[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 21 (Thursday, February 4, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E105-E106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF SHELDON ADELSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILLY LONG

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 4, 2021

  Mr. LONG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record an 
article honoring Sheldon Adelson, who was a truly great American. The 
following article, by Matt Brooks the Executive Director of the 
Republican Jewish Coalition, published in Newsweek on January 15, 2021, 
honors his incredible life and legacy.

       Horatio Alger wrote rags-to-riches stories in the 1800s 
     about poor boys who became wealthy through pluck, luck and 
     good deeds. Sheldon Adelson did him one better, actually 
     living a rags-to-riches story rooted in hard work, vision, 
     courage--and good deeds. With Sheldon's passing, we have lost 
     not only a remarkably successful business leader and an 
     extraordinary philanthropist, but someone I was privileged to 
     call a dear mentor and friend.
       It is well known that Sheldon came from humble beginnings, 
     as the child of immigrants living in Boston's Dorchester 
     neighborhood. More than 80 years later, he still

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     viewed the world through the eyes of a poor kid from 
     Dorchester. As one of the richest men in America, he could 
     afford the finest wines and any luxury foods he desired. But 
     those who knew him knew that the best time to meet with 
     Sheldon was on Friday over lunch in his office, because that 
     was his favorite day, when his staff would bring him hot dogs 
     and sliders for lunch and he was sure to be in a good mood. 
     He never lost his enjoyment for those kinds of simple things.
       More than that, Sheldon never lost touch with people. Most 
     of those who achieve his level of success spend a lot of 
     money on staff to serve as buffers between them and other 
     people. Sheldon didn't do that. At Republican Jewish 
     Coalition events, people would be lined up 20- or 30-deep to 
     say hello and take pictures with him. He obliged them, even 
     in the middle of eating his dinner. He gave out his cell 
     phone number freely and enjoyed being with people, talking to 
     them and listening to them.
       Sheldon was a serial entrepreneur who created dozens of 
     companies over the years. He was often called a visionary 
     leader, which is true, but he had more than just vision. Hard 
     work and courageous confidence (or outrageous confidence, to 
     your detractors) are required to achieve great things. 
     Sheldon had a vision of Las Vegas as more than just a 
     gambling town. He knew that bringing in trade shows and 
     business conventions and offering grand resorts with the 
     finest amenities and big, beautiful rooms would make Las 
     Vegas a top destination for millions of people. When he began 
     building The Venetian, he was mocked and called a fool. But 
     he never lost confidence in his vision of what Las Vegas 
     could be, and today everyone is copying his integrated resort 
     model.
       The same was true in Asia, where Sheldon saw glittering 
     potential in Macau, then a seedy, prostitution-ridden city. 
     He turned it into Asia's own Las Vegas, on land reclaimed 
     from the sea. People called him crazy, but once again he had 
     the courage of his convictions and he was proven right. His 
     confidence in his own vision and his willingness to take 
     risks to bring that vision to fruition were the keys to his 
     success.
       That success made it possible for him and his beloved wife, 
     Dr. Miriam Adelson, to engage in substantial and meaningful 
     philanthropy--in the Jewish community and beyond. The 
     Adelsons have been the largest funders of Taglit-Birthright 
     Israel and supported Yad Vashem, United Hatzalah and Friends 
     of the Israel Defense Forces, among other organizations in 
     Israel. They built a $65 million campus in Las Vegas for the 
     Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy and Adelson School, which 
     serves students from preschool through high school. In 
     addition, their Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical 
     Research Foundation funds collaborative, cutting-edge medical 
     research. Dr. Miriam Adelson has contributed enormously to 
     drug addiction research and therapy, and the Adelsons built 
     two major drug abuse treatment and research centers, in Las 
     Vegas and in Israel.
       The Adelsons have also extended tremendous kindness to 
     friends and others in need. Sheldon showed the same 
     compassion to his employees that he showed to everyone else. 
     When COVID-19 hit, he refused to lay off his employees, and 
     he continued to provide them with full pay and benefits 
     throughout the pandemic.
       Sheldon did what he thought was right, in business and in 
     every other part of his life. If you wanted to argue with 
     him, you had better know your stuff. Sheldon never got a 
     college degree, but he was one of the smartest people I've 
     ever known. He hated yes-men and respected people who were 
     not intimidated by him or his wealth--people who would give 
     him honest and sound counsel.
       I have a very vivid memory of the first time I met Sheldon. 
     I traveled to Las Vegas to tell him about the Republican 
     Jewish Coalition (RJC) and try to get him involved in the 
     organization. We had a wide-ranging conversation and, at one 
     point, he asked me what I thought about something he'd said. 
     I said I disagreed with him. You could have heard a pin drop 
     in that room. Sheldon cocked his head and asked, ``Why?'' I 
     answered him honestly, sure that I had lost all chance of 
     getting him interested in the RJC, but he replied, ``Yeah, I 
     think you might be right.'' After that, Sheldon was very 
     involved in the RJC and gave generously not only his money, 
     but more importantly, his time and good counsel. Much of the 
     RJC's innovation and impact over the last few years were made 
     possible by his vision and leadership.
       Sheldon was an American patriot, a dedicated defender of 
     Israel and a living example of the American dream. His 
     passing truly leaves an empty place where a vibrant, 
     courageous and caring man once stood. He will be sorely 
     missed.

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