[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 142 (Wednesday, November 19, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H8121-H8126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1745
                  REMEMBERING CONGRESSMAN BILL FRENZEL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Joyce). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen) 
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.


                             general leave

  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous materials on the subject of my Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, tonight, I rise with several of my 
colleagues to honor the work and memory of Congressman Bill Frenzel, 
who passed away on Monday. Congressman Frenzel represented Minnesota's 
Third Congressional District for 20 years, first elected in 1970 and 
retiring in 1990.
  Actually, Mr. Speaker, many of us tonight had already planned to 
speak today to express our love and appreciation to Bill from this 
floor, even before we learned of his death.
  Now, it just feels too late, in a way, but one of the benefits of 
extolling the virtues of people greater than ourselves is that we 
become better still, so we are keeping with that plan tonight.
  I must admit, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, that as I stand here in 
this Chamber, where Bill did some of his best work, my heart is more 
full of emotions than my head is full of ideas, and there are many 
facts that I could recite about the service of Bill Frenzel; instead, I 
am going to try to capture the man that I knew, the man that we all 
knew, and the man that we all truly loved and respected.
  When I received the news that Bill passed away on Monday, there was a 
scrap of paper hanging on my wall in my Washington office and also a 
scrap of paper hanging on my Minnesota wall that became my prized 
possessions. They are two vintage Frenzel doodles.
  There are hundreds of them out there--whimsical, fantastically 
detailed little drawings that Bill Frenzel did while he was on the 
phone, while he was in committee meetings, listening to testimony, or 
during debates. Such was the hyperactivity of this brilliant mind, that 
when he was required to sit still, his drawing hand had to be moving.
  I say that to convey the idea that Bill Frenzel was just more alive 
than most people that you meet. He was always thinking. He was always 
creating. He was always pushing positive ideas, and in the interactions 
that I had with him, it was like he was always leaning forward at you 
at an angle, like a person walking boldly into a stiff wind.
  Bill Frenzel was a serious legislator, often pouring over line by 
line of the Federal budget. In fact, that practice continued after he 
left Congress. Every year, he would make a phone call to my office, 
requesting his copy of the annual Federal budget.
  It is amazing to me that anyone would even want this massive document 
sitting on their bookshelf, but what is truly amazing is that Bill 
would actually go through this budget line by line for decades after he 
left this institution.
  Bill believed in and dedicated his life to doing the greatest good 
for the greatest number of people, and for Bill, the way that he did 
the greatest good for the greatest number of people was by promoting 
and advancing international trade.
  I suppose it began by looking at the great good being done around the 
world

[[Page H8122]]

by many outstanding companies that operate out of the district that we 
represent in Minnesota, companies that feed and restore health to 
millions and billions all across the borders of the world.
  Bill believed--and he was absolutely right--that there is no force in 
the modern world that has done more to raise people out of poverty, to 
foster the spread of human rights, or to expand democracy than 
international trade.
  Within Bill's own lifetime, the United States and Germany and Japan 
were mortal enemies, doing terrible violence to each other's lands and 
peoples, but through the experience of being trading partners, they 
have become our best friends and our best allies.
  For three decades, there was no stronger advocate for international 
trade that was more persuasive than Congressman Bill Frenzel. He was 
the indispensable man, in many ways, in the passage of the North 
American Free Trade Agreement, which has benefited all of the people of 
our continent immeasurably and has been the model of our agreements now 
for all over the world.
  Just last month, in October, Bill received the Mexican Order of the 
Aztec Eagle--that is the highest honor of the nation of Mexico that can 
be given to a noncitizen--in appreciation of his work on the North 
American Free Trade Agreement.
  In 2000, he also received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and 
Silver Star, from the Emperor of Japan for his efforts to advance trade 
and the U.S. relationship with Japan.
  He deserves America's highest honors as well. He worked across the 
aisle as a consensus seeker because he understood that relationships 
matter, that relationships make a difference, especially on the big 
issues like Social Security reform, budget reform, tax reform, welfare 
reform, and, of course, trade agreements.
  After retiring from Congress in 1991, he became a guest scholar in 
economic studies at The Brookings Institution, and he remained very 
active in public policy, being appointed to governmental panels by 
Presidents on both sides of the aisle.
  Just 2 months ago--in fact, in September, President Obama reappointed 
him to the White House Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and 
Negotiations. That is a position that he was first appointed to by 
President George W. Bush in the year 2002.
  He also cochaired the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a 
bipartisan organization dedicated to educating the public about the 
impact of fiscal policies.
  I will just tell you, personally, Mr. Speaker and Members, that I 
will miss my conversations with Bill Frenzel. I got together with him 
every 3 or 4 months over coffee, where he would share his years of 
wisdom, his experiences, and his insights that he gained during that 
tenure in public service.
  There is no doubt that he was a good friend and a mentor in many 
respects; however, there is no temptation for any of us to try to do a 
Bill Frenzel imitation because there will never be another like him.
  For me, Bill absolutely inspires me to be the best that I can be and 
search for ways that I can do the greatest good to help the greatest 
numbers of people.
  I offer my condolences tonight, Mr. Speaker, to the Frenzel family; 
to his wife, Ruthy, who was always by his side; and to his three 
daughters, Debbie, Pam, and Mitty.
  I also want to give thanks to Minnesota's Third Congressional 
District voters for electing him in the first place and for giving me 
an amazing set of shoulders to try to stand upon, as well as my thanks 
to God for the life and service and the example of Congressman Bill 
Frenzel.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the Congressman from the Eighth Congressional 
District of Minnesota, Mr. Rick Nolan. Congressman Nolan has a very 
unique perspective on his friendship with Bill Frenzel, serving with 
him both in Congress, as well as in the State legislature in Minnesota.

  I will just say that, as two public servants of Minnesota for a 
number of years, both in and out of office, their paths crossed many 
times, and their friendship exemplifies, I think, Bill's friendly 
nature and willingness to work with people on both sides of the aisle 
to get things done for the country and our State.
  Mr. NOLAN. Thank you, Representative Paulsen, and thank you for 
helping to organize this tribute to a truly great native son of 
Minnesota, who made us all so proud in so many ways that, as you said, 
Eric, it is hard to enumerate all of them.
  When it came to public service, when it came to governance, when it 
came to bipartisanship, when it came to doodling, when it came to 
baseball--I mean, the list just goes on and on. He truly made us proud 
in so many ways.
  I too want to recognize other friends of the Frenzel family who are 
here. As you said, Bill and Ruthy were inseparable. They were clearly a 
team, and that can be so valuable and so important to the success of a 
legislator, a great public servant, and Bill was so proud of his family 
and the girls, Debbie and Pam and Mitty. He talked about them often.
  I want to thank the family for being there for Bill and for helping 
to give him the strength to carry on and do all the great things that 
he did.
  As Eric mentioned, we served together in the State House of 
Representatives. Bill had been there before me. I followed him to the 
Congress. Again, obviously, he had been there before me, but he was 
always such a good friend, offering all kinds of guidance and help 
negotiating the ways of the State House and the State and the ways of 
the U.S. House and the ways of the government here.
  He was just a wonderfully good friend and a good mentor. I shall 
always be forever grateful for his mentoring and his guidance, and that 
was something he did for anyone who had the good judgment to take 
advantage of it because he was always open. He was always available. He 
was always there for you, and he was always so incredibly well-
prepared.
  The thing I liked most about Bill was that he was so respectful of 
everyone else and their ideas, and you knew if you had an idea--whether 
it was a good one or a bad one--you were going to get a hearing with 
Bill Frenzel, and if it was a bad idea, of course, he would be the 
first to tell you and tell you why.
  Quite frankly, more often than not, he was right, and that was just 
such an important lesson that he gave to all of us and inspired us all. 
When it came to things like--Eric mentioned the budget. Most Members 
will maybe read the summary. Bill Frenzel, he read that thing in its 
entirety.
  He knew where every nickel and every dime was going, and he 
understood the consequences of it. When it came to trade policy, the 
same thing. He knew of all of its implications. He understood 
international trade.
  In fact, in many ways, he was an inspiration to me outside of 
politics as well, in no small measure to the benefits that he 
articulated to trade because when I left this Congress--what, some 34 
years ago--I went into export trading because I had heard Bill Frenzel 
talk about the incredible opportunity that we had with our technology, 
our ability to produce food, our ability to produce good consumer 
goods, our ability to produce things that improve the lives of people 
all over the world and why not get out there and aggressively export 
those goods and those services, which is what I ended up doing for 32 
years before I had the weak moment and came back to this institution--
no, I am just kidding. I am delighted and thrilled to be back here.
  For Bill Frenzel, I feel so much better prepared than I was, quite 
frankly, when I served years ago, thanks in no small part to Bill 
Frenzel.
  When it came to the rules of the House, Bill understood the 
importance of the integrity of this institution better than anyone, and 
I suspect Bill would be on the floor here today, from time to time, 
calling for the reestablishment of regular order because Bill was never 
afraid of anyone else's ideas. In fact, he welcomed them.
  Bill and I and others, we served in a time when, if anyone had a good 
idea, they could offer it to the rest of the Chamber in the form of an 
amendment, and we could debate it, and we could argue it, and we did it 
in committee, in full committee. We did it in conference committee.

[[Page H8123]]

  Bill Frenzel understood that that was the foundation of 
bipartisanship, that was the foundation of a Congress that was 
effectively governing and getting things done, and that was perhaps his 
greatest contribution to all of us because only through that process do 
we get to know one another and build respect for one another and learn 
where those areas for common agreement and fixing things and getting 
things done comes from, and we have Bill Frenzel to thank for that.
  I would be remiss if I didn't talk about his doodling. You know, it 
was amazing. You would be in a committee or you would be in a hearing, 
and Bill would be busy doodling away. You would think he wasn't paying 
any attention at all.
  Suddenly, he would rise, and he would have a question, and it was 
like the best question that anybody asked. He obviously had a two-track 
brain. One hand was doodling, but, boy, he never missed a thing. He 
never missed a thing, and that was Bill Frenzel.
  Speaking of those doodles--and, boy, they are treasured. To have a 
Bill Frenzel doodle that has been autographed, I mean, in this town, 
that is like having a Picasso. These were great doodles, as you have 
seen, the intricacy and the geometry and the creativity of them. It is 
just amazing, and how he could do that was amazing as well.
  Of course, he was a great Minnesota sports fan, the Vikings, the 
Twins, the North Stars, you name it. He was one of the stars on the 
Republican baseball team. He always showed up in those games with his 
Minnesota Twins jersey on. They used to win a lot of games back in the 
day.
  Then Marty Sabo came along and started managing the Democrats, and 
things turned on them, but Bill was a great ballplayer. He loved 
Minnesota. He loved Minnesota sports, and he was just a wonderfully 
good friend.
  As I said in the beginning, whether it was governing, whether it was 
baseball, whether it was doodling, whether it was family, whether it 
was bipartisanship, advising Presidents, welcoming new Members, 
advising and helping others, there was just no greater mentor, no 
greater public servant that Minnesota ever had in the wonderful Bill 
Frenzel.
  His life will continue to be an inspiration for all of us going 
forward. Truly, our State, our Nation is a better place for Bill 
Frenzel.

                              {time}  1800

  His inspiration will enable all of us to continue that great 
tradition forward and continue to make this great Nation of ours a 
better place to live.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my fellow Members for the opportunity to stand 
here and pay homage to a great Minnesotan and a great public servant 
for our State and our Nation.
  Mr. PAULSEN. Well, I thank the gentleman for sharing his perspective, 
his stories, and some fond memories. I appreciate that very much, and I 
know the family does as well.
  Next I will yield to the gentleman from Maryland, Steny Hoyer, the 
minority whip who served for a decade, Mr. Speaker, with Bill Frenzel 
until Bill retired in 1991. And that relationship continued after 
Bill's retirement as both had a passion for working on the Federal 
budget and bridging the gap between Republicans and Democrats when it 
comes to our country's spending and tax policies.
  Mr. Speaker, Congressman Hoyer I think often pointed out Bill's 
willingness to put all things on the table when it comes to the budget 
to find common ground with his counterparts on the other side of the 
aisle. I am happy to yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Congressman Paulsen, who 
represents the district that Bill Frenzel represented.
  I came here, Mr. Speaker, in 1981. Bill Frenzel was a Member of 
Congress at that point in time, and as Congressman Paulsen pointed out, 
we served together for the following 10 years. But as he also pointed 
out, we continued to work thereafter because of joint interests that we 
had.
  I think Congressman Nolan caught the essence of Bill Frenzel very 
well, and I would associate myself with his remarks. But I would also 
add that the American people want us to work together. What I have said 
since the election is, look, all 435 of us share two things in common: 
one, we are all Americans; two, our people all sent us here to make 
America better. Those two things we share in common. And we share the 
expectations of the American people that we will do that which we can 
agree on together and not allow that on which we do not agree to 
undermine our ability to work on that on which we do agree. Bill 
Frenzel got that message. Bill Frenzel lived that kind of life. Bill 
Frenzel was that kind of Member of Congress.
  Bill Frenzel could be pretty sharp. I don't mean bright, I mean 
sharp-tongued, if he thought if you were you were going off, as 
Congressman Nolan said, in the wrong direction. I am happy to say that 
I was never the object of that, but Bill Frenzel wanted you to be 
candid, be straightforward, be intellectually honest and not play 
games. He was prepared and, in fact, did the same.
  Bill Frenzel in his private life working with Brookings continued his 
public life's commitment to rational, responsible government. As 
Congressman Paulsen pointed out, I am a very big advocate of fixing our 
debt, fixing it in many ways through the kind of policies that Bill 
Frenzel recommended, policies which say to both sides, look, we both 
have interests; we have got to accommodate those interests, but we have 
got to accommodate a bottom line. Be real, in other words.
  Mr. Speaker, Bill Frenzel was a Republican, I am a Democrat, but we 
were first Americans. I felt it a great honor to learn from Bill 
Frenzel, to respect his intellect and his insights, and to respect the 
quality of his service and his willingness to work with others to do 
what the American people expect all of us to do: make their country 
better.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise with Mr. Paulsen to honor an American who served 
his country well, an American of whom we can all be proud, of which his 
family clearly is proud, and rightfully so. But his colleagues were 
proud of him on both sides of the aisle.
  I want to say to his wife, Ruth, we send our sympathies, but we share 
with you that pride in Bill Frenzel's contribution to his country, to 
this institution, and to each of us.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a friend and former member of 
the House who passed away on Monday.
  Bill Frenzel served the people of Minnesota's Third District for 
twenty years.
  Bill was a Republican.
  I am a Democrat.
  That difference did not stand in the way of the respect I had for him 
or our friendship as colleagues in this House.
  Though we did not agree on every issue, Bill and I found common 
ground on our shared concern for fiscal sustainability and the 
necessity of compromise to achieve bipartisan progress.
  As a Korean War veteran, a businessman, and a legislator, Bill 
exemplified the highest American values of service to community and 
country.
  In the years following his retirement from the House, where he had 
served as ranking member on the Budget Committee, he continued his 
service by remaining a powerful voice for bipartisan budget solutions 
and a more sustainable fiscal future at the Brookings Institution.
  He also served as a co-chair of the Committee for a Responsible 
Federal Budget.
  We need more people in Washington like Bill who believe strongly in 
the importance of bipartisan compromise when it comes to our budget and 
making the tough choices necessary to afford the investments we need to 
make in a more competitive economic future and greater opportunities 
for our people.
  I join in offering condolences to his wife Ruth and their three 
daughters--Deborah, Pamela, and Melissa--their grandchildren, and the 
entire extended Frenzel family.
  May Bill's memory inspire greater bipartisan cooperation in this 
House in the months and years ahead.
  Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the gentleman for offering his perspective, as 
well, in those unique stories and reflections from a bipartisan basis 
on a truly great American, as Mr. Hoyer had mentioned.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I will yield to the gentleman from Texas, 
Kevin Brady, my colleague and a good friend who is a very distinguished 
member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He is also the former 
chairman and a member of the Subcommittee on Trade. Congressman Brady 
is another Member of Congress that benefited greatly from the wealth of 
wisdom that Bill Frenzel imparted on important

[[Page H8124]]

issues like trade and the Federal budget. I know I can speak for many 
members of the Ways and Means Committee when I say that the work that 
Bill did at The Brookings Institution, as well as the Committee for a 
Responsible Federal Budget, has been beneficial to all of us.
  I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Congressman Paulsen, thank you for allowing me to 
join you tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to honor our late colleague and friend, 
Bill Frenzel, who faithfully and with great distinction served his 
constituents in Minnesota for 20 years and, I would say, served his 
country for a lifetime.
  As you can tell from my accent, I am not from Minnesota. I am from 
Texas. I had a chance to meet Bill when I started on the Ways and Means 
Committee where I now serve with Mr. Paulsen, who is one of our, 
frankly, most respected members, and his predecessor, Jim Ramstad, as 
well, all following in the Bill Frenzel mold.
  When I started on Ways and Means, I just came quickly to appreciate 
his willingness to share his vast wealth of knowledge on trade issues, 
big and small. Even though he was no longer an elected official, I was 
always struck by Bill's just endless willingness to give of himself, of 
finding ways to advance the cause of free trade and economic freedom 
throughout the world.
  I think it is important to note that historically in Congress, trade 
has always been a bipartisan issue, Republicans and Democrats working 
together; and throughout his career, Bill's constructive work across 
the aisle exemplified the best of this ideal. Everyone knew he was open 
to new ideas, was a straight shooter, respected others, and worked hard 
to get people to come and arrive at a consensus.
  Quite simply, Mr. Speaker, Bill was elected to do a job, and he just 
wanted to get things done. And, boy, did he get things done in the 
trade world. From working on GATT, the Uruguay Round, normal trading 
relations with China, NAFTA, and helping set the foundation for the 
World Trade Organization, Bill was at the center of the trade world as 
a respected Member of Congress and as a thought leader on international 
trade when he retired from public life.
  The truth is Bill Frenzel believed in economic freedom. He believed 
in our right to buy, sell, and compete around the world with as little 
government interference as possible. He believed families should have 
choices, but no government anywhere should decide what is on that 
grocery shelf and what price you paid for it. That was your choice. 
That was your economic freedom.
  He knew that while America was free, we would see so many ``America 
need not apply'' signs around the world; and he knew if we tore them 
down and gave our American businesses and workers--our Minnesota 
businesses and workers--a chance to compete, in fact, we would not just 
grow customers around the world, we would grow jobs here at home. So 
his leadership on trade, his fingerprints on all things trade can be 
found not only here in the United States but in foreign capitals around 
the world where his counsel was sought by many and he was respected by 
all.
  Mr. Speaker, Bill's contributions to our Nation and to this body will 
always be remembered, and he leaves a towering trade legacy on which we 
can all build economic prosperity for generations to come. I hope his 
family understands how special he is that so many of us who you may not 
have known before, we all consider ourselves Bill's fans and friends.
  Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the gentleman. As he mentioned, the members of 
the Ways and Means Committee absolutely do look at Bill Frenzel as an 
important role model and inspiration as we look to tackle continued 
problems and opportunities down the road.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I will yield to my colleague from Minnesota 
(Mr. Ellison), another Member, like Bill, who is committed to serving 
the people of Minnesota in the Fifth Congressional District, his 
constituents.
  Bill Frenzel, as was mentioned, was always someone that was willing 
to work across the aisle to get things done and accomplished here in 
Washington. I think all of us in the Minnesota delegation are thankful 
for the example set by Bill for working together, and we see that 
example still today. I know I have worked with Congressman Ellison on 
similar issues for our constituents back home, and I think that we can 
thank Bill Frenzel for setting that spirit of cooperation that preceded 
us both.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. ELLISON. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Congressman Paulsen, I appreciate your holding down this Special 
Order tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is absolutely true that all of us owe a debt 
of gratitude to people who walked before us even if we never had the 
pleasure of knowing them and meeting them.
  I am one who believes I owe Bill Frenzel even though I never had the 
opportunity to get to know him. But it doesn't matter, because Bill 
Frenzel served the people of the State of Minnesota. He got up every 
day, and he did his best by them. He has a reputation for reading the 
bills, understanding the issues, and arguing with passion for values 
that he held in the best interests of the people whom he represented. 
For that, I always have to take my hat off to a man such as Bill 
Frenzel.
  Bill Frenzel made a good reputation for Members of Congress who would 
come to Minnesota before I ever got here. Before I ever got here, 
people like Bill Frenzel made it so that our colleagues would greet us 
and expect us to be thoughtful and hardworking like he was, because he 
laid down that path before we ever got here. So I have had the pleasure 
of reading about Bill Frenzel since he left us for his reward, and I 
knew well of him before that.
  But I will simply say that there are many people in this world whom 
we owe a great debt of gratitude to, who paved the way and carved a 
path for us, whom we never had a chance to thank personally. As a man 
who believes in reality beyond this one, I just hope that Bill Frenzel 
knows that I am grateful to him, and I thank him for his great service 
while here.
  Mr. PAULSEN. I thank the gentleman because those words he mentioned 
about being hardworking and thoughtful certainly reflect Bill Frenzel's 
spirit which we need to continue to embody on this House floor.
  Mr. Speaker, next I will yield to the Congresswoman from Minnesota, 
Michele Bachmann, my colleague and good friend. She is the 
Representative from Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District and 
somebody who, like me, has served after Bill Frenzel's congressional 
career came to a conclusion but has benefited also, I think, from 
Bill's service. As we know, she will also be leaving our delegation and 
retiring from Congress, and we are thankful for her service to 
Minnesota. I know that she will look to the example that was also set 
by Bill Frenzel and stay very active and involved in public policy 
issues that face our country even after her House tenure comes to an 
end soon.

  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman.
  Mrs. BACHMANN. I want to say thank you to my wonderful colleague, 
Erik Paulsen, who has exemplified the spirit of Bill Frenzel in the 
Third Congressional District seat; and it really is because our former 
colleague, Bill Frenzel, set a standard.
  Mr. Speaker, we would like to think in Minnesota that we are a 
trendsetter, and we have often called ourselves the Brainpower State. 
Well, could the Brainpower State have ever been better exemplified than 
by a man like Bill Frenzel? He really was a thinking man's person. He 
also was an individual who was completely willing to open himself to 
new ideas from other Members. I think it is very evident from the 
Members that we heard from this evening on both sides of the aisle that 
this was a complete, unfettered outpouring of not just admiration, but 
love--love and appreciation for what this man did.
  As Representative Paulsen had just said, I will, too, soon be leaving 
this House floor. This will be one of the last speeches that I ever 
give from this privileged well. There is no greater bastion of a few 
square yards of freedom than this area. We are allowed to do this. I am 
allowed to speak here tonight because I was privileged to be given an 
election certificate just like Bill Frenzel. He earned the trust, he 
earned the admiration, and Bill earned the respect of the people in the 
Third District. One thing I can tell you, Bill

[[Page H8125]]

Frenzel never disappointed. He kept faith with those who gave him that 
election certificate.
  Mr. Speaker, I know when I first ran for Congress, it was in 2006. I 
began the journey a little bit before then. And as I was in Minnesota, 
usually all of us made our way over to the Third Congressional 
District, because in the Third Congressional District resided a lot of 
the people who paid for the campaigns in the State of Minnesota. And 
everyone knew Bill Frenzel.
  So I would meet and have lunch, breakfast, and dinner, and lunch, 
breakfast, and dinner, and coffees and coffees with people in the Third 
Congressional District. When it came to finding those who wanted to get 
behind efforts in Minnesota in running for campaigns on either side of 
the aisle, it was usually out of the Third Congressional District.
  Mr. Speaker, this is what I want the family, who this evening--for 
those who are watching across the Nation on C-SPAN, it is important to 
know that Bill was so highly loved. His family is here this evening. 
They are joined here in the gallery, and they are able to hear what 
every family needs to hear.

                              {time}  1815

  Yes, there is sorrow at the passing of a loved one, but there is also 
great joy. Joy that is made in reliving memories, memories of those we 
admired, those we served with, those that we loved. It is good to 
remember them forever. It helps to deepen in our memory book the 
importance of what this life meant; Bill's meant something. Bill 
contributed, Bill was a positive force for good, not just for the Third 
District, not just for Minnesota, but for the Nation. It was his 
character, first of all. That is what I want the family to know.
  When I sat down in coffee after coffee, breakfast after breakfast, 
inevitably, Bill's name came up. I am sure that Erik Paulsen would 
agree. Bill's name came up. Why? Because people would say to me, 
``Michelle, you know Bill Frenzel, don't you? Bill is a friend of 
mine.'' I heard that over and over and over: ``Bill is a friend of 
mine.'' He was a respected colleague, yes; a thinker, yes. But he was 
people's friend.
  So people would always speak with Bill in the terms of raising the 
bar and setting a standard.
  I hope that I was able live up to that standard of a Bill Frenzel for 
my brief 8 years in Congress. I give Bill a lot of credit. He served 
for 8 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He served for 20 
here in the United States Congress. Think of that: 28 years of public 
service. That is amazing. I was able to put in 8 here. Think of 20 
years here, pouring out his life on behalf of this Nation. It really is 
an accomplishment.
  To think that during all of those years it wasn't that Bill just had 
1 good year or 2 good years, Bill had 20 great, fabulous years that not 
only can the family be proud of but that our Nation, and, as a fellow 
Minnesotan and successor colleague, I am proud of.
  I also just briefly want to mention one thing that Bill also did for 
his Nation, and that is he was willing to lay down his life when he 
served our country in the Navy. He was a veteran. I am thankful for 
what he did.
  The Holy Scriptures say: ``Greater love hath no man than this, but 
that he would lay down his life for his friend.''
  Bill Frenzel willingly put himself on the line so that he could do 
that. Thank goodness, his life wasn't required and he came back to 
serve in this distinguished body. As a distinguished man, he singularly 
served this body.
  And so with great humility I want to say again to Ruthy, to the three 
girls, to the grandchildren: Be so proud of the legendary Bill Frenzel. 
His name will not be forgotten in this institution. His work won't be 
forgotten in this institution.
  As one who is about to depart, I can tell you, you think about that: 
What I did here, did it matter? The speeches I gave, the work I did, 
the late nights, the early mornings, the weekends--the sacrifices that 
he made and the sacrifices that you as a family made.
  Bill would be the first one to say, I couldn't have done this without 
Ruthy, I wouldn't have done this without the girls, I couldn't have 
done it without those who loved me. He would be the one to say that.
  So I thank the family, Mr. Speaker, who are in the gallery, for what 
you did to support this legendary man because he made a distinct 
contribution, and he couldn't have done it without you making that 
sacrifice.
  So I am very grateful for what they did. I thank God our country is a 
better place because of Bill Frenzel.
  Mr. PAULSEN. I thank my colleague. As you mentioned, he was a 
veteran, a public servant, a thinker, opening himself to new ideas and 
certainly offering ideas himself.
  There is sadness, but, as you mentioned, great joy as we reflect on 
the opportunities to be a role model to help others. So I thank the 
gentlelady for her comments tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to note that several Members were unable to 
attend and be with us on the floor tonight, but they will be submitting 
statements for the Record. These Members include Congressman Paul Ryan 
from Wisconsin. He is the next chairman to the Committee on Ways and 
Means. Although their time in Congress did not overlap, I know that 
Congressman Ryan valued his friendship with Bill Frenzel and often 
sought his counsel on trade and other matters while he was still 
learning his ropes on the Committee on Ways and Means. In fact, when we 
had our coffees together, he would often reflect and ask questions 
about Congressman Ryan and his future.
  Congressman Dave Camp, the current chair of the Committee on Ways and 
Means, as well may offer some comments. We had a conversation earlier 
today and also reflected on the contributions that our former colleague 
Bill Frenzel had made to the institution at the Committee on Ways and 
Means.
  Mr. Speaker, on Monday, we lost a true leader, a true role model who 
represented the absolute and very best in public service. Bill Frenzel 
was a statesman who continues to be an inspiration in many ways to the 
folks in this body and on this House floor and all of those who 
continue to be focused on issues like tax reform, welfare reform, 
budget reform, and advancing a trade agenda and economic freedom 
throughout the world.
  And so tonight, as we close, we close noting that we are honoring an 
American that contributed greatly to giving the greatest good to the 
greatest number of people. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, this past week, we lost one of 
our former colleagues, Bill Frenzel. Bill served in the House for 20 
years, during which he gained a vast amount of knowledge and an even 
greater amount of respect. He was a leading voice for fiscal 
responsibility, serving as the ranking member of the House Budget 
Committee. He also served on the House Ways and Means Committee, 
specifically the Subcommittee on Trade. He took on the work with 
relish, serving as a congressional representative to the General 
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in Geneva for 15 years. He was so 
knowledgeable on the topic that he was indispensable--so much so that 
after he left Congress, three successive presidents sought his counsel.
  Bill's hard work won him respect in the House and around the world. 
After he retired from the House, he kept active on fiscal issues, 
serving as co-chair of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. 
In 2000, the emperor of Japan awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun, 
Gold and Silver Star. And just this year, Bill received the Mexican 
Order of the Aztec Eagle. I think other countries saw in Bill the same 
thing we did--a man who loved his country and wanted it to be a force 
for good in the world. He understood that trade wasn't a form of 
competition so much as a form of collaboration--of countries working 
together to build a better life. He understood that the free world was 
stronger when we banded together, and he wanted to strengthen those 
bonds.
  We'll remember his know-how. We'll remember his wit. (He once called 
gridlock the best thing since indoor plumbing.) But most of all, we'll 
remember his character. He served his country in both war and peace. He 
spent his life in public service. He was a Midwesterner, a man of the 
House, a voice for fiscal responsibility--an American through and 
through.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of Minnesota's 
true dedicated public servants: former Congressman Bill Frenzel.
  For twenty years, Bill represented the Third District of Minnesota in 
the U.S. House of Representatives with distinction. During his time in 
this chamber, he established himself as an expert in fiscal 
responsibility and trade

[[Page H8126]]

issues setting himself apart from his colleagues as a leader on the 
Budget and Ways and Means Committees.
  His service to our country did not end after his time in the House. 
He was instrumental in the passage of NAFTA as a special adviser to 
President Clinton and worked with President George W. Bush on the 
Social Security Commission and Advisory Committee.
  As we honor his career and service, it is easy to see that Bill truly 
worked to represent all he served by crossing the aisle, time and 
again, to produce solutions for Minnesotans and all Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today in sending prayers to Bill's 
wife, Ruthy; his daughters Debby, Pam, and Mitty; and the entire 
Frenzel family.
  Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service 
of Bill Frenzel, U.S. Representative of the 3rd District of Minnesota 
from the 92nd through the 101st Congress, who sadly passed away on 
Monday, November 17th at the age of 86. Bill retired from Congress 
right as I was elected to office to serve Minnesota, but I was lucky 
enough to have gotten to know him during my tenure in the Minnesota 
Senate and later serving as the Representative from the 7th District on 
Minnesota. He left a great legacy and was an honorable public servant.
  Born in St. Paul in 1928, Bill attended Dartmouth College where he 
received both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Following 
graduation, Bill served as a lieutenant in the United States Naval 
Reserve during the Korean War from 1951 to 1954. Prior to his election 
to the U.S. Congress, Bill served for 8 years in the Minnesota House of 
Representatives, amongst other boards and executive committees. Bill 
had a successful career representing Minnesotans during his tenure in 
Congress. Rising to Ranking Member on the House Budget Committee, and a 
long tenure on the House Ways and Means Committee, he became known 
around Washington as an expert in budget and fiscal policy. He served 
as a Congressional Representative to the General Agreement on Tariffs 
and Trade (GATT) for 15 years. After serving 10 terms, Bill decided to 
retire, telling the Star Tribune, ``You ought to go out when you're 
hitting .300, rather than deteriorating.''
  Following his retirement from Congress, Bill did not slow down. He 
served as Chairman of the Ripon Society until 2004, and has been a 
guest scholar at the Brookings Institution since his retirement, 
serving as a director of the Brookings Governmental Affairs Institute. 
In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Bill as a special adviser to 
help work with the Republican party to pass the North American Free 
Trade Agreement. Subsequently, President George W. Bush appointed Bill 
to the Social Security Commission, and to the Advisory Committee on 
Trade Policy and Negotiations. Up until his death, Bill continued to 
chair numerous boards and commissions, furthering his legacy as a 
devoted public servant and policy maker.
  Not only a brilliant mind, Bill had a knack for lighting up a room 
around him. He had an engrained sense of integrity that he embodied 
throughout his life and career. Known around Washington for his 
``doodles,'' Bill was able to maintain a sense of lightness and humor, 
while navigating difficult policy negotiations. Bill Frenzel leaves 
behind a monumental legacy in Washington and Minnesota, but his 
crowning achievement was that of his family: his wife Ruthy and his 
three daughters, Debby, Pam and Mitty, and two grandchildren. My 
prayers go out to them during this time of grief and loss.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Bill's life and legacy, as he was truly 
a giant in Washington and the U.S. Congress. It is in that sense that I 
invite my colleagues to join me in remembering his service, and that we 
may all serve to honor his work.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would remind Members that the 
rules do not permit references to those in the gallery.

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