[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15670]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1900
              THE PASSING OF FORMER CONGRESSMAN LANE EVANS

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise on Veterans Day Week to pay tribute 
to our dear friend and longtime former colleague, Congressman Lane 
Evans.
  An honorable man and Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, Lane was elected 
in November 1982, and sworn in January 1983 as a member of a large 
freshman class that comprised the 98th Congress. He hailed from a 
working-class district and was a son of the working class. So few 
Members are grounded in that heritage. He was intelligent, committed, a 
true gentleman, and a patriot.
  The economy and social benefit programs consumed the attention of 
that Congress. Very high unemployment levels hung over our Nation, 
mired in the aftermath of a very deep recession following the first 
Arab oil embargo and economic policies of the Reagan administration 
that did not relieve the dire circumstances of unemployed workers. 
Extending unemployment benefits occupied that Congress as a lifeline to 
millions of workers that saw their livelihoods evaporate almost 
instantaneously. In the spring of 1983, Congress passed the historic 
refinancing of the Social Security program to assure the system would 
be sound for generations to come. Lane had fought to be a Member to 
fight for that, and he was a ``yes'' vote on that historic measure.
  During the first decade of Lane's service, we served together on the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee. After an extended fight, legislation was 
passed to allow Agent Orange-affected Vietnam veterans to receive 
benefits as a moral obligation to these veterans who had served. Today, 
Lane's legacy lives on as we continue to build on the foundation he 
laid.
  During his distinguished career, Mr. Evans led the effort to fight 
for veterans returning home with PTSD and TBI. His efforts in Congress 
laid the groundwork for a new chapter in the way American cares for 
those suffering from mental illness and the stress-related conditions 
of battle.
  Mr. Evans was taken from us far too soon. He was only 63 when he 
passed away last week after a very long, courageous, and difficult 
battle with Parkinson's. He will be dearly missed.
  Always true to the Marine Corps motto, Lane was ``always faithful.'' 
May God bless him. May he be elevated to a very high position in 
heaven. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to serve with 
him as a Member of the 98th Congress and those that followed.

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