[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 149 (Wednesday, October 3, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12523-S12524]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO PAUL CROWLEY

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today, joined by my friend, Senator 
Whitehouse, to recognize the life of Paul Crowley, a Rhode Island State 
Representative who distinguished himself with an extraordinary career 
as a business leader and particularly as a civic leader in the State of 
Rhode Island.
  Paul passed away on September 24, 2007, after serving nearly 27 years 
as a member of the Rhode Island General Assembly. Indeed, I had the 
privilege and pleasure of serving with Paul years ago. He was a friend 
to me. He was a source of wise counsel, and he was someone who was 
universally admired for his commitment, particularly his commitment to 
children.
  Paul's passion was to try to reform the educational system of Rhode 
Island. He brought that passion with him every day to the State House 
in Providence. He was someone who was unafraid of taking on anybody 
when it came to helping children perform better in school. It was not 
confrontation for the sake of confrontation; it was constructive, 
robust debate--always with the focus on improving the opportunities for 
children to learn in our State so they can take those skills and build 
strong families, a strong community, and a great nation.
  Paul is a contemporary. He was born, as I was, in 1949. He graduated 
from the University of Rhode Island in 1973 and was first elected as a 
Democrat from Newport in 1981. In the intervening years he has, more 
than any one person in Rhode Island, profoundly shaped education policy 
for our State. As I said, he took it upon himself with a passion, with 
a commitment, with a sense that this country is all about opportunity, 
and the greatest engine of opportunity for Americans is a good public 
education.
  He was an unstinting advocate. He was someone who understood the 
nature of the educational process. He worked ceaselessly, tirelessly, 
and he bore the frustrations of public service with a sense of purpose. 
At the end of his career, he could look back at profound changes for 
the better in the educational system of Rhode Island.
  He was way ahead of his time in terms of emphasizing school 
accountability, standards-based reform, and measuring student progress. 
Years before these ideas were embraced and supported at the Federal 
level, Paul was talking about them at the State level and led a State-
wide reform effort. He was committed to making sure education was 
available for all our citizens, regardless of race, background, or 
income; that they would have access to a high-quality public education 
as a foundation to higher education.
  He was also an advocate for career and technical education, 
understanding that one size does not fit all; that the essence of 
education is finding the talent in that child and giving that child the 
opportunity to use that talent. For many, it is career and technical 
education.
  He understood that in this new global economy, Americans could not 
stand pat when it came to education. They

[[Page S12524]]

had to be better than they were before, better than the rest of the 
world. He fought for that vigorously and tirelessly.
  He was someone who understood it very well and every day gave his all 
so every child in our State would have a better chance to make the 
progress that is the essence of this country and seize all its 
opportunities.
  Paul's greatest passion was for his family, Diana, and their three 
children, Meredith, Matthew, and Edward. In his family, he has a 
reflection of all the values he stood for, honesty, decency, integrity, 
effort, success and community spirit--reaching out to help others. All 
of these good people do it every day. They are inspired and sustained 
by his example.
  Also high among his cherished ideals was his Irish heritage. Paul 
looked like a map of Ireland, with a shock of white hair and his ruddy 
complexion and his great Irish tenor voice. He would sing Irish ballads 
with his musical group, and he would remind us all of the great poets 
of Ireland and the great dreamers of Ireland. But similar to many of 
them, he transformed the songs, the poems, and the dreams into real 
action.
  Today we come to this floor to praise him, to thank him, to let his 
family know what they already know. He has won the esteem and the love 
of his neighbors in Rhode Island, richly deserved for a life well spent 
serving others.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today to join my 
distinguished senior Senator Jack Reed in remembering a great Rhode 
Islander, Representative Paul Crowley, of Newport. With his passing 
early last week, the ``Ocean State'' lost not only a champion for our 
children and powerful advocate for Newport, the city he loved, but a 
friend and mentor for many of us who served and worked with him. In a 
place such as Rhode Island, a loss like that of Paul touches us 
personally as well as politically.
  So together with Senator Reed, I wish to share briefly with the 
Senate the Paul Crowley I know.
  Paul was a Newporter heart and soul, a lifelong resident of the fifth 
ward and a warm and generous host at Laforge Casino Restaurant, long 
owned by his family. He loved his old city and worked tirelessly to 
strengthen its economy and bring new vitality to its proud history.
  Paul's role in founding the Newport County Convention and Visitors 
Bureau helped make Newport a world-class destination, and he led 
efforts to build a sister city relationship that endures today, between 
Newport and Kinsale, Ireland.
  A loyal member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and former Grand 
Marshal of the Newport St. Patrick's Day Parade, Paul treasured his 
Irish heritage. He loved his family, his native city, and his ancestral 
Ireland, I think in that order.
  Paul was a deeply respected leader. In 27 consecutive years of 
service in our General Assembly, his work as deputy chair of the Rhode 
Island House Finance Committee, among many other posts, cemented Paul's 
reputation as a hard worker, an honest broker, and a skilled 
negotiator.
  Paul relentlessly dedicated those skills to improving education in 
Rhode Island. He believed Rhode Island children deserved the best 
education and he never compromised that commitment. He pushed schools 
and teachers to take responsibility for their students' successes and 
failures, and he pushed the State to ensure that schools improved, from 
accountability measures to State aid for poorer districts. Paul was 
particularly focused on middle schools, a concern he and I shared.
  His legislative deeds are the shoulders on which education reform in 
Rhode Island will stand for a generation. Paul was a friend especially 
to Senator Reed's colleague and mine in our delegation, Patrick 
Kennedy. Paul befriended Patrick when they both served together in the 
General Assembly. I know Paul watched with great pride as Patrick rose 
first in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, and later in 
Congress, where he has earned the great honor and responsibility now of 
serving on the House Appropriations Committee.
  Paul will be so deeply missed. Hearts all over Rhode Island go out to 
Paul's family--his wife Diana, his daughter Meredith, his sons Matthew 
and Edward, and his entire family.
  I join Senator Reed in offering my condolences, on behalf also of 
Sandra, my wife, who worked with Paul in the legislature and who was so 
fond of him.
  Newport, the city Paul loved, and the Ocean State, whose people he 
served unselfishly and with great integrity, are lessened today because 
he is no longer with us.
  Paul, may the road rise up to meet you, and the wind be always at 
your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; may the rain fall 
soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you 
in the palm of His hand.

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