[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16082]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO DANNY PIPER

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I want to put into the 
Congressional Record a statement I made last year shortly after we lost 
a great friend of mine and a true American success story, Danny Piper.
  Danny Piper came into my life 13 years ago. I was the Chairman of the 
Disability Policy Subcommittee here in the Senate, and was the sponsor 
of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We were having a series of 
hearings leading up to the hopeful passage of this bill. Danny became 
the first person with Downs Syndrome to testify before a congressional 
committee. I can't remember exactly how this came about, but I am sure 
that Marietta Lane, Paul Marchand, and Bobby Silverstein had something 
to do with finding Danny and getting him and Sylvia and Larry to 
Washington.
  I can remember that day like it was yesterday. Danny was cool, 
composed, and very confident as a witness. I spoke with him later, and 
asked if appearing before the Senate was like being in his high school 
play. ``Not so bad,'' Danny replied.
  I followed Danny from then on. I was so proud when he got his high 
school certificate, then got his first job. In fact, I spent one of my 
``workdays'' at the store with Danny. He showed me the ``ropes.'' He 
showed me the correct way to stock shelves. He made sure I knew how to 
load the cardboard box machine so I wouldn't get hurt. We went to lunch 
together, and it was a day I will always cherish.
  Evey once in a while I would run into Dan in one place or another. He 
always hailed me as ``Hi, big guy.'' Once, I was visiting a school in 
Ankeny during the summer, and I was to meet with some teachers and 
administrators. To my surprise, when I entered the room, there stood 
Dan. So he gave me his usual, ``Hi, big guy'' routine. One of the older 
persons there said, ``This is Senator Harkin.'' Dan just sort of 
shrugged, and said, ``Yeah, yeah, I know . . . big guy''. This memory 
still makes me smile.
  Dan was always a part of all my campaigns, always there for my 
announcements and always there for the victory parties. But perhaps my 
most cherished moment with Dan was this spring. Dan set another first, 
I believe, when he introduced me at my announcement for reelection 
before a bank of TV cameras and a couple of hundred people. Sylvia told 
me how hard he practiced for this, and I could tell. He was poised, but 
a little nervous as he forgot to introduce my wife, Ruth. I told Dan it 
was no big deal, I still forget to do that sometimes myself. But he 
gave that introduction without missing a beat. He had it down pat. I 
was so proud and honored that Dan would do that for me.
  Sylvia and Larry, their family were pioneers in every sense of the 
word. Long before it was even grudgingly accepted, they made sure Dan 
was fully integrated in with his peers in school, made sure he was not 
``sent away'' like my brother was so many years ago, to an institution 
where everyone was ``just like him.'' Dan was a pioneer, also, 
challenging a system that wanted to deny him his individuality, deny 
him his personal hopes and dreams, deny him his independence, deny him 
his human right to meet challenges and set goals for himself.
  When we visited Dan in the hospital, I was so certain that he was 
going to make it. He had that same positive upbeat attitude I have 
always known. He was looking forward to helping me again this fall, as 
he had always helped me.
  Well, Dan, a tragic accident has meant that you will not be with us 
physically. But the most powerful thing about you, Dan, was your 
spirit, and that will always be with us who were touched by your life. 
Your spirit commands us to lead on, break down barriers that separate 
us, provide that ladder or ramp of opportunity for all. We will enact 
MICASSA into law, Dan, and your example of overcoming challenges and 
meeting goals compels us not to fall in this endeavor.
  Thank you, Dan, for all the help you gave us during your brief life. 
You helped us to be more understanding, more generous and more caring 
toward one another. That is a great legacy. In whatever lies ahead, you 
will be often on my mind, and always in my heart.

                          ____________________