[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 1512-1514]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  DANTE B. FASCELL NORTH-SOUTH CENTER

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 432) to designate the North/South Center as the Dante B. 
Fascell North-South Center
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 432

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NORTH/SOUTH CENTER AS THE DANTE B. 
                   FASCELL NORTH-SOUTH CENTER.

       Section 208 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
     Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (22 U.S.C. 2075) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
       ``(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center Act of 1991'';
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by amending the subsection heading to read as follows: 
     ``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center.--''; and
       (B) by striking ``known as the North/South Center,'' and 
     inserting ``which shall be known and designated as the Dante 
     B. Fascell North-South Center,''; and
       (3) in subsection (d), by striking ``North/South Center'' 
     and inserting ``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       (a) Center.--Any reference in any other provision of law to 
     the educational institution in Florida known as the North/
     South Center shall be deemed to be a reference to the ``Dante 
     B. Fascell North-South Center''.
       (b) Short Title.--Any reference in any other provision of 
     law to the North/South Center Act of 1991 shall be deemed to 
     be a reference to the ``Dante B. Fascell North-South Center 
     Act of 1991''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pleasure that I bring a bill 
before the House to honor our esteemed former colleague, the 
distinguished chairman of the Committee on International Relations, 
Dante Fascell. Our friend and colleague, Dante Fascell, regrettably 
passed away on November 29 after a long illness. On October 29, one 
month before Congressman Fascell died, President Clinton honored him at 
Cape Canaveral, Florida, with our Nation's highest civilian honor, the 
Medal of Freedom. Well over 100 Members of Congress signed what the 
White House termed the most bipartisan petition for the Medal of 
Freedom that they had ever seen.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill renames the educational institution known as 
the North/South Center as the Dante B. Fascell North-South Center. 
Chairman Fascell was responsible for establishing that center in 1991 
to help us promote better relations between our Nation and the nations 
of Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada through cooperative study, 
training and research.
  During his tenure on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Dante Fascell 
was instrumental in enacting an astonishing array of bills that 
significantly advanced Americans' interest abroad, and those included 
the creation of the National Endowment for Democracy, Radio Marti, and 
the Inter-American Foundation. Congressman Fascell also authored and 
advanced numerous bills to improve international narcotics control and 
aviation safety, as well as securing passage of the Freedom Support and 
SEED Acts, the Fascell Fellowships and the biennial State Department 
authorization bills. Dante Fascell also was a driving force behind 
establishing the Committee on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
  Today we recognize the significant contributions that former Chairman 
Fascell made to U.S.-Latin American relations and indeed to so many 
other aspects of our Nation's foreign policy. He was a dedicated 
legislator and statesman. It is a privilege to sponsor this measure 
with our committee's ranking Democratic member, the distinguished 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson). This is only a modest 
gesture to recognize a truly great American.
  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we will be honoring the memory of Congressman 
Fascell in a ceremony in our Foreign Affairs Committee room, and I urge 
our colleagues to join us on that occasion.
  I ask support for this measure, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. I had the privilege of 
serving under Chairman Fascell for many years, and I think what we are 
doing here today is obviously an appropriate response. But we could 
really go to almost any corner of the globe and look at the tremendous 
work that Dante did. There was no place where humans were in suffering, 
where there was a crisis, that Dante Fascell did not take a leadership 
role in trying to resolve that crisis, to relieve that pain.
  But it is appropriate, looking at the place where he had his greatest 
focus, settling in Florida early in this century, he recognized before 
most of the rest of the country did how critical this North/South 
relationship would be, economically and politically, and for his years 
in the Congress he led the fight to make sure that we engaged our Latin 
American neighbors on an equal footing, trying to help nurture their 
democratic institutions and their economies.
  What we do here today is a small part of the honor that Dante 
deserves. We all miss him, and we all admire and respect his great 
accomplishments.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member, the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), for yielding this time to 
me, and I thank the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) 
for bringing this measure to the floor.

[[Page 1513]]

  Mr. Speaker, I was a sophomore at Coral Gables High School in the 
fall of 1954, and there was a gentleman running for Congress. I was 15 
years of age, and the gentleman's name was Dante Fascell. I did not 
know him, but that was the first congressional race I ever focused on 
because we had a Problems of Democracy class, and we studied the 
congressional election.
  Mr. Speaker, Dante Fascell was elected to the Congress that year, and 
27 years later, in 1981, I was elected to the Congress. Dante Fascell 
had already served from 1955 to 1981, and was one of the senior 
Members. I had met Dante Fascell on numerous times before my election 
to Congress, and we had become good friends.
  In 1976 Speaker O'Neill appointed Dante Fascell chairman of the 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. That is now known as 
the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and it is a 
vital factor in European peacekeeping, in a focus on human rights and 
conflict resolution. It is playing a major role in Bosnia and a major 
role in Kosovo. The OSC, a very vibrant organization, was formed in 
August of 1975 when 35 signatory States, including the United States 
and Canada, joined with 33 European states in forming the Organization 
on Security, then called the Conference on Security and Cooperation in 
Europe.
  Dante Fascell was a vital founding member of that organization. As 
the Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 
from 1976 to 1985, he forged U.S. policy in many ways regarding 
security and cooperation in Europe.
  Upon his becoming Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in 1985, 
I was privileged to be recommended by him and then appointed by Speaker 
O'Neill to succeed him as chairman of the Commission on Security and 
Cooperation in Europe.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. Speaker, those who did not know Dante Fascell missed knowing a 
very decent, able, giving, caring, effective American and Member of 
this body.
  Dante Fascell was the epitome of a bipartisan Member of the House. He 
worked without respect to party. He worked on behalf of the best 
interests of the United States of America and the best interests of the 
world community. He was, in many ways, an international citizen.
  I had the opportunity to attend the North American Assembly on 
numerous occasions with Dante Fascell and others, and Dante Fascell was 
appropriately perceived as a leader in that organization, which is an 
adjunct of NATO.
  Dante Fascell has been missed in this body since he left. When he 
left the Congress, he returned to practice law in his beloved Florida. 
I had the opportunity of talking to him on numerous occasions, and I 
lament his loss.
  Dante Fascell was a good and decent man, who raised his hand and 
swore to defend the Constitution of the United States. No Member has 
done his duty better than Dante Fascell. We do ourselves proud by 
passing this legislation and honoring Dante Fascell.
  Dante Fascell honored this institution and the people's House through 
his service. He served the people of Florida for over 30 years with 
such distinction that Floridians felt compelled every two years to 
return him to this body. I am honored to join with the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), my good friend, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman), and all the Members of this body, to say to Dante 
Fascell, thank you and farewell. You were honored while you were here, 
and you are honored still.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek).
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of this bill, which would 
designate the North/South Center at the University of Miami as the 
Dante B. Fascell North/South Center.
  My rhetorical question is, how else could it be, what other name 
could be designated, to cover this center? No man in this country has 
done more for north-south relations than the late Dante Fascell.
  But what I liked most about Dante Fascell was that he was a 
gentleman. He was a populist. The people knew him well. I serve part of 
his district today, and never a day passes that someone does not say 
something good to me about what Dante Fascell has done.
  Mr. Speaker, that will be Dante's legacy, what he has done for the 
people, what he has done to make relationships between the north and 
the south become real.
  I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) for his 
initiative in this matter, for it is a fitting honor for a truly great, 
and, most of all, humble man.
  For 38 years, Dante Fascell served on the House Committee on Foreign 
Affairs, eight years as a full committee chairman. He devoted his whole 
life time to the service of this Nation and the nations of the world, a 
man of great insight, a man of good judgment and knowledge.
  He advised presidents, but he never lost common touch, Mr. Speaker. 
He was sought by foreign leaders and foreign dignitaries, but he never 
got so full he didn't think about the people back home who had domestic 
problems as well.
  Throughout his decades of service in this body, Mr. Fascell became 
more and more convinced of the need for an American foreign policy 
based on cultural, educational, trade and person-to-person exchanges 
between nations, in addition to normal government-to-government 
contacts.
  His vision became reality at his alma mater, the University of Miami. 
If it were not for Dante Fascell, you would not see the strong cemented 
relationships now that exist between this country and Latin America and 
other countries, particular in the Caribbean as well.
  He is recognized as the father of the North/South Center, which today 
Congress has seen fit, thank God, to authorize as one of the Nation's 
leading institutions, focusing on improving relations between the 
countries of North and South America and the Caribbean.
  Despite his great achievements, Dante Fascell never forgot his roots, 
he never forgot from whence he came. The son of Italian immigrants, he 
met with presidents and kings and was a recipient of the President's 
Medal of Honor, the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by our 
country. He was, by any measure, a truly great man, but he was, 
nonetheless, always friendly, and I keep underlining that, open and 
approachable to his constituents in South Florida.
  Who among you who knew him can forget the warm feeling inside just 
knowing that Dante was on the phone waiting to talk to you? He was 
welcome wherever he went.
  There is not anyone in South Florida that can ever forget attending 
the Dante Fascell picnic on Labor Day, where they got to shake hands 
with the proud and the mighty as well as the low and those were 
aspiring to be high. He committed his efforts to solving little 
problems, as well as big ones. His common sense and common touch 
endeared him to literally generations of voters. It is not an 
exaggeration to say that by the end of his service in Congress, he was, 
as he is today, and I believe will remain forever, truly a legend in 
Florida and in this country.
  Mr. Fascell retired from Congress the year that I was elected, in 
1992, so I never had the honor of serving with Dante. But the minute I 
hit Capitol Hill, Dante saw fit to advise me. He never said, ``Carol, 
you can't do this.'' He said, ``You strive for what you want and work 
hard for it, and you can get it done.''
  I knew Dante for many years, and he did not hide behind his desk. He 
came out and advised me as to what I should do. In typical Fascell 
fashion, he opened up his office. Right now I am sitting in my office 
in one of Dante Fascell's chairs. I wish, by God, I could ever reach 
any heights that Dante reached. But the mere fact I inherited his 
furniture gave me a certain amount

[[Page 1514]]

of inspiration and motivation to do well here. As a new Member of 
Congress, he opened up his doors to me.
  When he retired, Dante said something that bears repeating. He said, 
``We should all be proud of whatever part we have done to promote the 
American dream. For all its faults, our method of self-government 
allows for more tolerance of other people and their views; more 
compromise when our opinions differ; and more willingness to listen to 
other people's problems than any government I have dealt with during my 
long association with nations.''
  He was proud of this nation. He was proud of this institution. He was 
proud of South Florida. He was proud of South Florida. I wish more of 
us in this body could emulate Dante Fascell, to share in his national 
pride, and spend more time in making this institution one in which 
there is love and caring for everyone, instead of tearing it down.
  Throughout his life, Dante Fascell set a very high standard for 
public service, which all of us should follow. I am completely 
confident, Mr. Speaker, that those of you here today who served with 
Dante Fascell will agree with me that he is one of the finest men who 
will ever serve in this body.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. I again commend the chairman for moving this 
resolution. Dante Fascell was an incredible individual. We are all 
privileged to have served with him. Mr. Speaker, I have no further 
requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 432 and H.R. 68.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) 
for his supportive remarks. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. 
Meek) for her support and her eloquent words.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
legislation to rename the University of Miami's North/South Center in 
honor of my good friend Dante B. Fascell. Dante Fascell worked 
tirelessly to help create and fund the North/South Center during his 
tenure as the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 
Throughout his service in Congress, Dante Fascell was a constant 
advocate for the cause of democracy and open dialogue among the nations 
of the Western Hemisphere. Our nation owes him a debt of gratitude for 
his years of service.
  Dante Fascell's support for the creation of the North/South Center 
stemmed from his strong belief that the free exchange of ideas would 
strengthen our nation's security, competitivenes and economic vitality. 
The North/South Center provides a forum for research and policy 
analysis that is unparalleled by any other institution in the country 
and promotes better understanding and relations between the United 
States, Canada, and the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean.
  In 1990, with the pasage of the North/South Center Act, Congress 
authorized the establishment of the Center as a place for ``cultural 
and technical interchange between North and South.'' Dante Fascell's 
dream was to focus the country on the pursuit of policies which 
strengthen our national economic policy, trade practices, and relations 
with the countries of the Western Hemisphere.
  The North/South Center plays many roles. It is a think-tank, a 
foundation, a public resource center and a repository of information. 
The work of the Center informs our national debate regarding topics of 
major significance, such as trade, economic growth, immigration, drug 
control policies, and the spread of democracy.
  There is no greater way that we can thank Dante Fascell for his vital 
contributions to the North/South Center than naming it in his honor. 
Dante Fascell served his constituents in Florida and the nation as a 
whole for 36 years. He is, indeed, worthy of this tribute and I think 
that this is an excellent way to honor his memory.
  Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 432--a 
bill to designate the North-South Center as the Dante B. Fascell North-
South Center. This legislation is a fitting tribute to a man who 
devoted his life toward promoting cultural understanding throughout the 
world.
  South Florida was deeply saddened to learn of Dante's passing on 
November 28, 1998. Dante, the son of Italian immigrants and a World War 
II veteran, became a legend in South Florida during his 38-year career 
in Congress. He is remembered as a powerful, yet kind political figure 
who left an enduring mark on the Everglades, the Florida Keys, and 
world affairs.
  An advisor to eight Presidents, Dante remained a humble man who 
demonstrated the greatest qualities of any public servant. Reflecting 
on his service upon his retirement from Congress, Dante said, ``We all 
should be proud of whatever part we have done to promote the American 
dream.''
  Dante held a strong belief in American democracy saying, ``For all 
its faults, our method of self-government allows for more tolerance of 
other people and their views, more compromise when our opinions differ 
and more willingness to listen to other people's problems than any 
government I have dealt with during my long association with other 
nations.'' Last October, President Clinton presented Dante with the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom--our nation's highest civilian honor--
calling him a ``man of reason and conscience'' who was ``courageous in 
war and public service.''
  Mr. Speaker, it is entirely appropriate that Congress dedicate 
Miami's North-South Center to Dante Fascell. This designation reflects 
Dante's impact on the Caribbean and Central America, both of which he 
felt were direct extensions of South Florida. Among his most famous 
statements, Dante often said, ``When Central America sneezes, Miami 
catches cold.'' The North-South Center is a living extension of Dante's 
long-held belief that cultural and economic understanding between the 
Americas is essential to our mutual prosperity. I rise in full support 
of H.R. 432 and urge my colleagues' unanimous support.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 432, a bill to 
name the North-South Center after our former colleague, the late Dante 
Fascell.
  It is fitting that Congress is naming the North-South Center, which 
Dante helped found, in his honor. During his long and distinguished 
career in the House, Dante used his position as chairman of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee to promote understanding and cooperation between 
nations of the Western Hemisphere. To advance this view, in 1984 Dante 
helped establish the North-South Center, located in Miami. This 
educational institution helps promote better relations between the 
United States and the other nations of the Western Hemisphere through 
cooperative study, training and research. Today, the North-South Center 
plays an essential role in the conduct of American diplomacy.
  Mr. Speaker, one of Chairman Fascell's top priorities in Congress was 
to promote closer relations among our allies in this hemisphere. Dante 
was also a tireless fighter against tyranny and oppression in Latin 
America and the Caribbean. Since the North-South Center is essentially 
carrying on Dante's work, it is fitting that this organization be named 
in his honor. I hope the naming of the North-South Center will remind 
future generations, and especially South Floridians, the gratitude we 
owe Dante Fascell for his tireless efforts.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 432.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 432.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________