[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 29, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H88-H92]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING LIFE OF DAVE THOMAS

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 336) honoring the life of Rex David 
``Dave'' Thomas and expressing the deepest condolences of the House of 
Representatives to his family on his death.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 336

       Whereas the House of Representatives has learned with great 
     sadness of the death of Dave Thomas from liver cancer at the 
     age of 69 on January 8, 2002;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on 
     July 2, 1932, and adopted shortly thereafter by Rex and 
     Auleva Thomas, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was a lifelong 
     advocate and activist for the cause of adoption;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1979, was awarded the Horatio Alger 
     Award for dedication, individual initiative, and a commitment 
     to excellence, as exemplified by remarkable achievements 
     accomplished through honesty, hard work, self-reliance, and 
     perseverance;
       Whereas from 1990 until 2000 Dave Thomas was the national 
     spokesman for numerous White House adoption and foster care 
     initiatives;
       Whereas Dave Thomas received numerous awards, including the 
     Angel in Adoption Award by the Congressional Coalition on 
     Adoption, for generating awareness of the thousands of 
     children waiting for permanent homes and loving families;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1992, established the Dave Thomas 
     Foundation for Adoption and donated his speaking fees and 
     profits from sales of his books, ``Dave's Way, Well Done!'' 
     and ``Franchising for Dummies'', to adoption causes;
       Whereas Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Foundation 
     for Adoption to work with national adoption organizations, 
     individuals, and public and private agencies to raise 
     awareness about children awaiting adoption and to provide 
     direct support for programs seeking to find permanent homes 
     for children in foster care;
       Whereas Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Center for 
     Adoption Law to ease and facilitate the adoption process 
     through education, advocacy, and research;
       Whereas Dave Thomas was a constructive force in shaping 
     corporate health policy to cover adoption expenses and, 
     through his efforts, 75 percent of Fortune 1000 companies now 
     offer adoption benefits to their employees;
       Whereas Dave Thomas received the 2001 Social Awareness 
     Award from the United States Postal Service for being 
     instrumental in the use of the Adoption Awareness postage 
     stamp as a vehicle for highlighting the cause of adoption;
       Whereas Dave Thomas founded Wendy's Old-Fashioned 
     Hamburgers in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15, 1969, and 
     transformed it into one of the most successful food 
     franchises in the country and, in promoting Wendy's, became a 
     national figure representing a friendly face, good food, and 
     a kind sense of humor;
       Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1993, 45 years after leaving 
     school, earned his GED certificate and received his high 
     school diploma from Coconut Creek High School in Fort 
     Lauderdale, Florida, securing him as role model to students 
     of all ages; and
       Whereas Dave Thomas used his financial success to promote 
     and advance the cause of adoption: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes that America has lost one of its most 
     dedicated and hardest working advocates for adoption, and 
     honors him in his devotion to family, life, and business; and
       (2) expresses its deep and heartfelt condolences to the 
     family of Dave Thomas on their loss.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Weldon) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon).


                             General Leave

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Resolution 336.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House Resolution 
336, an important resolution introduced by the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce). This resolution recognizes and 
honors the remarkable life of Dave Thomas and expresses the House of 
Representatives' condolences to his family on his recent death.
  Mr. Speaker, Dave Thomas, founder and chairman of Wendy's 
International, passed away on January 8, 2002, from cancer. Dave Thomas 
was an extraordinary man. Thomas founded Wendy's Old Fashioned 
Hamburgers Restaurants in 1969 and named the company after one of his 
daughters. This restaurant chain grew explosively to more than 6,000 
locations worldwide. Dave Thomas was a successful businessman. He also 
shared his humor, friendliness and humility with the American public 
which was evident through his television commercials.
  But his legacy does not consist of his business success alone. Dave 
Thomas energetically championed an issue that is close to my heart, 
adoption. I am the father of two adopted children and a Member of the 
House Adoption Caucus. I understand Mr. Thomas' passion for making sure 
that all our children are wanted, loved and provided with a nurturing 
home.
  Thomas was himself adopted, and he became a passionate advocate for 
adoption. In 1992 he created the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. 
The foundation's goal was simple and straightforward but profound: 
Every child will have a permanent home and loving family.
  Mr. Thomas has testified before Congress in support of adoption tax 
credits and adoption legislation, appeared in several television public 
service announcements, and led an initiative to create the adoption 
stamp that was issued by the U.S. Postal Service in May 2000. He also 
established the Dave Thomas Center for Adoption Law to facilitate the 
adoption process through education advocacy and research.
  Dave Thomas worked hard to advance the cause of adoption and 
heightened awareness in our country about the fact that all children 
deserve the love and security of a family. For this achievement alone, 
Mr. Speaker, Dave Thomas earned the respect and gratitude of the 
American people.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. I am pleased to join with the gentleman from Florida, chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization, in 
consideration of this resolution. I also want to commend the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) for her sensitivity in introducing 
this legislation to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers 
Restaurants, died of cancer on January 8. In a tribute to Thomas, 
Wendy's web page notes that ``Dave was much more than Wendy's founder 
and senior spokesman. He was a mentor to many hundreds of people he 
personally helped and thousands who have been inspired by his 
leadership.''
  Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on July 2, 1932, Mr. Thomas was 
adopted by Rex and Auleva Thomas of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and became a 
lifelong advocate and activist for the cause of adoption. Thousands 
have been inspired by his leadership and personal commitment to finding 
homes for children in foster care.
  Mr. Thomas was a talented and dedicated businessman, but he was also 
a leader who accepted the challenge of ensuring that every child has a 
permanent and loving home. Every day in this country, more than three 
children die as a result of abuse or neglect. In 1997, an estimated 
1,197 children died as a result of abuse or neglect. Seventy-seven 
percent of those children died before reaching their third birthday. 
Dave Thomas was their advocate and their friend.

[[Page H89]]

  An estimated 1.35 million children in the United States are homeless. 
Children made up 23 percent of the homeless population in 1996, a 10 
percent increase since 1987.

                              {time}  1415

  Dave Thomas was their advocate. Of the children in foster care in 
1998, 110,000 had a goal of adoption. Dave Thomas was a leader and 
advocate to help these children realize their goal. That is why in July 
of 1992, Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Foundation for 
Adoption.
  The cornerstone of the foundation was to make adoption work for 
children and parents. The foundation serves an active voice for the 
more than 134,000 children in the public child welfare system who are 
waiting for permanent homes and loving families.
  Wendy's followed Thomas' lead and officially declared adoption as its 
charity of choice in 1994. In fact, Wendy's adoption efforts, such as 
posters, trade liners and public service announcements account for 
approximately 40 percent of all calls taken at the National Adoption 
Center's toll-free number, 1-800-TO ADOPT.
  Dave Thomas' leadership and advocacy have made a tremendous 
difference in the lives of children waiting to be adopted in the United 
States. Mr. Thomas truly lived the motto ``If I can help somebody as I 
pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word of song.''
  Dave Thomas was indeed not only a hero to the thousands of children 
who are in need of adoption, but all of us who need inspiring, who need 
inspiration and information relative to this great public need.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join in support of 
this resolution. Once again, I commend the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Pryce) for its introduction.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
distinguished author of this resolution, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Pryce), be permitted to control the remainder of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden of Oregon). Is there objection to 
the request of the gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for so graciously 
allowing me to manage the time for this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very honored to be here today to remember Dave 
Thomas. My deepest condolences go to Dave's beloved wife, Lorraine, his 
children, his grandchildren, and to the many, many people who loved him 
at Wendy's International and across the United States of America. It 
was easy to love Dave. He was a selfless, kind and thoughtful man whose 
fun-loving nature and honest disposition made him a friend to so many.
  Most of America will remember Dave as the face of Wendy's, that 
square hamburger made with pride to perfection. I know I remember when 
the first Wendy's was launched in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, back 
in 1969. Today, over 6,000 Wendy's are sprinkled throughout the 
neighborhoods and cities across the U.S. and in 34 countries.
  There is no question, Dave Thomas will be remembered as a man of 
humble beginnings who created one of the most successful fast-food 
chains in the entire world. He was indeed a business giant, a 
remarkable man.
  But today I ask that we also remember Dave as a tireless champion for 
children, for the thousands of children who do not have families to 
care for them, who do not have permanent homes, and who are waiting to 
be adopted.
  As an adopted child himself, Dave felt so fortunate to have been 
given a family to care for him, to love him and to support him. 
Throughout his life, he carried with him an acute awareness for the 
wonderful and generous gift he was given; and as he grew to manhood, he 
never forgot his roots, and in time he would find himself fighting to 
give other parentless children the gift he so cherished and respected.
  While Wendy's continued to grow and prosper, Dave knew that he wanted 
to be more than just a successful businessman. Dave found that he could 
best give back by using his success, his passion, and his familiar 
friendly face to raise public awareness about that issue so close to 
his heart.
  His mission took shape in 1990 when President George Bush asked Dave 
to act as a spokesperson on a new initiative called Adoption Works for 
Everyone. Dave embraced this honor with enthusiasm and grace, and then 
he rolled up his sleeves and went to work.
  Throughout the next decade, Dave continued his tireless advocacy for 
children everywhere, and I am proud to have worked shoulder to shoulder 
with him on many initiatives. He created the Dave Thomas Foundation for 
Adoption, whose vision it is to see that every child has a permanent 
home and a loving family.
  Through the foundation, Dave hoped to ease the many barriers families 
so often face when trying to adopt. By making adoption easier and more 
affordable, fewer children are now trapped in the endless foster care 
system, and more children will grow up with brothers and sisters and 
moms and dads who love them.
  Dave once said, ``If I can get just one child a home, it would be 
better than selling 1 million hamburgers.'' Oh, how like Dave.
  We will remember Dave for his humility and kindness, for his 
compassion and warmth, and for his dedication to children everywhere 
who are awaiting a loving family to take them home.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution honoring 
a dear friend and a champion for children, Dave Thomas.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, at a time when we are questioning corporate leadership 
and corporate responsibility, it is refreshing to know that a man such 
as Dave Thomas lived; and because of his life and his legacy, every 
time a child finds a warm inviting home in which to live and grow up 
with the safety and security of knowing that they are part of a family, 
we will remember the legacy of this great American.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 7 minutes 
to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), the chairman 
of the Committee on Government Reform, but, more importantly, at this 
moment a very close friend of Dave Thomas.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, let me start off by thanking the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) for introducing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, Dave Thomas was one of the finest men that I ever knew. 
Dave was a personal friend of mine. I stayed with him many times when I 
was in Florida. We played golf together. He loved to play golf. 
Although he was not the greatest golfer in the world, he was very 
enthusiastic about it.
  The things I want to talk about today are the things I found out 
about Dave on a personal level. The gentlewoman from Ohio covered so 
much of his life very, very well.
  Let me just say Dave really was an American success story. When he 
was about 15 years old, he pretty much was on his own in Fort Wayne, 
Indiana. He dropped out of school. His real parents he never knew. He 
was adopted by a husband and wife. His adoptive mother died when he was 
about 12 years old. His father, because he had to move around for jobs, 
had to pretty much leave Dave in Fort Wayne when he was 15.
  Dave, I believe, stayed at the YMCA and worked as a busboy and worked 
in a restaurant there. After he became manager of the restaurant, as 
time went by he was asked if he would like to come to Columbus, Ohio, 
and take over four Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises for somebody who 
was about to go bankrupt. The fellow told him if you come over here and 
work with us, in 3 or 4 years we will either be bankrupt or you will 
own half of the restaurants.
  Dave was such a natural at this business and worked so hard that, 
after a time, he sold his interest in those four Kentucky Fried Chicken 
franchises for $1.5 million and became involved, as I understand it, 
with Arthur Treacher's

[[Page H90]]

Fish and Chips and made some more money and decided to retire at a very 
young age.
  But he wanted one good hamburger restaurant. He said there was not a 
really good hamburger restaurant that he knew of, so he started one and 
named it after his daughter, Wendy, in Columbus, Ohio.
  The rest is history. As you know, that one restaurant, he only wanted 
one, ended up being 6,000 restaurants, many of which he owned and his 
corporation owned, and many franchised out to others. Dave became one 
of the most successful businessmen in America, and he was a high school 
dropout.
  He owned two jet planes, he had golf courses, he had radio stations, 
he had everything. He was just an amazing story. In fact, he won the 
Horatio Alger Award, which, of course, goes to people who have really 
been a success and realized the American dream. But not only that, he 
was very concerned about children, as the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. 
Pryce) talked about.
  When he was a young boy, he did not have a family. He was on his own. 
He knew how important and how valuable family relationships are to 
kids, so he worked and spent his whole life trying to make sure that 
children who did not have parents who were in foster homes got loving 
parents.
  In his restaurants, if you looked at the little pads they put out for 
people to eat their food off of, all of them told about how you could 
adopt a child and what needed to be done. He even came to the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) and me and worked very hard to get an 
adoptive stamp passed by the Congress and by the Postal Service and the 
Postal Stamp Commission that depicted children and talked about 
adoption so that some of the funds raised from those stamps could go to 
help children get adopted and get into loving homes.
  He even started a golf tournament called the Wendy's Three Tour 
Challenge, where you had the LPGA, the PGA, and Senior PGA play once a 
year with a series of teams; and all the proceeds from that tournament 
went to adoption of children, to his adoption foundation.
  He was truly a wonderful, wonderful man. His wife, Lorraine, was 
always very supportive. I got to know her very well. She is a wonderful 
lady; and, Lorraine, if you happen to be watching today, my sympathy 
goes out to you and your children. We are all going to miss Dave. He 
was a wonderful, wonderful man.
  A little story, an aside: I was playing golf one day down at Adios, 
which is a golf course that he helped found with a man named Ed 
Tutweiler, down in Florida; and Dave was telling me one day, he said, 
``You know, they want me to do TV commercials, and I don't know if I 
can do those.'' I said, ``Dave, I think you would do a good job.'' I 
really did not know, but I was trying to give him encouragement. And he 
became one of the best spokesmen in America for his business.
  Everybody in this country knew Dave Thomas. As a matter of fact, he 
would come to Indianapolis; he came up there to visit a number of times 
on a speaking engagement. He came to Indianapolis one time, and we were 
sitting having dinner, when he came up, we always had dinner together, 
and two ladies came over from my congressional district.
  They came over to talk to Dave Thomas and he said, ``Do you know your 
Congressman?'' They said no, and he introduced my constituents to me. 
That is how well known he was. He was so well known that people knew 
him, but they did not even know their own Congressman. He was just an 
extraordinary man.
  I hope that my statements today tell Lorraine and the family and all 
the people that loved him who are over there in Dublin, Ohio, at the 
Wendy's headquarters how very much I really loved this guy. What you 
saw was what you got. When you saw him on TV, he was a lovable guy; and 
if you got to know him, as I knew him, you knew he was a lovable guy, 
and he really cared about his fellow man, especially children who did 
not have parents. The world is going to be a far less place for all of 
us now that he is gone. It was a far better place for all of us as long 
as he was here.
  The thing that was interesting about Dave is not only was he 
concerned about adoption, but he was concerned about sending a message 
to kids that they ought to get a good education. When he was in his 
sixties, he went back and got his GED; not because he needed it, but 
because he wanted to set an example for children to get a high school 
education.
  A high school down in Florida where he lived adopted him and had Dave 
and his wife come as the king and queen of their graduating class at 
their prom. Dave went with his tuxedo. Here he was, 60-some years old, 
and he and his wife were the king and queen of the prom. And do you 
know what? That class voted him the most likely to succeed, and I think 
it was a good choice.
  He was a wonderful man. Dave, I hope you are up there watching us. We 
love you and we miss you. I am sure that there is a good place in 
heaven for you.
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute 
to my neighbor, the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi), 
another friend of Dave Thomas.
  Mr. TIBERI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for 
introducing this resolution. Dave was a special person, and it is a 
privilege for me to have known Dave and to speak on this resolution 
today.

                              {time}  1430

  Much has already been said by the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) 
and others, and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton). Dave received 
so many awards, too many to mention today. He established the Dave 
Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which is in central Ohio. He did so 
much not only for our country and our State, but certainly our 
community in Columbus, Ohio.
  Dave was a man that I got to know when I was in the State 
legislature. He certainly did many things that people are not even 
aware of. But the Dave that we meet on TV is the Dave we meet in 
person. He is one and the same, a very simple man.
  One of his highlights, as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) 
said, was after 45 years of leaving high school, he received and earned 
his GED certificate from a high school in Florida, securing him in his 
mind as a role model for students. But we all know that Dave was a role 
model. He will be missed. He leaves a long legacy. He is a gentle giant 
and a great American.
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes 
to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), my distinguished 
colleague.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time. I certainly do rise in recognition of David Thomas and 
support this resolution honoring his life.
  When he passed away on January 8, the world lost a great advocate for 
children. While so many know him as a dedicated businessman, his 
greatest accomplishment to many of us was the difference he made in the 
lives of so many vulnerable children. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio 
for introducing this resolution. She indeed knows full well the values 
of adoption. I as a parent who, with my husband, have raised 9 
children, 6 who were the children of my late sister, have become a 
great advocate for Dave Thomas and for the story and the message that 
he told that reached millions.
  With his corporate relationships, he encouraged the practice of 
adoption incentives through employee benefits plans. Approximately 
50,000 children are adopted nationwide each year. According to the 
State Department's annual report, the number of international adoptions 
is steadily increasing every year. According to Adoptions Forever, an 
adoption agency in Maryland, the average cost of adoption for an 
international orphan ranges up to $30,000, while a domestic adoption 
can range up to $12,000. Easing the burden of this cost can make all 
the difference for families who are considering adoption, and Dave 
Thomas worked tirelessly to minimize these barriers to helping children 
in need.
  Almost 10 years ago, he founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for 
Adoption, which continues to serve as the voice for the more than 
134,000 children in the public welfare system who are awaiting 
permanent homes. His foundation also concentrates on children who may 
be harder to place, older kids,

[[Page H91]]

those in sibling groups, minority children, or those with physical or 
mental handicaps.
  Dave Thomas will be missed in Congress as well. His testimony on 
adoption tax credits, adoption legislation, and his advocacy for the 
creation of the adoption stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in May 
of 2000 has been key in raising necessary awareness and support. 
Children have lost a hero in Dave Thomas, but his legacy will live on 
through his foundation, continuing the mission of ensuring every child 
has a permanent and loving home.
  Children in need are the responsibility of us all. We owe a great 
deal to Dave Thomas for his dedication to that message. I offer my 
condolences to his family and I certainly support this resolution, and 
I encourage my colleagues to do so. Again, I thank the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Ms. Pryce) for introducing it, and certainly the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) for handling it on the Democratic side, and the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Waxman) for having this come out at this time.
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  In closing, I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Weldon), for giving me the opportunity to express my admiration for 
this extraordinary man. I also want to thank the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) for joining me in honoring Dave's life.
  We have lost a good friend, a good friend to this country, a good 
friend to each of us, and a good friend to so many children waiting for 
a home. While we mourn his loss, we should feel proud of his 
accomplishments and empowered by his mission. As a society, we can 
remember Dave by working towards increasing public awareness of the 
need for adoption. As Members of Congress, we can continue to look for 
ways to cut through the red tape that often stands in the way of 
encouraging families to even consider adoption, and as individuals, we 
can recognize and appreciate the power of one man's determination to 
make a difference.
  Dave once reminded us that children who do not have families are not 
somebody else's responsibility, they are our responsibility. If we want 
to make a difference in a child's life, this is where we must start. 
Dave's charisma, passion, and dedication help lead us on our way. It is 
now up to each of us to carry on Dave's mission and to continue 
fighting for these kids.
  Dave, you singlehandedly made this world a better place. We will miss 
you.
  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my strong support for 
this Resolution which recognizes Rex David ``Dave'' Thomas as one of 
the hardest working advocates for child adoption in our great nation.
  Adopted shortly after his birth in 1932, Dave went on to great 
commercial success after founding Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers in 
Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. In promoting Wendy's, Dave became a national 
figure representing a friendly face, great food, and a kind sense of 
humor. On a personal note, I would be remiss were I not to mention that 
my staff and I are particularly grateful to Dave for the advent of the 
Wendy's Frosty. Much more importantly, however, Dave used his financial 
success to promote and advance the cause of child adoption. It is for 
that reason that we honor Dave today.
  In 1992, Dave established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to 
work with national adoption organizations to promote awareness and to 
facilitate child adoption. From 1990 until 2000, Dave was the national 
spokesman for a number of White House adoption and foster-care 
initiatives. He was a most deserving recipient of the distinguished 
Angel in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, 
and the Social Awareness Award from the U.S. Postal Service.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we honor Dave today with this 
Resolution, but it is my belief that we can do Dave no greater honor 
than by keeping his legacy alive as we in Congress press on towards the 
common goal we shared with Dave: making sure that every child has the 
opportunity to grow up in a safe home with loving parents.
  My thoughts and prayers are with Dave's family.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a great 
American, Dave Thomas, who passed away at the age of 69 on January 8, 
2002. I am honored to be an original cosponsor of this resolution that 
honors his life and expresses the deepest condolences of the House of 
Representatives to his family on his death.
  I had the privilege of knowing, working with and, in fact, 
representing Dave Thomas in Congress. But most importantly, I had the 
honor of calling Dave my friend.
  Dave Thomas was the epitome of the American success story. He worked 
his way from humble roots to be an icon of business achievement. What I 
admired and respected most about Dave was what he did with his success. 
Inspired by his own experiences as an adopted child, he poured his 
heart and his influence into helping children find families. A giant in 
the arena of adoption, Dave gave a voice to thousands of children 
looking for loving homes through his Foundation for Adoption and his 
contributions to the Dave Thomas Center for Adoption Law at Capital 
University.
  As the former Chairman of the Human Resources Subcommittee, I had the 
honor of having Dave testify before my panel on two occasions. Dave was 
both an advocate and an authority on adoption, whose input was 
invaluable as I drafted legislation to improve adoption policies. He 
was a pioneer in developing adoption friendly corporate practices, 
giving his employees who adopted children special benefits.
  I join his family, the House of Representatives and thousands of 
children around America who are waiting to be adopted, to honor the 
life of this great man.
  Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and 
recognize the accomplishments and life of Dave Thomas.
  Throughout his life, Dave Thomas continually displayed the qualities 
and work ethic that exemplified the American dream. Whether with his 
family, friends, or his work, Dave Thomas always sought to improve the 
way of life for those around him. Having been adopted at a young age, 
Dave Thomas devoted much of his life to raising awareness and creating 
better opportunities for adopted children everywhere.
  As a fellow restaurateur and small businessman, I can certainly 
appreciate the devotion and hard work necessary to turn the first 
Wendy's Old Fashion Hamburgers in downtown Columbus, OH, into something 
people worldwide know and love. Behind his business expertise and a 
promotional campaign driven by his warm smile, Wendy's has become a 
standard to which all other restaurants must be compared.
  As I travel around Ohio, the birthplace and home of the Wendy's 
tradition, I will be constantly reminded of just how many lives Dave 
Thomas has actually touched. Whether I am visiting one of the several 
Wendy's locations within Ohio's Seventh Congressional District, or 
affixing an Adoption Awareness stamp on an envelope, Dave Thomas will 
be in my thoughts and will be missed dearly.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my 
strong support for the resolution before us today, which recognizes the 
valuable contributions of Wendy's Founder, R. David Thomas.
  Born in 1932 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Dave Thomas never knew his 
birth parents, and was adopted when he was six weeks young. One of 
Dave's most cherished childhood memories was eating out at restaurants. 
Thus, as a young man, he committed himself to opening up his own 
restaurant where families could enjoy eating and spending time 
together. On November 15, 1969, Dave Thomas founded Wendy's Old-
Fashioned Hamburgers in Columbus, Ohio, and transformed it into one of 
the most successful food franchises in the country.
  Mr. Thomas was much more than a successful businessman, however. He 
never forgot his roots, and he used his financial success to promote 
and advocate the cause of adoption. In 1990, Former President George H. 
W. Bush asked Mr. Thomas to be a spokesperson for his administration's 
adoption initiative, ``Adoption Works. . .For Everyone.'' Mr. Thomas 
gracefully accepted the challenge, and began to speak out and encourage 
people to consider adoption. The Wendy's corporation championed 
adoption as its national charitable cause, while taking a corporate 
leadership role in advancing the cause of adoption by encouraging other 
corporations to offer family leave and adoption benefits to employees 
who welcomed and adopted a child into their family.
  In conjunction with National Adoption Month every November, over 
6,000 Wendy's North American restaurants undertake an aggressive 
advertising campaign advocating the cause of adoption. These widely 
successful adoption efforts, such as public service announcements tray-
liners an posters account for approximately 40 percent of all calls 
taken at the National Adoption Center's toll free number (1-800-TO-
ADOPT).
  Dave's personal contributions of time, money and initiative to the 
cause of adoption have been equally successful. Dave donated all of the 
proceeds from his 1991 autobiography Dave's Way and his 1995 book Well 
Done! to the foundation.

[[Page H92]]

  Then in 1992, Mr. Thomas founded The Dave Thomas Foundation for 
Adoption, a nonprofit organization that supports over 134,000 children 
in America's foster care system waiting for permanent and loving homes.
  Virtually every well-conducted social research study that has 
examined the impact of adoption on a child concludes that adoption is 
far more preferable than state custody. The adoption of a child into a 
traditional two-parent, man and woman family, has profoundly positive 
social benefits for the child and family as well as for our society.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all members of Congress to support the Dave 
Thomas Resolution. America has lost an important champion for children 
with the death of Dave Thomas. It is fitting and appropriate that we 
honor his good deeds today. We all hope and pray that his good work 
will continue on, despite his passing.
  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Walden). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 336.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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