[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12981]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING WILLIAM H. GRAY III

  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, today I wish to honor and remember the 
full life of Congressman William H. Gray, III, and his exceptional 
service to his community, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and our 
country.
  Bill was born in Baton Rouge, LA, the second child of Dr. William H. 
Gray, Jr., and Hazel Gray. Though he spent the first 8 years of his 
life in Florida, Bill moved to Philadelphia in 1949 and remained a 
distinguished resident of our Commonwealth until his recent passing.
  Bill was a pastor and shepherd for his congregation, a respected 
member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a powerful advocate 
for higher education. Today we honor his life, his good works, and his 
legacy.
  As a pastor, Bill followed in the footsteps of his father and 
grandfather and led Philadelphia's Bright Hope Baptist Church for more 
than 33 years. Knowing that the ministry was not just something you did 
on Sunday morning, Bill always believed strongly in the principle of a 
``whole ministry,'' that the church must tend to all the needs of its 
entire congregation. Under Bill's leadership, that congregation quickly 
grew to over 4,000 parishioners, but Bill remained committed to his 
``whole ministry'' and made sure to continue his important advocacy 
work on issues ranging from housing, to economic justice, to excellent 
education for all. Bill often said that his position as pastor of 
Bright Hope was the most important job he had ever had, one that 
cultivated the skills and priorities that shaped his life's work.
  As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Bill proudly 
represented the Second District of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1991 and 
built a reputation as a thoughtful and effective leader. Bill quickly 
rose through the ranks of leadership during his 12 years in Congress 
and assumed the chairmanship of the Budget Committee, after only 6 
years in office. Three years later, in 1988, he was elected to chair 
his party's House caucus, and then in 1989 he became the House majority 
whip, the third-ranking leadership position in the House.
  As a lifelong advocate for higher education, Bill chose to leave 
Congress at the pinnacle of his career to accept the position of 
president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund. He said at the time 
that ``Woodrow Wilson used to say, `My constituency is the next 
generation,' and you know, that's why I left Congress, because my 
constituency, really, is the next generation.'' Bill's 12-year tenure 
at UNCF brought unexpected growth in support for historically Black 
colleges, and he constantly sought innovative ways to both attract new 
investment and increase existing funding. By the time he left UNCF 12 
years later, Bill and his team had raised more than $1.54 billion.
  Bill never rested and was never satisfied with one job at a time. 
While leading the UNCF, he was asked by President Clinton in 1994 to 
lead the efforts to restore democracy in Haiti. His work there earned 
him the Medal of Honor from the President of Haiti. In 2004, Bill 
started Gary Global Strategies, Inc., and served as a director on 
multiple corporate boards, including at Dell, JPMorgan Chase, and 
Pfizer. He also served as vice chairman for the Pew Commission on 
Children in Foster Care and on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council.
  Bill often said that he had ``always been taught by my folk, parents, 
grandparents, that service is sort of the rent you pay for the space 
you occupy. And so, what I've tried to do is direct my life towards 
service based on faith and commitment, and social justice.'' As Bill's 
family and friends mourn his passing, I pray that they will be 
comforted by the knowledge that this great Nation will never forget the 
commitment Bill demonstrated to each of us, to his ``whole ministry.'' 
May he rest in peace.

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