[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 158 (Thursday, November 15, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2091-E2092]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                FORMER REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS N. DOWNING

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT C. SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 15, 2001

  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in paying 
tribute to former Congressman Thomas N. Downing.
  Tom represented Virginia's First Congressional District from 1959 to 
1977. He represented part of what is now the First and Third 
Congressional Districts, and part, at one time, of the Second.
  Tom began his public service career in the military. In 1940, he 
graduated from Virginia Military Institute. From 1942 to 1946, he 
served as the troop commander of the Mechanized Cavalry with Third 
United States Army and commanded the first troops in the Third Army to 
invade Germany. For his exemplary service involving the rescue of two 
of his men during a reconnaissance operation in Northern France, Tom 
was awarded the Silver Star. The citation accompanying the Silver Star 
read in part ``Captain Downing, without hesitation, and with utter 
disregard for his personal safety, ran to the aid of his men among a 
hail of bullets.''
  After his service in the military, Tom would return to school to earn 
his law degree from the University of Virginia. He practiced law in 
Hampton for 11 years and also served as a substitute judge of the 
municipal court for the City of Warwick prior to his election to the 
Eighty-sixth Congress in 1958. He would serve eight succeeding 
Congresses with little opposition. While in Congress he was a member of 
the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and the Space Science and 
Technology Committee.
  During his career in Congress, he represented the Commonwealth and 
the First Congressional District with distinction. He worked to ensure 
the future of Newport News Shipyard and was instrumental in the yard's 
acquisition of the North Yard for its expansion. As a senior lawmaker 
on the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Tom had significant 
expertise in maritime issues and played a major role in crafting 
legislation.
  On that Committee, he was a strong advocate of building a strong and 
modem U.S. Merchant Marine Service for this country's national 
security. Tom served as Chair of the Merchant Marine Subcommittee. As 
Chair, he presided over and helped to craft major legislation to 
overhaul and modemize the merchant marines. The Merchant Marine Act of 
1970 was one of his signature pieces of legislation and was designed to 
renovate the American Merchant Navy by 1980.
  In addition to his work on merchant marine issues on that Committee, 
he also played a prominent role in crafting legislation that sought to 
preserve the resources of our oceans and waterways. He played a leading 
role in the implementation of the Ocean-Dumping Convention and in 
extending U.S. fishing rights to the 200 mile limit bill. He also 
played a role in crafting the Deep Water Port Act as well as 
legislation on deep sea bed mining. At the time of his retirement from 
the House, one of his colleagues called him the ``premier expert on the 
problems of the Nation's maritime commerce and its commercial fisheries 
industry.''
  As the Chairman of the NASA Oversight Subcommittee of the then Space 
Science and Technology Committee, his interests in scientific research 
made him a national leader of the space effort. On that Subcommittee, 
he also represented the interests of NASA Langley Research Center 
located in Hampton, Virginia.
  Tom Downing also made a gift to future generations of Virginians and 
North Carolinians through his efforts to create the Assateague Island 
National Seashore Park and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife 
Refuge.
  In the Ninety-Fourth Congress, his colleagues called upon him to 
chair the prominent Select Committee on Assassinations that launched 
new investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy 
and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. He had been a leading critic of 
the Warren Commission and was the author of the 1976 legislation to 
reopen investigation into both cases. Even knowing of his retirement, 
his colleagues could think of no other Member who could have served in 
that post with his ability and integrity during the nation's time of 
turmoil.
  As the dean of the Virginia Delegation at the time, Tom Downing 
helped to set the tone and tradition of our delegation today. He 
consistently sought and achieved joint action by Members of the 
delegation, irrespective of party affiliation, to deal with matters 
affecting the entire State. Today, we still honor that tradition and 
work together as a delegation to speak with one voice for Virginia's 
interests.
  Even after his lengthy service in Congress, Tom Downing continued his 
commitment to public service. He served on the Board of Visitors of the 
Virginia Military Institute from 1985 to 1993 and served as President 
of the Board of Directors of The Mariners' Museum.
  Mr. Speaker, Tom Downing served in this body as a true statesman and 
Virginia gentleman. He was a good friend to everyone on the Virginia 
Peninsula and he will be sorely missed.

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