeastern corner of 
the Commonwealth, the home of the first permanent English settlement in 
North

[[Page H1331]]

America, and today the home of one of the largest concentrations of 
military power in the world.
  This Congress, the Commonwealth of Virginia and this Nation have lost 
a faithful servant and a wonderful man, but our lives are forever 
enriched for having had Norman Sisisky as a friend and colleague.
  Mr. Speaker, our deepest sympathies are extended to Congressman 
Sisisky's family, his wife of over 50 years, Rhoda, and his four sons, 
Mark, Terry, Richard and Stuart, and his seven grandchildren; and also 
to his congressional family, his staff here on Capitol Hill and in his 
district offices, and all of the close friends that he had among the 
Members of Congress and staff. We share in that loss.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Norman Sisisky was a good man. He was a hard-working 
colleague, and he was a dedicated public servant to the citizens of his 
southeast Virginia district. I think we were all struck by his 
unfailing consideration of his colleagues. He loved this institution. 
He did not need the salary that it paid, he was independently wealthy, 
but he lived and talked and acted without pretense.
  He leaves a great legacy to the people of Virginia and to our whole 
Nation. He will always be remembered for standing behind our military 
families and our veterans.
  Norman was one of the most effective advocates in the Congress for a 
strong Navy and its shipbuilding program. He knew that this Nation must 
always remain militarily strong, and through his public service helped 
in a substantial way to make our military second to none.
  We will all miss Norman's friendship and his great leadership within 
the Congress and to the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my 
friend and colleague from Virginia, Norman Sisisky, who served this 
body with dignity, honor and extreme dedication since 1983.
  I first met Norm in 1974 when I was an aide in the Virginia General 
Assembly. He was a freshman member at that time, and he was known at 
that time as one of the smartest guys in the general assembly and a 
gentleman and someone if he wanted to pursue public service could go a 
long way, and he did.
  Virginia's Fourth Congressional District and the Nation has lost a 
first-class public servant. Norm was a true gentleman and a great 
patriot. I will never forget his kind and valuable tutelage when I 
first came to Congress, nor will I forget how he demonstrated to all of 
us the importance of doing good rather than getting credit. He 
certainly earned his reputation as a hard worker and skilled 
negotiator.
  During his 18 years in Congress, Norm secured committee assignments 
that paid dividends to the residents and businesses in his district. He 
played a role in reforming the Department of Defense's financial 
management system and worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear 
shipbuilding industrial base so vital to employment rates in the 
Hampton Roads area. His was the proper and responsible balance: protect 
Virginia's military facilities, but also make sure that military 
spending decisions are fiscally prudent and fair to taxpayers 
nationwide.
  Norm was a businessman. Just as he transformed a small bottling 
company into a highly successful distributorship throughout Southside 
Virginia, Norm toiled in the Congress to improve procurement practices 
and streamline government to make it more effective and efficient. He 
leaves this country stronger and better for his tireless efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I mourn the loss of Norm Sisisky as a friend and 
colleague. More than just a Member of Congress, he will be remembered 
as a husband, father, businessman, State legislator and patriot.
  I want to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Rhoda and their 
four sons and extended family and staff. I cannot express how much I 
will miss this great public servant.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), Norm Sisisky's neighbor.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. It is with a heavy heart I come to the floor to speak of one of 
my colleagues and dear friends, Norman Sisisky of Virginia's Fourth 
Congressional District.
  I have known Norman since we served together in the House of 
Delegates, over 20 years ago, and for 8 years I have had the great 
fortune to represent a district adjacent to his in Hampton Roads. The 
proximity of our districts allowed us to work together on a lot of 
different issues, and, as a result, we became close, and our staffs in 
Washington, D.C., and the district staffs became extremely close.
  Hampton Roads, Virginia, indeed all of Virginia and our entire 
Nation, was well served by Norman's leadership on the House Committee 
on Armed Services. He was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Military Procurement and also a member of the Subcommittee on Military 
Readiness, where he worked diligently to ensure our Nation's military 
was second to none. He took pride in that responsibility and never let 
anyone forget it.
  He had a unique leadership style; one without fanfare, behind the 
scenes, and it was effective. Newport News Shipbuilding has remained a 
world leader in nuclear shipbuilding because of his efforts. We have 
been able to continue nuclear aircraft carrier and submarine 
construction because of Norman Sisisky.
  When Virginia's military facilities came under threat of being closed 
during the base closings of the 1990s, Congressman Sisisky successfully 
protected Fort Lee and other bases in Virginia that have been critical 
to the readiness of the Armed Forces. Norman Sisisky was also well-
respected for his understanding of fiscal responsibility.
  He will be remembered as a committed husband, a good father, and a 
proud Virginia gentleman. He will be sorely missed by the Virginia 
delegation, his other House colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and 
others who have had the privilege of knowing and working with him.
  Our condolences go out to his wife Rhoda, his four sons and other 
family members, his staff, and especially Jan Faircloth, who has served 
him and the Fourth District for almost 20 years.
  Mr. Speaker, Virginia has lost an effective servant who will sorely 
be missed.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode).
  Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, today Virginia and the Nation has lost an 
outstanding representative.
  Norman Sisisky has helped many citizens throughout the Fourth 
District of Virginia. He fought for fiscal constraint and worked 
tirelessly for the defense of our Nation. Through his leadership, the 
seas and the skies are safer for America and her Armed Forces. Our 
Armed Forces would not be what they are today without the steadfast 
support that he gave to our national defense.
  Norman was one of the finest businessmen in Virginia, and he shared 
his success not only with his family, but with many charitable 
endeavors throughout the Fourth District, the Commonwealth of Virginia, 
and the Nation. His contributions to institutions of higher education 
in south central Virginia have helped many students gain a college 
degree.
  It was an honor to serve in this body with Norman Sisisky, and also 
in the Virginia General Assembly, where he was a member of the house 
appropriations committee. He helped tremendously the Petersburg area of 
the Commonwealth and also all of Southside.
  Norman was a personal friend, and I shall always remember the 
guidance he provided when I was first elected to the House of 
Representatives. I, like many others, am thankful for the opportunity 
to have known and worked with Norman Sisisky.
  My deepest sympathies go to his family and his staff.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the senior Democrat of the 
Committee on Armed Services, on whose committee Mr. Sisisky was so 
proud to serve.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, words are difficult at a moment like this,

[[Page H1332]]

when we are all saddened and shocked at the loss of our friend Norman 
Sisisky, the true gentleman from Virginia. We will miss him so.
  I sat next to him on the Committee on Armed Services now for some 19 
years and shared friendship, comments, wit, knowledge, and advice from 
him. And all of this will be a lingering memory not just for me, but 
for those of us who worked with him.
  The word ``great'' is used so often, particularly in this body, but 
Norman Sisisky was a great friend. He was a great legislator; Member of 
this body. He thought greatly. He had a vision for our national 
security, and yet he had great fondness for the young men and women in 
all uniforms.
  As has been spoken, he was such a champion of shipbuilding. But it 
was more than that. He was a champion for a strong and safe and secure 
America.
  We will long remember Norman Sisisky as a great person. Longfellow 
once penned in his poem ``Psalm of Life'' the words, ``Lives of great 
men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave 
behind us footprints on the sands of time.'' Well, Norman Sisisky left 
some wonderful footprints along Virginia, here in Washington, D.C., in 
this Chamber, and in our country.
  Our sympathy goes to Rhoda, his four sons, and the rest of his 
family.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Jo Ann Davis).
  Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay 
tribute to a patriot and true Virginia gentleman, our friend and 
colleague Norm Sisisky. The Commonwealth of Virginia lost a great 
American today with the passing of Norm Sisisky. I had the pleasure of 
getting to know him when I arrived here in Congress and soon 
established a friendship and a strong admiration for one of Virginia's 
most honorable public servants.
  Norm served Virginia with great integrity and honor and consistently 
put the interest of Virginia ahead of politics. With Norm, it was not a 
Republican or a Democrat issue. It was a Virginia issue. Norm Sisisky's 
leadership within the Virginia delegation will be sorely missed. His 
unyielding support of our Armed Forces served as an inspiration for all 
lawmakers who embraced the dedication and sacrifices of our men and 
women in uniform.
  Congressman Norm Sisisky will always be remembered for his service to 
Virginia and his devotion to the ideals that he held so dear. His 
family, staff and other loved ones will be in my prayers.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the chairman of our Policy and 
Steering Committee on which Mr. Sisisky served.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran), for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, this body has been diminished by the loss of two very 
similar Americans, one early in this year, Julian Dixon. Julian was an 
African American. He was an American. We have now, this morning, lost 
Norman Sisisky, a Jewish American. He was an American.
  Both were similar in their approach. They were not partisan nor 
small. They were focused on the best interests of their communities, of 
their State, of their Nation. They were focused on their constituents 
and the people who served this great land. They were examples of what 
has made this country great.
  I was here when Norm Sisisky came to the Congress of the United 
States, and because Maryland and Virginia are in the same region we did 
a lot of work together. Norm Sisisky became my dear and close friend.
  Norm Sisisky was an extraordinary individual, with a sometimes 
perverse sense of humor. He would berate us one time and say, oh, you 
cannot do that, that is the worst thing in the world, and you knew if 
you just waited a little bit he was going to say, but I am with you.
  He loved to do that. You could go to him for advice and counsel and 
know that you would get the wisdom of a man who had seen life, who had 
seen both advantage and adversity, and who accommodated both.
  Norm Sisisky, Mr. Speaker, as all of us know, had a bout with cancer 
a few years ago. He faced that challenge with the same kind of courage 
that he faced life. We believed and he believed that he had overcome 
that challenge, and he returned to this body to, as the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), and his 
Virginia colleagues have so aptly stated, to contribute mightily to the 
security of this Nation and to international security.
  Norm Sisisky was one of the experts in this House on national 
security. He was one, as I said before and others have said, who was 
respected on both sides of the aisle for working in a nonpartisan, 
nonpolitical way to ensure the strength of our armed services.
  In addition to the Maryland-Virginia connection, I have two major 
Naval facilities in my district, Patuxent Naval Air Station and the 
Indian Head Naval Ordnance Station.
  As we have heard, Norm Sisisky had one of the great Naval 
installations in the world, if not the greatest, in his district. We 
worked very closely together. He was a giant as an advocate for the 
strength of the U.S. Navy. The Navy and all its personnel have lost one 
of their strongest advocates and closest friends.
  Norm Sisisky was not the Member who spoke most frequently on this 
floor. Nor was he the Member, as some have said, who tried to take the 
most credit for objectives accomplished. But, Mr. Speaker, there was no 
more effective, no more respected Member of this House, than our friend 
Norman Sisisky.
  This body is a lesser place for the loss of Norman Sisisky. This 
country is a little less secure today because we have lost such a 
strong voice for national defense. The strength of our country is that 
his voice will be succeeded by others, his example will be followed by 
others, and his legacy will be long remembered by those who elected him 
time after time after time to serve them in this body, by those of us 
who had the honor to serve with him and by a grateful Nation.
  God blesses America, Mr. Speaker. God blesses America, in my opinion, 
through His children. Norm Sisisky was a blessing to his family, to his 
State and to our Nation. May God extend His blessing to his wife, to 
his children, to his extended family and, yes, to that staff whom I 
visited just a few minutes ago, that they will be soothed in their 
grief, as will the family.
  I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) for yielding the time 
and join in substantial sadness at the passing of a good and great 
friend.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Schrock).
  Mr. SCHROCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true Virginian and 
a great American, Congressman Norm Sisisky. Congressman Sisisky has 
served the Commonwealth of Virginia and our country with great 
distinction. He defended our Nation during World War II as a sailor in 
the United States Navy. The people of Petersburg elected Norm to 
represent them as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for 10 
years. Then in 1982, he was elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives to represent Virginia's Fourth Congressional District, 
the district that abuts mine. He became a senior member of the House 
Committee on Armed Services where he became a champion of our military 
and veterans' issues.
  In the House, he has worked to break bipartisan logjams on issues 
such as deficit reduction and campaign finance reform. Congressman 
Sisisky has been recognized as a hard worker and a skilled negotiator.
  During his tenure, Congressman Sisisky took a lead in protecting 
Virginia's Naval and military facilities while also working to ensure 
that military spending decisions strike the proper balance between 
strategic necessity and fiscal prudence.
  Congressman Sisisky has been recognized for his leadership on many 
issues, such as national security, veterans' affairs, Social Security 
and Medicare, small business, protecting the environment, eliminating 
government waste and reducing the deficit. His record of distinguished 
service to our country and to the people of Virginia demonstrates to 
all of us his commitment

[[Page H1333]]

to the values and principles of freedom and public service.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman Sisisky will be missed. I certainly will 
miss him. To Norm's wife Rhoda, his children, and his staff, I offer 
heartfelt condolences. Every one of them is in our prayers.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), who serves on the Committee on Armed 
Services.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran), for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, someone once said that if you want to see the future or 
to see what is ahead of you, you need to get on the shoulders of a 
giant.
  Norm Sisisky was a giant of a man. I came to know him very, very 
well. We were elected both in 1982, sworn into office in 1983, and for 
19 years Norm and I sat next to each other. There was nobody that would 
look out for the needs of the military, the men and women in uniform, 
like Norm did. We had the privilege of traveling together, working 
together, and he was a constant source of inspiration and humor at our 
hearings.
  The consummate businessman, he could figure quickly what the hidden 
costs were to the taxpayers in any plan that came before the committee, 
to the point that Chairman Dellums named him the ``big kahuna,'' and 
most of us remember that in the committee when something was getting a 
little serious, we always knew that the ``big kahuna'' was around.
  He was dedicated to Virginia, to the Navy, and to the betterment of 
our fighting men and women. He was always looking after his military 
bases in Virginia. We are going to miss a good friend.
  I would like to take this opportunity to offer condolences to all of 
his family and to just tell them that we are praying for them. God 
bless America and Norm Sisisky.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor).
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our former 
colleague, Norm Sisisky. It is with great sadness that I join my 
colleagues in honoring one of Virginia's great public servants. While I 
only recently came to Congress, Norman has been a familiar figure in 
Virginia politics for many years. Norman spent a lifetime serving 
Virginia and the United States and we are all deeply indebted to this 
distinguished gentleman.
  He was a true patriot. He enlisted in the Navy as a young man during 
World War II. His time spent in the Navy, though short, left a lasting 
impression and he never forgot that we must diligently tend to the 
needs of the men and women serving in our military. At the conclusion 
of the war, he became a successful businessman and transformed a small 
Pepsi bottling company in Petersburg into a highly successful 
distributor of soft drinks throughout Southside Virginia.
  Norman's background in the business community proved invaluable as he 
later decided to enter politics. Norm served in Virginia's general 
assembly for several years before being elected to the House of 
Representatives in 1982. Here in Washington, Norman was known as a 
staunch defender of our national security and worked tirelessly on 
behalf of the men and women who serve our Nation in the military. His 
booming voice echoed in the halls of Congress, and his light-hearted 
personality endeared him to his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
  Norman was particularly effective at building coalitions in support 
of key programs and reaching across the aisle on matters of importance 
to all Virginians. From ensuring adequate funding for aircraft carriers 
and submarines to modernizing our weapons systems, he was an ardent 
voice on the Committee on Armed Services and an ally of every person 
who wears the uniform of the United States.
  Back home, his reputation as an outstanding politician was 
unparalleled in the Commonwealth. His legacy of constituent service, 
consensus building and selfless service is a model for all Members of 
Congress. The people of the fourth district, the Commonwealth of 
Virginia, and the United States of America have truly benefited from 
his dedicated service; and he will be sorely missed. Norman was 
successful in every endeavor, public or private; and we rightly 
celebrate his memory today. At this time I send my sincerest 
condolences to Rhoda and the entire Sisisky family.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), chairman of the Congressional 
Hispanic Caucus and valued member of the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Moran), my friend and colleague, for yielding me this time this 
afternoon.
  As we stand here this afternoon and pay tribute to a great American, 
I want us to reflect on what a great and good friend Norm Sisisky was 
to all of us. I cannot help but think that when we talk about America's 
greatest generation, we talk about people like Norm Sisisky.
  We talk about people that were not afraid to stand up for this 
country, were not afraid to stand up for the things that were important 
to all of us as Americans. I also think about Norm's wit and his humor, 
which could either cut one down or brighten one's day, depending on 
what his mood was and what was being discussed.
  I can remember one of the first things that I talked to Norm about, 
or he talked to me about, was early on in my first term when the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), another good friend and 
colleague who is present today, came in and got me to commit to the B-2 
bomber. Little did I know that it was a choice between the B-2 bomber 
and another aircraft carrier. Well, it was not too hard to determine 
what side Norm Sisisky was on, and he came to me and asked for support. 
I said, well, I am sorry, but I already committed to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Hunter). So he reminded me that there are things that 
we have to look at in balance, there are things that we have to do as 
Members of Congress that are important, and there are things and 
consequences if we do not support the United States Navy or certainly, 
if we support the Air Force at the expense of the United States Navy.
  That is the kind of colleague and friend that he was. He did not hold 
anything against you. He always was gentle in the way that only he 
could be in bringing you along as a new Member of Congress.
  I always enjoyed and felt reassured when I went into the hearing room 
and looked up on the top row and there was Norm Sisisky. There was an 
individual that one could go to for advice, one could go to for 
counsel, and the great institutional memory that he had about the 
things that are important as we sit as members of the Committee on 
Armed Services.
  We never know when our time is going to be up; and certainly for us, 
it is a great loss. It is a situation that we hope we never have to 
face, but we must face as Members of this body. I am haunted by a 
question that I was asked here on the floor by one of the young people 
in the Close Up Foundation who asked, do you ever have Members of 
Congress die in office? All too often we do. I am just in my third 
term, and we have stood in this House too many times paying tribute to 
our colleagues, too many times giving our condolences to their 
families; but that is what life is about. That is what Norm Sisisky was 
about. He was about doing the right thing. He was about being a good 
friend and certainly being a great American.
  We as a country, I think, can be proud to have the Norm Sisiskys. 
Certainly his wife and his four sons and his grandkids that I know he 
loved dearly, because he always talked about them, and we as a country 
have suffered a great loss, but the legacy of Norm Sisisky is a legacy 
of those that sit on that top row in the Committee on Armed Services 
that offer the advice and the counsel and the reassurance that things 
are going to be okay. I know we are going to be fine, but we are still 
going to have to come to terms with the realization that this is a 
great loss of a great American for our country.
  So I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I thank Norm 
Sisisky for his counsel, his friendship and, most of all, sharing his 
humor with us.

[[Page H1334]]

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter).
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this 
time.
  I want to remind the gentleman from Texas (Mr.  Reyes), my good 
friend, that while Norm Sisisky wanted you to go with that aircraft 
carrier and I wanted you to go with more B-2 bombers, that we launched 
the Ronald Reagan the other day, an aircraft carrier; but we have no B-
2 bomber that has been launched lately under the Ronald Reagan name or 
any others, so Norm was pretty effective in securing the interests of 
the United States Navy and American naval power.
  Mr. Speaker, I think one thing that Norm's passing does for us, for 
all of us, is to give us a sense of the value of our own service of 
this House. I think the value of our service is manifested in the 
people we serve with. Sometimes we do not appreciate our colleagues and 
sometimes we do. I feel good now about all the times that Norm and I 
would stand at the back and I would put my arm around him or he would 
put his arm around me and we would talk about national security and 
what was happening.
  Norm was, as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) just said, great 
counsel. He had this wonderful insight, he had a businessman's common 
sense, and he tempered it all with a lot of wit. I think one has to 
have a little sense of humor in this House of Representatives when 
working on these national issues. So we always looked forward to 
serving with Norm. When he would come in and take his seat there in the 
Committee on Armed Services and we were going to review a major issue, 
one could count on Norm Sisisky to give a lot of insight, shed some 
very valuable light on the subject, look at the subject very seriously, 
but at the same time maybe reflect a little humor, and there is a lot 
of humor out there to reflect on.
  Mr. Speaker, I used to reflect on the fact that Norm was probably the 
best dresser in Congress, and it always delighted him when I would tell 
the assembled group, wherever it was, that his tie cost more money than 
my pickup truck, and it did. In fact, Norm was very kind when he 
remarked on the fact that I had recently put a new tire on my $600 car. 
He was always very perceptive, and he saw I had a new tire on that a 
couple of months ago and he commented on that, and he made me feel very 
good about it.
  Norm was a guy who was so valuable to this country, because he had 
the purest of American motives, and that was the national interest, at 
heart and we knew that. So whether one was talking to the Secretary of 
the Navy or the President of the United States, and I saw him engage 
with him here just a few months ago, one knew that he was going to 
cover an important subject. As a member of the team, if it was the 
Committee on Armed Services, you knew that your team was covering all 
the bases, because Norm was out there making the points and collecting 
the information and analyzing and doing the right thing.
  So the question came to me, it just hit me when I heard about Norm's 
death today, where will we get that wisdom? It is true that we will 
not; we will no longer be able to avail ourselves of that great wisdom 
and that great insight in making these judgments that are important to 
the country; and that is a real tragedy.
  Mr. Speaker, I think Norm would like us to go on and to remember that 
when we have a few harsh words for each other, which we sometimes have, 
and when our interests diverge; when it is necessary for us to get 
political, which at times we do, if we can just leaven all of that with 
a little smile and a little sense of humor, then we will be able to 
reengage and go forward and work for the national interest.
  Mr. Speaker, when I think of Norm Sisisky, I think of the national 
interest.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Condit), who has been a former Chair of 
the Blue Dogs of which Mr. Sisisky was a proud member.
  Mr. CONDIT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to stand to pay respect to Norm 
Sisisky and associate myself with the remarks of these colleagues up 
here today, many of them who have known him longer than I have. My 
affection for Norm Sisisky is that he was a man from the old school who 
believed in the strong values of this country. He believed in service 
and duty, and he respected service and duty. He loved this institution, 
he loved the House, and he loved the Members that serve here.
  The best thing about Norm Sisisky for me was his sense of humor. Even 
though he was a very serious man, had serious thoughts and made serious 
dedications to public policy here in this institution, he understood 
that old saying that if you take yourself too serious, no one else will 
take you serious. So he always, I think, put a little bit of humor and 
wit in about everything we did. When we had meetings, he was the guy 
that would always break the ice. I do not care if it was a high-level 
meeting, sometimes his irreverent attitude would break the ice, cut 
through, and we would be much better and the meeting would be much more 
productive because of that.
  So I am going to miss Norm because of that, because he was fun to be 
around. I enjoyed his company. He was a precious, dear person. And he 
would always, when he first met you, you would think he was going to be 
this gruff, tough, rough guy; and all of us in the House understood 
that we let him think that we thought that he was the rough, tough, 
gruff guy; but we knew inside he was a class gentleman. He was a 
precious, dear person that cared and had compassion for all people. I 
will miss that. I will miss him dearly. Every time that I go back to 
that seventh row, first seat back there, I will always think of Norm 
Sisisky. We could find him there frequently.
  So I want to take this opportunity to give my condolences to his 
family and just let them know, I am sure they already know this, but 
some of us they do not know, but he spoke of his family to all of us 
frequently. We know about his children; we know about his wife and his 
grandchildren. He loved them dearly. I am just honored that I had the 
opportunity to serve with Norm and consider him one of my friends.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wolf) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) for 
making it possible for us to speak.
  I was stunned and saddened earlier this afternoon when I learned 
about Norm's passing. He was a good friend. We do not have assigned 
seats here in the House, but I think everybody in the House knows that 
Norm Sisisky sat in the second seat from the back on the aisle. Every 
time we had a series of votes, we would come here and find Norm right 
there. He was a true and true Democrat, but he never hesitated to reach 
right across that aisle and work with Republicans on not only national 
defense issues, but issues of all kinds. He was a man of conscience, 
and I enjoyed working with him on many things and, above all, he was a 
straight shooter. You could know exactly where you stood with Norm 
Sisisky right from the start. He would tell you, and if he said he was 
with you, he was going to stick with you and if he was not with you, he 
would tell you that right at the outset.
  Norm was very, very proud of his family, his children and his 
grandchildren; and he talked of them very often. He loved life. He 
enjoyed every day and had a wonderful sense of humor, as the gentleman 
from California just indicated, and was somebody that I enjoyed 
stopping by the second seat from the rear back there and talking to 
Norm on many, many days.
  I am going to miss him deeply. I give my deepest sympathy to his 
family, to his constituents. We have lost truly a great American and 
someone who will be very hard to replace.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), a member of the leadership team and 
a member of the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, this is one of those moments in life where 
I find myself full of feelings and emotions, and yet at a lack of words 
to explain how I and we all feel about the loss of Norm Sisisky, our 
dear friend. Just yesterday I sent Norm a note in which I said, ``I 
hope and pray you will

[[Page H1335]]

be back soon, because I miss not being able to kid around with my 
friend on the floor.''
  As has been said by so many here, Norm Sisisky was a person who took 
the serious business of this Congress seriously, but yet always did so 
in good humor, without taking himself too seriously.
  In a body where sometimes we do too many times take ourselves and our 
own actions seriously, it was so refreshing to have someone such as 
Norm Sisisky, who did have so much power and influence and respect in 
this body, yet handle his business within the proper perspective.
  I will miss Norm Sisisky, my friend. I think America will miss the 
public servant Norm Sisisky. While he will not be with us here 
physically in this body, I can say that having served with him for 6 
years on the Committee on Armed Services, my children and America's 
children live in a safer world today because of his contributions, and 
our grandchildren will live in a safer and better world tomorrow 
because of Norm Sisisky's contributions.
  It has been said that when we leave this world, we leave all behind 
that we have, but we carry with us all we have given. By that standard 
Norm Sisisky had much to carry with him in his death, because he gave 
so much to each of us who were blessed to know him, and to so many 
Americans who would never know him by name, but who will surely, as we 
are here today, benefit from his public service.
  To the Sisisky family I extend my prayers, thoughts, and deep 
gratitude for the sacrifices of not only Norm, but his entire family in 
the many years of public service.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood).
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the past 2\1/2\ 
years I have had the privilege of serving on the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence.
  Someone mentioned that Norm sat in the back row on the Committee on 
Armed Services. He sat in the back row next to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Condit) on the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence, and he was an extraordinarily knowledgeable individual, 
contributed so much to the Intelligence Community, and was so well 
respected by all of the people in the Intelligence Community, whether 
it was the CIA Director or the folks from the Intelligence Community at 
the Department of Defense. He was, if not the most respected, one of 
the most respected people on that committee.
  It is kind of ironic that we stand here today to honor Norm, and a 
few months ago we honored another member of that committee, our friend 
Julian Dixon from California, both outstanding individuals.
  We do not really get to know somebody like Norm until one serves on a 
committee with him and really understands his depth of knowledge, his 
intelligence, and his humor.
  When I think of Norm, I think of two things: probably the most 
dapperly-dressed Member of this House, Norm was a dapper fellow; and 
someone who really cared about the institution, cared about the 
committees that he served on, particularly the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence; and somebody who is just a decent fellow and 
probably, more than anything else, a true Southern gentleman in the 
truest sense of the word, with respect for everyone on both sides, 
respect for the job, a high degree of integrity.
  He will be missed greatly on both sides of the aisle for so much he 
has contributed to the people of his district, to the State, to the 
country, and to so many other things he was involved in.
  So to the gentlemen from Virginia, Mr. Wolf and Mr. Moran, I thank 
them for devoting this time to a wonderful Member of this institution.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the minority 
leader of the House.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
yielding to me, and I rise today on behalf of all Members to give our 
prayers and sympathy and love to Norm Sisisky's family; to say to his 
constituents and all of his friends that we grieve together in his 
passing.
  It was a shock today to learn of his death. It was unexpected. It 
came as a bolt out of the blue this morning. It hurts all of us. We are 
all diminished by his loss. He was a wonderful Member of this House, a 
wonderful representative of his people in Virginia.
  I think the thing that I most remember about him is when I would come 
through this door that he always sat by, he was always happy. He was 
always upbeat. He was always funny. He always had a wonderful way of 
putting things that made fun of or light of, in a way, what was serious 
on the floor here in the right way.
  He used to kid himself in front of others about the fact that he came 
from some wealth, but that he voted against his own interests, and that 
his family would be mad at him because he did that.
  He had a love of life and a love of public service that I will never 
forget. He was a real patriot. He loved this country, and he wanted our 
country to do better. He wanted us to prosper. He wanted our people to 
be secure.
  He cared a lot about national defense. He cared a lot about our 
ability to have a strong defense and to have a strong intelligence 
effort. He asked me to be on the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence, and I worked to get him there. He enjoyed his days there. 
He did a wonderful job there. He added a lot to that effort.
  He was always bipartisan. I never heard him say a harsh word of 
anyone on either side of the aisle. He loved the House. He loved the 
fact that we decide things here on behalf of 250 million-plus people, 
and he was humble. He never saw himself as being better than anybody 
else anywhere in the country, anywhere in the world.
  He was a son of Virginia, and he was a son of God. He believed in 
helping the people that he was sent here to help. Even though he was 
elected to the Congress, and he had greater personal wealth than 
probably most people in the country, he always remembered the people 
that had it tough and were poor and had a hard way to go.
  We are going to miss Norm Sisisky. We grieve with his family, and we 
pray for their comfort and understanding at this time of great sorrow. 
We include every Member of this body in grieving the passing of a great 
American patriot.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss).
  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time 
to me.
  Mr. Speaker, like all my colleagues, I am just saddened and shocked 
by the news of the death of my good friend Norm Sisisky who was one of 
the folks who was kind of like the glue that helped hold this place 
together.
  The minority leader is exactly right, there was not a partisan bone 
in Norm Sisisky's body. I had the pleasure of serving on the Committee 
on Armed Services with him, and for a short time on the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence. Nobody cared about the men and women 
in every branch of the service as much as Norm Sisisky.
  We were just in a hearing on the MWR panel down there, which Norm and 
I served on for 6\1/2\ years together. One of the Air Force generals 
was telling a story about Norm that is just so typical of him, in which 
he gave up some of his time during a break where he should have been 
devoting himself to his family, and he devoted himself to helping some 
young men and women in the United States Air Force. It just was so 
typical of Norm because he loved every branch of the service, and just 
stood for what is right about America.
  Norm Sisisky stood out in this body as a man whose integrity and 
honesty was unparalleled. He was just a great gentleman in every 
respect, and I see my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Condit), sitting over there from California. It is really going to be 
strange, I say to the gentleman from California, when I come in and I 
do not see Norm sitting back there with you and the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) and the other folks, and I do not hear that 
craggy old voice giving me the devil about something, like he did every 
time I walked in.
  But we are just thankful for the time we were able to serve with 
Norm, and to his family we certainly extend our

[[Page H1336]]

heartfelt sympathy. Our prayers and thoughts will continue to be with 
them.
  He was a great American, he was a great friend, a great Member of 
this body. He will truly be missed.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time 
as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), 
the ranking member of the Committee on the Budget, a man for whom Mr. 
Sisisky had great respect, not only for the breadth and depth of 
knowledge on national security affairs, but his own personal integrity.
  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, Norm and I came here together in 1983, and we sat beside 
each other for 18 years on the Committee on Armed Services and on 
several of its subcommittees.
  He was tough-minded, tough-talking. When he asked questions, there 
were no punches pulled. Any witness who came before our committee with 
Norm on the top row had better be on his toes.
  But at the same time, he was, as everyone who has spoken here today 
has said, gracious, generous, thoughtful, a gentleman to his very core. 
He was always the first to see the humor in everything, always ready 
with a quip, his ready wit.
  He came here rather late in life for a freshman Member of Congress. 
He stayed. I do not think he ever thought he would be here for 18 years 
when I first met him in 1983, but he stayed because he loved it.
  Not only that, Norm knew just what we have testified to here today, 
he knew he made a difference. He made a difference in this institution, 
he made a difference in the Armed Forces of the United States, he made 
a difference in this country.
  He took great satisfaction in serving his country. He had great 
wealth, but I do not think it gave him nearly the pleasure that he got 
from serving here in the House of Representatives for 18 long years. He 
was well into his seventies, and despite a bout with colon cancer, 
despite his advancing age, he was in the saddle riding herd literally 
every day, tireless. He never quit. He virtually died with his boots 
on, which I am sure is the way Norm would have wanted to go.
  Sitting beside him all these years, I was privy to his commentaries. 
When witnesses were testifying, we would get a subtext from Norm 
Sisisky. He would provide a commentary: where the witness was coming 
from, where the question was coming from. I used to listen to the 
witness with one ear and to Norm with the other ear, and marvel at what 
he knew.
  He understood the big picture. He understood the institutional 
aspects. He understood the Pentagon, with the four military 
departments, but he also understood the nitty-gritty, because he was 
out in the field, both in his district, down in Norfolk, and Hampton 
Roads and Fort Monroe, out in the country and traveling all the time, 
and learning as he traveled.
  This was not a pleasure trip for him. What he acquired from all of 
that was just enormous. We have lost a treasure-load of institutional 
memory with the passage of Norm Sisisky.
  The House will go on without Norm, but it will not be quite the same 
without him. Certainly the top row on the Committee on Armed Services 
will not be quite the same. The questions will not be quite as hard, 
the inquiry will not be quite as searching, and the glue that hold us 
together, builds coalitions across the aisles on different issues, will 
not be quite as binding without Norm there putting the deals together.
  It was my pleasure for all these years to know him as a friend. It 
was my privilege to serve with him as a colleague. My only regret is 
that I did not have a chance to say good-bye.
  But my heart goes out to all his family, whom he talked about, whom 
he loved dearly and spoke of often. If it is any consolation to them, I 
hope they will know that a little of Norm lives in all of us who served 
with him, who admired and loved him, who emulated him, and will still 
continue to emulate him as what I consider a model Member of Congress.

                              {time}  1545

  They should know and the whole country should know that he served 
here and made this great institution of the Republic the kind of 
institution the framers intended for it to be. He was a great American, 
a great patriot, and we will all miss him dearly.
  Mr. WOLF Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Wolf) for yielding the time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not want to speak but for a few minutes here, 
because I did not know Norm Sisisky nearly as long as or nearly as well 
as so many Members that the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) 
just talked about that, that long relationship from day 1 with Norm 
Sisisky. But it was so much of the Norm Sisisky that I have gotten to 
know in the last 4 years, seeing him sit back there with the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Condit) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Skelton), my good friend.
  I just had an opportunity less than a month ago to be on half a dozen 
military bases with Norm Sisisky over several days and several days 
where his health never came up. He was out there with the young men and 
young women who put their lives on the line, who give of themselves, to 
our country, as everybody probably in this Chamber has seen him do it 
one time or another responded in a beaming sort of way when those young 
sailors, those young airmen and women, young service people of all 
kinds would come to him at a breakfast or a dinner, he knew already 
many of the concerns they would have, because he was working on trying 
to solve those problems.
  He was a person who saw humor in life, and humor is one of the things 
that keeps this place going. In fact, whenever we fail to be able to 
see the human folly of some of the things that we all are a part of, we 
fail to enjoy life like Norm enjoyed life.
  I know on sitting with him on the airplane and the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Goss), my good friend, who is Chairman on the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence, he was with us on that trip, but 
sitting with Norm on the airplane, he was telling me of a recent visit 
to one of the military installations in his district.
  He said as he was walking through, he saw somebody and they said we 
knew you were coming today, we saw the message from the top brass 
yesterday, and the message was ``daddy's coming.'' And he saw himself 
in that role for the young men and young women that defend our country.
  And so for the rest of that trip after he told me the story, I would 
say daddy, it is time to go. Daddy it is time to do whatever it was 
time to do next. But he had that love for people, and there is a big 
bearlike reaching out to others.
  He loved the service in this body. He clearly was up for every moment 
of it. Again, just literally less than 4 weeks ago was in a period of 
about 4 days and 6 far-flung military installations checking to be sure 
that the people who are defending our country were getting what they 
needed and if they were not, get what they needed, trying to figure out 
how he could help get it for them.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have served with him. I am honored to 
get to be here on the floor today as his good friends recognize the 
service of a great American, of a great patriot, of somebody who really 
was in so many ways the epitome of what can happen in this country.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), a member of the Committee on Armed 
Services, another friend of Mr. Sisisky's.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Moran) for yielding the time to me allowing me this 
opportunity to speak.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to take this opportunity to express my 
condolences to the family and to the children. I want to share with you 
that I had the opportunity for the last 4 years on the Committee on 
Armed Services to have met Norm Sisisky.
  When I first came, one of the first difficulties that I had, I had 
lost a base in San Antonio, and I knew that he was very strong, very 
supportive of depot, and I had the opportunity to make some comments. I 
thought that I was going to have some problems with him,

[[Page H1337]]

because I knew that he felt very strongly on the other side. But I 
quickly found that he was a gentle man, very respectful, despite the 
fact that we disagreed on that one issue.
  He recognized my situation and understood where I was coming from. I 
wanted to come today to say thanks to the family having allowed him to 
serve not only the State of Virginia and his constituency, but the 
Nation. He is an individual that was there for our troops, was there 
for our Nation, and I know that he has had a tremendous impact.
  I just want to quickly just indicate, there is a poem by Robert Frost 
that says, ``Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less 
travelled by, and that has made all the difference.'' There is no doubt 
that Norm has taken that road less traveled by and has made all the 
difference for all of us.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss).
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) 
for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I will stand here and say it has been a very tough year 
for the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. This is the second 
Member we have lost, as well as a staffer in the past year. Obviously, 
I am devastated again to lose such a valuable Member as Norm.
  To say, as others have said before me, I was watching the monitors as 
I was coming from another meeting, members of my committee, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) I heard say that Norm was the one 
who asked the tough questions. It is true. Norm did ask the tough 
questions, but he asked them in such a pleasant way, and no matter how 
well I knew the subject of a hearing in the Permanent Select Committee 
on Intelligence, he would inevitably surprise me with some question 
that had not been scripted, that nobody had thought of, right out of 
the wild blue yonder caught everybody off guard and that was just his 
hallmark and his style.
  You always had to laugh. I always looked forward when it was time to 
yield to Norm for his questions. I am going to miss that.
  It is true that Norm was an inveterate traveller, did so much 
business looking after our troops, our equipment, our state of 
readiness, what was going on around the world. He really cared about 
the men and women. I do not know how old Norm was, I suspect a little 
older than I am, and I know that I find that the early mornings seemed 
pretty early and the late evenings seemed pretty late, but he was 
always there to come down in the morning for that breakfast with the 
troops or the group, whoever was there that we were meeting, he was 
always there ahead of me. It seems like he was always getting more 
mileage out of the evening than I was too towards the end of the day.
  I asked Norm to take a number of side trips with me on committee 
business, and he was always game. I got him in some mighty small planes 
in some mighty uncomfortable places in the course of some of those 
trips. I never heard him complain. He was always game for the next one 
when we went out, and he sure did his job extremely well.
  To Rhoda and the family, Mariel and I will send our deepest 
condolences and our sympathy. We know you are going to miss him 
terribly as well all his friends here. The next time I get on that 
plane and look in Norm's seat, I know that I am going to have the same 
feelings I have now. It is not fair somehow, but it is what we have to 
deal with.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), another friend of Mr. Sisisky's, 
specifically a leader of the Blue Dog Coalition and generally a leader 
of the House as well.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I join with all of my colleagues in expressing our 
sincere regret at the passing of Norm. I never had an opportunity to 
serve with him on a committee, but I enjoyed the replay of many of the 
committee sessions on the Committee on National Security and hearing 
what had gone on and the tremendous role that Norm played.
  One thing I never heard was anything that came from the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence. He respected that committee a great 
deal and respected the precedents of that committee. I never sat with 
him on a committee, but I sat with him on ``redneck row'' in this House 
and enjoyed many of his comments as I would sit and listen to his 
commentary of going on with what various Members of this body do and 
say on this floor, including myself.
  There is no greater criticism that can come, and then come from the 
heart of Norm Sisisky, and you take it that way. I always appreciated 
his concern of the Virginia peanut farmers. He always was asking me as 
a member of the Committee on Agriculture, Are we taking care of my 
peanut farmers. He had a deep-seated interest in his constituency. He 
was truly a Member's Member.
  There are few of us that can reach the standard that Norm did in 
bringing a true love for this institution and a true love for the armed 
services of this country. I know that words cannot truly express our 
feelings about Norm today.
  We will miss him. This body will miss him, but this Member, too. As 
so many others have said, our hearts and prayers go out to the family 
of Norm and say we appreciate you sharing him with us. The 16 years 
that I have had the privilege of knowing and working with him, he has 
made my life richer for it, and he has made this body richer for it. 
And we truly, Norm, will miss you.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  We know there will be a great many Members at services for Norm, and 
his spirit will live on in this Chamber as well as all the great 
accomplishments he achieved for his constituents, for the Commonwealth 
of Virginia and for the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of the time.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing I want to thank all the Members for coming, 
and every word that was said today was accurate. I listened to every 
word, every word, from where Norm sat, to his sense of humor, to his 
character, to the comment about being a Member's Member, to the comment 
with regard to bipartisanship, every word, I can attest and I know that 
Members that are listening here, and every word that was said today was 
accurate.
  Norm made a great difference, and he will be missed.
  Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today 
to honor my friend and colleague, Norman Sisisky, who served the 
Commonwealth of Virginia and our nation with distinction in the House 
of Representatives for the last 18 years of his life.
  Norman's devotion to his country began right after graduation from 
high school. He enlisted in the Navy and served during World War II. 
After his release from active duty in 1946, he returned to his home in 
Richmond and entered what is known today as Virginia Commonwealth 
University. He graduated in 1949 with a B.S. degree in Business 
Administration.
  All of Norman's House colleagues were well aware of his reputation as 
a businessman. He transformed a small Pepsi bottling company in 
Petersburg into a successful distributorship of soft drinks throughout 
southern Virginia. I know there are countless witnesses who have 
appeared before subcommittees and committees on which Norman sat that 
squirmed in their seats as they faced his probing questions concerning 
what struck him as the antiquated methods by which the Department of 
Defense acquired its equipment, services, and construction projects.
  In 1973, Norman was first elected to public office, representing 
Petersburg as a Delegate in the Virginia General Assembly. He served 
five terms in the General Assembly before being elected to Congress in 
1982. He was currently serving in his 10th consecutive term in the 
House.
  A senior Member of the Armed Services Committee, Norman was Chairman 
of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee in the 103rd Congress. 
He was the ranking Democrat on the Procurement Subcommittee in the 
current Congress, as well as a member of the Readiness Subcommittee and 
the Panel on Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. He was also one of the 
Armed Services Committee's ``crossover'' members to the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence.
  Norman was a valued member of the Armed Services Committee whose 
commitment to the security of this country was second-to-none--
Republican or Democrat. He

[[Page H1338]]

was also a proud member of the informal ``Blue Dog'' Coalition and one 
of its tireless advocates of increased defense spending--especially for 
aircraft carriers! I remember vividly Norm's handing out ``Your Name 
Here . . . CVN 76'' hats in an effort to get that carrier fully funded 
on schedule. I think he was as pleased as I when it was recently 
christened the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan!
  I traveled abroad with Norman on several occasions, and I greatly 
enjoyed his friendship. He was an exceptional politician and a 
patriotic American. Not only shall I miss his wise counsel but also his 
sense of humor. I am thankful to have known and worked alongside him 
for the past 18 years.
  I extend my deepest sympathy to his wife, Rhoda, his four sons, and 
their families.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in expressing our 
deep sense of loss on the passing of our beloved colleague, the 
gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Sisisky.
  Norm has served in this body for nearly 20 years, and beyond any 
doubt is one of those Members whose presence made a true difference. 
Norm was a ``gentleman's gentleman'', who earned the respect of all of 
us on both sides of the aisle.
  Norm, prior to his Congressional career, was a soft drink and beer 
distributor. From that experience, he was able to share with all of us 
what it means to be a small business entrepreneur during the latter 
part of the 20th century. He shared with us the trials and tribulations 
of the American small business owner, his sincere belief that the 
bureaucracy was stifling free enterprise and initiative, and his 
contention that it was our responsibility to cut through red tape and 
other burdens upon the average taxpayer. Norm was a natural fit on the 
Committee on Small Business, and served with great distinction on that 
body for many years.
  Norm Sisisky, as a Navy veteran, was also proud of his service on the 
Armed Services Committee, and was a font of knowledge and experience on 
that Committee. He was devoted to assuring our Nation's strong defense.
  We extend our deepest condolences to his devoted wife, Rhoda, their 
four sons, Mark, Terry, Richard and Stuart, and most especially to the 
people of Virginia's 4th Congressional District, whose loss of a superb 
representative is shared by all of us as a loss to our nation.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________