[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 5, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H10385-H10389]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[[Page H10385]]
FRANCIS X. McCLOSKEY POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3379) to designate the facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 3210 East 10th Street in Bloomington, Indiana, as
the ``Francis X. McCloskey Post Office Building.''
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 3379
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FRANCIS X. MCCLOSKEY POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 3210 East 10th Street in Bloomington,
Indiana, shall be known and designated as the ``Francis X.
McCloskey Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the Francis X. McCloskey Post Office Building.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
General Leave
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Connecticut?
There was no objection.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 3379 designates the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 3210 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana, as the Francis
X. McCloskey Post Office Building. Congressman Frank McCloskey, a six-
term Representative from Indiana, sadly passed away at age 64 on
Sunday, November 2, 2003.
Mr. Speaker, I want to join with the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Hill) in offering the deepest sympathies to the family of Frank
McCloskey and to say to the Chair and to the other Members of this
House, Frank was an extraordinarily caring individual, tremendously
hardworking, a gentle man and a very effective Member of Congress. Mr.
Speaker, he was a devoted Member of this body, with whom many of us
served, and we are all saddened to hear the news that he had passed
away on Sunday and are grateful for the opportunity to remember him
here today.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 3379.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3379,
and I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Spratt), the ranking member of the Committee on the Budget.
(Mr. SPRATT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SPRATT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an old friend and dear
colleague. Frank McCloskey and I came to Congress together in 1983, and
for all the time that he served here, we sat beside each other on the
Committee on Armed Services. I enjoyed him as a person. He became a
good friend. I admired him as a colleague. I learned a lot from him.
Frank was plain and unpretentious, but beneath a serious and even
studious sort of demeanor, he was passionate about the things that he
believed in and dogged in their pursuit. He stayed on top of the
issues. We get confronted continually with issue of all sorts.
I will never forget the morning after Reagan made his SDI speech,
March 1983. Frank was the one member of the committee then who was
probing the Defense Department witnesses about strategic defense. He
was skeptical but he was always, always informed and diligent and fair-
minded as a critic. Long before Srebrenica, he was troubled, deeply,
personally conflicted about the war and current issues in the Balkans,
and he was an early advocate and lone supporter of our intervention
there. There were those who said it was not feasible, it was not
possible or it was not desirable, but in the long run Frank McCloskey's
position was vindicated.
Frank McCloskey was not glib. He was not flashy. He was not smooth.
He was not, in Sam Rayburn's famous analogy, a show horse, but he was a
workhorse. He took his job seriously and never himself. He was never
one to preen or pontificate. There was no conceit about him. He was a
plain spoken Hoosier who worked hard in the House, worked hard for his
constituents, and every election ran hard to hold on to his seat.
Frank was gone from the House before we really knew it, and now he is
gone altogether. Naming this post office after him is completely
appropriate, though it seems a small gesture. This does give us,
however, at least the chance to say to an old colleague whom we greatly
respected, well done. Well done for all the years you served here. Well
done in all your friendships you have given to us, and also to say to
Frank and his family, we have never forgotten you, and this bill proves
it.
I hope this post office will also give his constituents, whom he
served so well, cause to remember him and all that he did for them. Our
hearts go out to his family. We understand their grief. We share their
loss, but we hope that they will take solace in hearing his old
colleagues here in the House say that the years he spent here were
years well spent in service to his country.
While he left here more than 8 years ago, I believe his example still
shines among us, as the passage of this resolution will demonstrate.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5
minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill), the sponsor of this
legislation.
(Mr. HILL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding such time
to me.
Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday we lost in Indiana another man by the
name of Frank. A couple of months ago we lost our Governor, Frank
O'Bannon, and this past Sunday, we have lost Frank McCloskey.
Frank was born on June 12, 1939, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He
graduated from Bishop Kendrick High School in Norristown, Pennsylvania
in 1957, and got his undergraduate degree at Indiana University in
1968, his law degree at Indiana University in 1971. He served in the
United States Air Force from 1957 until 1961. He was a newspaper
reporter from 1961 to 1968. Admitted to the Indiana bar in 1971.
He became mayor of the great city of Bloomington, Indiana for 10
years, from 1972 until 1982. He was elected at the ripe old age of 32
years of age. He was in the U.S. Congress from the 8th District from
1983 until 1995.
He was an attorney, he was a good guy, and we are going to miss him.
We are losing too many Franks in Indiana. Frank was a special guy. I
like what the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) had to say
about Frank. He was a good and decent fellow, mellow, mild, dedicated,
especially to the cause in Bosnia and made many trips over there. He
was a good Congressman.
He created some controversy in this House on an election one time,
and I think some Members still remember that, but the House has always
been full of controversy, and we look beyond that in these kind of
special things that happen to people in their lives.
It is the right thing for us to do today to honor Frank McCloskey by
naming this post office after him.
I spoke with Frank last week in the hospital, and he told me he did
not want to go. He was still fighting, wanted to fight to live, but he
actually told me that he thought that he was not going to win this
fight, but he went down swinging.
We have always respected that element in Frank McCloskey. He was a
fighter for the things that he believed in, to the last day that he
died.
My heart and my prayers go out to Roberta, his wife; his daughter,
Helen; and his son, Mark, and to the people of Bloomington, Indiana who
loved Frank McCloskey. They will miss him, I know, but we honor him
here today by naming this post office in the city that he loved, in
Bloomington, Indiana.
[[Page H10386]]
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3
minutes to the gentlewoman from Indianapolis, Indiana (Ms. Carson).
Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I would commend my colleague the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) who represents the district that the
Honorable Frank McCloskey represented so well, and certainly appreciate
very much the fact that he has expedited this measure to the floor
today on behalf of a great man.
Congressman Frank McCloskey passed away Sunday after a long battle
with cancer, and as my colleagues already know, the Honorable Frank
McCloskey served more than 10 years as mayor of Bloomington and was an
elected Member of Congress for 6 years.
What I think, Mr. Speaker, that I would emphasize today is that this
country has produced great scientists. When I fly back and forth from
Indianapolis on a weekly basis, I think about the incredible brilliance
of the Wright brothers who taught us how to annihilate space and
circumscribe time, and I am wondering when and where and how we will be
able to amass that same kind of talent to eradicate this deadly, deadly
disease called cancer.
Frank McCloskey was a very strong man who brought to the ears and
eyes of America the problems with ethnic cleansing among the Balkans in
Bosnia, a very courageous and decent individual, and I know that his
wife Roberta is full of pain, even though she would not want to see him
in pain any longer. His congressional career, the leadership that he
exhibited, the fact that he worked at the local bases and was just an
ordinary person, a reporter for the Star and the Herald-Telephone in
Bloomington, and the City News Bureau in Chicago, named director of the
Kosovo programs for the Democratic National Institute for International
Affairs, where he was teaching leaders how to govern democratically.
I am pleased to support this effort by the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. Hill) on H.R. 3379 designating the Frank X. McCloskey Post Office
in memory of the former Frank McCloskey, to the citizens of Bloomington
and, yes, to the entire State of Indiana, and I urge all of my
colleagues to support this legislation and keep Frank and his family
very near and dear in our thoughts and prayers.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer).
Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3379, a bill to
designate the Bloomington, Indiana, post office in honor of the late
Congressman Frank McCloskey.
Indiana has lost one of its more dedicated and valued public
servants. Frank McCloskey, his sincerity, his compassion for people not
only here in America but around the world, was very profound.
I served with him on the Committee on Armed Services when I was a new
Member here, and he was very informative because in the 1993 time
period he was very eager to teach a new President at that time about
the plights in Bosnia, at a time where our country wanted to turn more
inward, and he wanted to focus us more outward.
As I look back on that, a lot of things that Frank spoke of came to
pass, and for that reason, for his public service, not only as the
mayor of Bloomington but also what he helped do for our country in a
very difficult time in the world, this is an honor fitting of the
gentleman, and for that, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of
this bill.
{time} 1415
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the pride of northeastern
Indiana, and my neighbor and friend across the water.
(Mr. VISCLOSKY asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues in asking
all of the House to support this resolution on behalf of a great
American, a true Hoosier, and an outstanding public servant, that is,
the former Indiana Congressman, Frank McCloskey. Frank devoted his life
to serving people, whether it was in the military service of our
country, whether it was as a mayor, whether it was as a Member of
Congress, or subsequently as a private citizen. He was a man of great
passion over those things that mattered to him and those things that
mattered to people who could least defend and protect themselves.
Frank McCloskey was a noble man engaged in noble work, and he was a
man of courage. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) mentioned he was
courageous to the last breath that he took. He was always courageous in
the words he spoke and in the actions he took in the House of
Representatives. Frank did come to Congress in 1983, and he served his
district with distinction for 12 years. He was passionate about helping
working families, their children and their parents.
It is also said, and it is certainly true, that Frank was as much at
home in the coal mines of southern Indiana as he was in the halls of
Congress. Frank authored legislation for children to make sure that
companies could not send free samples of drugs or cleaning products
through the mail without child safety caps. In 1990, he authored other
legislation against deceptive practices.
But subsequent to his public service in the United States Congress,
he acted most nobly when he took great interest in humanitarian issues
worldwide. He was one of the first U.S. public servants to visit Bosnia
when it was embroiled in warfare and ethnic cleansing. He successfully
brought the suffering to the attention of the American people, our
government, and championed humanitarian intervention; and he continued
that work throughout his life.
In 2002, Frank was named director of the Kosovo Programs for the
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, where he
taught other leaders from around the globe how to govern
democratically. I would close by again reflecting on Mr. McCloskey's
courage, courage of his convictions, of his life, and of his commitment
to everyone.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Democratic leader.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time, and I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for making this
resolution possible this afternoon.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great personal sadness that I rise to pay
tribute to Frank McCloskey, who passed away on Sunday surrounded by
family and friends, and that is exactly how he lived, surrounded by
family and friends. Frank was a respected colleague in this body, a
dear friend and a faithful public servant. He was the mayor of
Bloomington for 10 years. He was just out of law school when he was
elected mayor of Bloomington, and he was always in touch with his
district. He was so proud to represent Indiana in the Congress, and
those of us who served with him learned from him every single day about
the wonders of Indiana and about the prospects for our great country.
Frank was a fighter, a gentleman, a diplomat, a lovely and gracious
man, but a fighter. He believed in causes greater than himself, and he
worked tirelessly to achieve them. Anyone who served in Congress with
Frank knew once he grabbed hold of an idea, he did not let go. In his
work on the Committee on Armed Services and Committee on Foreign
Affairs, he knew that our highest priority as Members of Congress was
to provide for the common defense. He honored that commitment and
became an expert on national defense policy. He was passionate and
eloquent in his support for the people of Bosnia and a leader in
stopping the genocide there. What a source of pride that must have been
for him. The gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) is nodding his head
and acknowledging that Mr. McCloskey was such a champion for human
rights and respecting the dignity and worth of every person. He cared
deeply for the people of Bosnia and refused to believe that the United
States could not stop the atrocities occurring there. On that issue,
Frank was ahead of his time, as he was on so many issues.
I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for his work to
designate the Francis X. McCloskey Post Office Building. Frank served
on the post office and civil service subcommittee, and I know it would
be a source of great pride to have a post office named in his honor.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Roberta and their two children. I
had
[[Page H10387]]
the pleasure of being in their company on a number of occasions and
spoke to Frank as recently as last week. He was still a fighter and was
fighting to get through this rough patch. But he knew that he had
wonderful things in store, but they might not be with us here on Earth.
We hope it is a comfort to Roberta and Frank's children that so many
people share their loss. We miss Frank not only as a colleague, but as
a precious and dear friend. He was a leader. People who never met him
benefited from his great service in this Congress of the United States.
Again our sympathies go out to his family, to his constituents whom he
cared so much about, and I thank again the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Hill) for making this tribute to Frank possible.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip.
(Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once remarked, ``An
individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow
confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all
humanity.''
Today as we note the untimely passing on Sunday afternoon of our
friend and former colleague, Indiana Congressman Frank McCloskey, who
lost a year-long battle with cancer, let it long be remembered that
this Hoosier embraced not only the important concerns of his
constituents in southwest Indiana, but also the broader concerns of all
humanity.
In the early 1990s, I worked very closely with Congressman McCloskey
and others to call attention to the atrocities and ethnic cleansing
perpetrated by Slobodan Milosevic and his henchmen in Bosnia. Many in
the international community, indeed many in this country, looked away.
Frank McCloskey did not.
A fact-finding trip to Bosnia in 1991 stirred and galvanized Frank's
passion. As a member of the Committee on Armed Services and Committee
on Foreign Affairs, Congressman McCloskey was among the first in
Congress to call for air strikes against Serbian positions in Bosnia-
Herzegovina from which Bosnians were being shelled and murdered. Frank
urged that Slobodan Milosevic be tried as a war criminal, which now is
happening. He and I worked to lift the arms embargo against Bosnia, and
he was not shy in criticizing the Clinton administration when he
disagreed with its handling of that conflict.
Mr. Speaker, political expediency practically demanded that Frank
McCloskey focus on shoring up his position in the 8th Congressional
District. As is well known, he won his first election to this body in
1984 by four votes. But in spite of the fact that he won six
congressional races in one of the most competitive districts in
America, political calculation did not crowd out the humanity in Frank
McCloskey's heart. He was commanded by conscience to do what he
believed was right.
Frank McCloskey lived a full life serving in the Air Force, working
as a newspaper reporter, and serving as Bloomington's mayor for 10
years before he was elected to this Congress.
Let me close, Mr. Speaker, by quoting John Kennedy who inspired Frank
and inspired many of us in this body. Kennedy said: ``I believe in
human dignity as the source of national purpose, human liberty as the
source of national action, the human heart as the source of national
compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and
our ideas.''
Mr. Speaker, those were words that Frank McCloskey lived by. We mourn
his loss and offer our condolences to Roberta, his wife of 30 years,
and his two children, Helen and Mark, as well as his family and many
friends. Frank McCloskey made this a better body. He made this country
better. We mourn his loss.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once remarked that: ``An
individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow
confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all
humanity.''
Today, as we note the untimely passing on Sunday afternoon of our
friend and former colleague, Indiana Congressman Frank McCloskey--who
lost a year-long battle with cancer--let it long be remembered that
this Hoosier embraced not only the important concerns of his
constituents in southwest Indiana but also the broader concerns of all
humanity.
In the early 1990s, I worked very closely with Congressman McCloskey
and others to call attention to the atrocities and ethnic cleansing
perpetrated by Slobodan Milosevic and his henchmen in Bosnia.
Recall that as the former Yugoslavia disintegrated and Milosevic
trained his fury on Bosnia, millions were displaced, hundreds of
thousands were killed, and tens of thousands were raped and tortured.
Many in the international community--indeed many in this country--
looked away. Frank McCloskey did not.
A fact-finding trip to Bosnia in 1991 stirred and galvanized Frank's
passion, which, as the Indianapolis Star said on Monday, dominated both
the twilight of his life and his political career. At the time of his
death, he was the Director of Kosovo Programs for the National
Democratic Institute for International Affairs, where he taught leaders
how to govern democratically.
Back in the 1990s, as a member of the Armed Services and Foreign
Affairs Committees, Congressman McCloskey was among the first in
Congress to call for air strikes against Serbian positions in Bosnia-
Herzegovina. He believed such strikes were needed to prevent
hostilities from spilling over to Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia and other
provinces.
Frank urged that Milosevic be tried as a war criminal, which now in
fact is happening. He and I worked to lift the arms embargo against
Bosnia. And he was not shy about criticizing the Clinton administration
when he disagreed with its handling of the conflict.
Mr. Speaker, political expediency practically demanded that Frank
McCloskey focus on shoring up his position in the Eighth Congressional
District. As is well know, he won his first attempt at re-election to
this body in 1984 by four--yes, four--votes.
But in spite of the fact that he won six congressional races in one
of the most competitive districts in America, political calculation did
not crowd out the humanity in Frank McCloskey's heart. He was commanded
by conscience to do what he believed was right--for his constituents,
for his nation, and for humanity, too.
Mr. Speaker, Frank McCloskey crowded an enormous amount of living
into his 64 years. He served our Nation for 4 years in the Air Force;
graduated from Indiana University with bachelor's and law degrees;
worked as a newspaper reporter in Chicago, Bloomington and
Indianapolis; and served as Bloomington's mayor for 10 years before
being elected to Congress.
Still, though his contributions were many, one cannot help but think
that they would have been even greater had he been given the gift of
more time in his life.
Let me close by quoting John F. Kennedy, who inspired Frank
McCloskey, as well as myself: ``I believe in human dignity as the
source of national purpose,'' said President Kennedy, ``Human liberty
as the source of national action, the human heart as the source of
national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our
invention and our ideas.''
Mr. Speaker, those were words that Frank McCloskey lived by.
We are all the beneficiaries of his tireless efforts on behalf of
human rights and basic dignity.
As we mourn his loss and honor him by naming this post office in his
honor, I want to express my sincere condolences to his wife of 30
years, Roberta, and his two children, Helen and Mark, as well as his
family and many friends.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to second what the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said. Because of Frank McCloskey's life, there are
a lot of people alive in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and
Kosovo. He, along with several other Members, did more to sensitize
this Congress, which was not very interested at that time in those
areas. Neither the Clinton administration nor the Congress, quite
frankly, wanted to do anything with regard to what took place. Frank
McCloskey went over there and because of his actions did a lot of good
and saved a lot of lives.
Also, as many people know, even after Congressman McCloskey left this
Congress, he continued his work. He did not let this cause go. I want
to rise to salute Congressman McCloskey; and on behalf of all of the
people that are alive in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia
and Kosovo, who may not even know the reason why, I thank
[[Page H10388]]
Frank on their behalf and want to let his family know he made a
tremendous difference not only for their district, not only for our
country, but for our entire world.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Davis) for yielding me this time and compliment the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Hill) for bringing forward this resolution, along with the
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).
All of us cared very deeply for our beloved colleague, Frank
McCloskey. To his wife, Roberta, to his children, family and friends,
to the citizens of Indiana, you sent America a beautiful man to serve
here in this Congress.
I can remember when Frank first arrived. We were both babies of the
1980s here. The economy was not so good. He being from the Hoosier
State, and I from the neighboring Buckeye State, were fighting to try
to restore some economic sanity to the country so people could have
decent jobs at good wages and we could manage our accounts in a way
that would be responsible for future generations. He was a part of that
great struggle of the 1980s. I remember how in the 1990s after his trip
to the Balkans, he would come up to us on the floor and say we cannot
tolerate this genocide. I remember his very straight, erect figure
becoming a bit bent as the weight of that affected him. I could see it
in his face. The young Congressman who had come here was taking on a
cause that was global in proportion. He truly made a difference.
Millions and millions of children will grow up in a different and
better world because of the life that he lived.
He was beyond reproach in terms of his honor and his devotion to
public service. He always had a good word for us. He was such a
pleasant gentleman here. He added to the comity. Partisanship was not
the main aspect that drove Frank.
When we look up on the wall of Congress, there is a saying by Daniel
Webster which talks about performing something in your time and
generation worthy to be remembered. Surely, Congressman Frank McCloskey
of Indiana fits that level of achievement as a Member of this precious
body of the Congress of the United States, and we send deepest
condolences to his family. He made a difference.
{time} 1430
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume 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 rise to mourn with those who mourn, and
grieve with those who grieve, with gratitude for my colleague the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for his swift and decisive leadership
in moving this important legislation honoring a great public servant,
Frank McCloskey, to the floor of the Congress of the United States.
When Frank McCloskey breathed his last this Sunday, Indiana lost a
leader, but as we have heard again and again from colleagues who served
with him and those who simply admired his work from afar, the world
community most certainly lost a champion of justice. Congressman Frank
McCloskey was a man of courage, courage he demonstrated very recently
in his struggle with cancer, staying positive and optimistic even to
the very end in all of his public statements to family and friends and
neighbors.
But he was also, as we have heard today, a man of genuine courage in
public service. In addition to his tenacity in representing the people
of southwestern Indiana during six terms in the U.S. House of
Representatives, Frank McCloskey will long be remembered for his
courage in challenging the United States to confront the genocidal aims
of President Slobodan Milosevic in the Balkans.
As a member of the House Committee on International Relations, I had
the occasion to speak to former Congressman Frank McCloskey on several
occasions about his efforts to confront the evils of ethnic cleansing
and what was without exaggeration, Mr. Speaker, his foresight and his
vision. Long before the world community and long before the United
States, certainly, came to recognize the threat to peace and the deep
injustice that was taking place in the Balkans, Indiana's Frank
McCloskey came to this floor and spoke with passion.
It is accurate to say as we remember him here and we commemorate him
in a building in his beloved home State, that also the name of Frank
McCloskey will be remembered by generations of Bosnians. In fact, there
are thoroughfares in that nascent nation this day that bear his name.
Generations of Bosnians will remember the name of Frank McCloskey of
Indiana on a short list of leaders who, across the globe, had the
vision to confront the evil aims of the Serbian dictator who beset
them.
It has been said long ago that a man who has done nothing for mankind
should fear to die. I speak with confidence and humility when I say I
am sure Frank McCloskey did not fear to die given his extraordinary
contributions to life and liberty in the Balkans. We mourn his loss
with his friends, his colleagues, most especially his wife, his family
and his children. We strongly support this resolution and this measure
to recognize this true Indiana leader.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
In closing for our side, I did not have the opportunity to serve with
Representative McCloskey, but from listening to the accolades that have
been given to him by his colleagues who did serve with him and know
him, it is clear that he was not only honorable, but that he was also
seriously committed to what he believed in even if, at the time, there
was not the full level of support that one often looks for. I commend
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for introducing this resolution.
I commend all of the members of the Indiana delegation, all of those
who are supportive of this measure. I urge its swift passage.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I join with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) in thanking the
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill) for introducing this resolution and
thanking our colleagues for coming to the floor of the House and
reminding us of what Mr. McCloskey has done, just some of what he has
done, and to again urge passage of this resolution.
Mr. BURTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of my
former colleague and fellow Hoosier, Congressman Frank X. McCloskey,
upon his untimely death after a year-long battle with bladder cancer. I
strongly support the ``Francis X. McCloskey Post Office Building
Designation Act'' (H.R. 3379), renaming the United states Post Office
located in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, after former Congressman
McCloskey.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1939, McCloskey attended high
school in Norristown, PA, and entered the Air Force immediately after
graduation. After honorably serving his country, McCloskey attended
Indiana University, where the received both his undergraduate degree
and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence. He then settled down in Bloomington
and began his service to both the state of Indiana and our Nation in a
most distinguished manner, beginning with his ten-year term as mayor of
the city of Bloomington. McCloskey had the highest of aspirations, and
was eventually elected to the U.S.House of Representatives in 1982,
serving a 6-term career as U.S. Representative from the 8th
Congressional District of Indiana.
During his tenure in the House of Representatives, Frank McCloskey
became highly involved in the Balkan crisis, introducing several pieces
of legislation seeking to avert a humanitarian disaster in the former
Yugoslav republics. In the years following his Congressional service,
Frank drew upon those experiences in foreign relations and human rights
by pursuing formal training in Balkan studies and serving as a mediator
in negotiations over territorial disputes in Bosnia. As a result of his
dedication and tireless efforts, McCloskey was awarded by being named
Director of Kosovo Programs for the National Democratic Institute for
International Affairs.
Mr. Speaker and my esteemed colleagues, please join me in honoring
and recognizing the service and commitment that Congressman Frank
McCloskey gave to his fellow Hoosiers, the American people, and the
international community. It is only fitting that we dedicate a last
memorial by renaming the Post Office in downtown Bloomington, Indiana,
after a man who helped change the course of history and served the
public with distinction.
[[Page H10389]]
Please join me in supporting the ``Francis X. McCloskey Post Office
Building Designation Act.''
Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 3379, a bill
to designate the Bloomington, Indiana Post Office in honor of the late
Congressman Frank McCloskey. Indiana has lost one of its most dedicated
and valued public servants. Frank McCloskey's sincerity and compassion
for people, not only here in America, but around the world, was
profound. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time.
I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Terry). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3379.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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