[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE LIFE OF CONGRESSMAN LANE EVANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I am here to join the distinguished 
delegation from Illinois, especially Congresswoman Bustos, who 
represents a district in Congress that was once magnificently also 
represented by Congressman Lane Evans. So it is with great sadness that 
I come to the floor to join his colleagues, Congresswoman Jan 
Schakowsky, Congressman Danny Davis, who served with him, Congressman 
Luis Gutierrez, and others who will be here.
  Thank you, Congresswoman Bustos, for bringing us together to honor 
the life and service and leadership of Lane Evans, who passed away this 
month at the age of 63, my colleagues.
  He was the ranking member on the Veterans' Affairs Committee and 
served our veterans so well. He served our country in uniform. He 
served our country in the Congress. He served our country in the 
community. He was just a great person. We were honored to call him 
colleague, many of us privileged to call him friend.
  The son of a firefighter and a nurse, Lane Evans was born and raised 
in the district he represented here for 24 years. From his service in 
the Marines--and he was proud of that--to his work as an attorney with 
the Western Illinois University Legal Assistance Fund, to his time in 
the House, Lane spent his life fighting for those who could not fight 
for themselves.
  Each and every day, Lane Evans fought to strengthen the middle class 
and to expand the ladders of opportunity that define the American 
Dream. He stood strong and resolute against efforts to privatize Social 
Security. That was one of his fights here.
  As a Vietnam-era veteran who served on Okinawa, Lane took the 
struggles of our military families personally. It is especially fitting 
that we honor Lane today and this week as we observe Veterans Day, for 
he was one of the House's most dedicated legislators of those who 
served our country in uniform and, as I say, a leader in the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee.
  From that position as ranking member on the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, Lane worked relentlessly to ensure that veterans of all 
generations would receive the support and benefits they deserve. He 
championed veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic 
brain injury. He was instrumental in passing legislation to assist 
veterans exposed to Agent Orange.
  But on the subject of posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic 
brain injury, Lane had whatever symptoms he had of his service to our 
country.
  As the ranking member, he traveled the country. I had the privilege 
on a number of occasions to welcome him at Fort Miley, our veterans 
hospital in San Francisco. The way he connected with the veterans, 
because he understood, he shared their pain--literally, shared their 
pain--he fought for all kinds of research, whether it was the hidden 
injuries of war that we now know so much more about. But there in that 
hospital we had not only met the needs of our veterans, but we had 
tremendous research, whether it was about Parkinson's or other 
traumatic brain injury.
  He was a champion for our veterans and military families, hardworking 
people across America. Many of us who had been invited by--he was so 
proud of his district, and many of us had the privilege of being 
invited there to join his constituents in honoring him. It was just an 
all-American experience to see people from all walks of life honoring 
this great man and, of course, his colleagues from the military being a 
very important part of it.
  Diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1995, Congressman Evans continued to 
serve the people in his district for almost another 12 years. He was 
determined to make a difference and help create a better world for the 
next generation. He surely has left our country stronger for having 
served it. He was a pioneer in terms of the hidden wounds of war for 
our soldiers.
  Today we remember his courage, his commitment, his vision, his 
beautiful smile, his lovely personality, his gracious being, his strong 
commitment to our vets. We hope it is a comfort to his brothers and 
loved ones that so many here in this body and around the world mourn 
their loss, pray for them, but we feel very strengthened as a country 
because of the blessing of Lane Evans' life to us.
  So again I thank Congresswoman Cheri Bustos for bringing us together 
to honor this great man. It is my privilege to join the members of the 
Illinois delegation and other Members who will be on the floor to honor 
Lane.
  He was a proud son of Illinois, that is for sure. I remember seeing 
him in Moline just so proud, so proud of his district, of his 
constituents, and they were all, in turn, as we are, proud of him.
  Thank you, Congresswoman Bustos.

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