[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17545-17546]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO MEL HANCOCK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a 
great American who passed away last week, my friend, Mel Hancock.
  Mel served in this body from 1989 to 1997. He could have easily been 
reelected, but he had pledged to serve only 8 years, and he kept his 
word.
  Mel served the people of southwest Missouri with great honor and 
distinction. He was one of the most down-to-earth people ever to sit in 
Congress, and I can assure everyone that Washington never changed Mel 
Hancock one bit. He was one of the most conservative Members here, and 
if everyone had voted as he did, we certainly would not be in the 
astounding hole we are in today.
  Mel was a very successful small business man. Early in his career, he 
was a salesman for International Harvester and actually lived in my 
hometown of Knoxville for a year and a half in 1954 and 1955. I told 
him once I was glad he moved back to Missouri so I could be in 
Congress. Of course, it was 33 years later when we both first ran.
  Mel was 59 when first elected and was the oldest freshman of those 
who were elected in 1988. All of the new Members very quickly grew to 
respect and look up to him.
  In Missouri, Mel had started a business installing security cameras 
in banks. He started with very little, worked very long hours, and saw 
the American Dream come true in his own life. He saw that as government 
grew bigger and bigger, it took away more and more of our freedom and 
really hurt the middle class and those in small business. He believed 
that Big Government really helped only those who worked for the 
government and very wealthy Big Government contractors.
  So he took on the establishment in Missouri with what came to be 
called the ``Hancock Amendment.'' This was an amendment to limit 
property taxes, and he really just started out as one man taking on the 
government and its contractors. But he won, and Missouri was a better 
place for it. The people had more control over their own money.
  One quick story. I doubt that Mel hardly ever went to a movie, but 
one night he and I were invited to the world premier of ``Air Force 
One,'' a movie starring Harrison Ford. It was a Hollywood-type opening 
with bright lights and a long red carpet. Most people came in tuxedos 
and long dresses, many in limousines. At that time, because I did not 
drive long distances in Washington, I drove a very cheap chocolate 
brown K-car that I had bought used from a rental company. The passenger 
door made a horrible, very loud sound when it opened. I do not believe 
I ever saw Mel laugh as hard as when the attendant opened his door of 
that little brown car, making the loud noise, so Mel and I could walk 
in our very ordinary suits down that long red carpet. He loved the fact 
that we were among the very few who had not come in tuxedos and 
limousines.
  There's an old saying about ``being country before country was 
cool.'' That was Mel. Mel was possibly the first Tea Party person in 
the best sense of those words many years before there was the Tea Party 
of today. Mel ran for Congress on the slogan of ``Give 'em Mel.'' When 
he won, he became a gift to this Nation and to his people.
  Mel was assigned to the very prestigious Ways and Means Committee. 
Most former members of that committee become lobbyists or highly paid 
consultants. But it was no surprise to me that, when he left, he went 
home to be with his family and the people of Missouri and never came 
back. He was a kind, honest, hardworking American who helped thousands 
of people.
  Mel Hancock loved his wife, Shug, and his children, and he loved his 
country. He made this Nation a better place by all that he did in his 
good life.

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