[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING DR. JOHN BRADEMAS

  Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of Indiana's 
best, Dr. John Brademas, who passed away on July 11.
  John Brademas was an extraordinary public servant and a trailblazing 
leader. His achievements made a mark on Indiana and on our country that 
can still be felt today.
  John was born a Hoosier in 1927 in Mishawaka, IN, to a Greek 
immigrant who ran a restaurant and to an Indiana native who worked as a 
schoolteacher. John Brademas was a star quarterback, and he was the 
valedictorian at South Bend Central High School.
  After high school, he served in the U.S. Navy and in the naval 
officers' training program at the University of Mississippi. He 
graduated from Harvard University, and he received a Rhodes Scholarship 
to Oxford University in England, where he earned his doctorate.
  In 1958, Dr. Brademas was elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives to the then-Third District of Indiana, where he served 
with incredible distinction for 22 years, until 1981. In Congress he 
was always working, always pushing to make life better for Hoosiers and 
for all Americans.
  His colleague, Representative Frank Thompson said:

       He never stops. He's incredibly bright, works terribly 
     hard, and is able to translate that brightness into very 
     pragmatic legislative ability.

  Dr. Brademas was a leading and effective legislator on issues 
involving schools, colleges, and universities, services for the elderly 
and the disabled, and for libraries, museums, the arts, and humanities. 
It earned him the recognition as ``Mr. Arts'' and ``Mr. Education.'' He 
helped lead the successful charge to establish the National Endowment 
for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He served 
as a member of the Committee on Education and Labor, writing Federal 
legislation on schools at every level.
  He was instrumental in passing landmark legislation, including the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This sought to increase 
opportunities for economically disadvantaged children and provided 
unprecedented Federal support for education. Dr. Brademas was the 
author in 1975 of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which 
for the first time provided Federal support and guaranteed nationwide 
educational opportunities for students with mental and physical 
disabilities.
  Additionally, Dr. Brademas was pivotal in efforts to improve higher 
education and boost grants and aid for student loans. John is also 
remembered for his support to advance civil rights and social justice.
  During his last 4 years in Congress, Dr. Brademas served as House 
majority whip. Following his congressional service, Dr. Brademas served 
as the president of New York University, or NYU, one of the largest 
private institutions in the country, until 1992. During his tenure, he 
led NYU's transformation from a local commuter school into a national 
and world-renowned research university.
  After retiring from NYU, he continued dedicating himself to causes 
important to him, such as democracy, the arts, and education. To that 
end, he helped establish two centers at NYU. Dr. Brademas founded the 
John Brademas Center at NYU to teach students about Congress--to have 
them become more familiar with their government--the legislative 
process, the policies around education and the arts, and foreign 
policy.
  The Brademas Center continues to educate some of the best and 
brightest students from around the world, and it educates them about 
democratic values and the need for an educated dialogue around the 
public policy challenges we are facing today and tomorrow.
  Dr. Brademas also launched and served as the first President of the 
King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, which promotes research and 
scholarship on Spain and Latin America.
  Dr. Brademas was awarded honorary degrees by 52 colleges and 
universities during his life--an incredible testament to his 
inspirational leadership and service to our country, which he loved so 
much.
  He also earned countless awards, served on many boards, and received 
numerous prestigious appointments. Among those, Dr. Brademas served as 
the chairman of President Bill Clinton's Committee on the Arts and 
Humanities and on the board of the Federal Reserve of New York.
  On a personal note, I was honored to call John Brademas my friend and 
my mentor. I got to know him after being elected to represent many of 
the same North Central Indiana communities that he served so well in 
Congress for so long. When I was elected to the House of 
Representatives, approximately a decade ago, it was a privilege to 
serve in what many still call ``the Brademas seat.''
  Over the years, John was a resource to me, set an example for me, and 
was an example to so many. He was unfailingly kind, helpful, 
thoughtful, and incredibly productive. John burned with a deep love for 
our country and with a desire to make the world a better place. The 
State of Indiana, the United States, and our world are so much better 
off because of Dr. John Brademas. God bless Mary Ellen and the Brademas 
family, God bless Indiana, and God bless America.
  Thank you, Dr. Brademas.
  I yield back.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.

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