[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 105 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1407]]



                  FAREWELL TO CONGRESSMAN TONY P. HALL

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2002

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today I am both pleased and saddened to be in 
a position to present these remarks about Tony Hall. Pleased because I 
have had the opportunity to serve with Tony for the past four years, 
and pleased because I know he will do so much to help the hungry and 
the less fortunate in his new job; yet saddened because his guiding 
hand and steadfast effort on behalf of those less fortunate will be 
missed when he leaves Congress.
  Because Tony's reputation precedes him, Tony was one Member I was 
especially looking forward to knowing when I arrived in the House. 
Three times nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressman Tony P. 
Hall has been the leading advocate in Congress for hunger relief 
programs and improving international human rights conditions. Over the 
last twenty-four years, there is not a single Member of this great body 
who has contributed more to those who cannot stand up for themselves. 
Without Tony here, we will all need to pull together to make sure that 
those less fortunate are not left behind.
  Tony has worked actively to improve human rights conditions around 
the world, especially in the Philippines, East Timor, Paraguay, South 
Korea, Romania, and the former Soviet Union. In 2000, he introduced 
legislation to stop importing ``conflict diamonds'' that are mined in 
regions of Sierra Leone under rebel control. In 1999, he was the leader 
in Congress calling for the United States to pay its back dues to the 
United Nations.
  Tony Hall's record on hunger issues is unparalleled in Congress. Tony 
was a founding member of the Select Committee on Hunger and served as 
its chairman from 1989 until it was abolished in 1993. He has been an 
outspoken advocate for fighting domestic and international hunger and 
he has initiated legislation enacted into law to fight hunger-related 
diseases in developing nations. He has visited numerous poverty-
stricken and war-tom regions of the world. He was the sponsor of a 
successful 1990 emergency measure to assist state Women, Infants and 
Children (WIC) programs and legislation to establish a clearinghouse to 
promote gleaning to provide poor people with food. Tony has worked to 
promote microenterprise to reduce joblessness.
  When the Hunger Committee was abolished, Tony fasted for three weeks 
to draw attention to the needs of hungry people in the United States 
and around the world.
  Rep. Hall was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, 1999, and 
2001 for his humanitarian and hunger-related work. For his hunger 
legislation and for his proposal for a Humanitarian Summit in the Horn 
of Africa, Mr. Hall and the Hunger Committee received the 1992 Silver 
World Food Day Medal from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 
United Nations. Mr. Hall is a recipient of the United States Committee 
for UNICEF 1995 Children's Legislative Advocate Award, U.S. AID 
Presidential End Hunger Award, 1992 Oxfam America Partners Award, Bread 
for the World Distinguished Service Against Hunger Award, and NCAA 
Silver Anniversary Award.
  Despite the number of awards he has won, Tony Hall's impact can be 
felt not by the number of plaques and awards in his office, but by the 
number of men, women and children around the world who have seen their 
lives brightened, and their sense of hope renewed because of his 
actions.
  Tony was recently nominated by the President to serve as our 
ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the 
world's preeminent hunger fighting organization. While I am 
disappointed that I will no longer have the pleasure of serving with 
Tony in the U.S. House of Representatives, I am reassured by the fact 
that somebody of his talent and heart will be representing our Nation 
in an effort to fight hunger around the world.

                          ____________________