[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23805-23806]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN LANE EVANS: A GREAT MAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 7, 2006

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to join with Congressman 
Costello and all of my colleagues in honoring a truly great man--
Congressman Lane Evans of Illinois, who will be leaving Congress after 
a quarter-century of service to our country.
  When I was a freshman Member of Congress, and a new member of the 
House Armed Services Committee, Lane Evans, a veteran himself, a senior 
member of Congress and the ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs 
Committee, learned of my interest in veteran's issues and took the time 
to show me ways to improve my service to veterans in my District and in 
our state. They were lessons from a master, and they have left an 
indelible impression on me.
  His expertise is legendary. He knows the needs of veterans; their 
programs, history, problems and concerns. He forged alliances across 
the aisle and put together coalitions to pass legislation to keep this 
Nation's promise to our veterans. As a Vietnam Veteran himself, he 
never forgot what it meant to serve this country in the military. His 
ability is so great that he can even make those who have never served 
also understand the military and its culture.
  I will also never forget the fun we had when Mr. Evans managed our 
Congressional basketball team. We played games to help raise funds for 
charity, and even though he was stricken with Parkinson's disease, 
which prevented him from participating, it was obvious how much he 
loved the team and the good-natured competition. He is a joy to be 
around, and an inspiration.
  Mr. Speaker, we need only look at the walls of the Speaker's Lobby or 
our committee rooms to appreciate that the House of Representatives 
will continue on long after we are gone, and there is a certain comfort 
in the realization that this great institution, in which it is our 
honor to serve, will endure.
  However, I want Mr. Evans to know how much he has touched me and the 
other Members of this Congress; to thank him for his friendship, his 
leadership and for his service to our Nation; and to let him know of 
our commitment to build on the foundation that he laid down over his 24 
years in Congress.

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