[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 194 (Monday, December 10, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9809-H9814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING PRESIDENT GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) is recognized 
for the remainder of the hour as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of a time in Texas when we 
were at a breakfast, and we had two groups. We had a group that was 
very close to Jeb Bush, the Governor of Florida, and one that was close 
to George W. Bush.
  Mrs. Bush was our guest speaker, and she spoke. When she opened up 
for questions, one of the questions was: Mrs. Bush, a lot of us in here 
know Jeb better than George; we know George better than Jeb. How are 
they alike? How do they differ?
  Mrs. Bush said she had been blessed to have a great family, but she 
said these words: You could put all my boys together, and they would 
not equal their father.
  I thought that was powerful.
  On November 30, 2018, America lost a great servant, and I lost a 
great friend.
  President Bush epitomized everything wonderful about America, and 
like his country, he was tough, strong, and kind.
  Over the years, I was able to get to know the President and his 
family very well. My family and I had the opportunity to visit them in 
Kennebunkport many summers. Our days were spent playing basketball and 
sailing on the water, sharing and listening to President Bush's stories 
until the sun went down.
  I remember one basketball game. My daughters were playing, and they 
didn't have any tennis shoes. Mrs. Bush went and got her tennis shoes 
and gave them to my daughters. When they began to shoot, there were 
vines that had grown up on the basketball goal, and she made the 
President get hedge clippers and clip the vines down before the girls 
could shoot baskets.
  What a man he was. I am grateful for these priceless moments with 
President Bush that exist now only as memories, and great memories.
  In addition to traveling together as friends, we also shared a love 
for baseball. I was proud to be awarded with his award, the George H.W. 
Bush Distinguished Alumnus Award, by the National College Baseball Hall 
of Fame. To this day, I wear a ring that has his name on it.
  It was during our baseball days that something very interesting 
happened. We were having lunch one day in his office at College 
Station, and it was myself; President Bush; Jean Becker, his chief of 
staff; and Drake McLane, who owned the Astros. President Bush, just out 
of nowhere, said: I need to bring something up that I have gotten no 
credit for.
  Ms. Becker said: No, don't go there, Mr. President.
  He said: No, I am going to go there.

                              {time}  1930

  And Ms. Becker said: No, don't go there, Mr. President.
  And he said: No, I am going to go there. There is plenty of time 
between that.
  He said: I said a statement that I get no credit for, and that 
statement is, ``You da man.''
  He explained that he was at an Astros game--it was actually the Colt 
.45s in 1961--and they had a player named Rusty Staub. Rusty Staub 
wanted to meet President Bush. After the game, Staub came toward 
President Bush, who then was not President, and President Bush said: I 
don't know why I said it and don't know what it meant, but when he came 
closer to me, I said, ``You da man.''
  Drayton McLane said: Well, if you haven't got any credit for it, we 
are playing the Dodgers tomorrow night, we will put on the diamond 
vision your picture, and we will put, ``You da man.''
  The next night, they did, and he got that credit for ``You da man.''
  So I would just say to the President, and I think we would all agree: 
Mr. President, you da man.
  We had a relationship that was very unique and very dear to my heart. 
This great man served as a mentor to me and had a huge impact on my 
life. In fact, he was the reason I am standing here before all of you 
today.
  When I was contemplating running to represent Texas' 25th 
Congressional District, I called President Bush for advice. He 
encouraged me to run and gave me the push that I needed. I will never 
forget it. Years ago, I announced my congressional campaign in his 
office with him by my side sitting next to me, and the rest in my world 
is history.
  I am forever grateful to President Bush. He has been an inspiration 
throughout my life. He has been like a father. Whether it be in my 
faith or in my path to public service, he was very kind to me.
  He was the first person to call me while I was in the hospital after 
the baseball shooting back in June of 2016. He said he was praying for 
me and praying for our team. Two days later, he called to check on me 
again.
  He has always answered the phone to offer his sage wisdom when I 
called and given me his advice, and I truly miss him terribly.
  Over a week has gone by now that our country has been without one of 
the greatest Americans to ever live. This is an immeasurable loss for 
America, but I am comforted knowing that he has been reunited with his 
beloved Barbara and their daughter Robin.
  It has been a true honor to experience life with President Bush in 
it. Our country is better because of him, I am better because of him, 
and my family is better because of him.
  He once said, and we have all heard it: Public service is the most 
noble calling of all. And he answered that call. Each and every day, I 
am praying for the entire Bush family, as we all are, and I hope they 
find peace during this difficult time.
  One more story.
  We were in Fort Worth one day and he spoke. He found out that one of 
our civic leaders was not doing well, from a health standpoint. We got 
in the car. He had his cell phone, and he dialed the number. A lady 
that worked in his house answered the phone, and he asked to speak to 
this gentleman. She held a minute, and the wife of this gentleman got 
on the phone.
  He said: This is President Bush. I would like to speak to your 
husband.
  She said: He cannot speak.
  He said: Well, take this phone into his bedroom right now, and I want 
to tell him I love him.
  That is the kind of man President Bush was.
  So God bless President Bush, God bless this family, and God bless 
America.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, (Mr. Culberson), 
who I think represents where President Bush lives.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  In 18 years, it has been my extraordinary privilege to represent the 
people of District 7. I have had the world's best role model as a 
Congressman.
  My predecessor, George H.W. Bush, was the first Congressman to 
represent District 7. He, just as he was to Roger Williams and as he 
was to Kevin

[[Page H9810]]

Brady, has been not only a role model to me, but an adviser who helped 
to guide me when I first decided to run for office.
  He has always been there for me to offer advice every step of the 
way. He is an extraordinary role model. Everyone who knew him 
understood immediately that they were in the presence of someone 
extraordinary.
  As Mark McKinnon remembers: ``George H.W. Bush will be remembered by 
history as a deeply accomplished public servant. But the many of us who 
were lucky enough to pass through his orbit will remember him for his 
uncommon grace and love toward family and friends.''
  The editor-in-chief of Texas Monthly once said of George H.W. Bush 
that it is clear there is a narrative that runs through the Bush 
family: ``be polite, treat people decently.''
  This came from his father and from his mother. They passed it on to 
their children.
  He remembers: ``Every encounter I ever had with George W. Bush, 
whether it was Governor Bush or President Bush 43 or ex-President Bush, 
he was the same guy. He is very much his father's son, and all of us 
who are parents hope that whatever else we don't do right, the thing we 
do do right is to convey the fundamental values of who we are and who 
we're supposed to be to our kids.''
  One of the things that survives about George Bush, the elder, is the 
fact that he passed along to his own children that same decency, that 
same line of decency that he learned from his parents.
  In fact, Jeb Bush once said: How great is this country that it could 
elect a man as fine as our dad to be President?
  If we remember what George W. said as he accepted the Presidential 
nomination in the year 2000, President Bush 43 said, as he accepted the 
nomination: ``My father was the last President of a great 
generation, generation of Americans who stormed beaches, liberated 
concentration camps, and delivered us from evil. Some never came home. 
Those who did put their medals in drawers, went to work and built on a 
heroic scale highways and universities, suburbs and factories, great 
cities and grand alliances, the strong foundations of an American 
century.''

  George H.W. Bush brought the Cold War to a peaceful conclusion, 
successfully managing the fall of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of 
Germany, and the end of the Soviet Union without provoking violence 
from communist bitter enders.
  In the first Gulf War, George H.W. Bush established that on his watch 
America would not retreat from the world but would intervene decisively 
when the global balance of power was in jeopardy.
  His life was spent in the service of his Nation, and his spirit of 
conciliation, common sense, and love of country will stand him in 
strong stead through the ebbs and flows of posterity's judgment. On 
that score, George H.W. Bush was a uniquely good man.
  In a political universe where good men are hard to come by, there was 
bipartisan consensus a quarter century after he left the White House. 
We will miss this great, good man, and America and Texas are far, far 
better that he lived and he served his Nation so well.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Barton), the dean of our Texas delegation.
  Mr. BARTON. Mr. Speaker, I think it is a measure of President George 
H.W. Bush that we all think of him as a personal friend. It is 
literally true that he had tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of 
thousands, of men and women who considered themselves personal friends.
  I felt I was very close to the President, although obviously not as 
close as Mr. Williams, who went to Kennebunkport and really knew the 
family.
  I knew the President first as Vice President. When I was a White 
House Fellow, it was Vice President Bush who had a reception in the 
White House and gave my class their White House Fellow certificates.
  As a candidate, one of the reasons that I am here today is because he 
took a personal interest in me. We had an event that we had planned for 
myself in Fort Worth, but the NRCC decided that I couldn't win, and 
they gave that date and that time to Dick Armey. They did the event in 
Denton, Texas, instead of in Fort Worth, for Dick Armey.
  I was so mad that I crashed his event. I went up to the security 
checkpoint and they wouldn't let me in. I asked to speak to the events 
team, and the head of the events team was a gentleman named Ron 
Kaufman. Ron knew me. He said: Well, Joe, that is pretty unusual. This 
is really for Dick Armey.
  But he went and talked to the Vice President, and the Vice President 
said sure. So I got on the stage with Roger Staubach and Dick Armey and 
the Vice President. I was only there for about 3 minutes, but my 
picture and the video was in the TV market that night.
  The Vice President asked me to go to Houston. I had Montgomery 
County, and so I went. He flew, but I drove, and I got to be in the 
rally that night.
  When he was going to Texas A&M as President, I represented A&M. I got 
invited to fly on Air Force One with Senator Gramm to Texas A&M, and I 
wore my Texas A&M tie.
  As we were sitting up in the Presidential cabin of Air Force One, I 
noticed that the President had on a handwoven, beautiful silk tie, and 
I noticed that Senator Gramm had on an old, cheap polyester tie. 
Senator Gramm looked at me, and he said: Joe, you ought to give your 
tie to the President.
  I volunteered to give my Texas A&M tie to the President, which I did; 
but then Senator Gramm took the President's handwoven silk tie, and I 
ended up with Gramm's polyester tie. The President said: Well, Joe, you 
are the junior man here. You just have to suck it up.
  Later that week in Fort Worth, Senator Gramm and I were at a 
fundraiser for the Republican women, and I noticed he was wearing the 
President's handwoven silk tie. So at the end of the event, I stood up 
and I said: Now, ladies, we need to raise some more money.
  We auctioned off the President's tie. Phil Gramm had to be a good 
sport, and I think we got $2,000 for it.
  When Bush was President, he was a strong supporter of the Super 
Collider project in my district. I invited him to come to Ellis County 
to tour it, and he did. I got to ride on Air Force One, and I got to 
ride on Marine One and show him the project. He had on a hard hat that 
said ``President George Bush.''
  When he went back to the helicopter, as he got out of the 
Presidential motorcade, he threw his hat on the back seat. I said: Mr. 
President, can I have that hard hat?
  He said: Well, keep it for me until the next time I come down here to 
open the SSC.
  As we all know, he got defeated for reelection. President Clinton 
didn't strongly support the SSC and it was killed, but I still have 
that hard hat.
  After he left office and a decision was made to put the Bush library 
at Texas A&M, I put a bill on the floor that got $15 million to set up 
the Bush Fellows at Texas A&M, and I am very, very proud of that.
  The last story I will tell is that in my reelection in 1986, I was 
the number one target in the State of Texas and one of the top 10 
targets in the country. The Vice President called me and said: Would 
you like me to do an event?
  Of course, I said yes.
  We did that event in Fort Worth. Fran and Eddie Chiles hosted it, and 
we raised, I believe, over $200,000, which in that time and era, for 
me, was a lot of money.
  The Vice President spent a lot of time there and was very gracious to 
my family and to my parents. He invited my mother and father to the 
White House when he was President for the White House Christmas Ball, 
and that was one of the highlights of their lives.
  So to the Bush family, thank you for sharing the President with us 
all these years.

  As I said at the start, it is a measure of an individual when he has 
so many people who consider themselves to be personal friends. My guess 
is that President Bush has more of those types of individuals than just 
about anybody else in the country.
  God bless the late President Bush.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from San Antonio, 
Texas (Mr. Smith).

[[Page H9811]]

  

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from 
Texas, Roger Williams, for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to commemorate the life and public service 
of our 41st President, George Herbert Walker Bush.
  President Bush was simply one of the most honorable people I have 
ever met in or out of politics. As a fellow Texan, I was privileged to 
know and work with him over the years.
  One of my happiest memories was when I was a junior Member of 
Congress. I was invited by the President to accompany him on Air Force 
One. This was my first flight. We went down to my hometown of San 
Antonio for the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
  After we were in the air, the President asked me to join him and the 
First Lady, Barbara Bush, in the forward cabin. I expected the visit to 
last about 5 minutes, but, instead, I ended up spending the entire 2\1/
2\-hour flight with them all the way down.

                              {time}  1945

  Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I felt a twinge of guilt because I 
felt like he should have been spending this time making phone calls or 
writing those well-known personal notes that he was famous for.
  This was an election year and, certainly, he could have taken my 
support for granted. But instead, this gesture on his part I think 
showed his big heart and how gracious and friendly he was.
  Earlier this year, I arranged for a tree to be planted on the Capitol 
Grounds to honor President Bush. It was the first tree to be dedicated 
to a President. His selfless public service and commitment to family 
continues to be a worthy example for all of us.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Fort 
Worth, Texas, Congresswoman Kay Granger.
  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, George H.W. Bush was a giant of a man, a 
decorated naval aviator who nearly lost his life in World War II, 
Ambassador to the United Nations, Director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency, Vice President, and, most notably, President of the United 
States.
  But more than any of that, he is someone to admire because he spent 
his life dedicated to serving his country and his fellow man. His 
dedication to his country was only rivaled by his dedication to his 
family, marked by his 73-year marriage to his wife, Barbara, and his 
loving relationships with his children, his grandchildren, and his 
great-grandchildren.
  As important as he was, he took time to greet people who came to see 
him. He knew the value of a written note of praise and a hug and a 
handshake. He laughed as well as he led, and he knew the importance of 
relationships.
  Those who didn't have the privilege of knowing President Bush 
personally were given a glimpse of his character through his loved ones 
on Wednesday during his memorial service. As his son President George 
W. Bush said--who has the same sense of family and dedication to the 
Nation--of his father: ``Your decency, sincerity, and kind soul will 
stay with us forever.''
  So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving 
you, a great and noble man. George H.W. Bush's greatness shows in the 
strength of his family, and he has given us all a lesson in how to be a 
good friend.
  President Bush accomplished much in his long life. He epitomized what 
it means to be a public servant, and I am honored to recognize this 
distinguished Texan today and thank him for his service to our country.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, 
Congressman  Michael Burgess, from Denton County.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for 
bringing us together for this hour to pay tribute to our American hero 
who served on the front lines of our Nation's history for, really, 
almost a century.
  From the skies of the Pacific to the Yale baseball diamond, to the 
oilfields of Texas, to the floor of the United States House of 
Representatives, to the streets of Beijing and the halls of the White 
House, President George Herbert Walker Bush led a life of humble 
leadership, courage, and conviction.
  Over five decades, he built an unmatched resume. His accomplishments, 
while impressive on their own, are extraordinary when bundled together.
  After the war, he left his New England home to move his young family 
to west Texas, where he pursued an oil career and later served the 
people of the Seventh Congressional District here in the United States 
House of Representatives.
  As a leader, President Bush faced some of the greatest challenges of 
his time: He worked to open new paths of diplomacy in China; he helped 
to restore confidence in the Central Intelligence Agency; and he worked 
alongside President Reagan to make America great.
  Though he is perhaps better known for making waves overseas, our 41st 
President achieved new heights at home when he opened new doors for 
Americans with disabilities.
  While President Bush had a robust resume stacked with prestigious 
jobs at critical times in American history, most of us will remember 
him from the roles he held most dear: for 73 years, President Bush was 
a devoted husband of Barbara Pierce, a legend in her own right, with 
whom he built an honorable family of children, grandchildren, and 
great-grandchildren. Together, President and Mrs. Bush wove their own 
story of the American Dream.
  There is no doubt that President Bush made the State of Texas, the 
United States of America, and the global community a better place to 
live. On behalf of my constituents in the 26th District of Texas, I 
thank him for his matchless service to our country, and I join a 
grateful nation to thank the Bush family for sharing him with us.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, 
Congressman Pete Olson, a great veteran.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas 25 for setting 
up this Special Order for a great American, George Herbert Walker Bush, 
back home known as Bush 41.
  There are many words which describe his life: statesman, dignified, 
hero, father, husband, devoted leader, and human being.
  My wife, Nancy, and I met him twice in very relaxed settings in 
Houston, Texas. We loved how funny he was. He loved to make people 
laugh.
  He and I talked about being former naval aviators and running back 
home in Houston for Congress. Both of us had a big problem with our 
first campaign: We weren't born in Texas; we weren't native Texans. 
Some called us carpetbaggers.
  President Bush had the best reply I have ever heard. To paraphrase, 
he said: It is true, my friend, I wasn't born in Texas. But on my 
birthday, it was very important that I was with my mother; and, sadly, 
my mom was not in Texas on June 12 of 1924.
  I wish I had the wisdom of that line when I ran in 2008.
  He loved having fun with his soul mate, Barbara Bush. He was married 
for 73 years, and she was the first woman he ever kissed.
  And check out this photo. That is President Carter and Rosalynn; 
President Ford and Betty; Lady Bird Johnson; and President George H.W. 
Bush and Barbara Bush. Guess who has rabbit ears? Our First Lady, 
Barbara Bush. George Bush never let the job take over his humanity.
  Mr. Speaker, I have a final story about President Bush having fun 
with the same photographer back in Houston. He has been with the Bush 
family for about 40 years.
  As President Bush's health faded, he went there one fall to take some 
pictures for Christmas. I asked my friend: How is the President doing?
  He said: He is doing fine. His brain is great, but he can't walk 
anymore. He is wheelchair bound, and we take a photo every year with 
the First Lady after they come back home from Kennebunkport for photos 
for Christmas and for the entire year. Those shoots have become very, 
very tough.
  I can't stand him up. He has to sit down in his wheelchair. He was 6 
foot 2, 6 foot 3. Barbara was probably 5 foot 7. He towered over her in 
real life. In the wheelchair, she towered over him.
  So how do you fix that?
  He said: I worked the First Lady out hard. I made her squat down, get 
on her knees so she is below him as they have been their whole life. 
And then to try to hide that wheelchair from the photos, I put her up 
to the left down

[[Page H9812]]

low, to the right down low, behind to the right down low, behind to 
left down low--moved her all over.
  Then he started laughing and said: What made their love so special, 
so dear, is that both, at 90 years old, as our First Lady walked in 
front of the President, about 10 times she stopped and said, ``George, 
stop that. Stop that.'' Our President was pinching her behind out of 
love.
  There is good news today for the Bush family. President Bush and 
Barbara are walking hand in hand with their daughter, Robin, in Heaven 
right now.
  Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying the last four words President 
Bush said when he was with us. He said these words to our President 
George W. Bush, so-called Bush 43. He said, ``I love you, too.''
  He said that to George W., but we all know he said that to every 
American, every person in this world. This man loved life. He loved 
America. He loved humanity. He was a great man.
  Rest well in Heaven, and have fair winds and following seas.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, Dr. 
Brian Babin.
  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Our Nation lost a true patriot on November 30 with the passing of 
George Herbert Walker Bush.
  Our 41st President ascended to the office with an impeccable resume 
for the position, having served as Congressman, Ambassador to China, 
CIA Director, and Vice President to our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
  His service as a Navy pilot during the Second World War, during which 
he was shot down over the Pacific, cemented his status as an American 
hero. But the humble Bush rarely referenced his war experiences. 
Indeed, President Bush rarely discussed his own record.
  His accomplishments as President, particularly on the world's stage, 
seem more impressive with the passing time, and historians and scholars 
hold his administration in increasingly high esteem.
  Mr. Speaker, I met President Bush only once, but I still treasure the 
photograph that I had taken with him. He was a real gentleman.
  Despite a life spent in public service at the highest levels, 
President Bush was a devoted family man. He was constantly surrounded 
by his loved ones. His children adored him, and his relationship with 
his wife, Barbara, has long been celebrated for its commitment and its 
warmth.
  The people of Texas, which became his adopted home after his service 
in the Navy, will forever hold President Bush in special regard.
  George Bush led an exemplary life. His service to his country and his 
kindness to his fellow Americans ranks him among our most beloved of 
Presidents. His reputation as a loving husband and father will persist, 
and I believe that his legacy as President will continue to grow long 
after his passing.
  Thank you for your service. Rest in peace, Mr. President.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, 
Congressman Will Hurd, who represents a very large district in Texas.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my friend and colleague 
for arranging this conversation.
  I want to join my colleagues and a mourning nation today as we 
continue to honor the legacy of President George H.W. Bush, a giant of 
a man that we should all aspire to be.
  He was also a man of integrity who focused on his family and his 
faith. He was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather, and 
great-grandfather who treated his friends and his foes with kindness, 
civility, and respect.
  I will be forever grateful that he fell in love with Texas A&M 
University, my alma mater, because that is where I had the opportunity 
of meeting and becoming friends with the late President.
  He encouraged me to join the CIA and had a lasting impact on me and 
many of my peers to answer the call to service and work toward causes 
greater than ourselves. I will be forever grateful for him instilling 
this spirit in me.
  Forty-one was the epitome of a public servant and a beacon of light 
in this world embodying America at its best.
  Rest in peace, Mr. President. Thank you for your selfless service, 
and thank you for being an example to us all.

                              {time}  2000

  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Lubbock, 
Texas (Mr. Arrington).
  Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for hosting this 
Special Order, my friend Roger Williams, a fellow Texan, to honor the 
life and legacy of President George Herbert Walker Bush.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a great American and a 
proud Texan, President George Herbert Walker Bush. This past week, we 
as a nation said good-bye to a true statesman. We reflected on a life 
of duty, honor, and, above all, service to others.
  From one of the youngest Navy pilots in our Nation's history to the 
leader of the highest office in the land, our 41st President's life was 
defined by service to others, and his dedication to our country was 
matched only by his love for and devotion to his family.
  Throughout his life, President Bush taught us that public service is 
a noble calling and that being a politician and a gentleman aren't 
necessarily mutually exclusive. His example inspired countless other 
Americans to get involved in public service, which made a tremendous 
impact on many lives, such as mine, and, no doubt, has had an impact on 
this country. It has made it a better and brighter place to live.
  Mr. Speaker, President Bush once said that he saw life in terms of 
missions--missions defined and missions completed. Today, George 
Herbert Walker Bush's mission on Earth is complete, and I join my 
friend, President George W. Bush, the entire Bush family, and all 
Americans in celebrating a life well-lived and rejoice with them in the 
promise of life everlasting.
  God, no doubt, has blessed this great country in many ways, not the 
least of which is with men like George Herbert Walker Bush.
  God bless the Bush family, and God continue to bless America.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California 
(Mr. LaMalfa).
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. 
Williams) for leading this tonight. He finally ran out of Texans to 
present here, so we are now up to California.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be able to be here tonight to join in 
the commemoration celebration of President Bush 41. When he was looked 
to for leadership, he came through in spades.
  I recall mostly, I think, one of the strongest moments was, indeed, 
during the Gulf war, Desert Storm, and his steady hand was what was 
needed at a very perilous time for our allies and neighbors in the 
Middle East who were counting on us, but also on the ability to keep 
the coalitions that America had built over so many years and, indeed, 
form that coalition to help us be successful on the world stage in that 
effort.
  He exuded leadership. I love the photograph--I think it is the best 
of him. He is standing there in that bomber jacket, looking off in the 
distance, and just that photo exudes confidence and gives us confidence 
in him as a leader at that time when it was so very perilous.
  He was a good man. He learned from mistakes that happened, and he 
built upon them to be successful.
  As a President and I think most importantly, he would say, as a 
family man--indeed, when we all viewed the service for him last week 
here, that beautiful family that he was so proud of really is a legacy 
that he can be proud of, along with Barbara. That is the most important 
legacy.
  But also what he brought to the office--civility, it is something 
that might be a little shorthanded in the dealings in Washington, D.C., 
these days. He brought civility, and he brought respect to the office, 
the institution, and the interactions.
  Indeed, his ability to work across the aisle, and post-Presidency, 
work with people who had been his opponents previously for causes that 
were bigger than all of us, he showed the way. He showed the light when 
he talked about the thousand points of light and being able to 
accomplish and help others post-Presidency.
  His sense of adventure, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes at 
each birthday or landmark birth date, that is something else. It makes 
me smile.

[[Page H9813]]

  Mostly, he had a sense of humor. You saw it in his son, George W., as 
well. You see it all the time, but he could take a joke and give one 
out.
  Always one of my favorite things was his interacting with Dana Carvey 
on the Saturday Night Live skits there and his playing along, because 
he saw the fun in it. He saw the humor in it when people chalked him up 
as a combination of John Wayne and Mr. Rogers in how he carried himself 
and the whole ``na ga da'' thing. That he interacted with Dana Carvey 
just showed what a well-rounded and great man this man was.
  We are appreciative of the opportunity to commemorate him and his 
service in all capacities and all phases of his life.
  God bless him, and God bless the whole Bush family.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas 
(Mr. Hill).
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for coordinating 
this opportunity to stand in solidarity on the House floor and 
memorialize a dear family friend and my former boss, George Herbert 
Walker Bush, our 41st President.
  President Bush was a great sportsman, a man of warm and goofy humor, 
and a man who in every instance put himself in the position of serving 
others.
  He was willing to enlist and became the Navy's youngest aviator. A 
brave aviator, indeed, he was, flying some 58 combat missions.
  But at every stage of his life until he passed on to be with Barbara 
and Robin on November 30 at the age of 94, Bush 41 continued to put 
himself in the position of serving others. That is his legacy, helping 
spread a thousand points of light--American helping American, Americans 
helping the less fortunate, Americans reaching out across the ocean to 
help those in time of need.
  As I noted, he was a great sportsman. He loved speed, fast boats like 
the Fidelity, fast planes like his Avenger Barbara III. He was said to 
be Grumman's best customer after losing three planes as a naval 
aviator. Even in sports that were known for being relaxing, Mr. 
Speaker, he made them fast: 18 holes of ready golf, or cart polo, as it 
was referred to, in minutes, not hours; supercompetitive doubles tennis 
and fishing. He always loved fishing--that is, when he wasn't 
skydiving.

  But this sportsman, gentleman, servant leader accomplished an 
extraordinary portfolio of successes in his single term of 4 years as 
our President.
  Called upon by the media and many to dance atop the crumbled Berlin 
Wall, President Bush did not dance. Instead, he put his shoulder down 
and produced an agreement that, in turn, has produced extraordinary 
growth and prosperity among the peoples of Europe. There is no greater 
memorial to this success than to walk down the streets today of Warsaw, 
Prague, or Budapest and see the economic vitality of free-market 
capitalism at work.
  But there were other exceptional moments in the international 
portfolio, including the completion of the North American Free Trade 
Agreement; the reinforcement of the Monroe Doctrine by ejecting the 
threatening thug Manuel Noriega from Panama; the delicate punishment of 
China while balancing our relationship during the regime's horrible, 
murderous actions in Tiananmen Square; and ending the years of tension 
between the United States and our ally Japan by creating the Structural 
Impediments Initiative that opened Japanese markets by removing 
nontariff barriers to American exports and services.
  On the domestic front, this man of the House, Bush 41, developed an 
outstanding creative agenda, starting first with cleaning up the 
failure of the S&L crisis of the 1980s. He proposed the Americans with 
Disabilities Act that was accepted by Congress and has provided 
millions of Americans with more opportunities for work and access. His 
Clean Air Act amendments set the standard in the world for cleaning up 
acid rain challenges using market mechanisms, benefiting not only 
America but our neighbor to the north, Canada. He left office with a 
reputation of constraining government spending and responsible 
budgeting.
  But, of course, along the way, there were heartbreaks, beginning with 
the failure to have his close friend, Senator John Tower, confirmed as 
Secretary of Defense for ridiculous and spurious partisan reasons.
  On Capitol Hill, President Bush 41 struggled with incredible 
partisanship from Senate Leader George Mitchell and House Majority 
Leader Dick Gephardt, but he treasured his friendships of cooperation 
and success with Members like John Murtha, Dan Rostenkowski, and 
Speaker Tip O'Neill.
  Mr. Speaker, George Bush 41 treasured God, faith, and family. He 
prided himself in the Army mantra of duty, honor, and country. In his 
memorial service at Washington National Cathedral, historian Jon 
Meacham stated that he believed Bush 41 was striving every day to 
justify why he had been saved on that day off Chichi Jima. Thus, his 
focus on service as well as his commandments: Don't blame others and 
always share the credit--warm admonitions from his beloved mom.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I stand today with my friends from Texas to salute 
George Bush, a good and faithful servant who ran a full and fast life. 
I was lucky to know him, work for him, and recognize him for being the 
exceptional man of character that he was. Our country is blessed to 
have him as our Commander in Chief and our 41st President of the United 
States.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for yielding.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, for the remaining speakers, we have 12 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the State of Georgia (Mr. 
Allen).
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman so much for this 
opportunity to come talk about someone we have talked about for some 
time now, but we could talk about him for a very long time.
  It is with a heavy heart that I rise this evening, along with my 
colleagues, to recognize the life and legacy of a true American 
statesman and patriot, our late President George H.W. Bush.
  My association with President Bush was through my hometown of 
Augusta, home of the Masters Tournament, founded by the greatest 
amateur golfer of all time, Bobby Jones. The Walker Cup, played by 
teams of the best amateur golfers from the United States, Great 
Britain, and Ireland every 2 years, was named after President Bush's 
grandfather and his namesake.
  I got to know President Bush. He was the first honorary chairman of 
the First Tee organization. The sole purpose of the First Tee 
organization is to give those young people who do not otherwise have 
the economic means to play the game of golf the opportunity to play 
this great game. President Bush was also only one of two Presidents to 
be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
  He led a life of utmost distinction, and the family and friends he 
leaves behind will always cherish the valuable time spent with this 
American hero. As he is reunited with his wife, Barbara, and daughter, 
Robin, in Heaven, we will continue to learn by his example always. 
Those young folks who are playing golf now and learning those values 
much appreciate it as well.
  Rest in peace, Mr. President.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Weber).
  Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, George Herbert Walker Bush asked all 
of us to be light in this world, to be gracious, to be diligent, and to 
be honest. And then he led the way by example.
  His patriotism was innate. It was his guiding light, Mr. Speaker. And 
Barbara was his soulmate, his compass, and part of his true north.
  Mr. Speaker, George H.W. Bush was one of our last great statesmen, a 
member of the Greatest Generation. His love for his Nation was bested 
only by his love for his family. This enduring love for both is how we 
will long remember George H.W. Bush, Mr. Speaker, and, oh, that we 
would emulate him.
  President Bush could walk into a room and make everyone feel like 
they belonged. He was the epitome of the true Southern gentleman, even 
though he wasn't born in the South. The South did adopt him, however, I 
might add, Mr. Speaker. His mannerisms and his convictions gained him 
respect far and wide--worldwide, in fact.
  This great and good man brought us together and led the way, once 
again,

[[Page H9814]]

in that, during our time of mourning his passing, his example quieted 
some of the divisiveness that is on display all too often, Mr. Speaker.
  We have a lot to learn from his mission and his life. Oh, that we 
would emulate him in that.
  Last week, George H.W. Bush arrived at his final, kindest, gentlest 
resting place with Barbara and Robin. He is home.
  Mission accomplished, Mr. President.
  George Herbert Walker Bush, Mr. Speaker, is worth emulating. Oh, that 
we would all do so.

                              {time}  2015

  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues tonight in 
what is a tribute to George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush, a 
tribute of which I hope we will continue to live.
  It is my great honor to salute President Bush and to be reminded of 
the beauty of his love of 73 years, a partnership of service, raising a 
family, and serving a Nation. Last week's tribute of mourning, 
memorials, and funerals was an opportunity for not only the Nation, but 
the world to learn of the depth and the level of integrity, honesty, 
statesmanship, and leadership of our 41st President.
  I am glad to have known him, as a Houstonian, and delighted to have 
worked with his wife, Barbara Bush, on her great commitment that 
everyone should have the ability to read. Literacy was a standard-
bearer by which she guided her later life. So many people learned to 
read and cherish books because of her service.
  I got to know the President more closely because of his relationship 
with my husband, Dr. Elwyn C. Lee. What most people don't know is, 
preceding the Honorable Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland, parts of the 
18th Congressional District, of which I represent, was represented by 
this young Congressman by the name of George Herbert Walker Bush. They 
were African Americans in a segregated Houston. He was beloved because 
of his eagerness to treat everyone as a human being.
  One of his dear friends, who will turn 90 in a couple of weeks, 
Reverend Dr. F.N. Williams, the pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church--
he still is the pastor--and I remember standing next to him in Acres 
Homes when then-President Herbert Walker Bush landed his big helicopter 
right there in our community, showing and affirming the friendship.
  We further enjoyed the opportunity to know him, along with my 
husband, through his assisting him in his own high school, Andover 
Academy, and how kind he was to send a gift for our wedding from China.
  He is more than the President of the United States, the Congressman; 
the chair of the RNC, the envoy, among others--the Vice-President, 
President, the Director of the CIA, and most of all, a hero of World 
War II, where he, in his effort to fight for this Nation also, was shot 
down and looked to save his colleagues.
  He is a hero. He is a friend. He is a man we will honor and continue 
to honor. By our lives and our service we hope to affirm both the 
wonderful life of his lovely bride, as well as himself, and to say to 
his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and others: Rest 
well. Thank you for sharing him with us, for he did serve his Nation. 
By that, he has served the people of this Nation. My God bless.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Yoho).
  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to honor the 
late President George Herbert Walker Bush, our 41st President of the 
United States, and express our condolences to the Bush family.
  President Bush accomplished many policy objectives during his nearly 
30 years in government, but I believe his greatest legacy is his 
complete devotion to this Nation and its people. In and out of office, 
President Bush dedicated his life to public service and helping others. 
He belonged to that era of Americans known as the Greatest Generation.
  Whether it was serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II or 
achieving the highest office in the land, President Bush never failed 
to demonstrate selflessness and compassion. When faced with conflicts 
and adversity, President Bush always responded with grace and honor. He 
lived at a time when Americans and America knew who we were. His 
lifetime of service was rightly recognized in 2011, when he received 
the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian honor. 
Even though he is no longer with us, his legacy of kindness and self-
sacrifice will live on.
  As we transition into the 116th Congress, I would like us to remember 
President Bush for his complete devotion to this country and its 
citizens. It is an honor to have a career in public service, and I am 
grateful our country had a role model like President Bush. I hope my 
colleagues in Congress feel the same.
  At a time in history when the Nation feels divided, we must remember 
those who have stood before us and worked to bring the American people 
together for the good of the country. The alignment he had in life is a 
simple one. In fact, our Nation would be better served if we followed 
it. It is: God, country, and family.
  I ask that we honor late President Bush, we remember his 
encouragement to work hand-in-hand with our neighbors to give back to 
our community and to our country. The American people are lucky to have 
such a compassionate and honorable leader and we will forever be 
grateful for his service to this great country.
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, faith, family, and friends. We may never 
see the likes of George H.W. Bush again, although we hope we do. Praise 
the Lord for the President. Praise the Lord for his family. In God we 
trust.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________