[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 168 (Friday, December 17, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8612-H8617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1000
         HONORING ACHIEVEMENTS OF AMBASSADOR RICHARD HOLBROOKE

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the

[[Page H8613]]

concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 335) honoring the exceptional 
achievements of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and recognizing the 
significant contributions he has made to United States national 
security, humanitarian causes, and peaceful resolutions of 
international conflict, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 335

       Whereas Ambassador Richard Holbrooke devoted nearly 50 
     years of his life to public service, working tirelessly to 
     defend United States interests abroad and foster peace 
     amongst warring factions for the betterment of United States 
     and international stability and security;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke was a proud New York native 
     who attended Scarsdale High School before continuing his 
     education at Brown University in 1962, where he was editor of 
     the Brown Daily Herald;
       Whereas one month after graduating from university, 
     Ambassador Holbrooke, inspired by President Kennedy's call to 
     service, entered the Foreign Service, where he spent the next 
     6 years focused on Vietnam, including serving with the United 
     States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the 
     Mekong Delta, as an assistant to Ambassadors Henry Cabot 
     Lodge and Maxwell Taylor, as an author of one volume of the 
     Pentagon Papers, and a member of the team led by Averell 
     Harriman and future Secretary of State Cyrus Vance at the 
     Paris Peace talks in 1968;
       Whereas from 1970 to 1972 Ambassador Holbrooke served as 
     the Peace Corps Director in Morocco;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke was the only person to have 
     served as Assistant Secretary of State for two regions of the 
     world, having served as Assistant Secretary of State for East 
     Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1977 to 1981, during which he 
     was a tireless advocate for the expanded admission of tens of 
     thousands of Indochinese refugees to the United States, and 
     as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian 
     Affairs from 1994 to 1996;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke brokered the 1995 Dayton 
     Accords which ended over 3 years of bloody sectarian war that 
     took the lives of more than 100,000 Bosnians;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke marshaled many diplomatic and 
     military tools and deftly negotiated concessions from all 
     warring factions that created the conditions for peace;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke's relentless pursuit of a 
     negotiated solution to ethnic and religious conflict in 
     Bosnia saved tens of thousands of innocent lives;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke served as United States 
     Ambassador to Germany from 1993 to 1994, where he helped to 
     found the American Academy of Berlin, a center for United 
     States-German cultural exchange;
       Whereas from 1999 to 2001, Ambassador Holbrooke served as 
     the United States Permanent Representative to the United 
     Nations where he was a critical partner in the implementation 
     of Congressionally-led efforts to lower the dues the United 
     States paid to the United Nations, to implement certain 
     reforms to the United Nations financial system, to settle 
     substantial and longstanding United States arrears to the 
     United Nations, to improve management within the United 
     Nations, to include Israel in the United Nations' Western 
     European and Others Group, to end Israel's longtime exclusion 
     from regional deliberations, to render more effective the 
     United Nations' efforts to address conflicts and save lives 
     in Africa and East Timor, and to raise the profile of public 
     health as a matter of global security, including through 
     debate and passage of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 1308 on HIV/AIDS;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke continued to marshal 
     international attention and resources to combat the HIV/AIDS 
     crisis by catalyzing the private sector response to the 
     global AIDS pandemic through the Global Business Coalition on 
     HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which mobilized 
     corporations to address HIV/AIDS, garnered CEOs to be an 
     advocacy force in the fight, and served as the private sector 
     focal point for the Global Fund on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and 
     Malaria;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke served as a steadfast emissary 
     of the United States as the Special Representative for 
     Afghanistan and Pakistan, tirelessly advocating for United 
     States interests and peace in the region, mobilizing 
     unprecedented international support, facilitating economic, 
     transit, trade, and security cooperation between Afghanistan 
     and Pakistan, and working to enhance stability, to build 
     prosperity, and to counter extremism and terrorism in the 
     region;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke forged a new civilian-led, 
     multi-agency approach seeking to bring stability and 
     development to the lives of millions striving for a better 
     future;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke was one of the most talented 
     diplomats for the United States and possessed a fierce 
     determination and intelligence in advocating for United 
     States security interests around the world, including in 
     Southeast Asia and post-Cold War Europe, at the United 
     Nations, and most recently in Afghanistan and Pakistan;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke was a prolific writer and 
     communicator, serving as the Managing Editor of Foreign 
     Policy, authoring works such as ``To End A War'', ``Counsel 
     to the President'', one volume of the Pentagon Papers, and a 
     monthly column in The Washington Post, and sharing the art of 
     mediation with countless audiences;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke lent his expertise toward the 
     improvement of management and organization for a host of 
     nongovernmental organizations, serving as a board member of 
     Refugees International, the Council on Foreign Relations, the 
     National Endowment for Democracy, the American Museum of 
     Natural History, and the Citizens Committee for New York 
     City, as Chairman of the Asia Society, as Founding Chairman 
     of the American Academy in Berlin, and as a Woodrow Wilson 
     Scholar;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke motivated many Americans to 
     enter public service and served as an inspirational leader 
     and public servant, mentoring countless United States 
     Department of State officers and future ambassadors;
       Whereas from Southeast Asia to post-Cold War Europe and 
     around the globe, people have a better chance of a peaceful 
     future because of Ambassador Holbrooke's lifetime of service;
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke was renowned internationally 
     for his energy, persistence, sharp intellect, and skills of 
     persuasion; and
       Whereas Ambassador Holbrooke leaves behind his beloved wife 
     Kati, sons David and Anthony, step-children Elizabeth and 
     Chris, daughter-in-law Sarah, four grandchildren, and 
     countless friends and colleagues: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) honors the exceptional achievements of Ambassador 
     Richard Holbrooke and recognizes the significant 
     contributions he has made to United States national security, 
     humanitarian causes, and peaceful resolutions of 
     international conflict; and
       (2) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the family of 
     Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, which 
recognizes and honors the life and career of one of America's most 
potent diplomatic assets, Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke.
  For opening comments, I yield as much time as she may consume to 
someone who was a close and great friend of his. She is the chair of 
the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations 
Committee, the chief sponsor of this resolution on which the ranking 
member and I have joined, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey).
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 335, a 
concurrent resolution in remembrance and appreciation of Ambassador 
Richard Holbrooke.
  The passing of Ambassador Holbrooke on Monday, December 13, is a 
great loss for the American people. One of our Nation's most talented 
diplomats, Richard Holbrooke possessed a fierce determination and 
unsurpassed brilliance in advocating for American security, diplomatic 
and development interests around the world--in Southeast Asia and post-
Cold War Europe, at the United Nations, and most recently in 
Afghanistan and Pakistan. His exceptional accomplishments as a 
peacemaker, diplomat, writer, scholar, manager, and mentor will define 
his legacy as one of the true great foreign policy giants of our time.
  I was honored and privileged to have known Richard Holbrooke from his 
time brokering the Dayton Peace Accords, helping to end the ethnic 
cleansing and genocide in the Balkans. His political acumen, deft 
maneuvering and relentless, dogged pursuit of peace saved tens of 
thousands of innocent lives in Bosnia and helped to stabilize one of 
the most volatile regions in the world.

[[Page H8614]]

  In his role as Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, it 
was a privilege to work with him as our Nation navigates an intractable 
situation for regional and global security.
  Throughout his career, he served the United States as a tireless 
advocate, loyal patriot and tenacious fighter for U.S. interests. 
Richard Holbrooke was a giant of diplomacy and a trusted voice for me 
and many other Members of Congress who valued his counsel. Our Nation 
owes him a debt of gratitude for his many years of service.
  My thoughts and prayers and deepest sympathies are with his beloved 
wife, Kati; his children and grandchildren; and countless friends and 
colleagues.
  We will miss you, Richard. Rest in peace, my friend. However, I know 
your wise advice will continue to guide us.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution in honor of 
one of our country's greatest diplomats.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution of which I am proud 
to be an original cosponsor.
  I want to thank my good friend from New York, Congresswoman Nita 
Lowey, for her timely work in authoring this resolution; and of course 
I thank my chairman, Mr. Berman of California, as well.
  The sudden and unexpected passing of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke 
earlier this week was a shock to all of us. The depth of sadness that 
we felt at the news was a testament to his exemplary life of service to 
our country in so many different capacities.
  Ambassador Holbrooke was one of the most consequential world 
diplomats of the last half century, and his tireless work in pursuit of 
United States national interests and international peace have put us 
all in his debt.
  His advocacy for peace was, of course, most clearly shown during the 
conflict in Bosnia. His tenacity and force of will brought the warring 
parties to the negotiation table in Dayton, Ohio, where he skillfully 
brokered the accord that ended over 3 years of atrocities and bloody 
conflict.

                              {time}  1010

  Over 100,000 perished in the Bosnian war, and it is impossible to say 
how many thousands may have been saved by Ambassador Holbrooke's 
actions at Dayton. And while that accomplishment would have been enough 
to mark any diplomatic career with high distinction, it was only one of 
the many facets of his service which continued to the very end of his 
life. As Assistant Secretary of State for two regions of the world, 
East Asia and Europe; as United States Ambassador to the United 
Nations; and as U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and 
Pakistan, he made his mark on many issues that remain urgent concerns 
today. In New York at the U.N., he did much of the heavy lifting on 
congressionally led efforts to rein in U.N. spending, to make more 
equitable the dues paid by the United States, and to improve the 
standing of Israel in that multinational body.
  Sadly, those concerns have returned with a renewed urgency--with the 
need for fundamental reform of the U.N. budgets and the virulently 
anti-Israel U.N. Human Rights Council--and the Congress can only hope 
to have such a tenacious, principled partner in the future.
  Ambassador Holbrooke made his final appearance before our Committee 
on Foreign Affairs in the spring of last year as U.S. Special 
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. We lament the loss of his 
matchless skills in those critical regions. We grieve at his passing, 
but let us honor his service by renewing our own commitment to success 
in Afghanistan.
  At this time we extend our condolences, our thoughts, and our prayers 
to his wife Kati and to his children. While we mourn the loss of a 
dedicated public servant, they mourn the loss of a husband and a 
father.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in this expression of 
gratitude for the service of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my 
colleague the gentlelady from California (Ms. Harman), someone who 
worked for a very long time on issues with Ambassador Holbrooke.
  Ms. HARMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding and I am very pleased 
that our colleague Nita Lowey has brought this resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, after learning some encouraging news about Richard 
Holbrooke's condition last weekend, hearing that my friend had died 
felt like a sucker punch. Four days later, it still does.
  I suppose, in an ironic way, Richard would smile at the enormous 
impact he had on friend and foe alike. He was a life force, a force of 
nature--someone always operating on multiple levels, in high gear, and 
in more than three dimensions. I used to chafe when in the middle of a 
phone call he would put me on hold to talk to someone else. But I bet 
he did that to everyone.
  He was a consummate juggler--the master diplomat. He knew precisely 
what he was prepared to tell someone, and what he was not. Though it 
takes years to settle on how history will view someone, my guess is 
Richard Holbrooke will be considered, hands down, as the best diplomat 
of our generation. Indeed, he will be in a small pantheon that includes 
Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Averell Harriman.
  But the public Richard is not all of it: The private Richard was a 
generous and loyal friend. Before joining the Obama administration, he 
chaired the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS. For a time, one of 
our grandchildren was on its staff. He loved her, and forever after 
asked about her life and her boyfriends. No question the huge staff he 
built over his many careers over many years is devastated by his 
untimely death. Surely Megan Quitken is. To Kati, whom he adored, and 
the extended Holbrooke family, we mourn your loss--and our country's 
loss.
  I like to think that Richard has just put us all on hold while he 
takes another call.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi).
  Ms. PELOSI. I thank the chairman for yielding and I commend him and 
Ranking Member, soon-to-be Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for giving us 
this opportunity to address the resolution presented by our chairwoman, 
Congresswoman Nita Lowey, who chairs the Foreign Ops subcommittee.
  All of you on Foreign Affairs and on Foreign Ops in appropriations 
know full well the magnitude of the leader that Richard Holbrooke was. 
As I address some personal remarks about him, I want to say how 
significant it was that he understood the important role that Congress 
plays in our foreign policy, whether it was as the Ambassador to the 
United Nations, whether it was in his work forging a peace agreement, 
the Dayton Accords, or whether it was in his role now as Special Envoy 
to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  He would come to Capitol Hill bringing his tremendous and brilliant 
mind, his great intellect, his boundless energy, and his sense of 
humor. He had a tenacity about him that was unsurpassed. His 
determination was palpable. You could see it in the air. When he 
addressed an issue, you knew that a solution would be found and he, 
indeed, worked very, very hard in all that he did; but he also brought, 
as I say, a brilliant, great intellect.
  With the passing of Ambassador Holbrooke, our country has lost a 
brilliant and respected diplomat. We have--but his life and his legacy 
will continue to affect our search for peace in the world, resolution 
of conflict, improving relationships among countries, having a values 
based American foreign policy.
  He was a strong fighter for peace throughout the world and an 
advocate for American values at the United Nations. He will be long 
remembered, again, for forging the agreement among bitter rivals to end 
3 years of bloody sectarian war in the former Yugoslavia. Now that 
peace is in the region, it is hard to remember how bitter that fight 
was, one forever, that went on for a long time.
  I just want to say this aside, just to tell you the magnitude of the 
task that

[[Page H8615]]

he had. When Adolf Hitler was asked how he learned the power of hatred, 
he said he learned it by watching the Balkans, people who had come to 
Vienna, settled there in some ghettos, and he saw how they interacted 
among themselves in a very, very bitter way. That gives you a flavor 
for the attitudes of people in the region.
  They came to the table in Dayton. Richard Holbrooke understood, he 
put himself in the shoes of each of these rivals, and was able to forge 
an agreement. It was quite historic. Again, the force of his 
determination was key to securing peace, restoring hope, and saving 
lives. It was really monumental. It is thought that his work in the 
Balkans saved thousands of lives.
  Today, as the resolution states, Congress recognizes him for the 
monumental contributions he has made to United States national 
security, humanitarian causes, and peaceful resolutions of 
international conflict.
  Again, all of us who have worked with him admired his great intellect 
and tenacity to resolve conflict. When we got news of his passing, 
which was shocking to all of us, we immediately flew a flag over the 
Capitol that evening in his name. How appropriate--this great patriot--
how appropriate that there would be a flag flying in his name over the 
Capitol of the United States. I think that is a tremendous, tremendous 
tribute.
  I hope it is a comfort to Kati, our dear friend--many of us are 
personal friends of the Holbrookes--to his children, to their children 
and to the many who loved him that so many people in our country and 
throughout the world mourn their loss with a deep, deep sadness and 
that we are praying for them at this sad time.

                              {time}  1020

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1 minute to my 
colleague from Ohio, the State where Ambassador Holbrooke's most 
difficult and successful diplomatic effort took place, Ms. Kaptur.
  Ms. KAPTUR. I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the 
committee, my friend, Howard Berman, for yielding me this minute to use 
this resolution in recognition of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as a 
moment to extend the deepest condolences from the people of Ohio to 
Kati and to his family, to all those whose lives he touched and tried 
to heal.
  I can remember one time in Cleveland, Ambassador Holbrooke during one 
large gathering walking through meetings with his garrulous nature, and 
full of life, and keeping Ohio in a very special corner of his heart. I 
remember how proud he was of his own heritage, of his wife's heritage, 
and how hard he worked for our country. One can only imagine all those 
flights from capital to capital to capital trying to piece together the 
Dayton Peace Accord and his absolutely indefatigable efforts on behalf 
of peace around the world.
  He will truly, truly be missed by the people of Ohio. I am just very 
fortunate to be a Representative from that State who had the privilege 
of knowing him and working with him over the years. And America is 
better, the world is better, because of his life.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding and allowing me this time on the 
floor today.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to our retiring colleague 
from California, herself with diplomatic experience, Ambassador Diane 
Watson.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I take great honor in coming and saluting 
Ambassador Holbrooke. He was a person that we can all be proud of, 
because among ambassadors, he stood above them head and shoulders and 
represented the will and the morality of our country around this globe.
  Being a member of that elite corps is something that will always 
remain deep in my heart and my mind that I had the privilege of serving 
2 years as an ambassador myself. And during the 6 weeks of training 
that we had, Ambassador Holbrooke was always held as the standard by 
which we performed our duties for the United States of America.
  I offer my condolences to his family and his broad global family from 
the State of California. I'm very proud to have served with him in that 
department. It was a short period of time, but oh, what an experience. 
May God bless the family, and I know he's up there presiding over all 
of the matters that will affect our countries and bring peace. God 
bless.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I have no further requests for time, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  We have heard from the Speaker of the House; from the author of the 
resolution, Mrs. Lowey; from Ambassador Holbrooke's dear friend, and of 
a variety of aspects both of his accomplishments and of his nature, and 
it was quite a series of accomplishments, in all parts of the world, in 
the diplomatic sphere, in the development assistance sphere, in 
southeast Asia, in the Balkans, obviously more recently in South Asia.
  What I would love to do here on the House floor, because I think in a 
way it might best illustrate what I could say about his talents, was 
just to speak to the details of six or seven interventions and times 
that I dealt with him on a particular project over the years, but I 
feel like I would be bringing WikiLeaks to the House floor were I to go 
through all of those.
  So I will restrain myself just to say he truly was one of a kind. We 
will miss his brilliance, his energy, his ability to play chess, to see 
the long term and the unbelievable force of his personality.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ambassador Richard 
Holbrooke, who unexpectedly passed away this week. My husband, 
Ambassador Sidney Williams, and I are very saddened that friend is no 
longer with us.
  We first had the opportunity to meet Ambassador Holbrooke during 
diplomatic training in 1993. Sidney and Richard had recently been 
appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as the Ambassadors to the 
Bahamas and Germany, respectively. As is required of the spouse of an 
incoming Ambassador, I also went through training to understand certain 
diplomatic protocol and procedure.
  I have fond memories of that time, and I remember Richard as an 
extremely bright, articulate, and worldly man. He had an imposing 
presence, a keen intellect and a sharp wit, which had clearly served 
him well in the decades he trotted the globe making peace, shaping 
policy, and advancing our interests abroad.
  Shortly after we met, he was dispatched to serve as the key 
negotiator to the 1995 Dayton peace accords, which ended the Bosnian 
War. I remember thinking that they could not find someone with more 
expertise or wherewithal to undertake such a complex and important 
task.
  Whether in Vietnam or Afghanistan, the Johnson administration or the 
Obama administration, a dais at the United Nations or the theater of 
war, Richard served our country and the international community with 
grace, with strength, and with distinction.
  Our diplomatic community, indeed, our country, has lost a tried and 
true public servant. During this difficult time, I take some comfort in 
knowing that the world is a better place because of Ambassador Richard 
Holbrooke, and I hope anyone who knew him will do the same.
  My husband and I extend our deepest sympathies, our thoughts and our 
prayers to his wife, his children, his family and his many friends and 
colleagues.
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. I rise in support of this resolution, of which 
I am proud to be an original cosponsor.
  I want to thank my good friend from New York, Representative Lowey, 
for her timely work in authoring this tribute.
  The sudden and unexpected passing of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke 
earlier this week was a shock to all of us.
  The depth of sadness that we felt at the news was a testament to his 
exemplary life of service to our country, in so many different 
capacities.
  Ambassador Holbrooke was one of the most consequential world 
diplomats of the last half-century, and his tireless work in pursuit of 
United States national interests and international peace have put us 
all in his debt.
  His advocacy for peace was of course most clearly shown during the 
conflict in Bosnia.
  His tenacity and force of will brought the warring parties to the 
negotiation table in Dayton, Ohio, where he skillfully brokered the 
accord that ended the over 3 years of atrocities and bloody conflict.
  Over 100,000 perished in the Bosnian war, and it is impossible to say 
how many thousands were saved by Ambassador Holbrooke's actions at 
Dayton.
  And while that accomplishment would have been enough to mark any 
diplomatic career with high distinction, it was only one of the many 
facets of his service, which continued to the end of his life.

[[Page H8616]]

  As Assistant Secretary of State for two regions of the world--East 
Asia and Europe, as United States ambassador to the United Nations, and 
as U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, he made 
his mark on many issues that remain urgent concerns today.
  In New York at the U.N., he did much of the heavy lifting on 
Congressionally led efforts to rein in U.N. spending, to rationalize 
the dues paid by the United States, and to improve the standing of 
Israel in that multinational body.
  Sadly, those concerns have returned with a renewed urgency--with the 
need for fundamental reform of U.N. budgets and the virulently anti-
Israel U.N. Human Rights Council (so called)--and the Congress can only 
hope to have such a tenacious, principled partner in the future.
  Ambassador Holbrooke made his final appearance before our Committee 
on Foreign Affairs in the spring of last year, as U.S. Special 
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  We lament the loss of his matchless skills in those critical regions.
  But while we grieve at his passing, let us renew our own commitment 
to success in Afghanistan as a fitting way to honor his service toward 
that end.
  At this time we extend our condolences, our thoughts, and our prayers 
to his wife Kati, and to his children.
  While we mourn the loss of a dedicated public servant, they mourn the 
loss of a husband and a father.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in this expression of 
gratitude for the service of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.
  Mr. NYE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the man behind so many 
pivotal diplomatic achievements that have improved the lives of so many 
around the world and made our Nation safer: Ambassador Richard 
Holbrooke.
  As a former Foreign Service Officer I first met Ambassador Holbrooke 
while I was serving at the U.S. Embassy in Macedonia, and most recently 
during a congressional delegation I led to Afghanistan. I will remember 
him as a key figure in the middle of many delicate, quintessential 
diplomatic negotiations.
  Few Americans have left as big a mark on U.S. foreign policy as 
Ambassador Holbrooke. From his historic role brokering peace in the 
Balkans, to his final mission in the Afghanistan and Pakistan region, 
Ambassador Holbrooke had a fearless love for his country. He shied away 
from nothing, always diving head-first into the challenging issues of 
his time.
  With the passing of Ambassador Holbrooke our country, and indeed the 
world, has lost a brilliant and respected diplomat. But his legacy will 
live on in the improved relationships we now have with countries in the 
world's toughest regions.
  My heart and prayers are with his wife Kati, his sons David and 
Anthony, his stepchildren Elizabeth and Chris Jennings, and his 
daughter-in-law Sarah.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, I was extremely 
saddened to hear about the death of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. He 
was a great leader and a dedicated representative of peace and 
democracy throughout the world. I extend my deepest condolences to 
Ambassador Holbrooke's family, his wife Kati Marton, his brother, 
Andrew, and his children, David, Anthony, Christopher and Elizabeth.
  Ambassador Holbrooke has had a tremendous career with the United 
States State Department, which began with a response to President 
Kennedy's call to service for government work in the early 1960s. 
Ambassador Holbrooke was undoubtedly a public servant ever since his 
graduation from Brown University in 1962, when he joined the Foreign 
Service and was sent to Vietnam. At the young age of 24, Richard 
Holbrooke, an expert on Vietnam issues, was appointed to a team of 
Vietnam experts, the Phoenix Program, under President Lyndon B. 
Johnson. Ambassador Holbrooke has always been a champion of peace and 
democracy, and this began at a young age with a profound dedication to 
the United States' international diplomacy efforts.
  Since beginning his career in foreign policy at such a young age, 
Ambassador Holbrooke was always at the forefront of international 
political issues, whether it was as a public servant at the 1968 Paris 
Peace Talks, Director of the Peace Corps in Morocco, or as a the editor 
of Foreign Policy magazine. Ambassador Holbrooke will always be an 
archetype of United States diplomacy, and his resume only serves to 
demonstrate how he has been consequential to diplomacy in some of our 
generation's most tumultuous events.
  Ambassador Holbrooke never relented in his efforts to expand his 
efforts to pursue U.S. interests of diplomacy and democracy 
internationally. In 1977, under President Carter, Richard Holbrooke was 
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. As the 
youngest person to have been appointed to that position, Ambassador 
Holbrooke oversaw the normalization of relations with China in 1978, 
and the warming of the cold war during his tenure. His diplomatic 
achievements do not culminate with the establishment of diplomatic 
relations with China--instead they continued, and arguably exceeded 
anyone's expectations.
  When President Clinton took office in 1993, Mr. Holbrooke returned to 
work for the United States Government with the State Department. His 
first appointment was as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, where he 
participated in the founding of the American Academy in Berlin as a 
cultural exchange center.
  In 1994, he returned to Washington after being appointed by President 
Clinton to be the Assistant Secretary of State for European and 
Canadian Affairs, where he was the lead negotiator in the Balkan Wars. 
He was strategic in establishing a lasting peace at the Dayton talks 
that undoubtedly saved thousands of lives. The 1995 Dayton peace 
accords ended the war in Bosnia--but it required an agreement by the 
three warring factions, the Serbs, the Croats, and the Bosnian Muslims. 
Holbrooke's role in this is lasting; he ended the 3-year war, and 
helped develop the framework for dividing Bosnia into two entities, one 
of the Bosnian Serbs and another of the Croatians and Muslims. 
Ambassador Holbrooke is a hero of U.S. diplomacy, and undoubtedly had 
tremendous importance in facilitating peace, in whatever form, in 
Bosnia.
  After playing a key role in the Dayton Peace Talks, President Bill 
Clinton named Mr. Holbrooke as the representative of the United 
States to the United Nations. Holbrooke's time as the United Nations 
Ambassador was highlighted in his addressing the problems of global 
HIV/AIDS. He advocated to United Nation peacekeepers that it was their 
responsibility to help prevent HIV/AIDS and invited Vice President Al 
Gore to speak before the Security Council to highlight the growing 
epidemic. Ambassador Holbrooke warned that the medical section of the 
peacekeeping department has been under-staffed and suggested that all 
peacekeepers include the cost of AIDS tests in the budget of future 
missions. Mr. Holbrooke has been a strong advocate for HIV/AIDS issues 
having worked with the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and the 
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) during his time as United Nations 
Ambassador to the United States. During his tenure, Ambassador 
Holbrooke invited members of the CBC to visit the U.N. Ambassador 
Holbrooke demonstrated his drive to securing international health and 
peace, in his lifetime of dedication to diplomatic efforts.

  His work never ceased, and it continued with President Obama. Under 
the Obama administration, Ambassador Holbrooke was appointed Special 
Envoy to Pakistan and to Afghanistan--a region that contains the United 
States' greatest national security concerns. Just as his responsibility 
unfolded in the Balkans, his responsibility in Pakistan and Afghanistan 
posed a major challenge that would not have an easy solution. As we all 
know, the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan are multidimensional and 
are problems that could not be solved overnight. Ambassador Holbrooke 
knew this, yet he commendably took on the role, and worked courageously 
and diplomatically in a densely complicated region.
  Ambassador Holbrooke was the intermediary between Afghanistan, 
Pakistan and the United States. Ambassador Holbrooke was fighting, 
diplomatically, to stabilize the often unpredictable and always 
fluctuating region. The fight continues to be multifaceted, and 
Ambassador Holbrooke dealt with fragile economies, containing 
corruption within governments and elections, destabilizing the Taliban 
resurgency, a rampant narcotics trade, the presence of Al Qaeda, and 
maintaining peace and security, all while promoting United States 
diplomatic efforts. Representing the United States, Ambassador 
Holbrooke worked to promote economic development in Pakistan through 
the Kerry Lugar Berman Bill, and worked with the Afghani government and 
administration to reduce U.S. combat troops and to forge a lasting 
peace in the region.
  He is an example to us all, his life was foreign policy, his 
dedication was to the United States, and his motivation was diplomacy. 
Ambassador Holbrooke will always be regarded as a true American 
diplomat, one who strived for international peace throughout his entire 
career, of nearly 50 years, as a public servant.
  We lost a great American peacemaker this week. Ambassador Richard 
Holbrooke gave his life to the cause of peace. His work over the years 
speaks for itself, but most importantly, the call that he accepted on 
behalf of Americans to serve in Afghanistan and Pakistan will resonate 
for decades. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke was my friend and will never 
be forgotten.
  Mr. BERMAN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 355, as amended.

[[Page H8617]]

  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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