[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12438]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           REMEMBERING THE QUARTERBACK FOR FREEDOM, JACK KEMP

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 13, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in somber remembrance of Jack 
Kemp, who on and off the field, played his position with sure hands and 
a compassionate heart. That position--as I called it--was Quarterback 
for Freedom, a role he assumed effortlessly and selflessly throughout 
the span of his career. He was a conservative through and through, of 
that there was no question, but he possessed a great sense of empathy 
and community, of respect and a fondness for diversity that uniquely 
set him apart. The story goes that his time on the football field 
enamored him of his Black colleagues and etched into his mind how 
repugnant inequality and discrimination could be.
  That experience undoubtedly moved him. But it is my belief that such 
reverence for the dignity of man--regardless of skin color, race, or 
ethnicity--came innately and naturally to him. For Jack, 
``compassionate'' was not a buzz word placed in front of 
``conservative'' without thought or care. He lived, embodied, and 
applied compassionate activism to his impressive life's work, a work 
outmatched only by his intensity of spirit and undeniable warmth.
  ``Civility cannot return to our country unless every person feels 
that they have an equal shot at the American dream,'' he once said. 
``How in the name of American democracy can we say to eastern Europe 
that democratic capitalism will work there, if we can't make it work in 
East L.A., or East Harlem, or East Palo Alto, California? How can we 
tell South Africa and the new Mandela government that democracy and 
private property and limited government and the rule of law and 
civility will work there, if it's not working in our own backyard here 
at home or the South Bronx? How can America go into the next century 
and leave so many people behind?''
  Jack was not an ideologue or political lecturer. He emerged as a 
statesman instead, far more committed to improving the lot of the 
American people than scoring cheap points in some political game. While 
we disagreed on some of the issues, most notably his enthusiasm for the 
Reagan tax cuts, we were in absolute lockstep in our commitment to 
rebuilding our cities, particularly in terms of housing and economic 
development. As Housing and Urban Development secretary, Jack met with 
minority groups, championed public housing, and worked with members 
like myself, who sat across the aisle, on issues such as revitalizing 
inner-city neighborhoods through empowerment zones. He served on the 
Howard University Board of Directors for 14 years, lending his support 
to President Swygert and the school, including significant personal 
financial contributions.
  When he ran for vice president, Jack campaigned in Harlem, a visit 
billed as the first from a Republican candidate for president in at 
least half a century. Many expected raucous demonstrations from the 
residents in my community--more because of the ``R'' before his name 
than because they knew much about Jack Kemp to begin with. No such 
exchange occurred. I warmly greeted Jack at the local restaurant named 
Sylvia's and we traded good-natured barbs: He told me that in a Bob 
Dole Administration, I would be drug czar; I responded that in a Bill 
Clinton Administration, I would be Chairman of the Ways and Means 
Committee.
  Jack was a veritable hero and inspiration. It is in that light that 
we remember him today; in awe of his dedication to accomplishment, in 
reverence of his conviction.

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