[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 58 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E717]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE LEGACY OF DAVID BLOOM

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                           HON. HENRY BONILLA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 9, 2003

  Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the legacy of NBC's 
David Bloom. All across America as people mourn the loss of life among 
our men and women in uniform, we also mourn the loss of David. Over the 
years he touched so many lives with his dramatic, cutting-edge 
reporting.
  Prior to my time in the U.S. Congress I spent 15 years in the 
broadcast news business. Today my wife continues in that field. The two 
of us watch television news reporters with a special eye. David was in 
a league of his own. He always brought a flair, an insight, an extra 
dimension to his stories that made you feel the impact. There were 
times it felt like you had been on a roller coaster after watching his 
reports. And you always felt better informed.
  David always set the standard for covering breaking news whether it 
was the Clinton scandal or the current war. Just when you thought it 
was impossible to break new ground in broadcast news, David would do 
it. His Bloommobile rides through Iraq put Americans on the edge of 
their seats each night. No other reports on television compared to his. 
Viewers were better served because they got to feel the peril of our 
troops and the ruggedness they experienced. I remember discussing his 
reports at the dinner table with family and friends. All agreed his 
work was the best and couldn't wait to see his next report. David was a 
rare talent.
  David's now in a different place. I'm sure he's trying to figure out 
a way to get a satellite signal set up so he can send us another 
report. We wish he had a way to reach us. It would be the most 
incredible moment ever on television. Appropriately, it would carry his 
name.

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