[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8798-H8800]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND LIFE OF EDWARD R. BRADLEY
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 1084) to honor the contributions and life of
Edward R. Bradley, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 1084
Whereas Edward R. Bradley was born on June 22, 1941, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
Whereas he graduated in 1964 with a degree in education
from Cheyney State College;
[[Page H8799]]
Whereas he taught during the day at William B. Mann
Elementary in Philadelphia and spent his evenings working at
local radio station WDAS for free;
Whereas in 1965, when riots broke out in Philadelphia, Ed
Bradley, lacking recording equipment, covered the riots from
a neighborhood pay phone;
Whereas Ed Bradley's coverage of the Philadelphia riots
earned him a full-time paid position with WDAS;
Whereas Ed Bradley was hired in 1967 as a reporter for WCBS
radio in New York;
Whereas in 1968 he was the only African American on air at
WCBS, or at any New York City radio station;
Whereas he joined CBS News in 1971 as a stringer in its
Paris bureau, covering the Paris Peace talks, and remained
with CBS News for 35 years;
Whereas he was transferred in 1972 to CBS Saigon bureau to
cover the Vietnam War and while covering the War in Cambodia
was injured by a mortar round;
Whereas he covered Jimmy Carter's campaign in 1976 and
served as a CBS news floor correspondent for coverage of the
Democratic and Republican National Conventions;
Whereas he became the first African American White House
correspondent for CBS news from 1976 to 1978;
Whereas in 1981 Ed Bradley joined 60 Minutes as an on-air
correspondent and remained with 60 Minutes for 26 years;
Whereas in 2000, Ed Bradley was the only television
journalist granted an interview with condemned Oklahoma City
Bomber, Timothy McVeigh, which earned him an Emmy award;
Whereas Ed Bradley received numerous awards of distinction
for his in-depth reporting and coverage, including 20 Emmy
awards, Lew Klein Excellence in the Media Award (2006), Paul
White Award (2000), Damon Runyon Award (2003), Robert F.
Kennedy Journalism Award (1995), and a Lifetime Achievement
Award from the National Association of Black Journalists
(2005); and
Whereas in addition to invaluable contributions to
journalism, Ed Bradley's reporting also spurred social
activism and change with his report on AIDS in Africa,
``Death by Denial,'' which helped influence the
pharmaceutical industry into discounting and donating AIDS
drugs to Africa: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes and honors the contributions of Edward R.
Bradley as an award winning American journalist; and
(2) expresses its deepest condolences upon his death to his
wife, Patricia Blanchet, surviving family members, and
friends.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
General Leave
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might
consume.
Known best for his investigative reports on the CBS news program 60
Minutes, Ed Bradley won 19 Emmy Awards throughout his journalism
career, including one for lifetime achievement in 2003. Just one year
after graduating from college, he reported on the Philadelphia riots
and earned a position with a local radio station. He became a reporter
for CBS News in 1971, where he remained for 35 years and took on
projects that were challenging and oftentimes a call for action.
His June 2000 report, ``Death by Denial,'' for example, helped expose
the AIDS crisis in Africa and convinced the pharmaceutical industry to
donate medicine to the region. His report the previous year, called
``Unsafe Haven,'' prompted Federal investigations into America's
psychiatric hospitals.
In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Ed Bradley is
remembered by his friends for leading a personal life of balance,
virtue and humor. He loved to jump on stage with his good buddy and
friend, Jimmy Buffett, who nicknamed Bradley ``Teddy Bear'' and
referred to him as a great journalist who still knew how to have a good
time.
In November of this year, after a long and private struggle with
leukemia, Ed Bradley passed away. He leaves behind him a legacy of
journalistic talent and achievements, as well as a personal story of
courage and determination.
I urge my Members to join me today in supporting H. Res. 1084, as
amended.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield as
much time as he might consume to the sponsor of this resolution, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady).
Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the
committee and the ranking member for allowing me to speak and also for
bringing this bill up so quickly.
Edward Rudolph Bradley was born on June 22, 1941, in West
Philadelphia, about 8 blocks from my house. He attended my alma mater,
St. Thomas More High School. He graduated about 3 years ahead of me. I
knew him personally, saw him in school, and he always was a gentleman
and someone who always helped anyone who needed any help in any manner.
With him being a senior and me being a freshman, I needed a lot of
help, and he always took the time to do that.
He taught at William B. Mann Elementary in Philadelphia and spent his
evenings working at a local Philadelphia radio station, WDAS, for free.
In 1965, when riots broke out in Philadelphia and Philadelphia was in a
major turmoil, Bradley, lacking recording equipment, covered the riots
from a nearby pay phone and did an excellent job reporting back and
also trying to soothe the problems we were having there.
Bradley's coverage of the North Philadelphia riots earned him a full-
time paid position with WDAS. Bradley was hired in 1967 as a reporter
for WCBS radio in New York. In 1968 he was the only African American on
air at CBS, or at any New York news radio station.
Ed Bradley joined CBS News in 1971 as a stringer in its Paris bureau,
covering the Paris peace talks, and remained with CBS News for 35
years. He was transferred in 1972 to CBS Saigon bureau to cover the
Vietnam War and, while covering the war in Cambodia, was injured by a
mortar round.
Ed Bradley covered Jimmy Carter's campaign in 1976, served as a CBS
News floor correspondent for coverage of the Democratic and Republican
National Conventions, which he covered and reported very fairly.
Bradley became the first African American White House correspondent for
CBS from 1976 to 1978. In 1981, Bradley joined 60 Minutes as an on-air
correspondent and remained with 60 Minutes for 26 years.
In 2000, Bradley was the only television journalist granted an
interview with condemned Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, which
earned him another Emmy Award.
Bradley received numerous awards of distinction for his in-depth
reporting and coverage, including 20 Emmy Awards, Lew Klein Excellence
in the Media Award, 2006; Paul White Award, 2000; Damon Runyon Award,
2003; Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, 1995; and Lifetime
Achievement Award from the National Association of Black Journalists in
2005.
In addition to valuable contributions to journalism, Bradley's
reporting also spurred social activism, but also spurred change with
his reporting on AIDS in Africa, ``Death by Denial,'' which helped
influence drug companies into discounting and donating AIDS drugs to
Africa.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Blanchet. He will surely be
missed in the City of Philadelphia, and we in the City of Philadelphia
are extremely proud and honored to call him one of our own.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 4
minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Ms. NORTON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank my good
friends on both sides for bringing this resolution forward before the
109th Congress ends.
Mr. Speaker, Ed Bradley was much honored by his peers, the best honor
always to receive, from those who judge harshest and judge best. It is
very appropriate that Ed Bradley would be honored here in the halls of
the Congress of the United States.
Perhaps he was destined to be honored in any case, because he was a
pioneer, a first of his kind. We are still in an era when the first
blacks are coming forward and we honor them simply for piercing the
iron veil of race, but we honor Ed Bradley in this Chamber today as a
leader of his profession.
[[Page H8800]]
Indeed, we honor Ed Bradley because he became, in his profession, an
admired American figure. That is very hard to do in the field of
journalism today. Journalism is almost down there with Members of
Congress, but there are journalists who are universally admired, and Ed
Bradley was one of those journalists.
He was in, perhaps, the most difficult aspect of journalism, at least
that for which he became best known, investigative journalism, and,
indeed, he was part of the premier investigative journalism program, 60
Minutes.
What Ed Bradley did is really difficult to do. You have got to be
fair, but you have got to ask very hard, uncomfortable questions.
Somehow he was able to do that without having people dislike him, and
without having the television audience believe he had overreached. Here
is a man who began as an elementary school teacher and went to the top
of the journalism profession at a time when blacks were not supposed to
be in the journalism profession at all.
Bradley excelled in his profession in ways that you have just heard
from the sponsor of this resolution, 20 Emmys and all the rest. I also
want to say that here is a man who had many friends who loved him
despite his fame and fortune. Would that Members of Congress could be
loved in spite of their profession, not because of it. Two of those who
loved him most, are also dear friends of mine, Charlayne and Ron Gault.
Charlayne Gault is the functional equivalent of Ed Bradley in
journalism as a woman who entered this field at a time when there were
very few blacks at the New York Times and in television.
Some of us may have seen the memorial service to Ed Bradley that was
televised. It was a real testament to the fact that Ed Bradley loved
life. All of us workaholics here in the Congress who are about to go
home need to have looked at that memorial service, because Ed was
remembered as much for his love of jazz, a jazz aficionado, as he was
for his extraordinary reputation as a journalist.
Now, most of us are likely not to be remembered for being in Congress
at all, but the notion of being remembered for loving life and living
life and yet going to the top of your profession, there is no better
life than that. Thus, it is with great pride that I rise to thank the
sponsors of this resolution for honoring a man who did honor to his
profession. We give honor to his family by reminding them that he is
still remembered and will not be forgotten in his profession and in the
life of our country.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
might consume to conclude for our side.
I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1084, as amended,
a resolution that honors the life of Ed Bradley. Most of us know Ed
Bradley from his 25 years of work on the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes,
and his many interviews with world figures, celebrities and cultural
icons.
The men and the women who sat in the chair across from Bradley doing
his 60 Minutes interviews were figures of importance, people to whom we
should pay attention, and we could rely on Bradley to make sure that no
skeleton in the darkest corner of his subject's closet was safe from
the tenacious journalists.
Bradley got his break by covering the 1965 riots while working part-
time for free at a Philadelphia radio station. His talent did not go
unnoticed for long. Bradley caught the ear of New York, and CBS radio
hired him in 1967. He became the lone African American to report the
news on the airways in New York.
Bradley went on to work in international television news in 1971. He
worked for CBS news in Paris, Vietnam and Cambodia, where he proved
himself as the quintessential journalist in sometimes dangerous
situations.
{time} 1400
During his coverage of the Vietnam War, Bradley was injured by
shrapnel from a mortar shell, a true testament to his devotion to
getting a story. Bradley began working on the 60 Minutes news show in
1981, and he remained there until his death last month from leukemia.
I had the opportunity to be sitting close to the mayor of the City of
Chicago at the Democratic Convention when he and Ed Bradley got into a
serious exchange, one that everybody in our city always remembers.
A tenacious style and hard-hitting coverage earned Bradley many
accolades and awards over the years. He won 19 Emmys and countless
other awards by bringing us some of the most memorable television news
moments over the past 25 years. Whether he was standing on the floor of
a Presidential convention, sitting across the table from a world
leader, teaching us about the AIDS epidemic from a remote region of
Africa, reporting about war and humanitarian crises in Vietnam or
Cambodia, or calling from a public phone booth in Philadelphia to
report on the 1965 riots, Bradley was a welcome guest in our homes and
hearts for almost 40 years.
I again express my strong support for this resolution that honors Ed
Bradley.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, For nearly forty years, Ed Bradley dedicated
his life to journalism and uncovered some of history's greatest
stories. His legacy, his life's work, is a story for all of us to
admire.
Ed was a man of journalistic integrity, he not only set a high
standard for his fellow journalists; he also helped to break down
barriers in a field that traditionally has not reflected the true
diversity of our Nation.
For most of his life, Ed sought the truth in matters that affected
the American public. From his initial coverage of the Vietnam War to
his award-winning report on AIDS, his contribution to history will not
go unnoticed or forgotten.
Throughout his career, Ed took interest in the role of African-
Americans in journalism and politics. He always found time to talk to
minority youth and helped inspire new generations to enter both of
these professions. When we last spoke, he expressed interest in the
work of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Ed Bradley was only 65. He had so much left to give, but let us not
forget his story, his commitment to enriching American lives, and his
belief in a better world.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1084, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the
resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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