[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7701-H7702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF FORMER MEMBER STEVE SOLARZ

  (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would soulfully report to this body the 
loss of a great Member, Congressman Steve Solarz, who just left us. He 
passed away at the age of 70 years. He served in this body from 1975 to 
1992. Republican or Democrat, he loved this country, and he fought hard 
for a sound foreign policy.
  At this point, I would like to yield to Congressman Jerry Nadler, 
whose district now takes in a great part of former Congressman Solarz' 
congressional district.
  Mr. NADLER of New York. Mr. Speaker, Steve Solarz served the people 
of Brooklyn in this House from 1975 to 1992. He served with 
distinction, boundless energy, great intellect, and a true passion to 
pursue justice.
  I have had the privilege of representing a large portion of Brooklyn 
that was once his district, and I can attest that he is still fondly 
remembered and admired by the people of Brooklyn. He was also a 
vigorous advocate for our communities close to home and for human 
dignity around the world.
  Steve was a member of the historic Watergate class of 1974, and he 
very soon became one of the leading voices in Congress on foreign 
affairs. As chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, he was one of the 
architects of legislation imposing sanctions on the apartheid 
government of South Africa. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Asian 
and Pacific Affairs, he led the investigation that exposed the 
corruption of the Marcos Government in the Philippines, where he is 
still revered for having steered U.S. policy away from support of that 
brutal and corrupt government and in support of true democratic change, 
which resulted in the election of Corazon Aquino.
  Israel never had a better friend in the Congress than Steve Solarz. 
That commitment was more than just a personal one. He was one of the 
architects of the plan which was finally adopted by the United Nations 
to end the bloody war in Cambodia, which brought an end to the 
notorious killing fields.
  Steve's dedication to religious liberty had a profound effect on our 
legal system. In response to the Supreme Court's decision in Employment 
Division v. Smith, he drafted the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 
which restored the application of strict scrutiny to governmental 
burdens on the free exercise of religion.
  On a more personal note, Steve Solarz was a mensch. He leaves behind 
friends and colleagues who will miss him very much. Our country is a 
better place because of his commitment to public service. The people of 
the world have lost a tireless advocate for freedom and democracy.
  I want to extend the condolences of this House to Nina Solarz, to 
their children--Randy Glantz and Lisa Prickett--and to their families. 
The Nation shares in their loss and wishes them well.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember an outstanding public servant, 
Congressman Stephen J. Solarz, who passed away last night. Steve served 
the people of Brooklyn in the House from 1975 to 1992, with 
distinction, boundless energy, great intellect, and a true passion to 
pursue justice.
  I have had the privilege of representing a large portion of Brooklyn 
that was once in his district, and I can attest that he is still fondly 
remembered and admired by the people of Brooklyn. He was always a 
vigorous advocate for our communities close to home, and for human 
dignity around the world.
  His passing is a great loss to the Nation, but also to people around 
the world who saw in him the best of what the United States has to 
offer; a country fully engaged with other nations in the effort to 
bring peace, human rights, and freedom to every corner of the globe.
  Steve Solarz served in the New York State Assembly from 1968 until he 
was elected to the House of Representatives as part of the historic 
Watergate class in 1974. He very soon became one of the leading voices 
in Congress on foreign affairs. He was respected by his colleagues for 
his breadth of knowledge and his insight into some of the most vexing 
international issues.
  As Chairman of the Africa Subcommittee, he was one of the architects 
of legislation imposing sanctions on the Apartheid government of South 
Africa. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs he 
led the investigation that exposed the corruption of the Marcos 
government in the Phillippines, where he is still revered for having 
steered U.S. policy away from support of that brutal and corrupt 
government, and in support of true democratic change which resulted in 
the election of Corazon Aquino.
  Israel never had a better friend in the Congress than Steve Solarz. 
That commitment was more than just a personal one. He understood the 
importance of the U.S.-Israel alliance to our national interests in a 
way that few others did. When he spoke, it was both from the heart and 
from the head. I think that is why he was often so persuasive.
  He was one of the architects of the plan, finally adopted by the 
United Nations, to end the bloody war in Cambodia, which brought an end 
to the notorious killing fields.

[[Page H7702]]

  He also used his expertise to help people on a very personal level. 
He managed to negotiate with the Asad government of Syria the right of 
Syrian Jewish women to emigrate to the United States because there were 
no Jewish men in Syria for them to marry. The freedom he won for the 
``Syrian Brides'' is still remembered fondly in New York's Syrian 
Jewish community which I now represent.
  His dedication to religious liberty had a profound effect on our 
legal system. In response to the Supreme Court's decision in Employment 
Division v. Smith, he drafted the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 
which restored the application of strict scrutiny to governmental 
burdens on the free exercise of religion. Although later gutted by the 
Supreme Court with respect to the states, it remains the law of the 
land at the federal level.
  Less well known was the so-called ``Yarmulke Bill,'' which he 
introduced in response to the Supreme Court's decision in Goldman v. 
Weinberger, in which the Court held that Americans serving in uniform 
had no religious right to wear even non-obtrusive religious articles 
such as a yarmulke. The bill eventually passed over vocal opposition 
from the Reagan administration, and remains the law of the land.
  In these endeavors, he managed to bring together a diverse coalition 
of religious and civil liberties organizations from across the 
spectrum; from the American Civil Liberties Union, to the National 
Association of Evangelicals.
  As a son of Brooklyn, who never forgot where he came from, he was 
always active in the life of the neighborhoods he represented. Although 
not as well known as his more high profile accomplishments, he fought 
for Brooklyn's working waterfront as a member of the Merchant Marine 
and Fisheries Committee. He shepherded through the reconstruction of 
the historic beach at Coney Island. Whether people had concerns about 
local transportation issues, or the quality of their schools, Steve 
Solarz was always there fighting for his neighbors.
  Even after leaving office, Steve Solarz was a respected voice in 
international affairs. His vast knowledge and experience were of great 
importance to decision makers when grappling with some of the most 
complex and sensitive global issues. We will miss his wise counsel as 
we face an increasingly complex future.
  On a more personal note, Steve Solarz was a mensch. He leaves behind 
friends and colleagues who will miss him very much. Our country is a 
better place because of his commitment to public service. The people of 
the world have lost a tireless advocate for freedom and democracy.
  I want to extend my personal condolences to Nina Solarz, their 
children, Randy Glantz and Lisa Prickett, and to their families. The 
Nation shares in their loss, and wishes them well.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from New York, Peter King.
  Mr. KING of New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to join with my colleagues in expressing 
condolences on the death of Steve Solarz, who served with distinction 
in the New York State Legislature and for many years here in Congress, 
earning a bipartisan reputation for his expertise in foreign affairs.
  In an age of partisanship, I will bring out that, in a bipartisan 
nature, he worked very closely with President Bush 41 in cosponsoring 
the resolution for Operation Desert Storm, and he was also a principal 
adviser to President Bill Clinton in his campaign for President in 
1992. He transcended party politics. He was a true foreign policy 
expert, and all of New York mourns his passing.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members and guests of the House will please 
rise to observe a moment of silence.

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