[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 68 (Tuesday, May 5, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H5102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO JACK KEMP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
tribute to a good and great friend who was also a great American leader 
that we lost this last weekend, Jack Kemp.
  Jack Kemp was not only an inspiration to many, but he is a model for 
those of us who serve in this House. Through the years, his searching 
intellect, his impressive leadership ability, his buoyant personality, 
and, yes, his dedication to his family, was something to inspire all of 
us who had the opportunity to know him and those of us who were able to 
call him friend.
  I remember that he told me one time that as busy as he was, he always 
used to take the time to try and give some inspiration to his children, 
and at times he would write a little note to them and put it under 
their pillow, and oftentimes it would say these simple words: ``Be a 
leader.'' I copied that from Jack, and I would remind my children 
before they would go to bed to think of themselves as leaders, not just 
followers.
  Jack had that kind of effect on people. I was speaking to another 
Member of Congress recently and I said, when you think of Jack Kemp, 
you immediately have a smile on your lips because of that buoyant 
personality, that ultimate sense of fairness.
  Today, we talk about athletes having a swagger. Jack didn't walk with 
a swagger. He walked with the grace of an athlete. And there was a 
certain graciousness about him as he approached anybody on this floor. 
Democrat, Republican; liberal, conservative; white, black, Hispanic, it 
didn't matter. Jack treated you all the same.
  Jack genuinely believed that there was goodness in everybody, and 
even when disappointed he would still come back to that fundamental 
thought of his that if you could reach just a little bit deeper, if you 
talked to someone just a little bit longer, if you fought a little bit 
harder, maybe you could find agreement and maybe we could move this 
country forward.
  It was a great experience being one of Jack's friends. I often 
thought that there might be someone out there who doesn't like Jack 
Kemp, but I don't think there was a single person that Jack disliked. 
And that could be irritating at times when he was an ally of yours and 
you were dealing with a difficult issue, and you would say, Jack, don't 
you hear what they are saying? Doesn't it get you irritated? And he 
would give you that half crooked smile and have that raspy chuckle, and 
he would just keep on going.
  I remember when I was with him, as were several other Members in the 
House, I believe it was over in the Cannon Caucus Room, when Jack 
announced his candidacy for President in 1988. At the end he said 
something to this effect. He said, ``While I am leaving the House, I 
will always be a man of the House.'' And I believe he was, until the 
day he died.
  Today, as we deal with difficult issues, it would do us good to 
remember Jack; not as someone of the past, not as someone who made 
great contributions to this country in his life, but someone whose 
spirit remains and whose example should be an example to us all.
  We dealt with difficult issues when he was here in the House; the 
Contras, Soviet Jewry, the Cold War, the march of communism, high 
taxes, difficult inflation, questions about where we were going. And 
Jack dealt with all of those issues. But he dealt with those issues not 
only with a smile, but with a clarity of vision and an approach that 
invited people to sit down and debate with emotion, but with civility.

                              {time}  1100

  There could be no better example for us today. The incandescence of 
his personality, the generosity of his spirit, the genuineness of his 
friendship, I thank God for all of those things. And I think today as 
we deal with these difficult issues, rather than just to have a tip of 
the hat to people like Jack Kemp, we ought to say, your inspiration, 
your leadership and your example will continue to burn brightly in the 
hearts of Members of this body and we shall always remember your belief 
in the goodness of America and the goodness of its people.
  God bless you, friend.

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