[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 169 (Thursday, October 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                   REMEMBERING THOMAS D'ALESANDRO III

 Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I stand here today to grieve the 
loss and honor the memory of Thomas D'Alesandro III, a true public 
servant. I feel extremely fortunate to have benefited from Tommy's 
wisdom, his friendship, and his example over the years. He will be 
dearly missed.
  Thomas--or ``Little Tommy,'' as he was known--was born in Baltimore 
in 1929. He grew up in a very politically active home. His father was a 
Congressman and three-term mayor of Baltimore. His sister, Nancy 
Pelosi, went on to become the first female Speaker of the U.S. House of 
Representatives. So, in a sense, it seems that Tommy was destined for 
life in the public sphere. But he never behaved like leadership was his 
birthright. Whatever the import his name carried, Tommy was always 
humble, always hard-working, always determined to earn the support and 
trust of his community. And that is exactly what he did. As president 
of the Baltimore City Council and then as the city's mayor, Tommy was 
on the ground, fighting alongside his constituents for what was right.
  Tommy was the mayor of Baltimore from 1967 to 1971. It was a 
tumultuous time for Baltimore and for the entire Nation. After just 4 
months in office, Tommy had to lead his city through the grief and 
unrest that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Despite being personally devastated, he did that with courage and 
grace. He went on to serve a term marked by an unyielding commitment to 
civil rights.
  Tommy passed laws to ban discrimination in housing and public 
accommodations. He fought the racist practice of blockbusting in real 
estate. He funded anti-poverty programs and new schools in underserved 
neighborhoods. And he appointed more African Americans to public posts 
than any Baltimore mayor before him, including to positions that had 
only previously been held by White people.
  He was a man of ideals, certainly. His Catholic upbringing instilled 
in him the values of generosity and fairness. He had a nuanced 
understanding of racial inequality in the United States, and he was 
profoundly disturbed by the intolerance plaguing the country.
  But I believe that he earned the support and trust of his community 
because he didn't just espouse ideals--he didn't simply demand justice 
or condemn hatred. He delivered concrete, meaningful action to make 
Baltimore a more equal and harmonious place.
  Tommy did all of this because he sincerely cared, not because it was 
politically convenient. In fact, he faced a lot of criticism for his 
leadership on civil rights from those who wished to preserve their own 
privilege. The easy thing would have been to turn a blind eye to the 
injustices around him and protect the status quo, but that wasn't 
Tommy. He wasn't concerned with what was easy; he was concerned with 
what was right. He had a good heart, and he listened to it.
  Even after leaving political office, Tommy continued to give back as 
a mentor and adviser to future leaders. I am immensely grateful for the 
counsel that he offered me as a budding lawmaker. As a Baltimore native 
myself, I have long looked up to Tommy and strived to follow in his 
footsteps. I can only hope to emulate his integrity, bravery, and 
compassion.
  We have lost a hero and a legend but not a legacy. Tommy was somebody 
who always led by example. Even though he is no longer here with us, 
his example lives on. It lives on in the blossoming Baltimore that he 
cultivated. It lives on in the generations of dedicated public servants 
that he inspired. And it lives on in the quest for justice that he 
championed.
  Nevertheless, this loss is a painful one. My heart and prayers are 
with Tommy's wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and 
all of his loved ones as they grieve and heal.

                          ____________________