[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 82 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7507-S7508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMEMORATING LIFE, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AL LERNER
Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 122, S. Res.
116.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 116) commemorating the life,
achievements, and contributions of Al Lerner.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Alfred Lerner.
Al, as he was called by those who knew him best, was a man of great
success and wealth but also great compassion and charity.
Al was born in New York City, graduated from Columbia College and
proudly served in the Marine Corps as an officer and pilot from 1955
through 1957. The son of Russian immigrants, Al Lerner had an amazing
sense of patriotism and was so proud to accept the Ellis Island Medal
in honor of his immigrant heritage and individual achievements in 2002.
My personal relationship with Al developed because of the fondness we
shared for the city of Cleveland, and Cleveland is a better place
because of Al Lerner. His generosity was seen in well known ways such
as his contributions to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, where
the Lerner Research Institute was founded, and to the Cleveland Clinic.
In fact, Al Lerner's $100,000,000 contribution to the Cleveland Clinic
was one of the largest donations to academic medicine in the history of
the United States. Al gave so much of himself to these institutions,
serving as president and trustee of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and
establishing the Lerner Research Institute at the Clinic to conduct
research of new treatments for cancer, coronary artery disease and
AIDS.
Al Lerner also understood how important professional football is to
the city of Cleveland, and due in large part to his business savvy,
Lerner and his partner, Carmen Policy, were able to reestablish a
football team in Cleveland. He was subsequently appointed chairman of
the National Football League Finance Committee, and I am confident that
the Cleveland Browns' 2002 playoff appearance, just 4 years after
returning to the league, had a great deal to do with Al's leadership
[[Page S7508]]
and guidance. I am not sure Cleveland would have its Browns today
without Al Lerner's dedication and determination.
Despite his amazing success as the founder, chairman, and chief
executive of MBNA Corporation, Al Lerner remained grounded. He helped
raise funds through the company and the Cleveland Browns, for the
``Cleveland Brown Hero Fund'' to aid families from the New York City
Fire and Police Departments who suffered the loss of a parent in the
tragic September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Al also answered
President Bush's call in the aftermath of September 11, and was a
member of the President's Foreign Advisory Board.
Throughout his lifetime, many of Al's other achievements could also
be observed in quieter ways that were never heralded. His dedication to
his family was remarkable. He married his high school sweetheart and
best friend, Norma. They shared 47 glorious years together and raised
two children, Randy and Nancy. My wife Janet and I talked often about
how Al and Norma seemed to love each other and genuinely enjoyed each
other's company. Perhaps the greatest contribution that the two of them
made was the strong example of a good marriage for their children,
seven grandchildren, and anyone who know Al and Norma Lerner.
I am honored to have known and worked with Al Lerner and am confident
that his legacy will remain an example of hard work, philanthropy, and
genuine kindness for generations to come.
Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or
debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 116) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution (S. Res. 116), with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 116
Whereas Alfred Lerner (``Al'' to those who knew him best)
was a successful, humble, compassionate, and well respected
member of his family and community whose life was devoted to
civic involvement and efforts to improve the quality of
education and health care available to his fellow citizens;
Whereas Al Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1933,
graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1951, and
received a B.A. from Columbia College in 1955;
Whereas Al Lerner was a Marine Corps officer and pilot from
1955 through 1957, displaying his love of country by wearing
his Marine Corps cap long after finishing his tour of duty,
and later was a director of the Marine Corps Law Enforcement
Foundation;
Whereas Al Lerner was the son of Russian immigrants, and in
2002 received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which
celebrates immigrant heritage and individual achievements;
Whereas Al Lerner and his high school sweetheart, best
friend, and partner in life, Norma Lerner, shared 47 years of
marriage and were deeply committed to their 2 children, Randy
and Nancy;
Whereas Al and Norma Lerner made extremely generous
contributions to local and national charities, including a
contribution of $10,000,000 in 1993 to Rainbow Babies and
Children's Hospital in Cleveland, a donation of $16,000,000
to support construction of the Lerner Research Institute, and
a donation of $100,000,000 to the Cleveland Clinic--one of
the largest donations to academic medicine in the history of
the United States;
Whereas Al Lerner served as president and trustee of the
Cleveland Clinic Foundation where the Lerner Research
Institute was established to conduct research of new
treatments for cancer, coronary artery disease, and AIDS;
Whereas Al Lerner, along with his business partner Carmen
Policy, reestablished a National Football League team in
Northern Ohio when he purchased the expansion Cleveland
Browns football organization in 1998, worked hard to make the
people of Cleveland and Northern Ohio proud of their football
team, and was subsequently appointed chairman of the National
Football League Finance Committee;
Whereas the Cleveland Browns, on the strength of Al
Lerner's leadership, reached the National Football League
playoffs following the 2002 season, only 4 years after
returning to the league;
Whereas Al Lerner served as founder, chairman, and chief
executive of MBNA Corporation, which employs thousands of
people in Ohio and is the Nation's largest issuer of
independent credit cards;
Whereas Al Lerner served as vice chairman, trustee, and
benefactor of Columbia College, which is now known as
Columbia University, and also served as a trustee for Case
Western Reserve University and New York Presbyterian
Hospital;
Whereas Al Lerner helped raise funds, through his
affiliation with MBNA and the Cleveland Browns, for the
``Cleveland Browns Hero Fund'' to aid families from the New
York City Fire and Police Departments who suffered the loss
of a parent in the tragic September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks;
Whereas Al Lerner was appointed in 2001 by President Bush
as 1 of 15 members of the President's Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board, which advises the President concerning the
quality and adequacy of intelligence collection, intelligence
analysis and estimates, counter-intelligence, and other
intelligence activities;
Whereas Al Lerner is survived by his wife, partner, and
best friend, Norma, their son Randy, their daughter Nancy,
and 7 grandchildren; and
Whereas Al Lerner passed away on October 23, 2002, and the
contributions he made to his family, his community, and his
Nation will not be forgotten: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) honors the life, achievements, and contributions of
Alfred Lerner; and
(2) extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Alfred
Lerner for the loss of a great and generous man.
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