Congressional Record, Volume 147 Issue 114 (Wednesday, September 5, 2001)

[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 5, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H5367-H5372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE REGARDING DEATH OF THE HONORABLE FLOYD
SPENCE FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

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

H. Res. 234

Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of
the death of the Honorable Floyd Spence, a Representative
from the State of South Carolina.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these solutions to the
Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the
deceases.
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. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) for 1 hour.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield 30 minutes
to my colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from South Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, while we were on recess, Floyd Spence, a native South
Carolinian, a friend of us all, and a Member of excellent standing
passed away.
Floyd was a star athlete, a student leader, a naval officer in Korea,
a State legislator, and a pioneer Republican in a State that, at the
time, was thoroughly Democratic.
For 30 long, dedicated years he served here proudly, with total
loyalty to this grand old institution of the Republic and to the Armed
Forces of the United States, whom he effectively represented on the
Committee on Armed Services for all of that time, 6 of them as a very
able chairman of the committee.
Many Members overcome obstructions or hurdles or suffer hardships to
serve here. Few of us endure what Floyd Spence endured, a double lung
transplant. At the time, he was one of the few in America ever to
survive such a procedure. I can recall his recounting how after the
operation every movement of his body was excruciatingly painful. Yet,
even though he had reason, I never heard him complain. I never heard
him express anxiety about his condition. I never heard him boast.
I often heard him stand before groups, particularly from South
Carolina, and tell them, ``I am glad to be here.'' He would pause a
minute and say, ``Heck, I am glad to be anywhere.'' It was that kind of
understated humor, that kind of affability, that kind of civility, that
made him the gentleman from South Carolina on this floor, in the
committee, not just in name but in the truest sense of the word. He
left us all a worthy example to emulate, personally and professionally.
To his family, to his four proud sons, to Debbie, his wife, we extend
our heartfelt sorrow. We will miss Floyd too, but rest assured, we will
always, always, remember him, and never forget his courage, his spirit,
and the sterling example he left us of what it means to serve in this
great institution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Ortiz).
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of knowing Floyd Spence
for about 20 years. He was my good friend.
Just like my good friend, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Spratt), says, he had a great sense of humor. I can remember when one
day he said, You know, I have more spare parts than a used car dealer.
He was a great gentleman. I loved him. My family loved him, and
Debbie, who nourished him when he had the double lung transplant. When
we would see Floyd, as the gentleman said, we would ask, ``You have a
new suit?'' And he would say, ``No, it is secondhand used.'' This was
the kind of guy he was. We loved him.
To Debbie and his sons: We are going to miss this great American.
Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues, I rise with a heavy heart today as
we pay tribute to a friend, a colleague, and a stalwart for our
nation's armed services and the country. Floyd Spence and I were
friends for as long as I have been in Congress.
In addition to his zeal and dedication on behalf of his constituents
in his beloved South Carolina, I admired his outlook on life.
Floyd was determined to squeeze every drop of life he could from his
time on this earth--and he succeeded.
From the double lung transplant to the kidney transplant, Floyd said
he had more spare parts than a used car dealer. What was amazing was
that he survived all this for so long. He had an amazing ability to
recover from deadly afflictions.
He was supremely dedicated to his duty to South Carolina, to our
armed services, and to the United States of America. I know this
because I traveled with Floyd to places on every part of this planet to
inspect our military bases. Wherever we went, he insisted we talk to
enlisted men, not just the generals.
Our nation has lost a great hero. I have lost my friend, mi amigo.
I offer Debbie and his children--David, Zack, Benjamin and Caldwell--
my deepest condolences for their loss.
Floyd loved his family so very much. It was Debbie, when Floyd had
the double lung transplant and was at his lowest, who gave him the
support and encouragement he needed, and nursed him back to health.
Floyd had a stubborn resolution to live, to enjoy life. He knew his
time was one day at a time--he told me that each day was extra icing on
the cake of his life. The antirejection medicine he took greatly
diminished his ability to ward off simple infections.
I will miss that giant of a man with a laugh he was quick to share.
The camaraderie often noted as now missing in the House of
Representatives had led our critics, and ourselves, leads people to say
that we lack either bi-partisanship or simple human trust.
But because of my friendships with so many of my Republican
colleagues, most notably my friend Floyd Spence, I know the trust we
engender here is real and it works on behalf of the American people.
We may disagree on the issues of the day, but we are united in our
belief that close bi-partisan relationships serve all of us and the
American people we represent.
I will miss you, Floyd. I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for
speeding our consideration of this resolution today.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Stump), chairman of the Committee on Armed Services.

[[Page H5368]]

Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to
me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution recognizing the
tragic and untimely death of our friend, colleague, and former chairman
of the Committee on Armed Services, Floyd Spence. He was a patriot,
most of all a gentleman, and one of Congress' most ardent supporters
and tireless advocates for our Nation's military.
During his long and distinguished career in the military and then
public service, Floyd devoted his life to the belief that there are
certain principles worth defending: freedom, democracy, and the promise
of global stability achieved through a policy of peace through
strength.
As chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, Floyd led our
committee and this country through many tough times. It was largely due
to his efforts that we were able to reverse the trend of the decline in
spending for our military.
Floyd leaves behind a proud legacy of accomplishment and service to
our Nation and to the Armed Forces to which every public servant should
aspire. It was a privilege to serve with him. I will miss him as a
leader, a colleague, and most of all, a friend.
It is only fitting that we send Floyd off with a traditional Navy
farewell wish: fair winds and following seas.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), a ranking member of the Committee on Armed
Services.
Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina
for yielding time to me.
Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a true southern gentleman, a good
friend, a dedicated Congressman, and a champion of a strong national
defense. I had the privilege and pleasure of serving with him on the
Committee on Armed Services during his chairmanship, and I found that
he always worked for the betterment of our men and women in uniform and
for our national security. I will miss him. I will miss him very much.
Almost a year ago, an overflow crowd gathered in the Committee on
Armed Services hearing room for the unveiling of Floyd's portrait as
chairman of the committee. Often we do not have the chance to let
friends know how we feel about them before they are gone, so I am very
grateful that we had that evening together to enjoy Floyd's company,
and to let him know personally how much he meant to us.
Floyd Spence began serving this country as an active duty member of
the United States Navy Reserve during the Korean conflict. That service
continued until the end of his life.
Our former chairman understood that our Nation needs a strong
national defense, and he worked tirelessly with Members on both sides
of the aisle to strengthen our Armed Forces and to take care of the men
and women in uniform and their families. No one spoke out more
forcefully on the need to maintain readiness.
On rare occasions we disagreed, but never disagreeably. Our
relationship was one of mutual respect based upon values which we both
learned in small towns named Lexington, one in South Carolina and one
in Missouri.
During the years Floyd Spence served on the Committee on Armed
Services, he blessed us with his leadership, honored us with his
friendship, and inspired us with his courage. Floyd Spence was
courteous, he was thoughtful, he was respectful of others. It was a
pleasure for me to serve in Congress with this decent, fair, and
honorable man. We are all the richer for his years of dedicated service
to the Committee on Armed Services, the Congress of the United States,
the people of South Carolina, and our Nation.
I extend my deepest sympathy to his wife, Debbie, to his four sons,
and to his entire family.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), a true American hero and a former POW.
Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding time to me.
Tonight I rise to pay tribute to a great American. Everybody has said
it, he was, and he was also a true patriot, my friend, Floyd Spence.
Floyd and I first became friends when I came to the Congress in 1991.
As a career Air Force fighter pilot for 29 years, I felt inclined to
keep abreast of issues of importance to our national security and Armed
Forces. Knowing my passion for the military, Floyd went out of his way
to update me early and often, even though I had not served on his
committee.
In fact, because I was a POW in Vietnam and also a veteran of the
Korean War, Floyd turned to me in confidence regarding issues before
his committees, the Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Committee on
Armed Services, and he found it important to hear an outside
perspective.
He was a true conservative. He did support our American military and
our American way of life in all that he did. Floyd was a true friend
and a faithful leader for our men and women in the Armed Forces, and he
always put our services' interest first and foremost.
Mr. Speaker, just this year Floyd traveled with us to the Paris air
show, where he looked there at foreign airplanes and ours in
demonstration, and how proud he was of our own Armed Forces when they
were out there performing before the world. It was a reflection that
just made me admire him all the more.

{time} 1900

In reflection, I am sad that I can no longer turn to my friend Floyd
on the floor. His family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers. I
know he is in a better place. Floyd Spence was and is a great American.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the
Committee on the Budget and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Spratt) for yielding me time as we join tonight in true bipartisan
fashion to remember and pay tribute to our great and good friend, Floyd
Spence.
The gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) outlined the resume of
accomplishments of our friend Floyd, the fact that he was a star
athlete at the University of South Carolina. Now that football season
has started, I think of his beloved Gamecocks that have had great
success last year and promise in this season. He was captain of the
track team, one who served this country with distinction as an officer
in the Navy. The gentleman from South Carolina is right: he set the
pace for a Republican birth really in the 20th century in South
Carolina in 1962.
He came to this institution 3 decades ago. Mr. Speaker, I think of
the lives he has touched, the difference he made for this Nation, not
with grand and glorious orations, but with simple acts of kindness and
repeated instances of a healthy dose of common sense.
He understood that our Constitution clearly calls for this Nation and
this Government to provide for the common defense. He made no bones
about his feelings and his priority for national security. And through
it all in his days here he showed us the gift of being able to disagree
without being disagreeable. Mr. Speaker, no Member of this House is as
beloved as our friend Floyd.
We thank him for his service. We thank his family and the State of
South Carolina for giving us in this House a remarkable public servant.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah
(Mr. Hansen).
(Mr. HANSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I walked in this place in 1980, and I was
asked to sit on the Committee on Ethics. Nobody wants to serve on the
Committee on Ethics, but the ranking member of the Committee on Ethics
happened to be Floyd Spence. Floyd served there for years and years and
years.
We had a horrible case right off the bat. It was called the sex
scandal with pages made up by CBS and one of their reporters. Floyd
handled that with more dignity than I have ever seen anyone handle
anything. He was the ranking member, and he served longer on that
committee than anybody in this House.
I hate to admit it, but I matched it at 14 years when I was on the
Committee on Ethics. He did that with great distinction. I remember
when we used to watch Floyd come across in a wheelchair with his girl
Carolyn pulling him across there with the oxygen. He heard of a doctor
down in Mississippi who could do a double lung

[[Page H5369]]

transplant, a doctor from India. He did this with a young boy who was
killed on a motorcycle. He became very close to the family. He called
the mother Mom. She used to come up here. They were very close. That is
what we would expected from a man like Floyd Spence, a man who was a
Navy captain himself, who had more compassion for people than most I
have ever seen in my life. I stand amazed at the compassion he had and
point out what a gentleman he was. It is too bad there are not more
southern gentleman left in America today, a person who always opened
the door for somebody, a person who took somebody for what they were
and not what they could give them. This is the kind of person that
Floyd Spence was.
I have to say that the people who wear the uniform today, if you are
watching this today and you are a private or a general, you owe an
awful lot to Floyd Spence. I do not know a man among this bunch of 435
of us who looked out more for the military. He used to say, I make no
bones about it. I will take care of our military boys, our enlisted
kids, our officers; and we will have the best we can.
He left a legacy for all of us. I appreciate Floyd Spence. To his
wife, Debbie, and his family, we wish them the very best.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a good, a valued, and
valuable Member of this House. He will be missed greatly. I want his
family to know and all of his friends and constituents what a
tremendous contribution he has made to the country. The gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Hansen) just outlined in brief form the contributions he made
to our armed services.
Floyd Spence was a living, breathing, walking miracle and he knew it.
It affected his life, and it affected all of us who knew Floyd.
I had a friendship with him my entire 23 years here. He began service
earlier than that. We shared a passion for planting trees on our
respective acreage in South Carolina and Nebraska. We are members of
the same religious denomination. We talked about religion and its
importance to us many times. Mostly, I knew Floyd Spence because of his
involvement with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, formerly known as the
North Atlantic Assembly. I chair that delegation and have since 1995.
Floyd, much senior to me, was a very valuable member of that
delegation. All of us on that delegation, Republicans, Democrats and
our spouses and staff, miss the tremendous contributions that he has
made. We miss them already.
He was a member of the Defense and Security Committee of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly and, of course, as a chairman and then former
chairman of our House Committee on Armed Services, his word was greatly
respected and sought after in that assembly. Floyd did not speak often;
but when he did, people listened. At our last meeting he was an
important contributor on a discussion about national missile defense.
Regardless of how one feels about that subject, he made us proud that
he was a Member of the House of Representatives.
So to Debbie and their four sons, whom he talked about all the time,
and their families, we offer our most sincere condolences. Floyd made a
major contribution to this country. We thank him, we thank you, his
family, for sharing his talent and his courageous character with this
House.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Hunter), one of Floyd's closest friends.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I recall when a number of us went down a few
days ago to the memorial service in South Carolina, I thought one of
the great parts of the eulogy when Floyd's doctor who did the double
lung transplant read the nurses' notes that were transcribed the day
that Floyd got married, shortly after the operation. He read the
nurses' notes saying, ``It appears now people are filing into the
hospital room for a marriage.'' She seemed to be somewhat surprised by
that, and later on it said in fact the marriage ceremony had taken
place; and she concluded, ``The patient has tolerated the marriage well
so far.''
I thought that was a great remark and reflection on Floyd Spence's
life because Floyd Spence tolerated a lot of things well. He tolerated
discord and disharmony and tough times and times when it seemed like
all of political opinion was going against you very well. But he was a
man of steel. It has been mentioned he was a man of great civility. He
also had literally an absolute iron backbone. I can remember watching
Floyd Spence tell a Speaker of the House in no uncertain terms no,
something that is pretty difficult to do.
I recall his days talking to Strom Thurmond back in the early 1960s,
and he said, I think I am going to change parties and become a
Republican. Strom Thurmond said, I do not think the district is ready
for that. The district was not ready for it. I think he lost his first
election but later on was sent to a seat in the House of
Representatives. He talked about that day, and whether you are a
Democrat or a Republican you have to admire the absolute iron will of
this guy who walked down the streets of his hometown having changed
parties in a State that still remembered the War between the States,
and where lots of folks had lots of ancestors who lost parts of their
bodies in the Civil War and lost lots of other things and was still a
place where there was feelings about that war and about Mr. Lincoln's
armies.
Floyd Spence walked down the streets of his hometown and had people,
friends and neighbors, who had known him for years turn their backs on
him. I recall he said he walked into the post office and an old friend
who had been with him for years walked up to him, turned his back up to
him deliberately and said, I used to have a great friend but now he is
dead, and walked away.
I thought, what a remarkable resolution and resolve and strength this
guy had to have to do that at a time when it was very, very difficult
politically. Yet, with this great strength and determination and
resolve that resided in Floyd Spence's heart, we never heard him brag.
The only people he talked about, if he was talking about his family,
were his grandkids and his kids and all of his wonderful daughters-in-
law.
Floyd Spence left us with a legacy of civility. If we follow that
legacy of civility, along with the resolve to follow our principles as
strongly as he did, we will continue to be a great Nation.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to add to what the
gentleman just told. The best part of the doctor's story was he said he
was beeped. He thought surely something happened to Floyd. He was well
away from the hospital so he rushed to the telephone. He called the
number. They put Floyd on the phone; and he said to the surgeon,
Doctor, I am getting married. He said, Fine. That is wonderful. When?
Floyd said, Right now.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina
(Mr. Brown).
Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, we honor a great American
and a great South Carolinian who will be sorely missed not only here in
the halls of Congress but in the entire Nation.
His leadership in the area of national security is without equal.
Floyd Spence had been hailed by Democrats and Republicans for devotion
to God and country. He spent his career fighting for our men and women
in uniform. He was a strong advocate of improving the life of military
personnel including pay raises and better living conditions. He
understood that a well-trained and equipped military is the first
priority by the Federal Government and the best way to preserve the
peace.
Floyd leaves behind a legacy of accomplishment that includes service
in the United States Navy, 6 years in the South Carolina House, 4 years
in the Senate and 3 decades in the United States House of
Representatives.
In 1971 he was the first House Member to sponsor a constitutional
amendment calling for a balanced budget.
He served for 13 years as the ranking Republican on the Committee on
Ethics, and he also chaired with distinction the House Committee on
Armed Services from 1995 to 2000.
Floyd Spence was one of our most distinguished patriotic public
servants as well as a southern gentleman in the best of the tradition.
He was a great colleague and a wonderful friend. His

[[Page H5370]]

guidance, optimism, statesmanship, and strong leadership will be missed
by all that knew him. He was a mentor to me and a great friend. God
bless Floyd Spence and his family.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Gilman).
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on this occasion to
join our colleagues in paying tribute to our good friend Floyd Spence,
to the people of South Carolina, of expressing our heartfelt
condolences to the family of our distinguished friend Floyd.
Floyd was a true southern gentleman, a good friend to many of us, a
committed husband and father, and a dedicated public servant to the men
and women of our armed forces and to the people of South Carolina and
to his beloved Nation.
I have had the pleasure and honor of serving in the Congress with
Floyd for more than 3 decades.

{time} 1915

As a Navy veteran, he was a staunch, unwavering advocate for our men
and women in uniform. As chairman of the Committee on Armed Services,
he fought tirelessly to improve the quality of life for our military
personnel.
Floyd was a man of great perseverance. From his early football injury
through his more recent lung transplant, Floyd continued to give all he
had to others, and he committed his life to fully serving his people in
South Carolina.
Floyd Spence was elected to serve the Second District of South
Carolina in the House of Representatives in 1970 and served some 15
terms. In 1971, he was the first House Member to sponsor a
constitutional amendment calling for a balanced budget. He served for
13 years as the ranking Republican on the Committee on Ethical Conduct,
and in 1995 was named chairman of the Committee on Armed Services where
he served with distinction, always keeping in mind the national
security of our great Nation.
Georgia and I join the many friends and Members of this body in
sending our prayers and condolences to his wife, Deborah, his four
sons, David, Zack, Benjamin and Caldwell, and to all of the members of
the Spence family. Floyd's public service was a testimony to his life,
a model for all of us. He will be sorely missed, not only by his
colleagues, but by the entire Nation.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, being from South Carolina and in politics, having people
around for awhile is not an unusual circumstance. Senator Thurmond,
most people recognize his name, was elected in 1954; I was born in
1955. We tend to keep people around.
Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) led this
debate, and I know that the family is very appreciative of all of the
kind words. In South Carolina we pride ourselves on being a delegation
that comes together for the good of the State, and remembers our
upbringing pretty well. Every now and then we fuss and fight, but I
doubt if my colleagues will find any Democrat or Republican in this
body that ever had a disagreement with Floyd, that they walked away
from that disagreement believing anything less of the man. That is
something we are losing in the country.
I have been in politics since 1994. It has been a contentious time,
but we have done a lot. In a delegation this small, Members get to know
each other pretty well, and Floyd Spence was the nicest person I have
ever met in political life. That is saying a lot coming from my State,
because most of us try to be nice to each other. And the fact that so
many Members came to speak of his kindness and his commitment to the
men and women in the military proves that Members can be quiet and make
loud statements.
Floyd will not be known by the volume that he carried, but by what
was in his heart. Floyd did change parties. At the time that was tough,
but I do not know of any Democrats back home that thought that Floyd
Spence was anything other than a gentleman. Any disagreements with
Floyd were political, never personal.
He had a devoted wife, Debbie, and many Members know about that
situation. The marriage that the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Spratt) was referring to was to his second wife, Debbie Spence, who was
a devoted wife and friend to Floyd, and they were married in the
hospital right after his historic double-lung transplant. I have never
met anyone more devoted to their spouse than Debbie. Floyd often said
he was blessed to have two special women in his life. Floyd was also
very proud of his four sons. He said he had four boys that all married
female women. To know Floyd, that made sense. He was very proud of his
family and his grandchildren.
In the 10 years-plus after he received a double-lung transplant and
eventually a kidney transplant, he said, this is my second life.
Mr. Speaker, Floyd appreciated every day the good Lord gave him. He
has a group of grandchildren, varied ages, some of them very, very
young. They have something exciting to behold in their life. They will
not be able to know their grandfather like we knew him. They will hear
about him through family and friends. They will hear about Floyd
through a thousand different ways.
They will hear about their grandfather from statements in the post
office, ``Was your grandfather Floyd Spence?'' And they will say,
``Yes.'' People will say, ``Let me tell a story, how he helped me.''
I do not think there is any better legacy than what Floyd left
behind: kindness to everybody, a smile on his face. This body has lost
a real gentleman and a true friend to the men and women who serve in
the military.
Mr. Speaker, if we could all be more like Floyd Spence, we would be a
better Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Stearns).
Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I was with Floyd on his last trip. We flew
into Paris to go to the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial, a memorial to
recognize 60 Americans in World War I who fought with the French
against the Germans. These 60 individuals were killed in France, and
they were memorialized at the Lafayette Escadrille, a large memorial.
Congressman Spence led the delegation, and I gave a speech on their
behalf, and he was a strong participant.
I will cherish that trip because that was the last time I spent any
time with Floyd. I think, as pointed out by other speakers, he was a
gentleman in the real sense of the word, but he also had a spirit, a
spirit of survival, a spiritual makeup that one felt he was in tune
with the Lord, and that he continually reminded all of us to appreciate
each and every day.
I will miss him when he used to come up on the House floor and say
hello. He would always have that kind of expression, and when asked how
he was doing, he would respond, I am here and I am very thankful.
When we talk about a person's life, if Members can talk about him
with a certain sense of joy, I think that is a positive thing, and I
think we are here tonight to say in many ways he brought joy to our
lives with his spirit. I am speaking tonight about his accomplishments,
but also about his spirit.
Mr. Speaker, I served 10 years on the Committee on Veterans Affairs
with him, and in addition to the active military personnel, he was very
interested in the retired military, particularly veterans. He was very
religious in his attending of subcommittee assignments. I was impressed
that he, as chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, would still
have time to come to our Committee on Veterans Affairs, and his
participation was very active and commendable considering how much he
had on his plate.
Mr. Speaker, I think it should be pointed out that many of us did not
see him in his prime athletic years when he was a great athlete. We saw
him here with the various replacements he had with his lungs, his
kidney, but we did not have the opportunity to see him when he was a
strong athlete. He was a leader, a naval officer, and when Members look
at the spectrum of his career, it was magnificent and impressive; and
when one tops that with his love for the country, it was a perfect
package, and I close on that note.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Guam
(Mr. Underwood).

[[Page H5371]]

Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence was a remarkable individual.
He was remarkable for his accomplishments: The fact that he was a
steady voice for the national security of this country; the fact that
he led the Committee on Armed Services with such great distinction. He
was a statesman in the truest sense of the word.
In a way it is not so much all of the things that he did, but his
demeanor, the way that he carried himself throughout his efforts that
really I think inspires many Members to come to the floor this evening
to make commentary on Floyd.
He came to the chairmanship of the Committee on Armed Services at a
time when the majority took over the House, and in a way, the majority
was very fortunate to have a leader like him because he was steadfast
in his principles, yet he was not personally very polarizing; and as a
consequence, he was able to sustain his positions very well and
successfully.
Frequently we hear the phrase, kind of a trite phrase, ``Courtesy is
contagious,'' but with regard to Floyd Spence, it really was. He was a
very kind man. In my personal interactions with him, he always found
the time to talk and ask me about how the military was doing in Guam,
and what he could do to help us. In that sense, courtesy was
contagious. He was the quintessential Southern gentleman. There are
still many examples of that around, and we are happy to see that, and I
hope it continues to infect the rest of us here who are not from the
South.
Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to Floyd who was my chairman for 6 years.
He was a joy to work with, and certainly an inspirational figure in his
own way, and it demonstrates that in politics it is not the power of
words, but the power of spirit that carries the day. He provided ample
evidence of that in his own work.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Ryun).
Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I have very fond memories of Floyd
Spence. As a freshman on the Committee on Armed Services looking for
direction, he was always there as a friend, and he was willing to give
counsel.
I particularly remember when I asked him to come to Fort Riley in my
district to visit the soldiers and see the installation and meet the
people. As I visit with people back in the district, they still
remember him as being very warm, very committed, very sincere, and a
great leader.
Mr. Speaker, most people have a birthday every year in their life
just to celebrate life, but the one thing that always interested me
with Mr. Spence was, the Committee on Armed Services had a birthday to
celebrate his lungs because he had been given a special gift as a
result of complications he had in his life.
My family and I loved him very much. He was always very kind to them.
He was willing to give time whenever he could provide it. He was a man
who had knew he had been given a great gift from God. He fought for
what was right for this country, even if it meant going against Members
of his own party because he had that kind of commitment. Debbie was a
great contribution to his life.
Mr. Speaker, I want to finish by saying, Mr. Spence, will be missed,
and we thank him very much for his great contributions to this great
Nation.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
South Carolina (Mr. DeMint).
Mr. DeMINT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true champion of
freedom from the great State of South Carolina, Congressman Floyd
Spence. It was an honor and a personal privilege to serve with Floyd in
Congress. He served his district, his State and his country by fighting
for the values that we all cherish. He was a true patriot and a
remarkable man.
Congressman Spence was recognized around the world as an authority on
defense issues. Vice President Dick Cheney recently said Mr. Spence was
one of the watchmen over America's security. He had a deep respect for
the military, and that respect was returned. He was a patriot who
served his country well. Floyd was chairman emeritus of the Committee
on Armed Services, and a senior member of the Committee on Veterans
Affairs. He was the only Member of Congress to have served as chairman
of the Committee on National Security.
A decorated veteran himself, he received many military honors. Most
recently, Congressman Spence received the 2001 Distinguished Service
Award from the Military Order of the World Wars.
Floyd became a personal friend of mine, and I remember so many
occasions on the back of this floor just talking with him. It was his
encouragement and sense of humor that gave me a good perspective of our
work here: to keep the focus on our country and security and what is
best for those who live here. He was an inspiration to me, and I want
to honor him tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a champion of freedom from the
great state of South Carolina, Congressman Floyd Spence. It was an
honor and a personal pleasure to serve with Floyd in Congress and get
to know him over the past few years. He served his district and his
country fighting for the values we cherish. He was a true patriot, a
remarkable man.
As you know, Floyd was a walking medical miracle. In 1988, at age 60,
he underwent a then rare double-lung transplant. In 1990 when asked to
reflect about this operation, Floyd said ``I thank my maker for
allowing me to have a second life.'' This past year he also had a
kidney transplant. His doctor characterized Floyd as a man of
extraordinary courage who respected and embraced life. He often said
that he was ``grateful for any additional day God granted him.''
Through those experiences, Floyd continued to serve and became an
active supporter of organ donor awareness programs.
Congressman Spence was recognized around the world as an authority on
defense issues. Vice President Dick Cheney recently said Spence was one
of the `'watchmen over America's security.'' He had a ``deep respect
for the military, and that respect was returned. He was a patriot who
served his country well.'' Floyd was the Chairman Emeritus of the
Committee on Armed Services and a senior member of the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs. He is the only member of Congress to have served as
the chairman of the Committee on National Security. A decorated veteran
himself, he received many military honors. Most recently, Congressman
Spence received the 2001 Distinguished Service Award from the Military
Order of the World Wars.
Before coming to Congress in 1970, Congressman Spence was a member of
the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1956-1962 and the
South Carolina Senate from 1966-1970. He was a man of faith, a solid
conservative, a wise mentor and a shining example of service to myself
and the rest of the delegation.
My heart goes out to his wife Debbie and the entire Spence family.
Our prayers are with you as you grieve--thank you for sharing such a
man of integrity with us.

{time} 1930

Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Buyer).
Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to come to the floor tonight and
also join in the eulogy of a friend of the House and a friend of the
country. Floyd Spence, I think, was an individual whom many of us here
in this body could call a friend, because Floyd in his aw-shucks kind
of Southern gentleman demeanor would come up and ask you how is your
health, how are you doing, how is your family, and he always put the
needs of others ahead of himself. Even though Floyd may have been
failing in his health, he always wanted to know how you were doing and
how you were feeling. That was a lot about who Floyd was and the impact
he had on a lot of us and the impact he left upon a country, because he
dedicated his life to public service.
It was truly honorable in the manner in which he conducted not only
his everyday life but also his profession. He had so many positive
attributes that he could not help but have an impact upon each of us
and a nation. I think as an individual that dedicated his efforts to
national security and making sure that the men and women who wear the
uniform, when they take that uniform off, in his dedicated service to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, he made sure that that solemn oath
that that veteran took, that the government in fact fulfilled their
commitments to the veterans of this Nation. He taught each of us every
day that freedom is not free and that we must be vigilant as a Nation,
leaning forward so that we could respond.
Floyd may not be with us in body but the lives of whom Floyd Spence

[[Page H5372]]

touched will be forever with us in spirit. There is a song and the
lyrics of that song may have been heard but not listened to by many and
it is that life is about more than who we are, it is about what we do
with the span of time in which we have. Floyd embodied that. He made
sure that the imprint that he left upon each of us and the Nation was
one that was very positive.
Floyd, to your family, you spoke often of your sons and of your
grandchildren, we wish you and your family well. One day we will join
you, my friend.
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I
join my colleagues in bidding a fond farewell to our colleague and ``My
Chairman,'' Floyd Spence, who died last month. Our condolences to his
wife Deborah and his four children. Floyd Spence was a hero, a patriot,
a family man, a man of God, and, above all, a gentleman. In his more
than 30 years in this body, he demonstrated civility, respect and
kindness toward his colleagues. He was in the finest tradition of
Southern gentlemen.
Mr. Speaker, Floyd Spence served his country honorably in the U.S.
Navy, on active duty in the Korean War era, and then as a Reservist,
even while a Member of Congress for decades thereafter. His commitment
to our troops in uniform was unsurpassed and obvious to those of us who
served with him.
In his role as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee for the
six years ending in January, Floyd really came into his own, in
highlighting the deteriorating conditioning of our armed forces and
strengthening congressional resolve to address this issue.
I was honored to be in attendance at his funeral, along with Vice
President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld and so many others. His voice will
be missed in this body, but never forgotten.
Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, It is with a heavy hear that I stand here
today to honor the memory of a dear friend and respected colleague,
Floyd Spence. Floyd was a patriot and a statesman who devoted his 30
years in Congress to securing America's defense and supporting our
nation's veterans. As such, he was a well-know voice of experience and
leadership on both the House Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs
Committees, on which he proudly served for much of his career.
Floyd assumed the powerful chairmanship of the Armed Services
Committee when Republicans gained control of the Congress in 1995. He
quickly proved himself a skilled chairman, pushing for and securing
billions more in desperately needed defense funding when the Clinton
Administration was seeking to gut the military to pay for the massive
growth of government social programs. Floyd helped to save and protect
our national defense and laid the groundwork for the current drive to
rebuild and redefine our defense capability to better respond to the
challenges of the new century battlefield.
Winning tough battles was not uncommon for Floyd. During his tenure,
the gentleman from South Carolina was successful in instituting
instrumental legislative initiatives while gaining the admiration and
friendship of members from both sides of the aisle.
His quiet strength also got him through some very rough health
challenges. Despite these problems, I never heard Floyd complain. In
fact, I can't recall him ever walking into a room without a smile and
kind word.
Floyd was a great American and a personal friend. I greatly value my
days serving with him, especially on the Armed Services and VA
Committees. He was a source of wisdom and counsel on difficult issues,
and his presence in these hallowed halls will be sorely missed.
Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, also on the note earlier echoed by the
gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Buyer, we will Miss Floyd but he has made
us all richer.
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.

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