[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17720-17729]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



EXPRESSING SORROW OF THE HOUSE AT THE DEATH OF THE HONORABLE HERBERT H. 
     BATEMAN, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 
573) and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 573

       Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of 
     the death of the Honorable Herbert H. Bateman, a 
     Representative from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
       Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as 
     the Speaker may designate, together with such Members of the 
     Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral.
       Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be 
     authorized and directed to take such steps as may be 
     necessary for carrying out the provisions of these 
     resolutions and that the necessary expenses in connection 
     therewith be paid out of applicable accounts of the House.
       Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to 
     the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the 
     deceased.
       Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as 
     a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley) is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness we are here today to honor our 
late colleague, Representative Herb Bateman of Newport News, Virginia. 
Herb represented the First District of Virginia, better known, as he 
used to say, as ``America's First District,'' because of the important 
role it has played in our Nation's history.
  Herb lived to serve his country and fellow citizens. After receiving 
his bachelor of arts from the College of William and Mary in 1949, he 
taught at Hampton High School from 1949 to 1951.
  Herb answered the call of duty by enlisting in the United States Air 
Force during the Korean War, eventually earning the rank of first 
lieutenant, and was discharged in 1953.
  Herb attended law school and earned a law degree from Georgetown 
University Law Center in 1956. After a clerkship with the United States 
Court of Appeals in Washington, Herb joined a Newport News law firm, 
where he practiced for 25 years.
  Prior to coming to Congress, Herb served 15 years in the Virginia 
Senate, where he gained a solid reputation for leadership and committee 
work on such diverse subjects as agriculture, energy, education, and 
the budget.
  Herb will be remembered for the lifetime of service he gave to his 
country and his constituents. Herb dedicated his life in defense of our 
national security, because he realized America was the only true world 
superpower. He recognized America had global responsibilities, and he 
took America's responsibilities seriously because he worked tirelessly 
to ensure the naval superiority of the United States.
  Herb's tireless efforts during his 18-year career in Congress helped 
preserve America's greatness, in which we all saw communism defeated 
and America stand as the last superpower. Herb's efforts behind the 
scenes helped to sustain his constituents working at Newport News 
Shipbuilding and the local military community.
  Herb's long Congressional record included fighting for the 
authorization and construction of several aircraft carriers and 
submarines, including the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, the U.S.S. John C. 
Stennis, the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman, and the Navy's next generation of 
aircraft carriers, 12 Los Angeles Class attack submarines and the new 
Virginia class submarines.

[[Page 17721]]

  Herb's loss is truly a national loss. We mourn his loss as a House 
and as a Nation. I mourn his loss as a friend.
  For Herb's family, we feel the loss his wife, Laura, and his two 
children, Bert and Laura, and his three grandchildren are enduring 
today.
  A Nation is indebted to the unselfish work of Herb Bateman. You are 
in our prayers, and may God bless you and your family.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the 
Fourth District of Virginia (Mr. Sisisky), a colleague of Herb's on the 
Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. SISISKY. Mr. Speaker, I have known Herb Bateman for many, many 
years. I served 9 years in the Virginia General Assembly with him, and, 
of course, 18 years in Congress. He was a great friend and a great 
leader for Virginia.
  We will miss his leadership on the House Committee on Armed Services. 
He was a staunch advocate for the readiness of our Armed Forces, and he 
was a strong supporter of the shipbuilding industry, not only in 
Virginia, but throughout the United States.
  One of the greatest reasons for his success and achievements was his 
bipartisanship. Make no mistake, Herb was a man of his party, but, even 
more than that, he was a great patriot, who first and foremost stood 
for this country.
  He believed in a strong military and a strong Navy. He always 
understood the need for adequate training before sending our forces 
into harm's way. He was relentless in the pursuit of military 
excellence, and he could work with anybody on any side of an issue. He 
worked with the Depot Caucus and was fair and evenhanded with private 
and public employees. Most importantly, when meeting the challenges 
faced by this great country, party really made no difference.
  So we, personally, and this country will miss Herb Bateman. He had 
such a precise and logical way of thinking that sometimes listening to 
him was like hearing someone dictate a legal brief. But, most 
important, his sense of humor and the warmth of his friendship are 
things for which I will always be grateful.
  He was a close friend of mine and, of course, my wife; and we extend 
heartfelt condolences to Laura and their family.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the 
Tenth District of Northern Virginia, (Mr. Wolf).
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I join the fellow members of the Virginia 
delegation in remembering Herb Bateman, a true gentleman and a 
dedicated public servant.
  I had been planning to come to the floor later this month to pay 
tribute to Herb, to talk about his long and distinguished record of 
service to Virginia and the Nation, and to wish him Godspeed as he 
retired from the Congress at the end of the session. His untimely 
passing yesterday reminds us all of our own mortality and how important 
it is to live our lives with honor and integrity and to make the most 
of every opportunity we have to serve our fellow men.
  Herb Bateman lived his life that way. It was a privilege to serve 
with him the entire 18 years he was in Congress.
  While we grieve today that Herb is no longer with us, we can find 
comfort in knowing that at the end of his days, he could hear the voice 
of God saying, ``Well done, good and faithful servant.''
  Herb loved being a Member of Congress. He was a decent, hard-working, 
and likeable man who reached across the aisle to work together for the 
best interests of America. He loved representing the people of 
Virginia's First Congressional District, and beamed with pride in 
calling his district ``America's First District.''
  He worked tirelessly for his district. As Chairman of the Committee 
on Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Readiness, he was a diligent 
champion for the defense interests, not only of the Tidewater area of 
Virginia, which he represented, but for a strong defense for our 
Nation.
  He was a protector of our national defense, and he initiated the 
practice of listening to the field commanders of our Armed Forces, the 
captains, the colonels, the majors, and not solely relying on the 
Pentagon brass to get the real picture of the Nation's defense. He 
worked to protect the welfare of the men and women in uniform and their 
families, and those who have retired from the service and their 
country.
  Herb was deeply concerned about the deterioration of our military 
readiness; and if we can do anything to honor his memory, it would be 
to heed the warnings he gave about the need to invest in improving and 
maintaining our nation's defense readiness.
  Herb worked for the commuters in the First District. Through a seat 
on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, he focused on 
improving highways and bridges in Tidewater and in protecting the 
Chesapeake Bay.
  This Congress, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and this Nation have 
lost a faithful servant and wonderful man, but our lives are forever 
enriched for having had Herb Bateman as our friend and colleague.
  In closing, our deepest sympathies are extended to Congressman 
Bateman's family: his wife, Laura Yacobi Bateman; his daughter, Laura 
Margaret Bateman; his son, Herbert H. ``Bert'' Bateman, Jr., and his 
wife, Mary, and their three children, Emmy, Hank, and Sam; and also to 
his Congressional family, his staff here on Capitol Hill and in his 
district offices. We all share in your loss.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Newport News, Virginia (Mr. Scott), a member of the 
Virginia delegation who has had a long association with Congressman 
Bateman, who succeeded Congressman Bateman in the Virginia State 
Senate, and who now is with us in the House.
  Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in the Virginia 
delegation and the House in support of the resolution and to praise 
Herb Bateman for his hard work and dedication to the constituents of 
the First Congressional District of Virginia, which he always referred 
to as ``America's First District.''
  Herb and I served neighboring districts in the House, and during my 
service in the Virginia Legislature, he was either my State senator or 
my congressman, so we had many opportunities to work together to 
represent the interests of the residents of the Hampton Roads, Virginia 
area.
  Having worked side-by-side, I can tell you that Herb Bateman was a 
decent, hard-working, and effective legislator. During his many years 
of public service, he conscientiously promoted the needs of a district 
with a strong military and Federal presence.
  As a Member of the Committee on Armed Services, he made military 
readiness and concerns of military families his highest priorities. 
Because of his total dedication, America enjoys a strong military, and 
school districts with a large military presence receive additional 
Federal funding through Impact Aid.
  In the Hampton Roads area, we have been particularly grateful for 
Herb's leadership because we continue to build aircraft carriers and 
submarines. NASA budgets reflect a higher priority for the aeronautics 
research proudly done at NASA Langley Research Center, and the Thomas 
Jefferson National Accelerator Facility continues to excel.
  The Virginia delegation is particularly saddened by Herb's passing. 
He was well thought of and highly respected by all of us. The 
delegation has always worked cooperatively and in a bipartisan fashion 
on issues affecting Virginia, and Herb steadfastly contributed to that 
spirit.
  I want to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Laura; his 
children, Laura and Bert; and his grandchildren, as well as to his 
staff in the Washington, D.C. and Newport News offices.
  America's First District and the United States House of 
Representatives have lost a friend.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rocky 
Mount, Virginia (Mr. Goode).
  Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to pay tribute to a valued 
friend, a patriot, a veteran Member of this body, a distinguished 
Virginian, and a

[[Page 17722]]

devoted husband, father, and grandfather.
  When someone dies, floods of thoughts and recollections about that 
individual come to mind. Such it was yesterday morning when I learned 
of Herb Bateman's passing. I remember vividly how Herb helped me over 
the years. When I was elected to the State Senate of Virginia, Herb 
gave me valuable insights into how the Senate worked and how I might 
work within the Senate to help my district. Four years ago when I came 
to this body, Herb was one of the first to extend his knowledge and 
guidance to help me on my way.
  Herb Bateman loved this country. He enlisted in the Air Force during 
the Korean War and was discharged as a lieutenant. In the Senate of 
Virginia and the House of Representatives, Herb represented areas that 
have significant military installations. He worked tirelessly on behalf 
of a strong military and the needs of America's service men and women.
  In the Senate of Virginia and in this the Congress of the United 
States, Herb always worked for fiscal restraint, making the best use of 
money available.
  It was he who sponsored legislation in the Senate of Virginia to 
establish J-LARC--the Joint, Legislative, Audit and Review Commission. 
This commission has served over the years to eliminate waste and abuse 
in Virginia government and to uncover overlapping in the work of 
agencies. J-LARC is the model upon which other states have created 
their own similar commissions.
  Throughout his years of public service, Herb has been supported 
faithfully by his wife, Laura, and their union was blessed by two 
children, both of whom are grown and leading successful lives. And, the 
children have given Herb and Laura three grandchildren, who were the 
apples of Herb's eyes.
  Herb, we will miss you. I will miss you. Be assured that the light of 
your legacy will continue to shine through your family and the many 
people whose lives you touched and guided.

                              {time}  1730

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Skelton).
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a sad moment for me. I know it is a sad moment 
for Virginians, and it is a sad moment for Americans who serve in the 
Armed Forces of our country. Herb Bateman was a friend. He was a 
colleague. We served on the Committee on Armed Services together, and I 
saw him through the years apply his considerable knowledge and his 
considerable efforts in the pursuit of maintaining a strong national 
security. He was the chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Readiness 
and took that position quite seriously. We have, as a result, 
considerably more readiness; and the men and women of our uniformed 
services are all the better for his work.
  Herb was a man of integrity, a man of knowledge, a man of ability who 
gave his country his best. We have enjoyed serving with him here in the 
Congress of the United States. We have enjoyed being his friend. My 
wife, Suzie, and I join with Members today in extending our sincere 
sympathy to his wife, Laura, and to his family, and to that very, very 
fine staff that he has, especially those who are across the hall from 
my office in the Rayburn Building. Our sympathy and condolences go out 
to them.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Coble).
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia, my 
friend, for yielding me this time.
  Just last week, Mr. Speaker, back on the back rail, I said to Herb, 
you will be missed, in response to his announced intention to retire 
from this body. He said, oh, I will be back. This tells us, Mr. 
Speaker, how fragile, how indefinite, how uncertain life can be.
  As has been said by other speakers, Herb's congressional legacy will 
be formidable and impressive. One of his most salient contributions was 
his steadfast advocacy for a strong national defense. His district, 
after all, is home to one of the nerve centers of our defense 
community. I say to the gentleman from Richmond, Virginia (Mr. Bliley), 
my friend, I fondly recall an occasion when I delivered the OCS 
graduation address at the Coast Guard Reserve Training Center in 
Yorktown, which is in Herb's district. After the ceremony, Herb came to 
me and said, I so much enjoy coming to this place. It is beautifully 
located on the banks of the York River, and Herb expressed such pride 
in that Coast Guard installation; but he was equally proud of all of 
the military installations in his district; and as has been indicated 
by the other speakers, they are numerous.
  Herb was, indeed, proud of our defense family. He was proud of his 
district. He was proud of his State. I am not sure the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Bliley) mentioned this, but he was, in fact, born in 
North Carolina. He may have said that early on. He was proud of this 
House, the people's House. Herb often referred to it in those words, 
the people's House, the Chamber closest to the people.
  Finally, he was proud of his family. I know that my colleagues will 
join me in extending to Laura and Herb's children our expressions of 
sympathy during this time of their bereavement. I again thank the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley) for having taken this time out in 
honor of Herb.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alexandria, Virginia (Mr. Moran).
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the very 
distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley) for bringing forth 
this resolution to pay tribute to our friend and colleague, Herb 
Bateman.
  Mr. Speaker, Herb was a quintessential Virginia gentleman. He was 
unfailingly polite and gracious to the people around him. He always had 
a kind word for Members and staff, and he was easy to approach on any 
issue that one needed to speak with him about. Herb embodied the spirit 
of civility and bipartisanship that we strive for but too seldom 
achieve. These personal qualities help to explain why Herb Bateman was 
so well liked on both sides of the aisle.
  Beyond his simple decency, Herb was a very effective Member of 
Congress. He was particularly a champion for the Navy, for its 
shipbuilding program, for the men and women who serve in all of our 
Armed Forces. As a ranking member of the old House Merchant Marine and 
Fisheries Committee, Herb was a forceful advocate for a strong U.S. 
merchant fleet and its role in our national security and economic 
livelihood. Generations of Virginians will long appreciate his work to 
promote economic development throughout our State, both as a Member of 
Congress and as a member of the Virginia State Senate.
  I happened to host the congressional luncheon we had for the 
congressional delegation last week, last Thursday. Herb was the first 
one there. Every Member that came in, he greeted them warmly; he was 
fully cognizant of all of the issues that each of us was concerned 
about in our own districts. He was just a warm and terrific guy. He 
will be sorely missed, and we extend our condolences to Herb's wife, 
Laura, their children, and their many friends.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spence), the chairman of the 
Committee on Armed Services, a committee on which Herb served so 
faithfully.
  Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, it saddens me deeply to speak of the passing 
of our good friend and colleague, Herb Bateman. I have known him for a 
long time, he and his wife, Laura. We have traveled to many places 
together, experienced many things together. He meant a lot to me 
personally and to this Nation. Our Nation has lost a respected 
legislator and a stalwart defender of the men and women of our Armed 
Forces.
  During Herb's time in the Congress, he devoted his full time and 
energy to addressing the needs of the United States military. Without 
exception, his actions always reflected his sense of duty to the United 
States and to our Armed Forces.
  When I became Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, one of the

[[Page 17723]]

first acts on my part was to ask Herb to chair the Subcommittee on 
Military Readiness, and also a panel concerning our sea power. Under 
his leadership, the Subcommittee on Military Readiness has addressed 
countless difficult issues, including the declining state of the United 
States military readiness. One of his most enduring efforts as chairman 
of that subcommittee was a series of field hearings he held throughout 
the world on military readiness that he chaired in an effort to 
personally evaluate readiness problems throughout the force.
  He went to the source of our problems and got it firsthand and 
brought it back to us and to our military and the Pentagon. Thanks 
largely to his efforts, the administration and the senior Pentagon 
leadership finally admitted to significant readiness problems in 1998. 
We owe a lot to Herb for doing that. As a Nation, we owe him thanks for 
his role in exposing the truth about our Nation's military.
  As his friends and colleagues, we will miss him and mourn the passing 
of Herb Bateman. He touched the lives of thousands in his quest to 
improve our Nation's Armed Forces. Our country has lost a true patriot; 
our Congress and our committee will miss his counsel, and I have lost a 
good friend.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Roanoke, Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of our Virginia 
delegation for yielding me this time and for bringing forth this 
resolution to pay tribute to my friend, Herb Bateman, who I have known 
for 20 years.
  I first met Herb when he was a member of the Virginia Senate and 
campaigned for the Office of Lieutenant Governor of our State, and I 
remember meeting him in Roanoke 20 years ago and being impressed then 
with the conviction of his beliefs and his dedication to public 
service. Herb did not win that nomination for lieutenant governor; but 
shortly thereafter, with the election of Paul Tribble to the U.S. 
Senate, Herb ran for and won the election to the first congressional 
district seat. He was so honored to represent the people of that 
district, which he called not Virginia's First Congressional District, 
but because it included Jamestown and Williamsburg and Yorktown, he 
called it America's First Congressional District.
  He was a man of great courage and convictions. I serve on the whip 
team here in the House, and Herb was one of the individuals that I 
would go to before every major vote to find out how he planned to vote 
and Herb always had a well-founded reason why he was voting for 
whatever it was that he was going to vote on, and an independent spirit 
and streak that made him more than happy to stand up and disagree with 
the majority on an issue if he felt it was straying from the principle 
that he felt should be adhered to. He was one that I was proud to go to 
for advice on many occasions, and he always took a deep interest in 
whatever it was that I was doing or other Members of the House were 
doing, and always tried to be helpful.
  So I am going to miss my good friend, and I know everyone else here 
will as well, someone who stood up for our Nation's defenses, was a 
strong supporter of our space program, and a good friend to all of us.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Burton), the chairman of the Committee on Government 
Reform.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Bliley) for bringing forth this resolution for our good 
friend, Herb Bateman.
  Herb and I were elected to the Congress together back in 1982, and I 
can remember right down the hall the night that we had dinner with the 
leadership, the candlelight dinner with the Marine Violin Corps playing 
for us, and all of us who were elected, 26 Republicans at that time, 
how touched we were by being Members of the United States Congress for 
the first time in our lives. I remember Herb and Laura were really 
touched by the way we were received by the leadership and what a thrill 
it was for all of us to be Members of the 98th Congress of the United 
States.
  Herb was very well aware of history, as has been mentioned by my 
colleagues. He was so proud that he represented the ``First District of 
America'' where Washington and Monroe and others came from and who 
later became President of the United States. He was a man of integrity. 
He was a man who, if he gave his word on anything, you could take it to 
the bank. Herb was not one of those guys that played both sides of the 
fence. He was a man of integrity, impeccable integrity, and one that 
all of us respected. He really had a grasp for the law; and when he 
came down here to speak in the well, we knew that he knew what he was 
talking about because he researched it very, very well and spoke from 
the heart.

                              {time}  1745

  He spoke from the heart. He was always patriotic and concerned about 
what was best for America first.
  One of the things about Herb that I liked was he loved the game of 
golf. He was not the best golfer in the world, but he sure did like it.
  As a matter of fact, he and Laura and I were together the day before 
yesterday down at Leesburg playing golf, and we had a great time 
together and had dinner together. He was in good spirits. He went over 
to the hotel where we were going to stay for the night, and I can 
recall vividly as we checked in, I said, ``Herb, we have to be up early 
tomorrow morning because the gentleman from California (Mr. Packard) is 
having an event and we have to be there at 8 o'clock.'' He said, ``I 
will see you then. I will see you tomorrow.'' But unfortunately, he was 
not with us the next morning.
  So all I can say in closing is that we have lost not only a great 
friend but a great American, a man who was above reproach, a man we all 
respected.
  I would like to say to his wife and his family, to Laura and his 
family, we send our deepest sympathy to her, and we are going to miss 
Herb.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on International 
Relations.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia 
(Chairman Bliley) for arranging this opportunity for us to pay our 
respects to our good friend, Herb Bateman.
  It is with a great deal of sadness that I join my colleagues this 
evening in mourning the passing of a dear friend and a dedicated Member 
of the Congress, the gentleman from Virginia, Herb Bateman. Herb was 
first elected to Congress in 1982, but very quickly became known to all 
of us for his expertise in the field of military expenditures, and 
often reminded many of us of the need to do much more in that 
direction.
  Representing the defense-dependent Tidewater region of Virginia, 
Herb's knowledge of the budgetary needs of the Pentagon made 
significant invaluable contributions as chairman of the Committee on 
Armed Services' Subcommittee on Military Readiness.
  It was Herb Bateman who began the practice of having field commanders 
testify directly before House committees, in addition to their Pentagon 
superiors, which has had a direct and lasting impact on the manner in 
which this body conducts its business.
  Herb Bateman was also a senior member of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, where he accomplished a great deal 
to make certain that the future of our Nation's commercial waterways 
was going to be attended to. As an Air Force veteran of the Korean War, 
Herb was well positioned to assume a leadership role in the field of 
military preparedness.
  As a graduate of William and Mary College in his own region in 
Virginia, and as a graduate of Georgetown University Law School, Herb 
brought with him an extensive, impressive background with which to 
grapple the issues facing the Congress and our Nation.
  Upon his discharge from the Air Force at the conclusion of the Korean 
War, Herb worked both as a practicing attorney and as a teacher, 
instilling in

[[Page 17724]]

him both a love for the legal traditions and an appreciation of the 
importance of a strong education for our young people.
  Herb brought with him to the Congress 15 years of experience in the 
Virginia State Senate. Legislative experience is an important aspect of 
congressional life today, as we all know. We are fortunate that Herb 
Bateman brought with him that kind of an insight into the legislative 
process.
  My spouse, Georgia, joins with me in extending our heartfelt 
condolences to Herb's widow, Laura, with whom we traveled, both Herb 
and Laura, on many trips; to their daughter, Laura; to their son, Herb, 
Junior; to their daughter-in-law, Mary; and to the grandchildren, Emmy, 
Hank, and Sam. The Bateman family can console itself with the knowledge 
that many of us here in the House share their sense of loss, and that 
Herb Bateman was a true gentleman, an outstanding public servant who is 
going to long be missed.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, we rise here today to say good-bye to 
Congressman Herb Bateman, and to extend the depths of our condolences 
to Mrs. Bateman and to his family.
  Mr. Bateman was known around here, the House floor, simply as Herb. 
He was a quiet statesman. I served on the Subcommittee on Water 
Resources and Environment with Herb, and also on the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, and I can tell the Members that Herb 
was very generous with his opinions. In fact, I can tell the Members 
that there are few people who are more pleasantly opinionated than Herb 
Bateman, and we endured and enjoyed each other's company through the 
legislative process.
  But Herb was also generous with something else. This is what I will 
always remember him by. That is, his smile and his greeting on the 
House floor. When we came up to Herb, he would smile, put his hand on 
our shoulder, and say good morning, and then use our name. Then we 
would say good morning back.
  Herb was, and will always be, a quiet statesman who has done great 
things for America.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Fairfax County, Virginia (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
great friend, statesman, and colleague from Virginia, Herb Bateman, who 
served this body with dignity, honor, and dedication since his election 
in 1982.
  I first met Herb Bateman in the 1970s when he was a Democratic State 
Senator from Newport News and I was a young legislative aide in 
Richmond. I met him at a meeting where I was on staff and we were 
revising the Juvenile Code of Virginia.
  I will never forget the first meeting. He said, ``I don't know 
anything about this subject. They put me on it.'' Everybody else was 
instant experts in the room. At the end of the study, Herb Bateman 
wrote most of the revisions of the Code. He was a doer. He was a 
detailed legislator. He wanted to understand all the ramifications of 
what happened.
  Many times when we would have tough votes here on the floor and we 
would go to Herb, he would talk about how things were being 
implemented, how the bill would affect different people, how it would 
play out, how it would work. Never did I hear him say, what are the 
politics of this? This was a man who rose above the politics of the 
moment. This body could use a few more people like him, who never 
engaged in the harsh partisanship that sometimes characterizes this 
body, particularly now that it is so closely divided.
  Herb was a gentleman always, a great patriot. I will never forget his 
kind and valuable tutelage when I first came here to the House, his 
leadership on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
of course, his leadership on military affairs, something many of my 
colleagues have spoken about here, and his undying support for the 
Newport News shipyard, where he was just a staunch defender here in the 
House of Representatives, and the teamwork with Senator Warner I think 
has saved that institution and made it much of what it is today, 
through some very trying times.
  On a political and ideological level there was much to learn from 
Herb: his fiscal conservatism, his commitment to restraining big 
government and protecting the taxpayers' interests. I will never 
forget, one year the national taxpayer groups came out with a rating of 
what Member of Congress, not just in their votes but in the bills that 
they cosponsored, what was the total cost, and Herb Bateman was the 
frugalest of all of the Members.
  Never one for fanfare, to put his name on a bill to get him votes 
here and there, he was always conscious this was the people's money, 
not his own money to spend. His record bore that out. It did in subtle 
ways, never with a big press release, but the groups that came in and 
examined this could confirm Herb's commitment to the taxpayer.
  His unwavering support of a strong military and the men and women who 
dedicate their lives to protecting our Nation seemed to be a part of 
everything he did here. He was very concerned about what has happened 
to our military over the last decade. Always first and foremost in his 
mind is what can we do for defense.
  There was his dedication to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, his 
leadership on these issues, and so much more.
  I mourn his loss as a friend and colleague, but in truth, the loss of 
Herb Bateman is a loss to the national landscape. This body could use 
more legislators like Herb Bateman. More than just a Member of 
Congress, he will be remembered as a father, a husband, a teacher, an 
attorney, an Air Force lieutenant, defender of freedom around the 
world.
  I want to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife, Laura, and their 
children. One of his sons is a Newport News city councilman today. I 
cannot tell the Members how very much I will miss this great man.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Riley).
  Mr. RILEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me, and for organizing this.
  Mr. Speaker, when I first heard of Herb Bateman's death, it reminded 
me again never to put off things that we need to do today.
  I have had the privilege of serving on Herb Bateman's subcommittee 
for the last 4 years. The one thing that I wanted to do before his 
retirement was have the opportunity to take Herb to lunch and thank him 
for all he has meant to me personally over the last 4 years.
  Herb is one of those really unique people that I have met in life 
that I really think made me a better person, and I know made me a 
better Congressman. Herb had a way about him on our subcommittee. He 
had a way of working with new Members to make us feel comfortable, but 
to also teach us about dedication, teach us about patriotism.
  Herb has been a great influence on my life and on the lives of so 
many other Congressmen here. I only wish that I had had the opportunity 
to take Herb and specifically tell him how much he has meant to me in 
my 4 years here.
  I will miss Herb Bateman. Virginia has lost a great son. America has 
lost a great patriot. I have lost a great friend. I want to tell Laura 
and the children and all of his family that we will continue to 
remember them in our prayers, and we thank them for the opportunity of 
knowing him.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Jacksonville, Florida (Mrs. Fowler).
  Mrs. FOWLER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to join my colleagues in 
paying tribute to an accomplished legislator, a genuine patriot, a true 
gentleman, and a valued friend. Representative Herb Bateman of Virginia 
departed this world yesterday, but his legacy will endure for many 
years to come.
  Herb's life was one of distinguished public service. Upon graduation 
from the College of William and Mary, he enlisted in the Air Force and 
served

[[Page 17725]]

during the Korean War. He went on to receive a law degree from 
Georgetown University, and served as a clerk with the United States 
Court of Appeals.
  After returning to his hometown of Newport News, Virginia, to 
practice law, he ran for and secured a seat in the Virginia Senate, 
where he served for 15 years, and subsequently he ran for this great 
U.S. House of Representatives, serving for 9 successive terms.
  During that time, Herb emerged as a leading supporter of our men and 
women in uniform, and a staunch defender of America's national security 
interests. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Readiness of the 
Committee on Armed Services, on which I served, his judicious approach, 
his gentlemanly demeanor, his careful attention to detail, and his 
strong hand helped that subcommittee navigate often rocky shoals.
  His chairmanship of the subcommittee in the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure was marked by a similar focus and 
dedication. Herb's unshakable commitment to our Nation's servicemen and 
women, ensuring their readiness, enhancing their working conditions, 
and improving their quality of life, was a lodestar for our committee.
  Much public discussion of late has focused on the readiness 
challenges facing our military personnel, and this Congress has been 
moved to augment the resources available to our military to address 
those woes. Much of the credit for that belongs to Herb Bateman.
  As one who served with Herb on both the Committee on Armed Services 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and who was 
fortunate to get to travel with Herb and his wife, Laura, on several 
occasions and get to know them really well personally, I am truly going 
to miss him deeply.
  Our Nation, the commonwealth of Virginia, and his constituents in the 
First District have lost a true statesman and a strong champion. I 
extend my most heartfelt sympathies to Laura, to his children, Herbert 
Junior, and to Laura, and his beloved grandchildren, whom I know he 
cherished most of all.
  Herb, we will truly miss you.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Pickett).
  Mr. PICKETT. Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness and grief that I rise in 
this Chamber today. Herb Bateman was a long-time friend, and someone I 
enjoyed working with. We began working together when he was in the 
State Senate and I was in the House of Delegates in the General 
Assembly of Virginia. I also had the occasion to work with him in the 
practice of law.
  Herb was a talented, thoughtful person who believed that the public's 
business should be conducted in an open and an objective forum with 
dignity and respect, both for the process and the individuals 
participating in it.
  He was a thoughtful and articulate man who presented his views with 
eloquence in a logical, persuasive, and convincing way. But he was not 
only a knowledgeable and effective advocate, he loved his family and 
was generous and firm in his support.
  He and his wife, Laura, were an entertaining and engaging couple. 
They were great companions and loved to travel and played golf. They 
were both genteel and understanding in their friendship and in their 
willingness to support and help others in times of adversity.
  Herb Bateman was a man of character and stature who earned our 
respect and left a record of hard work and accomplishment. He will be 
missed by his friends, but he will also be missed by his community, his 
State, and his Nation.
  Herb was a man of ideas and vision. For more than 25 years it was my 
pleasure to work with him on legislative issues in the General Assembly 
of Virginia and in the House of Representatives of the United States. I 
will miss his comfortable friendship, his wise counsel, and his 
dedicated leadership.
  I extend my profound sympathies and condolences to his family with 
the knowledge that God's grace will see them through this difficult 
period.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the Chief Deputy Whip.
  Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
yielding to me and for taking time to recognize the great service today 
of our friend, Herb Bateman. Herb, in so many ways, served our country 
so well, as a Member of the General Assembly, as a Member of the 
Congress, as a serviceman during the Korean War, and felt so strongly 
about our country and felt so strongly about his State and felt so 
strongly about our institutions.
  When Herb Bateman talked about the First District, he did not like to 
talk about Virginia's First District, he liked to talk about America's 
First District, as he really enjoyed the tremendous heritage of Newport 
News and Williamsburg and the great foundation building of our country.
  I was able to work with Herb as we worked hard to make some 
arrangements that helped preserve the original, the boyhood home of 
George Washington, Ferry Farm, in his district.
  Recently we were talking about what we could do to more appropriately 
honor the memory of James Monroe whose law office was in Fredricksburg 
in his district.
  I had a chance to be part of the delegation to the NATO Parliament 
with Herb Bateman, a group that is headed by the gentleman from 
Virginia (Chairman Bliley) as the president of that group. Herb's 
support of our country was always so strong and so well presented in 
those forums where people from other countries came together. He was a 
man of gentle persuasion, but a man of strong feelings; and he was a 
man who enjoyed life.
  As we talk at my house about our good friends, Herb Bateman and Laura 
Bateman, we always talk about the superlatives he was able to use to 
describe almost every event or every day or every happening or every 
friendship. I do not know that I was ever around anybody who would more 
frequently use words like magnificent and fantastic and splendid to 
describe what we have as Americans or to describe his opportunities.
  I am glad to be able to join with those here today who remember him 
as we will continue to work for civil aviation and research and the 
military in his memory in the remainder of this Congress and the years 
ahead.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Bliley) for yielding me the time and for introducing a resolution on a 
very special man.
  Herb Bateman represented the First District of Virginia. Well, he is 
first in the hearts of the people of this Congress and the people of 
his district and the people of his Nation.
  Herb served for 30 years in elective office and then very 
reluctantly, because of his health, said this would be his last term. 
Little did he realize it would be his last opportunity to be with his 
family, with his wonderful wife, Laura, and all of his family and 
friends, to just relax and not worry about schedules.
  He was, in the truest sense, a gentleman who was a patriot. He served 
in the military. He, in Congress, paid attention to those issues. He 
was also a gentleman in terms of how he treated others. He was always 
very fair and compassionate with a sense of humor, the kind of thing 
that we need, as Lincoln said, to bring out the better angels of our 
nature; and Herb Bateman did that.
  We will all miss him. I hope that we will all look to him as a role 
model, particularly when we deliberate issues and recognize that there 
are issues that really require us to all come together.
  So to Laura and to his family, he will live on in love. We will miss 
him.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Packard).
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.

[[Page 17726]]

  Mr. Speaker, I did not come here to the floor with the intention of 
speaking, but I could not help but participate in this discussion to 
honor Herb Bateman and his wife and family. They came to Congress with 
me. We were classmates together. We quickly became very close friends. 
My wife, Jean, and Laura Bateman became close friends quickly. I have 
been into his district many, many times, at least once a year, and saw 
the love and the appreciation that his constituency had for him and the 
work that he was doing.
  But he was one of those who I would consider one of the real 
gentleman of the Congress. He got along with both sides of the aisle. 
He worked with all people. He was gentle in his approach. He was my 
kind of a gentleman in the Congress. He was a statesman. I learned to 
love him a great deal and appreciate the work he has done and his 
commitment and loyalty to America and the principles that we stand for. 
He will be sorely missed.
  I was shocked yesterday to find that he was scheduled to be involved 
in an event that I was sponsoring only to find that he was taken to the 
hospital and later died. I want to pay tribute to him as a gentleman, a 
man of conviction, as a great American, and one that I love dearly.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Buyer).
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, while it deeply saddens me to stand in the 
well here to pay tribute to my dear friend and former colleague, Mr. 
Bateman, I can do so with fond memories, as I pass the love and 
thoughts and prayers from Joni and my family to Laura and Herb's 
family.
  It is individuals like Herb Bateman that give the American system of 
government, indeed this legislative body, honor, dignity and respect. 
His character embodied by faith, hard work, discipline and commitment 
serve as an example to us all.
  He distinguished himself with a sense of justice and sound judgment. 
He was known for his superior knowledge, ethics, and both physical and 
moral courage. Above else, he was a man of integrity.
  As a Member of Congress, he possessed the political prowess and 
saviness that is necessary in the legislative process. But he did it to 
help ensure this Nation's military readiness was the best in the world.
  As a young veteran in Korea, in the war, he demonstrated the 
unselfish commitment and sacrifice, like many of our great forefathers 
that have come before us.
  As a colleague, he was a mentor and confidant and a true inspiration 
as I served with him, junior, on the Committee on Armed Services. Most 
importantly, though, he was a friend; and he will be missed.
  Many of us shared Herb's values and beliefs of duty, honor, and 
courage; commitments to God, country, and family and our fellow man. He 
will be greatly missed but his legacy will live on.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Ortiz).
  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, with a heavy heart, I rise and support this 
resolution before the House today to commemorate the life and service 
of our colleague, Herb Bateman and, at this time, would like to offer 
my condolences to his lovely wife, Laura; his children; and his 
grandchildren.
  I will never forget the special memories I made with Herb when we 
were in Europe just a few weeks ago. We were of the legislative 
delegation visiting our troops in Scotland, Italy, and Germany. As 
always, Herb was investigating whether the people in the field were 
getting the equipment which we had paid for.
  In Herb's service, one of the things that always impressed me was the 
attitude towards the soldier in the field.
  This institution can be rightly proud that the Chairman of our 
Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Readiness, of 
which I was his ranking man, was led by a man so completely immersed in 
the needs of the everyday soldier and sailor in the military.
  He was an effective advocate for the interests of his district, to be 
sure, but that quiet advocacy was always applied to seeing to the basic 
needs of those who wear our military's uniform.
  Herb was a real gentleman. Again, to his friends and family, Laura, I 
offer my condolences.
  Herb was a real gentleman, and he treated people with great respect--
from presidents to generals to Capitol Hill staffers to new recruits in 
the field.
  While he was a Republican and I am a Democrat, our partisan 
affiliations never affected how we went about our work.
  One of the things that I loved most about Herb was the way he 
conducted his business without partisan rife.
  When the defense authorization bill was in conference, he was always 
careful to tend to the needs of individual members on the committee--
which I appreciated very much.
  We did business the same way that way--the national defense of the 
United States is not a partisan endeavor.
  Neither of us are strident partisans, and working toward a larger 
purpose on our national defense was our common goal.
  When we were in the field, he was dogged about seeing that the 
taxpayer's money was well spent.
  Tonight, I am thinking about my friend, Herb Bateman, but my 
sympathies are with his beautiful family, particularly his lovely wife 
Laura.
  Laura always traveled with Herb and I got to know them as a couple, 
away from the rigors of Capitol Hill and the legislative grind we face 
each day.
  There will be one legacy that should be forever associated with Herb 
Bateman--his passion and his commitment to keeping the troops who wear 
the uniform of the United States ready for war.
  Together, we tackled a host of issues that affected the readiness of 
the U.S. military.
  I hope that in Herb's memory, this chamber can celebrate the non-
partisan patriotism that his example brought to us.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) who leads our delegation to the North Atlantic 
Assembly, with whom Herb traveled frequently.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, when the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Bliley) called my office yesterday to inform me of the passing from 
this life of our colleague Herbert Bateman, my wife Louise and I were 
shocked and profoundly saddened by his departure from this life, and we 
want to convey to Laura Bateman and to the family of the Batemans and 
their close friends our most sincere condolences.
  Herbert Bateman is one of those colleagues that I had great pleasure 
to serve with. He was, in the modern sense of the word, a patriot. He 
took great pride in representing the people of the First Congressional 
District of Virginia. So much profound historical importance, so many 
important personalities came from that part of Virginia that our friend 
Herb never tired of citing the examples for us to live up to as a 
result of the heritage of the District that he represented.
  It is true, as mentioned by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley) 
that, in fact, Herbert Bateman was a very active, a very involved 
Member of the delegation that met with the North Atlantic Assembly, now 
called the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He represented the House very 
well in that capacity, as I am sure he did in all of his activities, 
especially the Committee on Armed Services, which was very important to 
Herb, very important to his District.
  I admired Herb Bateman for many, many reasons, but among them is the 
fact that he would, after examining an issue, be true to his 
commitments. Herb could be the only person voting for an issue if he 
felt that was the right way to vote.
  When one says integrity, when one says conviction, with respect to 
Herb Bateman, that is not an exaggeration. He provided great service to 
his District. He provided an example for all of us to live up to in the 
course of our service here in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  We will miss greatly Herb Bateman. I wish he had had a chance to 
enjoy his retirement which was upcoming. I know he thought he spent his 
time well here, and so did all of us.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).

[[Page 17727]]


  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, when they write the book on the model 
congressman, I think Herb Bateman should be chapter one. Here is a 
gentleman who, although soft spoken most of the time, when he saw a 
wrong-headed position being taken or he saw the Nation's interest being 
flaunted, there could be no more forceful speaker than Herb Bateman. We 
have all seen him in our caucus and on this very floor. He would take 
the floor infrequently, but when he did, we knew something was on his 
mind, and he spoke it very, very well; and he was forceful.
  He was a man, a Representative who I think, in the truest sense of 
that word, represented his people extremely well here in this body. He 
paid attention to the needs of his people back home. He knew their 
problems. He worked their problems. He tended to his people's business 
here in a most efficient way. He truly was a representative of his 
people.

                              {time}  1815

  Then on national issues, Herb was one of the House's experts on 
military matters, of course a very forceful advocate for a strong 
national defense in the Committee on Armed Services and on the floor of 
this body, and indeed, as the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) 
has said, in places like the NATO Council and the international bodies 
that he attended overseas, representing this House and representing our 
country in a most effective and heartfelt way.
  There is no more reasonable person than Herb Bateman. There can also 
be a Herb Bateman that could let you know exactly how he felt from the 
tip of his toes all the way up. This body will miss this great 
statesman. We will miss this personal friend. We wish for Laura and the 
family all the very best.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Hastings).
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, when I came to Congress in 1992, among the first 
committees that I had the pleasure of serving on was the Merchant 
Marine Committee; and at that time Herb Bateman was the ranking member.
  I knew very little about the process, and it may come as a surprise 
to some that a person like Herb would take time to walk me through a 
number of the issues that were critical both to Virginia and the State 
of Florida.
  I join our colleagues in offering condolences to his family. I got to 
know him in the way that he is, a quietly effective person who, 
obviously, is a tremendous patriot and statesman and will be missed by 
all of us here in this Congress.
  I am grateful that I had the pleasure of getting to know such a 
distinguished gentleman as Herbert Bateman.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Reyes).
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, during these difficult times where we truly understand 
the relationship that we have with each other, whether or not we agree 
politically, whether or not we sit on the same side of the aisle, I had 
the opportunity to learn from Herb Bateman, an individual who served 
this country in so many different ways.
  Earlier when I found out that he was in fact going to be retiring at 
the end of this term, I asked him, I said, Herb, how do you know when 
it is time to retire? He said, ``Every individual knows individually 
when it is time to go. For me, I want to go home and I want to spend 
time with my family and with Laura.''
  This evening, as we pay tribute to Herb, I want Laura and his two 
children and his grandchildren to know that Herb was a man that we all 
deeply respected, a man that we loved, and that, although at times we 
might have disagreed with him politically, we are truly all in this 
together, and we feel your loss every bit as much as you do.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), a member of the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for 
yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in shock and disbelief. I never would have 
imagined last Wednesday and Thursday as we sat on the conference 
committee between the House and the Senate working out the differences 
between our two bills on defense sitting next to Herb Bateman, where 
Herb was aggressively vocal on issues that were important to our 
military personnel, important to the readiness of our troops, that we 
would be eulogizing today Herb on the floor.
  Just 6 short weeks ago, Herb and Laura were guests of ours in 
Philadelphia at the convention where we entertained 100 Members of 
Congress for the entire week at our former military base. Herb was in 
great spirits and looking forward to his retirement so he could spend 
more time with his family. He was planning the kinds of things that he 
was going to do when he no longer had the pressures that are obvious 
here in this body.
  Unfortunately, today we have to acknowledge Herb's leadership and his 
passing and he never got to enjoy that retirement with his wife and his 
family. But what a legacy Herb left for all of us.
  He was the ultimate in terms of what a Member of Congress should be. 
He had integrity. He was hard working. There was not a dishonest bone 
in his body. He was dedicated both to his Virginia district, but he 
also was dedicated to the people of America who serve in uniform. He 
was always looking for the right way to make sure that our troops who 
were serving around the world were properly prepared and trained and 
protected to represent this great Nation.
  Herb was the consummate Member of Congress. When he got into an 
issue, you knew that Herb would stay with that issue because he 
believed it to be the right issue and the right side of that position 
whether or not our party was for it or against it. Herb had conviction.
  Herb was someone you could always count on to be presenting the right 
thing in terms of our military but for other groups. He was a strong 
supporter of our fire and EMS community, looking for ways to help 
support the volunteers and the paid firefighters down in Virginia and 
around the country. He was someone who all of us could use as a role 
model, as I did for the years that I have served in this body, having 
first met Herb as a junior member of both the Merchant Marine Committee 
and the Committee on Armed Services.
  He will be sadly missed. And to Laura and his family, we say, Laura, 
our thoughts and our prayers are with you. Herb has done a great deed, 
and he truly is a statesman.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Tanner).
  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, when Betty Ann and I came to Congress in 
1989, Herb and Laura were some of the first people we met. I was on the 
Committee on Armed Services at the time. And he was a good and decent 
man. More than that, he was a gentleman and a friend to me, he and 
Laura to Betty Ann and I.
  We traveled many times on CODELs to the NATO meetings with I see the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Chairman Bereuter) over there and the 
gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Bliley). And I could just simply go 
on and on.
  I am going to say this about Herb Bateman: he looked for the best in 
others, and he gave us the best he had. He always put his constituents 
and his country first. And if there were more Members of Congress like 
Herb Bateman, this place would be a better place and our country would 
be the better for it.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Ehlers).
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to speak about Herb Bateman, 
although, there is little I can add to all that has been said already.
  I am a junior Member of this body and have not worked with him for 
long. But I have been with him on the Committee on Transportation and 
the Infrastructure and always appreciated

[[Page 17728]]

his forthrightness, his capability, and the attitude with which he 
attacked the work, particularly that work dealing with the military.
  But, in addition to that, I do have to say that Herb was the 
consummate Virginia gentleman. I always found him to be extremely 
gentlemanly, very helpful, very thoughtful, very thorough.
  My best knowledge of him comes from the trips we have taken to Europe 
as part of the NATO parliamentary assembly that has been ably led by 
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter). Herb was a regular on those 
trips, along with his wife Laura; and he always had a major 
contribution to make.
  He was much more diplomatic than I am, because I tend to ask very 
direct questions and hope for direct answers; but Herb was at his best 
in dealing with individuals from foreign countries. He would ask those 
same questions and, hidden underneath the way he asked it, it was still 
a very direct question; but asked in a very diplomatic and very 
statesman-like way. In his behavior, in his actions, and particularly 
in his interaction and questioning with leaders from foreign countries.
  I will never forget the lessons that I have learned from him. I 
deeply appreciated Herb in all aspects of his life that I dealt with 
him. It is with great sorrow that I learned about his demise this past 
week.
  I certainly wish his family, and especially Laura, God's blessings 
and comfort at this sad time; and I can only say that Herb was a 
wonderful man and you can be proud of him as a husband, father, and 
grandfather.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives suffered an 
enormous loss yesterday with the death of our colleague Herb Bateman. 
Herb was the consummate gentleman and a fine American. I had the honor 
to serve with him for the past fifteen years and have never known a 
more caring and capable Member.
  Herb's list of accomplishments is seemingly never ending. Here are 
just a few examples of Herb's contribution to this body and this 
country. As a member of the Military Readiness Subcommittee and the 
House Merchant Marine Panel, Herb was a leader in helping America make 
the right decisions in regard to commercial and defense related 
maritime issues. He was instrumental in the clean-up of the Chesapeake 
Bay, bringing more than $200 million from the federal government to 
preserve the Bay. Finally, Herb always held steadfast in his fiscal 
discipline and I have long admired his work on behalf of the nation's 
taxpayers.
  America also lost one of its cherished veterans yesterday. Herb 
enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War and for his service, we 
owe him a debt of gratitude.
  My heart and my prayers go out today to Herb's wife Laura, his two 
children and his extended family. My thoughts also go out to the 
citizens of the First District of Virginia, to which Herb 
affectionately referred as ``America's First District.'' They will 
sorely miss his outstanding leadership.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I was saddened yesterday to hear of 
the death of my longtime colleague, Herb Bateman. I had the pleasure of 
serving with Herb on the former Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee 
from the beginning of his first term in Congress in 1983 until the 
Committee was dissolved in 1995, and since that time on the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Having seen his work 
firsthand on these Committees, I can tell you that the United States 
maritime and shipbuilding industries have had no greater friend. He not 
only received the Propeller Club of the United States Maritime Industry 
Salute to Congress Award in 1995, but after announcing his retirement 
earlier this year, he was awarded the first ever Herbert H. Bateman 
Award by the American Shipbuilding Association and the Helen Delich 
Bentley Award by the Propeller Club of the Port of Washington. In his 
own district, he worked hard to see that the port of Hampton Roads 
remained competitive, and introduced legislation, which ultimately 
became law, to deepen the channels there to 55 feet.
  During his tenure on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he 
served as the Ranking Member of the Oceanography and Merchant Marine 
Subcommittees. On the Oceanography Subcommittee, he successfully 
shepherded through legislation that created the National Oceanographic 
and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office, and 
authorized the Sea Grant oyster disease research program. That research 
has led to the first small steps that are now being taken to restore 
oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay. Much of that work is being 
done at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at Gloucester Point. 
On the Merchant Marine Subcommittee, he authored legislation that 
established the National Shipbuilding Initiative.
  During his freshman term, he served on the Science Committee where he 
worked to support the interests of the space and aeronautical programs 
at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Langley Research 
Center in Hampton, Virginia. His wife of 46 years, Laura Yacobi 
Bateman, worked at Langley before their marriage. He also used those 
two years to assure that the Department of Energy's Continuous Electron 
Beam Accelerator Facility would be located in Newport News, Virginia. 
He was successful in that effort, and the completed facility is now 
conducting cutting edge research that will help us understand the most 
basic structure of the physical world. He also led the efforts to 
rename the facility for his personal political hero, and it is now the 
Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory.
  For the last 16 years, he served on the Armed Services Committee. On 
that Committee, he served as the ranking member of the Military 
Personnel Subcommittee for three terms, and later as the Chairman of 
the Military Readiness Subcommittee. He also chaired the Armed Services 
Committee panels on Morale, Welfare and Recreation and the Merchant 
Marine. In addition to working to assure that U.S. troops were treated 
fairly, and that the readiness of U.S. forces was maintained, Herb 
fought to secure construction of new nuclear aircraft carriers and new 
attack submarines. The construction of these vessels not only meant 
jobs for the largest employer in his district, Newport News 
Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, but more importantly assured our 
ability to project force throughout the world, when needed, and to 
protect our shores from attack.
  While he served on the Committee, two attack submarines were named 
for the two largest cities in his district, Hampton and Newport News. 
He was very proud that Laura served as the sponsor of the U.S.S. 
Hampton, which was named for her hometown. In keeping with maritime 
tradition, she conferred luck on the vessel by christening it on the 
first swing of the champagne bottle. The U.S.S. Newport News was named 
after Herb's hometown, where he had moved to as a child.
  Herb also worked to protect the numerous other military facilities in 
his district, and was proud that none were closed during the base 
closing process. The facilities in his district included the Army 
Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, the Army Transportation 
Command at Fort Eustis, the Naval Weapons Center at Dahlgren, the Aegis 
Training Center at Wallops Island, on Army training facility at Fort 
A.P. Hill, and Langley Air Force Base in Hampton. Not only did he 
support military facilities when in Congress, but he also served in the 
Armed Forces as an Air Force intelligence officer.
  Herb was proud to represent Virginia's First Congressional District, 
which he liked to call ``America's First District''. The district 
included not only Jamestown, where American representative government 
was founded, but also Williamsburg where America's democratic tradition 
was nurtured and matured, and Yorktown where our country's freedom was 
finally won. During his first term, a resolution that he sponsored was 
adopted to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Paris that formally 
ended the Revolutionary War. In fact, Herb was honored to represent the 
U.S. Congress when he joined the Speaker of the British House of 
Commons, the Honorable Betty Boothroyd, in 1994 to celebrate the 375th 
Anniversary of the first meeting of an elected representative body in 
North America, the Virginia House of Burgesses. The House of Burgesses 
was the predecessor of the Virginia State Senate where Herb served from 
1968 until he came to Congress.
  At different times, his district also included the James River 
plantations, the birthplaces of both George Washington and Robert E. 
Lee, and many Civil War battlefields. These include sites of the two 
Peninsula campaigns, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and the battle 
of Fredricksburg. He was successful in gaining Federal assistance for 
the privately-owned George Washington childhood home site, and funds to 
acquire additional historic property that was threatened by 
inappropriate development at the Fredricksburg and Spotsylvania 
National Battlefield Parks, and adjacent to the Colonial National 
Parkway.
  In addition to the founding of Jamestown, and the defeat of 
Cornwallis at Yorktown, another major historic event occurred in the 
waters just off the Virginia Peninsula, the battle

[[Page 17729]]

of the Monitor and Merrimac, or as the confederates called it, the 
Virginia. This one-day battle changed the course of Naval warfare 
forever. Unfortunately, the Monitor was lost soon afterward off the 
coast of North Carolina. The Monitor was located in 1972, and became 
the first United States National Marine Sanctuary. The Sanctuary 
headquarters is located at the Mariners' Museum only a few blocks from 
Herb and Laura's Newport News home. At Herb's request, Congress 
required the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to 
prepare a report on the long-term conservation of the MONITOR. As a 
result of that study, a multi-year project is underway to stabilize the 
wreck, and recover, conserve, and display historically significant 
portions of the vessel. I am sure Herb will be pleased to know that 
these important historic artifacts will be protected and displayed so 
near his home.
  Also near his home is the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel. He 
helped secure the funds and permits for this important transportation 
project as well as the widening of the Coleman Bridge and I-95 
improvements in the rapidly growing northern part of the district.
  In addition to its military, historic and scientific research 
facilities, Herb's district includes important natural features. He 
represented most of Virginia adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay, including 
much of the James, York, Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers. His district 
also includes the last significant chain of underdeveloped barrier 
islands which run along the Atlantic Coast from Chincoteague to Cape 
Charles. These islands lie off the Eastern Shore of Virginia, a rural 
area of great natural beauty that Herb was particularly proud to serve. 
In addition to supporting funding for the federal Chesapeake Bay 
Program, he also authored legislation that was adopted by Congress to 
create the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, 
supported the creation of the Rappahannock National Wildlife Refuge, 
and successfully sought funds to expand the Chincoteague National 
Wildlife Refuge. This year, Congress is expected to approve funds he 
sought to begin construction of a new education and administrative 
center on Chincoteague, one of the most frequently visited refuges in 
the country. Herb also authored legislation to ban the use of highly 
toxic tributyltin paints in shallow waters. That ban has now been in 
effect for over a decade.
  Herb was educated and worked in the historic areas he was so proud to 
represent. After attending Newport News High School, he, like Thomas 
Jefferson, graduated from the College of William and Mary. While in the 
Air Force, he completed a law degree at Georgetown University Law 
School at night. After leaving the Service, he joined the Newport News, 
Virginia, law firm of Jones, Blechman, Woltz and Kelly. He retired from 
the firm as a partner when he was elected to Congress. After coming to 
Congress, he received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 
1997. He also received an honorary degree from Christopher Newport 
College in 1992 and Mary Washington College in 1999.
  This is not a comprehensive list of Herb's work and achievements 
during his time in Congress, but it shows you how his life and work 
were intertwined with the parts of tidewater Virginia that he so ably 
represented for 18 years. I know his constituents will miss him, and it 
saddens me to think that he will not be able to enjoy the retirement 
that he planned to begin in January. My sympathy goes out to Laura, his 
children Bert and Laura, Bert's wife Mary, and Herb's beloved 
grandchildren, Emmy, Hank and Sam.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, Herb Bateman was more than an outstanding 
Congressman. He was an outstanding American and a fine gentleman. We 
contributed mightily to his District, his state and the nation. He 
served together on the Transportation and Infrastructure committee 
where his wise advice was sought and followed. We travelled together on 
several Delegation trips around the world, and he and his wife, Laura, 
were a delight to be with.
  America is less bright today because of the passing of my friend and 
colleague, Herb Bateman. But America is better today because of his 
life. May he rest in peace.
  Mr. JENKINS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart 
that I come to the floor to pay tribute to our colleague, Congressman 
Herb Bateman of Virginia.
  Herb was a great gentleman and an excellent Congressman. Herb spent 
much of his life dedicated to the career of public service, serving his 
country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, 
representing the people of Virginia in the Virginia State Senate for 15 
years, and representing the First Congressional District of Virginia in 
the United States Congress for 18 years.
  Herb was a man of honor and integrity who was respected by colleagues 
on both sides of the aisle. He fought for the principles of the people 
he represented, and he never wavered in those efforts. I am honored to 
have had the opportunity to work with Herb Bateman over the past four 
years. He was a good friend and a great Congressman. The United States 
House of Representatives was a better place with the service of Herb 
Bateman. I know that I share the entire sentiment of the Congress in 
offering the condolences of the Congress to Herb's family and friends. 
He will be sorely missed by all of us.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on House Resolution 573.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). Is there objection to the request 
of the gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
move the previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to recommit was laid on the table.

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