[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 18, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         A TRIBUTE TO AL DAVIS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. JOHN M. SPRATT, JR.

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 2003

  Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, last month a trusted and respected employee 
of the Ways and Means Committee named Al Davis died of complications 
resulting from a tragic traffic accident and I want to offer my sincere 
condolences to his family and loved ones. Al was a kind, caring, and 
generous man who was dedicated to the public good--a rare commodity in 
this body today.
  As many of my colleagues have said on many occasions, Al Davis was a 
tremendous asset to the Democratic Members of the Ways and Means 
Committee. Moreover, many of my colleagues who are not on the Ways and 
Means Committee benefited from his expertise--even if they didn't know 
it as his handiwork. This is because Al was the person behind the 
summaries and one-pagers that often helped members understand very 
complex tax and budget legislation. On numerous occasions I needed to 
consult with Al in order to produce documents that would help me 
understand arcane budget principles and make sense of Federal budget 
projections.
  As members of the Committee knew, Al was a dedicated public servant 
who will not soon be forgotten. The Ways and Means Committee and this 
Congress as a whole will suffer without his presence. Al Davis will 
truly be missed by all of us.

                          ____________________