[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8240-H8244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING PROFOUND SORROW FOR DEATH OF INDIANA GOVERNOR FRANK O'BANNON 
 AND EXTENDING THOUGHTS, PRAYERS, AND CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY, FRIENDS, 
                             AND LOVED ONES

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 369) expressing the profound sorrow of 
the House of Representatives for the death of Indiana Governor Frank 
O'Bannon and extending thoughts, prayers, and condolences to his 
family, friends, and loved ones.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 369

       Whereas Frank O'Bannon devoted his entire life to public 
     service and to the people of the State of Indiana;
       Whereas Frank O'Bannon dedicated his life to defending the 
     Nation's principles of freedom and democracy, serving in the 
     Air Force from 1952 until 1954;
       Whereas Frank O'Bannon served 18 years in the Indiana State 
     Senate and 8 years as Lieutenant Governor of Indiana;
       Whereas, on November 5, 1996, Frank O'Bannon was elected 
     the 47th Governor of the State of Indiana, where he served 
     until his death on September 13, 2003;
       Whereas Governor O'Bannon was a true friend to Indiana, and 
     a gentle man of integrity, kindness, and good works; and
       Whereas Governor O'Bannon will be remembered as a loving 
     husband to his wife Judy, and a devoted father to his 3 
     children and caring grandfather to his 5 grandchildren: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) has learned with profound sorrow of the death of the 
     Honorable Frank O'Bannon, Governor of Indiana, on September 
     13, 2003, and extends its condolences to the O'Bannon family, 
     especially to his wife Judy, his children Jonathan, Jennifer, 
     and Polly, and his grandchildren Beau, Chelsea, Asher, Demi, 
     and Elle;
       (2) expresses its profound gratitude to Frank O'Bannon for 
     the services that he rendered to the Nation in the Air Force, 
     the Indiana State Legislature, and as Governor of Indiana; 
     and
       (3) recognizes with respect Frank O'Bannon's integrity, 
     steadfastness, and loyalty to the State of Indiana and to the 
     United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Burton) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I met Frank O'Bannon, our now-deceased Governor, I met 
his father back in the late 1960s when I served with his father in the 
Indiana State Senate. His father was editor and publisher of a 
newspaper in Corydon, Indiana; and he was one of the finest men I ever 
served with. He was a real gentleman. Even though we had our 
differences, Governor O'Bannon's father was a wonderful man.
  Mr. Speaker, we know a lot about people by their children. And 
although I knew Senator O'Bannon, Governor O'Bannon's father, very 
well, I was not sure about what kind of family man he was. But then I 
met his son who became Senator after his dad retired, and Senator Frank 
O'Bannon was also one of the finest men I ever served with in the 
Indiana State Senate. His brother, Bob, who is a businessman in 
Indianapolis, is also fine man. We know a lot about people by their 
children, and Governor O'Bannon was a wonderful man, and I am sure his 
mother was a wonderful woman as well.
  Governor O'Bannon was revered by everyone who knew him, whether it 
was a Republican or a Democrat. He was a very fine public servant, a 
man who really cared about his fellow man and his civic 
responsibilities. He learned that from his father and mother and worked 
hard in both the Indiana State Senate and as Governor.
  Although we had political differences, I always admired him because 
he was a man of honor. If he gave you his word, you could take it to 
the bank. He always said what he meant, and he meant what he said. We 
are going to miss him in Indiana.
  I will tell one little anecdote. Senator O'Bannon sat directly in 
front of me when I was a freshman when he was a State Senator. I was 
seated on the Democrat side, and he was the minority leader for the 
Democrats in the State Senate. He was such a nice guy we would kid each 
other. One day I said, Senator, you are such a nice guy and so 
intelligent and you read papers, I know you can read, I do not know why 
you do not become a Republican. And he turned around and looked at me 
without batting an eye; and he said you

[[Page H8241]]

have the same qualities, I do not know why you do not become a 
Democrat. That was one of the more interesting and funny anecdotes I 
remember about Governor O'Bannon.
  He was a wonderful man. We are going to miss him in Indiana. I wish 
his wife the very best. I know she is suffering a great deal, as well 
as the rest of his family right now; but I hope that Judy O'Bannon is 
doing well, and we wish her the very best. She and her family have our 
prayers.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Governor O'Bannon was in my congressional district when 
he passed away. Certainly I would want to extend on behalf of all of 
the people in Chicago and the people of Illinois our sympathies to his 
family and to the people of Indiana.
  Mr. Speaker, Frank O'Bannon, the 47th Governor of Indiana, died last 
week at the age of 73 from a stroke. After serving 18 years as 
Lieutenant Governor to Evan Bayh, Frank O'Bannon was elected Governor 
of Indiana November 5, 1996, and was reelected on November 7, 2000.
  Frank O'Bannon's two inaugurations as Governor made history. After he 
was elected in 1996 he invited Indiana's fourth grade history students 
to witness his inauguration, something no Governor had ever done. 
Despite sub-zero temperatures that day, hundreds of Hoosier 
schoolchildren for the first time ever watched as their Governor was 
sworn in.
  After his 2000 reelection, Governor O'Bannon repeated his invitation 
to the fourth grade history students. This time, however, the 
festivities were moved inside the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. More than 
25,000 students and visitors from across Indiana watched as the 
Governor was sworn in, making it the largest gubernatorial inauguration 
crowd in Indiana history.
  Although Governor Frank O'Bannon was sometimes criticized by other 
lawmakers for not being more assertive, he followed his own instincts 
for achieving consensus quietly. Born on January 30, 1930, in 
Louisville, Kentucky, Frank O'Bannon devoted his entire life to public 
service and to the people of the State of Indiana.
  Education, health care, building communities, promoting public safety 
and economic development are the hallmarks of Frank O'Bannon's legacy 
as Governor of Indiana. He taught those fourth grade students a 
valuable lesson in leadership, integrity and good works.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my 
colleague, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder).
  (Mr. Souder asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share a few thoughts about 
our Governor from Indiana for people outside Indiana who are not as 
familiar with him.
  The past few days have been an outpouring of grief and almost a 
celebration with the O'Bannon family about our Governor that is 
different than anything I have seen in Indiana politics. It is partly, 
I think, a transition of an era. Frank O'Bannon represented a different 
part of politics when it was not quite as, how would you say, 
aggressive, it was not quite as negative. He was a friend to everyone. 
Even when we had differences it was a different type of relationship.
  He came from the little town of Corydon, which was our State capital. 
As you would look at it, it would be a picturesque vision of what 
Indiana was when we started in southern Indiana and moved to the north. 
And Indianapolis in the north has now the bulk of the population and 
the bulk of the power, but Corydon still represents kind of old 
Indiana.
  When he ran his campaign, no matter who his opponent was and no 
matter what kind of campaign they ran, he ran a Hoosier-roots type of a 
campaign. You would see him and his wife on their porch in Corydon. You 
would see him talking with his grandkids. You would see him talking and 
sending a different signal than often is put forth in politics. It was 
a symbol of comfort much like Governor Bowen used to have, saying in 
Indiana we may not be flashy, we may not all have blow-dried hairdos, 
we may not be as slick as other people, but we are going to produce 
good, honest government that is going to continue to move Indiana 
forward.
  We are in a period of transition. And, interestingly, this man whose 
family was deeply rooted in early Indiana history and whose father had 
been a public servant, in addition to his normal public service he 
realized that Indiana was in this transition period. And while we 
sometimes disagreed on how best to do it, I think one of the things he 
will most be remembered for is his commitment to education at a time 
when Indiana is struggling with funds, like everybody else, and we have 
limited funds in education, to take those education funds right now and 
concentrate them on getting kids able to read by age 3.
  He understood that if Indiana was going to move forward, whether you 
had the old Indiana or the new Indiana, whether you were kind of a 
comforting grandfather figure like he has been in Indiana, or a young 
slick politician coming up, if we did not have basic education in 
Indiana we weren't going to be able to compete with the States around 
us and around the country.
  He and his wife have a tremendous legacy of preserving Indiana 
landmarks of many different things. But I think his effort to make sure 
that all kids can read will be one of his major legacies and also his 
legacy of how a public servant should be in relationship to other 
members of his party, of other parties, and to the people of Indiana. 
That is why we are seeing this extended outpouring of grief because we 
are worried that the Nation is changing and we are losing the type of 
values that Frank O'Bannon brought to government.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the 
Governor's Congresswoman, the gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson).
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Chicago and certainly my colleague from Indiana for bringing forth this 
resolution today in tribute to a young man whose service to his family, 
to the State of Indiana, and to this Nation is unsurpassed.
  The Governor just 3 weeks ago met the President at the airport in 
Indianapolis when he came out to Indianapolis for disaster relief, and 
the Governor had just hosted the National Governors' Association there.
  Frank O'Bannon was the type of guy who gave of himself, who lived for 
a cause, not just because.
  Frank O'Bannon even in death contributed his organs so that somebody 
else may have a quality of life. Since his passing, I was telling his 
wife yesterday, I spent an enormous amount of time with the widow, 
``Wouldn't it be great if Frank from on high could hear all of the 
attributes that are being given to him now that he did not hear when he 
was living?''
  Unlike many other Governors in the United States, he came under a 
great deal of pressure because of the economic crisis that Indiana 
faced, a problem over which he had no control and had nothing in fact 
to do with it. But time and time and time again he came under a heap of 
criticism for Indiana's woes. I think he reminds all of us that even 
though we may not have control over something, it is unjust, it is like 
man's inhumanity to man, to heap that kind of pain and frustration on 
an individual who had done so much in improving the lives of the people 
in the State of Indiana.
  I remember when Frank O'Bannon first decided he wanted to be a 
Governor. I was a member of the Indiana State Senate along with him. 
And because Evan Bayh decided he too wanted to be the Governor at that 
time, Frank O'Bannon in his own genteel way stepped aside and allowed 
our now junior Senator to become the Governor of Indiana and Frank 
yielded to become the Lieutenant Governor in the State of Indiana. I 
was telling his wife yesterday that fate had undoubtedly orchestrated 
that, because he was not Governor just for 8 years, he was almost 
Governor for 16 years. He served as Lieutenant Governor for 8 years and 
almost completed 8 years as Indiana's Governor.
  Frank O'Bannon served over 6.15 million people and he served them 
well.

[[Page H8242]]

Politics, economic situations, religious denominations all paled under 
Frank O'Bannon's leadership. Today is a very difficult day for me, 
because I had so much respect for Frank O'Bannon, but then I remember 
the words of Ecclesiastes that reminds us that there is a time for all 
things.
  Frank O'Bannon, I suppose, could have continued to suffer, but God 
would have it another way. Danny, your hospital took great care of our 
Governor. I want to thank you and your hospital for that. They had one 
of the best neurosurgeons that this country has right there at Chicago 
hospital. So I want to thank you and yours. And certainly to Judy 
O'Bannon, who has been a yeoman throughout this ordeal, who has been 
very stately, like a stateswoman throughout the pain that she and her 
family endure, my heart, my prayers go out to Judy, to Jennifer, to 
Polly and to Jonathan. I know in due time that pain will pass but 
precious memories never fade into eternity.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to share with my colleagues and with the Nation 
just a glimpse of what Indiana has been going through in recent days.
  Last week our Governor Frank O'Bannon, a gifted and gentle man on 
loan from God, suffered a massive stroke while hard at work for 
Indiana. Through the week, as he lay stricken, we thought of him, 
remembered him, worried about him and prayed for him. Then, on 
Saturday, we lost him.
  My Governor, ``Frank'' as everyone called him, was a kind and 
intelligent man of great substance. A gifted man with many choices 
before him, he made a selfless choice: to spend a lifetime in public, a 
lifetime in service.
  Now in public life, as we know--borrowing a bit from James Taylor--
`we see fire, we see rain, and sunny days we thought would never end'. 
Our duty is serve our way through, keeping the people and the 
responsibility ever in mind, looking again to reach those sunny days.
  For My Governor, it was ever so. The sunny days were many--his work 
in our Senate, as our Lieutenant Governor, and as Governor the last 
6\1/2\ years, saw great leadership and many sunny days, great 
prosperity and great progress, turning finally to fire and rain, as 
economic suffering reached Indiana and the blame was laid at his feet. 
Through it all, Frank never stopped working for Indiana, knowing, as we 
all do, that we would reach sunny days again.
  As we know, too, public service can be lonely, wearying at its worst. 
As he soldiered on, this fine man absorbed the dismay, the frustration, 
the anger. Wherever I was, I spoke to him each week, not so much as our 
Governor but as a man I had known many years, whose friendship I 
treasured and whose commitment I admired, to remind him not to be 
ground down, that his commitment was a wise one, that sunny days would 
come again. And he returned the favor, with good counsel about the 
heart of public service.
  He is gone now, recalled in a way. Indiana is in good hands, but we 
shall miss him greatly.
  To My Governor, our ``Frank'', our prayers on the way. And, to Judy, 
ever his active partner and helpmate, to the kids, Jennifer, Polly and 
Jonathan, it is my prayer that your precious memories of all that was 
so fine will help to sustain you through these mysterious days and 
hours of our farewell.

                                 Frank

       You can do an article about Governor Frank O'Bannon, but 
     you can't do it justice, not in any language I know. But I 
     have to try.
       In the prefaces of The 1600 Killers and Slander and Sweet 
     Judgement, the two volumes of my memoir, I wrote: ``One of 
     the principal and principled inspirations for this work was 
     the Honorable Frank O'Bannon, forty-seventh governor of 
     Indiana. He, his wife Judy and his lieutenant governor, war-
     hero Joe Kernan, brought a refreshing wholesomeness and down-
     to-earth wisdom to the people of Indiana, of whom I am 
     privileged to be one. The headline on The Indianapolis Star/
     News story that reported Frank's 1996 Election was, `Nice guy 
     finishes first.' Amen''
       The name of our dearly departed governor is O'Bannon, but 
     his face was not ``the map of Ireland;'' it was the map of 
     Indiana. His voice inflections, the twinkle in his eyes, the 
     generous smile made him the personification of all that is 
     good in what we call Hoosier.
       An old cake ad read and said, ``Nobody doesn't like Sarah 
     Lee.'' Noboby didn't like Frank. And nobody doesn't like the 
     superlatively eloquent Judy.
       Several years ago, Hoosier Congressman Pete Visclosky was 
     seated inside a banquet hall, awaiting the arrival of the 
     principal speaker, the slightly behind schedule, then-Lt. 
     Governor Frank O'Bannon. Suddenly, someone told Pete that his 
     nearly octogenarian father had slipped and fallen on the ice 
     outside. Pete rushed to his father's side and found Indiana's 
     second highest elected official helping the elderly man to 
     his feet.
       We use the word ``gentleman'' over and over, but how often 
     do we stop to realize what it means? A gentleman is a man who 
     is gentle and the heroine of the play Love is a Many 
     Splendored Thing, declares, ``There is no greater strength 
     than gentleness.'' By that definition and declaration, Frank 
     O'Bannon was a person of towering strength. John F. Kennedy 
     said it: ``Civility should not be confused with weakness.''
       Michel Eyquem de Montaigene wrote, ``Sit ye never so high 
     upon a stool, yet sit ye but upon your own tail.'' Frank 
     intuitively knew, felt and lived this. He was no big shot. He 
     did have a stuffed shirt, though, stuffed with a warm, caring 
     and giving heart.
       Hoosier journalist William Miller Herschell asked, ``Ain't 
     God good to Indiana?'' When I think of Frank O'Bannon, I know 
     the answer.
                                                 Andy Jacobs, Jr.,
                                        Former Member of Congress.

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from the Eighth District of Indiana (Mr. Hostettler).
  (Mr. HOSTETTLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. HOSTETTLER. I thank my colleague from Indiana for yielding me 
this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues from the great State of 
Indiana in extending our thoughts and prayers to the family of Governor 
Frank O'Bannon during this difficult time. I have had opportunities to 
work with Governor O'Bannon over the last several years and have come 
away with several impressions. First, Frank was a public servant, 
committed to working tirelessly on behalf of Hoosiers from Michigan to 
the Ohio River. Second, when working with the Governor on issues such 
as the completion of Interstate 69 through Indiana, he proved himself 
to be a visionary and a leader, willing to address tough issues head-
on, to do what is best for the entire State. Finally and most 
importantly, Mr. Speaker, Governor O'Bannon was in every circumstance a 
gentleman. In an era of declining civility, Frank stood out for his 
warmth, his comity and good humor.
  I ask my colleagues today to lift the O'Bannon family up in your 
prayers that they might derive strength and joy from God even as they 
pass through these most difficult days. Mr. Speaker, I urge immediate 
passage of this resolution.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).
  (Mr. VISCLOSKY asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with genuine sadness and a very heavy heart that I 
rise today in support of the resolution in honor of Indiana Governor 
Frank O'Bannon. Governor O'Bannon, as was mentioned, tragically passed 
away this past Saturday. I also want to extend my deepest sympathy, 
prayers and offer of assistance to Governor O'Bannon's wife Judy and 
their children and family.
  One of the finest opportunities my career in politics has given me is 
meeting, working with and becoming friends with Frank O'Bannon. Frank 
was one of the most gentle men, one of the most decent men and one of 
the kindest individuals I have ever, ever met in my life. He is a man 
who could have been successful at any pursuit in life. He chose a life 
of public service because it was a life he could give to others. Except 
for his love for Judy and their children and their family, nothing was 
more important to Governor O'Bannon. His commitment to the future in 
children was foremost as far as his administration. And because Frank 
O'Bannon always knew who he was, he allowed his quiet demeanor and 
gentle nature to mask his inherent strength and ability to make very 
hard and very tough decisions for the good of all of the citizens of 
Indiana.
  Mr. Speaker, a number of my colleagues have mentioned anecdotes and 
we all deal with individuals on a personal level, and I would add my 
two. Many years ago when Frank O'Bannon was first campaigning for 
Governor, I was at St. Mary's Orthodox Church hall in Gary, Indiana, at 
a political rally. Someone came in and said my father had fallen on the 
ice and snow outside. I go outside, Dad was perfectly fine, but there 
was Frank O'Bannon because

[[Page H8243]]

he was near my father. There was nothing more important to Frank at 
that moment in time and if it took all night he was going to make sure 
he was up, he was fine, he was cleaned off and he got in that hall, no 
matter what his other demands were.
  The other continuing recollection I have is I tried not to impose 
upon the Governor's good nature or offices very often but whenever I 
called for assistance, he never said he would do it. He never said yes. 
He always said, ``I'll see what I can do.'' And invariably the problem 
was solved, someone was helped or the State of Indiana moved ahead 
because you knew he was always going to do his best.
  Frank O'Bannon was a good, good man. We are all going to miss him not 
only in our State but in this great country.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence).
  (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I have been very moved by the comments of my 
colleagues today, and I also rise to express, as this resolution 
suggests, the profound sorrow of the House of Representatives for the 
death of Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon.
  I was greeted by my wife, Karen, as I returned from the grocery store 
Saturday. She, with tears in her eyes, told me simply that Frank had 
died. And throughout last week, along with tens of thousands of 
Hoosiers, our family labored in prayer, not so much on behalf of a 
Governor as we did on behalf of a friend, because that is what Frank 
O'Bannon was to tens of thousands of Hoosiers.
  I will never forget years ago, long before I entered public life, 
chatting with Governor Frank O'Bannon about the State of Indiana, and 
his face virtually lit up as he said, you do get to feel that you know 
somebody in every little town in this State when you do this job.
  I always had the feeling for Governor Frank O'Bannon that Indiana was 
a small town, if not even a family, and it did not matter what our 
politics were, that was 8:00 to 5:00 with Frank O'Bannon. After 5 
o'clock we were Hoosiers, and we came together and on so many 
occasions. I remember, with great fondness, his intense interest in me 
and in my family and in my children. He had this unusual quality, that 
I have reflected on with my colleagues from Indiana, of making everyone 
else in the room feel that they were more important than him. Even when 
he was the highest elected official in our State, he had a quality of 
humility that will always remain for me a standard in public life.
  In closing, I just add, as the gentlewoman from Indianapolis, Indiana 
(Ms. Carson) said, the Good Book gives us comfort in time of loss, and 
I think of those verses in Micah, chapter 6 verse 8. It says ``In what, 
O, man, is required of you but this: To do justice, to love kindness, 
and to walk humbly with your God.''
  When I look at the public career of Frank O'Bannon as a man, a State 
senator, a Lieutenant Governor, a Governor, a husband, a father, a 
grandfather, he was a man who did justice, who lived and loved 
kindness, and who walked humbly, in a way that will ever inspire this 
public servant to do likewise. To Judy and the children, to Governor 
Kernan and Maggie, our condolences and our prayers.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished Democratic whip.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois, and I 
thank the other gentleman from Indiana for bringing this resolution so 
quickly to the floor. I join my Indiana colleagues.
  I knew Frank O'Bannon pretty well. I was asked by the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Gephardt) in 1995 to serve in the capacity of the liaison 
to the National Governors' Association and to the Democratic Governors' 
Association, and I, therefore, know firsthand the loss that the Hoosier 
State has sustained and the loss of this extraordinarily popular 
Governor, who presided over great change and progress in his State. Our 
Nation, as I think the last speaker indicated so well, has lost a model 
public servant and citizen.
  A few years ago when I served as the House liaison, I had the 
pleasure of working with Governor O'Bannon, both on issues that were in 
front of the Congress and on politics, and I can confirm what so many 
have written and said about him. He was a wonderful, intelligent, kind, 
and humble gentleman who, along with Judy, worked tirelessly for all 
Hoosiers and who cared deeply about his country and his State.
  It is noteworthy, I think, that Governor O'Bannon never lost a 
political election. Democracy is an extraordinary process, and the 
people's wisdom is what makes it so great because they choose well. 
They choose different types of people, and we contend politically, but 
I am always impressed with how well, ultimately, they do choose. But it 
is telling what his last opponent David McIntosh, a former Member of 
this body said about him. This is somebody who ran against him, ran a 
hard campaign, an extraordinarily able young man. He said this: 
``Everywhere I'd go, people would say to me: `How are you going to run 
against someone who is everyone's grandfather?' And it was the truth,'' 
David McIntosh said. ``He was a congenial guy that everyone liked.''
  After serving 18 years in the Indiana Senate including 8 as 
Democratic floor leader and 8 as Lieutenant Governor and more than 6 
years as Governor, Frank O'Bannon pulled off a rare feat in politics: 
He was both effective and well-liked. However, his gentle nature is not 
his only legacy. His many accomplishments, as the colleagues from 
Indiana know better than I do or others, include creating a community 
college system, adopting of academic standards that are among the best 
in the Nation, extending health insurance to nearly half a million 
children, and engineering an overhaul of the State tax system to entice 
business to Indiana and to relieve property tax owners.
  There is no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that Frank O'Bannon lived life to the 
fullest, graduating from Indiana U, where he played basketball, serving 
in the Air Force, practicing law, and working as a newspaper publisher 
in his native Corydon. And there is no doubt that we are fortunate for 
his service. I am pleased to join my colleagues in lamenting for 
ourselves, for Indiana, and for our country the loss of this 
extraordinary individual and being joyous in the fact that, as a man of 
faith, he is better off, and joyous in the fact that we had the 
opportunity to know him and to work with him and to know that his State 
and country were better for his life.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola).
  (Mr. CHOCOLA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. CHOCOLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support with my colleagues 
of this resolution with great sadness and great respect. This certainly 
is a sad day for all Hoosiers when we learned of the passing of our 
Governor, Frank O'Bannon. Although I have served in Congress for a 
short period of time, and my personal experience with Governor O'Bannon 
has been limited, I have great respect for the man he was and the life 
he lived.
  One did not need to know Frank O'Bannon very well to know what kind 
of a person he was. He had the rare ability to project his sincerity 
and his genuine nature to all that he came in contact with.
  And those who knew him well, regardless of their political 
affiliation, were unanimous in their praise and respect for the man and 
his character. I think we are seeing a great example of that today.
  I consider it my loss that I did not have a greater opportunity to 
work with and learn from Frank O'Bannon, and certainly the entire State 
of Indiana will miss him and his lifetime of public service. But in the 
end, we are all fortunate and grateful for the example he gave us and 
thankful for his legacy of leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I know I speak on behalf of all my constituents in the 
2nd District of Indiana when I thank Frank O'Bannon for his service to 
our State, and our thoughts and our prayers are with his wife, Judy, 
and his entire family.

[[Page H8244]]

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill).
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I have been most impressed by the quality of 
remarks that have been talked about here this afternoon, most impressed 
about the sincerity of the remarks that have been made here this 
afternoon. I believe that it demonstrates the quality that Frank 
O'Bannon had and that he transcended politics. Both Republicans and 
Democrats admired him and respected him and loved him. They may have 
had differences, but never lost the respect.
  I have known Frank O'Bannon for over 20 years. He was one of the 
first people that I ever became acquainted with in politics. His home, 
where his wife and his children were raised, is in Corydon, Indiana, a 
town that is in the 9th District, in my district. I have been to his 
house, stayed all night with him, loved him and admired him and 
respected him, and we miss him in Indiana. For the last week we have 
mourned our great Governor, but in the next couple of days we are going 
to celebrate the life of Frank O'Bannon and the many accomplishments 
that he had.
  Probably the greatest accomplishment in his life was the fact that 
one could be a nice guy and get elected to the highest office in 
Indiana. Good guys can finish first, and Frank is a perfect example of 
that.
  I wish many people and Members of Congress could have witnessed the 
class that the First Lady of Indiana demonstrated to the people of 
Indiana and to this Nation. She really held her strength and 
demonstrated that, while she could mourn, she could remain strong for 
the people that she loved in Indiana.
  We are going to miss Frank O'Bannon, but I am convinced of one thing: 
He has a one-way ticket to heaven, and I hope to join him there 
someday.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time. Therefore, I urge swift passage of this resolution, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Let me just end by saying that in the 1997 inauguration speech, Frank 
O'Bannon made some very poignant remarks that I think are appropriate 
at this time. He said: ``Life is no brief candle for me. It is sort of 
a splendid torch which I got hold of for a moment, and I want to make 
it burn as brightly as I can before turning it over to future 
generations.'' Frank O'Bannon did just that, and we all miss him, and 
we wish his family the very best, and they are in our prayers.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, today, we pay tribute to Governor Frank 
O'Bannon--a statesman, loving husband and father and a friend to many.
  A loyal servant of Indiana for over 30 years, Frank O'Bannon lived 
life as a country gentleman, with an unassuming strength to hold to his 
convictions to lead a State but more important, a deep and endless 
devotion to family.
  The life of Frank O'Bannon is one to look at with inspiration and 
thanks. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Judy, their three 
children--Jonathan, Jennifer and Polly and their 5 grandchildren.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 369.
  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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